Fresh and Clean

Different Cleaning Methods

2012-02-06T11:21:00.000-08:00

I just inspected a commercial carpet in a very popular vacation spot.
The carpet was “wearing” according to the building managers.
I could see from a variety of tests that the carpet was actually hard from soil and severely matted down by the same soil.
I looked at the cleaning equipment and found a vacuum with the bag detached inside and on top of that it was wet.
The carpet was being restoratively cleaned by a machine that is supposed to be an interim cleaning method.
They used no detergent of any kind with their regular cleaning, they clean about every four months.
Now why people would clean a heavily used carpet every four months with water only I don’t know, but that's whats happened here.
On top of this these people are highly educated and skilled, they were just following the procedures outlined by the salesman who sold them the machine.
I will talk about cleaning for the next couple of months in this blog. I hope you come back often.
I will start this talk by presenting what we are actually dealing with when cleaning a carpet.
When you analyze the soils in the carpet about 74-79% of the soil is dry particulate matter that can be vacuumed out.The remaining soils are moisture, food and oily soils. The food based soils can usually be removed with some water and light agitation with light chemistry. However the oily soils are not readily removed by water. Oil and water do not mix. You need some sort of cleaning chemistry to suspend the oily soil off of the fibers and then remove it.
If anybody wants to clean your dirty carpet with water alone I would be very skeptical.

I will continue this talk next week.
If you have any questions or comments you can email me at leesenter@hotmail.com.

Carpet Maintenance During the Snowy Winter

2011-11-14T05:31:00.000-08:00

The most overlooked part of carpet cleaning is called preventative cleaning.

What this revolves around is the ability of the home or facility to keep the soil outside the building or at least at the entry doorways.

If the soil gets past the front doors then it becomes difficult to keep the place clean. In the winter this may often revolve around the dreaded slush or even worse yet -salt! on the carpets.

It is extremely difficult to remove salt with any true green method of carpet cleaning method except for rinsing with straight water. This method can take dozens of attempts and still may not be successful.

Here are a handful of steps that are vital in maintaining a good appearance to your carpets at the buildings entryways during the winter:

Step 1- keep the salt swept away from the doorways when there is no ice or snow.

Step 2- keep sand, soil and settlement off of tires in parking areas swept up daily.

Step 3- have large capture mats at all entries.

Step 4- keep these capture mats clean. If they get slushy vacuum up the slush immediately with a wet-dry vacuum. If its a bad winter you may have to do this several times a day.

Step 5- clean visibly soiled area frequently. This may mean that the carpet has to be cleaned daily at high traffic entrances.

Step 6- vacuum carpets in all directions. The dry particulate matter comes out much easier when its dry. Vacuuming in strokes north-south, east-west, south-north and then west to east will make a huge difference in the amount of soil removed from the carpet.

Step 7- speed dry carpet matting. A huge percentage of installed carpet matting is made of olefin. This olefin fiber wicks soils quickly. Speed drying will allow for salty moisture to dry and be either vacuumed out or padded out with an acid rinse.

A thoroughly thought out carpet maintenance plan requires constant inspection. This may require looking at the carpet before and after the cleaning. You may need to vary the amounts of water employed and the chemistries used in cleaning. Never forget that salty slush is much easier to remove with a wet/dry vac than after it has hardened.

For a free assessment of carpet cleaning issues at your facility email info@torontocarpetinspector.com

How Often Should a Carpet be Cleaned?

2011-09-10T17:19:00.000-07:00

As many of you know I inspect carpets for the major carpet mills. This week I had the opportunity to inspect for a woman north of Toronto for a carpet that was wearing out. She said that her home inspector had told her that she didn’t need to have the carpet cleaned by a professional. As a matter of fact the carpet did not have to be cleaned at all he said. Well needless to say the carpet was a wreck. The reasoning for not cleaning the carpet was that they were all located in bedrooms and that no one wears shoes in the bedrooms.

Well let me start off by saying –if you only have bare feet on a carpet then is the carpet not doing the same things as your socks would?? Don’t you change your socks on a daily basis?? Why? Because they stink from the oil and perspiration off your feet thats why. The oil off of feet can be murder to some carpets. Look along side your bed, can you tell the spot your feet land on the carpet every morning? Most people can!

Secondly–the soil in a carpet is extremely small. Its much smaller than the human eye can see. The soil is also usually very gritty and abrasive. In other words when you walk on a carpet loaded with soil you are creating an abrasive sand paper effect to the carpet.

Thirdly-the carpet manufacturers have spent millions of dollars to create carpet fiber that hides dirt. Yes it hides dirt. Whether the Antron fiber or trilobal fiber or foxface fiber, carpet fiber does a wonderful job of hiding the soil inside of it.

I always laugh at people’s reaction to my next statement because almost every body does it and it makes a good point. Why is it that people will look at a carpet adjacent to a ceramic tile and say “I had better clean the tile it hasn’t been cleaned in a week but I can wait till next year to clean the carpet.” Geez the ceramic tile can live through the next world war but the carpet is a textile floor covering.

Most carpet manufacturers recommend cleaning the carpet before it becomes visibly soiled and at least every 12-18 months. The preferred method for cleaning is hot water extraction. It is suggested that the carpet cleaner hold an IICRC certified carpet cleaning technician and uses CRI approved chemicals. I’ll talk more about that in the coming weeks.

If you have any questions email me at leesenter@hotmail.com.

Cleaning Carpets in August

2011-08-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

Cleaning carpets in August in the Greater Toronto Area is probably not the best time. The humidity in the region just does not allow quick drying of carpets.

There are several ways to get around slow drying times.

1) Ask the cleaners to use air movers while they clean

2) Leave the air conditioners on in the home before, during and after the cleaning

3) Have the carpets cleaned by truckpowered units if practical

4) Have the cleaners double extract

5) Employ minimum moisture cleaning methods

Why are quick drying times important?

1) They minimize the odours associated with carpet cleaning

2) Wick back of stains will be minimized

3) Carpets can be walked on quicker-eliminating the need to walk on a damp carpet and the subsequent soil tracking

4) Reduces the chances of microbial growth in the carpet

I would avoid deep cleaning carpets in August in larger facilities unless the air handling unit can support good air exchanges.

Till next time

A neat green solution for carpets with malodors

2011-08-30T08:14:00.000-07:00

Well as reluctant as I was to try new products we have tried the Rochester Midland carpet cleaning product from the Envirochem line and I have to say the results have been pretty impressive so far. We were given a case of the product to try and we used it.

