I've always tried to live a healthier way of life, both for my family and for the environment.  Unfortunately, the novelty of making my son's organic baby food wore off after 3 months. It was time consuming and tideous and he would usually end up screaming by the time this working mother could get food grinder out.   I retreated to purchasing organic baby food from the grocery store because I wanted the best for him. 

The  environmental issues we are faced with have never been more significant and making changes can be overwhelming.  Remember everything you put in a drain, whether it be in the tub, the toilet or the sink ends up one day in the ocean and ultimately in our drinking water.  We have to reduce the amount of toxins we are putting in our water.    

My first venture began with aligning myself with a company who would auto-ship products that claimed to be environmentally friendly, unfortunately it was difficult to substantiate many of the claims and after one follower told me she rinsed the family dinner of burnt spaghetti noodles in the floor cleaning product and her family "safely" consumed it, I was determined to find a better way.

I have tried to concoct my own cleaning products.  The typical mix is vinegar and baking soda in various quantities and sometimes a squeeze of lemon juice.  A working woman has multiple challenges with this; a) finding the time to concoct the mixture b) remembering what the recipe is and actually doing it  c) often it isn't as effective as most of the toxic chemicals.  After continually running out of  time,  I fell back into bad habits.

Today, I've made my changes easier to follow through with.  At Kale's in Hawaii Kai I buy Biokleen products.  Oxygen Bleach Plus is safer alternative to bleach that is both Chlorine Free and Color Safe, you can also use it to remove carpet stains.  One 32 oz container serves 32 loads of laundry.  From Safeway I've been using the Planet products, dishwasher detergent, dish soap and laundry soap. These products are certified biodegradable, not  tested on animals and are effective for every day use.  I want to do my part, and using safe, effective products that I can purchase off the shelf have made it easier to change my buying behavior.  Speaking of changes, I encourage everyone to forgo plastic bags. They are an environmental disaster unto themselves.  Bring your own reusable bags, and if you forget your bag... carry your groceries out Costco style, and don't forget to say something to your retailer... they need to make changes too!  Imagine how much better we would be without the waste of plastic in our environment.

Today while waiting for an appointment I noticed a card promoting a company called Styrophobia.  to be honest with you, I have stryophobia and completely got what they stood for.  If you don't know, styrofoam is as bad as plastic.  It also releases toxic gases into your food when it is microwaved and never ever biodegrades.  You can learn more about alternatives to styrofoam at www.styrophobia.com .  I am always interested in improving our planet whether it be through living green or building green.  I'm not excited about the prospect of needing to move to Mars... although they do have water there! ;>