Ms. Green-Clean - New York City Eco-friendly House Cleaning Maid & Eco-Lifestyle Services

Pendleton Eco-Wise Wool Easy-Care Washable Blanket

2012-01-12T09:02:00.019-05:00

I've coveted Pendleton wool blankets for years, but only recently allowed myself to purchase one of the pricey bed covers when I realized it would be a quick and frugal fix to cold nights in our new house that is without insulation and wrapped in old siding and laden with air holes and old drafty windows, many of them broken.

The Regency wood burning stove insert we ordered before we moved in nearly 3 months ago still has not arrived or been installed into our fireplace (sigh). Insulation, hole-mending, new siding and windows will come within this first year of our tenure--should our coffers provide. But until all of the updating is complete winters will be chilly because I'm keeping our thermostat as close to 60 as we can bare in an effort to minimize our oil usage and bills. A thick wool cardigan has been my house uniform of choice this winter, and the temperatures, as you know, have not been very low. Even so, I've been known to sleep like a pioneer woman, a wool hat pulled down to my ears.

Back to the blanket, which possesses so many recommendable qualities. It's one of the few fine products made in the USA today. And the wool used in the entire Eco-Wise line of home products and clothes wear is, according to Pendleton, "created to leave the lightest impact on the earth. From the sheep to the shelf...it passes strict standards of sustainability and responsible environmental stewardship."

And if all this do-gooding doesn't do it for you, there is the fact that it's practical--warm and washable. It's also luxurious and soft to the touch, and in an array of colors and patterns it comes in there should be at least one to please everyone's tastes.

Composting, Envirocycle Compost Tumbler, Worm Bins & Vermi-composting

2012-01-09T08:04:00.014-05:00

This weekend, more than 2 months after moving into our new house, I finally retrieved our envirocycle from our old Manhattan apartment building basement and found its new home in our backyard, so it seems an apt time to revisit the important topic of composting.

Most of us now know what a good thing for the earth and our health composting kitchen scraps and yard debris is, but many Americans still don't realize how fun, easy, satisfying, and un-smelly it really is.

I've written about this topic in the past, so in lieu of repeating myself I'll point you to my other entry on composting and the envirocycle, which I love. Of course, if you have the right situation you can also easily and cheaply build your own composting area. There is much information online to gather on how to do this, and perhaps in the future I'll write on it, as well.

There is also the very good option of vermi-composting, or letting red wriggler worms make short shrift of your scraps. Kids--and this adult--love watching this dynamic natural process; It's better than reality television! You can build your own worm bin for the task or purchase a ready-made one, like this great one.

photo by flickr member pretty poo eater

Banana Bread Recipe - Use Your Bananas Before They Go Bad - Prevent Food Waste, An Environmental Issue

2012-01-04T15:12:00.028-05:00

It's shameful and an environmental issue that America throws away nearly half of all its food, according to Jonathan Bloom.

Necessity IS the mother of invention! In an effort to not waste our food, I recently created this easy to make, delicious, moist confection -- a hybrid of several banana bread recipes I found online and in cookbooks -- in order to use most of a banana bunch before laying them to waste. *We don't have composting set up yet in our new home.

Makes 2 large loaves and serves many.

Ingredients:

1 c. sugar
2 c. (plus enough for pan) white whole wheat flour (I used King Arthur. White or a mix of regular whole wheat and white would work.)
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. cardamom
1 t. vanilla
3 eggs
enough brandy to top off raisins
3/4 c. oil (I used peanut. You can use canola or vegetable)
2/3 c. sour cream (I had on hand a vegan sour cream. You can use dairy-based version or buttermilk.)
1 c. raisins
3 handfuls walnuts
4 average to large ripe bananas

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
Measure raisins and add brandy enough to just cover them. Set aside and let soak at least 1/2 hour, more if you have the time.
Combine all dry ingredients, except the walnuts, in large mixing bowl.
Beat eggs, then mix all the wet ingredients, except the raisins and brandy, together in a separate mixing bowl.
Peel and hand-mash bananas, add to wet ingredients.
Combine these wet and dry ingredients into one bowl, mix well with rubber spatula or large spoon, making sure to scrape sides to incorporate all.
Mix in all the raisins and brandy.
Fold in walnuts.
Oil and flour 2 large metal bread baking pans, or if you have non-stick pans omit this step.
Split the batter evenly between the two pans.
Bake for an hour or until a tester toothpick or thin skewer removes clean after being inserted in its center.
Remove to cooling racks.
Slice and serve. It will go fast, but it freezes and thaws well. Before freezing wrap well with foil.

Marmoleum - Eco-friendly, Sustainable Flooring Options

2012-01-03T10:30:00.016-05:00

The most sustainable option in flooring is clearly making use of what you have. But that's not always possible or desirable.

Once we removed the old, funky-textured linoleum, peeling asbestos tiles, and avocado green and royal blue 1970s carpeting, we were lucky to find good oak wood flooring throughout most of our new home, so we'll only have to sand, then finish them with a low- or no-voc wood floor sealer.

Our kitchen and bathrooms are exceptions to the warm oak flooring, so we considered other eco-friendly options and for the kitchen we settled on marmoleum by Forbo Flooring, a "green" version of linoleum. The tiles and wide strips are a composite of recycled materials, including wood, flour, and "tall oil," and renewable products, including jute, linseed oil, and pine rosin.

I like marmoleum in the kitchen for many reasons, not least of which is that it's easy to clean and is kind on the feet and body when you're standing and working there for long stretches. We also loved the wide color palette it's available in and that you can cut, mix and match tints to achieve some very fun, creative results.

There are many other eco-friendly flooring options, including bamboo, salvaged wood or tiles, concrete, recycled glass and ceramic tiles, recycled rubber, cork, renewable, natural fiber rugs and carpets, and others. Green- and aesthetic-wise, considerations are many when you shop for eco-friendly flooring. Not all the choices are equal when it comes to their environmental impact, so do your research and make the best choices you're able to make.

photo by baubilt.com

Green, Eco-friendly New Year's Resolutions & Lifestyle Tips, 2012

2011-12-28T10:16:00.040-05:00

New year's resolutions often lean toward the diet and health related, and ultimately green issues ARE health issues, many even diet-related, so why not create a completely green new year's resolutions list for 2012?

There really are countless ways in which we can improve as a society and as individuals when it comes to respecting and preserving our natural environment and resources, so if some of these don't speak to you, do some research and find others that do.

Here's my list:

Stop with the plastic bags! We all know this one, but I'm a big offender. Way too often I'm caught shopping without my reusable bags. Always keep a reusable grocery bag (or 2) with you. Read this article about the garbage pit in the middle of our Pacific Ocean. Most of the pit is plastic. There are other plastic products in our daily life, too, that we need to curb use of -- plastic drinking bottles, food "jars" -- begin buying more bulk goods, re-use old jars and containers or buy glass ones that can last a lifetime as storage containers.

Get involved! Volunteer or join a community group, place of worship, take a class. Building strong social networks and closer community are good preventive measures when it comes to protecting the environment and our health.. Perhaps you make a new friend or acquaintance in a class who can drive with you to the grocery store or on other errands, you both can save money, a precious resource, and keep our air cleaner. We share information and things. Maybe you tell a new classmate about the local farmers' market she hadn't known existed, or she shares her children's old clothing with you for your children. This list could go on and on.

Unplug 'em! Many of the techno devices hanging around our homes and offices use nearly as much energy while off as they do on. The remedy is either to unplug them entirely or plug them into a power strip that can be turned off when they're not in use. The money and energy savings can be hefty.

Grow some of your own food! Even if you live in the city you can plant a window box with tomatoes and herbs, or join or start a neighborhood community garden. If you've more space, good for you! Growing food is good for body and soul. It connects us to nature, to our families and neighbors, it CAN shrink our food bills, it's good exercise. It's also local and hopefully organic, so lessens our footprint with regard to petroleum products.

