I guess the answer to this is "Never green enough, but working on it!"
Being Irish helps but I'm constantly learning new ways to "go green"...for example, I just found out that we can take all of our plastics to our local dump for recycling...YA HOO to that one as Michael goes through tons of Propel water daily!
So this isn't all about the guy below but he IS saving energy/our earth/ the ecology by walking!!!....
Found this great article on the Internet and you can click on the title and get lots more wonderful suggestions too....
(It's soooo easy to just use vinegar and baking soda to clean and disinfect most surfaces, toilets and showers that I now keep a large container of white vinegar and a box of baking soda in the bathroom!)
The strength of any deep clean comes from the supplies you use to wipe, polish, scrub, and soak—but that doesn't mean you have to stock up on sprays and powders that are made of potentially toxic antibacterial chemicals. Find out how using kitchen staples—like vinegar, baking soda, and good old hot water—can get your house as sparkling clean as anything on the shelves (at a fraction of the price), and how those once-a-year jobs (like vacuuming the refrigerator coils) can make your home more efficient than you realized.
Home organization
Get a jump on your spring cleaning by tackling all of your home's trouble spots, from junk drawers and closets to garages and attics—because having less to clean makes the job go that much more quickly. Once you've managed to get rid of those magazines you'll never read and those clothes you'll never wear, find green ways to get them out of your house, from donating and recycling to selling or reusing—which can help make someone else's life a little greener, too.
(Lately we've been getting SO many calls from clothing donations centers that we've given to recently and in the past that we could end up naked around here...now THAT"S scary!!)
In this guide, we'll show you how to reduce, reuse, and recycle the clutter that's blocking your access to summer essentials like the beach chairs and the barbecue; how to clean your home from roof to floor with non-toxic, homemade household cleaners; and how to get—and stay—organized without investing in a pile of plastic storage bins. Who knows? You just might love your new, clean, green space so much that next year’s spring cleaning won't even be necessary—so you can head right outside at the first sign of warm weather.
With paper towels making up 3,000 tons of landfill trash every day, it's hard to justify using those disposables—no matter how convenient they are—and it feels even harder to stop. But if you think about all the tasks you use a paper towel for, it's easy to figure out how to replace them, from using microfiber towels on glass and mirrors to turning old shirts into rags to mop up messier spills. For more how-tos on giving up the roll, try these seven simple replacements.
(ONE thing we started doing a long time ago was saving the paper towels that are still 'clean', like those used to quickly dry something or to cover something put in the microwave etc, so that they can be reused to wipe up spills or wash the floor, which I do tile by tile with old paper towels.)
1. To dry your hands
This is an easy one: there are plenty of ways to dry your hands without using paper. Cloth towels are simplest—and the prettiest, if you're interested in keeping the look of your kitchen or bathroom up-to-date; try organic cotton towels for an even greener solution. You could also take your cues from Ed Begley, Jr., and his wife, Rachelle, and install an electric hand dryer, especially if you're providing your home with power from an alternative energy source, like solar or wind. Even simpler? Just give your hands a quick shake and let them air dry.
2. To wipe the counter
If you're used to grabbing a paper towel for every drip, crumb, and splatter that ends up on your tile, then your household waste will see a big reduction by replacing those paper towels with the reusable option that worked so well for generations: the sponge. From pushing crumbs into the trashcan to using a damp sponge to wipe up coffee stains and spaghetti sauce, a simple sponge is one of the most utilitarian tools in your kitchen—and if you're worried about spreading bacteria, use the tried-and-true trick of microwaving a wet sponge for about 30 seconds to kill germs.
(I daily microwave my sponges and love knowing that they are even cleaner than a paper towel afterwards!)
3. To soak up spills
For sopping up simple spills—water, fruit juice, cooking splatter—use absorbent cloth towels and wash them with your place mats, cloth napkins, and other food-prep fabrics. For more complicated spills, like juice from raw meat, set aside separate towels and wash them after each use to prevent bacteria from spreading—and keep in mind that using your hand towel without washing your hands after touching food will mean it, too, needs to be washed more often.
4. To shine glass
You can make your own glass cleaner from lemon juice, rubbing alcohol, vinegar, dish soap, and water, but when it comes to applying it to glass, sponges can leave streaks and terrycloth towels can give you a mirror covered in fuzz. Instead, use microfiber towels from Method that are specially-designed to work on glass and mirrors—or copy another trick from housekeeping gurus and use newspaper for a streak-free shine.
5. To scrub the bathroom
We understand if this is the one room in your home that makes you most inspired to use disposable cleaning products, but the rules that apply in your kitchen apply here, too: use a microfiber glass cleaner; microwave sponges and wash your scrubbing towels after every use to kill bacteria; and use non-toxic cleaners to keep your bathroom free from harsh chemicals.
6. To prep vegetables
Using paper towels to pat dry vegetables might not be the biggest drain on your weekly supply of disposables, but removing excess water will help when steaming, blanching, or drying raw veggies (and those techniques can help you preserve your fresh bounty for winter use). Simple cotton towels are your new best friend, here—or look for linen towels that absorb just as well without releasing any fibers.
7. To blow your nose
Grabbing a paper towel instead of a tissue during sneezing fits is probably hard enough on your nose that you don't need more incentive to switch; but if you're apt to grab a towel when the Kleenex aren't close at hand, then try this trick from grandfathers everywhere: a handkerchief. Just make sure to grab a clean one each morning and—as with all your towels—wash them regularly."
So here's a few goofy 'green' jokes for today......
Kilometers are shorter than miles. Save gas, take your next trip in kilometers.
