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.