Vote green with your green! Daily voting with our wallets is one of the best ways to influence companies to green their practices from top to bottom, side to side. Newsweek makes knowing the largest national and global companies' footprints an easy task. They survey, crunch and regurgitate relevant information and data to give us their now yearly Green Rankings.

Educate yourself and your family! There are so many good books, websites and documentaries helping us to understand the nature conservation and resource misuse issues we must all deal with, and most of them offer very positive visions and realistic and empowering resolutions to these often gloomy problems. Just a few to get you going: The Great Disruption, The Big Thirst, The Dirty Life, Last Child in the Woods, The Spell of the Sensuous, Real Food, and Little Heathens.

Plant a tree! Shel Silverstein was right, trees give and give to us. They provide not only shade and color, but substantial and necessary social, environmental and financial benefits. They can cool your home in the summer and reduce your energy use, indirectly they can increase your home and community value. Planting trees and shrubs can attract local birds, insects and animals and restore it to a more serene and natural setting. And it's advised to enlist an expert arborist to care for those trees you already have and to assist you in choosing new ones that are appropriate for your landscape and home placement.

Re-use items! It saves money and earth's resources, reduces air and water pollution. There are so many items we use daily that we CAN re-use repeatedly if we just take the moment to clean it, fold it, wrap it. A few examples of items I try to re-use regularly are rubber bands (I've created a colorful ball that contains them and looks like a small sculpture at my desk), paper (I print on the backs of all full-sized pieces and staple together pads for notes from envelopes and smaller pieces), foil, plastic bags, and many glass jars I wash, dry and re-use as long as I'm able. I will look for more ways in 2012 that I can re-use instead of buy new.

Watch your seafood! Our oceans and sea life are vital resources integral to a healthy planet and people. The Monterey Bay Aquarium makes choices easy with their Seafood Watch website and handy pocket guides and smart phone and mobile apps.

Plug the holes! Filling gaps around doors and windows is easy because we can see and fill them, but finding the usually plentiful "invisible" holes in our homes requires performing a blower-door test for a nominal (in the end money-saving/energy saving) fee. Most of our heat and cooling is lost through these larger "invisible" crevices that can run from basement to attic. Once you find them you can seal them with non-toxic caulk or foam.

How to Clean Even Hard-to-Remove-Spills From Glass & Ceramic Stove Tops - Eco-friendly, Frugal Home Tips

2011-12-26T09:01:00.025-05:00

I'm of the firm belief that most specialty cleaners are not only overly priced, but are often not the best products for the jobs they are marketed for, and often do not work at all.

Current case in point are the cleaning products made especially for cleaning ceramic and glass top stoves. I know this because we recently purchased one of these ranges and while cooking our holiday meal this weekend the applesauce bubbled out of its pot and onto the glass where it quickly caramelized then burned to a dark black, hard-as-rock recalcitrant mess.

To remove the easy to get schmootz and cooking debris I went over the surface with a warm water and dish soap soaked sponge. Remaining was the black rock-textured blob of burnt sugar, so I pulled out the next weapon from my cleaning arsenal , a heavy duty scouring pad, which took the surface off the burnt sugar but no matter how much elbow grease I put into the task, it could not budge the lithic blob entirely. At this point I pulled out the specialty cleaner, made only to clean glass and ceramic stove tops like ours. Let me be frank here, the specialty cleaner did NOTHING toward removing the cooked on sugar. I began to panic mildly at this point, thinking I'd ruined our brand new, not inexpensive appliance, but pulled out the one tool I knew could make short shrift of the rock, IF it didn't scratch the surface, which I was pretty sure it wouldn't, but was fearful because all the literature that comes with the range says NOT to use anything rougher than a scotch-brite-like scouring pad and the cleaning product they say to use--which doesn't work. What is a cleaning woman to do?

Break the rules, of course. I first squeezed a large dollop of dish soap directly onto the spill. Then, slowly and carefully I scrubbed in a circular motion with one of my favorite green cleaning tools, a metal scouring pad, on a small patch to test. Miraculously, the black began lifting easily, and as I thought, it did NOT scratch the surface a bit. Within a minute or two of scrubbing in this way, then wiping with a clean, wet sponge to remove the loosened residue, the stove top was sparkling like the first day we got it!

Disclaimer: Please don't take my word for this with your glass or ceramic stove top. I'm only vouching here for my first hand experience and success. Always make sure to TEST a new cleaner or implement in a very small, inconspicuous area before going gangbusters with it.

How to Remove Wall Paper With Vinegar and Water - Eco-friendly Home Renovation Tip

2011-12-23T12:12:00.024-05:00

I'm super handy, but was intimidated by the prospect of having to remove the old grungy wall paper from the 1/2 bathroom in our new home.

I knew I wanted to tackle it without the noxious hardware store formulas made solely for this task, but was not confident that using the white distilled vinegar I'd heard worked as well, really did.

Well let me cut to the chase here. It does! Save waving a magic wand over it I can't imagine an easier way to remove wall paper than with vinegar, water, and a little elbow grease.

And preparation, planning, and patience go a very long way in making the task even easier. Here's, step-by-step, what I learned.

Before starting make sure to have handy all you will need:

something to put all the waste and debris in (large garbage bag, cardboard box, etc...)
bucket
a few cotton terry towels
paint spatula (wider than 2" is best)
utility knife
hot tap water
lots of white vinegar (Buy by the gallon. Have several on hand to start. You may need more.)
ladder or step stool
work gloves (optional)

1. Make sure work area is well lit.

2. Fill bucket with approximately 1/2 hot tap water and 1/2 white vinegar.

3. Soak towel in the water and vinegar solution. Wring lightly. You want as much water as possible in the towel, but not so much it runs down your arms and soaks your shirt sleeves.

4. Using utility knife find a corner edge of the paper and lift top plastic-y layer of the paper off, if this is possible. The paper was laid in strips, so just remove strip after strip. What remains is the pulpy backing paper and glue, which is much easier to remove if you can lift this top decorative layer off. As you're removing this, you may need to either cut around light fixtures and cabinets with the utility knife or remove the pieces to get paper beneath them, if there is any. In my case, it largely lifted and pulled out from behind these pieces, so was quite easy.

5. If the top layer of the wall paper does not lift, don't despair. Simply score the paper in order to allow water and vinegar mix to soak in and soften the glue.

6. Wet an arms-length sath of either the pulp-glue backing or the scored paper. In either ase, you will need to use several towel's worth of the solution to get enough of it into the paper and glue to soften it for removal. Let it sit and soften for a minute or so before going to the next step.

7. Using paint spatula begin gently but firmly scraping in systematic, efficient rows. If the paper is not budging or it's not lifting easily soak it with more of the water and vinegar mix and let sit another minute or so before scraping again. It's very satisfying once you get a rhythm going and see the paper collecting on the spatula, revealing the wall behind. Before you know it you're half way done!

8. After you've removed all the paper by repeating steps 7. and 8. on all the walls, you will need to go over the entire surface a time or two more with the solution, scrubbing and rubbing a bit to get all the glue up.

9. Using a clean towel go over the entire surface with only hot water a time or two in order to remove the vinegar and any remaining glue residue.

10. Let the wall dry well before preparing it for painting or whatever wall treatment you've planned.

photo by flickr member nolaclutterbusters

How to Clean Stainless Steel With Green, Eco-friendly & Organic Homemade Frugal Polisher-Conditioner Made From Kitchen Ingredients

2011-06-30T13:58:00.017-04:00

Because they don't know there are options, people regularly waste hard-earned bucks on expensive (and unhealthy) specialty cleaners to keep their stylish stainless steel appliances clean and smudge free.

They should be happy, and maybe surprised, to learn that two salad dressing ingredients sitting in their kitchen cabinets can keep these surfaces just as clean and shiny as the overpriced, frou-frou specialty products.