For these carpets that have just not been cleaned enough and are filthy, to the basements that are damp, to the banquet hall that cleaned their own carpets with ancient equipment, to the carpet that has been well lived on by dogs this prodcut has rocked.

Now is it green?? Well to be frank it has not any little labels on the side of the bottle saying it has been independently certified as non-toxic. It does however have no hazardous ingredients according the controlled products regulation nor the ingredient disclosure list. This I have to say is better than many of the so called “verified green products”.

So now we can clean green in the hot, humidex days and not get the residual odours that are associated with carpet cleaning in the high humidity.

Another neat piece in the green cleaning arsenal of Fresh and Clean Carpet Cleaning www.freshandclean.ca.

If you have any questions regarding green cleaning or carpets in general please feel free to email me at info@torontocarpetinspector.com

Low Moisture Carpet Cleaning

2011-08-29T06:17:00.000-07:00

For the first time in years I had one of my carpet cleaners get angry at the salespeople for specifying steam cleaning a filthy carpet in August.

I have always said to my people that the cleaners will never understand the phone/salespeople and vice versa. Its management’s reponsibility to be able to bridge those gaps and these gaps can be wide.

Anyways the cleaner felt that a low moisture dry crystalline shampoo was the way to go on this commercial job. In many cases I would agree and actually specify this method of cleaning. We can still use safe green chemistries—and we use less water which is part of the green movement. Its a win-win situation and the net result often looks better in humidex weather in August.

This got me thinking about low moisture cleaning or “dry” cleaning of residential carpets in Toronto. I truly have a hard time pushing these methods in our city unless I was the person doing the carpet cleaning myself. What is the reason? It has nothing to do with the chemistries. It has nothing to do with the machines. It has to do with potential damage to the carpet fibers.

I was talking with Aaron Kashn of eFloors the other day over a glass of wine. Aaron sells very high end carpet from all over the world and the usual stuff from Dalton as well. This conversation made me think about the fact that most carpet sold out of Dalton these days is stuff with no texture retention warranty.

Back in the day of my daily carpet cleaning route 15-30 years ago it was rare to see carpet that would have its tufts bloom from a vacuum , traffic or cleaning. We had a name for that junk it was “builder’s grade”. In this day and age I am forever seeing carpet that could not stand up to an aggressive scrubbing from a rotary or dual rotating brush. No really–the junk doesn’t stand up and the “good stuff” can be ruined by improper deployment of spinning brushes or bonnets. Thats why we are careful where we specify low moisture residential carpet cleaning.

It also made me want to point out to consumers that its important to know what kind of warranty your carpet has when you buy it. Don’t be fooled by the famous “wear warranty”. A claim under a wear warranties is almost never honoured. Reason-carpets don’t wear out! Carpets ugly out! The warranty a good carpet needs is a texture retention warranty or a textureguard warranty. I will talk about that more next week.

I had a couple of calls and an email last week about my posts on this blog and my other one at www.TorontoCarpetInspector.com. I was thrilled that I could help people out who were looking to make informed decisions on what to do with their carpet or in one guy’s case how to get it properly installed in this city with the use of a powerstretcher.

If you have any questions or comments email me at leesenter@hotmail.com

Further to green deodorizers

2011-08-25T11:11:00.000-07:00

My friend in the States has done the research , here is his response on deodorizers requiring a fragrance-”Lee, I dug a bit deeper into this topic and learned that only the state of
California has made this proclamation, that is prohibiting a deodorization claim in biocides that do not contain fragrances. Some biocide registrants have decided to adopt one master label US-wide, thus potentially limiting their ability to promote a deodorization claim. The active biocide in Polysphere retains its deodorization claim in 49 of 50 states…California
excluded.
So is this a turn for the future?? I hope not because I believe fragrances are tough on chemically sensitive people.

Deodorizers that are green

2011-08-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

Its funny the ideas that come with green. The people on the leading edge often want to associate green cleaning as meaning chemically sensitive people “should” be able to use the product or process. We at Fresh and Clean have had that as an option all along for our clients.

One of the big items we always liked to push was the availability of green carpet protectors and fragrance free deodorizers. But that may have to change.

I was told this week when I was attanding the CSSA show at the International Centre in Mississauga that the American government are insisting that all deodorizers have a fragrance. Now the logic behind this evidently has something to do with controversy behind sanitization claims made by products and differentiating between these products that sanitize and deodorize. The preliminary principals of deodorization are pretty straight forward: 1) remove the source 2) destroy or mask the offending odour.

There are several deodorizers that destroy odours through processes of oxidization. The product we use which does this and uses no fragrances may soon be unavailable to us. I will be doing my homework and keep you up to date. In the meantime we still have deodorizers that work and leave no residual fragrance.

If you have any odour issues that you are having difficulty resolving then feel free to email me at leesenter@hotmail.com or call 1-877-GREEN57

10 Interesting Green Facts

2011-08-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

10 Interesting Green Facts
Written by: Anurag Ghosh • Edited by: Donna Cosmato
Updated May 24, 2011 • Related Guides: Wind Energy
Did you know that only one percent of unused geothermal power in Australia can provide energy for 26,000 years! Here are some more interesting green facts to inform and educate about growing environmental concerns.

The growing environmental concerns such as pollution, carbon footprints and rapid reduction of rainforests are increasing at an alarming rate. We can prevent, control or find different ways to stop these grave environmental issues. We need to be aware of our mistakes and be educated. These 10 green facts and statistics will certainly open our eyes and educate us to be more environment-friendly:

Top 10 Green Facts
1. There are many benefits of recycling objects. According to recycling-revolution.com, recycling an aluminum can saves enough electricity to power a television for three hours. If one ton of paper gets recycled, it saves 4,100 kilowatts of energy, 17 trees and 60 pounds of air pollution. If a ton of glass gets recycled, it can save 9 gallons of oil. These simple statistics reveal the true importance of recycling, and certainly help us find an alternative way to save our environment.

2. In the US alone, if 1/4th of the households replace one incandescent bulb with a CFL, it saves as much carbon dioxide as planting more than 200, 000 acres of forest. CFLs come in different types to suit your rooms. “Soft light” CFLs are a perfect replacement for that familiar warm glow emitted by incandescent light bulbs. You can also opt for “daylight” bulbs to emulate natural light. Replacing incandescents with CFLs is a small step to make our planet a better place to live.

