Earth Day is almost upon us, and I am sure most of your towns and cities are already unveiling some great opportunities to get involved this weekend. I know tonight I will be celebrating Earth Day at the Andersonville Galleria! For those of you in Chicago, click here to find more events in the area via MetroMix.
In honor of the upcoming Earth Day, I want to share with you some of my favorite environmentally friendly products!
If you have a subscription or the latest issue of Newsweek, make sure you pay special attention to the front cover. Apparently on the back of the cover you can fold it into an envelope and send it in for a free Target, reusable bag.
In the world of reusable bags, I am personally a fan of Bag the Habit. I have two of their bags and they are perfect for grocery shopping! If you are looking for something more trendy, check out Anya Hindmarch’s “I am not a plastic bag” handbag. From what I know they are sold out, but there are several up for bid on eBay.
Bag the habit
Anya Hindmarch’s “I’m not a plastic bag”
I am also a huge fan of VivaTerra, and I particularly like this reclaimed oriental rug made from recycled plastic bottles.
re-claimed Oriental Rug, VivaTerra
Who doesn’t love dual purpose products? Plantable Paper offers just that! Stationary that you can also plant. I received one in the mail earlier this month, and fell in love with the idea!
Plantable paper
Finally, I love learning new ways that I can save money and still be environmentally friendly! I never thought I would make my own laundry detergent or cleaning solutions, but it turns out it is easier than I thought! I was worried about the laundry detergent smelling bad, but as long as you choose the right soap, it will leave your clothes smelling just like the commercial detergents. Want to make your own? Read below for instructions on how to make your own glass cleaner, as well as, detergent. These instructions were taken from Juice a Des Moines, IA paper. Click here to read more about their green issue.
1 cup water
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon essential oil (or other for scent)
Mix ingredients in a bowl and transfer to a spray bottle.
You may have to clean the surface twice the first time to eliminate the film left by traditional cleaners.
Laundry detergent
4 cups Borax
2 cups baking soda (you can also use washing soda)
3 cups grated soap flakes (I used a cheese grater on a bar of Fels-napatha soap. Dr. Bromer’s is another good brand of natural soap.)
Distilled white vinegar for the rinse cycle
Mix first three ingredients in a bowl. Transfer to an old laundry detergent box or other storage container.
Use a measuring cup or laundry scoop to add mix to washer. Use 1/2 cup for regular wash and 1 cup for dirtier loads.
Add 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle to soften fabric.
What are some of your favorite products?
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