Author: oi_admin

Safer Alternatives to Toxic Household Cleaners

Posted on October 12, 2011 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized

Some of the products that are used to clean the home can actually do more harm than good.

Many all-purpose cleaners contain ammonia, which can cause rashes or burns when splashed on the skin. Its fumes can also cause eye and lung irritation. Mixing ammonia with another product (like bleach) will create toxic chloramine gas (perdue.edu).

Safer alternatives to ammonia and bleach-based cleaners work just as well:

Dust ceilings, air vents and surfaces with an electrostatic duster. This removes dirt without the use of furniture cleaners, which can contain petroleum distillates. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, distillates can cause skin, eye and lung irritation.

When shopping for a vacuum, look for one with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Certified HEPA filters remove at least 99.97 percent of particles that are 0.3 microns or larger. Be sure your vacuum is in good working order and does not release exhaust or dust back into the room.

Use recyclable newspapaer or a microfiber cloth and an all-natural glass cleaner to clean windows. The active ingredient in glass cleaner should be vinegar or citrus juice rather than ammonia. Newspaper used to clean windows can be recycled. Microfiber cloths can be washed and reused.

Avoid using potentially hazardous all-purpose cleaners and single-use paper towels in the kitchen or bathroom. Use cotton rags soaked in hot water and mild castile soap to clean most surfaces. This technique will dislodge most dirt and grime typically found in kitchens and bathrooms. For tougher areas, spray a small amount of environmentally friendly all-purpose cleaner. Use as little as possible to clean the area. Look for cleaners that carry the Green Seal.

Clean your toilet bowl with baking soda and vinegar. Sprinkle baking soda inside the toilet bowl, and then add white vinegar. Let this sit for a few minutes before scrubbing with a toilet brush. Flush the toilet. Rinse the toilet brush in hot water before storing.

Clean clogged drains with baking soda and vinegar. Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain, followed by 1/2 cup white vinegar. Let this sit and bubble for a few minutes, then pour several cups of boiling water down the drain to rinse. For stubborn clogs, repeat process.

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about our environment and the health of you and your family. For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please log on to greencleancertified.com and maidbrigade.com. Watch our video on achieving work/life balance at greencleancertified.com/greentv. To learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in your home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.

For more information on cleaning products and breast cancer, please watch our video at maidbrigade.com. To find out ways to protect your family's health against breast cancer, please log on to greencleancertified.com.

Freeing Your Home of Dangerous Pollutants

Posted on October 3, 2011 by oi_admin - Healthy Home

Household toxins and indoor pollutants can be harmful to your family.

Make your home a healthier place by avoiding indoor pollutants.

Houseplants help remove pollutants, such as ammonia (in cleaning products) and formaldehyde (in furniture) in your home. According to NASA, the best nontoxic indoor plants are spider plants, philodendrons, and rubber plants.

The fragrance found in air fresheners, shampoos and soaps may contain phthalates. Studies have shown that exposure to phthalates may cause allergies, health problems, and affect reproductive development. Look for phthalate-free on labels. Make your own air freshener by mixing one teaspoon of baking soda with water in a spray bottle.

Instead of using chemical pesticides indoors, try spraying a mixture of water, alcohol, and dish soap throughout your house and garden to keep bugs out.

Every time you wipe down the kitchen counter with a product that contains harmful chemicals, you leave a little bit of toxic residue behind. Look for products with labels that read biodegradable, plant-based, hypoallergenic, formulated without dye or synthetic fragrance, nonflammable, or ones that do not contain chlorine, phosphate, petroleum, ammonia, acids, alkalized solvents, nitrates, or borates. Or make your own all-purpose, all-natural cleaner by mixing vegetable-based liquid soap with a few drops of lavender essential oil.

Invest in stainless-steel and glass food-storage containers or buy safer types of plastic containers. To tell whether a plastic is safe, check the recycle number on the bottom. Plastics with a number 7 are not safe.

Your home may be full of electronics and furniture that contain a group of chemicals called PBDEs, designed to reduce the chance of products catching fire. Over time, traces of these chemicals accumulate in dust that can be inhaled or swallowed. Cleaning with a HEPA filter vacuum helps control PBDEs.

Buy a home water filter and read the label carefully. Make sure it removes lead and other contaminants from your water. Running water for 30 seconds before using it for drinking or cooking also helps reduce lead levels.