3. Using wind turbines is the perfect alternative way to convert wind energy into electricity. Today, eighty countries are harnessing wind energy to create electricity on a commercial basis. In the United States, North Dakota has the ability to produce wind power to meet one fourth of the country’s electricity demand. Almost 20 percent of America’s electricity needs will be provided by wind power alone within a decade, according to Reuters.

4. Due to global warming and the population boom, most Asian countries will face acute water shortages by the year 2025. Still, many people waste water as if there is plenty available. But the truth is that less than one percent of world’s fresh water is available for human consumption.

5. The conventional furniture polishes you use contain toxic chemicals such as d-limonene, a chemical which irritates the eyes, and flammable irritants such as isobutene and butane. According to 2006 reports of the US poison control center, more than 200,000 case reports of exposure to such polishes and cleaning products were registered.

6. Australia has enough unused geothermal power to provide energy for thousands of years! According to treehugger.com, only 1 percent of the available geothermal power in Australia can provide energy for 26,000 years. This is one of the most encouraging green facts for us because it throws light on alternative sources of energy.

7. China’s severe air pollution problem has become the main reason for cancer deaths in the country. According to the EU, the country’s city residents breathe only 1 percent of fresh air. The deadly nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides emitted by China’s factories are spreading across the planet—as far as Los Angeles in the US!

8. The amount of garbage a country produces is truly mind boggling. In the US alone, consumers dump over 2 million plastic bottles every hour. The amount of trash produced in the US is equal to the weight of the Empire State Building!

9. India’s “National Solar Mission” plan aims to generate 20 Gigawatts of electricity from solar energy by 2020. In its attempt to fight global warming, India’s three-phased solar plan aims to produce 1-1.5 Gigawatts of solar power by 2012. The “National Solar Mission” objectives also include reducing the cost of solar panels and encourage domestic manufacturing of solar panels.

10. The energy consumption on heating and cooling the home is 50 percent of the total electricity consumption of an average household!

Those were some alarming, eye-opening and informative green facts. Of course, you might want to learn more about the various ways to save energy. Bright Hub’s Green Living channel has in-depth articles on this subject as well as many other informative articles on recycling, green construction, gardening and other green tips.

Certified Green Sustainability Contractor

2011-07-30T09:33:00.000-07:00

I have owned or operated cleaning businesses for almost thirty years. I have seen cleaning methods change, and the introduction of an endless supply of new cleaning chemical products and applicators come on to the market. Each product or method has a sales pitch or gimmick. How are contractors or our end users able to differentiate what works and what doesn’t? The only way to tell is to use the product or process and look at the end result.

There is a new challenge for building operators. There is the new push for being “green” and “sustainable” in all aspects of our operations. The problem is that some products are being called green because they are in a recycled bottle or use less toxic (but not safe) cleaning chemicals or are less detrimental to the environment. There are many different definitions of green cleaning. How are cleaning contractors and their clientele able to determine what truly is “green”?

In Canada there is now a program called the Canadian Green Sustainability Program (CGSP). The Canadian Sanitation Supply Association (CSSA) has developed this comprehensive management and operations program to help standardize the cleaning industry from coast-to-coast. The philosophy for this program is “A new standard for Canadians…by Canadians”.

Let’s look at the definition of the word “sustainable” created by the World Commission on Environment and Development- “Forms of progress that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”

There are many definitions for “green cleaning” but the definition most followed is “cleaning that cause less harm to human health and the environment when compared to other competing products and services.”

The new Standard created by the CSSA hopefully will create a common ground that all manufacturers, distributors, retailers, contractors and end users will be able to relate to. I have looked at programs created by people like IFMA and BOMA and their green sustainability seems to focus on everything from energy and water reduction to site location and building envelope. But I have yet to see an outline on how to perform sustainable green cleaning.

While my company was making the necessary changes in our standard operating procedures to be compliant with the new CGSP standard we had to look at several subjects that included:

•An understanding of LEED and third party accreditation
•Indoor air quality
•Products and procedures
•Waste management
•Company policies (including procurement)
•Auditing the system

Third Party accreditation is a very important aspect of this program. The two programs that are recognized by the new standard are Ecologo and Green Seal. The products used should be certified by one of these organizations and have their logo if such a product is available. We have had no problem finding general purpose cleaners, floor cleaners, bathroom cleaners, carpet cleaners and floor finishes that have the required certifications. This CSSA program is a good way to get prepared for LEED certification.

Should products used not be available with Ecologo or Green Seal Certification then they must be low VOC and scent free wherever possible. These are two aspects of cleaning solutions and processes that contribute to poor indoor air quality.

There are three areas of concern that impact indoor air quality under this program:

•Microbial contaminates
•Airborne particulate
•Gases

Microbial contaminates covered under this program are moulds and bacteria. The main procedure used to prevent mould growth is moisture control. If there is no moisture, mould cannot grow. Microfiber made of polyester or polyamide fiber hold about seven times their weight in water and allow for cleaning at the microscopic level. Microfiber mops allow significant reduction in the amount of moisture used while cleaning and reduces the collateral damage caused by reckless use of regular string mops.

Particulate control can be greatly improved by changing vacuums to true HEPA vacuums. There is a big difference between HEPA vacuums and vacuums using HEPA filters. HEPA vacuums are tested to ensure that soils being introduced into the vacuum system actually pass through the HEPA media and are captured by the filter. A HEPA vacuum must trap 99.97% of particulate 0.3 microns in size or larger.

Floor scrubbers and floor sanders must be fitted so that particulate is kept to a minimum. We use machines capable of being attached to HEPA vacuums.

Company policies and auditing the company’s procedures are other essential components of the program. We have found that many of our cleaning staff are reluctant to change cleaning products. Some of their reasons have been interesting. Some cleaners have complained that the new cleaning products don’t foam. They state that they didn’t believe that non-foaming products worked as well as ones that do. Many other cleaners have complained that the new products don’t work as well as the old ones. They state that they put more cleaning solution in and it still doesn’t work. Well many of the cleaners are automatically dispensed or don’t require a heavy dilution. This runs contrary to what many cleaners believe to be true-that more cleaning solution is better. Unfortunately the opposite is true with many products-the more concentrate put in the worse it works. Training your staff in proper product usage is absolutely essential. Monitoring what is being used is also important.

Finally is waste reduction. We have created a recycling policy and it’s amazing how much recycling we have accomplished. This includes rags, paper and bottles.

