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Cheap and nontoxic ways to get rid of bugs

Huddler's Green Home Community — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:28:28 PDT

Summer is the time for picnics, going to the beach, and barbecues. Unfortunately, it's also the time for indoor pests. Commercial pest control is full of nasty chemicals, even though there are natural ways to fight off many pests. Here are some ideas for ridding your home of creepy crawlies, without needing a hazmat suit (and of course, saving you some money).

Remember: The number one rule to keeping many bugs out is keeping the house clean. So don't let your dirty dishes pile up, make sure to sweep and vacuum, etc. Prevent any need for nontoxic pest control by using nontoxic household cleaners or even make your own homemade cleaners.

Ants

Vinegar can be used to destroy ant trails. Without clear trails, the ants will get confused and may stay outside for a while. You can use it diluted with water or straight. And, of course, vinegar is also a great household homemade cleaner, so not only do you get rid of the ants, you get some cleaning done too.

Cinnamon and black pepper are both increasingly being used in garden and indoor insect control. You can try dusting the outdoor nests with either of these spices. Cinnamon is more beneficial as a natural barrier to stop them from coming in -- it's most effective when you find the source of where the ants are coming in.

Add borax to sugar. Many people believe that you should use a 50-50 concentration, however, ultimately the goal is to have the ants bring borax back to their nests. Starting with a lower concentration such as 5% or 10% borax to sugar and gradually increasing it to 40%-50% will allow the ants to have more time to bring more back. The mixture should be placed where you see the ants or on the ant trails.

Baby powder or talcum powder is not appreciated by these bugs. The theory is if you dust the ants and the trail, they’ll stop coming.

Liquid soap diluted with water is an easy way to wipe out your pests while not harming your people. When used outside as a spray, you'll want to dilute the soap (such as Dr. Bronner's Organic Castile Soap) -- roughly 1 or 2 tablespoons per quart of water -- to kill the pests but not your plants.

Bay leaves, cloves, and cayenne pepper have long been used for ant control. Try putting one of these at their entry point, and in drawers, shelves, etc., where the ants are going, to prevent them from coming in.

Peppermint can be sprayed around your home's perimeter and at ant entry points. This will deter them from coming inside.

More resources: SimpleGiftsFarm.com, Sugar Ant Hotel from Care2.

Fruit flies

Clean up any ripe fruit droppings and take out the trash (or if you are a green superstar, your compost!) nightly for a few days -- fruit flies lay their eggs in overripe fruit.

Apple cider vinegar is a great natural way to get rid of fruit flies. Pour some into a glass, and place a paper funnel over the container. Fruit flies love the smell and will fly into the glass, but will not find their way back out the funnel (for 4 of 5 fruit flies...).

Leave a glass of cheap wine (apparently, fruit flies particularly like chardonnay) out. Mix a bit of detergent in it. The flies will sip on it and die shortly thereafter.

Make your own fly paper by boiling water, sugar, and corn syrup together. Spread the mixture on brown paper grocery bags and wait for the flies to stick.

Suck up flies through the back of an old hair dryer. The flies will go in the hot back end of the dryer and fry.

Basil deters fruit flies. Mix some basil oil with water and spray your kitchen.

Wasps

Make a trap from an old soda bottle to catch wasps. Using a 2-liter soda bottle, cut off the top 1/3 of the way down. Flip the top so that the bottle neck is facing down into the rest of the bottle. Tape or staple the bottle neck to the outside of the bottom piece so that it fits tight. Fill the bottle part way with soda or fruit juice. You could even line the top of the bottle with jam to help attract the wasps. Wasps will enter the bottle but will not be able to get out. Clean and refill the trap daily or as needed.

Remove the nest. If you find a hanging nest, wait until the wasps are less active (namely, at night). Carefully approach the nest. Put a cloth or plastic trash bag entirely over the next and quickly tie it off at the top. Remove the nest from wherever it is hanging, then submerge the bag under water and weigh it down with a rock.

More resources: EarthEasy, Get Rid of Things.

