True Confessions of an Eco-Entrepreneur - Green Cleaning Products - Four Winds Healthy Home Carpet and Air Duct Cleaning

~WARNING ~ Bloggers, Your Ego Inflates Exponentially With Each Post ~

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:34:52 -0600

Political bloggers, that is. Do pass this information on to those with whom you make regular contact. This will save you hours of explanation to your loved ones, friends, co-workers, as well as the few people who actually read your blog, some concern as to what the hell happened to you between your first few posts and now.

It's tough out there, but with enough self-serving blogs and narcissistic comments you, too, can become as intolerable as the political blogger next to you. Good luck, and may you loudly ramble on about how clever, ethical and morally correct you are while calling others out as stupid, ugly, and immoral. Stay on course, and may the person with the most manageable BPD garner the most comments.

To those who actually believe they are journalists - congratulations! The ego inflating effects stated in the title are doubled for those of your ilk. You, of course have a bigger audience to captivate. Keep telling us how popular and connected you are and maybe, just maybe if you would moderate your received comments above a 3rd grade level, we could care.

~ The Exxon Files ~ A European Romp With The Bureau Of Inconvenience

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:15:42 -0500

"Friends of the Earth Europe are a little annoyed at companies pretending climate change isn't happening. They scripted a spoof animation about the topic..." The Bureau of Inconvenience, the FBI for Business Interests, is in Europe looking at ways to encourage the naysayers.

My favorite line is "We think people need to focus more on other species' behavior"

Take a look ~ The Exxon Files

Melting Glaciers in Iceland. Photo by Michael Hall

Italian Plasters The Eco-Friendly, Non-Toxic Way ~ My Scottsdale Faux Finishing Studio

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:59:59 -0500

Aside from my plant based carpet and air duct cleaning business, I have an interior design practice with an in-house faux finishing studio. My father was an artist and a painter and I grew up around painted finishes, and never thought they would hold any significance for me. When I was younger, I didn't really care to learn any of these techniques, and sadly, did not. But, I did always ask my ever patient father to take me to the homes of the rich and famous who were his clients. That was an education in itself and from a very early age, I knew that being a designer would be the most gratifying profession for me. Nine years ago I finally decided to stop hiring others to do decorative painting for my clients and had to reach back into my childhood and re-frame and retrace the steps my father would always beg me to learn. Bittersweet and determined, I did so.

Except now, the way I like to create Frescoes, Lime Washes, Pigment Washes, Venetian Plaster, and almost all decorative finishes presently, is without toxic chemicals and pursuant off-gassing. Here are a few of the finishes we have done recently without the use of traditional chemically laden formulas. Healthier for the inhabitants as well as for the artists. All of the following were done with hand troweled non-slaked plaster, ground earth pigments and soy based waxes tinted by us. They can be used almost everywhere - walls and ceilings, doors, furniture, fireplaces, fountains, sinks, and as you can see bathtubs that used to be white.

~ Scottsdale Carpet Cleaning ~ What Is The Best Method?

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:15:52 -0500

It depends on the type of carpet, of course. As in most endeavors, the devil is in the details. Carpet cleaning, however boring of a subject, does have its share of controversy. Wet versus dry, Chemical versus plant based. Finish Sealer/Protector or not. It appears to go on an on depending on where you invested your money and time prior to calling me.

It appears, that just a few woman own carpet and air duct cleaning companies. As a consequence, many men call me on the phone, and tell me what's what. Almost everyday. These guys are accountants, doctors, mechanics, postal workers, but carpet cleaners....they are not. I am asked frequently - "Do you how to clean a carpet?" Well yes, as a matter of fact, I do. During the first 18 months of this business I went on every single service call. Every single service call. Yes, I know how to clean carpets, area rugs, upholstery, air ducts, dryer vents, air conditioning motors, seal stone, polish stone floors, hone stone floors, clean tile & grout, mend and/or install new grout, hand wash Oriental Rugs the old school way, stretch carpeting, patch carpeting, dye carpeting, clean mattresses, clean draperies, power wash with the correct psi, and so forth. Not what I went to college for, but hey, I know my business.

I know my business so well that I know that traditional carpet cleaning chemicals are not all what they are cracked up to be. Chemical carpet cleaningagents have rendered themselves obsolete. Yes obsolete. Substandard, due to the way they mis-handle stains, impart toxicity, rob fibers of their luster, help breakdown carpet backing, contain dermatitis producing irritants, create toxic waste, and more. The way I see it, you are not really "cleaning" if you are leaving a chemical footprint inside the home for children and pets, as well as individuals with allergies and later outside when you dump your waste water. You are not really cleaning, if you are flashing the stain down to the carpet padding so it will resurface for residual staining a day or two later. And let's not forget the breakdown of fiber luster, especially on wool and silk carpeting.

But back to the main point of this blog, the best method for the type of carpet. In every instance with the exception of semi-antique and antique Oriental rugs, and flat weaves, the best method is hot water or steam extraction with truck mounted equipment to get the proper powered injection of cleaning agents, and then, the powerful extraction phase. Steam extraction and hot water extraction are not the same. Steam has to be at least 212 degrees Fahrenheit. One would not want steam extraction on wool carpeting, silk carpeting or a blend of these fibers. Just as you would not wash a wool or cashmere sweater in extremely hot water. For these types of carpets and area rugs, tepid to warm water and a cool rinse is best for wool and silk and blends.

Bonnet cleaning, which is an almost dry type of cleaning with a rotary disc is a poor choice for wool and sik fibers, Oriental rugs, flat weaves and sculpted rugs. Especially if you use a carbonated type of cleanser. Add that with the high RPM's and you will be stripping the fibers of their luster. I have been called several times to go out and revitalize wool and silk carpets and area rugs after a bonnet cleaning. However, in commercial settings and for some types of carpeting, bonnet cleaning is just fine and there is no dry time.

Lastly, if you have birds, they are the most sensitive, when it comes to household chemicals and toxins. You should not use any chemical carpet cleaning agents if you have birds, period. If you are having your carpets cleaned, make sure there are plenty of open windows around where the bird cages are, and make sure you only use plant based carpet cleaning products. Unfortunately, when one steam cleans a carpet, some of the embedded former carpet chemicals will be lifted and off-gassed and is potentially harmful to a bird's immune system.

Four Winds Healthy Home Carpet and Air Duct Cleaning Services, serving Scottsdale and Phoenix and the surrounding areas. www.healthyhomeaz.com

~ Memories Of My Childhood Home ~ WWMD? ~ What Would Marilyn (Of The Munsters) Do?

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 12:40:37 -0500

I spotted the envelope one day when I was six. It was addressed to my brother with an important government return address. It stated - "Registered Alien" next to his name. Oh the shame, the horror. I knew he was weird, dangerously smug, but this! He must be a handsome "Grey" I surmised. But wait a minute; weren't aliens highly intelligent, possessing amazing powers? I ventured a guess that he was suffering from a truly universal malady, one that struck countless humans as well. Evidently, like many others, he was short on talent, long on looks. Though lately, I could hardly understand him as he and our mother were always speaking Latin together. Something about getting him into the right university, but now I seriously doubted that was the case. Later that evening I questioned my mother about this as tactfully as I could. She distastefully recoiled and stated in French "We are all registered aliens, except you. What about it?" I stopped in my tracks, I was surrounded.

I should have known something was up with them. The food - always a dead giveaway - snails, frog legs, anchovy fillets criss-crossing everything, often with olives punctuating the negative space; prompting a neighbor to always comment, "oh, it looks like a board game" which in turn prompted my mother to later mutter "culinary barbarians..." There was also all that runny cheese that could hardly be contained in the plastic wrap, oval and flat rounds tins with keys and strange writing on them filled the cupboards, no neon bright ketchup or mustard ever to be found. And that music they always listened to - opera, never in English or anything clearly understandable.... I had been blind and yet the only one not afflicted. No wonder when my parents came home, my friends took off so quickly. I used to think it strange when asked if they wanted to stay for dinner, they were visibly shaken.

This latest intelligence sent me on a "search and compare" mission canvassing my neighborhood. What was really going on in everyone else's home? Sadly, no one else was fooled. Every time it rained, the snails would sail out onto the sidewalks. Inevitably, the phone would ring. The neighborhood boys would call and say - "Tell your mother - dinner's on the sidewalk!" For some reason this never bothered me, I thought it rather clever. But I never dared tell my mother this timely news for fear of her going out in the rain and catching them. At this point, I felt she would eat anything that moved.