To clean all your stainless steel surfaces, simply sponge wipe with dish soap and water solution. If that doesn't get the greasy prints, cut them with a light spray of white distilled vinegar and wipe again. It's helpful to keep some white vinegar in a recycled spray bottle under your sink with your other eco-friendly cleaning supplies.

After you've cleaned the surface, condition and buff it with ....olive oil, or peanut, or any vegetable oil you have stocked. The key, I've found, is to not use too much oil at once and to use a little bit of elbow grease. On a cotton cloth daub oil to start, then add as needed. Buff stainless steel in small circular motions until you've covered the entire area. The oil does exactly what the oil-based expensive cleaners do -- fill the fine grain to repel fingerprints and smudges and reflect light smoothly off the surface.

photo by flickr member bedroom.eyes

Product Review: Eco-friendlier, Greener Seltzer Soda Water Maker Carbonator - Soda Siphon ISI 2247 Red

2011-06-26T11:28:00.028-04:00

Sometimes going green doesn't seem so green. Case in point: I've got a seltzer drinking habit I don't want to part with, but I'm not comfortable with the plastic bottles my bubbly comes in .

So I did some research and the alternative I came up with, not a perfect answer mind you, but the best I'm able to do right now, is this handy seltzer soda water maker by ISI, a brand that chefs and restaurants often choose.

There are fancier and more expensive soda water makers out there, but the simplicity of this classic design will outlast those more complicated -- a wise concept I learned and have benefited from repeatedly over the past 25 years since a pony-tailed rock climber I took a trip with shared it with me. I'd asked him why he didn't have some of the newer, fancier gadgets I'd seen other climbers with and he replied, "The fewer the parts, the less chance of something breaking, something going wrong." OK, perhaps not as critical a concept when one's considering seltzer makers instead of hanging from rocks one shouldn't be hanging from, but useful and pertinent, nonetheless. And, if my point with this change is lessening my impact, the storage bottles and counter display stands that accompany the fancier makers are extravagant, especially knowing I can make the beverage by the glass or re-use bottles I already have for storage.

And make sure to stock up on CO2 chargers. If you buy them in this larger quantity you'll end up paying about 45-cents per cartridge, so over time you will recoup your initial investment on the maker and your seltzer will be cheaper than the prepared store-bought fizzy drink. Also comforting is the fact that cartridges are steel and fully recyclable.

How To Make Your Own Eco-friendly, Non-toxic, Green Yoga Mat Cleaner

2011-06-16T06:06:00.010-04:00

Doing yoga is supposed to be pleasant and calm-inducing , but if the mat you're practicing on is grimy and smelly it can be distracting and diminish the healthful experience.

It's worth the little bit of time it requires to make the cleaning and care of your yoga mat a part of your regular yoga practice.

I recommend the following monthly, green bathing ritual for your yoga mat.

Fill your bathtub a quarter to half way with cold to warm water. While the tap is running add a large dollop of your favorite natural hair shampoo, something like Burt's Bees Pomegranate and Soy Shampoo, and a few small drops of your favorite essential oils, maybe peppermint and lavender, so they disperse. Unroll and submerge your yoga mat in the water. Swish it around a little and let it soak for a few minutes. Along with the warm water, the shampoo will help loosen the schmootz and help break down the body oils on the surface of the mat. The essential oils will help to disinfect the mat and lend therapeutic soothing and lifting aromas. With a clean sponge wipe the mat, making sure to get its front and back side.

Drain dirty water from the tub and rinse the mat under the faucet quickly so as to not waste water. Holding the mat over the tub let it drip dry for a few moments. Finally, hang your mat to dry outside in the sun if you're able. Sunlight is a natural, free disinfectant. Otherwise, hang inside over shower curtain rod or wooden clothes drying rack.

10 Free Green iPhone Smart Phone Apps - Ms. Green-Clean NYC, "Best Cleaning Service" - New York Magazine

2011-05-16T07:22:00.018-04:00

It's definitely smart to use our smart phones to guide and keep us on the green path. Having clever eco-resources at our fingertips is increasingly important as our daily choices become more numbered and nuanced.

Because I'm a great fan of my Apple iPhone I will feature ten of my favorite green-conscious, earth loving iPhone apps, and all of them FREE! Some of these work on droids, too.

Here goes (They're presented in no particular order)...

1. iRecycle from earth 911 - Makes it easy to find recycling locations, even for items such as cell phones, paint, motor oil, plastics and more, anywhere in the U.S.

2. Carticipate - Save money on gas while helping the environment by carticipating with friends, family, groups, or co-workers. Coordinate driving plans, carpool, or a ride share by indicating where you are going, when, and post your ride. We will match you to local carticipants going your way.

3. Whole Foods Market Recipes - Even if you're not shopping at Whole Foods, this is a priceless resource for coming up with easy, healthy meals for you and your family.

4. Wild Lab Bird - My current favorite. It lets you be a citizen scientist, allowing you to learn about, engage with nature and identify the birds around you.

5. Seafood Watch - The Monterey Bay Aquarium puts out this very important and useful app. that provides up-to-date recommendations for ocean-friendly seafood and sushi.

6. Greenpeace's Recycled Tissue Guide - Saving our trees is easier with this app that makes it quick and easy to determine which paper products are easy on the Earth and which are not.

7. Green Gas Saver - A remarkable application that lets you monitor your fuel effiency and warns you if you are driving too fast or turning too hard.

8. Good Guide - Makes it fast and easy to find safe, healthy, and green products, instantly delivering the information you need, when you need it most—in a store and on the go.

9. Twavel - Ed Begley, Jr. loves this app. that makes it fun for you to make green travel choices and shows how even little differences you make soon add up to a significant benefit to our environment.

10. iLocavore - Based on your current location this app supplies information from the Locallectual.com database to find area producers, independent retailers featuring local and domestic goods, and restaurants featuring local foods.

*Bonus App - iCarbonCalc - Helps you determine your contribution to global warming and further helps you understand the composition of your carbon footprint and to identify potential carbon savings.

Ask Ms. Green-Clean: How To Clean Painted Rattan Or Wicker Outdoor Furniture The Eco-friendly Way

2011-05-10T08:26:00.029-04:00

I've been thinking for awhile of launching a series of blog entries dedicated to green home care and cleaning questions, so when I received a client question this week in my email box it seemed a perfect opportunity to launch this first in the "Ask Ms. Green-Clean" series.

Ronnie asked:

"I know you're the expert on this, so I was wondering if you could offer a suggestion as to how I could clean white tables and chairs that I leave out on our terrace. I already tried Clorox and bleach, but that didn't seem to make much of a difference."

When I first asked Ronnie what the white material was he replied that it was leather woven around metal. But I thought it was strange that outdoor furniture was made from leather since it's not a material that fares well in nature's elements. I thought perhaps he was mistaking a good textured vinyl knock-off for leather, and a few emails later he seemed pretty confident that the material woven around the painted metal frames was rattan, which made sense. It's commonly used for outdoor furniture.

I'm assuming the black he speaks of on the white painted rattan is a fine, but obstinate mildew or mold and maybe some dirt mixed in if the pieces weren't covered or stored inside during the cold weather months.

Ronnie will be happy to learn that his furniture can be restored to its former white easily with a bit of eco-friendly dish soap like Ecover's, a mild abrasive like Bon Ami or baking soda, a microfiber cloth, and a healthy serving of elbow grease.

This is how to approach it. Fill a bucket with warm water. Soak and wring out your microfiber cloth well. Rattan is a natural fiber and even though the furniture in question is painted, there are always chips and cracks where water can seep in, so you don't want to use a lot of water. Put a dollop, dime- to quarter-size, of dish soap on the cloth. Sprinkle a little bit of the Bon Ami or baking soda and gently but firmly scrub in back and forth motions, going with the weave of the rattan or wicker. The black mildew and dirt should begin to lift. Continue this on all the black parts, rinsing and wringing the cloth, and reapplying dish soap and abrasive as needed.

