Green Options

“There are nine million bicycles in Beijing
That’s a fact
It’s a thing we can’t deny
Like the fact that I will love you till I die.”

Enjoy these great bicycle photos from Beijing while listening to the beautiful song by Katie Melua that starts with these lines.

Tired of the general confusion and hoping to provide both companies and consumers with a better understanding of “green” claims, the American Chemical Society’s Green Chemistry Institute has a plan. Working with representatives from the from the ACS, major chemical and pharmaceutical companies, trade groups, nonprofit environmental organizations, and academia, they hope “to build a comprehensive, multiattribute, consensus-based standard with third-party verification that a company can certify against to say its product is green or that its manufacturing process or [...]

I’ve been poor, dirt poor, caretaking a small cabin in the woods working on a basil farm.  During these slim economic times, I discovered that water, just water, was an effective cleaner.  Now that I am a little more affluent and have stainless steel appliances, water is once again my favorite cleaning product!  But what about the smears….enter E-cloth!

Jessica has already shared with our readers her love affair with microfiber, and I have to agree I’m in love with E-cloths.

E-cloth® uses microfiber technology to pull and capture dirt, dust, grease, oil and more from hard surfaces without the need for chemicals.   Perfect to have on hand in the kitchen to clean in between courses.  E-cloth® is made to clean hard surfaces from kitchen countertops to wood shelves to stainless steel appliances and glass (leaving no discoloration, streaks or smudges) all without a single chemical cleaner.  Specially cut fibers utilize pure tap water to clean at the microbial level, saving your family from having to choose between a dirty home and harmful chemicals.

The road to going green is, in my mind, quite mixed with the road to going healthier.  Getting rid of our aluminum cookware is divided into the same category of my thoughts as using cloth napkins or recycled-paper towels.  So what are we doing to get green & healthy now?

A few months ago, in an effort to green up my health and beauty products, I ran across National Geographic’s The Green Guide. The site included a handy wallet-sized guide called The Dirty Dozen in Personal Care Products, which allows me to pick products that don’t contain harmful chemicals.

Then last week, my issue of Whole Life Times included a tear-out seafood guide. It lets me know what to

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Editor’s note: This month, GNMParents‘ contributor Tiffany Washko takes a look at home cleaning alternatives that are both greener and safer for your family. Don’t forget to check out Jennifer’s contribution at GNMParents.

So what is “green” cleaning exactly? Green cleaning means using cleaning products that don’t endanger you, children, or the environment.

Many people use cleaning products throughout their homes without a thought or concern. They figure that if the product

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