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A NOTE FROM LESLIE AND MARIE HEALTHY YOU I believe the greatest gi you can give your family and the world is a healthy you. - Joyce Meyer
information about green living as we can to help you achieve a healthier style of living. This entire issue would not be possible without our wonderful sponsors and advertisers. Please make sure you let them know that you learned about their products through Clean Green Living Magazine.
Marie and I would also like to send out a special thank you to Laura Marks, who gave It’s hard to believe that almost twenty years us her permission to use her beautiful ago Leslie wrote in her journal that she picture in our gardening segment. would be editor and chief of a green lifestyle magazine. Today we launch the first of As always we wish you happy clean green many wonderful editions of Clean Green living! Living Magazine. This magazine will provide you with everything you need to help keep a healthy body, home and lifestyle. In this issue, Brian Clark Howard will not only teach you how to reduce your energy usage in the home but will also explain why you will feel better using natural light verses electricity. “Taskercizing� is Carolyn Barnes’ trademark word for learning how to find time to exercise in the tasks you do every day. Once you read her tips you will be doing leg lifts while brushing your teeth, just like us. Whether you take just a few steps towards a paperless home or try a new cleaning product, you are joining us on an incredible journey towards a cleaner, greener lifestyle. Our commitment is to share as much
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A Fresh Season for Organic Vegetable Gardening The Pencil: Your Best Summer Vegetable Gardening Tool in January
GARDENING
The Pencil: Your Best Summer Vegetable Gardening Tool in January Different climate zones have different task calendars throughout the growing season but January is universally the month to get a plan in place for the year to come! As of this writing I’m still awaiting my favorite seed catalog but the overall management of the process starts even before the seeds are ordered. It doesn’t have to be a formal plan and you need little if any training. In fact you can do the whole thing in pencil on a dinner napkin, so long as you address these five things: Review Last Years’ Results – Review last year’s garden layout and make notes on how things went – what thrived, what battled pests or disease, what was and was not useful to your nourishment and palate. Then look at the garden layout for the year before last. Because comparing the placement of different categories of plants in the past indicates, going forward, in which direction you should rotate your “crops” in order to minimize disease and pest infestations that may affect the yield or kill a plant outright. (For more information on crop rotation, click here.) Designate Plant Zones – Based on your crop rotation plan, define distinct areas in your vegetable garden for each of the four plant categories. This step is critical, and you’ll know the minute you open a comprehensive nonGMO seed catalog - think Baker Heirloom Seeds. Seed selection requires the most discipline of all aspects of vegetable gardening. Designate, then commit. You, your wallet and your garden will be better for it. Select Seeds Thoughtfully– With this focus you are now able to sift through abundant varieties in each category, making selections that will combine well and are best suited for their planned location. Consider whether you will start seeds indoors, purchase young plants or sow directly as you make your selections. Wherever you order from, order early for best selection.
www.seedsavers.org
Soil Improvement – Healthier soil yields a better tasting harvest. Since nutrition and aeration contribute to soil quality amend your soil with compost, sand and soil conditioner will increase the nutrients available to your plants and facilitate the free flow of water and oxygen through the soil. (To my “reclaimed” Georgia clay I like to add one bag of mushroom compost and half a bag each of play sand and soil conditioner per 12 square feet of soil. Your ratios may vary.) Although you won’t till or cut this in until the soil temperatures rise, you can source, budget for and loosely schedule this task now.
Plant Support and Protection – Take stock of your existing supply of plant stakes and fencing. Repair or replace any in poor condition and resolve inadequacies in their strength or capacity. Avoid sourcing these materials on an emergency basis and take advantage of their affordability this time of year.
Planning early is smart, efficient, economical and fun – imagining a warm, green outdoors is just plain good for the soul in January. Right now, your pencil is the best tool to use to make your organic produce as abundant and flavorful as possible come summer.
by Cloud Conrad, green living author and organic vegetable gardener. Conrad is an eco-friendly landscape designer and gardening writer who lives and gardens near Atlanta, Georgia.
Green Up Your Ligh ng Brian Clark Howard
Green Up Your Lighting Over years of working in office buildings, perhaps the most common complaints I’ve heard from coworkers have been about the lighting. It’s too harsh. It’s too dark. It’s not cozy. It makes me want to go to sleep. I feel like a lab rat. That’s because lighting is important. It affects how well we see detail, how productive we are, and our moods. Lighting also uses a lot of energy. It is responsible for about 12 percent of the total electricity use in the U.S. and 17 percent of the electricity used in residential and commercial sectors. That results in a lot of greenhouse gases. But the good news is it’s not hard to take a bite out of those numbers, while improving your space in the office or at home. Greening your lighting may not be top of mind, but it can make a big difference in your overall space, as well as to your wallet.
