Category Archives: health

Eco Friendly Summer Sports

Posted on May 29, 2012 by | 1 Comment

As the temperatures rise, it’s time to pack away those skis and skates or take a leave of absence from your climate-controlled gym.  Summer, with her longer days and balmy weather, is a great time to keep fit while enjoying the Great Outdoors.  Plenty of opportunities abound to burn calories while leaving a minimal carbon footprint.  None of these sports require a gas-powered motor or make a lot of noise.  All of these sports are eco-friendly since they leave no emissions, no pollution and almost no environmental impact. Continue reading →

→ 1 Comment

Posted in eco kids, green around the world, health, living green on a budget

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Eco safe in the summer sun

Posted on May 16, 2012 by | 2 Comments

One of Recycla’s daughters came home from school on Friday and Recycla was suddenly reminded that summer is fast approaching. The girl’s class had spent some time outside in the school’s amphitheater and she was a little sunburned from her time outside.

Continue reading →

→ 2 Comments

Posted in eco kids, health, personal care

Ch-ch-ch-chia!

Posted on March 5, 2012 by | 2 Comments

Enviro Girl remembers the Chia Pet of her youth–a sort of gag gift/novelty item.  She’d never really considered the health benefits of a chia pet, but this past weekend her friend extolled the benefits of chia seeds. Continue reading →

→ 2 Comments

Posted in food, health

Tagged ,

HAVE AN IMPACT…A small ONE

Posted on January 13, 2012 by | 5 Comments


The New Year is Here! And some people are making resolutions and setting goals to do more this year. The Green Queen wants to be different. She wants to do less…by reducing her carbon footprint on the world. The only way to reduce your carbon footprint is to cut down your impact on the environment. There are a lot of options you can choose from to help achieve this effect.

1) Go to Work a Different Way:

a) Don’t drive your car,
b) Take mass transit,
c) Ride your bike,
d) Or even run/walk.

You’ll get into better shape, save money and help protect the planet all at the same time.

2) Use natural remedies to heal your ailments.

a) Slice large onions and lay them on your chest, to help clear-up sinus congestion.
b) Steam a pot of water, add a teaspoon of crushed lavender, hold a towel over your head and inhale the warm revitalizing scent.
c) Pour 1/2 cup of Epsom salt into your bath to help soothe aching, tired muscles.

3) Use Products a Different Way.

With the new year here people often want to clean out the old and here’s how to do it without polluting the planet.

a) Use vinegar and water to wash your windows and even your clothes. You can mix 1/4 cup of vinegar in a quart of water. Moisten a dry cotton cloth with this mixture and you can wipe down your counter tops, appliances and even your bathroom.
b) Use a slice of lemon to clean the bottom of your copper pots and pans. Simply rub the copper with lemon juice and salt and you will be awe…mazed.
c) Use baking soda to clean out your refrigerator. Take two tablespoons of baking soda and mix it in a quart of water. Use a sponge and dip it in the liquid to clean your appliances.

People haven’t always had store bought cleansers that were full of dyes, perfumes and chemicals. They used vinegar, baking soda and scrub brushes. You can too!

→ 5 Comments

Posted in health, house stuff, Uncategorized

Tagged , ,

Home Remedies

Posted on January 6, 2012 by | 3 Comments

Sometimes Eco Lassie only has to look inside her pantry or cabinets to find home remedies that really work. All of these she’s going to mention have scientific proof behind them that they work — trust her, she’s a nurse!

Continue reading →

→ 3 Comments

Posted in health, living green on a budget

Tagged

Simple, Yummy & Healthy Holiday Snacks

Posted on December 7, 2011 by | 2 Comments

Maybe you’re hosting a holiday soiree.  Perhaps you’ve been invited and asked to bring a dish to pass.  Whatever the festive occasion, group caroling, tree trimming or gift exchange, here are some easy and tasty foods to nibble on.  Enviro Girl challenges you to eschew the meat and cheese tray (salty, fatty and high in cholesterol) for some lighter fare that’s just as easy to prepare.

