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All homeowners share in their possession of a common collection of standard household products. The products under your sink, in your bathroom, used to wash clothes, stored in your closet, and sitting on your table make up the majority of these staple items. They have been in your home since move-in day and are restocked as needed. But how often, if ever, have you asked yourself about the impact of these everyday products on the environment? Now is the time to start.
Believe it or not, an overwhelming majority of common household products contain harmful ingredients and toxic chemicals. They also share in huge ecological footprints when it comes to manufacturing and disposal. Household waste makes up the majority of landfill contents. While a surplus of eco-friendly, recyclable and biodegradable substitutes exist, purchases of household items have become so habitual that few buyers have ever considered changing their ways.
Our goal: To get you to change! Sit back, read, and relax as we offer you five environmentally sound household products and their undeniably awesome advantages. By the time you’re finished reading, you will be glowing with green-ambition.
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Green Forest Recycled Paper- Green Forest offers economical alternatives for all of your general paper needs. Their paper towels, bathroom tissue, napkins, and facial tissues are all hypo-allergenic, chlorine-free, made from recycled ingredients, recyclable, and economically priced. Green Forest offers the softest of recycled paper products, so you will barely be able to distinguish between the green goods and your traditional paper products. Last but not least, all of Green Forest’s environmental claims are backed by the NRDC; the Natural Resources Defense Council.
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Planet Inc. Laundry Detergent - Planet Inc. specializes in environmentally-friendly cleaning products that are tough on messes and gentle on the environment. Their laundry detergent contains no perfumes, dyes, enzymes, or optical brighteners so it is perfect for even the most sensitive skin types. Its mildness is also perfect for washing baby clothes. Additional benefits include that it is ultra-concentrated, demanding only half of the volume and transportation needs of conventional detergents. It is also highly versatile and can be used with most machines and water temperatures. Their products are biodegradable, not tested on animals, and a fraction of the proceeds goes to the River Network in support of river and watershed restoration.
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Planet Inc. Dishwashing Detergent - This detergent is equally as effective as traditional toxic cleaners, but it contains no ammonia or harsh ingredients. It is so safe that you can use it to clean fruits and vegetables, wash your pets, scrub your car, or even as bubble bath or body wash for yourself. Though it contains no added scents, the detergent has a soft coconut aroma from the coconut oil used in its grime fighting formula. Planet ensures that both of their detergents are alike in their biodegradability, effectiveness, animal-friendliness, recyclability, and omission of allergy-causing ingredients. Also like their laundry detergent, a percentage of Planet’s dishwashing detergent revenues go to the River Network.
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EZ Bagz - Garbage bags are one thing that are nearly impossible to keep out of the landfill at the end of their useful lives. EZ Bagz has designed a way to shorten their time there. These eco-friendly garbage bags are made of non-toxic polymer and are 100% biodegradable. The polymer gives them a strong, puncture resistant barrier so tears and spills are a thing of the past. Also a thing of the past, replacing bags after every use! EZ Bagz award winning design uses layered locked together bags so that you only have to replace them once every twelve take-outs. Once disposed of, EZ Bags immediately begin their decomposing process. The green bags come in a variety of sizes and are competitively priced with their less-sustainable “brown” counterparts.
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Hybrid Solar Flashlight - Sound like an oxymoron? It’s not! Hybrid Solar has created a long-lasting, light-blasting portable flashlight that you can use to illuminate any dark space. The Hybrid Solar uses a solar panel of photovoltaic cells that capture light and convert it into electrical energy. It is ready to go from the second you remove it from the box and will continue to light for 11 years. That’s over 100,000 hours of use! Even a single charge holds for a full 3 years. Just in case, the Hybrid Solar also contains a lithium battery with an additional 50 hours of life so you’ll never be left in the dark. Other product features are that it is super lightweight, durable, resistant to extreme heat or cold, it floats, and is submergible up to 80 feet. Its lifetime guarantee means that you’ll never have to buy batteries again. No batteries promises a payback period in less than a year and a decrease in the three billion batteries contributed to landfills in the U.S. per year.
Now that you have the knowledge and the tools, there is no reason to suppress your green appetite. No more buying harsh cleaners or not-so-EZ garbage bags. With these few swaps, you can contribute to the planet tenfold and you do not need to take out a second mortgage on your house to do it. Mother Nature and your wallet will thank you.
GREENandSAVE.com is a free resource for anyone that wants to save energy, money, and the environment. The articles, product reviews, online tools, and return on investment calculations are researched from a diverse range of public and private sector sources. Overall, the company is passionate about saving money as well as creating healthy homes, offices, and lifestyles.
For more information on how to stay green, check out GREENandSAVE’s tips on leading a Green Lifestyle. Or, for some upgrades to your home, take a look at the Return on Investment Table to best select a Home Remodeling project.