by Ingrid Justick:

Vol. 27, No. 1

More than 70 million Americans will garden this year, spending billions of dollars to keep lawns green, and flowers and vegetables free from pests and diseases. Last year, stores sold more than $2 billion worth of pesticides. But as concerns about tainted groundwater and contaminated food increase, gardeners are seeking more healthful alternatives to toxic chemicals.

We have to learn to understand the delicate relationship we have with nature and to participate without disturbing this important balance. Attract beneficial insects and birds to your garden by planting flowers, supplying water, providing shelter and food. Over 95% of insects in your garden are either beneficial or do no harm.

By practicing organic gardening, we keep our plants healthy and pest resistant. Water is one of the most effective weapons against pests. Here are some eco-friendly insect sprays and tips:

• Basic insect spray: Mix 2 tablespoons dish washing liquid (not detergent) and 1 gallon water. Add sulfur to kill mites and insects (see packaged directions for amount.) Add 1-2 tablespoons baking soda to this basic recipe and you will kill fungi and insects.
• Lemon spray: not only repels white flies and soft-bodied insects, it will also destroy fleas on your pet. Boil peels of 3 lemons in 1 quart water, cool, remove peels and place solution in spray bottle.
• Hot pepper spray: repels insects and alienates black-spot on roses. Mix 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, 1 quart water and 1/2 teaspoon dishwashing liquid.
• Garlic spray: Mix 1 quart water, 2 teaspoons garlic juice, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon liquid soap.
• Tomato leaf spray: Mix 2 cups tomato leaves, 1 quart water. Bring to boil, cool, strain and add 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid.
• Basic oil spray: Mix 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid.
• Fungus-killing spray: Mix 2 tablespoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and 1 gallon water, or mix 1 tablespoon garlic juice and 1 quart water.
• Vinegar spray combats fungal disease and black-spot on roses. Mix 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar and 1 gallon water.
• Banana peel repellent: place banana peels around roses, or other plants plagued by aphids. As a bonus, the potassium in the peels stimulates large blooms.
• Peppermint: repels ants and peppermint tea is a good all-purpose insect spray.
• Lemongrass: repels wasps. Place some lemon grass in a vase on your picnic table and wasps will stay away.
• Plants that repel insects: borage, dill, onion, fennel, sage, thyme, parsley, garlic.

By gardening in an organic, chemical-free way, you give back
to our environment that has given us so much.

For environmentally friendly information call: 732-922-2935

by Ingrid Justick:

Vol. 26, No. 5

Green cleaning means using products that do not pollute our indoor air with toxic chemicals, release irritating fumes which affect our health. Green cleaning means keeping toxic chemicals out of our streams and groundwater. Green cleaning products should come in recyclable packaging, or be made with recycled materials. For example: Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soaps use only certified organic plant oils and the refillable bottles are made of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic. Seventh Generation and Shaklee companies provide complete ingredient lists on their products.

When you are shopping for cleaning products, look out for the general term “fragrance,” a catch-word for synthetic perfumes that use toxic asthma-provoking phthalates as a dispersing agent. Tests by the Center for Disease Control have shown that phthalates collect in the body causing common allergies. Check that labels specify plant essential oils rather than fragrance.

SOME NON-TOXIC CLEANING RECIPES: Clean your sink with baking soda. Salt mixed with flour is a good scrubber for pots and pans. To clean your over or roasting pans, mix one part baking soda and one part borax with water. To make a thick paste add a little vinegar, coat the surface and let stand overnight, then rinse. White vinegar, full strength, cleans mold, bathroom tiles, grout stains, glass and mirrors. Diluted it is a good wood floor cleaner.

EXPLAINING GREEN CLAIMS ON PRODUCT LABELS:
Biodegradable: this unregulated term is meaningful only if it specifies the amount of time it takes for the product to decompose, as most substances will eventually biodegrade over time given the right condition, such as sunlight.
Nontoxic: there is no official definition or third-party verification for this claim.
Organic: household cleaning products are not regulated by the Organic Foods Production Act, but some ingredients, such as plant oils, can be labeled certified organic.