Slugs

Slugs can be a huge pest in any garden. They're fond of eating plants, shrubs, and mosses, much to any gardener's chagrin.

Fill small bowls with stale beer and place the bowls strategically in areas of the garden where the slugs are most active. Slugs apparently like stale beer, so they climb in to drink and they meet their maker (they drown in the liquid).

Other eco-friendly slug-fighting tactics include liquids that work similarly such as grape juice or a tea made from yeast, honey, and water.

More resources: Mother Earth's Garden

Huddler's tight-knit community of eco-minded consumers share their knowledge about sustainable products and services ranging from electric cars to organic toothpaste. This post was originally published at http://greenhome.huddler.com/wiki/pest-control. Click here to participate.

How to have a green Memorial Day Weekend

Huddler's Green Home Community — Thu, 21 May 2009 11:09:14 PDT

Memorial Day weekend is the perfect time for getting together with family and friends. It means that summer is on its way, the kids are getting ready to finish school, and neighborhood pools are officially opening.

It’s also an ideal time to have an outdoor picnic or barbecue that supports your eco-lifestyle!

Since most people have Memorial Monday off, the three-day weekend leaves many options open for celebrating the holiday.

One option that you should consider is learning how to have a green Memorial Day weekend. If you can make this weekend eco-friendly, then you will be reducing the carbon footprint of everyone who shares in your festivities.

Here are some green steps that you can take before, during and after the picnic:

Before the picnic…

Get rid of any stuff that has accumulated in your yard by donating it to a thrift store, or let it be reused when you sell it on eBay or Craigslist.

Mow your grass with an old-fashioned push mower or an electric mower. Gas mowers are more expensive, and they also leave a huge carbon footprint.

Purchase an electric grill powered by wind energy or a solar-powered grill to have the most eco-friendly cooking experience with your food.

Clean off dirty lounge chairs or other outside patio furniture with green and natural cleaning products instead of using toxic chemicals.

Instead of going to a grocery store, support your local farmer’s market. Walk or bike to it to reduce your automobile emissions. Or, if you have a garden, pick your own organic ingredients!

Want to keep pesky mosquitoes away while you eat? Lather on some organic bug spray and repellant. You can also leave a cup of sugar water away from the crowd and bugs will flock towards that instead of you.

During the picnic…

Use biodegradable utensils, bowls, and cups (or reusable ones are even better) to create less waste for your local landfill. Have guests write their names on the items so that they can be reused.

Keep a recycling bin (like one from Recyclingbin.com: Eco-Friendly Bins & Containers) next to the trash can so that people know you support plastic, metal, and paper recycling.

Give guests reusable napkins so that they can be rewashed and used again.

If you do have a charcoal grill, use lump charcoal made from natural and sustainable wood and try to avoid using lighter fluid.

After the picnic…

Use biodegradable plastic trash bags to clean up any surrounding trash.

Let your guests take home any leftovers so that no food goes to waste.

Clean the grill with soap and water instead of using harsh chemicals.

Compost any leftover food scraps in a compost pile in your back yard. You can also throw those lawn clippings from the previous day in the pile!

You can have a fun, affordable, and green Memorial Day weekend if you just commit yourself to earth-friendly practices. Plus, if you can commit to these practices on Memorial Day, then you can do it every time that you have a cookout.

Recycling your used coffee grinds

Huddler's Green Home Community — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:25:16 PDT

Did you know that the average American consumes about 3 cups of coffee a day? That’s a lot of used coffee grinds going into the trash.

There are actually many ways you can recycle and reuse your old coffee grinds to help preserve the environment and maintain your health. And for other ways to green your caffeine, check out the wiki all about having an eco-cup o' joe or maybe even look into drinking organic coffee!

