Scented Laundry Booster

I quit using fabric softener or scented detergent a while back. The fabric softener was originally an economic decision. A cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle left my clothes just as soft and static free and cost a heck of a lot less. However, I quit using scented detergent because my skin was just giving me too many problems. It was one of the first steps I took towards my soapmaking adventure! My skin is great, but I just never went back.

I won't lie though, I have missed having clothes that come out of the dryer smelling delicious. I tried a few tricks with putting drops of essential oils on a wash cloth in the dryer, but I wasn't impressed.

I have also been adding a laundry booster to my washes for a while. I made a jar of baking soda and borax and I've been adding that to the laundry. I've seen the DIY laundry soaps and even made my own for a while. However, I've found that toddler clothes and baby diapers needed a little more cleaning power! I mean, you should see the messes that kid can make. If you have your own, you know what I mean.

The last time I was ordering supplies {I promise this all comes together with a purpose} I found a section of odor neutralizing fragrance oils. That piqued my interest, so I headed over to check it out. I found a few that sounded okay, but the orange guava just sounded so wonderful that I had to get it. It was totally worth it too! I love the way it smells. I made it into some tarts for myself :)

{This is where is all comes together} As I was doing a load of laundry, I had an epiphany! I could add that wonderful fragrance to my laundry booster...so I put the load I was starting on hold and ran up stairs to do just that. It definitely made my laundry room smell good, but it didn't really make the clothes smell. Or so I thought! After putting away the clean laundry, I opened my closet and caught the light scent of orange and guava. It doesn't leave my clothes smelling strongly of the fragrance like a fabric softener does, but there is a lingering hint that freshens my closet and the linen closet.

This has opened up so many possibilities! I could do this with any fragrance or essential oil that I want to. It so cheap to make the laundry booster itself, that I could make multiple jars (I keep mine in mason jars) and scent them all differently!

To make it, all I did was fill a jar half full of baking soda, added the fragrance (I did about 5% fo), then added the borax, put the lid on and shook the heck out of it! It probably would have made more sense to put it in a bowl and whisk it together to get rid of clumps, but the shaking was effective, if inefficient!

Do you have any fun ways to add scents to your home?

DIY Sunscreen or DDIY?

During my summer markets, I am constantly being asked if I make sunscreen. I have to explain over and over again why I don't make sunscreen for sale. I don't even make it for personal use.

I have explained that while I could do the research and figure out the exact amounts of certain minerals that you are supposed to use for a specific SPF and make it just like it says. I could even throw a bit more in the mix, just to be sure. However, sunscreens are regulated by the FDA as a drug and actually require testing to show how effective they are and to give the true SPF value.

I know plenty of people have their own feelings about the FDA, but there is good reason for this. Sunscreens are used to help prevent serious skin damage and cancers caused by the sun. Do you really want to use a sunscreen that SHOULD be effective? Or does using one that has been proven to be effective seem like a better idea?

When I explain this, I have some people that nod like I've helped them understand why it isn't a good idea to make sunscreen without testing; however, plenty walk away shaking their heads like I'm crazy. I'm sure there are micro-business owners like myself that do make and sell untested sunscreen, but for me and my family, DIY sunscreen is a big DDIY (DON'T DO IT YOURSELF)!

Interestingly, I was reading the Soap Queen blog and Anne-Marie did an interview with Amanda of Realize Beauty in which she discusses sunscreen testing and her interest in it. I would have eventually looked up her company, but this section led me to look up Realize Beauty right away and start browsing. I found a post about making your own sunscreen and found exactly what I'd been trying to explain!

DIY sunscreen sounds great! You could save money, control the ingredients that go in, use only the freshest ingredients, and no longer have to depend on some large company to do what you are perfectly capable of. However, there are way too many downsides to this DIY project to make it worth it. This is one of those things that should be left to the companies with the know-how and resources to make sure it is done right.