Once you're finished scrubbing a piece, with a clean, wet microfiber wipe the entire piece down to remove the soapy, gritty gray residue. You may have to repeat a few times and move the cloth in different directions to get all the residue from in between the strips. There's also a chance you'll have to quickly hose the piece down to entirely remove the residue. In this case, hose it quickly to minimize possible water uptake, then quickly dry thoroughly with as many clean and dry microfibers as necessary, making sure to get underneath. It's probably best to do the cleaning on a warm, sunny day, so the pieces can further dry and air out.

how to make envelopes from old new york magazines - "best cleaning service" eco-friendly ms. green-clean

2011-04-16T08:09:00.019-04:00

Blame it on an early morning coffee binge and Pandora radio. Something made me choose the Linda Ronstadt station instead of the old-lady Bach station I usually listen to. The first song that plays is "Willin'" and I'm immediately thrust back to 1974 Oxford, Ohio, the quaint college town where I grew up a latchkey kid, the middle sibling of three. It's summer, my older sister, younger brother and I are barefoot and hanging out with Penny and Judy, wise, beautiful college students who live in the gray house across the alley from us. I worship them. We're listening to Linda Ronstadt and making envelopes from old magazine pages. Peace and love surround us. Even at conservative Miami University there are college students streaking naked in the streets, flying their freak flags, questioning authority.

Fade back to this morning, I'm writing in my journal and drinking coffee by a window, my daily ritual. I'm moved to turn on Pandora and moments after hearing Linda's lovely voice, I'm up from my seat and fishing a recently-read issue of New York Magazine from recycling, playing on the floor making envelopes, bathed in some of the best memories from my childhood.

When you gift yourself still, non-productive time, memories and music can make you green. Give it a try!

P.S. - Making envelopes from old magazines is a great interdisciplinary craft to share with kids or do for yourself! There really are no mistakes you can make. I un-did an old envelope I re-use for various tasks just to visualize what needed to be cut away. I carefully tore a page from the magazine, folded it in fours, cut snow-flake style, then taped three of the four flaps. Voila!

Go Green To Save Green: Making Eco-friendly Choices Can Save You Money

2011-03-23T12:17:00.009-04:00

Our grandparents had it right, I think. The old depression mentality that made people save, re-use, fix and mend instead of buying replacements knee-jerk style when items lost their lustre.

A few of the tips I'll share here make my husband think I'm slightly off my rocker, but I'm far from perfect when it comes to making green choices. One thing that makes it easier and doubly satisfying to keep me on the green path is thinking that not only am I making good choices for the health of mother earth and her inhabitants, but I'm saving money. I'm pretty simple that way! Maybe some of these tips will resonate with you and become part of your daily green habits.

1. Save rubber bands. I've created a ball that my friend's kids love bouncing when they visit. I've seen them sold at stationery stores for $5 or more.

2. When you think there's no toothpaste left cut the tube diagonally and find up to five more brushings worth of paste.

3. Air dry your clothes. It saves on electric costs AND clothes last longer.

4. Re-use old cotton t-shirts, socks and pajamas for dusting cloths.

5. Make double sided prints on paper. Re-use paper from junk mailings. Print or write on clean sides when the document's not important.

6. Borrow library books instead of buying.

7. Unplug appliances and lights that are not in use. Most of know now that even when they're off they use electricity.

8. Give up paper towels and napkins. Use cloths that can be used many times before washing and re-using.

9. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

10. Walk, bike, or carpool when possible.

11. Close curtains in the summer to keep out the sun.

12. Clean your refrigerator coils annually to keep it running efficiently.

13. Weather strip and calk.

14. Buy from bulk bins when possible. Saves on packaging, often money.

15. Turn off your computer completely. Don't just leave it in sleep mode.

After Dinner Gardening: How to Grow An Avocado Tree from Seed

2011-03-14T08:59:00.010-04:00

I was raised sowing and caring for plants, and earned a college degree in Botany, but you don't have to be a green-thumb or live in the tropics for that matter, to grow a tree from an avocado fruit's large seed.

The photo here is of an avocado I rooted and planted for a client in her Central Park West apartment about 2 years ago. You can see that it's thriving in the middle of New York City!

All this reminds me of one of my all-time favorite plant books, a classic titled "The After-Dinner Gardening Book" by Richard Langer. He provides entertaining anecdotes of his botanical escapades and good directions for collecting seeds and other growing parts from the fruits and vegetables from our kitchen tables, planting, and caring for them. I came upon the book as an adult and love it, but it's a great book to share with children, too.

The best online directions for growing your own avocado tree can be found here.

Hand Paper Shredder, Made by Humans, Non-electric, No Battery Needed

2011-02-24T13:19:00.005-05:00

I discovered this ingeniously designed, toothpaste tube-sized hand paper shredder recently. It uses no electricity or batteries and for those of you, like me, who strive to be green and who need a shredder, but don't have piles to process and don't want another furniture-size appliance to clutter your office or home, there is nothing better. Mine sits on my desk right next to my pen holder.

To use it, you simply hold over your recycling receptacle, fold paper in half lengthwise, insert into slot, and turn the ends in opposite directions. The linguini-like ribbons come out the other side. It's designed by Made By Humans and can be purchased here for $23.99.

Made Of New York - Handmade Reclaimed Wood Furniture - Eco-friendly & Sustainable

2011-02-22T06:19:00.010-05:00

I just came across this smart new local and eco-friendly furniture company and am so excited by what they're doing I had to share it with my readers and clients right away.

Made of New York is the business name and directly from their website is this description of what they're doing:

"Made of New York is a collection of home essentials inspired by everyday life and the fundamental simplicity and functionality that is so typical for NYC. Each piece is hand built using reclaimed authentic Manhattan timber that we salvage from old buildings in the city." Visit them online at www.madeofnewyork.com.

Stove-Top Homemade Simmering Potpourri Recipe Ideas For Cold Weather & Holidays - Scent Your Home Naturally

2010-10-28T12:57:00.002-04:00

The nostalgic, homey feeling of cooler fall days always gets me thinking of domestic projects. One I love, and certainly an easy atmosphere-changer to pull off, is whipping up a pot of homemade, simmering potpourri to fill your home with inviting, healing natural scents. It CAN be a great way to re-use certain items before retiring them to your compost, and it's healthier and more eco-friendly than using the grocery store-style, chemically scented, and petroleum-based aroma candles and diffusers.

The variations are endless, and in my opinion you really can't go wrong. I've provided a few ideas for inspiration, and notice I don't put amounts. In general, the rule is a little goes a long way. Experiment and have fun this holiday season with mixing your own scent-sational potpourris!

How To: Fill pot 3/4 full with water, add ingredients. Put on back burner to low-simmer. Check from time to time, refill with water when necessary. Make sure to turn off when you leave your home and when sleeping.

Recipe Idea #1

Cinnamon Stick

Cloves

Nutmeg

Recipe Idea #2

Lemon Peel or Rind Remains After Juicing

Cinnamon Stick

Bay Leaves

Recipe Idea #3

Rose Petals

Vanilla Bean

Recipe Idea #4

Mint Leaves - Dried or Fresh

Orange Peel or Rind Remains After Juicing

Recipe Idea #5

Apple Core And/Or Peel

Cinnamon

Cranberries

Recipe Idea #6

Star Anise

All Spice

Recipe Idea #7

Cardamom Pods

Lemon Peel or Rind Remains After Juicing

Let It All Hang Out! Air Dry Your Laundry for Loads of Benefits

2010-09-27T12:06:00.024-04:00

As if moms today (Statistically, women do most of the laundry in the U.S.) need one more task to add to their fractured schedules and miles-long to-do lists, here I am, risking flogging by cloth diapers, suggesting you add one more household chore to the many you can barely get to right now—hang drying your family’s laundry!