Continue reading →

→ 2 Comments

Posted in eco holidays, food, health

Tagged , , , , , ,

How eco warriors deal with colds

Posted on October 12, 2011 by | 3 Comments

Recycla has gotten her first cold of the season. Blech. As soon as she felt the first warning tickles in the back of her throat, she reached into her bag of tricks for eco-friendly ways to deal with her symptoms. What’s in this bag of tricks? Here’s how the Eco Women deal with winter’s yuckiness:

Eat a healthy diet with a variety of vitamins and nutrients. Healthy bodies are better able to ward off illnesses, so keep plenty of fruits and vegetables in the kitchen.

Vitamin C is an important tool in  your cold-fighting arsenal, so drink orange juice and eat oranges,, and other foods rich in this nutrient. Consider taking Vitamin C supplements too.

When the inevitable sniffles and runny noses appear, drink plenty of clear fluids, like water and tea.

Chamomile tea with lemon and honey is great for the slight queasiness that comes with colds, plus the chamomile has some natural anti-inflammatory properties. The honey and lemon both soothe sore throats and the honey helps keep your blood sugar up since you’re likely to have have no appetite for food. The tea helps you stay hydrated.

Ginger helps soothe a queasy stomach and the spiciness cab help clear your nose a bit. To make ginger tea, bBoil ginger root and then simmer until it is a caramel color. Add honey to sweeten it and it will kill anything in your mouth and throat. Sip it all day.

As always, chicken soup is a wonderful thing to have when sick. The steam from the hot soup can help loosen congestion in your chest and nose, plus researchers have found evidence that chicken broth has anti-inflammatory properties that aid in soothing sore throats and help stop the movement of the white blood cells that encourage the flow of mucus in the lungs and nose. Furthermore, soup tastes good and the liquids help keep you hydrated. To make your own, see this post.

Another way to deal with congestion is to take a hot bath or shower, since the steam will help unclog your sinuses. Add essential oils of rosemary or eucalyptus for some herbal aid.

Remember when your mother would rub Vick’s Vapor Rub on your chest when you were a kid to help soothe your stuffy nose and/or hacking cough? Well, that’s definitely still a good thing to do. If you want the most organic option available, then give Badger’s Aromatic Chest Rub balm a try. According to their website, you can use the balm as a chest rub or “put a half a teaspoon in a humidifier or pot of hot water as a steam inhalant.”

You can also try some organic throat lozenges, such as the ones made by St. Claire’s, or you could make your own.

Tell the Eco Women: What’s your favorite thing to do when you have a cold? Do you push through or do you you hunker down on your sofa with a warm blanket and a good book?

The Eco Women are not employed by any of the companies mentioned here. Photo credits: Yahoo Images, except for the balm, which came from the company’s website.

→ 3 Comments

Posted in health, Uncategorized

It’s Not Personal, P&G. We Just Don’t Need (most of) Your Products.

Posted on October 3, 2011 by | 7 Comments

The other day Enviro Girl got a phone call from someone conducting a survey.  After ascertaining her age and status as the primary shopper for her household, the caller asked Enviro Girl to rate her attitude towards Proctor & Gamble and their various products.

Enviro Girl declared her status as “neutral” and admitted she doesn’t really buy Proctor & Gamble products–and then on Sunday while reading through the weekly coupon offers from that company, discovered why.  You see, it’s not that Enviro Girl is against Proctor & Gamble, per se.  It’s not even that she’s buying goods produced by a competitor.  She doesn’t buy Proctor & Gamble products because as an environmental activist and “green” housekeeper, they don’t make much that she needs!

Let’s take a quick look at their brands and product lines and why Enviro Girl doesn’t buy them:

Always:  well, maxi pads are gross and Enviro Girl prefers tampons.  She sees panty liners as a total waste of plastic-lined trash.

Clairol, Aussie, Herbal Essences:  Enviro Girl goes au natural with her hair color and prefers a paraben-free, synthetic-fragrance-free, sulfate-free, phthalate-free shampoo/conditioner experience.  She’s an Avalon Organics girl all the way for her hair care products.