CLEANING PRODUCT INGREDIENTS TO AVOID
Ammonia: extremely irritating to respiratory passages when inhaled; can harm skin on contact.
Chlorine Bleach: an all-purpose whitening agent, can irritate the lungs and eyes, and in waterways can become toxic organochlorines.
Phosphates: soften water for detergents, but contribute to algae blooms in our waterways, which can kill off fish populations.
Sodium Hydroxide: found in drain, metal and oven cleaners, is extremely irritating to eyes, nose and throat, and can burn those tissues on contact.
Sodium Laurel Sulfate: a common sudsing agent, can penetrate the skin and cause contact dermatitis.
Antibacterial cleansers: containing triclosan, may be contributing to the rise of antibiotic-resistant germs.

Your home is part of the environment; keep it pollution free.
Cleaning products are a personal choice, but for our health and the
health of our Earth, let our choice be truly green cleaning.

Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. – Chief Seattle

For environmentally friendly information call: 732-922-2935

by Ingrid Justick:

Vol. 26, No. 3

While we are enjoying the abundance of this beautiful season, let us pause sometimes and think of ways to enhance the quality of our Earth. Please consider the use of the following non-air-polluting cleaners and disinfectants, when cleaning your home.

Commercial furniture polish contains poisonous solvents that release into the air. To avoid this, make your own: blend 1/2 cup of lemon juice with 2/3 cup of olive oil. Bonus: this mixture leaves no wax build-up! Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Soap (available in health food stores) not only cleans your kitchen and bathroom, leaving a beautiful scent, it also removes pesticide residue and wax from fruit and vegetables.

Grapefruit Seed Extract is a very potent germ killer, effective against virus, fungi and bacteria strains. Tea Tree Oil is a natural antiseptic, antimicrobial and antibacterial. Bon Ami cleanser contains no toxic chemicals. Baking soda deodorizes and cleans. Blend 1cup white vinegar with 1 cup water to clean your windows and mirrors. Club soda cleans and polishes stainless steel, sinks and kitchen appliances. To clean flatware, soak in club soda a few minutes, then rinse and dry.

Drain cleaner: pour 1/2 cup baking soda into drain, add 1/2 cup white vinegar and cover. After 15 minutes, flush with hot water. Mildew and mold cleaner: mix 1 tablespoon Borax with 1 cup water. Chlorine is our most dangerous toxin. To whiten your laundry, add 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide. Borax is a natural stain remover. 1 cup of white vinegar added to your rinse cycle will not only soften your washables, but also remove any traces of soap.

Pet and other stains on your carpet are easily removed with undiluted vinegar, then “blotted” with cold water. Silver tarnish remover: mix white toothpaste with a few drops of olive oil. Rub until clean and rinse in hot water. Brass and copper cleaner: 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon flour and enough vinegar to make a paste.

Air fresheners only “cover” offensive odors, while releasing toxic chemicals into the air. To freshen the air naturally: blend 1 cup of water with a few drops of lavender or citrus oil. Place in spray bottle or atomizer. Soak a cotton ball with your favorite scented natural oil and add to your vacuum cleaner bag. The entire house will smell wonderful. The scent will last at least one week with daily vacuuming.

After a day of mindful housecleaning, add some lavender oil to your potpourris. Lavender oil is soothing, cleansing and relaxing.

Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it.

Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. – Chief Seattle

For environmentally friendly information call: 732-922-2935

by Ingrid Justick:

Vol. 26, No. 2

When we are working in our gardens, we are Nature ourselves, looking after and tending Nature, and that not very complex act, somehow, leaves us not only physically strengthened, but takes on a spiritual and healing overtone.  We experience many positive effects when we garden, or just spend time in there.  Experts agree:

♥   An hour in the garden is equal to one hour of meditation for reducing blood pressure.

♥  Physiologists report heightened muscle relaxation, slower breathing and increased endorphin production among gardeners.