Our company Fresh and Clean has just become the first company in Canada to be a Certified Green Sustainability Contractor under the new program. We are extremely proud of this accomplishment. We had many policies in place that already met the new standard. We had to change quite a few. But the net result will be that our customers’ sites will be cleaned safer and actually end up cleaner.

The main things we learned preparing for the program and standard were that microfiber cleans better than regular cloth, HEPA vacuums greatly reduce airborne particulate and that microfiber mops reduce moisture and that in turn reduces microbial growth.

The new CSSA program also has another aspect that deals specifically with the building management.

That will be left for another day.

How can you tell your carpet is being cleaned “green”

2011-07-20T10:29:00.000-07:00

I see more and more people saying that they are cleaning green. What does green mean to you?

Fresh and Clean believes that green cleaning means using safe, non-toxic cleaning solutions. The solutions must not harm people, animals or the environment.

Cleaning carpets is a bit different than cleaning most hard surfaces. Carpet cleaners are cleaning textiles. These textiles have been made in a manner that hides the soil in them. Yes carpets hide soil. Most soil in a carpet can be vacuumed out. The stuff that can’t be vacuumed out is either water soluble (usually foods) and oil based soils. The water based stains are relatively easy to remove with most water based cleaning solutions. The oily stuff isn’t so easy.

Fresh and Clean has two products that clean oily carpets very well AND they are both certified by the Carpet and Rug Institute. All our solutions are certified by third party organizations who certify green products. These organizations include: Greenguard, Envirodesic and Green Seal.

Fresh and Clean is owned and operated by IICRC Approved Instructor and Senior Carpet Inspector James Lee Senter. If you have any concerns or questions about our cleaning processes don’t hesitate to email me at leesenter@hotmail.com.

Article: Woman Faces Jail Time for Planting Veggies

2011-07-11T14:43:00.000-07:00

freshandclean.ca

It just doesn't get more ridiculous than this.

Julie Bass of Oak Park, Michigan -- a mother of 6, law-abiding citizen, and gardener -- is facing 93 days in jail after being charged with a misdemeanor.

Her crime? Planting a vegetable garden in the front yard.

Bass says that she planted the garden after her front yard was torn up for some sewer repairs. Rather than wasting the opportunity to start with a clean slate by planting a lawn, she decided to really put the area to use, and plant a vegetable garden.

Her garden consists of 5 raised beds, where she grows a mix of squashes, corn, tomatoes, flowers, and other veggies. Bass received a warning from the city telling her to remove the vegetable garden, because it doesn't adhere to city ordinances (more on that later.) When she refused, she was ticketed and charged with a misdemeanor. Her trial, before a jury, is set to begin on July 26th. If she is found guilty, she can be sentenced to up to 93 days in jail.

About the City Ordinance

Supposedly, Bass is in noncompliance with a city ordinance that states that only "suitable" plant material is allowed on the lawn area of residences. When local media asked city planner Kevin Rulkowski what that meant, he said suitable means "common:" lawn, nice shrubs, and flowers. However, the city ordinance does not specifically state that those are the only allowed plant materials.

About Oak Park

This is not some gated community with HOA regulations. This is an ordinary, working class neighborhood in Oakland County, Michigan. Like nearly every other city in my home state right now, Oak Park is facing financial issues. Here at home, people are amazed that a cash-strapped city has the resources to investigate, charge, and prosecute a resident for something as innocuous as planting a vegetable garden.

What's Being Done

This story is gaining traction all over the web. Gawker covered it this morning. There are Facebook pages devoted to supporting Mrs. Bass and her family during this ordeal. Will social media help change the city's mind? That's what many of us are hoping. Local television affiliates for ABC and Fox news have already covered the story, and media attention continues to grow.

New Years Greener Resolution

2010-12-30T14:15:00.000-08:00

Fresh and Clean came across this insigthful blog that we thought would be great to share. What better way to start off the new year than with these easy resolutions that you can stick to.

Enjoy!!
FreshandClean.ca

At the end of a year it is common practice for many people to want to start the new year off on the right foot. In order to help them do so they set resolutions for themselves. I personally decided that this year I am going to set twelve resolutions for going green. I am tired of being broke because of rising costs, and I have a growing concern about our environment. My thought is by going green I am addressing both of these issues.

1. Cut down on trash
When I take a close look at the amount of trash that I put out everyday even aside from the recyclables, I am shocked. I then realize that by doing some careful grocery shopping, for example, I could easily reduce the amount of trash by half.

2. Reduce electricity consumption
The hardest part here is that even though I am conscious of how much electricity we consume as being the bill payer of the house, the problem is convincing the rest of the family to conserve electricity. My resolution here focuses on getting the family to cooperate in this effort.

3. Cut down on water waste
I would have to say that this is one of my weakest areas. I have the habit of letting the water run while I brush my teeth, or rinsing the dishes with running water instead of filling the sink with rinse water. I personally can think of a multitude of steps to take here to not only save money, but reduce unnecessary waste of water.

4. Cut down on pollution
My focus here is going to be to have a family home inspection day on New Year’s day to determine how our way of living is contributing to pollution. Then throughout the year 2011, I hope to be able to implement some changes to help reduce this.

5. Buy eco friendly products
I have never given much thought to eco friendly products in the past. I have observed however that more of these products are becoming readily available on the market. There is really no inconvenience to taking a few minutes of extra time when shopping to seek out eco friendly products.

6. Find heating solutions
One of my major areas of focus is going to be on finding an alternative heating solution. I have no doubts that with my current system I am not only depleting precious commodities, but adding to the pollution.

7. Recycle
I go through the motions of recycling our weekly trash, but I have not given much thought of recycling other items in our daily living. For example, instead of taking my old tires to the dump, or throwing out clothes and furniture, these are certainly recyclable items that I have not given much thought to.

8. Give back to nature
This year instead of spending a fortune on plants that only last for the season, I am going to concentrate on planting trees and shrubs that are not only going to save me money in the long run, but are excellent for the environment as well.

9. Buy local produce
I have never given much thought before as to how much damage using imported produce for example can do to the environment. I still have much to learn about this area of going green. I have learned though that just the fuel consumption alone to transport these products is greatly adding to the air pollution alone.

10. Cut down on air pollution
I have a twofold goal here for this resolution. One is by not using my car as much, I am going to get some much needed exercise. Then, of course, there is the savings on the fuel, and the reduction of pollution that is going to fit in nicely with my going green resolutions

11.Educate
I have come to realize just by putting these resolutions together that there is much that I don’t know when it comes to going green. I can also say the same for my other family members. Therefore the focus this year will be to educate ourselves on environmental issues.

12. Sticking to it
My biggest resolution of all and the hardest is to remain determined to carry through will all of these much needed and very important resolutions that I have just outlined.

Everyone wants to better themselves, and I am hoping to do this for myself and my family by going green for 2011.

Got your own green New Year’s resolution? Let us know about it…

Source: sustainablog (http://s.tt/12wjY)

DIY Eco Friendly Christmas Decorations

2010-12-22T19:58:00.000-08:00

This article was brought to you by http://ecobites.com/home/635?task=view

Deck the halls with real holly...drawing on an old age adage of having a natural eco - Christmas. Instead of spending money on artificial Christmas decorations that won't bio-degrade, let nature decorate your home this Christmas.
Christmas decorations can be made from organic, recycled and scrap materials. Try organic popcorn, dough, cinnamon sticks, bows, gingerbread, holly, seasonal berries, organic fruit and vegetables, ivy and evergreen branches, pine cones, gumnuts,painted eggshells, dried indian corn - after Christmas, store decorations for next year and put the branches in the composter.

Have arrangements of greenery from the garden and organic seasonal fruit, with bright red apples amongst the greenery. Using garden trimmings as decorations costs nothing and you have to prune them anyway. Hang greenery, twist into wreaths or garlands or make table arrangements, etc with greenery and bright fruit. Apples, oranges and other fruit can last for 2-3 weeks in decorations and can be eaten after that or used for cooking a pie or for juicing, in our home they get eaten and we replace daily.

Leave some greenery for last minute changes or replacements that will wilt, or as extra Christmas decorations closer to Christmas or for the Christmas table.

Make a homemade wreath from branches trimmed from your garden.

Decorate the outdoor trees and bushes in your yard with homemade decor that will survive a few weeks of weather.

An environmentally friendly Christmas need not be the traditional red and green. Let nature be the inspiration for your own unique, individual style.

ChristmasTree

If you require a real tree, purchase from a small-scale sustainable grower and choose a tree with roots so it can be replanted. If replanting isn't a option, most local councils run Christmas tree recycling schemes.

Wrap the potted roots with hessian and then start decorating with natural elements to create an eco sustainable Christmas decoration that is not only fun, but inexpensive to create.

Another alternative is to use a native tree or found dead twigs that you can decorate - a few branches gold burnished or splatted with white paint, decorated with bows, painted eggs, star cut-outs, wax dipped pine cones, home-made baubles, ginger bread decorations, etc.

Use your imagination and create a Christmas tree that is unique (Refer photo).

Hang colourful paper chains, popcorn and cranberry strings on your tree for a traditional touch, or lines of beads and buttons instead of tinsel.

Christmas Tree Ornaments

Use eggs, stars, moons, suns and other shapes, to make stars etc....
Draw a simple shape, or cut a shape from a magazine or old recycled card and use this as a silhouette to trace around. Cut the shape out of cardboard and paint with eco-friendly paint or cover with foil or re-use gift wrap. Shapes can include: suns, moons, stars, hearts, snowmen, angels, Santas, candles, bells, bauble shapes, gingerbread house, animal shapes, teddy bears, birds, candy canes, etc. Cut angels, peace doves or snowflakes out of scrap white paper (e.g. envelopes).

Christmas Tree Baubles

Use an old tennis ball. Wrap it in colourful twine. Add some holly and you have a beautiful bauble that is completely unique to you.

You can also fashion your own baubles out of foam balls and odd scraps of material or cord.

Use eggs. Have hard boiled organic eggs for breakfast. Neatly slice off the top either close to the top or half way, depending upon your design. Do not crack the eggshells. Clean out the egg shells of all remnant egg and very carefully wash the shells in soapy water. Allow them to dry. Once the egg is dry stick the shell together with a strip of tape (such as, masking tape - the tape needs to be able to be painted over).

Alternatively, pierce an uncooked egg at the top and bottom to remove the contents (use this for cooking) and rinse the shell in soapy hot water to clean it.

Then either paint the egg with eco-friendly craft paint or glue on pictures, etc (this will also help harden the eggshell). Thread wire from the bottom to the top of the egg, leaving 4cm at both ends. At the bottom tie the wire through a bead to anchor it and cut off any extra wire. At the top thread the wire through a bead, tie it, and then make a loop of the wire. Add decorations if desired, using paint or crayons, or even sequins or beads, etc. (if you want long lasting, heirloom eggs, check out "Faberge"eggs, and make versions for yourself!) To store eggs use an egg carton.
For unique, small eggs use quail eggs.

Grandma Novelty Decorations

Look in old sewing boxes to find cotton spools. Wrap them in tartan ribbon or recycled colourful paper. Thread together as indicated in the photo to make stunning, yet simple Christmas tree hanging decorations.

An alternative is to find old costume jewellery, decorate, paint or insert Christmas images from recycled paper. Old gift cards and wrapping paper can be turned into tree adornments with some clever cutting and string.

Origame Decorations

Make origame decorations out of scrap paper, either white or coloured. Note: if this sounds difficult, just stick to only making one shape (such as birds), and have a treefull of them – either in the same colour or in different colours. There are many craft books on origami available, including at the local libraries, so just choose a simple design and make it out of the paper you have collected.

Bows

Make bows out of old material, ribbon, anything. Do you have an old formal dress or shiny shirt that would make lovely bows? (Even a petticoat, or old curtains?) Otherwise check the remnant tables at fabric shops, including those that make formal outfits or wedding dresses - sometimes there are some intricate or spectacular pieces of fabric left over when a roll of material is sold also check op-shops.

Keep a sturdy shoe box for ribbons and bows - it is such a shame to throw such pretty garnishes away, especially when you can use them for any celebrations.

There are many ways to enhance the celebratory vibe around your home - with a little imagination. Tie lashings of ribbon to the backs of dining chairs, stair rails, candles or plants.Imagine a big shiny bow on the back of each chair - simply stunning!

Take the pictures down from your walls, wrap them up like a gift and put them back.It then looks like you have presents dancing merrily across the interior of your home.Wrap the front door with wide ribbon, to look like a gift.

Christmas Stockings

Make stockings out of spare material or your old and wearing out clothes. An old top can have a new life as a Christmas stocking, as can old cushion covers - or any old scraps of material. (Material can be painted if it’s the wrong colour).

Sew the stockings with bright, thick cotton or wool (e.g. from an old jumper). To decorate the stocking cut out a shape or design from material and sew or staple it to the stocking.

Add buttons, scraps of material or ribbon, etc, to make a design. (e.g. cut a Christmas tree shape from green material and put sequins or coloured small buttons on it for baubles; or some green material and two red buttons can become holly. Or a square of material with ribbons and a bow is a gift. Hint: plain white buttons can be coloured with indelible markers.)

Stocking ideas: Red and green stockings; patchwork stockings made from scraps of material (including made from scraps of rich material such as velvet or silk, etc); lace painted gold and put on a white or any other coloured stocking; plain white stockings sewn around the edges with thick red wool from an old jumper, etc, and with a simple decoration added to the front (even a picture from a card).Hessian looks great decorated. Get ideas from the shops – and you can always paint the material to suit.

Material, including scraps, can become Christmas stockings or Christmas bon bons / crackers.

Jigsaw Decoration

Popsicle sticks, glue, jigsaw puzzle pieces, child's picture, light weight cardboard, ribbon Glue popsicle sticks together to form a triangle. Glue the puzzle pieces onto the triangle to make a frame. Glue the picture behind the frame, and then glue the cardboard behind the picture. Add a ribbon for hanging.

Wreath Decoration

Use green non-toxic eco friendly paint to colour seven pieces of paper towel or toilet paper tubes. When the paint is dry, thread a pipe cleaner through all the tubes and twist to secure them together. Cut out a red bow and glue it to the wreath. Thread a piece of red ribbon through the tube on top and tie to make the hanger for the decoration or wreath.

Pine Cone Decoration

Gather pine cones (they don't have to be large).

Dip in melted candle wax - preferably use soy based wax, beeswax or natural-based candles, or use your childrens old beeswax crayons - melt in oven. Cones can also be painted by hand by using a gold burnish or splatter them with white paint to create a frosted appearance. When the cones are dry, tie a beautiful ribbon around the top (ones that still have a bit of stem attached at the top work best), and you have a very unique decoration.

Keep some without ribbon for table decorations. Dip / paint gumnuts in melted wax too.

Candy Cane Decoration

Using beads thread onto a pipe-cleaner. Use two red beads then two white beads.Thread the beads so they nest together.When you like the length bend the pipe-cleaner to hold & cut. Bend the length to make a candy cane shape that will hang on the tree.

Popcorn Decoration

Here's a twist on a traditional Christmas trim. Instead of stringing popcorn on string for your tree. String it onto medium-gauge wire and bend the wire into shapes such as bells, hearts, or stars. Add a ribbon to the top!

Pipe Cleaner Decoration

You need pipe cleaners & even beads. Take the colourful pipe cleaners and create shapes to wrap around the Christmas tree or to hang from branches. Ideas are only limited by your imagination.

Combine with beads - use thread and make stars, diamonds, angels, etc.

Paper Tree Decoration

Cut out 4 triangle tree shapes. Fold each one in middle. Glue together. Add sequins or holes punched from coloured paper for decorations. Cut out circles or heart or shapes & do the same as the tree for different decorations.

Bear Decoration

Precut bear shape from any old cardboard - cereal boxes, cards etc. Make hole punches all around and allow the children to sew in and out of the holes with ribbon. Glue a pocket on the front of their bear and add a message in the pocket. One big bear hug. Just for you. Merry Christmas Love _______". We added a ribbon string for hanging. Also used old Christmas wrap cut into heart shapes to decorate the pocket etc.

Gingerbread Decoration

This will delight children, and give you unique heirloom decorations. Decorate the tree with gingerbread decorations made from cardboard. Add individual touches to the tree using gingerbread designs of your favourite items. E.g. gingerbread footballs, golf balls, tennis balls & tennis rackets, a bird, cat or dog, etc - you name it - what is their favourite toy/game.

Turn it into gingerbread decorations. Cut the shapes out of cardboard and paint with thick paint so they look like gingerbread. Have gingerbread Santas, stockings, snowmen, birds, etc. Have a gingerbread Christmas Tree on the table or mantelpiece. However, children may want to eat the cardboard decorations, so also provide some cooked gingerbread baubles that can be pulled out when guests arrive or on Christmas day.

Cinnamon and Salt Dough

Keep the designs simple and not too thick, so they won't dry out - they can be painted and varnished.

Salt Dough

2 cups plain flour

1 cup salt

1 cup water

Mix the dry ingredients then slowly add the water until you have a firm dough. Knead for 5 - 10 minutes. Bake decorations 165C (325F) depending on the thickness, can take up to 90 minutes.

Roll out the salt dough and cut gingerbread men in all diffferent sizes, bake slowly to dry out- if kept dry they last indefinitely. As they are quite light in colour, tint with a mix of PVA glue and Raw Sienna acrylic paint. You can sprinkle with aromatic spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. You can make squiggly lines with paint and hot glue bow ties. Cut holes in the raw dough to thread cord or cotton through for hangers, or glue these to the back when hardened.

Cinnamon Dough

1 1/2 cups ground cinnamon or mixed spice

1 cup apple sauce

1/2 cup PVA glue

Mix all the ingredients until a firm dough. Knead for 5 minutes, cover with wrap, stand for 30 minutes. Roll and make shapes with Christmas cookie cutters. Put on a cooling rack covered with gauze and let dry, turning occasionally.

Cinnamon Stick Bunches

4 cinnamon sticks per bunch
A few small pine twigs
Small (unbreakable) Fair-trade / recycled Christmas decoration
Red ribbon
wire

Bundle the cinnamon sticks in the centre with the twigs and decoration.
Wind wire around to secure.
Tie a bow of red ribbon around the bunch.
Hang on tree or great for place settings or a few for a table centerpiece.

Cinnamon Sticks - tie with fabric and place in your displays.

The Christmas Table

A table that is beautifully set out gives a meal shared with family and friends such elegance.

A table-runner down the centre, displays decorations and candles handsomely.Add a country-Christmas air with a plaid design and bowls of organic seasonal fruit and nuts.Enhance the setting with sprigs of pine or evergreen from the garden, colourful balls in red and silver, and lighted candles.

Centerpieces are best kept low, so as not to obscure your guests' view of each other across the table. A bowl of red roses in the centre for a splash of colour and rose petals scattered on each place setting,is simple to do, and gives a sweet scented aroma.

Candles

Paraffin candles are made from petroleum residues so neither do your health or the environment any good. Soy, beeswax or natural vegetable-based candles are better because they biodegrade, are smoke-free, and so more eco-friendly.

Grab all your clean jam jars and turn them into stunning luminaries. Put coloured old marbles or stones and a candle in the centre , then lash satin ribbon around the top for a festive glow!

Dinner by candlelight makes the meal magical.

Candles, fresh flowers, ribbon, greenery, organic fruit and vegetables, heartfelt written messages, decorations made with love, are the perfect ingredients for your Eco - Christmas celebration!

Choosing a theme can simplify the decorating process as it gives you a focal point to concentrate on and get ideas from.

Traditional Christmas

Deck the halls, tables, your home with boughs of greenery from the garden or from your nature walks with your children, add bright red organic apples and the occasional non-paraffin candle. Dot the Christmas tree with red & white decoartiions. Hang Christmas stockings, and add bows or other decorations to the tree if desired.

For something different as a centrepiece make a "Christmas tree" pyramid of red apples. Dot this with green leaves or use red and green organic apples.

Twinkle Twinkle Litle Star

Make stars from wool felt, cardboard covered with foil or painted with silver or gold or even match-sticks and raffia. Have silver stars and gold stars. Or try blue and gold. Have big and small ones so it looks like the tree is covered with a constellation of stars.

Hang stars from the windows at different levels, and using different size stars. For decorations also use candles, or candles and a few stars with soft greenery.

Try different colour and texture combinations, such as having a variety of golds with textures, or those with ruby, deep blue and green finishes, or stars with a bit of a pastel tone. Another idea is to cut out the centre of the stars so that they are only silhouettes. Have them in gold, cream, silver, or any other colour schemes. These will look more delicate on your tree.

On the tree hang cardboard stars and suns, eggs or bows painted gold, bronze, or copper. Put one or two with garlands of greenery and arrangements of greenery, pears, apricots and other gold fruit on the table, or around candles. Hang stockings and for trim on the stockings use scraps of lace, painted gold trim if desired.

Paint old sandpaper or textured cardboard for textured stars. Even torn and damaged cardboard creates an interesting textured effect when painted.

Inspiration From Nature

Have lemons or oranges or peaches (what ever is on your tree or at the farmers' market) with tropical flowers frangapani / hibiscus and bright greenery. If you have broad leaved plants use large leaves as the base for table decorations.

Red bottle brush flowers make a wonderful addition for your Christmas decorations.

Decorate with fruit, nuts and pinecones. Or just nuts, candles and pinecones with the occasional gold leaf or gold foil covered nut or candle wax dipped pine cone as a highlight. Paint a branch gold and add nuts and pinecones. Tie smaller pine cones on the tree with wide gold ribbons.

Use cherries, plums, purple grapes and peaches in arrangements with gold trim. For the tree use rich red, blue and gold painted eggs, perhaps decorated with gold and silver crayons or sequins. For a truly rich effect put table arrangements on some draped cloth such as velvet or silk, check the Op shop for scarves, old formal dresses and shirts etc.

Include your old kitchen utensil collection in the decor with mixing bowls. colanders, scales, sifters as part of the theme. Embellish the display with ribbons, green garlands and berries, along with rusty bells and other kitchen tools like wood rolling pins and spoons.Fill with gingerbread figures and fabric bows to complete the look.

Silver with pale blue or aqua or silver with metallic lime green and aqua. Purple and gold, or burgundy with gold. Tie organic fair-trade chocolates in their foil onto a small branch as a decoration. Leave the branch as it is or paint it white, gold or silver.

Cut potato shapes with Christmas cookie cutters and paint sheets (white sheets from Op shops) using organic beetroot juice, the occasional child beetroot dipped hand print is lot's of Christmas fun! Great for your Christmas tablecloth, make matching cloth napkins and trim with coloured ribbon.

Keep it simple - check out Op shops / garage / yard sales for fabric (curtains, sheets etc) we found some beautiful gold curtains, cut the gold curtain for a Christmas table runner and made napkins with the curtain lining, made napkin rings from toilet roll holders and newspaper, placed a gold pinecone in each recycled wine glass with a table centre decoration of gumnuts, pinecones, gold ribbon and fresh flowers with lychees and cherries scattered throughout. A few willow branches for the Christmas tree decorated with gold and red bows, baubles and fairy lights, don't forget to turn off fairy lights! Bowls of gumnuts and pincecones, fresh flowers, candles and fruit scattered throughout our home, a big ribbon going horizontal and vertical on the front door to look like a parcel wrapped, and a wreath made from twigs in the garden and dried apples, big hessian bows with raffia and ribbons tied on our trees and bushes in the yard, with solar rope Christmas lights.

Napkin Rings - http://ecobites.com/eco-arts-crafts-activities/diy-napkin-rings.html

Dried Apple Wreath -

http://ecobites.com/eco-arts-crafts-activities/potpourri-lavender-gifts-3.html

Have a happy Eco Christmas!

Green Christmas: Tips for an Eco-Friendly Holiday

2010-12-22T11:53:00.000-08:00

Cameron Walker
for National Geographic News

December 20, 2004
Yes, the holidays draw out the best in most of us each year. But they also bring what seems like an environmentalist's worst nightmare: tons of extra garbage, millions of chopped-down trees, and megawatts of flashing lights. With a little tweaking, however, everything from holiday gift-giving to light-stringing can celebrate the environment, too. Here's how:

Giving Green

So why not recycle holiday gift wrap? Lilienfield, who has published a newsletter on reducing waste since 1996, notes that if every family reused just 2 feet [0.6 meter] of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles [61,000 kilometers] of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet.

And not all gifts need wrapping. "Think back to your three favorite holiday memories," Lilienfeld said. "I'm willing to bet that they all involve time you spent with your family and friends."

By giving gifts that can be experienced, like tickets to a baseball game or a homemade dinner, you can minimize wrapping and still win points with the receiver. "People like these gifts just as much," he said.

Fake Fir

For many, Christmas wouldn't be the same without a live, fragrant Christmas tree in their home. Today nearly all of the trees sold at seasonal Christmas-tree lots are grown on tree farms. So forests aren't hurt by choosing a cut tree, said Jeff Olson, the vice-president of marketing and development for American Forests, a Washington, D.C.-based conservation nonprofit.

While potted trees might seem like a green option, they often don't fare well in unseasonably warm homes. "The last thing you want to do is bring it into the house," Olson said. He plans to get a potted tree this year and keep it outside for the holidays.

Artificial trees, he noted, consume significant energy and petroleum-based materials during their manufacture.

