Castile soaps can be used all around the house.

Castile soaps are popular brands of environmental-friendly soaps that are now making the rounds of homes which are able to use them in a variety of ways. Some people who have heard of this soap have also taken to using it as an alternative beauty product. Its flexibility in use is also contributing to a number of benefits for all users. A Castile soap is either made from a vegetable oil, olive oil, jojoba or other natural plant extracts. Its natural ingredients are considered its primary appeal to many users who are more open to using alternative materials that are less harmful to the environment.

Castile soaps either come in the white solid bar or liquid form but their uses and benefits are basically the same. Its origins is said to be from Spain in the 16th century era where it was then known as “jabon de Castilla”. Its many benefits and uses:

Bath Soap. It is known to be a favorite of people with sensitive skin as its gentle and natural ingredients works against acne, blemishes, and dry skin. The olive oil ingredient is also best for eczema and psoriasis. It also works as a natural moisturizer.

Best for Babies. It is also safe for babies whose sensitive skins cannot tolerate strong chemicals in soaps.

Lather. For men, it can also be used as a lather for shaving and because of its natural ingredients, helps to naturally moisturize the skin after the shave.

Laundry and Dish Soap. Interestingly, Castile soaps also work well as laundry soaps and are known to clean soiled clothes and even diapers effectively compared to some laundry soaps with harsh and strong chemical compounds. It is also used as a dish soap which effectively cleans and rids of food smell.

Shampoo. It also works as an effective shampoo and does not leave an itchy, dry feeling that commonly happens with liquid shampoos that have strong chemical ingredients. Its gentle ingredients do not leave any traces of flakes in the scalp that are sometimes triggered by commercial shampoos’ drying effects.

Floor Cleaner. Used as a floor cleaner, families do not need to worry about having their small children or babies lying and sitting down on the floor that’s been cleaned with Castile soap as it is totally free from any harmful chemical.

Pet Soap. Not only are Castile soaps flexible for human use but can also be used on pets – cats, dogs, or any other type of pets one has that need to have their regular bath.  Pet owners can use the soap as well and it is guaranteed to be safe and will not irritate the furry and hairy friends.

Tooth Paste. Castile soaps are also good and safe teeth cleaners.  While they may not taste nice when used as an alternative toothpaste, they still can make good teeth cleaners.

Antioxidant. Castile soaps are proven to be effective in fighting cell degeneration because of its olive oil component.
Biodegradable.

Because they are completely free from the common strong chemical compounds used in cleaning or hygiene materials, Castile soaps can be used all around the house and for anyone around the house. Also, its guaranteed safety components can completely dissolve in waterways rather than pollute it.

Castile soaps are becoming more and more popular for their variety of use and the greater benefits it can give that it is expected that more households will be using this kind of soap for decades, and yes, even centuries to come. The availability of its natural ingredients is making their presence stronger in and outside the United States. Some companies are now developing Castile soap bars and liquids in many colors and fragrance to choose from.

Bottled water - is it really better than tap water?

There is a real controversy going on about bottled water today. Is it really better than tap water? “The Story of Bottled Water” was released on YouTube in honor of World Water Day. This is an innovative narration on the problem with the bottled water we like to buy today. Almost immediately the “International Bottled Water Association” stated this video as sensational. Then it brought out its short film stating the practices of sustainability, which their members participate with including brands such as Nestle.

The bottled-water story though stated that the companies that bring out bottled water are frightening consumers into believing their tap water is contaminated and dirty, when at the same time they use tap water in their bottling process. Two of the companies that do this that were mentioned in the video were Coke’s Dasani and Pepsi’s Aquafina. Annie Leonard is doing the narration for this video.

The video points out landfills get about 80 percent of the used plastic bottles or they get burned up. Of course the “International Bottled Water Association” states that things are different that 30.9 percent of the water bottles are actually recycled.

Tom Lauria, the VP of communications for the association, states “Consumers are really quite thoughtful in selecting and enjoying a safe, healthy, convenient, calorie-free beverage that’s delicious, refreshing and a very smart drink choice. That’s the real story of bottled water.”

It is pointed out by the association that the world has a need for bottled water in cases of emergencies such as tsunamis, earthquakes and floods. This water cannot be provided if there is not industry to make it.

But according to the United Nations, bottled water happens not to be a sustainable industry. In the United States alone the water produced takes oil to produce at the rate of 17 million barrels each year. At last resort IBWA’s video had only received 250 hits, while “The Story of Bottled Water” received 120,000 hits.

