The Greenists are on vacation. Please enjoy this recycled post.

I wear silver jewelry almost exclusively, but it’s a real downer when the oil from my skin tarnishes the metal, leaving it dull and dirty-looking. Recently I realized I hadn’t been wearing a few pieces I own that I really like, and it was just because the tarnish made them less shiny and pretty than they used to be. I knew I could go out and buy some expensive, toxic silver polish to restore my jewelry to its original shininess, but after a little research, I discovered a natural way to get the job done that doesn’t involve toxic chemicals.

So I did a little experiment using a silver necklace my parents brought back from a trip to Alaska a few years ago. I hadn’t worn the necklace in years because it had turned so dull, but after just 15 minutes or so, it’s just like new again! Here’s how I did it: Read more…

I’ve dealt with mosquitoes before. I’ve been places where you skip the whole idea of chemical repellants and go straight for physical barriers; nothing ruins a meal like trying to eat pasta through a head net.

But those experiences were always in places where the scenic payoff made enduring the evil bloodsuckers worth it. Never in my own backyard. The lady and I recently took up residence in our first home, and no one told us that the premises were already occupied, heavily, by the winged disease-spreaders (Hello? Seller’s disclosure?) Like building a porch weren’t already challenging enough.

I’d already been liberally applying a years-old bottle of Deep Woods Off when I happened upon a bottle of Greenerways Organic Bug Spray while making my inaugural tour of Natural Foods Warehouse (literally the closest store to our home; lucky us!) Read more…

If there’s one thing that gets a Greenist’s attention, it’s armpit talk. Do a search on this site for “deodorant” and you’ll get 20 posts that at least mention the word, most featuring intimate details.

Let’s make it 21. Blackjack!

The brave quest for inoffensive yet chemical-free and environmentally sound underarms almost seems like a right of passage for folks who already take their own bags to the supermarket and carry a reusable water bottle and are looking for the next step. But when it comes to B.O. as opposed to, say, shampoo or toothpaste, many people draw the line. I’ve gotten the sense over the years that there are a lot of people out there making their own yogurt and raising chickens in suburban coops yet steadfastly refusing to forgo the toxic cocktail they smear in their pits, because a hippie is one thing, but a smelly hippie is a whole different level of commitment and ostracism. Read more…

In my never-ending quest to eliminate unnecessary chemicals from my family’s waste stream, I was very happy to be given the chance to review A Beautiful Life’s Honey Do Shampoo and Conditioner set!

This shampoo and conditioner set is not only sulfate free, but also paraben free and it is made with organic honey.  As a side bonus, they also come in bear shaped honey containers for extra cuteness!  Having the ever elusive tag of “Made in USA” doesn’t hurt, either.  Read more…

When I first glanced at the free sample of Clean & Green odor eliminator I received in the mail, my first thought was, “Uh-oh.” See, the can has a picture of a cute, furry dog on it, and while I’m a big fan of cute, furry dogs, I don’t own one myself. So I wondered if this odor eliminating spray was meant only for pet odors, because if it was, I wouldn’t be a good candidate to review it.

But! I may not have pets, but I do have stink from time to time. The couch cushions, the carpet, the seats in my car — they all get used, and therefore they all get stinky. And fortunately, while Clean & Green IS meant primarily to eliminate pet odors, it works on other less-than-pleasant smells as well. Read more…

About one month ago, my son, Owen (age 1), found a stray purple crayon hitching a ride in a toy dump truck. Being a typical 1 year old, he removed the crayon and decided to taste it. He babbled, turned around and shared a big goofy smile, teeth freckled with purple wax, chin and lips streaked with dye. Horrified, I grabbed the crayon and stared at it (probably just like the girl in this classic Sesame Street Episode). Whew! Non-toxic. 

Non-toxic. That’s a good word, right? Especially when it is typed on a product that children regularly play with. It’s even a better word when it is combined with the words all natural.  Enter Clementine Natural Art Products: All Natural, Certified Non-Toxic and Environmentally Friendly.

Read more…

Anyone who knows me knows how ADD I am (I lack the hyperactivity for ADHD). Wolf calls it the butterfly syndrome. That’s because I often start fluttering away during conversations, while shopping, walking, or whatever. It’ll take me a few minutes but I can usually flutter back. Other times I’m gone!

While a kid in school I had much of the hyperactivity needed for the H in ADHD. Those were the 80s so I wasn’t diagnosed with ADHD. I wasn’t a problem child in school though I was at home. After sitting around all day in school I’d come home with buttloads of energy that made me impossible. Getting homework done was like pulling teeth. After all, I’d been sitting around during the school day so the last thing I wanted to do when I got home was sit around some more. My mother didn’t know how to cope so she’d throw me outside to get rid of the excess energy. This coping mechanism worked for a while. Read more…

Please welcome today’s guest poster, Mary Hickcox.

Image credit: ecoplum.com

We are addicted to chemicals:  bleach, window cleaner, shampoo, body wash, laundry detergent, fabric softener, conditioner, deodorant, toothpaste, body creams, shave gel, dish soap, antibacterial spray, deodorizer, mildew remover, and the list goes on and on. We have been convinced that we need these products in order to keep natural odors and bacteria, mold, and germs at bay.

But the cost is staggering in many ways. I’m as guilty as the next person, having spent loads of money on all these products over the years without considering the impact they had. I suppose the first step for me in making a change was deciding to use cloth diapers for my youngest son. It was far easier than I ever imagined. When talking to a good friend about how we could change our ways, she said to me, “well you just do the best you can do.” At that moment, I realized that I may tell myself I’m doing my best, but I knew that I wasn’t, and I knew I could do more.

The following are simple ways that anyone can minimize household chemicals and save money.  Come on – you know you can do better: Read more…

I’m a big fan of Method cleaning products. They get the job done and they come in cool packaging, which I’m a complete sucker for, and I really like the company and its whole “people against dirty” mission. I like Method hand soap and its teardrop-shaped pump bottle so much, I kept the bottles as permanent fixtures in my kitchen and bathroom and now buy the refill packages whenever I run out of soap.

So when I saw that Method now makes laundry detergent, I knew I wanted to check it out. (Plus, look at that cute bottle! I am a marketer’s dream.) But to be honest, I had my doubts that this one bottle would provide me with 50 loads of laundry, as it promises. It just doesn’t look like enough to cover 50 loads.

Well, I’m pleased to tell you that I was wrong. I’ve now gotten 46 loads out of this bottle, and there’s easily enough for at least four more. That adds up to more than 50 loads, and it’s already lasted me for months! Read more…

We’ve written before about the wondrous powers of baking soda here at The Greenists, but here’s another cheap, easy-to-find substance with all kinds of uses: hydrogen peroxide. When I was a kid, my mom used hydrogen peroxide to bubble away the germs after I skinned my knee or got into a rambunctious fight with my brother that ended up bloody. Little did I know that hydrogen peroxide can be used for all sorts of things around the house, even when one is too old to be roughhousing with her brother anymore.

Why buy expensive products when you can get the same job done with a $2 bottle of hydrogen peroxide that you can find at any grocery or drugstore? It’s cheap, it’s effective, and it involves less packaging — win/win/win. Read more…