Latest posts in Queen of Green
My letter from Windex®
I prefer to clean with cheap and effective DIY options like vinegar and water for glass and mirrors. (Credit: Jill Watson via Flickr)
I officially broke up with Windex® because they don't list ingredients on their products. See for yourself when you take our home cleaners survey. But get this, they wrote back!
Lindsay,
We're sorry to hear you're breaking up with Windex®.
Like you, we think it's important for the people who use our home cleaning products to know what's in their favorite ones. So, before you say goodbye, we hope you'll take a few minutes to get the real facts about the ingredients in Windex® at whatsinsidescjohnson.ca
Please also know our commitment to list ingredients on Windex® labels is well underway, and you should see them on our products at your local stores this summer.
Because we value our relationship, we too want you to get the whole story and help you make the best choices for you and your family.
Continue reading »Having a green baby
Do you know about all of the diapering options out there? (Credit: Allan Paquettevia Flickr)
A fellow once asked me, "Do staff at the David Suzuki Foundation have children?"
Yes. And, I'm about to join them!
I've plans to "green" this life-altering bundle of joy and curb its added impact on the planet, starting with diapers.
How to go diaper-free
New parents could change thousands of diapers by the time a child is two or three years old. Or, go diaper-free.
Ingrid Bauer coined "elimination communication" after traveling throughout India and Africa where diaper-less babies are the norm. EC uses a combination of signals, timing, intuition and body language. It's not toilet training in the traditional sense—like the "potty dance" and bribing your toddler with M&Ms. The process begins during early infancy (0 to 4 months).
Sound impossible? You know when your baby needs to eat and burp, right, what with the flushed cheeks, grunts and cries? We've all known a toddler who holed up in the corner while filling his or her pants, too.
The benefits are obvious—fewer diapers will save money, prevent a rash and stop clogging landfills. Online you'll find books, how-to videos, and even support groups. (I've personally seen the proof: my niece and nephew.)
Continue reading »Break up with your toxic cleaners
Will you cut the ties that bind you to your favourite big brands?
Ever been in a relationship with someone who doesn't believe in you?
Years ago, I got the sense that big household cleaner brands were telling me, "Don't you worry your pretty little head. We know exactly what you need to clean your home."
As if I was too dumb to figure it out.
But then I realized you can make effective cleaners — from liquid laundry soap to oven and drain cleaner! Not only are they simple and effective—they don't mimic estrogen, cause liver and kidney damage, or build up in the environment.
Believe in yourself! Join me and break up with some of the toxic brands you've become so dependent on:
Continue reading »Making the most of your DIY green cleaners
Green cleaning solutions work just as well as store-bought!
Each week, more Canadians try my favourite green cleaning recipes. (I'm flattered!) Here are my top tips for maximizing their effectiveness, gleaned from years of testing.
Whiten whites without chlorine bleach
- Ditch dinginess while still enjoying the benefits of my less toxic laundry soap:
- Always separate whites from darks and colours
- Hang clothes outside to dry — sunlight is an excellent bleaching agent!
- Add ½ cup of baking soda to each load
- Choose eco-friendly oxygen bleach (it's diluted hydrogen peroxide)
- Treat stains with lemon juice
Forget dryer sheets forever
You can prevent static cling without using disposable, fragrance-filled dryer sheets:
- Always wash like fabrics together — don't mix synthetics with natural fibres
- Add ½ cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle (not the wash) of your washing machine
- Hang clothes to dry — over-drying causes static and shrinkage (and nothing beats the smell of sun-dried laundry)
Are your home cleaners hiding something?
Do your home cleaners list ingredients? Do you value transparency? (Credit: Billaday via Flickr)
Grab a bottle of one of your home cleaners. Notice anything missing?
Hint: How do you know what's in the stuff?
In Canada, cosmetics and food are the only consumer products that require ingredient lists. Manufacturers of home cleaning products are not legally required to disclose all ingredients (and hazards)!
So why should we ask manufacturers to fully disclose?
For answers, I quizzed Alicia Sokolowski, the founder of Vancouver's AspenClean. (When she couldn't find a cleaning company that was safe and environmentally responsible, she took DIY to a new level!)
Are conventional cleaners harmful to our health?
Yes! Cleaning products aren't required to disclose ingredients. Phthalates, chlorine bleach, ammonia, sodium laureth sulphate, ethoxylated alcohols and fragrance are all commonly found in household cleaners and linked to a range of health issues including asthma, cancer, allergies and multiple chemical sensitivities. Repeated exposure to small amounts of these chemicals can cause long-term health problems. Kids are especially vulnerable.
Aspen Clean employees say they feel better cleaning with the green alternatives. One of our first employees had worked in the cleaning industry for years. She had asthma and was using her inhaler daily. After a few weeks of working for us she reduced her inhaler use to less than once a month.
Continue reading »
