Green Living

Healthy Plants

Many plants have a wide range of medicinal properties that make them a great all-natural choice for medicines, tonics, and nutrients. Plantain (Plantago major) Did you know that the juice from a plantain leaf can heal the pain of a bee or wasp sting? Plantains have been associated with a wide array of medicinal uses including respiratory ailments, ulcers, sores and skin inflammation. Plantains are also great for relieving itching caused by contact with poison ivy or poison oak. Plantains do have laxative properties, so it is best taken as a tea, dried herbal capsules or tincture. Chickweed (Stellaria media) The chickweed plant is a small white flowered plant that is high in vitamins A, D, B complex, C, rutin, iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, magnese, sodium, copper, silica and steroidal saponins. Saponins help the digestive mucosa in the body, neutralizing toxins. In tincture form, chickweed is great for breaking down growths both topically in wart form and internally, as in for ovarian cysts. Raw chickweed that includes the stem, leaves and flowers can be consumed in dishes like salads or prepared like spinach. Chickweeds actually taste similar to spinach. It also has diuretic properties that aid in cleansing the kidneys and urinary tracts ...

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Creative Things To Do With Your Old Yoga Mat

Have you ever wondered what to do with your old yoga mat? There are eco-friendly ways to get rid of your old mat, whether by recycling it or reusing it for different purposes. Recycle Your Mat was started in 2008 to provide information on locations where people could drop off or send their old yoga mat. Recycle Your Mat works hard to prevent old yoga mats from clogging up landfills. The Green Yoga Association was also formed to develop ecological consciousness and action for the yoga community. There are plenty of different ways to put your old yoga mat to use. Check them out: - Use your old yoga mat when you take your dog in the car. Lay the mat down on the backseat to protect the car’s interior from getting scratched up. - Make tree ornaments with your yoga mat. All you have to do is take cookie cutters and cut different shapes out of the mat. - Cut your yoga mat into squares and use them as makeshift bases for an impromptu game of baseball. - Place your old yoga mat under pet dishes so that they don’t slide around on the floor. Cut the yoga mat to fit perfectly under the ...

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Fuel Economy

Fuel economy has become a priority issue for carmakers and car buyers in the wake of rising gas prices. Despite the high gas prices, drivers in the United States have yet to really latch on to smaller cars like people in Europe and Japan have done. Drivers in the United States have indicated that they are more interested in driving big cars that are more fuel efficient, rather than downsizing to smaller vehicles. Thus, the challenge for automakers is to build a midsize vehicle that can accommodate the need for 40 miles per gallon. This notion used to be thought of as out of reach without the use of a costly hybrid drivetrain. However, carmakers have found a whole host of other tools that can improve mileage substantially without having to downsize the vehicle. For example, Ford is putting their vehicles on a diet. Ford intends to remove anywhere from 250-700 pounds of weight, depending on the vehicle. Industry standards suggest that for every 100 pounds of weight that is added or removed from a vehicle, there is a one-mile per gallon impact on the fuel economy. This suggests that Ford's weight reduction will result in a 2-7 mile per gallon ...

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Cleaning With Electricity and Water

Using electricity and water to clean and disinfect is latching on with some food and hospitality businesses that are looking to save some money and improve their eco-friendly image. New York City’s Union Square Whole Foods workers are equipped with battery-operated spray bottles that are designed to keep surfaces clean with water that has an electrical charge. Other options that are available for use are the electrolyzed oxidizing water products, or EO water, which are cleaning systems that utilize salt and electricity to make solutions for cleaning all sorts of places. Companies that are using the new systems are saving money, but the start up costs weren’t cheap. In fact they were much more expensive than just purchasing a bottle of bleach. It’s important to note that these new systems aren’t perfect for every cleaning job and different zapped water treatments may lose potency over time. Critics are claiming that the hype for electrolyzed water is over the top. Meanwhile, studies are proving that water exposed to a charge works as a cleaning agent. The Culinary Institute of America uses EO water in the kitchen and to mop the floors. While the electrolyzed water systems vary, a common type creates separate streams ...

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Air Conditioning Alternatives

Using an air conditioner in the hot summer months has its consequences. Your energy bill skyrockets and the amount of energy usage is a strain on the environment. There are alternatives to using the air conditioner that may save you some money on your energy bill and help out the environment too. The Department of Energy estimates that awnings can cut down solar heat gain (the amount temperature rises because of sunshine) by up to 65% on windows that face south and 77% on windows that face west. Installing awnings above your windows can result in savings of up to 26% in hot climates and 33% in more temperate climates, where you may not even end up needing the air conditioning at all. Plant trees to create shade around your home. Large trees can provide enough shade over your house to significantly lower the amount of light getting through the windows in the summer time, and therefore reducing the temperature to a more comfortable degree. You can also plant vines around your home. Vines are shockingly effective at keeping a house cool. Ivy, Russian and Virginia creeper vines grow fast and have an instant effect on cooling down a house. They can reduce ...

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