Is Bleach Really so Squeaky Clean?

After a little research, one thing is very clear: People are passionate about bleach. Whether they hate it or they love it, the feelings are strong.

I have come to a couple of conclusions.

1. Bleach can cause huge amounts of damage to the environment.
2. That does not necessarily mean that it will.

Confusing isn't it? Well, it seems that when bleach is used for industrial purposes - such as making plastics and paper - it wreaks environmental havoc of gastronomical proportions. However, when bleach is used in household cleaning according to instructions, the damage is negligable.

The answer? Buy unbleached paper and follow instructions on your clorox bottle.

If you still wish to buy chloring-free and environmentally friendly cleaning products, go to the American Environmental Health Foundation. They have some stuff there. Also visit your nearest Natural Health Foods store or Co-op. They are some of my favorite shops in the world.

The Environmental News Network

I wanted to point you to a fantastic news service:

The ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS NETWORK.

It covers Animals and Ecosystems, Energy and Natural Resources, Global Warming and Climate Change, Green Building and Sustainable Development, Health and Lifestyle, Investing and Corporate Social Responsibility, and Science and Technology.

It is a wealth of information that you should check out. I will be linking to it regularly from now on.

Simple Habits that Help the Environment - Part Three

USE RECYCLED TOILET PAPER

Oh no! I'm talking about toilet paper again. I'm fixated. Don't judge me. But there is just so much TP consumed each year that it is hard not to be. Think about how many trees that is.



So, why not use recycled TP. Think about how many trees it would save. At the moment, Jeremiah and I are fortunate to be in close proximity to Trader Joes and we buy their 100% recylced toilet paper.

It isn't difficult. Make it a habit.

The Gift of a Good Back Rub - Very Basic Techniques

One of the things I like most in the world is a back rub. It is one of the best presents you can give me.

Because I enjoy them so much I know what feels good, so I also give a good back rub. Something that Jeremiah has capitalized on.

I am not a trained massage therapist, but I don't need to be for Jeremiah to enjoy my touch. I know that improper massaging techniques can do more harm than good, so I do only as much as I know, and most of that is just rubbing in the right places. Here are a few rules I stick by. Please remember that I am not a trained therapist so anything I say here is purely opinion and should not be taken as fact.

1. Always have a yummy-smelling, home-made candle burning.

2. Use lots of oil, with delicious fragrances. My favorite is Aura Cacia Aromatherapy Body Oil, which is part of my winter time skin care routine.

The edible oils sink in to your skin much better than mineral oils.

TIP On the morning of my wedding, I received a massage. The therapist told me to never buy lotions that contained mineral oil or alcohol, since the alcohol dries the skin, and the mineral oil isn't absorbed but gives a temporary impression of moisturization.

Having said that can give a good back rub through clothes.

3. Never-ever rub the backbone.

4. Always stick to muscle, not bone.

5. Never apply so much pressure that it hurts.

There are some great online resources for massaging techniques. I love the video jug instructional videos. There, you can learn very basic massage techniques.

To me, massage is one of the most natural ways of communicating love, relaxation and healing. For Jeremiah and I it is one of the better ways to maintain our emotional bonds. Also, since Jeremiah has trouble getting to sleep at night, a massage is an immense help to him. Often, after just fifteen minutes, I find that I have massaged him to sleep.

Giving a good massage is a great gift to anybody - your friend, sister, father, uncle, and mother. But especially your spouse.

Simple Habits that Help the Environment - Part Two

TURN THE SHOWER DOWN

Still in the bathroom, but not quite as personal a subject. Turn the shower down. Unless you have the absolute worst shower in the world, and I know you don't because I know where it is, you can turn the water controls towards off quite a significant way before you notice any significant pressure change from the shower head. But less water will be flowing and that is what is important.

Fresh water is the worlds most precious resource, and we are running out fast. It takes two seconds to turn your shower down. Make it a habit.

Simple Habits that Help the Environment - Part One

USE LESS TOILET PAPER

OK, I know this is a bit of a disgusting one to start off with, but it is so simple.

Be honest, when you pull the paper off the roll, how much of that do you really need? You are probably pulling close to an arm's length right? That's about six sheets. Per wipe. It's not necessary, I promise. You can use at least half that and still keep your hands clean.

So every time you pull the paper off the wall, put half of it back.

