Replace Air Fresheners with Natural Alternatives

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air freshenersHowever polluted the outside air in your city is, research has found that the air quality inside most homes is far more toxic.

It’s shocking to think that as we keep our windows tight shut against the fumes of city life, we are actually creating a worse cocktail of chemicals for ourselves to breathe. Many of the chemicals in our inside air come from our cleaning products.

The worst offenders of all are air fresheners and other artificially scented products. VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which are found in many artificial scents, cause problems with the nervous system, as well as headaches and other side effects.

One of the best things you can do to keep the air in your home safe is to banish all artificial air freshening and scented products – that also includes fabric conditioners.

So what can you do instead to keep your house smelling nice? Here are a few natural suggestions that will keep the air fresh without polluting it.

Natural scented candles – if you need a quick burst of fragrance to get rid of bathroom smells, burn a natural scented candle for a few minutes. It will give off a nice fragrance and purify the air as it burns. Make sure it is a natural candle of either soy, hemp or beeswax with natural oils. Artificial scented candles only add to the chemical overload.

Baking soda – bowls of baking soda placed around the home safely absorb odors. Use baking soda for cleaning too to get rid of pet smells.

Open windows – often just ventilating a room is enough to keep things smelling fresh. Open bathroom windows after use to stop them getting damp and musty.

Flowers – a bowl of hyacinths gives rich bursts of floral scents in the middle of winter. This might not be the best answer is you have a hayfever sufferer in the family or someone with allergies to flowers, but will satisfy a longer for spring and rich scents for the rest of us.

Spices – simmer a pot of water on the stove with some cinnamon or cloves in it. The whole house will be infused with a gently spicy aroma.

Green tea – Use green tea leaves to deodorize carpets, pet beds, fridges and so on.

Photo © Kornwa | Dreamstime.com

World Oceans Day Today

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world oceans dayToday is the day to celebrate all the wonders of our oceans and also to raise awareness of their current plight.

The theme of World Oceans Day this year is Youth: the Next Wave for Change. There are tons of fantastic events planned all over the world to educate our kids, so check out what’s happening in your area and be part of the change we hope to see in the world!

Or just head down to your nearest beach and do a mini-beach clean-up before enjoying a day of sun, sea and sand!

Check out the World Oceans day site for more ways to join in and make a difference.

Mood Lighting Or Blackout Back-up – Solar Jars

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solar sun jarsSolar lights have become very popular for garden mood lighting. They are affordable and can be very pretty, charge themselves in the day and give off a glow at night, without having to be switched on or  off.

Now people are getting clever and converting them into sun jars, or in other words solar lanterns, that can be used in and around the home, for energy saving mood lighting, or in an emergency for back-up lighting.

Get into the habit of using solar lanterns at home and you need never be in the dark when a sudden blackout strikes. Using solar lights inside is a habit to be learned. They need to be charged up in the daytime, either on a sunny windowsill or outside. To have them ready for use at any time, you need to get into the habit of putting them out to charge every morning, but the rewards are well worth it: an endless source of light that costs nothing and isn’t dependent on the grid.

Of course one of these little solar lantern jars isn’t going to light up your whole home. For that you need something more like the  d.light S250 Solar LED Lantern . But having several solar jars in the home gives background light very easily, making it that much safer and friendlier in the dark of a blackout. Think of using them as nightlights, or using one for gentle night-time illumination in the bathroom, in corridors and halls and on the table at meals. They are so much safer and cleaner than candles and kerosene lamps, especially when you have children and pets.

consol solar lantern jarsNot yet available in the US, but hopefully soon to be either imported or copied!, are these appealing solar jars from Consol in South Africa – the equivalent of Mason canning jars. The lights are well made, stylish and work well.

Could be the start of a new mood in renewable energy!

Edited to add: Further Googling has turned up these solar light lids for Mason jars on etsy – so it is possible to recreate these already after all.

Campbell Soups Go Solar

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Campbell soups go solarManufacturing and industry are some of the highest consumers of electricity, so it’s great news when one of the big companies makes the commitment to invest in alternative energy sources.

Campbell soups have announced that they are constructing a solar power generation system at one of their California facilities, adding their name to the small but growing list of would-be green manufacturers

This system should be in place by March 2012 and will supply 10-% of the annual electricity needs of the facility, reducing CO2 greenhouse gas emissions over the 20 year project term by 58,000 metric tons.

Now if only this would become the norm instead of an unusual move worth shouting about, we could start looking forward to a more sustainable future! At least Campbell soup will be a greener convenience food option in the Western states from then on!

Check out the latest news from many other global brands here.

Hemp Houses – The Building Material of the Future?

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While it is still illegal to grow hemp in the US and in South Africa, innovative green builders have constructed the first eco-friendly hemp houses in both countries. Hemp is an incredibly versatile and eco-friendly material and for those aiming to reduce their carbon footprint it is an excellent building choice, resulting in strong buildings that are non-toxic and completely natural.

The main building material is imported from Europe – Hemcrete is a mixture of hemp and lime.

For more information about its qualities, read about the first hemp house in the US.

And compare it to the first hemp house in South Africa.

Both stunning buildings are a convincing argument for governments to seriously consider legalizing the growing of hemp to provide a sustainable source of building materials for the future. And for those worrying about the effects of the house going up in smoke, Mosrie puts it this way: “We tell folks they would have to smoke the master bedroom to get high! It would take smoking 2500 lbs of the hemp to get high, so it is a losing effort.”

LEDs – Changing Your Light Bulbs

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changing light bulbsAre you thinking of changing over to LED light bulbs?

When it comes to energy efficiency and long life, it’s well worth skipping straight over the twisty compact fluorescent light bulbs and going straight on to LEDs… if you can afford it. The downside of the new technology LED lighting is that in order to save energy and save money you need to invest a fair amount in the initial purchase of the light bulbs. And as with all new technology some of it is better than others.

So how do you know which LEDs to invest in, so that you don’t waste money getting the wrong ones?

The answer is to do your research before you buy. Don’t be tempted to buy a whole set of light bulbs for your entire house. Rather buy a couple of different brands and types, try them out and then go back and purchase the ones that work for you.

This recent article on replacing light bulbs in the New York Times describes the writer’s exploration of energy saving light bulbs for his own home and is a great read if you want a non-technical introduction to the complex world of LED lighting.

We’ve checked out two of the omni-directional LED light bulbs that he mentioned, and both of them get good reviews on Amazon, so we are featuring them here for you to try.

The Philips Ambient LED Dimmable 60W Replacement Light Bulb gives a good warm ambient light for open ceiling lights and lamps. The bulb itself is orange, which may or may not bother you, but the light is soft white. $45.25 from Amazon.

The GE 62180 9-Watt LED Soft White A19 Light Bulb gives a nice and even light to replace your standard light bulb. $42.39 from Amazon.

If you are looking for direct replacements for 60W ceiling lights or lamps these two are a good starting point. Try them and let us know your opinions. And if you’ve tried some other LEDs that work well for you, please do share. We’re all fumbling our way towards an energy efficient future!