But really, how had I let myself be duped like this. Now, it all made sense as to why most of my parent's friends and associates were just like them - certainly aliens as well. And most of them had that insidious "Eiffel Tower" monument, or " Leaning Tower of Pisa" somewhere in their homes. Obviously a miniature version of a communication tower, similar to the one Felix and the Professor had...All this made me far more interested in the other houses and buildings around me. I knew what was going on in my newly deemed freakish household. But what did people who were not connected to such beings do, really? I had to venture out beyond my circle of friends at this point.

My home, from the outside looked normal. Once you entered, well, that was a different story. We had modern yet slightly rustic Italian furniture, some of it was sculptural looking made with straight almost Giacometti looking hand wrought iron supports that reminded me of bird legs, cork floors, not as nice as the cork now, and paintings that I didn't really understand. There was brick and wood and white walls everywhere. Just red, black and white it seemed. My mother loved it. The rest of us just endured it. Actually, I hated it. I used to color with crayons, as that was the only medium that stuck, alternating bands of expressive colors in the rusticated grout lines of the brick that surrounded the fireplace as well as an entire wall whenever I could. My ongoing, yet constantly interrupted goal was to finish the entire wall before I was caught. Then my color rationed family could see how truly lovely it would be. I thought it looked beautiful, similar to a Mondrian. Believe me I always paid the price, but I yearned for some extra color and that was all there was in my arsenal. My patient father cleaned it repeatedly and always winked at me afterward. He was a painter, he knew. Even though he was one of them...

For my mission, I began to focus on the Spanish Colonial houses and buildings in my neighborhood. They had huge windows and courtyards and foliage allowing me to do my reconnaissance. Everyday, after school, I would leave my friends and go off on my own and peer into various windows in Hollywood, CA. of all places. I chose my streets carefully but was not afraid of anything, why should I be? I lived among aliens.

Our house was modest in comparison to these grand structures. Could mere humans live in these? It was a stroke of surreptitious timing that in one of these beautifully ornate facades, I peered through the mullioned window and saw that "The Munsters" was on. I, of course always noticed that Marilyn looked so normal and was surrounded by....why I never thought of this before. Marilyn was just like me, or I was just like Marilyn. And the nerve, those Munters thought she was odd, less than... I had to sit down and peer over the carved stone of the window surround and really observe how she behaved among all this madness. I could not really hear the soundtrack, so I focused intently on the expressions, the gestures, all the unspoken courtesies. She seemed so comfortable, so gracious, so kind and giving. Affectionate even. What was her problem? She was like I used to be, downright oblivious.

During the walk home I kept telling myself, if Marilyn can do it, so can I. Besides, she looked great next to them. I could use a boost with regards to my slipping authority being the lone minority and all. This new approach, possibly showcasing my attractive normalacy, made me quite happy as during my astute observations just moments ago, it led me to believe that my mother and brother, especially, were so full of themselves, just like Lily Munster. So for awhile, I abandoned peering into Spanish Colonial windows and hurried home instead to study at "The School Of Marilyn" otherwise known as "The Munsters" on dealing with, well, you know....the differences within families.

Michelle Viggiano Scottsdale & Phoenix Four Winds Healthy Home Carpet and Air Duct Cleaning www.healthyhomeaz.com

~ What Lies Behind Us And What Lies Before Us Are Tiny Matters Compared To What Lies Within Us ~

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:41:46 -0500

That train of thought by Ralph Waldo Emerson stared me in the face today while at a clients home. I rarely go out on carpet and air duct cleaning jobs with the tech, but today I did. My presence is not usually needed out in the field, but today was a bit different. The client could barely speak as it appeared he had a stroke, so we all had to put our heads together on this one. I went to the address thinking perhaps a care giver would be present.

We ring the doorbell and an older gentleman opens the door and motions us into the main living rooms. He has a modest but charming home with books everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Once inside the living and dining rooms, I lay my eyes on some of the most beautiful antique and semi-antique Oriental Rugs I have seen outside of Sothebys and markets in Turkey, Iran or Switzerland. I used to be an Oriental rug collector. I stopped, because for me, it was as addictive, as strong as, if you were to put a "d" in front of the word "rug". Our job was to clean his antique Oriental rugs, but he didn't want us to take them with us, we were to do it there, but in the old world way, by hand, with a brush. I said "yes" with immediate enthusiasm and immediately received a slight jab below my rib cage from you know who. They were so beautiful, just exquisite. It was like hanging around in the old neighborhood. The one I usually avoid at all costs, because I know how relapses happen. So, yes it is true. I was intoxicated by the rugs. High on everything they offered to me, just like in the old days.

So several hours later, we gave him the final invoice and recived a check for $300.00 more than the total due. His handwriting was shaky, but there was a note along with the check that read - "When You Were Cleaning My Rugs I Saw Inside You" As we left he kissed my hand...at that point, I would have gladly done it for free.

Michelle Viggiano Scottsdale & Phoenix Green Plant Based Carpet and Air Duct Cleaning www.healthyhomeaz.com

~ In A Land Which Nothing Is As It Seems And Cakes......My Month In Iran ~ Part One

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:42:20 -0500

Smoke and Mirrors...I was at one with it. It was nothing but a house of cards, from the initial planning stages right up to the departing flight from Iran. Secrets and lies - a resounding yes. Discoveries and truths - a whispering nod. As it all brought me to my knees more than once.

A Tower of Silence at the Zoroastrian Burial Grounds,Yazd, Iran. I am the figure in black in the lower right.

I had at that point in my life been to about fifty countries and lived and worked in the Middle East for almost a decade. I visited many Muslim countries all over the world and spent a month in Malyasia, time in Egypt, Jordan, Syria, the list is long. But nothing prepared me for Iran. The jewel in the crown which pierced my temples as I wore it; forever altering my consciousness long after the precious headress was discarded.

At the mountains in Iran.

I should have know something was in store for me in that country. While in Damascus at the Iranian Embassy where our visas were issued, an Orthodox nun, proudly wearing her full habit, would periodically waltz in and out of the building all the while bossing everyone around. The Iranians rewarded her with tea and laughter while she was there and miraculously the smiles did not disappear quickly as she left. That should have been my first clue.

My male traveling companion pretended to be my husband while we were there. He is gay, I was married to my ex-husband at that time. See, we were hopelessly in sync with the smoke and....So we begin our travels throughout Iran with our dedicated guide. Ebby, an Iranian who lived in Germany for the last twelve years and is blond due to his Russian ancestry. We all travel together traversing the country, in an Iranian montaged car that looks like, but does not sound like a Chevy Nova. It appeared as if three Westerners, Americans in this case, were on holiday...with no American Embassy, no American money or credit cards accepted and only the Swiss embassy on Wednesdays, between noon and 2:00 pm, possibly offering any assistance if things turned bad.

Truck drivers are the same all over. Check out the "babes" on either side of the license plate.

~ It's All TLW's Fault ~ The Frighteningly Wicked Influence Of That Avatar She Sports

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:59:24 -0500

I had to retrace my steps as to why I crossed slightly unfamiliar territory within a business context this morning. Mondays and Saturday mornings are the two busiest phone days in my office. While on one line, a call came through and as it reached voice mail they hung up. So I called them back via caller ID within two minutes,and left a message. Hopefully, I wish they will call back. Be careful what you wish for.

About an hour later, the phone rings again, and while picking up between the first and second ring, the caller hangs up. It is the same number where I left the message, wishing. I call back with no agenda in mind, except to be of service. Well...This woman with a rather captivating foreign accent that I can not place, starts to tell me why she doesn't leave messages and it wastes her time, and some companies, on and on. I explained, almost sheepishly, that I was on the other line and was happy to have the opportunity to call her back.

She goes back to the same story about some companies, this and that. As she gets angrier and angrier her voice gets a little deeper and her breathing gets a little louder and her captivating accent becomes a little intoxicating. I am a straight woman, but I know sexy when I see or hear sexy. So I just tell her firmly that if she doesn't want to leave a message, don't, but...then she yells ~ F*** You ~ ever so breathlessly.

I was at a loss for words, but somehow quickly stated "You are missing a golden opportunity, you would make a dynamite dominatrix" and she hung up. Another one who missed her calling, not living up to her potential.

Why would I say such a thing to someone I ask you? Especially in the morning hours? Because I saw that damn avatar due to a group email this morning and went to the post by TLW. And that ever present avatar. There is no other explanation, I assure you...

Does Anyone Care To Take My Temperature ~ Why I Traverse The Sustainable Web

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:03:08 -0500

An orginial antique print by Christian Neighbur of Egyptian hieroglyphics drawn by him during the Danish Expedition to Arabia in the middle of the 18th century. From the Dutch edition of Niebuhr's Travels through Arabia And Other Countries In The East, published in the Netherlands in 1776. From my personal collection.

