Herbal Stress Relief Bath with Lavender and Oatmeal

Photo credit: melodi2 from morguefile.com
Instead of soaking in a tub full of bubbles that can irritate the skin, try a natural herbal stress relief bath. Trade in the synthetic fragrances and preservatives for skin nourishing ingredients with a lavender and oatmeal soak. Lavender essential oil will normalize the skin, reduce inflammation and help to destroy bacteria on the skin. It also has a calming effect on the mind, easing tension and anxiety. Oatmeal will sooth and soften dry skin. And of course the hot water is relaxing for tired, aching muscles.

To make an herbal stress relief bath with oatmeal and lavender add one to two cups of dried oats to a muslin pouch. Add this to bath water while the tub is filling with hot water to let the emollient compounds and nutrients of the oats to infuse into the water. Meanwhile, add eight drops of lavender essential oil to a cup of water. You can also use a cup of milk as a carrier for the essential oils for a more skin-softening effect. Add the lavender to bath water right before getting in.

Soak in this herbal bath for twenty minutes to relieve stress naturally while also giving your skin a nourishing botanical treatment. This is an excellent natural alternative to synthetic bubble bath products which contain chemical ingredients that are not good for your skin or the environment. Using natural bath additives such as essential oils and herbs is a great way to reduce your exposure to chemicals while also pampering. Just make sure to make this herbal bath a once a week treat to avoid heavy water usage!

Try a Pair of Hemp Socks This Winter

photo by Knit.Spin

If you've never tried hemp clothing before, now is the time to try out this natural fiber. There are so many benefits of choosing hemp fibers over synthetic fibers, and even cotton — benefits for the environment but also for the consumer. Why not buy a pair of warm, breathable hemp socks to keep your feet warm and dry over the winter? A pair of organic, natural socks is a great way to introduce yourself, or someone else, to the benefits of hemp clothing.

Hemp as a Major Textile

Most people think of cotton when they think of natural fibers, but cotton is by far the least eco-friendly fiber. It simply dominates the market. The amount of water alone to grow a field of cotton, let alone the pesticides and chemical fertilizers that are used for non-organic cotton growth, has been devastating farm land around the world for decades. The Environmental Justice Foundation put out a report on the negative effects of growing cotton on the environment and on human health.

Hemp on the other hand is a much hardier plant that does not require the massive water use or the chemical pesticides and fertilizers. It also leaves the soil in an improved condition after use, with more nutrients for the next crop to use. Growing hemp for fibers is not something new. This natural fiber has been grown for clothing and paper for 12,000 years. It is very strong and long-lasting. Your hemp socks are not going to end up with holes in the toes and heels as is often the case after a year or two of washing with cotton and synthetic fibers.

What Are Hemp Socks Like?

Hemp socks are soft and warm. They blend well with other natural fibers such as cotton, flax and bamboo. Not only will they last longer, but they are more resistant to mold than other fibers, making them a great choice for people with sweaty feet. While an ideal warm winter sock, hemp socks are also great in the summer as your skin will stay dry with a breathable, natural fiber. While you can throw your eco-friendly socks in the washer, it is best to keep them out of the dryer. One more clothing item to line dry and save energy with! Try out a pair of hemp socks this winter and see what your feet think.

The Eco Advantages of Reusable Grocery Bags and Where to Find Them

photo by Kat

Its the twenty-first century and it is time for plastic and paper grocery bags to be a thing of the past. Like many products of the twentieth century, from gas-guzzling cars to clothes dryers, they do not make sense in terms of efficiency, expense or the environment. Plastic and paper bags cost stores money, an expense that it inevitably passed on to the consumer. They also have a negative impact on the environment. Why not make the switch to reusable grocery bags? There are so many advantages for the environment, but also for you.

The Facts on Plastic and Paper

Both plastic and paper bags are made from the earth's natural resources — plastic bags are made from oil and paper bags are made from trees. The extraction and manufacturing process of both materials also puts a strain on the environment. After use, what happens to these bags? Some are recycled, but the majority of bags become trash and end up in landfills. From 1 to 3 percent of all plastic bags produced (and hundreds of billions are produced each year) end up as stray bags, jeopardizing marine life, clogging sewer piper and simply polluting, according to the Environmental Literacy Council.

Benefits of Reusable Bags

Switching to reusable grocery bags is a simple way to make this environmental nightmare go away. Many grocery stores now sell reusable bags for one to two dollars. You can also find cute reusable bags online — try Envirosax for washable, designer bags. ChicoBag offers customized reusable grocery bags made from a variety of materials, including their trademarked rePETe fabric, which is made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.