Here are a few simple tips to get you started: Use daylighting. Why pay for lighting when you can get the full-spectrum stuff for free? Crack those blinds or open those curtains. If you are looking for a place or designing one from scratch, think about skylights, clerestory windows, or newer inventions called "solar tubes" that bounce daylight deep into rooms.
Switch out high-use bulbs first. You don’t have to do everything at once. When upgrading to the latest efficiency technology, such as LEDs, start with the bulbs you use most. And then, if you have time and budget, work down from there to fixtures that you use less frequently. You’ll get the biggest bang for your buck.
Use task lighting. Did your parents tell you to use only what you need? The same thing can be said of lighting. If you are working at a desk, do you really need the overheads on? By turning a laserlike focus on your lighting, you can save big bucks.
Recycle spent bulbs. And finally, when your bulbs do burn out, don't throw them in the trash. Fluorescents have a small amount of mercury in them that you don’t want getting out into the environment. LEDs and even old-fashioned incandescent bulbs have components that can be reused. Ask your local hardware store, call your town, or check an online resource like Earth911.com for qualified drop-off places.
Use dimmers, timers, and sensors. Dimmers help you control ambiance and save energy. Only designated LEDs (light emitting diodes) and CFLs (compact fluorescents) can be dimmed, but they are worth the extra upfront cost. Halogens dim smoothly and use less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs. Timers give you more control and reduce waste. Sensors provide convenience and security, as well as energy savings. Buy Energy Star. Sometimes, with cheap bulbs you get the quality you pay for. But lighting products certified by the EPA's Energy Star program must meet rigorous efficiency and quality standards, reducing the chance that you'll be disappointed by a bulb that is supposed to last for years.
Brian Clark Howard is a writer and editor for National Geographic. He is the co-author of several books, including Green Lighting
Professional organizers love to reduce clutter. A great way to help the environment and have an organized home office is to go paperless. When I look at all the paper in my home and office the task of going paperless seems daunting, even Hereʼs how; to a professional organizer like myself! I tackle this task asbest-fax-services I do all other large ones...I break it up into • Apply to receive all bills elec• of Download booksImmediately! on an ipad or smaller components. Firstly, STOP the flow paper. Today! tronically. e-reader rather than buying pa-
per copies. If you really want Evernote www.evernote.com is a great way to statements. the feel of a book (I often do) Apply to receive all bills electronically. take notes. You can eliminate post its as well as • Switch your newspaper and visit your local library or borSign up for electronic bank statements. legal pads. (You can still use colored post its ocmagazine subscriptions to digirow from friends. Switch your newspaper and magazine subscripcasionally.) tal format. • Obtain manuals of purchased tions to digital format. • Rather than print emails save them as PDFʼs, products in PDF format from • You can obtain your favorite buy recycled paper which uses less energy, less You can obtain your favorite magazines online the internet. magazines online through the through the Flipboard app www.flipboard.com/ greenhouse gas emissions and no wood prod• Ask for a digital receipt after a Flipboard app. https:// ucts. Unsubscribe to unwanted junk mail with the about.flipboard.com/ purchase versus a paper one. Paper Karma app www.paperkarma.com Once • Once the flow of new paper has been dealt with • 4Unsubscribe to unwanted • Use Dropbox https:// it is time to tackle your filing cabinet. you take a picture of the unwanted mail the junk mail with the Paper Karma www.dropbox.com to share mailer is contacted and you are removed from app. https:// documents. Its guaranteed that 75% of the paper in those files the distribution list. www.paperkarma.com/ Once • Evernote https:// Send electronic faxes . Here are some options. can be shredded, recycled or scanned and filed you take a picture of the unwww.evernote.com is a great www.ifehacker.com digitally. As you sort and purge your files, place way to take notes. You can wanted mail the mailer is conthem in the appropriate piles (shred, scan, recycle Download books on an ipad or e-reader rather tacted and you are removed eliminate than buying paper copies. If you really want the and keep). Have a recycling bin and small shredder from the distribution list. post its as well as legal pads. ( I still by your desk. Once you have scanned the documents feel of a book visit your local library or borrow • Send electronic faxes . Here are use colored post its occasionalfrom friends. that you want to keep pick a system, learn it some options. http:// ly ...love them!) Obtain manuals of purchased products in PDF thoroughly and use it exclusively. I like Evernote as lifehacker.com/5635900/five• Rather than print emails save format from the internet. it is versatile .Now sit back, enjoy the clean look of
Hereʼs how; • • •
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Sign up for electronic bank
Ask for a digital receipt after a purchase versus a your uncluttered desk and your increased producpaper one.
