How To Green Your Cleaning Products

Green is very IN nowadays.  People are stepping up and taking responsibility for the damage our environment has sustained after years of abuse and neglect.  And we should be right to be concerned.  The Earth after all, is the only planet where human beings can live.  Without our planet, we would not only have a home but we would also cease to exist.

This is one of the primary reasons why we should do everything we can to green our way of living.  As usual, change begins at home and it is there that we can slowly initiate the change needed in order to take care of our ailing planet.

The home is actually a very good source of environment damaging chemicals.  We often forget that there are harmful chemicals that we dump on to our waterways every time we do the laundry, wash the dishes or do some household cleaning.  Start by taking a look at the cleaning agents under your sink.  Chances are these chemicals do more harm than good.  Yes, they make our home smell fresher and cleaner but at the price of damaging and harming our environment.

Throw away these cleaners and detergents as they have chemicals which damage and harm our planet. Use natural products which are not only biodegradable, they are safe and contain no toxins.  This means that you and the environment are safe whenever you clean your home.

Instead of using chemical based cleaners, you can substitute these for baking soda which is a natural abrasive and won’t scratch surfaces.  Baking soda is great for soap scum and works as a disinfectant too.  For bleach, you can use lemon juice instead.  Lemon juice is nature’s bleach and is a very effective stain remover.  For best results, mix one cup lemon juice to a gallon of water and soak stained garments overnight.  White vinegar is slightly acidic and works as a disinfectant too.  You can use this to deodorize utensils, cookware and other house hold items.  Borax is a good laundry additive and is environment friendly.  Club soda is another very good stain remover.

Being Green does not cost more or will cause inconvenience.  If you look closely at the products mentioned above, you can probably find them inside your cupboard right now.  The internet is also a very good source of Green cleaning solutions and certain websites have a list of products, detergent and other household needs that are certified as Green or environment friendly.

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Greenery Bridges the Health Gap Between the Rich and the Poor

Greenery is central to eco-friendly communities and its role in improving health continues to be supported by scientific research. The latest evidence, corroborating the role of greenery in maintaining public health, comes from a study published in the renowned British medical journal The Lancet. It concludes that green spaces not only reduce blood pressure and stress levels, preventing heart diseases and stroke, but also bridge the gap between the health condition of the poor and that of the more well-off members of society.

The research has been conducted by Dr. Richard Mitchell (Glasgow University) and Dr. Frank Popham of (University of St Andrews). They analyzed the records of over 366, 000 people, who passed away between 2001 and 2005, concluding that even a little area covered with greenery plays a significant healing role in the health of the population that lives nearby. This finding is important in that it counters the mainstream belief that social class is the major determinant of health – rich people being privileged with better health due to their higher socio-economic profile.

For both health professionals and the general public, the health-friendly effects of green spaces denote a new hope of living longer and happier life without any demand for wealth. Local councils can bring about a notable improvement in people’s health by introducing more greenery in the locality. From health’s viewpoint, poor people can get the same share in life as do the rich. What is needed is more volunteering for increasing the greenery in one’s area. Previous studies have proved the positive role of roadside trees in improving health in urban areas. The recent findings strengthen the belief in the environmental-friendly practice of plantation – an activity that literally promotes life against the threat of diseases.

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