Going Green. Part 1. Cleaning!

Back in 2007 I started cloth diapering Sierra. In my research of cloth diapering I found statistics of how many disposables were added to the landfill every year and how long it took them to break down (500 years).
It was about that time that I really became aware of just how negative an impact my family was having on the Earth. I managed to push the guilt I started to feel away with justifications. We're too poor, too busy, I don't know where to start, surely my family's impact doesn't matter that much, etc, etc.

I ignored the impulse to educate myself on being green.

Last month when I decided to cloth diaper Payson I realized I really needed to look into just how much my actions are negatively impacting our world and the health consequences of those actions. I started googling. I found so much information, my mind was spinning. I decided I really should look into some books on the subject and so to the bookstore and the library I went.

I found amazing books. Tons of them. I devoured them. And within this last week and a half I was making changes.

I wanted to share the information I've gotten here on my blog because there are so many little, easy things you can do. Easy things!
So, once a week I'm going to do a "green" post. Share one EASY tip here on my blog and maybe you can start going green with me!

Tip 1: Clean Green!
The very first tip I'm going to share has been by far the easiest for me to put into action.
I've been meaning to restock my cleaning supplies for at least a month now. I've been using windex and clorox wipes but I've needed toilet cleaner, floor cleaner and laundry detergent.

Cleaning products are an easy place to start going green.
Why should I go green with my household cleaners?
The very, very basics to an effective cleaning system are vinegar, baking soda, and lemons.
There are a lot of other helpful ingredients, but they're not all necessary.
Some of the other things I bought to go along with the vinegar, baking soda and lemons are:

CitraSolv
Castile Soap
Essential Oils (lavendar, sweet orange, cinnamon, lemon, tea tree)
Liquid dish soap

Recipes are easy to find using these simple ingredients.
It may seem weird and difficult at first, but I've made up batches (in squirter bottles) of cleaning products (a toilet cleaner, an all purpose spray, and a produce wash) and it was super, super easy.
I've also just sprinkled baking soda and vinegar with a dash of castile soap in my toilets and they came out sparkling clean with very, very little scrubbing! So this stuff really works!
And that's it! Green tip #1- clean green.

If you make efforts to be green, no matter how small, tell me about them, please! If you blog about being green, give me the link, I'll put it in my next green tip post!


And just because I love books and when others share what books they love, my three current favorites are:
Easy Green Living (the book where I got all of my cleaning recipes
In Defense of Food concentrates solely on food. I've read this book twice, I liked it so much.
Green Living
Though I say these are my favorites I use the term "favorites" loosely since I've loved every single book I've read so far.
What are some books you're loving right now?? They don't have to be about being green, I love pretty much anything!

Oh and I will have a "normal" post later today :)