I’ve got baking soda and I’ve got vinegar. I’ve got natural brushes and natural buckets. My house is clean and doesn’t smell like chemicals. But what in the world do I do with all my old cleaners??

Yes, I have my Mrs. Meyers that I will continue to use until it is gone, but I’ve had three tubs of Lysol wipes sitting on my shelf for years. I’ve had Clorox toilet brush heads for, I kid you not, about 5 years. And don’t forget about those darn bleach tablets for the toilet tank? What do I do with it all??

What’s worse? Throwing them out before using or throwing them out after use? And if I do throw them out, how in the world do I dispose of them?

I need your help fellow Greenies! Give me your advice, and don’t hold back!

Besides the beautifully staged photographs, I was immediately pulled in by Christina’s heartfelt and passionate writing. After only the first page, I suddenly wanted to live a more simple, green, clutter- and chemical-free life.

I saw myself in a cotton apron cleaning the floor, a la Cinderella, with my metal bucket and heavy wood brush just scrubbing away the grime of the house. I saw clutter fly off the shelves (except all my books, of course) leaving bright and airy space in front of me. And I saw myself with a home that smelled of fresh air instead of “Fresh Air” by Glade.

I wanted this life for myself so badly that I started decluttering immediately… and the decluttering included my brain and its ideas of what a clean house should entail. And, because of that, I made improvements to two of the rules on my Green To Do Listl:

• Do not buy anymore paper towels. I usually buy a huge pack from Costco, but now I’m going to use the ones I have left, and then only use cloth napkins, hand towels, and cloth rags for what I would normally use a paper towel for.

• Try to only use completely natural products for cleaning. I’m either going to find products that are naturally green or use Christina’s recommended natural solutions of baking soda, vinegar, and lemon. While I’ve been using Mrs. Meyer’s products for awhile now, I’m realizing how many chemicals I still use outside of that… especially when it comes to cleaning the bathroom. Bleach is a regular participant when cleaning out our shower and toilets.

And speaking of using only natural products to clean with, I want to share some of my favorite hints that I’ve gotten from A Guide to Green Housekeeping so that you can start cleaning green TODAY!

Baking Soda:

Soak dishcloths and washcloths in a strong solution of baking soda and water to freshen them.

To reduce the amount of detergent powder used for each laundry load and to make it more effective, it’s a good idea to substitute baking soda for half the normal dose. (Detergent powder contains far fewer chemicals than liquid.)

Vinegar:

To freshen up the toilet and remove stains, spray vinegar around the bowl and brush clean.

To remove stale odors lurking in cookie tins or lunch boxes, dip a slice of fresh bread in vinegar and leave in the tin or box overnight.

In addition to green cleaning materials, A Guide to Green Housekeeping teaches us about :

• Saving Energy at home and in travel
• Composting
• Gardening
• A Healthy Pantry
• Herbs
• Green Gifts

So, needless to say, my next trip to Costco will not be to purchase large amounts of paper towels, but instead to pick up a couple dozen pounds of baking soda and bottles and bottles of vinegar.

But when does Going Green go too far? I think I’ve found my limit…

Stationary kits and journals made from Elephant Poo at Uncommon Goods. Yes, you read that correctly… ELEPHANT POO!

How in the world is this even possible, you ask?

The making of paper starts with the collection and processing of the dung pulp. Elephant dung is typically full of short to medium grained fibrous materials from the elephants diet which, when processed, makes excellent paper.

First, the naturally dried elephant dung is collected from elephant conservation parks and brought back to the paper-making factory.

Next, the elephant dung is pre-rinsed with water, leaving only the fibrous materials from the grasses, bamboo & fruits they’ve eaten.

The fibers are placed into a giant pot of boiling water to ensure the fibers are super clean. After this thorough cleaning, the desired color can be added.

Natural fibers from banana trees & pineapples are added to the dung mixture so the paper will be thicker and stronger.

Once this is all mixed together, the moist fibers are separated into small “cakes” or “wafers” of about 300-400 grams each.

The cakes are spread evenly over a mesh-bottomed tray measuring about 60cm by 90cm.

The tray is leaned up against a tree, angled toward the sun and allowed to dry naturally for a few hours.

Once dry, the sheet of paper is peeled from the mesh tray and you can start making the paper products.

-Courtesy of The Great Elephant Poo Poo Paper Company

Okay, okay… sounds reasonable enough, but if you want to find unusual earth-friendly gifts that do not involve elephant dung, check out Uncommon Goods’ other amazing products in their Recycled Collection.

