Eco Cleaning-Jazzy Style!
Many of us are looking for time saving, economical, and earth friendly ways to keep our homes tidy and clean. For many years I have been cleaning with non-toxic products that are biodegradable, phosphate free, and earth friendly. Using these "greener" products may help to reduce the presence of un-wanted chemicals in your home, while helping to reduce your carbon footprint.
The star of my “Green Clean Team” is Baking Soda! Baking Soda is an earth friendly product that has numerous uses around your home. Inexpensive and easy to use, it is my favorite, “all purpose” cleaner.
MY TOP TEN uses for BAKING SODA:
1) Use Baking Soda to scrub your kitchen sink. (Baking Soda also helps to deodorize the drain.)
2) Use Baking Soda to clean your bathtub. Wet the surface, sprinkle liberally, let set for a few minutes, scrub clean and rinse thoroughly.
3) Use Baking Soda to scrub and deodorize the cat litter pan. (rinse thoroughly)
4) Use Baking Soda in your refrigerator and freezer to absorb un-pleasant odors, Open a small box, tear off the top and place in the back of a lower shelf. Replace box every few months.
5) Use Baking Soda as a cleanser for your pots and pans to remove stubborn stains and food particles.
6) Use Baking Soda to clean your oven.
7) Use Baking Soda in the bottom of your garbage pail to deodorize and absorb un-pleasant odors.
8) Use Baking Soda to remove stains on the kitchen counter top. Wet the area slightly, sprinkle with baking soda, let sit for a few minutes and scrub clean.
9) Use Baking Soda along with distilled white vinegar to help unclog a slow running drain. Pour in 1/2-cup baking soda and then pour in 1 cup vinegar. It will fizzle up. Let stand for about 30 minutes. Pour in about two cups very hot or boiling water. This will help to loosen dirt in your drain.
10) Use Baking Soda for baking! (it IS baking soda!)
Buying Local & Organic
Buying, preparing, and serving your food in an eco-friendly manner will help to reduce your overall carbon footprint and start you on the path to LIVING GREEN. Buying locally grown, seasonal, organic produce is the first step toward creating and serving a more sustainable menu. A green meal focuses on locally bought, organic or Certified Naturally Grown(CNG) vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains, whenever they are available. Buying fresh produce from your local farmer's market or farm stand is the best way to support the farmer and to keep the money you spend circulating throughout your community. Without the farmer, we would have no food!
Buying organic or CNG produce may help to lower your consumption of pesticides, while diminishing the negative impact they have by running off into our water supply, harming plant and wildlife along the way. This type of produce is appealing to health-conscious people who are seeking foods grown without synthetic herbicides, pesticides, or hormones. Organic produce is now available throughout the year at many local farm stands and supermarkets.
The Jazzy Vegetarian’s TOP 10 Quick & Easy Diet Change tips:
With little (or no) extra effort you can...
1. If you are new to vegetarian eating, start by serving one non-meat meal each week for dinner, preparing hardy favorites like veggie chili, vegetarian lasagna, or spaghetti with marinara sauce. Check out the "Jazzy Recipes" page for free recipes, to get started.
2. Buy locally grown, organic vegetables and herbs whenever they are available. Or, as weather permits, try growing some of your own produce (especially herbs) in containers on your deck, or in a small garden patch. Small pots of herbs grown on a sunny windowsill in your kitchen provide pleasant aromas, while offering fresh cuttings to cook with. I grow fresh herbs on my deck from mid-May to early October.
3. Buy organic fruit whenever it is available and/or affordable. Try buying locally grown, seasonal varieties when they are obtainable in your area.
4. Use mashed bananas or whipped tofu to replace eggs in many baked goods recipes. This works especially well when making muffins, brownies, and many cake recipes. Check out my super delicious "Brownies" and "Upside Apple Cake" recipes on my "Jazzy Recipes" page...a jazzalicious way to start!