Laundry Soap

I've been thinking about making my own laundry soap for a while. I keep planning to make a batch of soap just to shred up and use in the laundry. Well, that just hasn't happened. But, I did find a box of soap the other day. I have no idea what kind of soap it is or why I stuck it in a box. It doesn't smell anymore (if it ever did). It doesn't have any orange spots. I used some and it was lye heavy. So, why was it stuck in a box? I have no idea!

Still Using 'Em

I have been using cloth diapers (read about the reasons I choose them here) for almost 9 months now and you know what...I still love them! I had A LOT of people tell me that I would get tired of all the washing or that once he started on solid foods, I would want to just throw the nastiness in the trash. I will admit there have been times when I did want to just trash the diaper (who knew something so small and cute could produce such a vile stench), but overall I can deal with it. As for the laundry, we worked out a system and it isn't a problem. We have had to start combating diaper pail stinkies, but I came up with a solution for that too. I purchased an odor neutralizing fragrance and made a pail deodorizer out of baking soda and borax. You do have to do an extra rinse cycle (or use less detergent), but it works well. Plus, with sunny days, hanging them out on the line works wonders.

One thing that excited me so much was when someone opened an actual store for cloth diapers here in The Springs. The diapers aren't really cheap to begin with and when you add shipping, it can get ridiculous. The Cloth Diaper Market is awesome and I love their Rocky Mountain Diapers because they have the cutest colors and patterns and I like the overall design. Plus, I'm supporting another small business owner, not a large corporation!

I love cloth diapering so much that I even created products designed for parents that have chosen to cloth diaper. I have a cloth diaper safe balm, a cornstarch based powder, and a wash for getting that tiny heinie clean! They will be added to the website soon, so "like" Honu Naturals on Facebook or sign up for our newsletter to get the latest information!

Too Much "All Natural"

This morning I pulled out my carton of eggs to make a tasty breakfast of scrambled eggs and biscuits and I noticed the carton was labeled "All Natural." I just sat there for a second thinking "Really, they really feel the need to label EGGS as 'all natural?'" I understand when they are labeled "organic" or "free-range," but do we really need it pointed out to us that eggs are natural.

I mean, they are still in the shells! It wasn't a carton of the processed egg whites. How could they be anything but all natural? Maybe they don't come from real chickens? As far as I know, the technology does not yet exist to make eggs in a lab. Or in a replicator. I would think that we could assume that the eggs came from real chickens, kinda like cow's milk comes from real cows.

At some point I think companies are insulting our intelligence. They want to increase sales and we all know that there is a huge movement by consumers to buy more natural products with fewer "chemicals" (that is a completely different post, so don't even get me started on that). BUT, labeling a carton of eggs as "all natural" is just....I don't know what word would work here, but it bothers me. There are times I chose to go with products that are "natural," but that's when I buy lotion or shampoo!

GRRRR!


Have you seen anything labeled "All Natural" that just made you think "Well, duh!"

Cloth Diapers

When I found out I was pregnant we talked about all the things we wanted to do for our little one. One of the things discussed was our options for diapers. Did we want to do disposables or explore cloth diapers? We got started researching cloth diapering and decided that we wanted to give it a try. Of course, there were plenty of people that considered up crazy.

We had many reasons that we wanted to try cloth diapers. The most obvious reason was to avoid all that waste and I understand that we use more water and energy doing more laundry, but it is still something I wanted to do. The second reason was the cost. I know there are all sorts of articles published about how much we spend on babies and diapers are a huge part of that cost. A jumbo pack costs $20 and lasts a little less than two weeks! We spent $200 on a pail liner, sprayer (gotta clean the poop off), cloth wipes, and one size diapers. We have enough diapers to get us through 3 days, which is plenty because you are supposed to wash them every 3 days.

The diapers we chose are one size diapers, so they are designed to expand (using snaps in the front) as he grows. We have a few pocket diapers for night time use (you want easy at 2 am), but the rest are just covers and we change out the insert when it gets dirty. You just spray the poop into the toilet and toss the insert or diaper into the pail. A little baking soda can be added to prevent a stinky nursery, but we haven't had a problem with it. I also like the cloth wipes better. I just spritz his little heiny with some water and wash off. It doesn't irritate him like the disposable wipes do. Traveling isn't really a problem either. We have a small dry bag and dirty diapers just get put in it until we get home to clean them.

