Using fewer toxic chemicals in our everyday lives is something each of us can do that collectively could make a big difference in our world.
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Resolve to Use Herbal Alternatives
The world seems full of all sorts of chemicals these days. Big industry, agriculture, maintenance companies, and even the everyday family, use a variety of chemicals, many of which are irritating, bad-smelling, and even toxic. So what to do?!?! Let’s consider some herbal alternatives that are more natural, not too difficult to make or obtain, and certainly less toxic than many products on store shelves. In the garden: Many herbs are great companions to other plants, helping us use less or no pesticides. We have discovered that yarrow (Achillea millefolium) planted next to our roses can discourage aphids. Calendula (Calendula officinalis) – this sunny fragrant flower also known as pot…
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Essential Oils to Tame Mosquitos
Summertime means sunshine, camping, hiking, gardening, and an all-around good time being outside. But with the great outdoors comes one big bugaboo: mosquitoes! Rather than spraying on a synthetic cocktail of chemicals with conventional bug spray, we prefer to use natural essential oils. There seems to be one winged menace that’s especially difficult once the weather turns hot and humid. Not to worry … Here are seven essential oils that naturally discourage mosquitoes: 1. Cypress Essential Oil A 2013 Greek study looked at eight species of cypress to assess their e effectiveness against mosquito larvae from Aedes albopictus. Three of the essential oils (C. benthamii, C. lawsoniana, and C. macrocarpa)…
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Green & Efficient Ways to Cool Your Home This Summer
Summer time. Kids home from school, pool parties, barbecues, summer road trips, spontaneous adventures and … high energy bills. Everyone wants to stay cool.
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3 HVAC Considerations for an Eco-Friendly Home
A sustainable home is one that will not only contribute to a cleaner environment but also enable homeowners to enjoy significant savings on their utility bills every year.
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Radon, an Invisible, Odorless Northwest Issue
Portland and Vancouver have a radon issue– one that has been here for thousands of years–and it is not going to go away. The soil in the Willamette Valley, much of Clark County, and the Columbia River Gorge has a granite component, Ice Age material brought down the Columbia River from Montana repeatedly between 10,000 and 12,000 years ago, during the Missoula Floods. It is found as sand, gravel, cobblestones, even boulders. This granite, mixed into the upper layers of our soil, contains uranium, which breaks down naturally over time and produces radon gas. Invisible and with no smell, radon is drawn upward into our homes (regardless of architectural style,…
