~The Garden Crew~
Flower Essences
| Garden Crew Green Ideas |
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The Garden Crew is committed to be a guardian and protector of Mother Earth and
to be a proactive part of her environmental and spiritual healing and health. We are
constantly seeking new and better products that are more environmentally friendly
made from the highest percentage of post-consumer recycled material available;
from our labels, boxes and packaging materials~ to our choice in computers, we have
given much thought and research to all materials used at The Garden Crew and our
environmental impact or footprint we are making upon the earth. This is something
we take very seriously and will continue to do.
It is our belief that it is not solely up to the politicians or lawmakers to “fix” the
environmental crisis we are facing. It is up to us, as individuals, to start the healing
process on all levels. It is each and everyone’s responsibility to be mindful of the
impact every action, every purchase has upon the earth and her inhabitants. It is
truly the pebble in the pond ripple effect. I know that it can be overwhelming and
people have a tendency to say “What can little old me do. I’m only one person?”
Well, I’m glad you asked. There are many “small” changes you can make to help
the environment that adds up to big things and when done as a collective whole.
There are entire websites, books and magazines devoted to this; I have listed here
just a few of the things I think we all can do to make a difference. Start with one and
then go to the next doing as many or as few as you would like; just do something.
You will be surprised how quickly and easily you can convert your home and life-
style to be happier, healthier and much more environmentally friendly. As Gandhi
said “Be the change you want to see in the world."
to be a proactive part of her environmental and spiritual healing and health. We are
constantly seeking new and better products that are more environmentally friendly
made from the highest percentage of post-consumer recycled material available;
from our labels, boxes and packaging materials~ to our choice in computers, we have
given much thought and research to all materials used at The Garden Crew and our
environmental impact or footprint we are making upon the earth. This is something
we take very seriously and will continue to do.
It is our belief that it is not solely up to the politicians or lawmakers to “fix” the
environmental crisis we are facing. It is up to us, as individuals, to start the healing
process on all levels. It is each and everyone’s responsibility to be mindful of the
impact every action, every purchase has upon the earth and her inhabitants. It is
truly the pebble in the pond ripple effect. I know that it can be overwhelming and
people have a tendency to say “What can little old me do. I’m only one person?”
Well, I’m glad you asked. There are many “small” changes you can make to help
the environment that adds up to big things and when done as a collective whole.
There are entire websites, books and magazines devoted to this; I have listed here
just a few of the things I think we all can do to make a difference. Start with one and
then go to the next doing as many or as few as you would like; just do something.
You will be surprised how quickly and easily you can convert your home and life-
style to be happier, healthier and much more environmentally friendly. As Gandhi
said “Be the change you want to see in the world."
*Turn of the water while brushing your teeth. (And you thought this was going to be
hard)
*Replace your current showerhead with a low flow model. The average house hold
shower head uses five gallons per minute (gpm). That means for a 10 minute shower
you have used 50 gallons of water. That’s a lot of water. And let’s be honest, how
many of you just take a 10 minute shower; and if you have teenagers whom seem to
take the longest showers in the world its even more. The low flow showerhead that I
have is the Bricor B100 Super Max. It has aeration technology with a gpm of 1.25;
which means instead of 5 gallons of water per minute you use 1.25 gallons. There
are many different good quality low flow showerheads. A Google search can direct
you to vendors and retail stores that can help you make the right decision for
yourself and your family.
*Put a compost bin in your yard for grass clippings, leaves, yard and kitchen waste.
You can make your own or buy one pre-made out of recycled plastic. They are
relatively inexpensive and easy to start and maintain. It is estimated that up to one
third of the space in landfills are from organic waste from our kitchens and yards
(just the stuff that we can use to make compost). People spend a lot of money every
year to amend their soil to improve its structure, texture and water retention with
commercial fertilizers, but by adding a compost bin you will have the best fertilizer
available without spending a cent; and more importantly will keep all that waste out
of the landfill and use it to feed Mother Earth.
*BYOB: According to the World Wildlife Fund, last year Americans went through
about 50 billion (yes that is with a B) plastic water bottles and a very small amount of
them are recycled, so most end up in the landfill. So why not fill up a reusable water
bottle at home and bring it with you. It’s healthier for you, your wallet and the
environment.
*This one sounds so simple and it really is. Turn off the lights when leaving a room.
See your mother did know what she was talking about; along with “Close the door!
Were you born in a barn?” …its all makes sense now doesn’t it. You should
probably call her up and tell her she was right all these years. You’d make her day!
*Make sure appliances that are not being used are unplugged; especially your cell
phone and ipod charger. You would be surprised how much energy is wasted.
*Use environmentally friendly cleaning products. There are more and more coming
on to the market. You need to be careful, however, because some are trying to
“ride” the eco-friendly wave by calling themselves green when in fact they really are
not. Look for plant based cleaners. Seventh Generation has great cleaning
products. Or better yet make your own. Vinegar is a great all purpose cleaner….
from washing windows to rinsing your fruits and vegetables. It is a cheap and very
eco-friendly alternative. There are dozens of “recipes” you can Google that use
vinegar and other household products you have hanging around. You will be
surprised how easy it is and how much better your home “feels” when you stop using
all those toxic cleaners. Mother Earth will breathe a sigh of relief and gratitude.
*When purchasing paper products such as paper towels, plates, tissues and toilet
paper etc. buy items made from the highest post consumer amount of recycled paper
you can find and that do not use bleach in the whitening process. CVS has a great
line of eco-friendly paper goods that are made from 100% recycled paper. An even
better choice is not using paper towels or paper plates at all. Rags (cut up old tee-
shirts) work just as well if not better for spills, dusting and cleaning…and newspaper
works wonders on windows, mirrors and glass leaving them streak and lint free
(make sure you use a vinegar /water cleaning solution…1 part water to 1 part
vinegar in a spray bottle…it’s like eco-magic :) plus if you have that compost bin in
the backyard you can shred up the newspaper you just used and toss it into the bin….
pretty cool eh? More and more products are becoming available that are made from
potato, corn and fruit by products…they really are amazing. I purchased plates,
“plastic ware” and “plastic” cups that were all made with corn or potato by products
for my son’s party. They are compostable, biodegradable and non toxic. You just
have to be an educated consumer, because like all things some products are much
better and more eco-friendly then others. Doing just a little homework goes a very
long way in making a good green decision.
*When purchasing shampoos, conditioners and shower gels looks for products that
don’t contain hormone disrupting chemicals such as phthalate and parabens. Also
watch out for sodium lauryl sulfate and it milder relative sodium laureth sulfate.
Look for products that make a specific claim to be free of these chemicals, otherwise
they are probably not. Burt’s Bees has an absolutely great line of all kinds of
products from shampoo to body wash to face cream to sunscreen!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents; it was loaned to you by your
children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors; we borrow it from our Children.
– Native American Proverb-
children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors; we borrow it from our Children.
– Native American Proverb-