Radioactive radon gas can cause lung cancer, and it can enter your home through cracks in the floors and walls or even through your tap water. Testing is the only way to know if your home has elevated radon levels. Test kits are available at most hardware stores.

Vacuum carpets with a HEPA filter vacuum on a regular basis to remove contaminants, leaving less to circulate in your air. When buying new carpet, choose one with a low VOC (volatile organic compound) emission.

Formaldehyde is found in pressed-wood products used to make furniture, and it is the same carcinogen found in secondhand smoke and car fumes. Buy formaldehyde-free furniture or exterior grade pressed-wood products, which emit these noxious fumes at a lower rate. If your furniture contains formaldehyde, increase air circulation by opening windows whenever possible, or use a dehumidifier and trap fumes from lingering in the air.

Simple, Affordable, Green Cleaning Recipes For A Healthy Home

Posted on September 30, 2011 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Green cleaning is simple and affordable. Using non-toxic, green cleaners help keep your family safe and healthy without sacrificing the sparkle and shine of a clean and sanitary home.

Here are some recipes to try:

For an everyday all-purpose cleaner, use baking soda or white vinegar. Dissolve 2 tbsp. soda or 1/2 cup vinegar in a spray bottle with a quart of warm water. Use as you would any spray cleanser. For scrub jobs, use baking soda with a small amount of water, then rinse. You can also add 1/2 tsp. liquid Castile soap to a vinegar mix to help lift sticky stains.

To clean the bathroom, sprinkle the toilet bowl with baking soda, then add white vinegar and scrub it with a brush. Clean the tub, tile and countertops by cutting a lemon in half, dipping it in borax or baking soda and using it to scrub. Rinse and dry the surface. Clear slow drains by mixing 1 cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar with a pot of boiling water. pour the mixture down the drain immediately. Flush with tap water.

For kitchen cleaning, scrub grease spots with undiluted vinegar and rock salt. Bleach out stains with hydrogen peroxide instead of chlorine bleach. Clean glass using 1 quart warm water with 1/4 cup vinegar or 2 tbsp lemon juice mixed in.

For a great hand sanitizer, mix 4 oz. of beach sand with 1 oz. of pumice powder and enough glycerin to make a moist mixture. Store in a jar or tub, and use about 1 tablespoon at a time. Soap is a legitimate disinfectant, so wash your hands with vegetable-based Castile soap. If you're concerned about infections, add 10 drops of tea tree oil to 4 oz. of liquid Castile soap. Tea tree oil is antifungal, antibacterial and all-natural.

For furniture, walls, and floors, polish wood furniture with a mixture of 1/2 tsp olive or jojoba oil and 1/4 cup vinegar. Mix the ingredients in a jar, and use a soft rag to apply polish in small amounts. If you have crayon marks or scuffs on the walls, rub them with toothpaste and a damp cloth. Don't use toothpaste on wallpaper unless it's vinyl. For linoleum and tile floors, mix 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup Castile soap and 2 gallons warm water in a bucket. Mop as usual.

For healthy deodorizing, simmer cinnamon, cloves, or other spices in a small pot of water. Remove kitchen food odors by setting out a dish of vinegar or boiling 1 tbsp. vinegar in 1 cup water. Alternatively, spray cutting boards and surfaces with vinegar at night, and the odor will dissipate by morning. For carpet odors, sprinkle with baking soda and let sit for half an hour before vacuuming.

Getting Ready For the Fall

Posted on September 21, 2011 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Fall is a great time to green clean your home. School is in session, the holidays are approaching, and guests are starting to plan their arrivals.

Here are a few eco-cleaning tips to get your fall cleaning started:

Before firing up your furnace and/or fireplace, make sure that everything is in working order to avoid a dire situation in the dead of winter and keep your energy costs in check.

Replace or clean furnace filters, and vacuum the area around your furnace. Regular cleaning or replacing of a furnace filter increases efficiency and prevents dirt and allergens from circulating around your home. Don't forget to vacuum around heat registers also.

Inspect caulk around windows and doors.

Clean or replace the filters of any air purifiers or humidifiers. This will help keep the indoor air in your home healthier. Buy some air-purifying houseplants and place around your home too.