Some of my personal favorites are the Recycled Fleece Smittens, Billboard Shower Curtain, Reclaimed Patchwood Stool, and the Recycled Skateboard Necklace. They all make great gifts, and Christmas isn’t as far away as you might think!

Trying to find a way to get your kids in on living your Green Life? Then stop on over at Idbids, where they take “iddy biddy steps to a greener world.”

When you take your own iddy biddy steps and purchase a Green Friend for your child (ages 3 & up), you will recieve:

• One 9” Idbid plush toy – Scout the cloud, Lola the flower or Waverly the bright blue water drop – lovingly handcrafted using 100% organic Egyptian cotton which has been colored with natural organic dyes – no two are alike, just like children!
• Organic cotton cinch sack for child to wear
• Storybook and Field Guide printed on recycled paper with eco-friendly inks
• Online reward program
• Kit packaging is made from recycled and eco-friendly materials and includes paper doll cutouts and a playland insert

My personal favorite is Waverly, the bright blue water drop.

He is a little dreamy, very sweet and loves a good laugh - just like me! But I also like him because he teaches us how to protect our water sources and keep them clean.

And once you and your child have read (and reread and reread and reread) your field guide and storybook, you can log online and get a Certificate of Completion!

Is there a better way for a child to get involved in saving Mother Earth than with a new green friend?

Quick recap: Tori is pregnant. They just bought a house. They are trying to move the same day that they are due for a c-section. So her friends, being the wonderful people that they are, move for them.

But what is this I see in the background? That’s no normal moving van! It’s Go Green Movers!

Two ideas merged to form Go Green Moving: Clean up the reputation and out-dated practices of the moving industry and create a leaner, greener company that offers competitive rates with quality service.

Our clients have experienced the ease & efficiency of using our moving services with the added benefit of supporting a new focus on responsible, earth friendly practices. Go Green Movers

I wonder how many trees I’ve cut down in my lifetime?

I think about that every single time I buy a book or magazine. As I’ve become more environmentally aware, all of the things I used to do every day without a second thought are now making me do a double take.

But how do I continue my love of reading without taking out small forests? Yes, yes… I know… the library. But I read so fast that the books I want to read are always new releases and are either not available there or there is a waiting list to check them out. Plus, I’m ashamed to say that I am a major instant-gratification kinda gal… and when I want a book, I want it now.

I think I’ve found my answer: Amazon’s Kindle.

The last time I said this out loud (on my own site), I thought my readers were going to come through the computer screen and slap me right across the face! How dare I not read books?!?!

But what is not to love about a device that can hold over 200 books? All of which you can buy at the drop of a hat … ahhhh … instant gratification! But besides the selfish reasons, think of all the trees you will save by not buying a book and think of the clean air we’ll have without the trucks delivering all those books.

Don’t believe me? Here’s what other people are saying about it:

The Kindle is supported by Amazon, the worlds largest online retailer and book store, meaning you will have access to an enormous range of books! You can even read and subscribe to your favourite RSS feeds on it. Think the Iphone meets a Library. Not only will you save paper and trees, you will also save the energy that goes into making the books and shipping them out all over the world in their physical presence. You’ll also save money by paying less for books and shipping and handling. -Environmental Blog

The good news is that they completely eliminate the need for shipping, they don’t take up warehouse space and they are almost entirely resource free. No trees die, no fossil fuels or chemicals are used in their creation. They’re infinitely reproducible for free. The Kindle looks to have an e-ink display, which is exciting because they are non-toxic, extremely low-power and very high-resolution. -EcoGeek

Here are my only three issues with the Kindle: 1. The time between page turns lasts a little longer than this instant grat girl can handle. 2. You can’t share your books with friends… but, hey, they can go to the library. 3. So Expensive. So I’m waiting for Kindle 2.0. Remember when the iPhone came back in its second generation? It got a little bit faster and a lot cheaper! That’s what I’m hoping happens with the Kindle.

Until then, I will continue to wish for the Kindle so I can be a small part of saving the world… okay, okay… so I’ll keep wishing for it because I want to take my entire library with me the next time I visit my family back east.

What? At least, I’m selfishly saving the planet!

But since then my house has been begging to smell pretty again… like a spring garden or line-dried laundry. But I’ve been holding strong… no candles!

But Wait! What is this I see? Soy Candles? At Yankee?? I pushed an old lady down and ran over a small child to get into that store as fast as I could.

As I stood dumbfounded in front of the new display, my mouth hung open and I think I had a little drool dripping out.

