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Getting greener by the inch...
A few months ago, my DH and I did something that a couple of years ago would have seemed unthinkable. We bought a bunch of those CFL light bulbs. We replaced the bulbs in our living room, the bedrooms and the music room. They even make the bulbs that go in 3-way lamps, for low, medium and high light. And you know what? The light from CFL bulbs really isn't any different than the light from regular bulbs.
Next, it was time to replace the soap in the bathrooms and, as luck would have it, there was a new soap brand on the market that is more environmentally friendly. So we bought it. And our hands get just as clean. With each change we started to get a little bolder. When we needed more dishwasher detergent, we reached for the "greener" version without even wondering whether or not it would work. Of course it did. It's like a cool, grown-up treasure hunt. Anyone else out there hunting for the green? 9 comments from 6 users
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posted by
madkow2747
on Nov 12, 2007 at 01:52 PM
We're slowly replacing all our regular bulbs with CFLs as they go out. Yesterday we finally found ones that are short enough to go into ceiling fans. I like them just as much, and they're really nice for porch lights since we don't have to replace them nearly as much.I used to use the environmentally-friendly soap, but I always bought it at Target and I don't even know if they sell it at Kmart. Plus I have a huge refill bottle of regular soap to get though. But I did get Simple Green to use around the house. I bought it because I was watching my son crawl around the kitchen one day, and he crawled right up to the oven door (that I had just cleaned with 409) and started sucking on it. (He's in love with the oven door- I think because he sees his reflection in it.) Simple Green works just as good and it's non-toxic. It's also biodegradable. posted by
christibdce
on Nov 12, 2007 at 09:08 PM
For you all-natural and kid-safe people out there, I recommend Melaleuca. Their laundry soap is sooooo awesome! But I digress. Their products - from cleaning products, to beauty products, to first aid and beyond - are all fantastic and usually way less expensive than store-bought. Check them out at Melaleuca.com. FYI, you can also become a representative and sell for them (which isn't hard once people try the products).
posted by
GINGER
on Nov 12, 2007 at 09:59 PM
I probably shouldn't say this,cause I want to be able to find them in the stores,but they now have Christmas lights that are LED and use alot less power than the old ones and last much longer.Went with CFLs a while ago.Digital displays suck power all the time,so those are gone too. Have been using the spray bottle with water only and a microfiber cloth for windows instead of the old streaky stuff and have been really happy. Now we want to try a tankless hot water heater because the old one is dying.Does anyone else have one and are you happy with it? Would love to try the steam cleaner for counters and other solid surfaces.It uses water to steam away grime instead of chemicals.Not sure who makes it. posted by
kidswi
on Nov 12, 2007 at 10:21 PM
I don't have a tankless in my home, but I wish I did. When it's time to replace the current hot water heater, our family will definately make the change. I have family members who have installed units in their homes and they love their efficiency. In speaking with them, it seams the only draw back is if you have a demand for a lot of hot water in different areas of the home such as taking a shower, while someone else is washing the dishes. If you have a larger home you may want to install two units at opposite ends of the house.
posted by
Joty
on Nov 13, 2007 at 08:57 AM
"hot water heater" lol, why do you need to heat hot water? We have tankless and love it! Instant hot water and takes hardly any space. I highly recomment them! Baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice and ammonia are all good cleaning products and not toxic. I recommend the book "organic housekeeping" by Ellen Sandbeck, she covers everything. Recycle!!! It takes 500 years for one aluminum can to decompose... posted by
kidswi
on Nov 15, 2007 at 05:15 PM
Joty, Great Points! However, ammonia is actually quite toxic. A great cleaning agent, no doubt, but it still poses high risks to pets and youngsters if they were to get into it. Also be sure not to mix it with bleach as hydrochloric gas will result as a byproduct. Thanks for the book suggestion, we will most definately check it out.
posted by
Joty
on Nov 15, 2007 at 06:26 PM
Right, if chlorine comes in contact with ammonia based products chlorine gas is created. I learned that one the hard way...but I still use ammonia (which breaks down in pure water), though not in ready made products, and I no longer use bleach. The book is wonderful, the author's nickname is the "Nontoxic Avenger". posted by
rm6
on Nov 16, 2007 at 01:32 AM
You learned that the hard way?? What happened? Yea, mixing bleach (sodium hypochlorite) with ammonia, will produce chlorine gas, nitrogen trichloride (extremely toxic to humans and explosive), and/or hydrazine (a component of rocket fuel, explosive). posted by
Joty
on Nov 16, 2007 at 08:34 AM
I was cleaning our shower stall with a mix, bleach and I think Windex...can you say Dumbass...spent 4 days in a hospital on breathing treatments. Not fun. That was when I went chemical free for household cleaning. I think had the space been smaller I might have bought the farm.
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