Today, we do need to be more careful about how many of the plastic bottles windup in landfills. If you must use bottled water reuse the bottles instead of trashing them. Even if you make a vase with them a stick a single flower in them. You alone can decide which side of the bottled water story you want to believe.

More and more people are turning to re-useable bottles and filling them with just plain tap water though in place of buying water. This way no plastic bottles have to be purchase at all to wind up in landfills later. If you are afraid your water is not totally safe to drink from the tap there are filters you can get to run your water through before you drink it.

So think about both sides of this story and see where you opinions lie. Conserve water and energy though to help lessen your carbon footprint. If you need to eliminate some of the bottled water you buy to accomplish this along with re-using or recycling any of the plastic bottles you do use.

Try to find a real estate agent that knows about green houses for one thing. Not all of them understand everything they should. If you can find one that has been certified by the NAR (National Association of Realtors), that would be ideal. The realtor that has gone through this certification process can acquaint you with the green features of the home along with explaining any tax credits you can get or other information you need to know in conjunction with the house.

If you can’t find a NAR realtor then you can tell if a house is totally green by looking for certification from a third party. There are several organizations out there that do this Energy Star is probably the best known one. This certification shows the house has been tested and inspected for it better using energy than other homes of its size in the same local area. The certification by Energy Star shows the house is more efficient by at minimum of 15 percent than the houses constructed using 2004 International Residential Code.

Even on an older house you can evaluate it for energy usage. You can have an energy audit done on the house for about $300 – $500. An Expert will first inspect the house and look for how efficient it is constructed as far as using energy. Then he will do the blower- door test which shows anywhere that the energy is escaping. This test shows how tightly the house is sealed when doors and windows are closed.

If the house does not test out well you know it will use too much energy and needs improvements. You may want to keep looking at houses at this point. There might be something better out there that you don’t need to do energy improvements on.

Another aspect of a green house you need to be aware of is what type of landscaping does it have? If the house has all high-maintenance plants which need constant watering the landscaping is not very eco-friendly. If instead it has plants that need water in a moderate or low amount and are disease resistant too than these are usually more eco-friendly. Xeriscaping is a great way of landscaping today which a lot of green homeowners are turning to. It takes little water to maintain the landscaping done this way.

The good thing is that green houses do not necessarily cost more today than other types of homes. It all depends on the types of features included some are the same price as traditionally-built homes. They may however, cost a bit more per square foot of house since they are usually a bit smaller in size.

The green homes use less energy which means your energy bills will be lower. This alone is a reason to consider owning one. Just do your research and make sure it is truly a green home before you purchase it.

Protect the planet as well as your family's health by reducing your consumption of chemical cleaning agents.

Detergents, degreasers, and solvents are the common chemical cleaners used at home. Ordinary detergents contain phosphates, which cause oxygen depletion and localized suffocation of aquatic life. Cleaning products that contain chlorine, potassium hydroxide, solvents and ammonia are equally hazardous to the aquatic life. Degreasers such as those regularly used on boats tend dry out the natural oil needed by fishes’ gills to take in oxygen. When safer, chemical-free and cheaper forms of cleaners can be found in our kitchen counters and cabinets, why must you continue to use hazardous toxic cleaning kits?

Using simple ingredients like water, baking soda, white vinegar, and tea tree oil, you can keep your home stain-free, dust-free, mold-free, and sparkly clean.

Replace your bottles of commercial window cleaners with a mixture of vinegar and water. Put it in your spray bottle and scrub the glass off using old newspapers. For cleaning up your oven, use baking soda instead of your usual powdered cleansers. Wipe up the grease with this white powder and flush it off with water to leave your oven stain-free, grease-free and without traces of dish smell.

Polishing your furniture with homemade solutions is a little bit tricky. Still, try some of these simple recipes to stay far away from chemical-based polishers and cleaners. First recipe, create a mixture of a cup of olive oil and half a cup of lemon juice. Put the mixture in your spray bottle and spray it on the surfaces of your furniture. Buff it off with a soft cloth and you are done. Recipe number two – if olive oil is not available, use jojoba or a liquid wax. Instead of fresh lemon juice, you may use white vinegar to create the mixture. Dab a soft cloth into the solution to remove the grits, dust, and dirt on the surfaces of wood furniture.