From the cute and customized to the standard and sturdy, these bags can be used for years, over and over again. Reusable bags are designed to be super strong, able to carry much more weight than a typical plastic or paper bag. They also are easier to carry, with handles that are not going to break.

Using reusable grocery bags just makes sense. For a few dollars you never have to worry about the hassle of using and properly disposing of paper or plastic. Also, you can use reusable grocery bags for, well anything. When you go shopping for clothes, books, hardware supplies, when you need a few things for a road trip, or to bring a bottle of wine to a friend's house, you have a bag to carry whatever you need.

Eco Benefits of Using Cloth Diapers

photo by Lori Ann

Are cloth diapers a thing of the past, or the wave of the future? With so many environmental benefits of using cloth diapers, not to mention the financial savings, switching from disposable to cloth may be worth looking in to. So, what difference does it make on the environment if you switch to this eco-friendly alternative?

Green Benefits of Cloth Diapers

The primary reason to choose cloth diapers instead of disposables is waste reduction. Cloth diapers are washed and reused over and over again. Disposable diapers are tossed into the trash and end up in landfills. The average child contributes 1 ton of diaper waste by the age of two. An estimated two percent of landfill waste is due to baby diapers. Considering that it takes 450 years for disposable diapers to decompose, according to the EPA, that percentage will inevitably increase each year unless more people use cloth diapers. Just something to think about when you change your child's diaper four to ten times each day.

Another eco benefit of using cloth diapers is a reduction of toxins. Dioxin, a known carcinogen, is found in disposable diapers as a result of the bleaching process. Another chemical, tributyl-tin or TBT is found in disposables, according to Greenpeace research. It can be absorbed into the skin and it also ends up in the environment. TBT can affect the human immune system and upset hormonal balance.

Cloth Diapers Aren't Perfect

Despite the environmental benefits of using cloth diapers, the reusable alternative is far from perfect. First, there is more work involved unless you use a diaper cleaning service. No matter who is doing the washing, cloth diapers need to be washed after each use, and this means an increase in water use. They also eventually end up in the waste stream. Cloth will decompose faster than disposable diapers and obviously the number of cloth diapers accumulating in landfills is nothing compared to the massive tonnage of disposables.

So what is the easy answer? Is there one? What diaper you use is a personal decision that depends on many factors. If you can afford a diaper cleansing service, then cloth diapers ultimately are a win-win situation. Without the cleaning work involved, the increase in water use is a more eco-friendly alternative to the increase in landfill waste.

Another option is compromise. Buy a package of cloth diapers and use them some of the time. Most parents are aware of their child's habits. Why not use a cloth diaper once or twice during the day when there is no danger of a bowel movement and a more serious clean-up. You'll save money and over the two or three years of diaper use, the total diaper waste will be significantly less.

Saving Used Coffee Grounds for Gardening

photo by Steven DePolo

Why coffee grounds? How can they enhance the growth and well-being of plants? Isn't coffee too acidic for the soil? Used coffee grounds are in fact an excellent organic material for gardening. They are a rich source of nitrogen. This element feeds beneficial microbes which break down other organic matter, and supplies nutrition to plants. They make a safe, natural substitute to manure for compost piles, as they are approximately two percent nitrogen by volume.

Researchers have also found that the presence of the grounds in compost piles helps sustain higher temperatures. These temperatures are ideal for preventing potentially harmful pathogens and kill seeds from surviving. Old coffee grounds have also been shown to improve soil structure and attract earthworms. As most of the acids are leeched out into your cup of coffee while brewing, the grounds are actually close to neutral, with an average pH ranging from 6.5 to 6.8. With a knowledge of proper use, used grounds are an ideal substance for growing better plants.

To use coffee grounds effectively they must be broken down before being placed around plants. Before composting, they have a carbon to nitrogen ratio of twenty to one, which is about the same as animal manure. In this state they can potentially stunt the growth of plants. Composting transforms the grounds into a beneficial source of nitrogen.

How to compost the used grounds? One easy way is to spread them on the top of soil weeks or months before planting, and cover with a layer of leaves or bulk mulch. You can also simply toss the used coffee grounds into your existing compost pile. This will allow the material to break down over time. It can then be mixed into the soil as a nitrogen fertilizer or added to houseplants.

