Did You Know?

Some of the commonly purchased products we use in our homes are toxic. Discover more on The Top 10 Toxic products You Don't Need and less toxic alternatives.

The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine suggested in a study that certain household cleaning sprays contain chemicals that can raise your asthma risk by as much as 50%. When you start your spring cleaning make sure you ventilate the room by opening a window.

For some great tips on spring cleaning and to keep you smiling while you work, take a look at FlyLady.net. This entertaining website suggests that we don't always have to tackle all the spring cleaning in one day. Small "baby steps" will eventually get the job completed. Happy Spring Cleaning!

On-Site Workshops in the Spotlight

4-Week Jump Start

Are you feeling tired or sluggish? Do you have lack of focus or "brain fog?" Do you get frequent headaches or muscle aches? Our 4-week Jump Start Program is a great way to start your transition into healthy living.

Topics include:

• Cleaning out your pantry
• Health assessment questionnaire
• Elimination-diet guidelines
• The "Dirty Dozen" of produce
• Reducing exposure to home toxins
  

Feng Shui in the Workplace

Hang a wind chime to boost popularity. Never sit at your desk with your back to the door. These are just a couple of tips from the ancient Chinese philosophy used to create harmony with our environment and bring balance into our living and work spaces.

This workshop focuses on creating optimal office spaces designed to increase your success and enhance your career. Learn where your personal auspicious locations are and how to maximize energy flow.

Greener Homes & Gardens

Are there toxins in your home? Learn how to reduce your exposure to chemicals and toxins in and around your home by making informed choices about the products and services you use.

For more information and to schedule one of the above workshops please contact The Back Rub Company at 480-330-2066.

Is there really such a thing as biodegradable plastic bags?

Although those handy grocery store bags serve a wide array of functions, once they actually make it to the landfill they'll be there forever.

Conventional plastic is made of petroleum - 1.6 billion gallons each year! - one of the only materials on earth that never goes away. Even if it breaks down after being exposed to heat and sunlight, the tiny particles contaminate soil and water, eventually making into the food we eat.

Americans go through over 380 billion bags a year, and only an estimated 5.2% are actually 'recycled.'

The solution?

• Green: Don't just throw them away when you get home. Reuse the bags as a trash liner, littler box liner, etc.


• Greener: Take the bags back to your grocery store. Some stores like Whole Foods and Fry's give customers a nickle off for every bag they bring in to reuse.


• Greenest: Eliminate using plastic bags altogether and bring your own reusable cloth totes.

What about kitchen trash bags?
Manufacturers are making progress with biodegradable plastics that break down into water, carbon dioxide and biomass. However, there's a flaw. The 'new' biodegradable plastics are actually 'oxo-degradable,' meaning they only break down when exposed to air or light, not in an oxygen-deprived landfill.

• EarthSense Kitchen Trash Bags made with 70% recycled plastic, 10% post-consumer


• Seventh Generation Drawstring Tall Kitchen Bags made with 45% recycled plastic, 25% post-consumer
  

If you have a question about green living, please e-mail us and we'll include it in a future article.

Green Holiday Cards

Our friends from Your Guide to Green offered up suggestions on where to find eco-friendly Holidays cards this season. Check it out!

Club Card Printing - submit your own artwork and they print custom cards on 100% post-consumer recycled paper.

Syracuse Cultural Workers - beautiful artwork, all printed on 100% PCW paper.

Pen & Parchment - also makes holiday address lables, notecards, photo cards, gift tags, stickers and more.

Cards for Causes - made with recycled paper and donates a portion to a charity of your choice.

For more ideas, drop us an e-mail.

Create Your Own Compost

Whether you live in a house or an apartment, composting is an effective way to reduce waste and feed your garden, lawn and houseplants.

Did you know that kitchen scraps, leaves and grass take up about one-third of the space in landfills? However, all of these can be easily composted at home - indoors or outside. In addition, you save money on fertilizers and topsoil, and enrich your plants, flowers, herbs and lawn with their natural diet of macro- and micronutrients.

Composting involves three essential elements: compost material, moisture and air. Almost any organic material is suitable for composting. Be sure to maintain a ratio of 'green' (nitrogen-rich) and 'brown' (carbon-rich) materials. Each time you add to your compost pile, turn and mix it to help materials compost more quickly. Composts take a few months or so to complete. Finished compost is deep brown, crumbly and resembles topsoil. Sprinkle the finished product on garden beds, houseplants, lawns, etc.

Green Compost Materials:
Apple cores, banana peels, watermelon rinds and any other fruit and vegetable scraps
Coffee grounds and filters
Plant trimmings
Crushed eggshells
Hair
Brown Compost Materials:
Dried grass clippings
Dried leaves
Sawdust and wood chips
Dryer lint
You can also compost beverages (to moisten the pile), bio-based plastics, cardboard, tea bags and shredded newspaper.
Don't Compost:
Any meat or bones
Fish
Dairy products
Cat litter
Fireplace ashes
Fats or oils
Sod
Weeds
Diseased plants
Create your own compost containers -

Indoors: A simple plastic container with a tight lid makes a great under-the-sink compost bin. Add scraps and blend the materials. Empty the container weekly into a larger outdoor container.

Outdoors (in-ground): Remove the handle from a five-gallon bucket with a lid. Drill several large holes all over the bucket at least six inches away from the lid. Bury the bucket in the backyard. Add scrap and mix.

Outdoors (above-ground): If you have alot of waste and room in your backyard for a larger compost, above-ground bins are highly recommended. The average cost is $50 for materials. It's a fun project to do with the kids and teach them about living green.