If you are in the habit of using laundry fresheners, try using your vodka for a change. You have read it right. Spritzing pure vodka on your clothes helps freshen up worn jeans and jacket in between washes. A spritz or two of vodka over your clothes will evaporate not only the booze scent of the vodka but also the noxious odors of worn clothes. On the other hand, if you wanted to deodorize certain areas in your home, more like in the kitchen, a five percent solution of vinegar in water can be used as a homemade deodorizer. Spray some on your cutting board or bathroom to eliminate the odor.

If you want to remove molds and mildew from your home’s tiled surfaces, especially in the bathroom and kitchen, put 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil into 2 cups of water and use this solution as your cleaner. Also, straight vinegar is equally effective in killing molds.

It is a fact that traces of the chemical ingredients if commercial home cleaning kits are found in our water sources. These chemicals may contaminate the streams, rivers and lakes from which the water in our local water treatment plants may be sourced. Contaminated food and contaminated water equate to disease. By using homemade and non-toxic cleaning solutions, you get the personal gratification of protecting the planet as well as your family’s health by reducing the world’s consumption of chemical cleaning agents. Also, using more earth friendly cleaning kit does not only help the planet recuperate from the pollution and damage caused by chemical wastes, but also yields huge savings on your grocery budget.

It’s the Packaging
Let’s start with the materials used to package these hair products, which are often colorful to attract the consumers’ attention. You will find plastic cans, sachets and spray bottles, all of which takes hundreds of years to decompose.

Thus, you will read reports of plastic residues poisoning the soil and ground water. In a way, when you become careless with your hair products because you were too engrossed in beautiful hair, your future grandchildren will pay the consequences of non-potable water.

Plus, you cannot deny the fact that plastics are made from crude oil. This is the same industry that has wreaked havoc with the planet although we must also acknowledge the important role it has in modern life.

Now, imagine how many people have thrown away the plastic packaging of hair products into their trash bags with nary a second thought. The landfills will soon fill up with these plastic products and then we would all suffer in one way or another.

It’s the Contents, Too
But the problems do not stop with the packaging either. The ingredients contained in said hair products are in themselves very toxic to human health and the environment, if not now then in the future. Just to name a few of these ingredients and their adverse effects on humans and animals:

• Butane and propane are toxic to human beings especially in large doses.
• Cyclopentasiloxane and dipropylene glycol affect the sense organs of wild animals even in moderate doses.
• Polybutene is widely used in pesticides. Now, it comes into contact with your scalp and skin.
• Diazolidinyl urea poses toxicity issues for humans and acts as a neurotoxin in animals.
• Polyquaternium-11 is a possible carcinogen with the added danger of becoming a respiratory toxin.
• Benzyl nicotinate and phytic acid has broad systemic toxicity on animals (and in people, too, if that is the case)
• Methylchloroisothiazolinone is known as an immune system toxicant in humans.

The names may twist your tongue, yes, but these can turn your life around for the worst from long-term exposure. Are you ready to sacrifice your long-term health for short-term beauty?

It’s the Alternatives
If you are not willing to do so just because of hair products, then we recommend going for eco-friendly alternatives. You need not worry as efficacy is not sacrificed because these alternative products are just as good as their mainstream counterparts.

You can find these alternative hair care products in many online sites and health food stores. Of course, this does not necessarily mean that you should forego reading the labels. You should still do your research even when the products are labeled “natural so-and-so”.

So, when you start reaching for the hair beauty products, think of their environmental effect and think twice. You should not go the way of the days when human beauty came at the expense of the environment and your health.

Don’t Throw Away those Old Mattresses
Think of the many uses from that old mattress. If you don’t want it, there is somebody who wants it. Donate it or give it away. Just don’t dump it anywhere. You can sell it to junk shops buying recyclable items. The wooden frames can still be salvaged and used as fuel, the springs can be converted and the cotton still has practical uses in industrial applications.

Dumping it improperly poses hazards to the environment because mattresses are loaded with flame retardant chemicals. These chemicals can seep into the ground, poisoning the soil and the waterways. Imagine a landfill with millions of old mattresses; that should be enough to jolt you awake to the hidden dangers of improper disposal of mattresses.

Recycling programs can help you with your old mattress. In the US, try Earth911.org; in Australia, there is the Dreamsafe Recycling Program, and in Canada, they have MattCanada. To dispose your old mattress you have to pay a small fee – this is nothing compared to what you can do save the planet. If you are living outside of these places, Google the recycling programs in your country.

