Resource Center
This is our "products and ideas" page where we offer information and guidance on greening our homes and improving the quality of our lives and the earth we live in. They are a result of intensive research and tested by our team. We will happily post any great ideas you may also have and suggest.
Green My Lunch Box!
It's back to school time and we at Marin Green Clean! would like to contribute with information on how to reduce waste. Each year millions of pounds of school waste are deposited in our landfills. You can help reduce this waste by being a family that packs waste-free lunches to your children.
I want to share a wonderful campaign to raise awareness of using green food packaging products sponsored and supported by many of my favorite local companies, such as Fabkins, KidsKonserve, Wrap-n-Mat and EarthLust. If 15,000 people join the campaign & pledge to pack a waste-free lunch, we can eliminate 1 million lbs of waste!
Simply log on to Facebook and join the campaign! Enter to WIN A WASTE-FREE LUNCH PRODUCT: Share with others how you’re greening your life to enter to win. One winner every day!
Save 10% off all orders from Green My Lunch Box participating company websites when using the coupon code “Greenit” when checking out. Click here to learn more and start shopping.
I want to share a wonderful campaign to raise awareness of using green food packaging products sponsored and supported by many of my favorite local companies, such as Fabkins, KidsKonserve, Wrap-n-Mat and EarthLust. If 15,000 people join the campaign & pledge to pack a waste-free lunch, we can eliminate 1 million lbs of waste!
Simply log on to Facebook and join the campaign! Enter to WIN A WASTE-FREE LUNCH PRODUCT: Share with others how you’re greening your life to enter to win. One winner every day!
Save 10% off all orders from Green My Lunch Box participating company websites when using the coupon code “Greenit” when checking out. Click here to learn more and start shopping.
Updated "dirty dozen and clean fifteen" list by EWG
On April, 2010, EWG (Environmental Working Group) released an updated "dirty dozen and clean fifteen" list and a guide to pesticides in food. We all know now that eating organic is not a trend anymore. Buying organic groceries supports our local growers and businesses and it is healthier for our bodies. For those who do not know the "dirty dozen" are high in pesticides and should always be organic, and the "clean fifteen" is the food lowest in pesticides, thus you can buy it regular. After an extensive research, EWG analysts have developed the Guide based on data from nearly 89,000 tests for pesticide residues in produce conducted between 2000 and 2008 and collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The following information and more can be found at www.foodnews.org.
Why Should We Care About Pesticides?
The growing consensus among scientists is that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can cause lasting damage to human health, especially during fetal development and early childhood. Scientists now know enough about the long-term consequences of ingesting these powerful chemicals to advise that we minimize our consumption of pesticides.
What’s the Difference?
EWG research has found that people who eat five fruits and vegetables a day from the Dirty Dozen™ list consume an average of 10 pesticides a day. Those who eat from the 15 least contaminated conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables ingest fewer than 2 pesticides daily. The Guide helps consumers make informed choices to lower their dietary pesticide load.
Will Washing and Peeling Help?
The data used to create these lists is based on produce tested as it is typically eaten (meaning washed, rinsed or peeled, depending on the type of produce). Rinsing reduces but does not eliminate pesticides. Peeling helps, but valuable nutrients often go down the drain with the skin. The best approach: eat a varied diet, rinse all produce and buy organic when possible.
and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The following information and more can be found at www.foodnews.org.
Why Should We Care About Pesticides?
The growing consensus among scientists is that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can cause lasting damage to human health, especially during fetal development and early childhood. Scientists now know enough about the long-term consequences of ingesting these powerful chemicals to advise that we minimize our consumption of pesticides.
What’s the Difference?
EWG research has found that people who eat five fruits and vegetables a day from the Dirty Dozen™ list consume an average of 10 pesticides a day. Those who eat from the 15 least contaminated conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables ingest fewer than 2 pesticides daily. The Guide helps consumers make informed choices to lower their dietary pesticide load.
Will Washing and Peeling Help?
The data used to create these lists is based on produce tested as it is typically eaten (meaning washed, rinsed or peeled, depending on the type of produce). Rinsing reduces but does not eliminate pesticides. Peeling helps, but valuable nutrients often go down the drain with the skin. The best approach: eat a varied diet, rinse all produce and buy organic when possible.
Did you know?
If every household in the U.S, replaced just one 64oz. bottle of chlorine bleach with non-chlorine bleach we would prevent 11.6 mil. lbs of chlorine from entering our environment.
The Power of Lemon.
Did you know that lemon juice is effective as natural bleach/cleaning agent? Lemon juice is very effective to clean most kitchen and bathroom surfaces because it is a natural antibacterial agent. Use it to dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits, to clean and shine brass and copper, and to clean mold.
- butcher block or wooden cutting board: sprinkle salt over the cutting board, cut a lemon lengthwise and rub the lemon over the salted board. Rinse under warm or hot water and let it dry.
- laundry: add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of lemon juice to your laundry water (where you would add the bleach) and continue with your laundry as usual. You will get sparkling clean, nicely scented clothes without any chemicals at all.
- All surface cleaner: Mix 1/4 cup lemon juice to 1 quart of water. Keep this mixture ready in a squirt bottle for easy everyday use. Spray on kitchen and bathrooms surfaces, let it sit for few minutes and wipe with a cotton clean cloth. Use on counter-tops, sinks, fixtures, toilet bowl (inside and outside). Spray on carpets or upholstery to clean stains. Use also on glass and mirror. For those hard to remove stains use sprinkle baking soda, let it sit for a couple of minutes and wipe it clean.
- Lemon peel is wonderful to clean up your garbage disposal. It freshens the drain and your kitchen. Orange peel works really well too.
- Wood surfaces: Mix 1 cup olive oil (no need to be extra virgin) with 1/2 cup lemon juice and you have a furniture polish for your hardwood furniture. Do not use this on floors!***
- Brass, copper and mold cleaner: Mix lemon juice and baking soda. Make a paste the consistency of toothpaste. Rub onto brass or copper with a soft cloth and rinse with water. Wipe it dry. Apply to mold with a toothbrush. Let it sit for couple of minutes and scrub the mold away. No more mold, and a wonderful citrus scent!
- Lemon scented bleach. The smell is very attractive to children. Very dangerous!
- Sun exposure after handling lemon. Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling lemon and before any sun exposure. Otherwise you will get some dark stains on your skin. They are not permanent, but not pretty.
- Undiluted vinegar or lemon juice can weaken or remove tile grout. Prevent this by diluting the juice and the vinegar in water and by not letting the mixture sit for too long.