Do you live on energy drinks? Do you feel you have to have a Red Bull or Monster to make it through some days? Many Americans are so busy that they consume energy drinks just to keep up. But, if you drink energy drinks, do you really know what you are putting into your body? Consumer Reports recently conducted a study and found that some energy drink labels aren’t truthful. Some were found to have higher levels of caffeine than stated. And the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently did an investigation into five deaths believed to be somehow related … Continue reading →

Like most kids, my son is counting down the days until summer vacation is here. Not that he does not like school, but summer is fun – there’s swimming, basketball camp, and staying up late. One thing he is not looking forward to is mosquitoes. (This image is from Morgue File and believed to be in the public domain.) I guess it was because we had a mild winter here in the south, but the mosquitoes never really seemed to have left us from last summer. In the middle of winter, I killed one in our bathroom. However, I have … Continue reading →

I am always looking for new uses for regular household products. I had a friend tell me the other day that the best thing to use to wash hardwood floors is tea. I haven’t tried that yet, but I did find some cool uses for olive oil. Paint Removal That’s right, you can use olive oil to clean paint off your hands. Just rub your hands with a little olive oil and salt or sugar (to give it a bit of grit) and the paint will come right off. As an added bonus, your skill be soft. Makeup Remover Last … Continue reading →

Let’s say you want to be green, but when it comes to cars that can be costly. There’s the Chevrolet Volt. It’s a lovely four seat hatchback…that will run you about $40,000. Then, there is the Nissan Leaf. It has five seats and comes with a little bit smaller price tag – around $32,000. What if your price range is a bit lower? Well, you might consider a nice used green car. Of course, what you get depends on how much you want to spend and how old is too old for a used car. AOL listed some great used … Continue reading →

Do you ever pass a building being torn down and wonder what happens to the rumble? Ever see an old barn about to fall down and wonder what good that would be to anyone? Do you ever drive past an old bookshelf or wooden chair on the side of the road and think “What a waste!” There are some people reusing the wood from old buildings, barns, and furniture to make new, beautiful items. Sometimes the larger pieces can be used to make hardwood floors in new buildings. The smaller pieces can be used to make furniture, sculptures, or other … Continue reading →

They say one man’s trash is another’s treasure and that seems to be the case for two men who are making cathedrals out of trash. Justo Martinez of Madrid, Spain (who goes by Don Justo) has spent the last 50 years building a cathedral made of junk. He salvaged local materials and the cathedral now stands an impressive 131 feet tall, despite his having no formal drawings for the structure. Don Justo was a Benedictine monk, but had to leave the monastery years ago when he contracted tuberculosis – 50 years ago to be exact. Since leaving, Don Justo has … Continue reading →

Do you have one product that you use for bathing, one that you use to soak your foot, one that you use to clean your face one to help with your arthritis, and one you use to exfoliate your skin? Did you know you could use one simple product to do all that? Epsom salt has been around for years and years, but some people overlook its usefulness. Maybe it’s because they think it is too inexpensive to do any good or maybe they look at it as “just being salt.” You may have soaked in Epsom salt before and … Continue reading →

There are just a few shopping days left, but if you are still looking for ideas, consider the 2010 Holiday Green Gift Guide from Green America. This great guide offers a wide variety of gifts for family, friends, children and babies including beauty and body care, clothing and accessories, food and drink, home items, and gifts, art, and accessories. Eco Express has some very yummy looking organic goodies. Their truffle temptation is reasonable priced at $26.99 and they have a gorgeous artisan cheese and fruit basket. They have gifts for birthdays, births, romance, housewarming, weddings, and just if you want … Continue reading →

It’s almost Christmas and are you thinking of green gifts? Maybe considering something good you can do for your family or friends and the environment? If you are, you may want to check out the 2010 Holiday Green Gift Guide from Green America. Green America is offering a great alternative guide of gifts made by socially and environmentally responsible businesses. Not only can you find great green gifts in this holiday guide, but you can also save money, according to Business Network Director Denise Hamler. Now you may be sitting at your computer, humming and hawing about how you will … Continue reading →

One thing I hear people complain about is that going green isn’t easy. Yes, it may be hard to remember to turn the water off when brushing your teeth. It may not be easy to remember to carry your reusable bags to the store every time. It may be hard to ditch the convenience of bottled water for tap. But, Jumpstart to Green can help you. What does Jumpstart do? Well, they get you started off on the right green foot by offering a Jumpstart spring, essential, and complete kit. The spring kit contains an insulated grocery bag, a toilet … Continue reading →