Old Tires
Look around for recycling programs in your area and sell them your old tires. Old tires are transformed to flower pots, building blocks, and roofing. A car tire yields four liters of oil, and a kilogram of steel and reusable combustible gas.

Paints
Avoid spilling left-over paint on the ground. Paint is loaded with lead that poisons the soil and the chemicals eventually reach water sources deep down in the soil. Paint brushes should not be washed in the sink, these should be treated correctly. You can ask your recycling program center what to do with your paint. Call the manufacturer; these companies have recycling programs to recycle or reuse paint. If you have a clump of paint, wrap it and throw it to your trash without putting the lid back on.

Batteries
Used batteries are considered hazardous waste. Once your batteries lose power, wrap it. Don’t place it in your bag because it may rupture and leak. Oftentimes there are no drop-off points for old batteries. Write to the manufacturer and inquire about their disposal program. They can advise you and this information must be passed on to your friends and to the community.

Button batteries for hearing aids, watches and greeting cards, batteries for video cameras, wheelchairs and power tools, vehicles, metal detectors, and cameras are classified as hazardous waste and must be disposed of properly.

Knowing what to do with your old stuff can help you help the environment and that is what matters most in these environmentally critical times.

There are three distinct types of PBDE products out there. They are penta, octa, and deca PBDE and you need to be on the lookout for them when you make a purchase. The problem is, however, their presence is not mentioned on any products you purchase. That means you need to perform a little research that is certainly more than cursory in order to avoid purchasing such items you wish to avoid.

The presence of such PBDEs in the environment can cause harm to plant and animal life. This is why it is so important people discover its presence in so many products. Understanding that the chemical exists is the first step towards making sure it is disposed of properly. Again, you want to reduce the potentially negative impact the items will have on the environment by reducing the unsafe exposure of the products when they are discarded.

Also, it is important to note that any exposure to PBDEs comes with certain risks. For example, studies have linked the exposure of such toxins to liver and organ damage. As a result, you might wish to be very wary of the presence of these items in the home. Your exposure to them could lead to chronic illnesses over time. The sad part is that many people that suffer from such exposure are not even aware of the origins of the exposure or that it has even occurred. Rather, they are left with the end result which is certainly not pretty.

There are certain steps that can be taken to reduce your potential exposure to the chemicals in your home. Making sure to keep your home clean and free of dust is always a positive step. You also need to make sure that it is properly ventilated which will further add to the ability to reduce exposure and other such problems. Granted, these are minor steps but they come with big potential safety rewards. We are talking about your health here so there are no steps that can be considered small in this regard.

Increasing your education and awareness level would be another positive step in this regard. When you have serious concerns about a product’s impact on the environment, you need to learn as much about the product as possible. Awareness and activism go hand in hand.

More than likely you would be surprised to find out how many common products contain formaldehyde. Just a few items that you have at home or at the office that can include formaldehyde include disinfectants, particle board, air fresheners, doors, glues, foam, old carpet, paints, ironing sprays, furniture, cleaning fluids, furniture, polishes, hair products, cosmetics, and more. When you think about it, it is quite frightening to realize how much formaldehyde is all around you.

Why is formaldehyde such a problem? Well, products that have it will slowly give off vapors that are toxic. If you inhale more than 0.1 concentrations of this toxin, it can lead to headaches, problems breathing, and irritation to the mucous and eye membranes. Many homes, offices, and other enclosed areas have more than this amount in them. Also, when formaldehyde comes into contract with your skin, it can cause dermatitis, burns, and irritation. Too much can even be deadly and the International Agency for Research on Cancer has it listed as a human carcinogen. Not only is this problematic for humans, but it can have the same affect on birds and animals as well.

In urban areas especially, you really can’t totally keep away from formaldehyde. Not only is it created on purpose by man today, but when smog interacts with the sun light, it also creates more formaldehyde. It can be found in the smoke from cigarettes too. While you can’t totally avoid it, there are some things you can do to limit exposure. Driving less can definitely help. Another thing you can do is to examine all products you purchase and look for formaldehyde and the other names it often goes by as well.

Not sure how to figure out what is in your products? It can be hard because some products don’t list their ingredients. The internet can help you out in this case. You can run a search on a search engine like Google or Yahoo. Search by using the product name and ingredients. This way you can find out what ingredients are in the products you are using.