But what if I told you that by doing this one activity you could not only save money and go green, but tap into some equanimity and peace, look younger, and tone your biceps all at the same time!

Who said doing laundry isn’t sexy, right?

Here’s the (laundry) scoop. Perhaps the most motivating benefit of hanging your laundry to dry, especially in these pinched economic times, is that you’ll save money. Many U.S. households, depending on where you live, can save between $25-$50 per month on electric bills or community machine fees. And clothes last longer not being subjected to the rough tumble and heat of an electric dryer, so of course you don’t have to replace them as often. But there are dozens more reasons to hang your laundry to dry and here are just a few of them:

1. It's good, moderate exercise that can tone your arms and burn calories. Who needs a gym when you have housework to do?

2. It freshens the air. I put a drop of essential oil in with my laundry, so as items dry they diffuse the scent into our home.

3. In dry winters it provides humidity and eliminates the need for a humidifier.

4. If you hang dry outside the sunlight bleaches and disinfects the items.

5. Stimulating the “effort-driven reward circuit” with hands-on physical activities that yield tangible rewards, like line-drying and cooking your own meals, may build resilliance against depression.

6. In the summer it keeps your home cooler since you don't have the heat of the dryer to be cooled by the air conditioner.

7. It can save time. If you walk away from laundry left in a dryer and return too late, everything can be wrinkled. Not so when you air dry.

8. It's relaxing, meditative and fun!

9. It helps to avoid unnecessary fires. Clothes dryers and washing machines account for about 17,700 structure fires per year in the U.S.

10. It saves energy, reduces pollution, and helps to preserve the environment.

SHOP FOR CLOTHES & LAUNDRY DRYING RACKS HERE.
*This post was inspired by Project Laundry List.

Electrolux Eureka Sanitaire SC3683A Commercial Canister Vac - Best Budget-Friendly, Hepa Filter Vacuum Cleaner

2010-09-22T11:55:00.002-04:00

People ask me frequently for vacuum cleaner recommendations and I consistently urge them to purchase the very humble Electrolux Eureka Sanitaire SC3683A Commercial Vac.

I've used many, many vacuum brands and models over the years and for the price tag, I have yet to come across another that even comes close to matching what this little red and black machine can do.

It is hepa-filter ready and performs nearly as well as the highest-end Mieles and Bosches, yet it is lighter than most of them and far cheaper. And please, FORGET those horrendous Dysons. It's clear they were designed by a man who's never done an ounce of house cleaning in his life. When my crew or I see one of them at a client's we very nearly jump ship right then, and by the end of the day we've made sure to convince the owners to replace it with a friendlier, more capable vacuum cleaner. Quite frankly, Dyson's could double as torture devices, they are SO heavy and unwieldy, so incapable of getting into hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. It's a shame they are marketed so well.

OK, the Electrolux is not perfect. It's not as sexy as those super high-end dust busters, nor is it as quiet as they are. I also would love it if the electric cord pulled and retracted on its own with the touch of a button, and that it didn't turn over as often as it does when I turn a tight corner, but overall, you really get high performance from this machine. It's the vacuum I use in my home.

If you are determined to go higher-end than the Electrolux, please do, just keep in mind that there is no circumstance that an upright will perform better than a canister vacuum with attachments. Whichever you decide on, remember to purchase the hepa filters and vacuum bags to go along with it. And PLEASE do not buy a Dyson.

Preventing Bed Bugs Naturally, Organically - New York City Green, Eco-Friendly Home Cleaning

2010-08-25T09:18:00.019-04:00

With all the hullabaloo recently about bed bugs invading our city and homes I wanted to advocate here for an ounce of prevention. The best way to deal with these insistent insects is to not let them in your home. Well, duh, you say, right? But, I don't hear people really talking about preventive measures, only what actions to take once an infestation has turned your life topsy-turvy. So perhaps you'll be relieved to know that there are measures we--those lucky to not have been visited by this contemporary scourge--can take to augment our luck, and hopefully, though with NO GUARANTEE, keep them out of our homes and off our bodies, and do so without harmful chemicals or drastic efforts.

Here's a list, not exhaustive, of non-toxic, eco-friendly bed bug prevention measures:

1. Keep your home clutter-free and clean! Give the critters as little reason to visit and places to hide as possible. Keep bed slightly away from wall, clothes and mess off the floor. Add a few drops of essential oils to your eco-friendly cleaning solution. Use several of the following: thyme, tea tree, eucalyptus, patchouli, cedar wood, or oregano. Clean frequently, making sure to get floor and moldings around bed, as well as the bed frame itself. If you live in NYC, call Ms. Green-Clean for a cleaning appointment!

2. Wash bed linens frequently, and add a few drops of the essential oils mentioned above in the rinse cycle.

3. Make a simple linen spray in a dark glass bottle with water and a few of the above essential oils. Spray on mattress and sheets regularly. Also spray clothes in closets, towels in bathroom, etc...

4. Eat a diet rich in garlic and other herbs and spices. Make your blood not as tasty for bed bugs. They live off human blood.

5. Wear essential oils on your body instead of perfumes. Wash with soaps that contain essential oils.

6. When traveling, make sure to check room, especially around and behind bed and frame and the mattress. Do a Google search on "bed bugs" to arm yourself with plenty of images of them at all points in their life cycle, and of their excrement. Do not set your suitcases on the floor or bed of the hotel room. Keep them on the provided luggage stand or shelf. When you return home from a trip wash all your clothing in very hot water. Spray luggage inside and out before and after trip with essential oil spray described above. Store them in as hot a place as your able, an attic if you have one.

7. Use a bed cover made especially to deter bed bugs.

8. In addition to the essential oil spray already mentioned, spray area around bed, and mattress if you want with a similarly made spray of black walnut extract and water. Black walnut is said to be effective in killing bed bugs.

9. Use common sense when purchasing used goods! I hate to say don't do it, because it is green to recycle, as we know.

Bring The Outdoors In - Infuse Your New York City Urban Apartment With Nature - Ms. Green-Clean Eco-friendly House Cleaning

2010-06-19T09:32:00.009-04:00

If you're anything like me, you're always looking for more nature fixes in New York City. Of course, there are the many parks, gardens, and zoos here, but sometimes we forget how much nature we can bring right into our diminutive dwellings.

Here's a list of my favorites, some of them more common than others.

house plants. I have one in each room, and I've just started rooting an avocado in a tall glass on our bedroom window sill. Plants are great at filtering toxins and pollutants from the air we breathe.

bird feeders. I learn so much from my clients. This is an idea I got from one of them recently, and will be implementing in our home. They had a clever feeder that hooked securely to the outside of a window. It had 2 compartments, one for seed, one for water. As I cleaned their bedroom I found myself transfixed by the feathered visitors alighting on it and feeding. I don't know if it was a fluke, but I saw no pigeons, only small birds whose names I don't know and usually only see in nearby woods. This is very similar to the one I saw and will be getting.

worm compost bin. Watch worms turn your kitchen scraps into fresh, earthy-smelling fertilizer for your houseplants. Though you can use a pre-made bin like these, it's just as easy to make your own using directions found easily via google.

aquarium. The addition of an aquarium in our apartment has truly changed our lives. My husband calls it our backyard because he tends and cares for it as he would a yard if we had one, and we frequently find ourselves sitting and watching the water life, like an old couple watching their backyard birds. Find a few here.

crystals, shells, and rocks. I'm really not a new-age-y type, but I find it very comforting to have a few very small collections of shells, rocks and minerals in our home. Make sure to keep them clean and free of the city schmootz just by dipping them in your dishwater quickly from time to time.

terrariums. This is a project I want to tackle in the coming months. I don't currently have one, but have been perusing many options for the glass containers I can plant in here.

pets in general. cats, dogs, ferrets, turtles, snakes, birds, rabbits. Especially if you live alone. Scientific studies show that living with pets, especially if you are alone, has positive health benefits including lowering blood pressure and stress levels.

window boxes. Grow herbs or cutting flowers outside your kitchen windows during spring and summer. Build your own or buy pre-made.