A Cup of Joe Goes a Long Way

You’d be surprised at just how many different methods have worked for people:

Touch up furniture and other wood scratches with grounds and a Q-tip.
Sprinkle around areas where pesky insects, slugs and snails dwell to drive them away.
Mix with soil as a natural fertilizer for plants.
Dye clothing or paper.
Rub into your dog as an organic flea dip.
Fill old nylons and hang in your closet or fridge to repel odors.
Use to fill old pin cushions.
Scrub away grease and grime from pots and pans.
Throw on ashes before cleaning out the fireplace to reduce dust from spreading.
Feed to worms to help with your garden.
Rub on your hands to eliminate odors.
Mix ¼ grinds with one egg white and massage onto face like a mud pack.

If you’re not an avid coffee drinker but you live near a coffee shop or cafe, you can always ask them for the old grinds. Places like Starbucks actually give bags of used grinds away to people who use them for their home and gardens.

Recycling is just one way that we can help maintain the natural beauty of our environment, so next time you drink a cup of coffee save those coffee grinds for future use.

Celebrating an eco-friendly and organic Easter

Huddler's Green Home Community — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:44:19 PDT

For many across the globe, Easter is a celebration of life. Why not have your Easter be one that celebrates a healthy, living planet as well? And your kids (big and small) can always enjoy a good organic Easter egg hunt!

Eco-friendly Easter Eggs

The best Easter egg is the one you can eat afterward! If you go the hard-boiled route, choose eggs that are cage-free and organic like Organic Valley Organic Eggs or Sparboe Farms Organic Eggs.

But what about the Easter egg dye or paint? You can actually make your own natural Easter egg dye from common foods, like grape juice, tea, lemon peels, and more.

If you don't think you'll eat the hard-boiled Easter egg, consider the Mexican tradition of cascarones (or confetti eggs). Here's how to make them:

Take your (organic, cage-free) egg and open the top of the egg. You can use a pin, a knife, or even a chopstick.
Empty out the inside of the egg into a bowl. (Tip: Sometimes it helps to make a very small hole at the other end of the egg and blow through to get the yolk and white out a little faster.)
Rinse out the inside of the egg.
Decorate with your natural egg dyes.
Fill the egg shell with a bit of confetti (if you can, try to find some made from recycled paper or make your own from junk mail).
Cover up the end with a bit of glue and tissue paper.
Make scrambled eggs! (Or your other favorite dish with eggs.)

If you're looking for fillable eggs, check out these crocheted Easter eggs from SalvagedExpression -- not only are they handmade, they're reusable, and you avoid any plastic.

But if you do already have the refillable plastic eggs, don't fret! Just make sure to keep them out of the trash and reuse them for as long as you can. And if you don't want yours any more, take them to Goodwill or Freecycle them.

Organic Easter candy

Easter candy is a tradition! You've got your chocolate bunnies ... chocolate eggs ... even jelly beans. Instead of grabbing the standard Hershey's stuff or marshmallow Peeps that have been sitting on the shelf for ages waiting for Easter day, opt for organic and natural candies.

For your organic chocolate bunnies and eggs, try: Allison's Gourmet Vegan Chocolates, Sjaak's Organic Chocolate, and Sweet Earth Organic Chocolates.

For organic jelly beans, try Surf Sweets organic jelly beans. Or if lollipops are more your thing, try Yummy Earth Organic Lollipops.

Eco-friendly Easter toys and gifts

If you love giving away (or getting) stuffed animals on Easter, there are tons of lovely eco-friendly toys.

For soft and snuggly organic cotton bunnies and more, check out:

miYim plush toys made from organic and natural cotton
Under the Nile toys for baby and infant toys made from 100% organic cotton
Naturel by Kaloo soft toys made from organic cotton
Sckoon organic cotton plush toys

Reusable Easter baskets

Whether you make Easter gift baskets or have baskets for your kids (or yourself) to partake in an Easter egg hunt, choose a reusable basket. Not only will your baskets get used over and over again, they can be put to good use during the rest of the year as napkin holders or even as fruit bowls.

And try to avoid the green "floss" grass in the bottom of your baskets -- the most common kind is made from plastic and usually ends up in landfills. If you really miss the look of grass in your basket,there's always natural raffia ribbon which you can reuse later for gift wrap. You could even try edible Easter grass -- and even if you choose not to eat it, it will at least biodegrade. Or use up some junk mail, magazines, or old newspapers. Just shred them up and you'll have a great nest for your Easter eggs.