Do you know how long I have been waiting for Yankee to Go Green???

But what makes the new Beanswax line from Yankee Candle so much better than their original?

• It’s made from 100% all natural soy, harvested from American farms
• 100% natural wicks
• No artificial colors or dyes
• 10 yummy, yummy scents (many that you’ll recognize from their traditional candles… just under different names)
• 2 jar sizes available in GORGEOUS green, frosted glass made from recycled materials and topped with a renewable wood lid. And 1 small tin size so your earth-friendly scent can travel with you.
• But my favorite thing about the new packaging? The labels come off so easily! That way it can blend beautifully with your own decor.

Now, as excited as I am about the soy-ness of this new line, my true test is scent. Did it pass? Did it fail?

… … …

To quote Mary Murphy…”WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! They are on board the Hot Tamale Train!!!!!”

Field of Dreams: There is nothing closer to the smell of freshly cut grass. If you want your house to truly smell like a warm, sweet early summer day, then light up this creamy candle!

Cran Slam: This tangy scent sits on my desk to inspire me… to awaken my brain… It takes me back to the humid days of my childhood where I would start the summer day with a huge glass of my favorite Berry Punch from Minute Maid; the flavor popping in my mouth and the sugar revving me up for hours of climbing trees and riding bikes.

Beat Around the Bushel: Better known as Macintosh, this apple blossom scent takes me to where summer meets fall, where swimming ends and a new school year begins, where t-shirts turn to sweaters. Even though it’s still a few months away, welcome fall a little early into your home.

And unlike many candles that only smell of smoke when you blow them out, the scents of these candles seem to linger in the air for hours afterwards.

So, please, if you’re like me and have been waiting what seems like forever for your Yankee Candle store to Go Green, jump out of your seats right this minute and show your support of their newest endeavor. We want our stores to know that this is the direction that we should all be heading for a fragrant, earth-saving future.

But what about my camera? My laptop? All of the important papers in my files? I needed something compact and I needed it fast. Enter The Bazura Banner Shopping Bag. It just happened to be sitting by my front door, as I had just received it the day before. I snatched it up, threw in the laptop, camera, and large file. Scared it couldn’t hold that kind of weight, I picked it up to test its endurance. Not only did it hold everything (space-wise), but the bottom didn’t sag under the mass.

That bag sat by my front door for 72 hours without moving. Which means, we didn’t have to leave our house - thank goodness!

So while I didn’t end up having to use the bag, I, at least, knew it would’ve held up to heavy loads and panic attacks. Who do I have to thank for this? That would be the amazing people at Bazura. Bazura is a Canadian company that designs and sells eco-friendly bags and accessories, and also help to sustain a Women’s Co-Op in the Philippines.

Yes, these bags have a…funny…look to them, but their look is what makes them so amazing! The reason that these bags have Hunt’s Ketchup, Knott’s Berry Farm, and 70% off ads is because they ARE Hunt’s Ketchup, Knott’s Berry Farm, and 70% off ads! These non biodegradable ad banners, found throughout the Philippines, are saved from sitting in a landfill for hundreds of years when sewn by the Women’s Co-Op… a co-op, created by six Filipino women to provide local women with gainful employment, that has grown to over 800 today.

By transforming “basura,” the Filipino word for garbage, into unique collections of eco-chic bags and other accessories , Bazura Bags keep millions of juice containers and tons of pre-consumer waste out of crowded landfills and conserves resources that would be used to make products from virgin materials.

So next time you’re looking for a new bag to tote your groceries or a new purse for, well, the fun of it, take a look over at Bazura for a unique and uniquely earth friendly bag to add to your collection. Mother Earth is happy to let you borrow her credit card for such a purchase!

• I put solar panels in my house. Compact Fluorescents in every socket. And I still feel guilty when I use a paper napkin.
• The road to the apocalypse is paved with disposable food containers, my friend!

• Booth: If pesticides are so bad for us, then how come people live longer now than they did before they used pesticides?

Bones: You’re over simplifying an enormously complex issue.

Booth: Ha ha ha… meaning you don’t have a good answer.

Bones: The arguments in favor of organic farming aren’t just about food safety; they’re about prevention of soil erosion, protection of water quality, carbon emissions from shipping. Not to mention…

Booth: Whatever… you’re not going to see me paying $4.00 for a tomato.

Bones: You know… a researcher at the University of Florida proved that alligators that swam in pesticide contaminated waters have smaller genitalia than their clean-water counterparts.