Earth Boxes / self-contained gardening systems. If you have just a little more space than a window sill you may want to try an earth box or upside down tomato planters I've heard work great.

composter for your building. One day soon it will be obligatory in New York City to compost our kitchen scraps. It's easier than you think to talk a building manager or superintendant into letting you or you and neighbors put one in the basement or behind the building. I've written about my love of the envirocycle, which I think is great for city-dwellers, here and you can buy them online here.

miniature zen sand and rock gardens. They are meant to help you relax. I think some of them are pretty to look at, too. I'm contemplating making my own ceramic one, but there are many online to be purchase.

diffuse and/or clean with essential oils. Of course I often use plant-based essential oils to clean and dust our home, but I also put a few drops on absorbent, woody tree-seeds I collected on a walk once and now keep in a ceramic bowl. Putting a few drops on stones, in shells, or in seeds as I do, is a pretty way to diffuse aromatherapy oils into your home.

ecosphere. Inspired by technological research and developments for extended space exploration by NASA, ecospheres are a living example of a closed ecosystem, containing shrimp, algae and water. If you don't want the responsibility of a fish tank or other pets, this will bring care free animal life into your home! I have to say they're pretty amazing. I have one in our bedroom.

cut flowers in a pretty vase. make them locally-grown, from the farmer's market or right from your window box!

Best New York City Mother's Day Gifts: Green Home Cleaning, Organizing & De-cluttering, Rug, Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning, Window Cleaning

2010-04-05T13:10:00.019-04:00

What woman wouldn't want the luxury of having someone clean her home at least occasionally?

So with Mother's Day just around the corner (Sunday, May 9th, 2010), why not give the New York City mothers in your life the gift of a one-time or recurring eco-friendly, deep home cleaning?

To book an appointment call 212-942-8464 or visit http://www.msgreenclean.com/quotecontact.html.

And don't forget to ask about Ms. Green-Clean's other services:
*Non-toxic rug, carpet & upholstery cleaning
*Professional home & office organizing & de-cluttering
*Green window cleaning

Best of New York Magazine - Best Cleaning Service & Other Ms. Green-Clean Press

2010-03-10T14:27:00.010-05:00

Ms. Green-Clean has received positive press since opening its doors more than three years ago and we hit the "big time" when New York Magazine crowned us the best cleaning service in New York City.

We even make national press from time to time, like in this Esquire article or this In Style magazine Spring Cleaning piece last year.

You can always find Ms. Green-Clean's most recent press right here.

Ms. Green-Clean Interviews NYC Holistic Doula & RN, Andrea Crossman

2010-01-25T11:14:00.018-05:00

One of the things I love about my job is that I get to meet many exceptionally talented and interesting people with fascinating careers. I'm also grateful that I never have to convince clients of my eco-friendly methods or that the products I'm using to clean their homes are as effective as their more noxious relatives. By the time someone becomes a Ms. Green-Clean client they're already cognizant of the benefits of living a healthier lifestyle. In fact, I often learn green and healthy tips from them.

Andrea Crossman, a Ms. Green-Clean client, is one of those people I've learned a lot from. She is the founder of Holistic Doula NYC, is a holistic RN, doula, and childbirth educator. She works with women to support three important milestones: preparation for pregnancy, pregnancy, and birth. Andrea hosts a group called Holistic Mamas NYC and writes the HDNYC blog where she shares holistic pregnancy and birth tips. She is also the co-founder of Lovemore (www.chooselovemore.com), a love-infused green business with a line of message tees, hoodies, onesies, vegan belts, bags, and water bottles.

I had the opportunity recently to interview her:

For people who don't know, what is a labor doula?

A labor doula provides continuous emotional, physical, and informational support to a laboring mother. My labor doula support typically begins at the woman's home where--for women who choose a hospital birth--she labors until deciding it's time to transfer to the hospital. I stay with her all the way through labor and until she and her new little one have their first breastfeeding experience. What this means is that from the moment I arrive at the laboring woman's side, I stay there; my time in attendance at a birth typically begins sooner than the midwife or obstetrician, and lasts longer.

During that time, my job is to remind my clients that their bodies instinctively know how to give birth, to reassure them that what they are experiencing is normal, and to suggest options as needed that may help them cope better, like new positions or other techniques to work through each contraction. I also offer active comfort by way of healing modalities like massage, breathing techniques, Reiki, aromatherapy, and others specially tailored to each mother's preferences.

How is the role of a doula different than that of a midwife or labor and delivery nurse?

A midwife is a licensed medical professional who is an expert in normal pregnancy and birth, whereas obstetricians are medical doctors and trained surgeons who are expert in high-risk pregnancy and birth. Women in the US typically choose either a midwife or an obstetrician as their maternity care provider. During labor and delivery, the midwife or obstetrician is responsible for the health and safety of the mother and child.

In the US, labor and delivery nurses are the licensed health care providers who deliver the majority of the health care a woman receives during a typical hospital birth. The nurse is responsible for ongoing assessment of the mother and baby, and for executing the plan of care ordered by the midwife or obstetrician. The scope of responsibility of the labor and delivery nurse--taking care of multiple patients, leaving the room to procure various medications, starting IVs, charting, setting up an operating room for cesarean deliveries, and so much more--does not enable them to provide continuous labor support.

How did you come to be a Doula?

My work on behalf of women's health and wellness began in the early 90's, first as a sexual health educator, then as a women's advocate, and eventually as an educator focused on various women's health topics. About 7 years ago I decided that becoming a nurse would give me the ability to work more meaningfully with women, so I moved to New York City, earned my BS in nursing from Columbia University, and have been immersed in women's health, pregnancy, and birth in one way or another ever since.

Given my commitment to providing healthcare that is holistic and integrative, I decided to do graduate work at NYU in its Holistic/Adult Nurse Practitioner program--the first program of its kind. While in graduate school, I began working as a labor and deliver (L&D) nurse at one of the busiest L&D units in NYC and am thankful for the experience. It provided me with a ton of insight and experience that I am able to share with my clients and students in my childbirth education classes.

I founded Holistic Doula NYC last year as a way to offer holistic RN and doula services to women who want support and resources related to holistic pregnancy and empowered birth. Holistic Doula NYC is definitely a niche business--most doulas aren't nurses, and most labor and delivery nurses aren't doulas--but it has been a great combination for my clients and me. I feel uniquely qualified to support women for three important milestones in their lives: when they are preparing their bodies for pregnancy, during their pregnancies, and through their labors and births. And I love using my experience in a way that I know meets the needs of women and their families.

Why do you think Ms. Green-Clean clients might be interested in doulas in general and your practice in particular?

First of all, everyone having a baby should consider working with a doula. The impact of continuous labor support has been studied, and the results have led some to say that if doulas were a drug, it would be unethical not to give one to every woman in labor. Many cities even have low-fee doula programs to make having a doula more accessible. Here are just a few of the benefits that have been found when women have continuous labor support:

cesarean rate decreased by 50%
length of labor decreased by 25%
requests for epidurals decreased by 60%
use of pitocin decreased by 40%

These benefits are huge in terms of postpartum recover, initial bonding time between mother and baby, women's overall satisfaction with their birth experience, and health care costs.

Since. Ms. Green-Clean's client's are people who care about their helath, their little ones, and mama earth, the support of a labor doula seems like a natural fit. I think Ms. Green-Clean clients may particularly be drawn to my practice because of its emphasis on holistic health, and also because like you, I incorporate aromatherapy into my work!