Organic Easter menu

There are all sorts of great recipes for Easter. For an eco-friendly meal, the best rule of thumb is simply to get as many organic and local ingredients as possible, regardless of where you get your recipes.

Beyond that, if you're looking to lower your impact, try serving a vegetarian meal.

For ideas for vegetarian Easter recipes, check out:

Eco-friendly Easter fun for the family

Along with the Easter eggs and Easter candy, hunt for or give away packets of seeds. Not only are they super eco-friendly, you can have fun planting them together.
Go for a walk. It's spring time! Get outside for a bit.

Have an eco-friendly and organic Passover

Huddler's Green Home Community — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:12:51 PDT

Passover is the time to get the family together and celebrate Jewish traditions. Why not make it a new tradition to do it in an eco-friendy style?

The quick and easy list for an eco-Passover

Matzo is a must. Why not try some organic matzo?
Sip on some organic and kosher wine.
Green your seder with organic horseradish, organic parsley, homemade charoset, and a free-range (organic) egg.
Take some extra time to incorporate organic and local ingredients into the menu.
Use reusable plates and cups if you can; but if you can't, use something biodegradable!
Ask your guests to carpool or use human-powered transportation.
Use soy candles for longer lasting and cleaner burning candles.
Looking for a new special Passover outfit? Look into eco-friendly and organic clothing.

The Matzo

Whether you spell it matzah, matzoh, matza, matzo, matsah, or matze, there are a few options for organic spelt and organic whole-wheat matzah.

Handmade Shmurah Matzah made with 100% certified organic spelt from Matzahonline.com: You can get boxes of this matzah (six matzos per box) shipped to your door for $30.50 per box.
Haddar 18-Minute Organic Spelt Matzah and Matzah Meal from KCKosherCoop.com: If you're interested in ordering in bulk (or splitting the order with someone), you can order organic spelt matzah and matzah meal from Haddar for $171.60 per case of 24 boxes.
Chicago's Original Organic Matzah: If you're in Chicago (or lucky enough to find this matzah in your local store), grab it. It's made in the U.S.. and it's certified organic and free of any GMOs.
Organic Spelt Matzah from Chabad of greater Dayton: If you're in Dayton, Ohio (or near there), you can pick up packs of organic spelt matzah for $24.50 for a pack of six matzos.

And if you're going all out, wrap your organic matzah in an organic cotton napkin when you hide the afikomen.

The Wine

Just because it's Passover, it doesn't mean you have to drink Manishevitz. There aren't a ton of organic Kosher wines but there are a few. You just have to know where to look.

Yarden Chardonnay Odem Organic

Odem Vineyard in the northern Golan in Israel has been farmed organically since 1998.

This chardonnay is fermented in French oak barrels and aged sur lies for seven months. It has a potpourri of aromas and flavors -- blossoms, citrus, pear, and tropical fruit, together with vanilla, wood and mineral notes. It is best paired with intensively flavored fish and poultry dishes. In general, cheese and butter sauces will complement this wine well.

You can buy it online at Kosherwine.com for $16.99 a bottle. (Not Mevushal)

Four Gates Winery

Four Gates, located in the Santa Cruz Mountins in California, produces organic and Kosher chardonnay, merlot, pinot noir, and cabernet franc. The grapes are certified organic by the CCOF and the vines are not irrigated.

Wines range from $24 to $34 per bottle and can be ordered from Four Gates. (Not Mevushal)

Baron Herzog Wine Cellars

Ranging from cabernet sauvignon to brut champagne, Herzog Wine Cellars produces Kosher and Mevushal wines. While not certified organic, many of the wines use grapes that have been sustainably grown.

Wines range from $8 to $38 per bottle and can be ordered directly from Herzog's wine shop.

The Seder Plate

Horseradish for Maror

If you're looking for a prepared horseradish that's also organic, check out Silver Spring Organic Prepared Horseradish. It's certified organic by Oregon Tilth and it's kosher. Of course, you could always make your own.