You can also save even more per wipe, by folding the paper over after each wipe and wiping again. In theory, you should use a quarter of the toilet paper that you were previously using. Think of the trees you save.

Credit goes to my husband, Jeremiah, for commenting on the amount of toilet paper I was using and forcing me to rethink my bathroom habits. It doesn't take much effort to use less toilet paper. Make it a habit.

Shedding Light on Soy

When I returned from Christmas in England, the lodge was full of mason jars. They were everywhere, on every surface, and throughout the kitchen. They smelled phenomenal. It was Becca's new project - soy wax candles.

Using soy for candles instead of wax has several benefits for your home (less soot than parafin wax), your bank balance (longer burn time so buy candles less often), the environment (the wax is biodegradeable, and soy is a renewable resource), the economy (supports soybean-growing American farmers, and your health (non toxic and little or no carcinogens produced). Plus they smell strong.



Becca bought her soywax from Mill Creek Soy Wax Candle Supply who have a great step by step instructional page on how to make the candles. She bought the essential oils fromScentable.com.

Becca bought a ton of different fragrances. Although Lavender is one of my most favorite scents in the world, the candle didn't seem to do it for me. Jeremiah and I both agreed that the Nag Champa was our favorite. So Becca made us an extra one to pack in our suitcase and bring with us to California. It is burning right now as I write this and is the same mason jar in the first picture on this post. We have been in California for two months now and I have burned it every night for at least a couple of hours. It has been one of the longest burning candles I have ever had the pleasure to relight.

Pound Dogs - Why adopting is the right thing to do.

In a coffee shop in Galt last night, I overheard (as I'm sure the whole place did) a man talking very proudly about the dog he was going to get. From his dialogue I established discovered that he didn't yet know the name of the breed, he hadn't ever owned a dog, he didn't know how much it cost, he didn't know the breed's temperament, he didn't know how much grooming the dog required or whether it needed long walks. He knew he wanted a puppy. And it had to be a lassie dog.

He wants something that will make him look cool. It is a shame that there is no Irresponsible Dog Owner of the Year award. He'd be a finalist.


Meet Chocolat and Simon. Two of the most grateful and loving dogs you'll ever meet. Both mutts. Both intelligent. Both loyal. Both adopted.
Because they have been rescued, they are not one of the 7 million adoptable dogs and cats that are killed each year due to overpopulation. Simon came directly from the pound. Chocy was a stray.

Seven Great Reasons to Adopt
1. You save lives.
When you adopt a dog or cat, you save not just one life, but possibly the life of the animal that will fill its space in the adoption cycle.
2. You know what you are getting
What you see is what you get. Unlike puppies and kittens that develop habits and personality traits, an adopted cat or dog can fit straight in to your family.
3. Instant Friends
The bond between a rescued dog and it's owner is just as strong as in those situations where a dog was raised from puppyhood. And you have the added advantage of a grateful dog. Go adopt a dog and then tell me dogs can't be grateful.
4. No inhumane puppy mills or backyard breeders involved.
The above are so irresponsible and disgusting, that is all I will say about them. Sure you can buy from a reputable breeder, but why? There are plenty of purebred dogs waiting to be adopted (for a lot less money).
5. Adoption Counseling
This is something you don't get from a breeder. If you haven't ever owned a dog, or even if you have, adoption counselling is the way to go.
6. Training and Socialisation
A lot of rescue organisations do some training and socialising of dogs, in order to make them more adoptable. Another thing you don't have to do.
7. No Vet Visits
When you get a dog from a pound or rescue organization, the dog will have had all its shots already, so you don't need to spend additional money on them. Also, a lot of rescue organizations will spay or neuter an animal before putting them up for adoption. Another additional expense you don't have to worry about.


Jeremiah and I got Atticus through Dogsonly.org who were advertising him for Saving Pyrenees in Need (SPIN). Atticus was dumped in a "high kill" pound (given two days) and SPIN saved him.

Atticus, Chocy and Simon are just some examples of how wonderful rescue dogs can be, and why adopting is the right thing to do. If you have your heart set on a particular breed, find that breeds rescue organisation. There is bound to be one. See below for some links to good adoption sites.




petfinder.com

Pets 911

1-800-saveapet

Rocet Dog Rescue

Just type "dog adoption" or "cat adoption" or "[insert breed] adoption" into your search engine and you will find hundreds of links.