♥  Psychologists say self-esteem, patience and generosity are boosted when people garden.

Simply stated:  If you want to increase your joyful feeling in yourself – find a garden.  The peace and serenity it offers are un-measureable!  Tending plants teaches us about the true rhythm of life – that it cannot be forced, only nurtured, we just work the soil and let Nature do its own magic.

Herbal plants have a physiological influence on gardeners, the smell of Lavender affects the limbic system of the brain, it calms. Mint relaxes. If we observe all the signs of Nature, we find that it offers us everything at the time our bodies are in need.  “Dandelion greens” are a Spring tonic that invigorate and strengthen all systems to help to purify our body after a long winter of rich foods.

Its slightly bitter taste increases “bile flow,” which enhances liver function and eliminates harmful toxins in the blood stream. Rosemary, according to Dr. James Duke, is a very powerful memory-enhancer. It contains cineole, a central nervous system stimulant.  Chamomile and Lemon Balm are relaxing and sedative.

So if we want to get in touch with our kinder, gentler self, the plant kingdom can help.  The interconnectedness of Nature can benefit us in so many positive ways – if we choose to be a part of it!

While we are gardening – outdoors or indoors – we can 
honor our Earth by treating it with Love!

For environmentally friendly information call: 732-922-2935

by Ingrid Justick:

Vol. 26, No. 1

Global warming is probably the greatest threat our earth has to face. Each of us can have a positive impact on the production of greenhouse gasses. And if we act together in the following minor ways, the cumulative effect will be dramatic. So much of the way we live our lives is wasteful or thoughtless. It takes nothing to switch off a lamp, unplug a phone charger, take a shorter shower, skip the pre-wash cycle on the dishwasher, walk instead of drive. Some suggestions that follow involve a little more effort: recycling, fixing leaky faucets and toilets, buying a fuel-efficient car, insulating your home, purchasing only appliance and electronics with the Energy Star certification.

Energy Star certified appliances and electronics: An Energy Star qualified washing machine uses 50% less energy and could reduce your utility bill by $110 annually. Wash your clothes in cold water with organic enzyme-based cleaning products, which do not pollute our groundwater.

Paint: Most paint is made from petrochemicals and its manufacturing process creates 10 times its own weight in toxic waste. It also releases volatile organic components (VOCs) that threaten our health. Best alternatives: natural paints made from plant oils and almost 100% degradable.

Food: Food is traveling farther than ever. The average American meal contains ingredients produced in five different countries. To reduce CO2 emissions from trucks, airplanes and cargo ships, purchase foods that are in season, organic and grown locally. Buy eggs in cardboard cartons; they are manufactured from recycled paper and are again recyclable. Styrofoam or plastic cartons are not biodegradable and their manufacturing produces harmful toxins. 

Save water: Fix leaky faucets and toilets. A steady faucet drip can waste 20 gallons of water per day. A leaky toilet wastes up to 100 gallons per day. By leaving the water running while you brush your teeth you waste 150 gallons of water per month. Turn your thermostat down 1 degree and your heating costs will decrease by 3 %.

Avoid disposable goods. In our country alone, we throw away 2.5 billion polystyrene cups every year, which wind up in landfills. Buy recycled or used products and you will save virgin materials, conserve energy and reduce landfill waste.

Avoid pesticides. Use natural methods of pest control. Use organic fertilizers. You can save 6 gallons of water every minute of watering by attaching a trigger nozzle to your garden hose, so that you use water only where it is needed.

Recycle your newspaper. There are 63 million newspapers printed each day in the U.S.  Of these, 44 million, or 63%, will be thrown away. Recycling just the Sunday paper would save more than half a million trees each week.

Buy a hybrid car. These cars drive 50 miles per gallon; a typical S.U.V. travels only 15 MPG.

The continued rise in carbon emissions is a matter of individual concern, each of us can and should do something, however small, to protect our Earth.

For environmentally friendly information call: 732-922-2935