Parsley for Karpas

Check your local grocery store's organic section for organic parsley to put on your seder plate.

Charoset

Use your favorite charoset recipe, just make it with organic ingredients! Think organic walnuts, organic apples, organic wine, and organic spices. What could be better?

Eggs for Baytzah

Ideally, your hard-boiled egg would be both organic AND local. Check at your local grocery store, but keep in mind two brands of organic, free-range eggs are Organic Valley eggs and Sparboe Farms eggs.

The Meal

There are all sorts of great Kosher recipes for Passover. From matzo ball soup to brisket to gefilte fish, there are lots of ways to green your Passover menu. But the best rule of thumb is simply to get as many organic and local ingredients as possible, regardless of where you get your recipes.

Beyond that, if you're looking to lower your impact, try serving a vegetarian meal (vegetarian matzo ball soup, sweet potato kugel, rice pilaf, stuffed zucchini or eggplant, even fruit compote for dessert)

Check out these sources for vegetarian Passover recipes:

The Service

If you can, try to use reusable cups, wine glasses, plates, and silverware. This way, you'll have the least amount of disposable waste -- and of course, make sure you put your dishes in the dish washer! It's far more water efficient than washing by hand.

If you are looking to pick up something new for the occasion, check out eco-friendly tableware like glassware made from recycled glass or plates made from bamboo.

If you do go with something disposable, look into biodegradable and compostable plates, cups, and utensils. For something a little less formal, check out the offerings from WorldCentric or the compostable cups from Greenware. For something with some eco-chic to it, check out VerTerra's plates, bowls, and platters made from nothing but fallen leaves and water.

Greening your electronics

Huddler's Green Home Community — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:26:33 PST

Buy green.

Some companies (and therefore their products) are greener than others. Look for systems that have reduced levels of lead, cadmium, and mercury. Look for companies that are compliant with the EU directive called Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS).

Before you go with something brand new, check out if someone's junk could be your treasure! Try buying high quality, functional used electronics. Check out your local yard sales or flea markets. Online, try Craigslist, eBay, and Freecycle.

In 2006, Nokia and Dell were ranked as the most responsible electronics manufacturers by Greenpeace International (sadly, Apple ranked 11th out of 15 – but in May 2007, Steve Jobs announced a policy change affecting a phase out of all those nasty chemicals they used to taint Apple products...let's hope they actually follow through).

A useful tool (though not totally perfected) is EPEAT, the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool. EPEAT covers desktops, integrated systems, monitors, and notebooks. Among the criteria to be EPEAT certified is reduction of heavy metals and hazardous materials, inclusion of recycled materials, energy conservation, product life elongation, and corporate performance.

Another tool to check out is MyGreenElectronics. It covers products ranging from baby monitors to cell phones, from laptops to two way radios.

Make sure you think about energy consumption when thinking about electronics. Of course, Huddler can help you there. Also check out EnergyStar to find qualified products. What's more, think about vampire power (if you're wondering what it is or how to deal with it, check out How to Reduce Vampire Power).

Buy rechargable batteries.

Look into solar chargers. They can be quite effective for cell phones, PDAs, iPods, etc.

You can also download programs that help prevent printer waste or reduce energy usage when you're not using the computer. As always, the best way to prevent energy waste is to turn off your computer when you leave it for several hours. For more details, check out this article from Cleantechnica.

Extend the life of your product.

Sure, it's fun to have a new toy. But if your old standby (which may not be that old) still has some life, reinvigorate it! Try to avoid getting the latest and greatest model every six months. (Sometimes it is more effective and eco-friendly to upgrade when your product is very old...carefully evaluate where your electronics stand.)

Dispose of your old electronics properly.

If it's still got some good life, donate it or sell it (check out any of the sources mentioned in 1-a. The EPA's Plug in to eCyling Program is one of the best ways to donate or recycle your used electronics. Also try eBay's EZTradeIn.) For cell phones, you can also donate functional ones for emergency 911 calls. Try Phones For Life, Call To Protect, or the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence to name just a few programs. For more cell phone specifics, check out the Recycling Your Cell Phone wiki.