Most conventional cleaning products contain toxic chemicals that can compromise the indoor air quality of your home, such as oven cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners and drain openers. Consider replacing them with plant-based alternatives or inexpensive homemade solutions.

Fall is also a great time to sort through your closets and get rid of things you don't use (or wear).

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about our environment and health of you and your family. For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please log on to greencleancertified.com and maidbrigade.com. Watch our video on achieving work/life balance at greencleancedrtified.com/greentv. To learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in your home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.

The Best Ways to Keep Indoor Air Healthy in Your Home

Posted on September 19, 2011 by oi_admin - Healthy Home

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air quality can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, and that indoor air pollution can be a threat to your family's health.

One of the best ways to keep the air clean in your home is to reduce those things that cause indoor air pollution (like toxic chemicals and cigarette smoke). Another way is to have good ventilation in your home (open windows, use exhaust fans, etc).

To keep the air in your home healthy and clean, follow some of these ideas from the American Lung Association:

Ventilate your kitchen stove directly outside or open a kitchen window when you cook.

Never let anyone smoke inside your home. The Surgeon General states that there is no safe level of secondhand smoke.

Install a carbon monoxide detector near your sleeping rooms. Carbon monoxide levels can rise very quickly in unventilated areas

Test your home for radon. Radon is an odorless, invisible gas that can only be detected through testing. Testing is easy and inexpensive and getting rid of radon may save your life.

Use low VOC paints (or no VOC paints), varnishes, and waxes. When painting, open windows and doors and use exhaust fans to remove gases.

Check your house inside and out for leaks that can cause moisture problems.

Reduce dust mites in your home by using a dehumidifier, vacuuming or steam cleaning upholstered furniture, removing carpets, and washing bedding in hot water. Keep the humidity in your home below 50%.

Air out dry cleaned items that are filled with toxic dry cleaning solvents before bringing them into your home.

Make sure your wood or gas stove and fireplace is fully vented to the outside. Fireplaces, wood, and gas stoves can produce toxic air pollutants.

Choose wood panel products that are not made with urea formaldehyde glues, lumber or materials. Formaldehyde is a carcinogen.

Use a HEPA (high efficiency particle air) vacuum cleaner to ensure better air quality.

Protect Your Family From Fall Weather Germs!

Posted on September 16, 2011 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized

September weather is upon us. Get ready for the sneezes, sniffles, asthma, and a variety of germs that follow, especially if you have children!

It is well-known that diseases and infections enter the body through mucus membranes on the face, and according to Dr. Charles Gerba of the University of Arizona, children touch their ears, nose, mouth and eyes more than 20 times an hour, which is why there is no time than the present to clean and disinfect.

According to Dr. Edelman, chief medical officer for the American Lung Association, the back-to-school months of September and October are when asthma attack rates and related hospitalizations are at the highest for children. Children with asthma and their caregivers must take extra precaution to prevent asthma episodes during the autumn months. As part of this plan, parents should try to minimize dust and other airborne particles around the home that may trigger allergies and asthma.

Routine cleaning with soap and water is the most useful method for removing germs from surfaces. Some items and surfaces should receive an additional step, disinfection, to kill germs after cleaning with soap and rinsing with clear water. Disinfecting works by oxidizing the germs and breaking down their cell walls, or otherwise, deactivating them. Proper disinfection provides an additional safeguard for areas where people come into contact with contaminated surfaces.

Disinfectants are supposed to make the world safer by killing germs on commonly used surfaces. However, continued and repeat exposure to toxic disinfectants can cause health problems. Products that contain chlorine can cause eye and skin irritation. Extended exposure can cause respiratory irritation and distress. The effects can be increased if chlorine is mixed with other cleaners. Other disinfectant chemicals like ammonia can burn the skin and cause blindness if it gets into the eyes.

Natural disinfectants can be just as effective as chemical disinfectants and are safer for the environment. Natural disinfectant alternatives are also safer for use around pets and children as the ingredients are all derived from natural ingredients.

If you want to disinfect your home but don't want to subject your family to toxic chemicals, try these two homemade recipes:

(1) Combine two tablespoons of borax, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 2 cups water in a spray bottle. Cover bottle and shake until the borax is dissolved. Add twenty drops of either tea tree oil or thyme essential oil. Shake again and spray.