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tivity. Our planet thanks you.
Use Dropbox www.dropbox.com to share documents.
Christine excels at helping families maximize their leisure time by implementing organization and time management strategies.. Christine’s energy, positivity and unique organizational insight are ever present. She is a natural born organizer who always provides a personal touch! See more at: www.sortandtoss.com
The holidays are over, the house is a mess and you need some help. Your mantle has so much dust the kids wrote next year’s Christmas list on it. The floor’s so dirty, you forgot what color it was. And to top it all off, Martha Stewart wants to feature you in her magazine—as a “before” picture. Seriously. Call on my friend, Leslie Reichert, who happens to be a green cleaning expert (she’s even got a book out, “The Joy of Green Cleaning.”) Tell her it’s so bad at your house that you don’t even know where to start. Guaranteed her solution will be MICROFIBER Leslie will take you to her cleaning website called ShopGreenCleaning and she will recommend her favorite cloth – the Blue Cloth. This cleans glass so well you will never need another spray bottle or paper towel, EVER. She also has on-the-spot tutorials where you can watch her clean most everything with just a microfiber cloth. Why does microfiber work so well? Every square inch of quality microfiber has a million fibers that pick up and hold dust, dirt, bacteria and viruses!
germs and the mop covers are washable. They’re great for bucket-less cleaning, too. Bucket-less mopping? All you do is dampen the mop, fill a spray bottle with 1 teaspoon dish soap, 1 cup white vinegar and 2 cups hot water (or a diluted cleaner); spray onto the floor, wipe and presto! It’s that easy. You can add any of these cool products to your shopping cart and press the check out button. You’ll notice that it will ask you if it’s okay to send you over to Amazon. Leslie has partnered with Amazon which makes shopping on her web site save and efficient. All your cool new microfiber will be at your door in a few days. Then you can start daydreaming about being with Martha Stewart. But this time she will want to feature your house in her magazine again—this time in the “after” picture.
So, how you know when they’re dirty? They start leaving dust and dirt behind. That’s when you pop ‘em in the washer (by themselves--they’re lint hogs) on cold with liquid detergent. Machine dry on low or air dry—either way is quick. And never use fabric softener. It ruins the fibers. Next, we move on to the fancy stuff. Casabella microfiber hand dusters and extension cleaners for fans and ceilings. Just think- a million fibers grabbing dust and dirt off your mantle and the fan blades of your ceiling fan. One of those should definitely go into your cart. Leslie will probably also suggest picking out a microfiber mop and a couple of extra covers. Hospitals are now using microfiber mops, They pick up dirt and
WATCH LESLIE
It’s a chore that’s time-consuming, but necessary: Laundry. The average American family does eight to 10 loads of laundry every week. It’s an energy-waster, taking almost an hour and a half for your average load of laundry. Luckily, there are a few ways to gain some extra green, while going green. Give these tips a try next time you’re set to spin:
Add a towel to your dryer. This is a well-known tip among home energy solutions Next Step Living energy advisors: Put a full-sized, dry bath towel in the dryer along with your wet load of laundry for 15 to 20 minutes. It will wick away some of the moisture in the dryer and let each item dry a little faster. Wash your clothes in cold water. Obvious, right? If you’re not heating your water, then you won’t use as much energy. According to Energy Star®, almost 90 percent of the energy that your washing machine uses is for heating water. Another water tip: Adjust your water level appropriately. If you’re not filling up the washer with clothes, set the machine to a smaller load size and reduce water use. (Even better, make sure to do a full load every time.) Hang up your clothes. Consider using a clothesline on a sunny day outside, and skip the dryer completely to save on energy. Hang clothes inside-out to avoid fading, and shake them out before you hang them to avoid wrinkles. Another plus: Using a clothesline will help your clothes last longer. (Just look at all the lint in your dryer for proof.) submitted by NextStepLiving
The Scandalous World of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Every day we turn on the morning news and someone is demonstrating a recipe or two with Extra Virgin Olive oil. Celebrity chefs use it in their recipes during their cooking segments and competitions. What about Dr. Oz? He boasts about the health benefits of authentic Extra Virgin Olive for foods and everyday use. What does “extra virgin” mean and why should WE care if it is real or not? Where does it come from? What is the process? How do we know if it is “real” virgin oil? What we think we are buying in supermarkets and gourmet stores may not be as pure as we think!
infused from its natural surroundings. Puglia (Apulia) region produces the most olive oil in the entire country, mainly due to the region’s location (the heel of the boot) and the climate. Why do we care if it’s pure extra virgin? It is the key to health and well being! The health benefits of pure extra virgin olive oil are well known and have been repeatedly proved. It fights cardiovascular disease and some forms of cancer. It promotes well-balanced growth in children, helps assimilate vitamins, fosters good digestion and lowers cholesterol, just to name a few.