Secret:  Not strong enough for this woman.  She prefers Certain Dri.

Tampax:  Is it just Enviro Girl or have other people noticed the “designer style feminine hygiene care products?”  Bottom line:  An applicator is a waste of plastic or cardboard.

Ivory:  Actually, Enviro Girl swears by bars of Ivory soap at her house, so Proctor & Gamble do get her money for this product.  Tried and true, it’s a cleansing classic.

Venus:  Ditto here–she invested in a razor and likes the disposable cartridges instead of disposable razors.

Scope:  If you brush and floss, mouthwash isn’t necessary.  If you find it is, then you’ve probably got bigger issues going on in your mouth.

CoverGirl:  See the above issues Enviro Girl has with hair care products.  Ditto for her face.  She does not buy most make up products, when she does she opts for brands free of toxic chemicals.

Crest:  Enviro Girl’s household uses Crest.  Not everyone in the household brushes their teeth with crest, so it’s not the main toothpaste brand of choice.

Comet:  (no site link available) Enviro Girl uses Bon Ami or baking soda–not the lung-searing cleaning power of Comet.

Swiffer:  It’s a disposable mop-head/broom product, people.  Disposable.  Enviro Girl won’t even speculate on what they brew to make the floor spray stuff with–she uses a regular mop and vinegar with hot water to clean wood and tile floors.

Tide/Dreft/Cheer/Gain:  Enviro Girl has major issues with chemical fragrances and she likes to use a laundry detergent that’s gentle on the environment.  To that end, she’s a Seventh Generation fan through and through–that detergent never fails to clean her family’s clothes and doesn’t leave a heavy scent behind, either.

Ferbreze:  Speaking of chemically toxic smells, most people already know that a clean house doesn’t require air fresheners.  Never ever in a million years would Enviro Girl buy a product that leaves behind dangerous chemical residue in the name of “freshening up” her household. Enviro Girl cleans well with vinegar and water and leaves windows open for that “fresh air” fragrance in her house.

Duracell:  Enviro Girl has already invested in rechargeable batteries by Energizer.  ‘Nuff said.

Downy/Bounce:  Enviro Girl has posted before about dryer sheets and fabric softeners.  They’re a wasteful and even dangerous product.   If static cling is really an issue, wool dryer balls or a quick spritz with vinegar and water will cure it.  It’s products like these that make the last few aisles of Target an asthma attack waiting to happen for people like Enviro Girl.

Dawn:  Just as she feels about laundry detergent, Enviro Girl likes an environmentally friendly and natural smelling dish soap.  She chooses Mrs. Meyers Clean Day products.  (And is it just Enviro Girl or do other people notice a wonky smell on dish cloths when folks use the “antibacterial” Dawn dish soaps?)

Cascade:  Again, environmentally friendly dishwasher detergents are Enviro Girl’s pick.  She really likes Seventh Generation’s dishwasher powdered detergent.  It’s fairly inexpensive and does a great job getting dishes clean.

Bounty:  Enviro Girl has taken The Paper Towel Challenge and uses about a quarter a roll of paper towel a year.  Paper towels really aren’t necessary–old newspapers or rags do the same job for a fraction of the price and without decimating forests.  In fact, Enviro Girl’s family has even reduced their use of paper towels since she originally took the challenge!  Because she barely ever buys paper towels, she spends a bit more on some 100% recycled paper towels.

Charmin:  Enviro Girl buys the store brand of toilet paper–not super plush, not super scratchy.

Pringles:  Enviro Girl will let the ingredients speak for this product:

RICE FLOUR, VEGETABLE OIL (CONTAINS ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: CORN OIL, COTTONSEED OIL, SOYBEAN OIL, AND/OR SUNFLOWER OIL), DRIED POTATOES, CORN FLOUR, MALTODEXTRIN, WHEAT STARCH, MODIFIED RICE STARCH, SUGAR, AND TRIGLYCEROL MONO-OLEATE. CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, WHEAT BRAN, DRIED BLACK BEANS, SALT, AND CITRIC ACID. CONTAINS WHEAT INGREDIENTS.