(2) Mix 2 cups white distilled vinegar with three drops tea tree, thyme, or eucalyptus essential oil. Spray. When making homemade cleaning products, please make sure to label the bottles.

Preventing cross contamination and properly disinfecting surfaces goes a long way in keeping homes and families healthy. Cleaning your home with nontoxic natural homemade green cleaners will save you money, plus they are better for your family and the environment.

Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about our environment and health of you and your family. For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please log on to greencleancertified.com and maidbrigade.com. Watch our video on achieving work/life balance at greencleancedrtified.com/greentv. To learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in your home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.

Your Green Cleaning Bucket

Posted on September 11, 2011 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized

Have you gone green yet? More and more families are green cleaning these days because it is healthier, cheaper, and ir is better for the environment.

Keep your cleaning bucket stocked with these items:

--A plant-based liquid soap like castile soap (a safer alternative to petroleum-based soap).
--Distilled white vinegar (kills germs; brightens whites).
--Baking soda (deodorizer; oil and grease cleaner).
--Salt (removes garlic and onion scents; removes burnt food off of pan).
--Essential oils such as lavender, clove, and tea tree oil (Use one teaspoon of essential oil to 2 cups of water in a spray bottle.

Keeping Your Family and Pets Away From Harmful Chemicals

Posted on September 8, 2011 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

According to Consumers Union, the publishers of Consumer Reports, many products that we use in our homes everyday may contain toxic chemicals and hazardous ingredients. Here are some steps that you can take to keep your family and pets healthyier and away from harmful toxins:

Air fresheners may contain d-limonene, a skin irritant, or petroleum distillates, which can irritate the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract.

Instead, use baking soda to absorb odors, or open windows for fresh air.

Art materials may contain a variety of hazardous substances, such as lead and other toxic heavy metals. Spray paints may contain butane, which is extremely flammable. Superglues may contain acetone or methyl ethyl ketone, with fumes that can irritate the eyes and affect the nervous system. Rubber cement can contain n-hexane, which can also harm the nervous system with chronic exposure.

Instead, use water-based paints and glues, and opt for liquid formulations instead of sprays to avoid flammable propellants. When using epoxy glues, wear gloves. Wash hands with soapy water.

Antifreeze may contain ethylene glycol, a toxic chemical that tastes sweet and is hazardous to children and pets. Car washing products may also contain acetone or petroleum distillates, which can irritate the skin, eyes, nose, and throat.

Instead, hose off antifreeze spills. People who are sensitive to chemicals in car cleaners should avoid freshly detailed cars until the chemicals dissipate. Use soapy water to clean cars instead.

Drain openers may contain concentrated sodium hydroxide or sulfuric acid, which are substances that damages eyes, lungs, and skin. Swallowing even a small amount can result in injury or death. Toilet cleaners may contain hydrochloric acid, which can also burn skin.

Instead of chemical drain openers, try using plungers to loosen clogs.

Oven cleaners can contain sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide, both of which are extremely corrosive to eyes, skin, and lungs. Scouring powder may contain chlorine bleach, which should never be mixed with other cleaners because of the risk of forming toxic gases.

Instead, use steel wool or a nonabrasive nylon scrubbing pad and baking soda as soon as the oven cools. For tough stains, add salt.

An accidental ingestion of just one pill or teaspoonful of certain drugs can kill a 22-pound child. Even seemingly harmless vitamins and minerals can be dangerous in excessive doses.

If you have children at home, keep all medicines and nutritional supplements tightly closed in childproof containers and well out of reach. Consider using cabinet locks and latches to make the contents of cabinets inaccessible to children.

Nail-polish removers contain acetone (irritates lungs and affect the nervous system), and ethyl acetate (irritates eyes, nose, throat, and can cause numbness). Hair-color products can contain lead (probable carcinogen and developmental toxin), or p-phenylenediamine (can cause skin reactions and swollen eyelids).

Use nail-polish removers in well-ventilated areas. Before coloring your hair, do a patch test to see if the product causes skin irritation.

Latex house paints, when dry, can give off volatile organic compounds (petroleum distillates), that can cause headaches, nausea, or dizziness. Paint removers contain toluene (affects mental processes and behavior), or methylene chloride (probable human carcinogen; if inhaled can be metabolized to carbon monoxide in the body, leading to carbon-monoxide poisoning).

