For more details, see this article at lifewithoutplastic.com.
--http://lifewithoutplastic.com/silicone/
Silicone may not be as inert as previously thought and is not recyclable. Use carefully with food or consider alternatives. For more details, see this article at lifewithoutplastic.com. --http://lifewithoutplastic.com/silicone/ Mix equal parts vinegar and water for a non-toxic cleaning solution for floors and countertops. The chemicals in cleaning solutions degrade indoor air quality which can lead to health problems. Make your own cleaning solutions with non-toxic products that you have around the house. Greatist.com writer Laura Newcomer suggests that homemade cleaners have multiple benefits in that they save money and "cuts down on packaging waste and reduces the release of household chemicals that can contribute to air and water pollution."* Newcomer lists several uses for vinegar to clean the kitchen. For kitchen floors made from tile or linoleum, “simply combine one part white vinegar with two parts warm water in a bucket. Use a mop or rag to scrub down the floors with the solution. No need to rinse off! (Note: this one’s not recommended for wood floors)."* To clean kitchen counters, “mix together equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle. If your countertop is made from marble, granite, or stone, skip the vinegar (its acidity is no good for these surfaces) and use rubbing alcohol or the wondrous power of vodka instead.”* *Laura Newcomer, March 19, 2015. 27 Chemical-Free Recipes for DIY Spring Cleaning. https://greatist.com/health/27-chemical-free-products-diy-spring-cleaning By Heather Saunders for aFewSteps With the warm summer weather, mosquitoes are returning to our neighborhoods, taking some of the fun out of summer evenings and time spent outdoors. Horticulturalist and local gardening guru Charles Cresson spoke to aFewSteps about how to control mosquitoes without resorting to chemical insecticides. According to Cresson, “Mosquitoes in this community are an unnecessary plague,” and the best way to combat that plague is by getting rid of standing water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs and the larvae mature in standing water – a process that typically takes 10 to 14 days, depending on temperature. Cresson encourages us all to think carefully about where water might be standing in our own gardens – in a stack of flower pots, for example, in a child’s toy that’s been left out in the rain, or in a clogged or sagging gutter that doesn’t drain properly. Some mosquitoes can breed in as little as a thimbleful of water – “that’s the crease in a plastic bag.” For standing water you can’t get rid of (including bird baths and ornamental ponds), Cresson recommends Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis (Bti), a naturally occurring bacteria which kills mosquito larvae but is non-toxic to other organisms in the garden, including children and pets. Bti is available commercially in the form of “mosquito dunks” or “mosquito pellets” which float on the water surface. Swarthmore Hardware carries both dunks and pellets. The proprietor, Charlie Devaney, can answer questions about using Bti in your garden and reports success with simple mosquito traps using the dunks. A single application of mosquito dunks lasts about a month. While effective against mosquito larvae, Bti has no effect on adult mosquitoes. Keeping gardens weeded and lawns mown helps to deprive adult mosquitoes of shelter. Larger insects, birds, bats, amphibians and some fish all eat mosquitoes, but there are no animals native to our region that rely exclusively or even predominantly on mosquitoes for their diet. Because mosquitoes are weak flyers, a fan operating where people are congregating may be the most effective way to keep them from bugging your party. Both Cresson and Devaney point out that mosquitoes are a very local problem. According to control-mosquitoes.com, the species typically found in and around our homes and gardens have a limited flight range of about 300 feet. In our area, that’s about the size of 2 typical properties. As Charles Cresson puts it, “You don’t have to suffer in your backyard, but you might be at your neighbor’s mercy.” Additional tips for homeowners are available on the following websites: http://control-mosquitoes.com/ http://www.mosquito.org/control http://www.mosquitoworld.net/ Commercially produced cut flowers can be tough on the environment. Because cut flowers are not intended to be eaten, they are not subject to the same regulations as food, and are often laden with pesticides and other chemicals. The cultivation of flowers in distant parts of the world is water-intensive, and their transport to the American market relies on petroleum-based fuels. Domestically grown flowers may not be much better in terms of their environmental impact, if they are grown in heated greenhouses. This Mothers’ Day, look for organic flowers, or cut some blooms from your own garden. Consider giving Mom a potted flowering plant instead of a bouquet – it’ll last longer, and you’ll be doing Mother Earth a favor! Clean your barbeque grill with half a peeled white onion; just heat the grill and rub it with the onion cut-side down. For more information, check out afewsteps.org. (Image: Flickr member allygirl520 licensed for use under Creative Commons) For more details, see this article from WonderHowTo.com ---https://food-hacks.wonderhowto.com/how-to/clean-disinfect-your-barbecue-grill-grate-with-onion-398230/ To freshen your shoes, put a spoonful of baking soda in each of two coffee filters, tie each sachet with an elastic band, and place one in each shoe.
By absorbing bad smells, baking soda can act as a good deodorizer for shoes and even for feet. You can sprinkle it directly in your shoes and tap it out later, but it may leave traces of white powder. The coffee filters will bypass that issue. Baby powder can be used in place of baking soda. Another option is to freeze your shoes. Put them in resealable bags to protect them from the extreme temperature inside the freezer. Leave them in the freezer overnight to help kill the bacteria. Take out from the freezer and thaw. By removing your shoes when you enter your home, you avoid tracking in salt, pesticides, gasoline residue and other contaminants.
The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension reports that, “around 30 to 40 percent of the contaminants inside your home are brought in from outdoors.”1 The EPA recommends removing shoes to reduce the amount of lead that gets tracked into the home.2 An EPA study has also found that taking your shoes off at the door can reduce the presence of commonly-used herbicides in the household.3 Sources: 1 Pamela R. Turner, September 2015, “Leave it at the Door: A Guide to Reducing Contaminants in Your Home,” Circular 1070 (Formerly HACE-E-81), extension.uga.edu/publications 2 EPA “Protect Your Family from Sources of Lead,” https://www.epa.gov/lead/protect-your-family-sources-lead#soil 3 Marcia G. Nishioka, Hazel M. Burkholder, Marielle C. Brinkman, and Robert G. Lewis. 1999. Distribution of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid in Floor Dust throughout Homes Following Homeowner and Commercial Lawn Applications: Quantitative Effects of Children, Pets, and Shoes. Environ. Sci. Technol. 33 (9):1359–1365. Avoid PFCs (per- and polyfluorinated chemicals) that make outdoor gear waterproof and stain-resistant, such as Gore-tex, Teflon, and Scotchguard—they are toxic in the environment and in our bodies.
See www.treehugger.com for more details. Purchase a healthy crib mattress for your baby--without fire retardants, plasticizers, polyurethane foam, vinyl (PVC), and other chemicals linked to problems with child development .
No need for commercial solutions to athlete's foot -- steep your feet in warm, salted water.
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