Why do we wish to connect with millions of let's face it, very often faceless people? If that desire isn't strange enough on its own accord, the willingness to connect is so strong we sometimes, if foolish or brave enough, expose a manifesto, if you will. About ourselves, what we hold dear, and what we don't. Some may protest and say that's not true in their case. Yet the non-opaque approach can offer a much overlooked and possibly undervalued property - a somewhat transparent emotional blueprint of our businesses and of ourselves within a commercial framework. My postings on various sites on the web certainly do. Sure, many individuals and corporations are cunning, and engineer only what they want you to know, but those types of bloggers or networkers will always render a blatant "tell" when they or you least expect it.

I blog, simply put, because I can. Not because I am good at it, have anything that is terribly original or compelling to pass on, or impart topics of great interest to most. But let me come totally clean as to why I blog and am on social networks. Because it is expected. Yes expected. In today's world, it is not enough to advertise, go to meetings at the various chambers, have an ethical company and give excellent service. You have to blog about it too! We are so curious and voyeuristic; we feel a sense of entitlement to command a view behind the scenes. Not content to just peek through the front door, we require access to see what's going on in the back room as well.

Arroyo Garcia petroglyph "Happy" photograph by glyphwalker

For one of my businesses, my exposure is now totally Internet activated. I no longer do print ads, stopped all conventional advertising in general. Sure I have brochures at particular locations, but the overwhelming business I receive is from the Internet. It is all from my targeted blogs, my site listings, my web friends whose recommendations are on the net. If that isn't enough of a bounty, exposure from my various postings, prompted an online friend to connect me with an editor of an online magazine. I am a regular monthly contributor to the magazine entitled "Magnify You". www.magnifyyou.com I enjoy being on the web, posting, reading blogs, meeting people, but I love my real time life, my friends and my social life too and therein lies a precarious balance that I have not yet perfected.

All this posting, blogging, social networking takes quite a bit of time. It is a bit of a contradiction to me in some ways, as everyone is swimming awash in time management, too pressed for time to actually read books, not enough time with our families, our non-virtual friends. Yet most everyone wants to be able to glean something fresh and juicy from a blog. Or write one in order to turn on the lights and open the drapes. I remember such warnings when I first lived on my own, to certainly not to do that in the evenings; as the fascination to further investigate was too hard to resist for most humans. I didn't think it to be all together true, but alas, it has been proven a million times over and is what I have learned on the social networks. And for my businesses' sake I am willing to be interchangeably voyeuristic and exhibitionist.

Detail from "Cave of Swimmers" at Wali Sura, Gilf Kebir. photo by Kit Constable Maxwell

Mill Creek 23, photo by glyphwalker

I studied petroglyphs, cave paintings and wall impressions in college and still do. Researching the various ancient sites it is evident that we have always had this fascination with ourselves and those around us and had to convey the wonderment at all costs. Gossips at heart, maybe. The new posting sites that have evolved from the ancient ones are Facebook, Linkedin http://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleviggiano Twitter, Biznik, http://www.biznik.com/members/michelle-viggiano The new "paintings" are with words and some as short as a single brush stroke - the tweet.

I blog mainly about my eco-responsible company because my type of business comes across a different type of scrutiny. Are they for real, are their products as effective, are they just jumping on the band wagon of all things green, etc. For me, it is a labor of love to actively change those traditional possibly negative perceptions. I frequently give a moment of my time to include a daily visit to the following site, http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces it is part of a larger site http://www.thenonprofits.com and click or donate in my company's name. Not because it looks good or I feel I should, rather, because it is part and parcel of my and my company's sensibilities. The icon is on my desktop so it can't be easier. I offer links on my website that I believe are helpful and stay within my areas of concern. I do have strict parameters of which types of links I will include. As a business owner, I don't leave any of that out of the equation. So, I blog publically about what my company stands for and what is does hold supreme. I have learned from others who don't, that they are missing an opportunity to position themselves as intimately and effectively as possible.

Here are a few links that offer a range of options and opinions on social networking as a business tool. An article depicting 25 social Media Tips from executives and others at Dell, General Mills, Home Depot, etc offers interesting insight into social networking for big business. http://www.toprankblog.com/2009/04/social-media-marketing-tips/

If you prefer here is a list of green social networking sites http://planetgreen.discovery.com/work-connect/social-media-green-good6.html and there is http://www.care2.com the largest and most comprehensive, based in Australia.

"Crowded" petroglyph photo by glyphwalker

I check the corporate temperature of other firms regularly. I can gage if they are hot, cold, or dispassionately luke-warm. My company and yours convey its overall mentality throughout the dense fibers of its being. Whether that is in person, practice, on paper, or on online. I offer a thermometer to any and all who are interested in the reading. Here, take my temperature.

Original antique print of Carsten Niebuhr drawings of Egyptian hieroglypics during the Danish Expedition in 1760. From Niebuhr's Travels Through Arabia And Other Countries In The East. This one was published in The Netherlands in 1776 or it could be from identical ones published in Paris in 1779. From my personal collection.

Here is some business social networking in action - the photographer. "petroglyphwalker" of all the above petroglyph photographs fabricates individual ones. He is a geologist who also has the business www.southwestpetroart.com Check him out, his petroglyphs make great gifts and are beautifully done on a small scale. Delight a child with a gift that they can learn a great deal from - thier ancestors musings...

And while I am at it, in the true interest of being at heart with the social networking cause - please check out http://www.mcromanshades.com Michael Crum fabricates the most beautiful Roman shades and ships nationally and internationally. Social networking in action!

~ The Painting Of The Gate Near Alsace ~

Wed, 13 May 2009 17:56:45 -0500

There is a painting I have inspected and wondered about since I was a child. It has been in various parts of the home I grew up in and has gone through a few incarnations in various frames. It is a painting of a gate and a view of a valley with not really anything around it. The focus is the vista. It is painted on a wooden board that has since warped. Now the slight vertical splits can be viewed from the front as well. There is a combination of German and French writing illegibly scrawled on the back of it. I have a curious memory of my mother always taking this painting down and checking the back of it and wiping that area.

I thought this very strange as she never appeared to do this with any other framed pieces. One day I asked her, what is this all about? And what does it say on the back? I would always hear - "I will tell you when you are ready to hear it." I was an impatient child and rather than wait and be frustrated, I decided it was no longer interesting enough for me to be bothered to find out.

A few years passed, and a friend of my mother's named Odile, who was also originally from France paid a rare visit. She saw the painting and burst into tears. My interest was piqued once again. I acted like I wasn't listening in on their conversation and found out that Odile gave the painting to my mother because it was too painful for her to keep. The chain of events the painting belies is grisly, bizarre, and political. Yet, the painting was painted in the spirit of forgiving the unforgivable.

The painting was by Odile's father. You see, Odile, her father and my mother were held in a Nazi internment camp near Alsace, France. My mother was a captured intelligence officer with the Free French and Odile and her father were French Jews that were interned there. My mother was not in the same barracks, but for some reason, my mother and Odile's father knew each other. Young, beautiful Odile caught the eye of and later fell for one of the high ranking German officials. Her love interest brokered a deal with the US government and moved to Glendale, California along with her. And with all his Nazi paraphernalia, the Mercedes which he used when conducting official business during the war, and many other haunting pieces of highly prized Nazi articles. All those artifacts that represented such hate and horror were displayed in their garage and were dusted and waxed regularly. As a very young child, I used to see this and didn't really understand what it all meant, but I did know it was evil, and was not under any circumstances to speak of it to anyone. Needless to say, Odile left her father inside the camp to meet whatever fate he was dealt. My mother was able to escape with some other officers, and they made their way to North Africa to fight against Rommel's shaky front on that continent.

Odile's father stayed for the entire duration. It was by some miracle that he was not sent off to the main extermination camp. In the early fifties, he went back to the place where he never lost his spirit, but nearly lost his mind, and certainly lost his daughter. He returned to the most inhumane place he ever knew and lovingly painted the plein-air several years after the war was over. He painted the entrance to the internment camp, but reframed the scene. Rather than the barbed wire, ominous gates, and the left over air of atrocities, he depicted a lovely and serene valley, with a gate free and wide open. The doors of the gate are small and narrow but the opening to the path is wide. No buildings or other distractions to stop your eye traveling to the horizon. He painted it as a gift to his beloved daughter so she would know that he forgave her for running off with the enemy and leaving him and others like them behind. Odile's father later gave it to my mother as he was near the end of his life and knew that my mother would find Odile and present the painting to her. And she did. It was not so difficult as many were tracking the movements of Odile's husband. Yet the intended recipient couldn't forgive herself. She didn't feel worthy of the gift. So that is the story of the painting that I still have in my home. As I take it down to clean it or just straighten it, I am reminded of the deep well of forgiveness the human spirit resonates. As much as I am reminded of the well, just as deep, this same spirit creates in order to block the greatest human gift - the art of forgiveness.