Not only are used coffee grounds great for gardening, but this practical use is good for the environment as well. Coffee grounds are thrown away, eventually ending up in landfills. As they decompose in the waste stream they actually contribute to greenhouse gas emissions by emitting methane. While your daily consumption of coffee may not be that high, the amount of coffee grounds thrown away every day by coffee shops is enormous. By making connections with local cafés, asking for their used grounds, you are supplying yourself with free, natural fertilizer and reducing waste and greenhouse has emissions.

Are There Dangerous Chemicals in Dryer Sheets?

photo by Sean Naber

Are dryer sheets toxic? What exactly are these fragrant, softening, wispy sheets? Should I be putting them in with my drying clothes? There are quite a few chemicals in dryer sheets, which may be harmful to the chemically sensitive and undesirable to anyone trying to live a more natural lifestyle. Dryer sheets are essentially pieces of nonwoven polyester (a petroleum-based synthetic fiber) that are coated with softening agents and fragrances.

Every ingredient that goes into a dryer sheet is not dangerous, for example stearic acid, a fatty acid that comes from rendered animal fat, may be used as a softening agent. It helps to make clothes feel soft by actually making them slippery. Softening agents are also used to reduce static. Other possible softening agents, such as quarternary ammonium salts may sound more threatening, but according to the Environmental Working Group's database, they pose no contamination concerns.

Where there is likely to be the harmful chemicals in dryer sheets is in the synthetic fragrances that are intended to make clothes feel so fresh. Fragrance formulas are protected by intellectual property law, so there is no way to know the exact ingredient list in a fabric softening product, nor the potential health risk. In general, many substances that are used in synthetic fragrances can be irritating to skin or the respiratory tract. There are some serious harsh chemicals that may or may not be used, some that are even known carcinogens, but without the specific set of ingredients in a product there is no way to check for danger or not.

Will you get cancer from a lifetime of using conventional dryer sheets? Probably not, but reducing your chemical exposure as much as possible cannot hurt, and dryer sheets are an easy item to give up to do this. Is it eco-friendly to use dryer sheets and other fabric softeners? Well, no. From the polyester to the actual manufacturing process to the chemical fragrances using conventional dryer sheets is not a green choice.

A great natural alternative to being exposed to the potential chemicals in dryer sheets is to freshen your laundry with essential oils. Naturally anti-bacterial, they add a little extra cleansing and a non-toxic, fresh scent. Add three or four drops to the washer per load of laundry. Try lavender, clary sage or eucalyptus. You can add two or three tablespoons of baking soda to the wash for extra softening. For eco-friendly, chemical-free clothes drying, line drying is your best option. If you do like to use the drying machine, you can also choose natural alternative dryer sheets, such as those made from Seventh Generation, which are made from recycled paper and plant-derived softening agents.

Organic Gardening at Home

photo by Steven De Polo

What is organic gardening? What are the 'rules' that a home gardener has to follow to practice this more eco-friendly version of an already environmentally-friendly past time? What are the benefits of practicing organic home gardening rather then sticking with more conventional methods?

Organic gardening at home is fun, really easy and very rewarding. Where commercial farmers face many challenges in converting to organic, sustainable methods, the home gardener has it easy. With a few simple changes and some patience you can have your own organic garden and organic vegetables, fruits and herbs to enjoy.

Essentially organic gardening is simply growing plants without the use of anything synthetic. Instead of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, eco-friendly alternatives are used such as homemade compost to nourish and improve the soil and techniques such as companion planting to help manage pests. Everything that is put into the earth or used to encourage growth is natural, beneficial and never poses any risk, such as tainting the soil with chemicals.

The result? Produce is also free of toxins (unless there are still some chemical residues in the soil from previous years or even from nearby pollutants). Fruits, vegetables and herbs are fresh and full of flavor. You don't have to pay extra to have organic produce in your kitchen — the organic home gardener grows it themselves. Also, the soil quality is improved for the future.

Fertilizers such as compost, manure, bone meal and other natural substances add nutrients to the soil and beneficial microbes and improve soil texture. Natural mulches such as organic coir, pine needles, straw and compost also act as a source of nourishment. Techniques such as companion planting and crop rotation serve to encourage optimal growth and maintain nutrient balance and sustainability. Basically, organic home gardening is all about being positive. Everyone wins, the gardener, the soil and the environment. With proper techniques and your own home compost pile there isn't even the need to spend more money to go organic.

While organic gardening is much more than a few simple changes, in fact it is more of a philosophy, to step into the world of eco-friendly gardening practices you really don't need to leap that far.