In addition to the labor doula services I offer, I also offer my services as a Holistic RN, providing health counseling for both pregnancy preparation and pregnancy. I'm seeing more and more women interested in getting support before they get pregnant, and I would guess that a lot of Ms.Green-Clean's clients are similarly proactive about their health. If ever there was a time to be in tip top shape, pregnancy is it, and without a doubt, a good prenatal health decreases the risk of pregnancy and birth complications and can benefit the long-term health of babies and mothers. For instance, we have learned that Vitamin D levels affect babies in utero, so I suggest everyone get her Vitamin D levels optimized and I can help explain how to go about that. For women who are trying to get pregnant, there are foods, supplements,a nd activities that can support fertility that we can discuss. It's wonderful for women to go into a pregnancy already feeling healthy, balanced, and supported. I also believe that this sense of preparation helps overall stress, which we know benefits every element of health.

How far will you travel for your clients?

For clients who want support prior to or during pregnancy, geography isn't really a concern. I love to meet all of my clients in person, but absent that we ca use video chats and phone calls when needed.

For birth doula clients, it is important that I can get to them within an hour and a half of when they call me on the big day. I live in the Carroll Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn, so most of my clients live in Manhattan or Brooklyn, but if we can figure out a way to make the transportation work, I will happily go just about anywhere in the NYC area. I am also available to make special arrangements with mamas living in other states who are interested in my services. This can be a good option for someone who splits her time between NYC and LA for instance. Basically, if someone feels strongly that they would like my holistic pregnancy and birth support, I am happy to explore the options.

What's your favorite thing about being a doula?

My favorite thing about being a doula--and a nurse also--is that I know that the work matters. I am there to support women and families as they dig deep within themselves to find their innate strength and wisdom. Within this work is the stuff of life. Love, commitment, and courage are all tangible moment-by-moment, second-by-second. For me, that is what it means to be alive, and I am grateful for every sacred connection I have been lucky enough to make though my work as a doula and a nurse.

At a birth recently attended, my client was holding her new baby and had that incredible glow of women who have just given birth and I asked her, "Are you proud of yourself?" She got an almost mischievous grin on her face, her eyes opened wide, and she said, "oh yeah." Being with a woman moments after birth, and seeing in her whole being that she has been empowered and emboldened by her experience, is the true reward in this work.

Is there anything else you would like to leave us with?

Let me leave you with one of my favorite quotes that speaks to the transformative potential of birth, "the moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new." -Osho

That's beautiful, Andrea. Thank you.

Citra-Solv: One of the Best Eco-friendly All Purpose House Cleaners Out There

2009-12-07T10:16:00.005-05:00

As the owner of a successful, green home cleaning business and one who has cleaned hundreds of homes (and counting), I know what's what when it comes to the eco-friendly all purpose cleaners out there these days.

To keep work interesting, I sample and switch cleaners regularly--kind of like we women do with our shampoos and conditioners--and also because I'm always looking for better ones, but I always return to the few trusted commercial solutions I've come to depend on as the core cleaners in my business.

And luckily, green alternatives have become so common place you won't have to look much further than a good, well-stocked grocery or drugstore for the ones I'm gonna tell you about on this blog.

The first one I will share is Citra-Solv, my go-to for really tough grease and old built-up grime. Before singing its many, many praises, though, I should warn strongly that this is some powerful solvent your dealing with here and it is NOT to be used in all situations. For instance, you don't want to use it, or any other acidic product, on your marble, granite, or any stone counter, floor, or surface. Just like acid rain, Citra-Solv will slowly eat away at it, degrading it's quality. So make sure to read the label before using it.

For general cleaning, I use a capful or two in a large bucket of hot water to disinfect and deoderize in the bathroom and kitchen. I use this bucket mixture, plus a full-strength douse of the cleaner right on a metal scrubby, along with a bit of non-abrasive cleanser like Bon Ami, to clean the cooked-on build-up inside of ovens. And I've been known to put a capful or two right into a load of really dirty laundry! It's also great full strength to get the gummy-glue of a label off of a glass container. It's orange oil base is so strong, that many artists use it to clean their paint brushes. And did I mention how fresh and bright a home smells after cleaning with it?

If I were permitted to take only one cleaner with me to a deserted island, Citra-Solv would be the one, hands-down.

Shop now for Citra-Solv.

Home Decor Recycling, Re-purposing and Up-cycling

2009-11-23T14:03:00.012-05:00

I've recently become hooked on Apartment Therapy's website. They house an encyclopedic and ever-growing volume of information related to home decor and design, and heaps of information on food and cooking, and technology. Their take is fun, fresh, and very often GREEN. They're keen on re-purposing, recycling, up-cycling and purchasing used items.

I've been in a nesting mood recently, probably because of the colder weather here in NYC, and have found the site to be a source of great inspiration as I update parts of our uptown, one one-bedroom pre-war apartment.

When I clicked on the site today and saw posts detailing ingenious uses for several household items I knew I had to finally share AT here.

Here're just a few fashionable and fun home decor recycling projects to whet your crafty, frugal, GREEN appetite:

*Repurpose Old Towels Into Bolster Pillow
*Lightbulb Terrariums and Planters
*Repurposed Branches
*Upcycled Spray Cans
*Counter Made From Books

Urban Container Gardening - How to Make your own EarthBox®, A Self-Contained Gardening System - YES YOU CAN!

2009-05-30T16:35:00.040-04:00

Trademarked EarthBoxes are self-contained mini gardening systems that people with no yard or with very limited available outdoor space can use to grow vegetables and herbs . Even people with plenty of arable land are using these and similar contained systems because they produce yields more quickly and bountiful than traditional gardening can.

I first heard about them a few months ago listening to a radio interview with Ruth Reichl, who mentioned she uses several of them at her New York City apartment and I was instantly intrigued. For the first time in my long bout of country-girl-stuck-in-a-city-apartment-malaise I became hopeful that I might be able to pull off gardening sans overwhelming city logistics hassles.

Cinching the deal for me was seeing some of these store bought boxes do their thing on a client's rooftop recently. Their boxes, planted not more than a month ago, were bursting with a tangled jungle of vibrant, organic greens and produce fit to feed a hungry family and their friends for an entire summer.

The growing box fattens plants and their yields better than regular containers because it has a self-wicking system that sucks water stored in a reservoir from the bottom of the container up by simple capillary action. You simply keep the reservoir filled and the plants and soil self-regulate the water and nutrient movement. Completing the straightforward system is the tarp cover over the soil, that plants peek out of and that prevents moisture evaporation and soil erosion.

Many people will opt to purchase the original pre-fabricated EarthBoxes for the ease of clicking, ordering, having them delivered to their doorstep. You can find them here: EarthBox Online Store.

But for those of us bent toward do-it-yourself projects and frugality, the self-contained gardening boxes can easily be made at home for a fraction of the cost of the original ones. Here's a link I found to step-by-step illustrated directions for making them: http://www.josho.com/gardening.htm. I looked at several peoples' directions, but found Josh's best.

I've not constructed my earth box yet, but have begun collecting the needed materials. I'll tell you this, finding a pond basket in New York City is not easy. Saving myself a trip to a Flushing, NY store, I found in a Chinatown 99-cent store a plastic colander that will do the job as well. Tomorrow I will go down to the Plant District to find a proper size piece of bamboo piping. I should be able to build it by this coming weekend if all goes well. *I highly recommend reading through all the directions, making sure not to miss Josh's notes at the very end. He learns over time how to improve upon his original design.

Once you've read through the directions, and if you search online for others' enclosed container gardens, you will see there are many ways to improvise the design to achieve the same desired effects--bounteous harvests of organic produce to nourish you and your family.

*Originally written for Nourishing Moms.

New York City Feng Shui Consultations, Space Clearing - Westchester, New Jersey

2009-04-06T12:12:00.012-04:00

Ms. Green-Clean has partnered with one of New York's top Feng Shui Lifestyle Experts to provide Feng Shui Consultations and Environmental Space Clearings.

Feng Shui is a time-honored, Chinese aesthetic healing tradition whose practitioners seek to achieve harmony & balance in clients' lives by properly arranging their homes and business environments.