5. Use vegan and organic rice, soy, almond, cashew, coconut, or oat "milk" for topping cereals, or as a substitute for dairy milk in almost any recipe.
6. Consider buying only vegan, fair trade, organic chocolate which is healthier for the planet, while helping to build equitable and sustainable trading partnerships by creating opportunities to alleviate poverty.
7. Buy whole grain pasta and grains (such as rice, quinoa, and millet), available at many supermarkets.
8. Buy organic, whole grain breads, tortillas, and crackers. Organic sprouted breads are great too and available at many stores. A tasty brand to try is "Food for Life."
9. Buy natural, organic nut butters, made without trans fats and with no added sugar. A few varieties to try are: peanut, almond, hazelnut, and cashew butters. Pair them with natural jellys and jams that also have no sugar added.
10. Overall, buy locally whenever possible. Shop at your local farmers market or consider joining a near-by organic or certified naturally grown farm cooperative.
Raising our Level of Consciousness
Vegetarian Eating and Green Entertaining are Raising our Level of Consciousness
By Lee Jones, PhD
Lehighvalleylive.com
November 10, 2009, 10:35AM
In an interview with Laura Theodore, author of “VEGETARIAN COOKING” and “GREEN ENTERTAINING” I’ve learned about some sound reasons why these topics can raise our level of consciousness. My questions for Laura are straightforward and her responses are “enlightening."
1. What has been the impetus to write about vegetarian eating and green entertaining?
I have developed a great passion for developing easy ways to eat healthy while helping to clean up our environment. Having compassion for animals and taking better care of our bodies, while helping to lower greenhouse gasses, is a good way to raise our level of consciousness, as it helps to protect Mother Earth.
2. How does the vegetarian lifestyle make us feel good?
Eating more vegetarian meals is not only healthier for us, but it is healthier for the environment. Environmental Defense Committee estimates that if every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetables and grains, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than half a million cars off of U.S. roads. Livestock is supposedly responsible for more greenhouse gases that cause global warming than cars, planes, and all other forms of transportation combined.
3. Why are most of the recipes and menus in your books dairy free?
Many people like me are lactose intolerant and good dairy free recipes are hard to find. I pride myself in offering great vegan recipes that are rich tasting without using cheese, cream, or any dairy at all! Eating dairy free also helps to save our environment, because producing a single liter of cow's milk requires a whopping 990 liters of water. Also, it is estimated that the methane gas emitted into the environment from cow manure is responsible for adding more greenhouse gases to our ozone than cars! A report from the United Nations pegs livestock as being responsible for eighteen percent of greenhouse gases.
4. How does "green entertaining" raise consciousness?
Humans are socialized creatures, so socializing is part of our everyday lives. From serving family dinners to throwing a holiday bash, finding ways to become more conscientious about the impact we have when sharing fun times helps us entertain without regret. “Reuse, repurpose, and recycle” is my mantra for entertaining friends and family in a socially responsible manner. We really do feel good about ourselves when we’ve been socially responsible.
5. How can we begin entertaining in a more socially responsible manner?
Start by decorating for your party using items that you already have on hand. Fashion table covers from vintage quilts, bed sheets, or hand-me-down lace tablecloths. Use washable dishes and cloth napkins and avoid using disposable varieties of tableware. Try turning down harsh overhead lights and display re-chargeable candles or soy based votives made without petroleum based wax. These natural candles do not fill your home with chemicals. “Green entertaining” is about being good to your guests. Make certain to properly recycle any disposable items used at your party. Serve vegetarian meals to support a cleaner environment and encourage healthier eating habits among your family and guests. It’s being socially responsible.
6. How can we consciously start on the path toward eating more vegetarian meals?
Start slowly, adding one or two meals a week into your family menu line up. Veggie style chili, pastas, soups, and sandwiches are a good way to begin. They offer traditional tastes that your family may already enjoy. Search the Internet and your own favorite cookbooks to find suggestions for tasty vegetarian meal substitutions.
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To hear more of my Green Living Tips for Every Day!