Taking care of the environment is getting a lot of play nowadays. Everyone is aware that we should reduce our consumption and reduce our waste output and that is why we recycle. However, one thing that is often overlooked is what happens to our waterways when we do some house cleaning. What does it mean when household cleaners aren’t green friendly? In this article, we explore some better alternatives when tackling our cleaning jobs.

A lot of the commercial household cleaners that you buy aren’t very healthy for the environment. That is because when they contain chemicals that can’t be broken down easily through the water treatment plants. Some of the things you have to look out for are products containing phosphates, petroleum and chlorine.

Phosphates are used in our cleaning products as water softeners. However, once it goes down the drain, it gets into our waterways and can promote the growth of algae and that pollutes our waters. So when you’re looking for laundry detergent, stay away from phosphate.

Next on the list of cleaners to ban in your cleaning job is the use of petroleum based products. To extract petroleum actually produces a lot of pollution. If you need a strong cleaner, why not use borax? It’s an alkaline salt which can be found in nature. While it is toxic in large quantities and should be kept away from small children and pets, it’s a much better alternative than petroleum based products.

Finally, a very common household cleaner is chlorine bleach. People use it as a disinfectant but they should use it with caution. Chlorine bleach contains trace amounts of compounds known as organochlorines which have been known to cause cancer in small animals. It goes without saying that it could be a warning sign to humans as well. Use this product with caution or use other types of cleaners to disinfect. Once again, borax is a good choice as a disinfectant.

Being green and environmentally friendly touches us all directly or indirectly. If it doesn’t have a direct health benefit to us right now, it will eventually through our children. Therefore, it isn’t about being tree huggers or fighting for a distant cause. It’s about self preservation for ourselves and the environment.

In any industry today, being as environmentally friendly and carbon-conscious as possible is important, both to the consumer as well as corporations producing goods. As time progresses, more and more lines of dinnerware are being produced with the recycled and “environmentally friendly” logo printed on the back. You can even find ranges of plates that are made out of compressed leaves and biodegrade after 2 months of use.

All this can surely only be a good thing, or is it? Is the overall quality of the product being jeopardized at all when using recyclable materials during the production? It varies greatly from range to range and material to material, but it certainly is a question that I am looking to answer over the course of this article. Here is a quick look at a couple of examples of dinnerware that are made from a variety of different recycling methods and materials.

Pressed Leaves

The company responsible for this marvelous concoction is VerTerra, an eco-conscious company that specializes in biodegradable dinnerware. They achieve this characteristic by collecting fallen leaves and then steaming and compressing them into a mold to form a plate. After that, they have two months before they start breaking down and decomposing.

Don’t be fooled by these plates for their relatively humble origins though. They may be produced from dead leaves, but they can sure hold their own. Boasting a 350 degree oven resistance and the ability to endure 2 minutes of microwaveable heating, these plates are a cheap and practical way of boosting your eco-credentials amongst your more environmentally aware acquaintances.

Cellulose Plates

Another biodegradable yet durable product, cellulose plates are made from a specific blend of plant cellulose (hence the name). The hulls from straw and rice are also combined with coconut shells and bamboo fiber to give the product its strength as well as its trendy natural coloration. With a home usage life of 5 years before biodegrading, you certainly get your value for money when purchasing from this line of impressive products.

Both these product have the bonus of not leaving plastic to fill landfills – or the ocean – with junk. My preference, is looking for an eco-friendly line, would be Cellulose Plates. These would seem ideal for use as casual dinnerware sets ideal for everyday use.

Living green is a critical part of an organic lifestyle. All of us concerned about the planet are interested in exploring alternative energy options. One of the best ways you can conserve energy is to consider installing home solar power panels. While this doesn’t qualify as a do it yourself project, there is a growing trend to make solar panels for home use more accessible.

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