Um, yeah.  Enviro Girl likes potato chips made with 3 ingredients, potatoes, oil and salt.  FAIL, Pringles.  FAIL.  (And this is the ingredient list from the healthy-sounding “Multigrain Pringles.”)

Mr. Clean:  Enviro Girl loves Ecover.  Bless your shiny bald head, Mr. Clean, but the contents of your bottle will never in a million years live up to the high environmental standards of Ecover.
So, it’s not personal, Proctor & Gamble.  It’s more a matter of being friendly to her environment (air, earth and water) and knowing what’s necessary to keep her household clean and healthy and what will probably pollute it more.   Do tell, reader–do you buy Proctor & Gamble products for your household?  Or have you opted to buy more eco-friendly brands?

→ 7 Comments

Posted in health, house stuff, living green on a budget

Tagged , , , , , ,

Bike Commute Challenge

Posted on September 23, 2011 by | 2 Comments

The weather has started to turn, there’s a crisp edge to the air. Even the leaves are dropping from the trees. You can hear them crackle and crunch beneath school kids’ feet, as they head back to class.

It’s that time of year again.

Yes, Bike Commute Challenge.

You see, here in River City, we take sustainability seriously. Hundreds of people commute by bicycle every day to work and back. It’s an easy way to save money: no need to pay for parking, no money for car insurance, heck, no need for cars, gas or maintenance. And, that doesn’t say anything about how much less your carbon footprint will be. But, just think about it for a moment. You can reduce the emissions your car would be putting out into the air, simply by riding to work. This is one way you can do your part to save the planet . . . plus, you’ll be getting yourself in shape – all at the same time. So no need to pay for a gym membership either. Think of how much you’ll save: money, maybe time and the planet!

So don’t let your bike go to waste sitting on the sidelines.
Get out there and ride to work! And, if you aren’t lucky enough to live in River City, then check with your local community to find out whether they have a bike commute challenge and, if they don’t, why don’t you get one organized…I challenge you.

Even the Green Queen has been riding to work. Of course it’s an easy downhill ride and that helps. She hasn’t quite gotten up the guts to ride back home – all the way uphill, yet – this year. But, that’s coming. She’s lucky to be able to take her bike on the MAX (the citywide transit train) if she chooses.

But Portland has always been one innovative city. City planners have been creating a bike encouraging city. Just look at some of the unusual aspects of city planning going on here. Cars have to sit and wait behind the bikes. And, people can often get to work faster on bikes than in cars, locked up in gridlock.
So, what more do you need to hear to get you pedaling yourself to work? It’s time to JUST DO IT!

→ 2 Comments

Posted in green around the world, health, transportation, Uncategorized

Tagged , , , ,

Chemical-Free Fixes for Frizzy Hair

Posted on September 16, 2011 by | 4 Comments

Enviro Girl struggles with frizzy hair, yet she’s disinclined to buy a bunch of paraben-laden conditioners and serums and gels and sprays to solve the problem.  Instead, she’s discovered a slew of natural rinses from the kitchen pantry that take the frizz out of her tresses while keeping the environment safe:

Beer.  Pour flat warm beer mixed with water through your hair after you shampoo and wait a minute or two before your final rinse.  Beer replenishes moisture and adds shine.

Apple cider vinegar.  Use the same as a beer rinse.  It’s a natural cleanser and a good conditioner.

Carbonated water.  Apparently the low pH helps manage fly-away strands of hair.

Olive oil.  Actually, any kind of oil.  Apply through your hair BEFORE you shampoo to restore moisture and shine.  You can use a few drops as a serum after  you’ve dried and styled your hair, too.  Enviro Girl suggests olive oil because it has the least amount of odor compared to other oils.  Shea butter can also smooth styled hair.

Finally, a mash-up of mayonnaise and avocado makes a great deep conditioner.  Just be sure to shampoo well afterwards or you’ll smell like a sandwich!

→ 4 Comments

Posted in health, living green on a budget, personal care

Tagged , , , , ,