Michelle Viggiano www.healthyhomeaz.com Four Winds Healthy Home plant based carpet & air duct cleaning in Scottsdale

~ My Cat Is 22 And Still Runs To Her Food Bowl ~

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 22:03:19 -0500

Left photo: Bajay at 2 years old. already pregnant with her second litter when she came to stay.

Right Photo Bajay, this year, at 22 years old at the vet. She is not too happy in this photo.

My cat is twenty-two years old and still runs to her food bowl. What is the secret? What's in the bowl, of course. But let's regress a bit, last year she was under the weather and I took her to the vet. He ran a series of labs and when I spoke with him, he said "This is quite astounding, your cat has the blood work of a seven year old cat. Her films confirm this but would I like to re-check her levels at no charge." He re-checked and the same results were returned.

Good genes account for a lot, whether you are sizing up a cat or one of us. But how we work those genes is another matter. My cat, her name is Bajay, came into my life when I was working and living in the Middle East. One day, I walked outside to the wall where flowers were growing densely in a vertical fashion. Damascene Roses, honeysuckle and delphiniums were making there way up to the roof. While reaching for a few stems, I looked down and saw one of the most striking cats I have ever seen stalking something on the wall. I offered "Hi Kitty" and she took one look directly at me, hissed and spit, projectile style, a hot foamy gel like substance on me. I was instantly smitten. I immediately said - "You're Mine!" Truly.

She turned and ran off. I went to tell my former husband what just transpired and summed it up with - " I have found my cat" He said "Oh, and you still like her? Now I know the secret maneuver..." Anyway, the cat is still around and he isn't so obviously he did not know the secret maneuver, but let's get back to the real story.

This went on for about a week, but finally won her over with food, and she made her way inside. But always around dusk, she panicked and made it very clear she had to leave immediately. This happened every evening. I asked the gardener to follow her and find out where she goes. He came back and said, "Madam, you will have to change your shoes, as she goes into the sand..."

The next day we walked for, it seemed like two miles, yes, in the sand and he showed me where she lived under a rusted out metal old switching station which she dug under to get cover. She lived on whatever she could find in the trash or wherever, it seemed. Shortly after that, she strolls up to the house with three kittens walking single file in front of her, and she quite proudly behind them. I opened the door and the four of them with their heads and tails held high, walked in. I took them to the vet, and he estimated Bajay to be close to 2 years old. Not the start one would think would ensure a long life.

She was always in good health, but around the time she was 17, she came down with a bacterial infection that made it imperative that all her teeth be removed. Out they came. Some told me she was too old and possibly too frail to recover from such an operation. I knew she would come through. This is the same cat, who became so fearless when the air raid sirens and scuds shattered the windows in our house during the first Gulf War. She would lie on my chest and just stare at me as if to say "be still, be calm, it will be over soon" Each evening she did this as soon as the sirens came on, until the early morning when it was usually clear. Bajay never flinched when the scuds hit, and the glass shattered, never took her gaze off me. My ex-husband would frequently ask her if she had a sister.

So here we are 20 years later, and she still runs to the food bowl when called, still jumps up on my lap, and negotiates, on her terms, with the dogs. So what gets her to run to that bowl? I feed her a combination of barely cooked and raw rood as well as a prescription formula Royal Canin dry food and flats of wheat grass. Some say, how could you give that cat raw food - well, she thrives on it.

I read "Juliet of the Herbs" many years ago and she mentions that cats above all other animals know what they need when they are sick. Out in the wild, more than any other animal she observed during her decades of research, she repeatedly noted that cats would seek out, even if they had to travel a bit, the necessary plants and herbs to treat themselves when they were ill. Regardless if that remedy was self-administered internally or externally.

When my cat got old, I tried the experiment. As she had no teeth, I went slowly and cut everything up finely or processed it. I gave her a choice barely cooked, cooked, raw, dry and conventional. She always went for the barely cooked or raw every time and still does. I observed her energy levels and coat and was convinced that a combination of raw and barely cooked foods as well as an excellent dry food, in her case a prescription Royal Canin formula was the answer. I know many do not agree, but the proof in this case, is in the cat and her lab work.

Here is a link to Halopets.com There are a few easy recipes for cat and dog homemade food recipes that just require boiling or simmering to prepare the food. It is actually less expensive than commercial pet food and far more nutritious. The recipes are taken from the book "The Whole Pet Diet" by Andie Brown, founder of Halo Purely for Pets.

www.halopets.com/resources/homemade-pet-food-recipes/homemade-cat-food-recipes-html

Michelle Viggiano Scottsdale and Phoenix plant based carpet and air ducts http://www.healthyhomeaz.com

Who Shares 98% Of Our DNA And Is Not A Chimpanzee? ~ The Last Of The Epicureans

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 03:23:31 -0500

Bonobos ~ The Last Of The Epicureans ~ The Rarest Of the Great Apes ~ Around the year 300 B.C. Epicurus founded a school of philosophy in Athens. His followers were called Epicureans and they all lived together in a garden. The story goes like this, above the entrance to the garden there was a notice saying "Stranger, here you will live well. Here pleasure is the highest good." But before you jump to broad ranging hedonistic conclusions, Epicurus always stressed that the pleasurable results of any action must always be weighed against its possible consequences. Bonobos have heeded this theory of mind quite profoundly while forming the fabric of their society. They make pleasure calculations like no other.

The garden of the Bonobos is the Congo forest. They dwell only here in the equatorial forests of central Africa. Bonobos are found in just one country, the Democratic Republic of Congo which was formerly known as Zaire. They were the last discovered of the great apes by non-indigenous people of Africa and were classified in 1933 at a Belgian museum via a skull which was classified as Pan Paniscus.

Some say that bonobos are the most like humans, without actually being human. They are in grave danger. Trying to survive in a war torn country where carnage has been the norm for over a decade, a country where poaching is practiced by many and since bonobos are susceptible to viruses and even the human flu, their numbers are dwindling rapidly. Daily. If you had a town meeting and invited all the bonobos to attend you would most likely have lots of extra seating, as even if they all RSVP'd many would have met their demise after the confirmation was received and before the event was held. They are sold for $60,000 US on the black market for pets and on the other end of the spectrum they are killed for bush meat. Bonobos shun violence and avoid eating meat. They do not aggressively hunt other mammals and enjoy many of the same pleasures and outings that humans do.

But let's get back to the garden ~ there is a magic garden within the larger garden of the bonobos, a sanctuary called Lola Ya Bonobo ~ founded by Claudine Andre in 1994. Lola Ya Bonobo translates to "paradise for bonobos" in Lingala , the primary language of Kinshasa. "Friends of the Bonobo" is a US group of supporters who donate to help the 60 or so bonobos who live in 30 hectares of primary forest. There is an estimated 5000 bonobos in all of the Congo, but these numbers are also dwindling at even a quicker rate. The sanctuary can not continue to house and feed bonobo orphans and ill bonobos without your help. Sadly, one of the great apes, the one most like us is the rarest and the most unknown to the rest of the world. Some of the indigenous people in the Congo state that the bonobo is striving to be human, striving to survive and trying to reach out.

Here are some curious and wonderful facts about Bonobos

•· Some bonobos in captivity have learned to use human language, not signing. They are extremely intelligent and compassionate and communicate via a keyboard. Here is an NPR link that tells the story of Kanzi and Panpaanisha http://ww.npr.org/templates/story/story.phP?storyld+5503685

•· In contrast to male dominated war-like chimpanzees, bonobo society is peaceful, and matriarchal

•· Females rank the highest and they form strong bonds and alliances to further cement their hierarchy

•· Bonobos unlike chimpanzees do not aggressively hunt other mammals

•· Indigenous people of the Congo Basin and bonobos eat many of the same foods except for game

•· Make Love Not War is their commonly known credo. Bonobos are considered the hippies of the animal world. They are considered pan-sexual and often share food before having sex after a meet and greet. A bonobo version of a dinner date with a romantic conclusion. In their society, they apparently use sexuality in order to maintain peaceful and cooperative relations.

•· Female Bonobos unlike their chimpanzee counterparts have the right to refuse the advances of an interested male

•· Bonobos have more physical characteristic of humans than any other ape - pinkish lips and females have mammary glands similar to humans, they have a cute middle part in their hairdo, these are just some examples. Their natural average life span is around 50 to 55 years, but that is in a perfect world.