If there's no useful life left, properly recycle your electronics (if you're not quite sure what "properly" means, check out Electronic Waste: The Legacy of the Digital Age). Look for a local recycler in your area (Earth911 might be able to help you out). Two crucial questions to get answered are where disassembly occurs and under what conditions; this will help ensure your recycler is actually recycling. Here are some national stores that offer cell phone recycling:

Alltel		Sam’s Club
AT&T Wireless		Sprint Wireless
Best Buy		Staples
The Body Shop		T-Mobile
Circuit City		Target
Costco		US Cellular
FedEx Kinko's		Verizon Wireless
Office Depot		Virgin Mobile
OfficeMax		Wal-Mart
Radio Shack

One more thing, don't throw out those batteries! Use Earth911 to find somewhere to recycle them if they're not rechargable.

Some manufacturers have take-back programs for their products. Look into it before you move on. It's also a good thing to take into account when you're looking for something new

How to green your exercise routine

Huddler's Green Home Community — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:54:21 PST

According to an article in the New York Times, the average person gains 7 to 10 pounds during the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That's a lot of extra "holiday cheer" for a person to gain in a one month period.

Want to start the new year fresh? How about taking an environmental initiative and giving your health and the environment a clean start by greening your exercise routine.

How to green your exercise routine

You may not think that a few simple actions can help you lose weight and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time, but if you follow these tips you'll be well on your way to a green exercise routine:

Try a reusable water bottle.
Staying hydrated is important when you exercise so instead of buying a pack of bottled water and creating more plastic waste how about using a stainless steel or recycled water bottle that you can wash and reuse again.

Eat organic.
Get your energy boost with organic cereal and granola bars, or try a homemade smoothie by mixing organic yogurt, orange juice and fruit together in a blender.

Walk, run, or ride a bike.
WYou don't need an exercise machine that uses electricity to help you burn calories, if the weather's good. You can always get your green exercise by walking, running, or riding a bike around a park or neighborhood. You can even take along biodegradable bags and pick up trash and recyclable aluminum cans along the way to help clean up your surroundings.

Dress the part.
Whether you need a sports bra, running shorts, or workout sneakers you can always find clothing and accessories made from organic cotton, recycled fabric, bamboo, and other natural ingredients. You should also donate your old workout clothes to thrift stores.

Plant a garden.
If you have a backyard with available space or know someone who does then you can get a weekly workout by planting a garden this spring. All the digging, planting, watering, and weeding will give you a great workout every time you visit the garden, plus you can eat your organic fruits and vegetables as a healthy meal! To be extra eco friendly you can reuse rainwater caught in a barrel to water the plants.

Save water: Wash your towels less.
Most likely you are going to take a shower after a heavy workout. If you use a towel to wipe away sweat, you don't have to wash it after its first use. Reuse the towel a few times more since you're going to take a shower anyways. This will help conserve water because you'll be using the washing machine less.

Try natural deodorants.
Many deodorants contain harmful ingredients such as aluminum and formaldehyde, so freshen up after your hard workout by using deodorants made from all natural plant-based ingredients or make your own. Also, make sure that the product is certified "cruelty-free" to prove that it has not been tested on animals.

Encourage your gym to go green.
Some gyms are starting to install green cardio equipment, which usually uses energy from your pedaling or running to generate electricity, which is then used to power the gym.

Make these tips a part of your daily eco lifestyle routine. You'll not only get in shape but help out the environment.

Give green gifts

Huddler's green home — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:04:53 PST

The holidays are a great time. Families come together. Old friends are in town. If you're into gift giving, here are some tips on how to give eco-friendly gifts. And if you're looking to green the rest of your holiday season, check out this Huddler wiki on cutting down on waste during the holidays.