Though ancient, the practical philosophy of Feng Shui remains current today and pulls greatly from what we would term "green" or "eco-friendly" ideals by seeking effective design solutions that encourage holistic coexistence with nature.

Ask yourself these questions regarding your home and/or work environment:

Does it support your life goals?
Does it express personal desires?
Does it nurture, energize, enrich & enhance your spirit?
Does your home represent your unique style & sense of beauty?
Do you have enough creative expression in your life?
Do you feel in balance & harmony?
Does your work fulfill you?
Does your relationship have the joy, commitment & depth of intimacy you desire?
Do you have a supportive family and community?

Depending on client's needs and space, the Feng Shui Consultant will utilize an individualized combination of approaches drawn from the following philosophies: form school, compass school, 5-element theory, ming qua, lo shoi portents, and flying star.

Space Clearing or Environmental Cleansing is a powerful participatory ceremony to remove impurities from your home or business. In honoring the earth, clearing a space is a technique effective in promoting health and encouraging a balanced and fulfilling life.

Environmental Cleansings can be used to initiate a change or mark a life transition, to promote health, prosperity and success.

Environmental Cleansings are especially effective at opening up new opportunities and creating more abundance in every day life.

New York City Eco-friendly, Low- No- Zero-VOC House Painting Service

2009-03-23T12:35:00.009-04:00

I'm delighted to announce the launch of the first of several services that will ultimately comprise Ms. Green-Clean's Eco-Lifestyle Portal:

Eco-friendly Home Painting

I've just partnered with some of the best high-end interior decor painters in New York City (They also do exteriors). That they jumped on the green-bandwagon years ago and insist on using only low- and zero-voc (volatile organic compound) house paints--earth and people-friendlier versions of their highly toxic relatives--makes me swoon with pride.

One of the main reasons the EPA lists indoor air quality among the top 5 hazards to human health and rates it 3 times worse than outdoor air quality is paint. Paints and other coatings--like stain, varnish, lacquer and urethane--release low levels of toxic gas years after application. You would think once the smell is gone, the toxic gas is gone, but although the worst emissions occur during their initial application, the gasses continue to discharge from the surfaces over a period of years before finally becoming inert. Of course, by that time, you may need another coat of paint!

*Please note: The painters serve ALL New York City Boroughs--Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn & Staten Island, also Westchester County & Nearby New Jersey locations.

*For more information click here: www.msgreenclean.com/ecopainting.html

Envirocycle - The best urban composter

2009-03-23T11:06:00.009-04:00

I recycle, scour my home with non-toxic cleaners, hang-dry my laundry, get my electricity from wind and hydrothermal sources, and drive a hybrid Prius when I don't take mass transit, so the logical next step on my tree-hugging path seemed clear: begin composting our kitchen scraps.

In the past, I'd successfully vermi-composted, but even though I became fond of the little red wrigglers, my husband really hated the worms, and I can't say I loved the fact they took up prime square footage in our one-bedroom apartment (pre-war and city-roomy as it may it be). So when I decided to try the urban composting experiment again, I was determined to find a viable, apartment-friendly option.

When my research turned up the smartly-designed Envirocycle I warmed with self-satisfaction. I'd found, quite simply, the best compact compost tumbler I'd ever seen. I purchased it immediately and within a week had sweet-talked the building's Superintendent into letting me house it in the basement laundry room by an open window near the recycling and garbage.

Meauring 30.5” x 25.5” x 20.25 and weighing in it at only 19 pounds, the diminutive composter packs a powerful punch. Or tea as the case may be.

The Envirocycle creates not only compost from your kitchen and yard scraps (You have a yard? Wow, aren't you a lucky New Yorker!), but through tiny holes in the drum that also serve as air inlets, its base collects the drippings and provides you with good-as-gold compost tea, a concentrated plant fertilizer and soil enhancer. Think super anti-oxidant for the botanical world.

Americans are moving in the right direction. We do recycle more and more each year , but unfortunately our waste continues to increase due to rising consumption and overall population growth.

In nature, food and paper decompose readily and nourish the soil (which then nourishes the plants and animals, filters rainwater and cleans the air). They are, however, the two largest components in landfills, accounting for nearly 50% of all municipal solid waste. There is more food and paper in landfills than diapers, styrofoam, and tires combined. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, food waste is the #1 least recycled material.

According to New York City's Department of Sanitation, organic materials – anything from yard, wood to food waste (not clear to me if this includes the paper I noted above for the national number) – make up 26 % of our total waste stream. That is 2,860 tons per day, and roughly 1 million tons per year of material that New Yorkers alone could compost.

Though I'm now hooked on the Envirocycle,there are other great composting options here in the city. Consider joining your neighborhood's community garden (They always have composting set up), start a vermi-composting bin (I'll write on this in the future, perhaps), or take your scraps weekly to a drop-off center.

I anticipate that soon it will be mandatory for New Yorkers, and all Americans, to recycle organic material as we do packaging and other items, but until then, take the (organic) matter into your own hands and start composting.

Click here to buy an Envirocycle Compost Tumbler & Tea Maker

Envirosax - Eco-friendly, Green Reusable Bags. Alternative to Paper & Plastic Shopping Bags

2009-03-23T11:00:00.008-04:00

"They're like candy toys for adults," I told my sister on the phone last night after opening my neatly pouched set of five Amazonia Print Envirosax bags. "I'm gonna have to send you some." For years I've tried to beat my earth-harming plastic bag habit, but even having several canvas alternatives hanging on a hook RIGHT next to my front door I've never once remembered to take them along when I needed them. Not once. So when a friend a few weeks back giddily showed me her Envirosax and generously gifted me one of her five, I promptly tucked it away in my purse and began using it on my daily errands and shopping trips. I was so enamored of the one, I sent a five-set to my Mom for Mother's Day, then a few days later ordered the same set for myself. The bags store rolled up like fresh little sushi in their mama-kanga snap pouch. They are very lightweight and mooshable so store easily in backpacks, purses and glove compartments. They are waterproof and each one is able to hold the equivalent of 2 plastic shopping bags. And if all this efficiency and practicality were not enough, they are stylish and attractive, available in an assortment of graphic prints. And, if you want to pump up, or down, as the case may be, your environmental footprint, go for their organic series (100% petroleum free), made of hemp, bamboo or linen. Unfortunately, my impulsiveness made me miss this offering completely when I initially perused the site, but when I need to replace my current set I will definitely opt for this more earth-friendly choice. The next time you use plastic shopping bags keep in mind these facts sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and The Environmental Protection Agency:

Plastic bags are made of polyethylene
Polyethylene is a petroleum product
Production contributes to air pollution and energy consumption
Four to five trillion plastic bags are manufactured each year
Americans use over 380 billion polyethylene bags per year
Americans throw away approximately 100 billion polyethylene bags per year
Of those 100 trillion plastic bags, 1% are recycled
It takes 1000 years for polyethylene bags to break down
As polyethylene breaks down, toxic substances leach into the soil and enter the food chain
Approximately 1 billion seabirds and mammals die per year by ingesting plastic bags
Plastic bags are often mistaken as food by marine mammals. 100,000 marine mammals die yearly by eating plastic bags.
These animals suffer a painful death, the plastic wraps around their intestines or they choke to death
Plastic bag choke landfills
Plastic bags are carried by the wind into forests, ponds, rivers, and lakes

Buy your envirosax bags here: http://msgreenclean.ecrater.com

Welcome to the Ms. Green-Clean Eco-friendly Lifestyle Blog!

2009-03-23T10:52:00.006-04:00

I'm glad to finally re-announce the Ms. Green-Clean Eco-friendly blog where I'll share green product and lifestyle tips, information, and stories.

I started the blog back in May of 2008, but didn't quite get the project flying as I'd hoped, so am re-launching it with renewed vigor and the intention to create an ever-growing, resource to simple, green living in New York City and beyond.