•· Bonobo travel single file on two feet more easily and for a longer period of time than other apes, when not moving swiftly through the trees. When traveling a distance they walk in single file behind each other.

Epicurus also believed that a pleasurable result in the short term must be weighed against the possibility of a greater, more lasting, or more intense pleasure in the long term. Please help bonobos create a lasting garden existence and maintain their peaceful and loving presence in a jungle that offers little to support such gentility and a unique spirit of cooperation. Please pass on the story of their plight and if possible donate to Friends Of Bonobos http://www.friendsofbonobos.org Also if you purchase any of these items from the Friends of Bonobos website or at CafePress http://www.cafepress.com/Bonobofriends. the proceeds directly go to Friends of the Bonobos.

Family photo from Friends of Bonobos.org All other photos from Cafe Press/Bonobo Friends

Michelle Viggiano Phoenix & Scottsdale Plant Based Carpet, Upholstery and Air Duct Green Cleaning http://www.healthyhomeaz.com

Bonobos

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 01:57:05 -0500

This is an important post by janeAnne, founder of the Eco`All` Stars group. It has slso inpired me to write an additional blog about them as well.

Via Asheville's "GREEN "Property Consultants- LAND & Fine Homes :

"...Bonobos do NOT kill each other. The females are in charge of the group and they seem to keep everyone's temper under control ..... It doesn't matter how old you are, or if you're male or female - ..."



This morning I got an email that stopped me in my tracks . It was from someone I hold in very high regard, Sara Gruen    Sara is the best-selling author of Water for Elephants ..I imagine many of you have read it...

We met her during the course of a real estate transaction which happily landed Sara and her husband Bob and three incredible boys just down the road from us here in Asheville.

...As I read the email, I recalled a conversation I'd had with Sara about face-to-face research she had done for her upcoming novel. It was with the Bonobos .  She told me how she had quickly developed a love for the Bonobo. Knowing how intelligent and family-oriented they are, Sara had taken along a photo of her three boys to show one of the mothers... when she told me what happened as a result, I felt tears of compassion well up in my eyes...OK..you might think I am just an old softie (which I will admit to) but

I bet that if YOU take a minute or two to visit http://www.friendsofbonobos.org you'll see why...

NOW...back to Sara's SOS...She wrote, " If any of you have blogs or email lists and can pass this along, I'd be eternally grateful. The Lola Ya Bonobo in the Congo is the only sanctuary in the world for bonobos, the most critically endangered great ape in the world. The Lola Ya takes in orphaned babies (usually victims of the bush meat trade), raises them, and reintroduces them into the jungle when they are ready. Their population of 64 to 66 has been devastated by a human flu over the last couple of weeks that has carried off 6 babies and infected at least ten others.

I am heartsick. If you've been to my Web site www.saragruen.com the baby shown holding my book on my flash page died last week. If you can help....--I and the bonobo babies personally thank you. I've donated as much as I can. I know the economy is in the tank, and if you can't donate financially...PLEASE help spread the word ..... If you can help, I thank you a million times. I mean it. THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart. "

GO HERE TO HELP OUT and please let me know what you think...

~ True Confessions Of An Eco- Entrepreneur ~ Mansions Of Thought ~ Green Or Is That Just Celadon

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:02:00 -0500

What makes a mansion a mansion? Merely the immense square footage and luxurious accouterments? What makes a house green? The state of omission of offending materials and a promise of sustainability? Can they co-exist? Can you be earth friendly and not be embarrassed by your riches displayed in such a fashion? I am completely at odds with this. And I shouldn't be as I have an interior design firm that caters to very wealthy people who often have 10,000 square foot houses and want quarried, quarried and more quarried materials.

I have been an interior designer for about 25 years and yes, this is one of my confessions in - True Confessions of An Eco-Entrepreneur, I too love quarried materials. Am actually over the top about them, even the most exploited kinds. Huge slabs of ammonites on the matrix shaved down to create smooth even surfaces for table tops or shower walls. I have been know to purchase half-cut and polished ammonites, the kind with small leaf fossils impressions on the iridescent layers to create an extra dimension and use those as cabochons in showers on top of limestone or Sahara gold marble for children's bathrooms. I used to use branches of reindeer coral or fan coral under 1 1/2" thick glass for counter tops in powder rooms. Large Fish or Lilly Pad Fossil plates/matrix as back-splashes behind stove tops in rustic homes where people rarely cooked, The list goes on and on and it is an appalling confession. And I can't stop there.

Sometimes after visiting a client and I go to pick up something at an eco-responsible supplier for my Scottsdale carpet and air duct cleaning company and I forget which purse I am carrying until I take my wallet out - and all of a sudden the crocodile purse ( purchased years ago) I am sporting becomes as welcome as a rabid, wild, loose anaconda in the place. I could go on, but will stop here as these have been painful enough for all concerned. Believe me, I have been just as embarrassed by my proclivities as I am proud of my other two earnestly eco-friendly businesses. I strive to be part of the local green community, even though they sometimes aren't quite sure of how to frame it. I usually just try to excuse myself and say "two out of three isn't a bad ratio..."

So. how does one perhaps create a green mansion? One has to look back to the basics, possibly the materials of the third world. I know it is a strange voyage, but look at the vast and gorgeous homes in Marrakesh, they are quite green and sustainable as they are utilizing mud, adobe, if you will, clay tiles, clay ceramics, wind tunnels for cooling. Majestically utilizing sustainable materials for their building and surface materials and one of their main energy requirements. If you go inside those homes, they are luxurious beyond belief. Luxurious homes in India, slightly different materials, more gypsum, but same principals, but they do use a little more quarried materials, as let's face it they are rich in minerals, colored stones and those type of jewel like materials. Japan and Thailand, carved teak and tortiose shelled bamboo, you get the picture. Older rustic homes in San Miguel De Allende, same principals just tweaked. So the mansions of the the third and second worlds in all their splendor are greener than ours in the first world. In spite of, or due to all our sophisticated technology. Humble materials gloriously fashioned, what a lesson to be learned.

Michelle Viggiano Phoenix & Scottsdale Four Winds Healthy Home Carpet and Air Duct Cleaning www.healthyhomeaz.com

~ The Ultimate Challenge ~ To See With Spring Fresh Eyes ~

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 03:34:34 -0500

When I was a young child anything that was of an exotic, or to be more exact, of a Middle Eastern origin terrified me. Even, or should I say especially music of an Arab genre in a cartoon, which surprisingly there is quite a bit of, imparted a sense of entrapment and dread beyond reason. A glimpse of Middle Eastern script on a coffee label or signage left me running for safety with sweaty palms and dilated pupils. Now this is from a child that grew up in Los Angeles who at the age of seven rode public transportation buses throughout the vast city, just for fun without anyone knowing. So fearful and retiring, I wasn't.

This singular fear based behavior became a huge joke in my European born, well traveled family. One because I was the only member on both sides of my parents to be born in the US and the only sibling in the family that was born here. So you can imagine the xenophobic jokes, the past life jokes, the "you've got to hand it to her, she really reached to find a unique angle to get attention" jokes. And yes, for Halloween they all thought it was so funny to get me a belly dancing costume or some annoying get up that smacked of the dreaded region.

My mother being French and my father being Italian thought there must be some deranged gene in the opposing family lineage that brought on this absurd perception. But no luck, no breakthrough until I opened my eyes to some of the greatest art in the world. In my mother's wisdom, she brought me to a Spring celebration at her colleague's home. Of course it was a Persian Spring Celebration - Noruz - how was I to know to flee before the door opened?

I didn't have time, and in my family, no drama in public, under any circumstance, period, full stop. So I entered the house on top of the Hollywood Hills, with a view of the city. It was a gorgeous home with vast walls filled with exquisite contemporary art and huge wondrous Oriental rugs on honey colored stone floors. For the Noruz celebration which literally translates to "New Day", there was a large green colored marble table filled with beautiful objects that were symbolic for the occasion. Pots of hyacinth, a mother of pearl mirror, a stunning pair of candlesticks, pomegranates, honey almonds, gold fish in a hand blown bowl, ancient gold coins, etc graced the table on a hand embroidered cloth of gold and cerise.

I was starting to feel queasy as there was music playing, but the compelling visuals and the flowing good will from everyone somewhat quelled it. But I was distracted and stunned by the fresh splendor of it all and for the first time, my rather unusual family seemed quite staid in comparison. So, my eyes were opened with spring freshness on the day the sun is directly over the equator and the north and south poles of the earth lie along the solar terminator. This is when sunlight is evenly divided between the north and south hemispheres and I too became aligned with the spirit of spring.