The scandal comes from the misuse and mislabeling of the term “extra virgin” olive oil. Did you know that an olive is part of the “fruit” family? And there are over 700 differ- Extra virgin means it is a higher quality oil and is produced without chemical treatments. ent cultivars (olives) grown in Italy. Each region produces its own olive oil with a READ THE LABEL! Find out the region and unique taste and flavor that are cultivated and where the oil is produced. Check to see if the
bottle is D.O.P. which is a yellow star-like mark on the bottle.
the refrigerator or freezer.
Know your brand and the people behind it. D.O.P./P.D.O. (Protected Designation of As a consumer, you should trust your source Origin/ Protected Geographical Indication) is of purity. Talk to your olive oil producer and defined by the European Union and is ask questions about the origin, process and connected with the specific geographical area quality. Not all olive oils are created equal… that defines the quality, taste and other but aren’t you worth it? singular characteristics. D.O.P. status was created by the European Union in 1992 as a way to ensure the quality and authenticity of the foods we consume. It is also a way to help promote agricultural products and foods that have a special value because of the way or place where they are produced. The D.O.P. status is defined and protected by the European Committee in order to give to farmers and producers a fair remuneration for producing higher quality products. They also provide a EU guarantee to consumers about the superior quality products they are eating. A high quality pure extra virgin olive oil will taste fruity, bitter and spicy. You should avoid any olive oil that tastes burnt, moldy, vinegary, metallic or just plain rancid. Also avoid any olive oil that is tasteless! You also want to watch the packaging. Make sure that the bottle of olive oil is not out on a shelf in sunlight or artificial light. This will oxidize the polyphenols of the oils. Polyphenols are antioxidants. Instead the bottle should be dark and kept out of direct light. From the moment you open the bottle, you have approximately 30 days until it oxidizes the healthy components in the oil. Keep the bottle in a cool, dark place but do not store it in
Bella D' Oliva USA sources it’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil directly, working with artisans ranging of 700 different cultivars from some of the most exquisite regions of Italy; Puglia, Tuscany, Sicily, Basilicata and Abruzzo. From the beauty within each region, comes their own purest and richest oils. www.http://belladoliva.us
Ask Nurse Marie How can I keep my indoor air fresh throughout this winter season?
your home. •
Use non-toxic cleaners to clean your home.
•
Use cast iron or stainless steel pots and pans. Make sure burners are adjusted correctly so that flame tips are always blue. Vent the stove with a fan that blows outside.
When it comes to air pollution, most of us think of smog, smoke, and haze in our air outside. But in real• ity, the air inside our homes can be more polluted than the air outside. • While most people are aware that outdoor air pollution can damage their health, many do not know that indoor air pollutants can also do the same. The air in our homes is polluted by indoor air contaminants. Some of these pollutants are tracked into our homes on our shoes, while others arrive in mattresses, furniture or carpet cleaners. People with asthma, children and the elderly are especially sensitive to indoor pollutants. Many factors can affect indoor air quality, such as poor ventilation/lack of outside air, problems controlling temperature and high or low humidity. Certain contaminants such as cleaning products also pollute indoor air and can affect our health.
How can you reduce your levels of indoor air pollutants? •
Use a HEPA filter vacuum when vacuuming your home.
•
Place a large floor mat by every door in your home. Take your shoes off by the front door.
•
Keep humidity levels in your home between 3050%. Invest in a dehumidifier to help reduce moisture.
•
Vent the clothes dryer to the outside.
•
Fix leaky faucets and plumbing.
•
Invest in a humidifier to add moisture to dry, heated air.
•
Use a radon kit or call a radon inspector to test
Make sure your furnace, chimney and flue are well maintained. Change the filters regularly. Use natural herbs like citrus, lemon, rosemary, basil and mint to freshen air.
•
Air out new furniture and wash drapes before hanging them.
•
Invest in an air purifier to clean the air in your home.
•
Wash bedding to kill dust mites.
Remember, indoor air can contain harmful allergens and irritants. If you notice that when you are away from the home for several days or weeks and your allergies or health seems to improve and then gets worse when you return home, you may have an indoor air quality problem.