************
Is a vegetarian permitted to eat animal crackers?
*************
Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong.
******************
Oh Beautiful for smoggy skies, insecticided grain,
For strip-mined mountain's majesty above the asphalt plain.
America, America, man sheds his waste on thee,
And hides the pines with billboard signs, from sea to oily sea.
Julie was remodeling her house. She had a painter come by to look at her house.
*************
And one I've shared before but a cutie...
They were walking through her house and they came to the first room where Julie said, "I think I want this room blue." The painter wrote something down on his clipboard, walked over to the window, and shouted, "Green side up!"
Then they went on to the next room. There, Julie said, "This room is going to be brown." The painter wrote something down on the clipboard again, walked over to the window, and shouted, "Green side up!"
Now Julie was extremely confused, but she brushed it off, and they went to the next room. Julie said, "This room should be red." The painter wrote something down on his clipboard, walked over to the window, and shouted, "Green side up!"
Julie was even more confused now. She asked the painter, "Why do you go to the window and shout 'Green side up!' every time I tell you what color I want a room?" To this, the painter replied. "I have blondes laying sod across the street."
~~~~~Heavenly Father, Son and Holy Spirit I thank You for the blessings of this beautiful green planet You gave us...please help us honor You by taking good care of it.
1. To dry your hands
This is an easy one: there are plenty of ways to dry your hands without using paper. Cloth towels are simplest—and the prettiest, if you're interested in keeping the look of your kitchen or bathroom up-to-date; try organic cotton towels for an even greener solution. You could also take your cues from Ed Begley, Jr., and his wife, Rachelle, and install an electric hand dryer, especially if you're providing your home with power from an alternative energy source, like solar or wind. Even simpler? Just give your hands a quick shake and let them air dry.
2. To wipe the counter
If you're used to grabbing a paper towel for every drip, crumb, and splatter that ends up on your tile, then your household waste will see a big reduction by replacing those paper towels with the reusable option that worked so well for generations: the sponge. From pushing crumbs into the trashcan to using a damp sponge to wipe up coffee stains and spaghetti sauce, a simple sponge is one of the most utilitarian tools in your kitchen—and if you're worried about spreading bacteria, use the tried-and-true trick of microwaving a wet sponge for about 30 seconds to kill germs.
(I daily microwave my sponges and love knowing that they are even cleaner than a paper towel afterwards!)
3. To soak up spills
For sopping up simple spills—water, fruit juice, cooking splatter—use absorbent cloth towels and wash them with your place mats, cloth napkins, and other food-prep fabrics. For more complicated spills, like juice from raw meat, set aside separate towels and wash them after each use to prevent bacteria from spreading—and keep in mind that using your hand towel without washing your hands after touching food will mean it, too, needs to be washed more often.
4. To shine glass
You can make your own glass cleaner from lemon juice, rubbing alcohol, vinegar, dish soap, and water, but when it comes to applying it to glass, sponges can leave streaks and terrycloth towels can give you a mirror covered in fuzz. Instead, use microfiber towels from Method that are specially-designed to work on glass and mirrors—or copy another trick from housekeeping gurus and use newspaper for a streak-free shine.
5. To scrub the bathroom
We understand if this is the one room in your home that makes you most inspired to use disposable cleaning products, but the rules that apply in your kitchen apply here, too: use a microfiber glass cleaner; microwave sponges and wash your scrubbing towels after every use to kill bacteria; and use non-toxic cleaners to keep your bathroom free from harsh chemicals.
6. To prep vegetables
Using paper towels to pat dry vegetables might not be the biggest drain on your weekly supply of disposables, but removing excess water will help when steaming, blanching, or drying raw veggies (and those techniques can help you preserve your fresh bounty for winter use). Simple cotton towels are your new best friend, here—or look for linen towels that absorb just as well without releasing any fibers.
7. To blow your nose
Grabbing a paper towel instead of a tissue during sneezing fits is probably hard enough on your nose that you don't need more incentive to switch; but if you're apt to grab a towel when the Kleenex aren't close at hand, then try this trick from grandfathers everywhere: a handkerchief. Just make sure to grab a clean one each morning and—as with all your towels—wash them regularly."
So here's a few goofy 'green' jokes for today......
Kilometers are shorter than miles. Save gas, take your next trip in kilometers.
************
Is a vegetarian permitted to eat animal crackers?
*************
Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong.
******************
Oh Beautiful for smoggy skies, insecticided grain,
For strip-mined mountain's majesty above the asphalt plain.
America, America, man sheds his waste on thee,
And hides the pines with billboard signs, from sea to oily sea.
Julie was remodeling her house. She had a painter come by to look at her house.
*************
And one I've shared before but a cutie...
They were walking through her house and they came to the first room where Julie said, "I think I want this room blue." The painter wrote something down on his clipboard, walked over to the window, and shouted, "Green side up!"
Then they went on to the next room. There, Julie said, "This room is going to be brown." The painter wrote something down on the clipboard again, walked over to the window, and shouted, "Green side up!"
Now Julie was extremely confused, but she brushed it off, and they went to the next room. Julie said, "This room should be red." The painter wrote something down on his clipboard, walked over to the window, and shouted, "Green side up!"
Julie was even more confused now. She asked the painter, "Why do you go to the window and shout 'Green side up!' every time I tell you what color I want a room?" To this, the painter replied. "I have blondes laying sod across the street."
~~~~~Heavenly Father, Son and Holy Spirit I thank You for the blessings of this beautiful green planet You gave us...please help us honor You by taking good care of it.