Michelle Viggiano Phoenix & Scottsdale Four Winds Healthy Home Carpet & Air Duct Cleaning www.healthyhomeaz.com

~ Is This An Oxymoron or Do I Have To Alter My Perpceptions Once Again ~ Green Mansion With An Ocean View Floor ~

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:00:42 -0500

Acqua Lianna is one of the first green "triple certified" 15,000 square foot mansions. It has an ocean view floor and also boasts many sustainable features that are considered eco-responsible and energy efficient. However the size and several other characteristics go against my mind set of "green"

It is a post by "Groovy Green" - one of the links I love and feature on my business website healthyhomeaz.com Here it is if you care to be shocked and confused:

http://www.groovygreen.com/groove/?p=3690

Michelle Viggiano Phoenix & Scottsdale Four Winds Healthy Home Carpet & Air Duct Cleaning http://www.healthyhomeaz.com

Book Crossings ~ Share Your Love Of Books With Others Via A Simple Treasure Map

Sat, 21 Mar 2009 16:09:04 -0500

Deb Hurt posted a blog about Book Crossings, a global book exchange that brings people together via the world of books. You can post and leave books in an area so others can find the books. You can if you like, even track where the book(s) were sent and who is re-sharing them. You can also search and request by author, subject matter, etc. People are doing this by the hundreds of thousands in other countries as well as here in the United States. At the moment there have been over 9,896 books placed just in America in the last three (3) days in this fashion! Next time I take a trip here or overseas, I am going to place one of my favorite books in each city I visit. It is a wonderful concept capturing the spirit of generosity that the love of books imparts to those that are enraptured by the printed word. Cheers to Deb for bringing this to our attention.

Via Deb Hurt, ABR, e-Pro, EcoBroker, TRC (Envirian of Albuquerque):

In these times all of us are looking for ways to save money. I have noticed that there are many of us who love books and reading can be an inexpensive pastime. For those with children it can be a great way to educate as well as to spend quality family time. Obviously, it is a great way to lean things that will help us be successful in business.

I will cofess to being great freinds with the USPS and Amazon.com. I always try to order used books for the recyling valu as well as the cost savings. The mail is going to get delivered anyway so I don't obsess about the energy used to get the book from the seller to me. However, perhaps the most interesting and fun way to feed my book addiction is bookcrossing.

BOOKCROSSING n. the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise. (added to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary in August 2004)

Book Crossingsis a big enough deal to have wound up as a word in the Oxford English Dictionary. If you are looking for a particular tome you can ask for it and someone may send it to you or tell you where they left it. One of the moat fun things is that you can give your book a number and post on the website where you left it or who you sent it to, then track it's travels around the globe. What a great way to have your child study geography!

This is a huge community. In fact, over 750,000 people in 130 countries are participating in this book exchange. There is also an author exchange for all you aspiring writers out there! You can use one of their bookmarks to label your book --or make your own--who knows what business you could generate if your information was on the label in the book?

Ensure A Sense Of Well Being Beyond The Clean ~ Create A Luxurious Green Cleaning Kit ~ To Give Or To Keep ~

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:29:35 -0500

Creating a luxurious green cleaning kit is an exquisite change from conventional products where the only sense of well being comes from, well, having a clean environment. Or so one thinks... Generally, household cleaning with chemicals is quite an oxymoron. Think about it, cleaning while leaving chemical toxins behind, cleaning while obnoxious odors linger, cleaning while leaving build up and residue from the hardy strata of waxes, cleansers and gel like formulas. You may or may not see them with the naked eye, but they are there - as part of their working methodology is to create a chemical barrier.

The green cleaning kit featured here creates a sense of well being beyond the clean as it is non-toxic to children and pets as well as individuals with allergies or sensitive immune systems. The properties of the included essential oils ensures a boost of sanitizing power, a lift of the spirits and a luxurious aroma for a fraction of the price of purchased equivalents.

Vinegar, while it is not suitable for use on all surfaces, has been shown to have quite an impressive impact on eliminating viruses and bacteria on surfaces - "an astounding 80- 99% kill rate". Do not use vinegar on sealed and polished stone surfaces as it will break down the luster and seal. Better to use microfiber mops and cloths for that task.

The luxurious green kit that follows is one that I have given on various occasions. I also include a gift certificate for a service that would be appreciated. Whether it is for a window cleaning service, or an awning cleaning service, of course in my case, I can easily include a carpet, upholstery, air duct or dryer vent cleaning service. But sometimes depending on the need, I try to go out of my sphere, as it is a wonderful gesture to support your colleagues, for then it become a gift that radiates good will en masse.

When giving the basket, it is a nice and encouraging gesture to create attractive labels for each of the bottles with the Name of the Solution and all the ingredients should be listed recipe style. A Beautiful Fabric Ribbon tied around the handle of the basket with a few sprigs of lavender or whatever is fresh and gorgeous makes an elegant finishing touch for this luxurious green cleaning basket.

~ How To Make A Luxurious Green Cleaning Kit ~

Supplies

A compartmentalized woven or molded basket
3 Spray Bottles with the easy on the hand trigger
2 Glass Jars with wide mouths preferably like the canning or storage type with the rubber seals and the fold over locking mechanism
Baking Soda
White Distilled Vinegar
Vegetable Glycerin, naturally extends shelf life for the creamy cleanser
Tea Tree Oil
Plant Based Liquid detergent from BioKleen or any eco-friendly favorites
Essential Oils such as Lavender, Grapefruit, Mint, Geranium, Thyme, Rosemary, Citrus of your liking
Pure Vanilla Extract
Microfiber Cloths
Brush
Microfiber Squeegee
For the Air Fresher distilled water is required

General Use Spray Cleaner

2 cups hot water
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda or washing soda
2 tablespoons of eco-friendly liquid soap
2 teaspoons of tea tree oil
2 teaspoons of lavender essential oil or any of the above combinations
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle

Window Cleaner

2 cups water
1/2 cup vinegar
2 or 3 small drops of eco-friendly liquid detergent
2 teaspoons of Lavender essential oil
2 teaspoons of Rosemary essential oil
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle

Furniture Polish

1 teaspoon of almond oil (olive oil will go rancid)
1/2 cup of vinegar or fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lavender essential oil (citrus oils are not really desirable for this one)
Mix the ingredients in a glass jar with tight fitting lid. Use sparingly on a soft cloth and wipe very well

Cream Cleanser

1 cup baking soda
2 teaspoons of vegetable glycerin
2 teaspoons of grapefruit essential oil
2 teaspoons of mint essential oil or any of the above combinations
Add 1/4 cup or so of eco-friendly liquid detergent while whisking mixture into a mouse like texture
Mix the ingredients in a bowl and scoop into a tight fitting glass jar

Air Fresher

1/4 cup baking soda
distilled water - fill to the top of the bottle
8 - 10 drops of pure vanilla extract, you can also use other pure extracts of your choice
Mix the ingredients in a plastic spray bottle

A few of my favorite sources for this kit are:

http://www.casabella.com/microfiber-cleaning.html

http://www.originalswissaromatics.com

http://www.picnic-basket.com/Tivoli-Market-Basket_P_2014.html

The basket pictured is the Tivoli Market Basket

Michelle Viggiano of Phoenix & Scottsdale, Four Winds Health Home Carpet and Air Duct Cleaning http://www.healthyhomeaz.com

"Better To Light A Candle Than Curse The Darkness" ~ Ghandi

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 01:51:01 -0500

I just visited the "Build It Green" expo in Phoenix today as an esteemed friend and associate had a booth at the venue. He has an eco-repsonsible home improvement store with an architectural division attached to it. He also offers LEED certification classes among others for professionals and non-professional alike in various best practices. While speaking with him, he mentioned sadly how much greenwashing was going on with many of the exhibitors. His was a tone that was lamentable but not bitter.

I noted this ruefully as lately I have read so many blogs and comments on this site that are scathing about green businesses and the Green Movement at large. Statements ranging from "...the Green Movement is a plot by our enemies, known and unknown, to destroy the economy of the United States" to "...green businesses are only interested in green of another sort.." But these declarations were angry, quite absolute and the volume of them was staggering to me. And it made me wonder how individuals who have not ventured into the personal up close economics of greeness could be so sarcastic and furious. What have they ventured and lost? Please don't tell me their innocence.

My friend, has a post graduate degree and could make a very fine living not being attached to anything related to greeness if he chose. Yes, he makes quite a bit less money but it is a choice due to his convictions. I have three companies and while two of them are eco-responsible one is all about luxury, quarried materials and mostly catering to the excesses of wealth. Yes, that is my confession in True Confessions of an Eco-Entrepreneur... For the first 7 years of one of my green companies, my accountant asked why I continue on at this appalling rate. But let's stay on track about the dissatisfaction with all things green by individuals who have not staked any claim financially or otherwise in this realm.