Homemade coupons for low-impact activities (like hikes, bike rides, or back rubs) are always a good option. For other coupon options, check out the offerings from Organic Coupons. If you (or your giftee) live in the San Francisco Bay Area, check out Green Zebra for coupons all about green living.
Make a donation in someone's name. There are a lot of great organizations out there that can benefit from your generosity (two good ones are Heifer International and Conservation International). Check out Charity Navigator to find charities and see how they are ranked and how they spend their money.
Buy someone a carbon offset. TerraPass has a whole gift section (and they even now offer stuff like a plastic bag dryer and Smart Strips). Or check out Village Green Energy for offsets based in wind, biomass, and solar projects in California. For a third choice, the BeGreen store stocks only the highest-quality carbon offset products and sustainable merchandise - every product they sell supports green technologies like renewable energy, forest sequestration, and energy efficiency projects.
Buying for a fashion lover? Check out How To Green Your Clothing or the Clothing and Accessories category and any of the designers mentioned there.
It seems the perennial gift for someone you don’t really know is some type of bath product (i.e. soap, bubble bath, lotion, etc). But even if you don’t know them, do you really want to give them some paraben-laden, un-eco-friendly thing? No! Instead try something listed in the personal care category.
Give a national parks pass or a membership to a local botanical garden or aquarium.
Of course there are always eco-books and movies (think Fast Food Nation and Planet Earth).
For the chocolate lover, go with organic or fair-trade treats. Try Dagoba Chocolate or Green & Black's.
Got a kid’s birthday party or baby shower? What little tyke wouldn’t love some lovely organic clothing or toys?
If your giftee has a shoe fetish, try Simple Shoes, Natalie Portman’s new vegan line, Earth, or Stella McCartney.
If it’s a bag fetish (and think beyond purses to messenger bags, laptop cases, etc), try something made from sustainable or recycled materials. You could also try a tote bag that folds up into a 4" x 4" square pouch! Baggu bags are strong and lightweight and come in great colors.
If you’re looking to give jewelry, try antique or vintage. Or else, there's something fair trade or sustainable. And if you think maybe you’ll be getting down on one knee, check out greenKarat.
Need a journal? Journaling has many positive psychological effects. Why not get a tree free paper journal?
Does your giftee need some light? Try the Crank Dynamo Flashlight: batteries cause all sorts of toxic problems if they end up in a landfill. What better way to avoid them all together than with hand power! This nifty little flashlight is powered by a crank- wind it for about 2 minutes and get 90 minutes of light!
Like giving care packages? oes your giftee need a little nudge into eco-friendliness? Give them a green starter gift kit! It could include any variety of things, but a nice set to start with includes a stainless steel water bottle, a reusable bag, organic snacks, natural cleaners, and maybe even a natural lip balm.
Does your man get a little scruffy? Help him clean up his shaving routine with a natural shaving kit. Consider some natural shaving cream or soap, a natural bristle brush, and maybe an eco-friendly razor. Perfect for the eco-conscious man in your life!

See more Huddler gift guides: Mother's Day Gift Guide, Father's Day Gift Guide.

Other Green Gift Lists:

Cutting down on plastic bags going to the dump

Huddler's Green Home Community — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 18:58:09 PST

The "paper or plastic" question continues to swirl. The plastic bag people say they're saving trees by not using paper bags. The paper bag people say they're keeping plastic bags from getting into the ocean and harming the fish.

How can you get around this predicament altogether?

Consider not getting a bag at all if you are buying something small or easy to carry. Really now ... do you need a bag to carry your sandwich to work? No, probably not.
Use canvas/cloth bags. They are reusable and much prettier than either plastic or paper.
Check out biodegradable bags. We often buy plastic bags for our kitchens and our bathrooms ... but sometimes, a biodegradable bag will do the trick! These will decompose in landfills or in compost, which means the waste is eliminated from the bag.
Don't forget about reusable bags for produce items! Either sew your own smaller bags, or check out some already-made, eco-chic options.
Try adopting something like the Japanese furoshiki. The furoshiki is traditional piece of cloth used to transport food, clothes, or gifts. But in this case, the cloth can be folded in such a way that it replaces a bag. Japan's Ministry of the Environment has recommendations of common ways to fold a furoshiki:
Reuse the plastic bags you already have! Plastic bags that have already made their way into your life can be used for: doggie bags (i.e. poop scoopers), packing materials (instead of bubble wrap, although bubble wrap is awfully fun), garbage bags (in your car, in your bathroom, wherever), you could even make a beach bag with "plastic bag crochet" techniques!
Recycle the plastic bags you can't use. Sometimes your curbside recycling with accept plastic bags. If not, try taking Type 2 and Type 4 bags to your local grocery store (Safeways and Wal-Marts accept plastic bags for recycling). Try Plasticbagrecycling.org for a look up of where you can drop your bags.