Use low odor, low level VOC paints. When applying paints, use fans and open windows or doors to create cross-ventilation while working.

Furniture cleaners may contain petroleum distillates, which irritate skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. Polishes can contain naphtha, which can cause headache, nausea, and central-nervous-system symptoms.

Make your own furniture cleaner using 1/4 cup vinegar and a few drops of oil.

Insecticides and roach killers contain organophosphates or carbamates, which if swallowed, inhaled, or absorbed in large-enough doses can cause nausea, tremors, headaches, muscle aches, and, on rare occasions, even death. Synthetic pyrethroids, analogs of a natural insecticide compound, pyrethrum, can trigger asthma attacks and are suspected of disrupting hormone activity in humans. Mothballs work by emitting paradichlorobenzene vapors, a likely carcinogen, which if inhaled can cause headache and nausea, and can be fatal if young children swallow them. Rodent killers typically contain warfarin, a developmental toxin that can cause internal bleeding.

Try Integrated Pest Management (IPM), an approach that attempts to control unwanted insects by the least toxic means: Unleash ladybugs near rose bushes to keep aphids away. Consider electric mosquito traps that catch and kill some mosquitoes outdoors. Use an eco-friendly insect repellent. Use ant traps and roach traps that use nontoxic ingredients that affect the bugs’ reproduction. Put seasonal clothes in airtight bags and store them in a cool place.

Worried About Germs? Green Clean Them Away!

Posted on September 7, 2011 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks

The biggest problem with germs is that you cannot see them. Even in the cleanest homes, large numbers of viruses, bacteria and fungal spores are living and breeding there. Thankfully, not all germs cause disease, but to protect yourself and your family from harmful germs, you need to get rid of as many as possible.

Green Cleaning is just as effective as using traditional cleaning methods but is much kinder to you, your pets, your family, and the environment. Once you adopt some simple green cleaning strategies, you will realize how easy and healthy green cleaning actually is. Here is a Green Cleaning plan to help you get started:

Look for environmentally friendly cleaning products that contain only natural, biodegradable ingredients. They kill germs as well as detergents and disinfectants containing toxic chemicals, but are much less likely to trigger allergic reactions or cause other health problems. Does your vacuum cleaner suck up germs at one end only to blow them out at the other? If so, consider replacing it with a HEPA filter vacuum. Use microfiber cloths, dusters and mops that pick up and hold bacteria with a single wipe. Conventional cleaning accessories often only move germs across surfaces before releasing them into the air.

Some of the facts and figures about germs are truly alarming. Did you know that a single bacterium can multiply to six million in just eight hours? Understanding how germs move around, and what conditions suit them best, gives you the advantage of being able to stop them before they make themselves at home. Knowing that germs can survive for limited periods on dry surfaces, but need moisture to thrive and multiply, will remind you why you shouldn't leave damp towels lying about.

Give your home a thorough, deep clean, paying special attention to all those cracks and crevices where germs are normally left undisturbed. Deal with one room at a time and clean systematically so you don’t make extra work for yourself by re-contaminating clean areas.

Once your home is as clean as you can make it, aim to keep it that way by guarding against further germ invasions. Germs come into your home via air, people, and pets. It might be impossible to stop all germs, but you can slow them down. A good dirt-trapping doormat, and taking off shoes indoors will stop germs from spreading throughout your home. Close the toilet lid before flushing to prevent germs escaping from the toilet bowl.

The battle against germs is never-ending, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend hours rubbing and scrubbing. Target your everyday cleaning at places that are especially attractive to germs. Wipe up food spills and visible dirt without delay. In most homes, the greatest concentration of germs is found in the kitchen sink. Develop the habit of quickly cleaning the sink after each use and you will drastically cut the number of germs available to spread to the rest of the kitchen.

Green Cleaning is all about making the modern home cleaner and healthier using simple, natural products and efficient techniques.

Start the New School Year by Going Green!

Posted on September 7, 2011 by oi_admin - Healthy Home

It is back to school time and the stores are full of school supplies. The National Retail Federation (NRF) predicts a record $55.12 billion will be spent on merchandise for school this year.

This year, why not take a different approach and purchase green school supplies? They are not only good for the environment, but also for your children too.

Avoid items made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). A report from Tufts University states that vinyl chloride, the building block of resin, has been classified as a human carcinogen.