In many cases, instead of purchasing disinfectants, polishes, cleaning fluids, and air fresheners, making your own is a great alternative, allowing you to know what is in the products. Not only can this be better for the environment and your health, but it also can save you a lot of money.

Keep Your Car – The environmental costs of buying a new car easily outweigh the costs of keeping your old car and keeping it as energy-efficient as possible. Extend its life as long as possible so that the landfills will be less crowded.

Slow Down – Save 30-40 percent of gas costs by accelerating gradually, maintaining steady speed and braking slowly. Plus, your tires, brakes and engine will last longer, thus, saving on additional car costs including speeding tickets. Your ride will be safer, too.

Check Your Tires – Three things: Ensure that the tires are the right size for the car, that the tire air pressure is of the recommended amount and that the tires still have good treads. This should result in lesser gas costs and tire blowouts.

Go for Tune-ups – Make the mechanic your friend through regular tune-ups. This should save about 7 to 10 cents to the gallon, which should add up in the long run. Better yet, ask your mechanic for the energy conserving synthetic motor oil.

Throw Away the Junk – Excess weight in the car makes the engine work harder than it should, thus, lessening fuel efficiency. It makes sense to clean and clear your car of its junk on a regular basis. Plus, it makes a better-smelling ride.

Cruise Control – Unless you are climbing mountains, the car’s cruise control should be turned on. Fuel efficiency is maximized because the smaller decreases and increases in speed balances out with this standard feature in most cars.

Idling Off – When stuck in traffic or waiting for someone for more than 10 seconds, just turn off your car. You will be saving on gas costs and lessening carbon emissions. Every little smoke helps in global warming, if you must ask.

Multi-task with Trips – Before going out of the house with driving in mind, plan the errands that need to be accomplished. This way, you can maximize car use. And if possible, just walk to your destinations when you get to the general area.

Carpool – It may not sound cool to carpool with others but for the sake of the environment, it should be. It will help in lessening the traffic, the dependence on oil of our society and the pollution from too many cars on the road.

Clean with Green Materials – Cleaning with hose, bucket and rag is fun for the whole family, not to mention that it conjures up images of those sexy carwash girls. However, it is also the most wasteful use of water, more so where commercial car washes are concerned. Instead, use waterless car cleaning polishes and sprays to make your car sparkling clean.

Reduce Food Waste
Your grocery bill may constitute more than 50 percent of your total household bills. Thus, any and all efforts to reduce food wastes will add up to big benefits to your pockets and to the environment for many reasons. You can achieve this end by:

• Lessening your food consumption in terms of shopping for groceries.
• Using leftovers for new dishes and enforcing a no-dregs policy
• Planning meals in advance to avoid too much leftovers

Use Heaters Wisely
We are so dependent on hot water for many of our needs from washing our bodies to washing our dishes and clothes. Well, go green by choosing cold water for many activities in the house. Start by taking cold showers when the weather permits instead of hot tub baths. Then progress into using unheated tap water for washing your hands, dishes and clothes. Studies have shown that tap water is just as effective in killing germs as hot water. The trick is in washing your hands properly for 20 seconds, soaking the clothes for 30 minutes to remove stubborn dirt and washing off the dregs on the eating utensils before placing on a full dishwasher.

Unplug the Appliances
You can save as much as 10-15 percent of your electricity bill simply by unplugging the cords from their sockets when these are not in use. This is because so-called phantom electricity does not flow from the grid into your appliances. And speaking of appliances, you can save money by either buying ones with the Energy Star logo or ones that have been refurbished. Of course, make sure that the refurbished appliances are also energy-efficient. You ought to save money in the long run instead of sticking to your run-down appliances. However, do recycle said old appliances with the manufacturers or with the recycling centers.

You can also find ways to save money on the accessories associated with your appliances. For example, you can exchange CDs, DVDs and computer games with your family and friends, or even with strangers via dedicated online sites.

Use Recycled Materials for Your Home
As much as possible, use recycled materials for your home. You can purchase scrap lumber from hardware stores, vintage wood and glass panels from garage sales and old houses, utensils and ornaments made of recycled materials from green stores and sites, to name a few options. You will often spend less on these items and yet get as much mileage as you possibly can from them. Better yet, you should adopt the motto of environmentalists everywhere – reduce, reuse and recycle. You will soon find that indeed being eco-friendly has its rewards for you and for your children’s children.

Starting today, do look around your home and see what else needs to be done to be as environmentally-friendly as possible. And earn as well as save money while you are at it!