The reality is - for small business that are truly ecologically green, their revenue is smaller that the mainstream companies that are doing the exact same tasks. I know this. I don't just think I do. The large companies that are slapping on green labels that they don't want you to read too closely, they are making the lions share of dubious green profits. These are the same companies that perhaps, these angry detractors are quite loyal to. The giants, - Clorox, Unilever, & Johnson, yes, what we all used to know as the S & P 100, they are the ones that are duping the public en masse. Is that shade of green OK because the company has framed itself permanently as a traditional enterprise?

By the way, the answer to my accountant regarding that question about constantly subsidizing a fledgling company was this: the strength and longevity of your personal convictions lies within you and radiates outwardly - not the other way around. I now feel the sharpness of that double edged sword.

Michelle Viggiano Phoenix & Scottsdale Four Winds Healthy Home Carpet and Air Duct Cleaning www.healthyhomeaz.com

L'Amour ~ L'Amour ~ Why Couldn't We Just Keep Our Chemical Romance Alive

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:47:01 -0500

Scarlet and Rhett, Anthony and Cleopatra, Henry and Anne of a Thousand Days, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, are all diminutive in stature next to the greatest chemical romance in history ~ DDT and Montrose. Yes, I too was surprised at the lack of name recognition from the second half of the famous couple. However, for name dropping sake, Du Pont once was romantically linked with Miss D, but ditched her, for shall we say, a more financially secure partner. She came through for CIBA and a few others, but a less flashy sort, in, of all places, Southern California, was the one for her. Montrose Chemical Company soon became the world's largest producer of DDT. As with all stellar celebrity couples, there is still talk of the break up and finger pointing at whose to blame.

Some say it was purely politics, some say as they always do, The New York Times was to blame. In 1957, the NY Times ran an article advocating the restriction of DDT spraying in Nassau County. Shortly after, an editor at The New Yorker requested the biologist, Rachel Carson, to write about the suspected dangers of DDT. That request spawned one of the most influential books of the ecology movement ~ Silent Spring. But many others have thrown their hats into the arena from all sides. There were even professorial types devoted to the longevity of the famous couple. A professor at Arizona State University drank DDT daily to show it had no ill effects. Now that's a committed relationship...yet, presently, no one knows where he is.

Some have called Miss Carson a mass murderer. However she was mainly pointing out the folly of indiscriminate mass agricultural spraying and its detrimental effects on American wildlife and human health due to that frenzied practice. Today, the use of DDT for vector control is still in effect in some countries; primarily by a reduced method of indoor residual spraying or coating of interior walls, especially in India. Presently, the largest producers of DDT are China, North Korea and India. And surprisingly, at least to me, many here in the US are dying to get their hands on some of it. And not all of it is due to West Nile, Avian or any of that. Farmers are once again lamenting the 1972 ban as they need bigger and better yields on their crops to compete and pests are part of the problem. As an omnivore, this is a bit unsettling, to say the least.

There is one fact that all agree on ~ DDT and its offspring DDE and DDD all stay in the soil for about 75 years. So therefore we still have some of that heady cocktail infusion in our food and water chains. Even though the agricultural ban on DDT took place in 1972, twenty-seven years after its introduction in 1945. Here are some fairly recent alarming test results. I for one am not toasting to the comeback of DDT or the following: In 2002, the CDC found detectable levels of DDT in 50% of all blood samples tested by the agency. Later in 2005, while testing commercially produced milk, 85% had detectable levels of DDE, the breakdown product of DDT. If one consumes gourmet food products from other countries which still use DDT, the levels found in those food products would certainly be much higher. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, the dangers of DDT are still lurking well within your personal grasp.

Michelle Viggiano Phoenix & Scottsdale Four Winds Healthy Home Green Carpet and Air Duct Cleaning www.healthyhomeaz.com

Microfiber ~ The Cornerstone Of Green Cleaning ~ It Just Goes To Show You That You Can Be A Rebel And An Outcast And Still Come Out Shining For The Cause ~ How To Brand It Your Own ~

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:43:01 -0600

Ironic isn't it that a synthetic cloth of non-eco-responsible fibers is one of the pillars of the green community. It just goes to show you that you can be a rebel or an outcast and still come out shining for the cause. So what is this darling of the greens, microfiber, actually all about. In a nutshell it is a polyester/polyamide cloth that can hold 7 times its weight in water, yet performs best when using little water - just a bit of dampness is all it actually requires to outperform scouring pads. Another contradiction, but we will get to that later. The woven fibers are quite thin, less than 1 denier per filament. Denier is a unit of measurement of linear density or simply put a measure of fiber fineness. The smaller the number, the finer the filament. A typical description of these filaments is that they are 100 times finer than human hair. Microfiber for all of its seemingly wimpy characteristics - exquisite drapability, exceptional softness, supreme thinness, and all that talk about holding its shape well, is, in fact, an insideously fierce cleaning machine.

Hospitals are its champion, as are commercial cleaners and other rough sorts. Several studies have shown that microfiber textiles clean on a nanno-scale compared to conventional cloths. When it comes to reducing the number of bacteria on a surface, the ratio is quite astounding - micofiber reduces it by 99% while conventional cleaning cloths reduce bacteria by only 33%. The reason for this is the inherent quality of the woven fibers, they have the capacity to create a vacuum like suction and retain the moisture it absorbs. It cleans but does not disinfect so the use of disinfectants are still necessary. The eco-friendly component of using microfiber for cleaning purposes really comes by a state of omission - it performs better with less water, it works best without cleaning fluids, it can be used 3000 times before it loses it's capabilities, it doesn't like to be dried in the dryer and so on.

So we understand its singular attitude but like all stars it has its "care should be exercised" clause. That applies when cleaning sensitive surfaces such as any high-tech coated surface or LED and plasma screens. Due to the microfiber cloth's ability to pick up gritty particles like lint and oils, these particulates, can then in turn be transferred onto these non-hardy surfaces. So to minimize the risk of scratching or otherwise defacing such surfaces, use a flatter, or what they call a non-rugged microfiber cloth, as this type is less prone to attract and entrap small grains of offending material. However, microfiber cloths are considered superior to use on these so called sensitive surfaces than conventional clothes and to prove that Canon and Nike use them to clean lenses, etc.

Ultrasuede, which burst on the scene in the swinging 70's was the precursor to current microfiber. Microfiber had a popular run in Europe for over a decade before coming Stateside. The first time I spotted microfiber was in the early 90's. I was working overseas and everyone was using it to detail their cars. My ex-husband handed me a few after using them and asked if I would these wash these microfiber cloths without any other cottons (for fear of attracting lint), no fabric softener (to avoid clogging the suction like abilities), no bleach (disintegrates the integrity of the weave) and do not put them in the dryer (further avoidance of lint and static). It was obvious to me even back then, that this cloth must be something special, as he was taking better care of it than my lingerie or finer clothing when he occasionally did the laundry. So I, for one, was not surprised to see it rise to such glowing heights.

Michelle Viggiano Phoenix & Scottsdale Four Winds Healthy Home Carpet & Air Duct Cleaning www.healthyhomeaz.com

Now, here is how you can brand it your own. Microfiber Tech, a wholesaler is offering printing on microfiber towels with any .tiff or .jpg image on it for $1.36 each. If you sign up for their newsletter you get 5% off on your order. Printing on this textile will not ruin the integrity and cleaning ability of the towel in the printed area, unlike screen printing or embroidery. I have read on Active Rain quite a few blogs where EcoBrokers and Realtors are giving away green cleaning baskets as closing gifts. Now you can add your personal imprint along with your good intentions. I will be placing my order next week, so if anyone would like to know what I think of them before ordering, please feel free to contact me. http://www.microfibertech.com

http://sustainablehospitals.org/PDF/tenreasonsmop.pdf

http://www.ucdms.ucdavis.edu/newsroom/releases/archives/other/2--6maps62006html

Green Beatitudes ~ What I Would Say If I Were Speaking Last

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 16:53:12 -0600

A few days ago a friend of mine was preparing a speech for an Interior Design industry function and asked me what I would say if I were speaking about being green. There were other speakers before her, architects and builders and she would be the last to speak. I put myself in that position and can only imagine how the audience at that point would be exhausted with data, tired of fear inducing talk about chemicals, bored with the same rhetoric in general. So I told her I would just say the following:

Be Grateful ~ when you are in a state of being grateful it is quite difficult to be wasteful.