Several studies have documented links between working in vinyl chloride production facilities and the increased likelihood of developing diseases including angiosarcoma of the liver and other non-cancer disorders.

Additives such as stabilizers, plasticizers, and fillers mixed in with PVC can leach out of a product during its useful life posing public health hazards, including the development of reproductive problems in children.

Another plastic, called polyester, is common in backpacks and lunchboxes. Look for backpacks and lunchboxes made of natural fiber instead of hemp or canvas. If your child requires a backpack made of synthetic material, opt for polyester or nylon over PVC.

Water bottles should be BPA-free. BPA is an endocrine disruptor, which can mimic the body's own hormones and may lead to negative health effects especially when exposure occurs in early development. Many states have banned BPA in infant formula containers, baby bottles, and sippy cups. If possible choose stainless steel water bottles.

In addition to to avoiding poisonous plastics, choose tree friendly products. Find pencils made from FSC certified forests and paper with a high recycled content.

If last year's items are still in usable condition why not use them and save money? Try thrift stores, yard sales and Freecycle for some second hand backpacks and lunchboxes.

Green Your Labor Day!

Posted on September 3, 2011 by oi_admin - Green Cleaning Tips and Tricks, Healthy Home

The long Labor Day weekend is here and many families will celebrate the end of summer and back to school season with a cook out.

Here are tips and ideas for keeping your Labor Day party and weekend eco-friendly:

Eco-friendly Drinks. Reduce the wastefulness of plastic water bottles and aluminum cans by serving pitchers of ice water, lemonade, iced tea, or juices. Put out permanent markers for guests to write their names on their cups to eliminate waste. If you do use bottles or cans, be sure to put out clearly marked recycling bins.

Green Paper Products. It is not always possible to avoid paper products, especially during a party, but today there are more eco-friendly paper products available. When you need to use disposable dishes, look for products that are recycled, biodegradable, or made from unbleached paper products.

Renewable paper-ware is made from bamboo, sugar cane, wood, reed, and other natural materials. Compostable paper-ware is made from renewable sugar cane and comes in hip and functional new square designs.

Grill Green. Hot dogs, hamburgers, shrimp, steaks, or corn on the cob on the grill create a smokin' Labor Day menu, but did you know that your choice of charcoal matters? Choosing eco-friendly Forest Stewardship Council certified charcoal (just look for the FSC logo on the bag) ensures that no trees from endangered woodlands were cut to produce the charcoal for your Labor Day barbeque.

Forest Stewardship Council certified charcoal reduces greenhouse gases that are emitted when your charcoal burns. No unhealthy additives are released into the air or onto your food.

Easy Steps to Living A Greener Life

Posted on August 25, 2011 by oi_admin - Healthy Body

For most people, being green seems overwhelming and time consuming. But even the tiniest change counts and the process doesn't have to be a hassle. Starting out with a manageable action plan is the key to success. Here are some tips to get you on the right track:

Look around your house for green opportunities. Do you see an easy place to store your recyclables? Are your light bulbs energy efficient? Start to notice if any family members are using too much water, or leaving unneeded lights on. Get your kids on board and see if they can help spot ways to change as a family.

Get your garden growing and save. Planting a garden might seem like a huge undertaking, but the rewards far outweigh the work, plus you will save money. One packet of seeds costs around 50 cents and yields enough fresh produce for you and your family to eat all summer. And if you are gardening, that means less trips to the grocery store, which means less driving and less gas usage. Plus, you can make your produce as organic as you wish.

Be aware of product packaging. Next time you are in the store, keep an eye out for renewable packaging. The renewable raw material used to make the new packaging is produced with as little as half the energy compared to traditional petroleum-based packaging, and it is good for the environment too.

Forget plastic water bottles. More than 26 billion bottles are thrown away each year (less than 15 percent are recycled). The plastic from these bottles does not biodegrade so it is now a permanent part of our landfills. Invest in reusable water bottles for the whole family and keep extras in the car so you are never tempted to go back.

Be open to small changes. Becoming green is really about seeing life differently and being open to make changes, however small they may seem. Things like driving slower (uses less gas), unplugging unused electrical devices, and using a microfiber cloth (instead of paper towels) can really add up over time. And the sooner you get started, the better our planet and your home will be.