How to improve your indoor air quality

Huddler's Green Home Community — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:44:00 PST

Also called IAQ, indoor air quality is something people underestimate, but keeping your living and working spaces safe is important. Some suggestions:

If you have an air filter, keep it clean so that it removes the most air pollutants possible.
Carpet can drag your IAQ right down. Carpets are commonly made with synthetic materials that off-gas toxic chemicals. These materials also make carpet hard to recycle (and therefore, most just go straight to the landfill). Carpets also can be home to pests and mildew. Avoid these issues by checking out the Shaw Contract Group, Interface, or Milliken Carpet.
Look for pieces of furniture that are not coated in harmful, off-gassing chemicals. Try Greenguard-certified products, Izzy Design, Haworth's Zody chair, the Kobe Sofa Futon Bed, or Steelcase's Think chair.

Buy a friendly plant. Some of the best plants for removing air pollutants such as formaldehyde and benzene include the peace lily, bamboo palm, English ivy, mums, and gerbera daisies.

Check out this table from the book Healthy Home and Office (pg. 38) by Dr. B.C. Wolverton to see which plants are best for dealing with benzene, trichlorethylene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide.

Air Pollutant Removal by House Plants Over 24 Hours
House Plant	Chemical Pollutant	Initial ppm	% Removed
English Ivy	Benzene	0.235	90 %
	Trichlorethylene	0.174	11 %
Peace Lily	Benzene	0.166	80 %
	Formaldehyde	10.0	50 %
	Trichlorethylene	20.0	50 %
Spider Plant	Formaldehyde	14.0	86 %
	Carbon Monoxide	128.0	96 %
Chrysanthemum	Benzene	58.0	54 %
	Formaldehyde	18.0	61 %
	Trichlorethylene	17.0	41 %
Mother-in-law tongue	Benzene	0.156	53 %
	Trichlorethylene	0.269	13 %
Golden Pathos	Benzene	0.156	53 %
	Formaldehyde	18.0	67 %
	Carbon Monoxide	113.0	75 %
Madag Dragon Tree	Benzene	0.176	79 %
	Formaldehyde	15.0	60 %
	Trichlorethylene	0.136	13 %
Waneckii	Benzene	0.182	70 %
	Formaldehyde	8.0	50 %
	Trichlorethylene	17.0	24 %
Heart Leaf	Formaldehyde	27.0	71 %
Corn Plant	Formaldehyde	20.0	70 %
Chinese Evergreen	Benzene	0.204	48 %

Coat your walls in natural paints and wallcoverings that do not off-gas volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Be careful about what cleaning supplies you use- many contain toxic chemicals! If your cleaner says that it should only used with good ventilation, it's time to shop for greener cleaners. Check out Huddler's suggested cleaning products. Alternatively, Huddler has some great recipes for homemade cleaners.
Don't use commercial air fresheners! These just cover up smells with chemical-based fragrances. Baking soda is a great way to naturally absorb odors.
Someone in your household smoke? Send smokers outside! Levels of air pollution inside the home can be two to five times higher (and occasionally 100 times higher) than outdoor levels. (Source: Environmental Protection Agency, 2002)
On days when the outdoor air quality is good (less than 50 according to the World Health Organization), open your windows and let the fresh air in.
Check your air quality now. If you live in a damp climate, use a dehumidifier to keep your humidity level around 45%. This will cut down on mold and dust mites.