“Many factors can affect indoor air quality, such as poor ventilation/lack of outside air, problems controlling temperature and high or low humidity.” - Nurse Marie
A Marie Stegner is anationally recognized healthy living and expert and Registered nurse for 18 years. She also blogs as a Consumer Health Advocate for Maid Brigade. Marie’s mission is to help consumers understand how harsh chemicals and unhealthy practices can negatively affect them and their family, with the hope that they will make informed decisions and pursue a more healthy and green lifestyle.
Chickpea & Prawn Salad
Saba prides herself on her ability to adapt in any environment, but the place where she feels most at ease is in the kitchen. Her creativity and enthusiasm in this setting is unique because she manages to incorporate all of the elements that are important in her life and communicates it in the world of gastronomy. - See more at: www.sabawahid.com
Start with your right hand and make 8 large circles clockwise. As you do this, firmly push down onto your counter, (as if jelly were stuck). Make sure you keep your hips square, to avoid them wiggling. This will activate your abs. When you have finished 8 circles, repeat with the left hand, counter clockwise. 3 Sneaky Secrets Form and posture!!! If you simple go through the motions you’ll waist an opportunity to truly benefit from this. Put forth intention, purpose, and 30 seconds, and I promise you will get results! Keep it simple. Do 8 on each side. When we only do 8, (less than 30 seconds), we feel like we CAN DO IT! Stick with it rule. Every time you wipe your countertop, do 8 and 8. By the end of your day, imagine how it adds up! Kill 2 birds with one stone with this quick, and effective TASKERCISE™ What It Works: Core, Arms, Tush! Where To Do It: Cleaning the kitchen countertop, or table you are wiping down. Here’s How: Stand facing the counter, or table with your feet about shoulder width apart, with your hips square to the surface in front of you. Bend your knees while keeping your weight primarily on the heels of your feet. Engage your abs by drawing your belly button in, towards the spine.
Thoughts from a Mad Scientist
ground, he could help fill a need. BETTER LIFE products were born.
Kevin Tibbs
The ability to clean anything in your home with-
For more than 15 years, Kevin enjoyed a satisfying
out the use of harsh, dangerous chemicals is liberating,
career as a formulation chemist, working on skin care, per- especially when they work better than the chemical prodsonal care and cosmetic products at various large compa-
ucts Better Life replaced. Kevin feels wonderful to have
nies. But when he and his wife had their
the opportunity to create products that im-
first child, everything changed..
prove people’s lives in meaningful ways.
When his daughter was a toddler,
When he hears the positive feedback about
she developed asthma and very sensitive
his company, it keeps him inspired and mo-
skin. Her doctor gave them advice about
tivated. Kevin is trying to make a difference
baby-proofing the house and suggested that
in a highly competitive industry — a field
they clean their home when their child was
dominated by huge, multinational organiza-
outside, so she would avoid the fumes from
tions making traditional chemical cleaners.
the cleaning products. It suddenly hit Kevin: if it’s not
So he starts with transparency and the availability of infor-
good for a child to breathe the fumes, how could it be good mation. for anyone else?
As a father and a formulation chemist, Kevin is
This experience inspired Kevin to make a difference in the cleaning products industry. In 2008, he left his job to launch a new venture — one facing seemingly
extremely concerned that cleaners are not required to list ingredients and that those same ingredients (in traditional
im- and some so-called “green” products) have been linked to
probable odds. The more Kevin read about the cleaning
cancer, infertility, physiological disorders, asthma, aller-
products industry, the more it seemed to him like it was
gies and skin irritation. The EPA has found the air inside
broken. The types of consumer safeguards that were
an average American home to be 2-5 times more polluted
standard practice in the cosmetics and personal care prod- than outside air, and it contains (on average) 3-10 gallons ucts industry were missing in the cleaning industry. In fact, for many cleaning products, there is not even a re-
of EPA regulated hazardous materials. The cleaning industry is broken, and Kevin wants
quirement to list all their ingredients, as is the case with
to be part of the solution. Developing safe, bio -based
personal care products. But when consumers use cleaning
products is one way. Another is providing useful infor-
products, they come into contact with the chemicals in
mation from a formulation chemist’s perspective. Infor-
very direct ways — including contact with our skin, hair,
mation that a consumer, a parent, a pet-owner can use
and mucous membranes. After extensive research Kevin
when deciding which product to buy for their home. To-
was sure that he could make a product that not only per-
gether, we can all benefit from having a safer, healthier
formed better than the existing chemical cleaners, but
place to live
would also be much safer for people and the environment. Kevin was also sure there was a tremendous market for this type of product — and that with his chemistry back-
“With a lot of work and a lot of very crea ve chemistry, we developed this product line.“
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