Be Aware ~ of the needs of others. When you are cognizant of the many individuals that are in a state of need, it is unthinkable to dispose or hoard items rather than donate what could be life supporting to others.

Be Protective ~ when your treat the earth like family or a friend you are mindful of not wanting to harm it's well being with disregard.

Be Vigilant~ open your eyes and your mind to new ways of doing old things in a more eco-responsible fashion.

Be Generous ~ volunteer your time to an environmental cause that embodies a solution to a problem that you can relate to.

Be Nurturing ~ plant a tree, plant a green seed in a child's mind, plant good will in general.

Be Proactive ~ ask your grocer, your home supply store, your office, etc to obtain merchandise and supplies that are less toxic and safer for everyone. Ask repeatedly if necessary.

Be Joyous ~ operating in a joyful state does less harm, protects your immune system and that of others, induces optimism and attracts a kinder attitude in general, I can't think of anything greener than that.

Michelle Viggiano Phoenix & Scottsdale Four Winds Healthy Home Carpet and Air Duct Cleaning www.healthyhomeaz.com

What Is The Use Of A House If You Haven't Got a Tolerable Planet to Put It On? ~ Henry David Thoreau

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 22:21:44 -0600

Well said, Mr. Thoreau. There is no shortage of green wisdom out there. The funny thing is that it started thousands and thousands of years ago and we are still grappling with it today. Here are some of my favorites:

Opie, you haven't finished your milk. We can't put it back in the cow, you know. ~ Aunt Bee Taylor, The Andy Griffith Show

We say we love flowers, yet we pluck them. We say we love trees, yet we cut them down. And people still wonder why some are afraid when told they are loved. ~ Author Unknown

I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait 'til oil and coal run out before we tackle that. ~ Thomas Edison

There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew. ~ Marshall McLuhan, 1964

As we watch the sun go down, evening after evening, through the smog across the poisoned waters of our native earth, we must ask ourselves seriously whether we really wish some future universal historian on another planet to say about us: "With all their genius and with all their skill, they ran out of foresight and air and food and water and ideas," or, "They went on playing politics until their world collapsed around them." ~ U Thant, speech, 1970

For the first time in the history of the world, every human being is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the moment of conception until death. ~ Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, 1962

"If we do not change our direction, we are likely to end up where we are headed" ~ Chinese Proverb

One of the first laws against air pollution came in 1300 when King Edward I decreed the death penalty for burning coal. At least one execution for that offense is recorded. But economics triumphed over health considerations, and air pollution became an appalling problem in England. ~ Glen T. Seaborg, Atomic Energy Commission chairman, speech, Argonne National Laboratory, 1969

Don't blow it - good planets are hard to find. ~ Quoted in Time

This is a beautiful planet and not at all fragile. Earth can withstand significant volcanic eruptions, tectonic cataclysms, and ice ages. But this canny, intelligent, prolific, and extremely self-centered human creature has proven himself capable of more destruction of life than Mother Nature herself....We've got to be stopped. ~ Michael L. Fischer, Harper's July 1990

We are living on this planet as if we had another one to go to. ~ Terri Swearinger

Michelle Viggiano Phoenix & Scottsdale Four Winds Healthy Home Carpet and Air Duct Cleaning www.healthyhomeaz.com

Aromatherapy - Elbow Room For The Spirit

Sat, 14 Feb 2009 17:53:44 -0600

Scent transports us. Many of our most profound memories can be triggered, almost involuntarily, by our sense of smell. While we at Four Winds Healthy Home use plant based solutions exclusively for our green carpet and air duct cleaning, plant based aromatherapy can be quite useful to our well being during these stressful times.

Why are fragrances able to stir us? Memories, as well as scent are stored in the limbic system - sometimes called the old brain. This region belongs to the most primitive part of our brain. Odor stimuli was an essential component of early survival for humans. Now, our frantically paced lives have downplayed the importance of our earliest and most vital sense. Aromatherapy can delightfully revive it.

The practice of naturally distilling botanical material is ancient. The essences are extracted from the petals, barks, resins, rinds, foots, seeds, stalks and stems of certain aromatic plants. Many pounds of plant material are required to produce even a small amount of essential oil It is staggering - five thousand pounds of rose petals produce only one pound of pure rose oil. Essential oils can be used in a variety of ways. We at healthyhomeaz employ highly concentrated grapefruit seed extract, orange peel extract, and tea tree oil for their sanitizing properties. Certain essential oils when blended together interact upon each other and render a more powerful outcome than if used individually.

The following are some formulas that can be used individually or blended to create synergy. One word of caution - do not use essential oils very close to cats, it is harmful to them.

To Induce Optimism - Neroli and Grapefruit together

For A Calming Effect - Lavender, Marjoram, Geranium, Frankincense

For An Energizing Effect - Rosemary, Cypress, Basil, Rose, Juniper

For Muscle Relief - Birch, Thyme, Juniper

For Healing - Roman Chamomile

To Heighten Concentration - Mint, Bergamont, Lemon Verbena, Lime, Lemongrass, Myrtle, Grapefruit

Michelle Viggiano Phoenix & Scottsdale Plant Based Healthy Home Carpet and Air Duct Cleaning http://www.healthyhomeaz.com

Who Knew There Was So Much To Say About Dust ~ Major Culprit for Feline Thyroid Disorder ~ Four Winds Healthy Home Carpet and Air Duct Cleaning

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 20:05:18 -0500

Who knew dust was so complicated.

And why should it be different on that account, than any other constant in our lives. So what exactly is dust and how does it affect us? Does it matter where it lands? Evidently so. The evidence stacks up the claim that the dust that settles on your television is far more dangerous than the dust on the coffee table in the same room.

Apparently dust in outer space is considered far more primitive than dust here on earth. "Who cares" we mutter as we dust on. But in these matters, content is king. According to William Bray on "The Mad Scientist Network, he states "...household dust is composed of primarily things like human's skin and hair, waxes, pollen, mold, fungi lichen, (and in the disco '70;s lots and lots of polyester), foam, rubber,..." He just goes on and on. Where are dust mites on his list? Absent as they and their feces are considered to be a by-product of the dust itself. Dust mites are responsible for allergies, asthma, and other aliments, A Danish dust mite study released in April of 2008 discovered that no product currently on the market has a significant impact on the symptoms described by many patients. In fact, most of these products, even the mattress covers and pillow covers that are mass marketed leave behind allergens and a chemical foot print which further aggravated asthma and causes multiple allergic reaction of their own accord.

However the most dangerous dust in my book is the chemical kind. From asbestos, of course, but also from many common household synthetic chemical compounds such as dyes, cosmetics, furniture, paints, stains, plastics, and even ice cream. TV dust contains flame retardant chemicals which are considered quite harmful in general, and specifically, are believed to be endocrine disrupters. The name for these particular chemicals are called PBDE's in short hand. But more importantly, I now know why the TV always has the most dust - it happens when the flame retardants inherent in the television set components heat up. Many in the scientific community are very concerned when we all switch to digital signals. That technical progression will ensure greater use of flame retardants, and it takes many years for them to dissolve.

If all this wasn't enough, household dust is the major culprit for feline thyroid disease. Cats are constantly grooming themselves and they ingest more of the harmful PBDE's, the flame retardant chemicals that are found in carpets, upholstery, and their very own bedding than we can imagine.

So what can we do now:

Dust and carefully wipe down all surfaces regularly with a damp microfiber cloth. Wash it and reuse. Boring but effective. This is the cornerstone of green cleaning.
Wipe the TV front and back after every prolonged use with a damp microfiber cloth.
Do not use any additional cleaning or polishing agents while dusting. The point it so remove the dust, not create a climate where dust will be attracted to various product residue as well as create chemical off gassing. You will save money as well!
Regularly vacuum your upholstery, draperies, and carpeted areas. Vacuum your mattress every few months. Get it steamed cleaned, front, back and sides every 18 months.
Cover your mattressand pillows with non-chemical fabric covers.
Don't use clay based kitty liter and brush your cat regularly. Consider cutting/shaving your cat's fur once in awhile. Mend any pet bedding that a rip or tear as soon as possible.
Change your AC filters regularly, and get your air ducts cleaned and sanitized with plant based solutions rather than chemical sanitizers.
Open your windows to help remove ongoing out gassing and VOC's from ordinary household chemicals and objects. Yes, it may bring in a bit of that dreaded dust but the pay off is greater in terms of your health and well being.

Michelle Viggiano Phoenix & Scottsdale Four Winds Healthy Home Carpet & AIr Duct Cleaning http://www.healthyhomeaz.com

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