It is a little more work, but overall I like the cloth diapers better. We've had fewer leaks than when we have used disposables (we do keep some on hand just in case), we don't have problems with diaper rash, and I enjoy not feeling guilty about all that waste. The cloth diapers are a little bulkier, mostly because I didn't get the sized diapers, but we haven't had any problems with his cloths not fitting or interfering with his movements.

Has anyone else tried cloth diapers? What do you think?

Perfect Degreaser

The other day I cooked chicken fried steak. No, I don't want to hear any comments about how unhealthy it is. I know this, but I haven't had it in a LONG time and I wanted it. Plus, I used canola oil and not crisco, so at least I saved on the saturated fats.

If you've ever fried anything, you know that you get oil EVERYWHERE and it does not like to go away quietly. There are some very effective commercial cleaners that quickly remove all the grease (and some of my skin), but I've gotten rid of most of my cleaners. My current cleaner of choice is vinegar and water with a little orange essential oil. It works well on pretty much anything your kitchen can throw at you, but I wasn't happy with my stove or backsplash.

SO, I mixed baking soda, salt, and lemon juice! Together these make an excellent degreaser and a good scrub if your sink needs it. I wore gloves because lemon juice stings and I really didn't want to exfoliate at the time. I used a rag to clean up all the grease and then I gave my sink a good scrubbing! You do need to rinse well, but my normal vinegar cleaner helped get up all the residue. My kitchen is extra clean and it smells great!

What is your favorite "green" cleaner?

One Day Late Earth Day Info

I didn't get this done yesterday because we decided to go to Target to get our registry started there and then we went to pick up our little foster kitty who was neutered yesterday. Really, I should have made the time, but I'm just so excited, now that we know we are having a boy we can start really getting ready!

So, here are some of my fun facts for you:

• Biodegradable products are not really biodegradable in a landfill due to the lack of dirt, oxygen, and the little microbes needed to break stuff down.
• Glass bottles take longer to break down in a landfill than plastic bottles.
• Recycling aluminum cans takes less energy than producing new ones from scratch.
• 14 billion pounds of trash are dumped into the ocean every year (we have all heard of those giant garbage floats, haven't we).
• 84% of household trash can be recycled.
• At my school, if every student uses one tray, fork, knife, and cup each day and then puts them in the trash, we will produce 60 pounds of waste each week. This does not include food, paper, or any snacks that the kids bring.

Some of the things we do in my home:

• Buy recycled whenever possible.
• Stay away from individually packaged snacks as much as possible.
• Avoid disposable products as much as possible (yes, this includes our baby registry; my stepmom thinks I'm nuts for wanting to use cloth diapers).
• Use powerstrips for electronics that can then be turned off.
• Recycle as much as we can and I love the fact that our trash service picks it all up in one container.
  
• I reuse boxes and packaging for shipping purposes.
  

This is a short list, but it is just a few ideas. What do you do at your house to help make every day Earth Day?

Perfect Microwave Cleaner

The microwave at school was disgusting!!! I'm sure you understand. Everyone uses it and nobody is responsible for cleaning it. Plus, its a school, so we only have 25 minutes for lunch anyway. Well, I just couldn't take it anymore.

I've worked there since September and the same crusty substance has been on the bottom since then. Bowls stick to it. Quite disgusting really. So, I went up to the science store room, dug up some vinegar and a squirt bottle. I used a little vinegar and diluted it with water. I found a rag that I hope nobody misses and I went back down to the office. I squirt with my mixture and set myself to scrub.

Now, my microwave has never been that gross, so I really wasn't expecting it to be so easy. There was really no elbow grease required. I squirted and let it sit for a moment and then wiped. Most everything wiped off fairly easily. The crusty substance did require a bit more effort. So this is my conclusion, if this simple mixture works that well on a nasty school microwave, it will pretty much clean itself in your microwave. Unless, your microwave is that bad and I won't even judge you for that.

So, save yourself some money, time, and nasty smelling cleaners. Vinegar and water really does do the trick!

Overgeneralizing

Anybody that is in business or even a hobbyist knows that we are constantly reading and checking out the latest information or anything that might be interesting. Although, we also know how little time we actually have for it. I found a book that looked interesting, so I checked it out from my local library (saves money). I will omit the title, but it was about green living and green beauty. I was very excited, these books always have such interesting information and great ideas.

Well, I'm sorry to say that I was VERY disappointed. In fact, I was so irritated by some of what was printed that I didn't even finish more than two chapters. The author generalized the ENTIRE beauty industry into these evil monsters that are simply out to make a profit. That is neither true nor fair. Many indie businesses were started because of a desire to do something good for our customers, the environment, and ourselves. Sure, we are in business, so we must make a profit, but it is not true to say that everyone in this business doesn't care about harming our customers as long as we get our money.

The author also used information from several studies out of context. Yes, the studies were done and those were the results, but the conclusions drawn by the author, were not the conclusions drawn by the original researchers. Did the author have the background to make such conclusions from the studies? Did the author have all of the data, information, and a thorough understanding of the entire study and all its background? If not, then nothing concluded by the author was valid and therefore should not have been printed. It is important for us to realize the amount of time, effort, and work that goes into each study and that each study needs to be repeated multiple times by other researchers before the results and conclusions can be considered valid. If a study is never repeated, then by the very definition of scientific inquiry, the results and conclusions are useless. It is never a good idea to get all of your information from one source or one study.

Lastly, the author made statements about any product that claims to be unscented must still be scented and companies that claim to use "pure essential oils" are in fact using very little essential oils and filling in with fragrance oils. So, you are thinking you are using a more natural product and are actually applying a chemical cocktail to your body. Again, that is a huge generalization and NOT TRUE. Are there companies that do this? I'm sure there are. Are there a large number that do not? ABSOLUTELY!!! My "naked" products are completely unscented. I understand that even a light scent can irritate a person's skin and senses, so if I say unscented, it truly is. I use pure essential oils in my products, I don't sell anything with fragrance oils (although I do make them for friends occasionally). I really don't put ANY other fragrances in my products. I know I could have a wider variety of scents if I did, but I'm happy without artificial fragrances. PLUS, I know I am NOT the only business person that is honest and up front about my ingredients.

It upsets me that someone published a book to promote green beauty and what was printed in that book could actually hurt those of us in this industry that are trying to make a greener, healthier product. Have you read anything that you realized was promoting a personal agenda and not necessarily selling the truth?

PLA-Corn Based Palstics

I'm on the fence about corn-based plastics. When I first heard of them I thought "Finally, a plastic that is safe to use." But, after further research, there are problems with PLA and some convincing arguments for and against it.

To me the biggest plus was that it was biodegradable and compostable. Here's the catch, it is not biodegradable in landfills because in that environment really nothing decomposes well. Plus, when it does decompose in an anaerobic environment such as a landfill, it produces methane. So, corn based trash bags or cups going into landfills is not really better for the landfill, it still takes up precious space. Additionally, these plastics are not compostable in home bins, only large industrial facilities. I agree that its better than nothing, but finding access to an industrial facility is not really possible for home consumers.

PLA will not emit toxic fumes or leech chemicals into food or soil. I think that's a plus and I don't really see a negative side to that.

PLA is produced using a renewable resource and PET is produced using petroleum. I think it is great that we are looking for alternatives to petroleum, but not all alternatives are better for the environment (palm oil anyone?) I think it is important to look for ecologically sound alternatives to petroleum, but I think it is more important for us to start looking for ways to reduce our waste, not just waste renewable products. Stop and take an inventory of your day. How many times in one day do we use something once and throw it away: frozen dinners, fast food, morning coffee stop, and so many others. Waste is waste.

I am truly excited about the possibilities of these plastics, but I also think that we need to stop and take a look at how we use plastic and how we waste it. There are plenty of products that should be stored in plastic (a glass shampoo bottle just seems like an emergency room visit waiting to happen) and this is a great alternative. However, we need to move towards recycling and composting all of those products containers when we are finished. Its so easy to just dump it in the trash and not have a second thought, but a renewable plastic does not make it any less wasteful.

For more information visit:
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/plastic.html?c=y&page=1
http://azsustainability.com/2008/08/21/what-are-the-benefits-of-corn-based-plastic/

Honey Girl

I found this at http://malamanahonu.org/meetHonu.asp and wanted to share it. I love turtles (duh!) and the thought of someone doing this is horrible. I don't understand why anyone would want to hurt anything else, especially something so defenseless. I think it shows us just how important it is to educate people and to work to save animals that we share the earth with.

Name: HONEY GIRL
Hawaiian name: HONE U'I
ADULT, FEMALE

Markings: PIT # 502E4C2703

Honey Girl, approximately 35-40 years old, began regularly hauling out onto the North Shore beach in 2005. As the largest adult female turtle of our Laniakea Ohana (family), Honey Girl weighed approximately 250 pounds and was 94.5 cm long ( Straight Carapace Length) . Before coming to Laniakea, L-20 was known to the marine scientists on East Island in the French Frigate Shoals, the largest atoll in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands. In 2000 she had migrated 500 miles from Oahu to East Island to mate and nest. While there, the researchers implanted a microchip, the size of a grain of rice, into her left hind flipper. This PIT ( Passive Integrated Transponder) allowed the scientists to identify her throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago , as she migrated from the foraging areas of the Main Hawaiian Islands to the nesting beaches of the Northwest Hawaiian Islands, Honey Girl was also known by her Hawaiian name of "Hone U'i", because of her exquisite honey amber shell, and L-20, as she was the twentieth turtle to repeatedly come ashore at Laniakea to bask. Data collected by the dedicated Malama na Honu volunteer Honu Guardians reveals that Honey Girl basked on the beach 11% of each year at Laniakea Beach. On July 19, 2008 Honey Girl was discovered slaughtered at Laniakea Beach. She had been buried in the sand upside down, with a flipper and breast plate maliciously removed. The evening before, this innocent, defenseless turtle had been basking under the full moon.

11 Tips for a Greener Life

1	Buy Recycled Help create demand for products with recycled content and send a message to manufacturers. Close the loop: buy products made from (or packaged in) recycled materials and recycle them when done. Buy 100% post-consumer recycled paper. Visit www.recycledproducts.org for some good ideas for the office.
2	Choose Sustainable Ingredients and Materials Buy local, organic, fair trade (www.sustainabletable.org) and vegetarian (www.themeatrix.com). Choose non-toxic recyclable yoga mats, organic cotton, hemp, bamboo and fleece clothing. Support farmers in less wealthy nations and buy fair trade coffee and chocolate. Not only will you help promote sustainable farming practices, you'll also help prevent rainforests from being further decimated.
3	Detoxify Your Life Buy non-toxic paints for your house and use non-toxic natural cleaners like baking soda and vinegar. They're cheap and safe for kids and pets. Buy beauty products with little or no preservative; solid shampoos, conditioners, bubble bars and massage bars all come with no packaging and no preservatives.
4	BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) Look for products you can take home unwrapped. Don't bag produce; it stays just as fresh in your crisper naked as in a plastic bag. Take your own bag everywhere; one person using one reusable bag can save hundreds of plastic bags from the landfill and oceans every year.
5	BYOM (Bring Your Own Mug) Bring your own mug with you wherever you go. Get a really good stainless steel travel mug (not plastic). It'll keep your coffee or tea hot for hours and you won't be throwing away paper cups or plastic mugs.
6	Get It In Glass Buy your milk and juice in glass bottles. Buy your soft drinks and other cold beverages in aluminum cans. Avoid plastic whenever you can. It's better for your health and the environment.
7	Compost: It's Easier Than You Think Put a compost bin in your apartment or backyard. It's easy, cheap and clean. Use your homemade compost to feed your garden and house plants or donate it to your local community garden (www.nyccompost.org).
8	Reduce Paper Consumption Buy 100% post consumer recycled paper, envelopes, file folders etc. Print only what you need. Need a back up? Send it to your gmail account. Use PowerPoint for presentations and offer to email a copy in lieu of snail mail. Switch to e-billing for utility bills and bank statements.
9	Reduce Energy Consumption Switch to compact fluorescent lights; they use less energy and last 10 times longer. Try solar lights for your garden or outdoor walkways. Get a programmable thermostat. Change air and dryer filters regularly. Use cold water for washing clothes and hang them out to dry. Turn down/off heat when sleeping and when leaving the house. Turn off lights when not in the room. Unplug appliances when not in use. Things like chargers, cell phones, laptops, toasters, coffee pots, tea kettles, microwaves all consume electricity even when off. Boil only as much water as you need; don't boil a full kettle for one cup of tea!
10	Reduce Water Use Don't let the water run when you're brushing your teeth. Get a toilet tank displacement bag to reduce water usage per flush. Flush only when necessary. When washing dishes by hand, reuse your rinse water for your plants or garden. Save your bath and shower water and use it for your garden or lawn. Use cooled pasta water for your house plants.
11	Reduce Fuel Consumption and Your Carbon Footprint Walk, ride, take transit, or carpool everywhere. Get in shape and help reduce your carbon footprint. Once a week? Twice? Everyday? It all makes a difference. Can't walk or bike to and from just yet? Ride to work, take the bus home, bus to work the next day and ride home. Baby steps. (www.greenlivingtips.com) Source: http://www.lushusa.com/about/green-your-life/

Top 10 Tips for an Eco-Friendly Bathroom

1	Think About What You Really Need Learn about cosmetics ingredients and their effects. Read product labels. Avoid ingredients that are not beneficial to you or that are harmful to the environment. Ask for samples so you can try a product for a few days to help you make the right choices. The single most eco-friendly thing you can do is avoid collecting half-used bottles of products that weren't right for your needs.
2	Use Solid, Unpackaged Products Choose bar soap instead of shower gel or liquid soap. Use shampoo bars instead of bottled shampoo and solid massage bars instead of massage oil. These are all better for the environment as there is little or no packaging. Solid products also contain no water and therefore need no environmentally-damaging preservatives.
3	Avoid Buying Heavily-Packaged Products When you have no minimally packaged alternative, remove the packaging immediately after purchase and leave it at the cash register to send a clear message to the retailer. Be aware that sometimes the contents cost less than the packaging of a product.
4	Check For A Use-By Date No use-by date usually means that the product is heavily preserved. (Read the ingredient label and you'll see...) More preservatives down the drain are bad for the environment.
5	Try to Buy Products Produced Locally Check the label. Has it been made locally or air-freighted in from afar?
6	Buy Long-Lasting Products Look for personal hygiene products with extended life spans such as toothbrushes and razors with disposable heads. If you only replace the head you are throwing less away.
7	Explore Water Recycling Systems Around 60% of the Japanese population filters, recycles and reheats bath water. When you do have a bath, make the most of it! Take at least 45 minutes out of your schedule to relax and unwind. Even better, share your bath with your partner. When you're finished, try recycling your bath water. You can use it to water your house plants, garden or lawn. Your begonias will thank you.
8	Don't Leave The Tap On When you shave, brush your teeth, or even shower, only turn on the water when absolutely necessary: at the beginning and the end. While you're soaping yourself or when brushing, stop gallons of water rushing down the drain needlessly by turning off the tap.
9	Recycle Your Plastics Most of us are already in the habit of recycling containers like water bottles and milk jugs but we don't always remember that most of our bathroom containers can be recycled too. Just be sure to wash them first. If you don't, they can contaminate the rest of your recycling and end up in a landfill.
10	Shop With A Lower Carbon Footprint Whenever you shop for cosmetic products, take your own reusable bag. Reduce your carbon footprint even more by walking or cycling to the shops. At the very least, take public transportation or carpool. Source: http://www.lushusa.com/about/green-tips

Essential Oil Safety

Essential oils are becoming more common as more of us start to look for natural alternatives to common commercial products. It is important to remember that essential oils are concentrated and they should be treated with care and caution. For example, I was mixing up some oils over my stove and I learned a good lesson. I had recently painted my drip pans black because I thought it would look nicer, I got the high heat good paint that they use on grills and the pans looked really sharp. So, I was using lemon essential oil and spilled a few drops which I immediately wiped up. I also wiped the paint up too! It was quite a shock, but it took the paint straight off and let the pans bright shiny silver in those few drops. So, here are some good tips:

• Never use an essential oil directly on your skin (except lavender), always dilute it in a carrier oil first. Some oils are more potent and should be diluted more.
• Citrus essential oils cause photosensitivity and should not be used on skin that will be exposed to direct sunlight.
• Always consult a doctor if you are pregnant or have any medical conditions.
• Conduct a patch test before using a new oil on your body to test for allergic reactions.
• Severe reactions should be treated by medical professionals.
• Common sense is always helpful: if you are allergic to cinnamon, you will be allergic to cinnamon essential oil, stay are from it.

There is a lot of literature on different conditions that can be treated by using herbs and essential oils. However, if you wish to treat a condition it is not a good idea to self-treat. Visit a trained herbalist or aromatherapist.

How to Make an Herb Garden from Recycled Plastic Bottles

How to Make an Herb Garden from Recycled Plastic Bottles

by yiddle on Jun.20, 2009, under The Geekery |

Herb Garden made from Recycled Plastic Bottles

I’ve been tossing around ideas in my head lately about how to reuse, recycle and remake. Lately I’ve been drinking SoBe Lifewater 0 Calorie after my workouts. It comes in these really cool spiral shaped bottles. The bottles are really sturdy and I’ve been trying to figure out what (other than recycling) I could do with them. I thought the first thing I’d try was an herb garden.

I live in a townhouse, and I don’t have a lot of yard. What I do have is really really shady, so I can’t get much to grow back there. I do love using fresh herbs, so this was a good solution for me.

Note: If you’re not sure whether the bottles you have on hand are food-safe, you may want to plant flowers or something non-edible. Some think it’s never a good idea to use plastic for anything food-related. You could always turn this project into a flower garden instead of an herb garden.

What you’ll need:

Supplies for this project

• plastic bottles
• herb seedlings
• Double Fold Bias Tape 1/2″
• scissors
• glue

Instructions:

Step 1: Cut the bottles

Step 1: Cutting the bottles

The most important thing I can say here is BE CAREFUL. Ok, actually the most important thing would be empty the bottles first. But if you’re a kid or a clutz, find a steady-handed adult to help you. The plastic on the bottles I used was pretty thick. I started with a saw and the bottles wedged into a mitre box. I managed to cut myself. Not badly, but a nick. So after that I switched to starting the cut with the saw and then using scissors to do the rest.

The second most important thing I can say here is DO NOT USE YOUR GOOD SCISSORS. Cutting plastic will dull your scissors. I don’t know how many times as a kid I heard my mother say “You’re not using my sewing scissors for that, are you?” and I am repeating that here. Don’t use your mother’s sewing scissors!

The third most important thing to remember is to measure the height if you are making multiples to make sure you get them all the same size. I eyeballed the first and then used it to measure and mark the rest.

Don’t worry if your edge is rough. We’ll take care of that later.

Step 2: Wash the bottles

Yep, that’s right. It’s easier with the tops cut off, but be careful not to cut your hands on the rough cut edge.

Step 3: Measure and cut the bias tape

Wrap a piece of bias tape around the cut edge to see how long you need to make it. Cut it so that it will cover all the way around and overlap by about an inch. I cut mine on an angle. If you’re making multiples, use this first piece as a template for the others.

Step 4: Gluing on the bias tape

Step 4: Gluing the bias tape

Step 4: Tops On

Lay the bias tape with the folded side up (see picture). Lay a strip of glue down each side. I used regular old craft glue. Then glue the bias tape to the bottle, with one half of the folded tape on each side of the plastic.

Step 5: Foil the tops

Step 5: Foil the top

After the glue on the bias tape has dried, wrap some foil over it. This seems kind of stupid, but it’s going to protect your pretty bias tape from getting all dirty when you pot your herbs. If you don’t want to use foil you could probably use some newspaper, foil just holds in place nicely. I re-used the same small strip of foil for all 4 bottles.

Step 6: Plant your herbs

Chocolate Mint, Purple Basil, Cilantro, and Thyme

I chose to plant Chocolate Mint, Purple Basil, Cilantro, and Thyme. I didn’t even know that Purple Basil existed! I’m excited to use that and the Chocolate Mint, and D will be happy when I make pico de gallo with the Cilantro and chicken ravioli with the Thyme.

After you plant them, you could embellish them with some nice labels. I chose to keep mine plain. Aside from cutting the bottles, this was really simple. In fact, it took me longer to write this how-to than it did to make my herb garden! I think I may make more with flowers for my desk at the office

Source: http://yiddle.net/random/how-to-make-an-herb-garden-from-recycled-plastic-bottles/

Natural Ingredients Not Right For Everyone

With all the "all natural" or "nearly natural" products coming out, it is easy for the consumer to assume that it will be better for them, but that's not necessarily true. For example, I can't use Burt's Bees Lip Balms because I'm allergic to lanolin. I know plenty of people that rave about Burt's Bees and I like their products too, but they irritate me. If you are allergic to nuts, then products with sweet almond oil are probably not for use and I use it in most of my products. I can't use anything with lemon essential oil on my skin. I know some people that can, but not me. I choose to use essential oils instead of synthetic fragrances because I have had plenty of bad reactions to synthetics and some have given me headaches. I love Bed, Bath, and Beyond because its just so much fun, but I can't spend more than 5 minutes in the store.

The most important thing consumers should consider is what works best for their skin and what do they like. If you can use a lotion with cucumber melon scent and you like it, then use it. You can even find indie businesses that make nearly natural products and use synthetic fragrances that are just as good as anything made with essential oils. I do recommend looking for products that do not have mineral oil or petrolatum because they do not have the same benefits as vegetable oils. Always read labels carefully before making any purchases, all ingredients are listed in order highest amount to smallest amount.

Side Note:If you are looking for a product for aromatherapy, it should only contain the highest quality ingredients and only pure essential oils. Aromatherapists will tell you that synthetics might smell good, but do not actually offer any therapy benefits.

Two Must Have Cleaners

If there are any two cleaners that every house has to have it would be vinegar and baking soda. Besides being much cheaper than your average household cleaners, they are also green (and work better in my opinion).

I use vinegar for just about everything. I have a spray bottle with vinegar, some water and a few drops of orange essential oil for a degreaser and it smells good. I use this to clean my kitchen and bathroom. I also this to clean tile floors. It get dirt and food off without a lot of elbow grease. Any citrus essential oil will make this great of grease, so I use it to clean out my microwave. It's is so amazing, I can clean the entire kitchen in no time flat! Please make sure you only use a few drops of the essential oil, more is not better when it comes to essential oils. I also use vinegar in the laundry in place of fabric softener. It gets the soap residue out and leaves my laundry soft and its scent free so its perfect for sensitive skin. Don't worry, your laundry will not smell like vinegar when dry.

I also love baking soda for everything else. I use a baking soda and water paste to scrub tubs, toilets, showers, and even the litter box. It removes soap scum, hard water build up, and that icky smell that can linger in litter boxes (or toilets). I also use baking soda in my laundry to get it brighter and cleaner. Before vacuuming sprinkle a little baking soda down to absorb any smells, or sprinkle it in your trash cans to help control the smells.

The list of things you can do with baking soda and vinegar is just about endless! These are so cheap to buy and the do not contain any questionable additives that we need to worry about around pets and children.

I found another blog that has a long list of ideas. Check it out at http://homemadebathproducts.blogspot.com/2009/07/homemade-green-cleaning-recipes.html and have fun experimenting. You will not be disappointed in the results.