Recent Green Weeks:
September 5:
Cook More Efficiently
August 29:
Use Cold Water for Laundry
August 22:
Find New Uses for Old Phones
August 8:
"Bee" Kind to Pollinators: Limit or Avoid Pesticide Use
August 1:
Reduce Waste: End Junk Mail!
July 25:
Encourage Pollination: Help Bees!
July 18:
Use Less Oil: Walk or Bike at Least Once this Week Instead of Driving
July 11:
Water Lawns and Outdoor Plants in the Morning or Evening Only
July 4:
Practice Safe Souvenir Buying
June 20:
Reuse Paper Scraps
June 13:
Safely Dispose of Hazardous Wastes
June 6:
Give New Life to Old Stuff
May 30:
Make Your Own Non-Toxic Cleaners
May 23:
Find Ways to Consume Less
May 16:
Reuse your food scraps and yard waste: make compost!
May 9:
Make Sure Your Seafood's Sustainable
May 2:
Use a Low Flow Showerhead
April 25:
Reduce Weight in your Vehicle
April 18:
Use a Reusable Water Bottle
April 11:
Switch to Fluorescent Bulbs
April 4:
Buy in Bulk
March 28:
Unplug Your Appliances When They're Not in Use!
March 21:
Turn Off Your Engine Instead of Idling Your Car
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Make Your Own Non-Toxic Cleaners
What to do:
Reduce toxic waste by using non-toxic household cleaners. But with so many "green" cleaners on the market, how do you make sure your cleaner is
really greener? Make it yourself! You'll save money and you'll even know what the ingredients are and what their names mean.
It's not hard to do. Check out the EPA's list of environmentally friendly cleaner recipes: Wastes—What You Can Do.
Why it Helps the Earth:
Household cleaners don't just affect human health—they affect the health of the planet, too. Cleaners find their way into streams and other water ways
and they can impact air quality.
What the Research Says:
A 2002 U.S. Geological Survey Study found that a high percentage of the streams they
studied tested positive for disinfectants and detergents. The EPA's Indoor Air Quality page provides an
overview of volatile organic compounds and why the household cleaners that contain them impact indoor air quality.
Why it Helps You:
Simply put, the more non-toxic products you use, the less toxic chemicals you keep in your home. The side effects of some common household cleaners can
include burns to the skin or eyes, drowsiness, lung irritation, and—if swallowed—death. (Side effects of lemon juice: it stings if you spray it
in your eye.) For a comprehensive list of ingredients and possible health risks of household cleaners, visit the U.S Department of Health and Human
Service's Household Products Database. Also, cleaning products can be expensive, so the savings from
cleaning with fewer store-bought products can add up.
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Last Revision: July 6, 2010