Wednesday 23 May 2007

Green Clean



I have been enjoying this book. For anyone who is still using regular cleaners (why? why?) around their home, I highly recommend this book for its simple recipes for alternative cleaners. I think using simple things like vinegar, baking soda and water for cleaning is a very simple step that anyone can take to make their lives a little more earth friendly. It can be as simple as filling your old bottle of window cleaner with a solution of vinegar and water. It works and smells a whole lot better than store bought cleaner, it is cheaper and you won't be filling your home with nasty chemicals. I think any step that we can take towards a life that is easier on this earth is a positive step. None of these steps are too small, they all add up.
One thing I really like in this book is how the author speaks of "many points along the green continuum, each one a different level of choice, knowledge, cost and control." I think this is a very important point as it is often far too easy to feel overwhelmed by the amount of things we could improve upon in our desire to lead a more earth-friendly life. The idea of the green continuum is a very empowering idea, I think. I often hear that people feel that there is just so much to know, to do, to fix that it becomes so daunting as to be almost paralyzing. It can stop you in your tracks and leave you feeling that no matter what you do it won't make any difference... so why even bother. I really do feel that every little bits helps, inch-by-inch and all that. So, yes, who knew that a little bit of vinegar could save the world!! ;-)



1 comment:

Katherine said...

Sounds like a good book, Heather. Vinegar and baking soda have been the mainstay cleaners in our household for years. I started using them back when J was a baby because I was suddenly conscious of keeping chemicals away from his contact. Nice to have something that's effective and isn't harmful. Plus, baking soda is so versatile for cleaning. I use it for cleaning the house, scrubbing my corelle cookware and years back it was employed in removing crayon drawings from the walls...