Green Options

[Creative Commons photo by sarae]

Your dishwasher is spic and span, and it’s starting to make your cluttered refrigerator look a little bit…well…gross. Don’t despair! We’ve got you covered with some Earth-friendly fridge-cleaning tips. Not only does cleaning out the fridge keep things sanitary, you can do your part to make it more energy efficient!

Organic bedding and mattresses can go a long way to giving babies a healthier sleeping environment and new parents a good night’s sleep.

Take the Coyuchi Organic Cotton Percale Fitted Crib Sheet from Toronto-based Grassroots Environmental Products.

“Coyuchi bed linens are made from 100% certified organic cotton, which means the cotton is grown and processed without the use of pesticides, chlorine bleach, or chemical softeners,” explains the company.

Grassroots recommends washing the organic cotton sheets with baking soda or one of their Nature Clean products.

More than ever, homeowners are making and using green cleaning products at home.

So, what’s your favorite green cleaning recipe?  The Clean Calgary Association’s Green Cleaning Guide For Businesses and Individuals by Lindsay Luhnau serves up green cleaning recipes galore.

First, it lists key DIY green cleaner ingredients: white vinegar, washing soda, castile soap, baking soda, Borax, olive oil, water, lemon juice and elbow grease.  Here are a few of the guide’s green cleaner recipes:

My daughter has been complaining that her mouth hurts, and I thought nothing of it because she said she scratched her cheek with her fingernail. Yesterday, I finally looked in her mouth, and there was a huge canker sore, which is a small mouth ulcer. Canker sores can be caused by a minor injury to the mouth, such as my daughter’s fingernail, as well as bacteria, a faulty immune system, stress, certain foods (chocolate, coffee, strawberries, etc.) and/or a diet lacking B vitamins. I wondered if the flush of strawberries from the garden had been impacting my daughter’s canker sore, as well as her weekend full of ballet performances added stress to her little body. There is also some evidence that toothpastes containing SLS, like Tom’s of Maine, may contribute to canker sores.

Most canker sores heal on their own within two weeks, but due to my daughter’s pain, I decided to treat it naturally with herbs and homeopathy that we already had in our home. There are other recommended herbs not included in this list, but this list reflects our current regime without making a special trip to town.

1. Calcarea Carbonica: This homeopathic remedy is often recommended for canker sores, but like all homeopathic remedies, the remedy needs to be selected based on the individual’s symptoms beyond the sore itself. Homeopathy takes a holistic approach when choosing the correct remedy. Borax is more often used for canker sores than calcarea carbonica, but since CC is also a remedy for cradle cap, we already had it.

I was first introduced to Irish Soda Bread from my Irish friend. I was impressed with its flavor and rustic looks. I found a simple recipe in one of my cookbooks, and I love to make it for parties to impress my friends. This recipe is super easy and quick to make. Of course organic ingredients are the best to use for flavor and your health!

Irish Soda Bread

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

If you have a baking stone, place it in the oven and heat it for and extra 10 minutes beyond preheating. Otherwise, you can lightly oil or butter a cookie sheet.

Mix:

• 1 cup unbleached white flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup wheat bran
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda