Archive for January, 2010

The Earthship has come a long way from the tire and beer can brick homes of the early seventies.

Created by architect Mike Reynolds, the ideals behind forming earthships were to create less building waste and live with your natural environment not against it.

As Reynolds experimented more with sustainable housing he coined the term “biotecture” to replace our standard of “architecture”. Having a home that is created in conjunction with the earth and is self supporting buy providing its own energy, water and ability to grow food are parts of what green construction is about for Reynolds. Building by biotecture is now the hallmark of what he created all those years ago and it’s by that growth in sustainable building that we have what is known today as Earthship Biotecture.

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Technorati Tags: earthship, earthship biotecture, green consrtuction, mike reynolds, sustainable homes

Soap Nuts are getting more talk through the green channels for it’s use as an alternative to laundry detergent. Using these nuts is an organic and non-toxic way to keep your clothes fresh and clean, plus they are 100% biodegradable.

So, what are soap nuts?

Soap nuts are the dried fruit from the Chinese Soapberry Tree. The reason they are used in laundry is because they contain saponin which is a natural cleanser. The saponin oils cover the outside of the fruit/nuts which ripen and then fall from the tree. The fresh fruit has been used as a natural shampoo both Chinese and Indian cultures, just has the soap nuts(being the dried fruit) has also been used to cleanse everything from the body, clothes and home.

You can get soap nuts in American at most area Whole Foods Markets or other local organic shops, or you can purchase them online through sites like www.laundrytree.com.

Technorati Tags: green ways to wash, organic laundry wash, soap nuts, soapberry tree

In this internet day and age, there really is no use for phone books. They keep showing up though on millions of American doorsteps despite the fact that no one ever orders them. The environmental impact of these books is huge when you think about it: 5 million trees a year are used to produce them and only about 15% are ever recycled.

Some actions have been taken to tackle the phone book issue. There are some states that have created opt-in/out programs where you can sign up either to get a phone book or not get a phone book. Local recycling bins created just for the creation of collecting unwanted phone books have also been used. There is even a “Ban the Phone Book” initiative created by White Pages in an effort to get more states to adopt the opt-in/out  and recycling options. The majority of states do have the local telephone companies under legal obligation to provide phone books to every customer in there area, which is why so many of us get them without asking.

So, what can you as an individual do about helping to stop the waste that has become of obsolete phone books? Plenty.

• You can check to see if your local phone company has an opt-in/out program. Give them a call to find out it’s that 800 number at the top every monthly bill.
• Recycle the phone book collection you currently have instead of throwing them away. You can learn more at Recycle Your Phone Books by Keep American Beautiful Works, Yellow Pages and AT&T.
• Upcycle your phone book or books by creating another use for them around the house.  For some ideas you can check out DIYLife’s New Uses for Phone Books or you can just get crafty and come with an idea on your own.  If you do come up with something, let us know by contacting laura dot ecoexistent.com and we’ll feature you and your upcycle snazziness in an online interview.
• You can also check out the banthephonebook.org and sign the petition to stop having them printed up in the first place.

Also, take a look at the Say No to Phone Books blog to learn more and have a laugh at the same time.

Technorati Tags: diy, phone books, recycle, Upcycle

In the day and age of Febreeze and other commercial products used to freshen things up around the house, there is a better and healthier way to get your environment smelling better in a green way that won’t harm your house hold items or your health.

Green Carpet Freshener

In a glass jar, or other container you can use for storage place three cups baking soda, 1/2 cup of cornstarch and 1 cup dried/crushed lavender or other organic scented herb.

Mix together and let the combination sit for a couple of days to settle. Once done, sprinkle around the house and sweep or vacuum carpets and other fabric items like curtains or the couch. *You can also use essential or fragrance oil instead of dried herbs just shake well and still let the mixture settle before using. The amount essential used depends on your personal scent needs.

Technorati Tags: diy, Green Cleaning, green freshener, make your own

Envirolet Waterless Composting Toilet

Many people still flinch at the idea of using composting toilets but these eco-friendly devices have come a long way over the years.

Today’s composting toilets are easy to maintain, orderless and effective in creating enriched soil for gardening use. Not to mention that they can save water usage, chemical sewage treatments and electrical grid pull for you, your local cities and the state that you happen to live in.

Now in talking about composting toilets, we are are not talking about the portable toilets that people use for camping. We are talking about large residential indoors composting toilets. A composting toilet is a way in which to treat human waste by composting and dehydrating the waste to create a enriched soil additive.
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Technorati Tags: Compost, compost toilets, composting, eco friendly