But Lilienfeld, the Use Less Stuff co-author, noted that a one-time purchase of an artificial tree can save gas otherwise used for annual trips to the local tree farm.

Tree Recycling
Recycling fresh trees after Christmas can make a huge difference in reducing holiday waste. Instead of taking up space in the landfill, trees can be ground into wood chips, which can be used to mulch gardens or parks or to prevent erosion at a local watershed.

The National Christmas Tree Association, an organization which represents Christmas tree growers, has teamed up with Scottsdale, Arizona-based conservation group Earth 911 to point consumers in the right direction with their trees. On their Web site, you can enter your zip code to find the nearest of 3,800-plus spots nationwide that accept old trees.
Low-Energy Lights

The newest energy-saving stars on the holiday scene are Christmas lights made with light-emitting diodes, or LEDs. First introduced in 2001, LEDs incorporate the same computer-chip technology used to light calculators and watches. The lights, which use semiconducting material rather than incandescent filaments, are 90 percent more efficient than traditional Christmas lights.

According to one U.S. Department of Energy study, if everyone replaced their conventional holiday light strings with LEDs, at least two billion kilowatt-hours of electricity could be saved in a month.

The savings would be enough to power 200,000 homes for a year, according to Littleton, Colorado-based Holiday Creations, which makes and distributes a popular line of LED light strings.

Karyn Atwood, Holiday Creations' director of domestic and commercial sales, notes other added bonuses: The LEDs release little heat, and they last about 200,000 hours. In the unlikely event that one does burn out, she said, the rest of the lights keep on glowing.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/12/1220_041220_green_christmas_2.html

Top 5 eco-friendly gifts for kids

2010-12-21T13:56:00.000-08:00

This article was brought to you by greenonlineshopping.com
Let’s face it, Christmas is all about the kids. Luckily, there are some great gift ideas around this year that don’t involve large amounts of plastic and ridiculous packaging.

Only 5 gifts could make the final list, but there’s a great choice to choose from this Christmas. For more ideas from sustainable wooden toys to solar powered helicopters, take a look at our shop directory for more gifts for kids ideas.

These are our top 5 green gifts for kids this Christmas.

5: Cardboard Rocket Play House

This ticket to outer space is made from recycled cardboard, and comes in a plain design so kids can decorate it to their liking. Folds away flat for easy storage, so can be chucked in the boot of the car to transport (just don’t leave it outside in the rain!). Suitable for toddlers, up until about 7 years of age.

Cardboard Rocket Play House, £29.99 from Nigel’s Eco Store

Read more on Nigel’s Eco Store

4: Mr Robot Head

The old classic given a Doctor Who type twist. All you need to do is direct the wire from one side of the head to the other, without touching the wire. Easy, eh? But be careful, if you do touch the wire, Mr Robot will buzz at you and his eyes will flash.

This is a wind-up toy so does not require batteries. It does, however, require a very steady hand!

Mr Robot Head, £19.99 from Nigel’s Eco Store

Read more on Nigel’s Eco Store

3. My First Eco Radio

Another wind-up toy. This toy radio plays a host of sounds to entertain the young ones, and has enough nobs and dials to keep them twiddling away for ages.

My First Eco Radio, £14.99 from Ethical Superstore

Read more on Ethical Superstore

2. Milk-O Mini Bag

Made by Doy’s women’s cooperative in the Philippines, these fun bags are fashioned from food and juice cartons that would otherwise head straight to the tip when emptied.

Milk-O Mini Bag, £4.99 at Natural Collection

Read more on Natural Collection

1: Recycled Aircraft Tyre Horse Swing

You would never guess that this was made from an old rubber tyre. Who would have thought something so simple could keep the kids entertained for a very long time. Can be hung outside, or on a frame inside. Beats Playstations hands down!

Suitable for children ages 3 and upwards (tree for hanging not included)!.

Recycled Aircraft Tyre Horse Swing, from Ethical Superstore, £79.95 at Ethical Superstore

Read more on Ethical Superstore

Have a Merry Green Christmas

2010-12-21T13:52:00.000-08:00

Nigel's Top 10 tips for a Green, Sustainable and Eco Friendly Christmas
http://www.canadianfamily.ca/blog/familyjewels/

Here's my top 10 Green Christmas tips that'll help you to save money, reduce your Christmas carbon footprint and have a more eco friendly and sustainable noel.

Read more in my free guide: How to Have a Good Christmas. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD.

Don't forget to turn off your fairy lights
Ever since I found out that 15% of household electricity is wasted by leaving TVs, Hi-fi's and other appliances on standby – costing each of us an average of £37 per year – I make sure I turn things off when I’m not using them. In general lighting accounts for 15% of household electricity, and 100-string Christmas tree lights left on for 10 hours a day over the 12 days of Christmas produce enough carbon dioxide to inflate 60 balloons - so make sure you get energy saving light bulbs for your house, and at Xmas, try these solar powered rope lights or these outdoor solar powered christmas fairy lights for some winter sparkle without adding to your carbon footprint.

Christmas cards
An estimated 1.7 billion Christmas cards are sent each year in Britain, the equivalent of 200,000 trees, and around 1 million Christmas cards are thrown away every year. I try to send recycled Christmas cards (like these designer ones), but you could make your own, or send texts or e-cards instead. After the big day, make sure your Christmas cards don't go to waste – take them to a Woodland Trust recycling point. I like to buy recycled Christmas cards from charities and donate up to 20% to less fortunate people at the same time.

Recycled wrapping paper
There's no point recycling rubbish if you don't buy recycled products! It's estimated that 83 square kilometres of wrapping paper end up in our rubbish bins each year, that's enough to wrap up Guernsey, so I also make sure that I use recycled wrapping paper, and try to wrap presents with ribbon or string instead of sticky tape. Try our designer recycled wrapping paper, by Lisa Jones.

Candles
Paraffin candles are made from petroleum residues so neither do your health or the environment any good. Soy, beeswax or natural vegetable-based candles are better because they biodegrade, are smoke-free, and so more eco friendly.

You can buy some: here

Deck the halls with real holly
Instead of spending money on artificial Christmas decorations that won't biodegrade, let nature decorate your home. House decorations can be made from organic, recycled and scrap materials. Try popcorn, dough, cinnamon sticks, bows, gingerbread, holly, seasonal berries, ivy and evergreen branches – once you have finished with them, you can put them in the composter. You can also get Christmas decorations made from recycled CDs and computer parts from us!

Christmas trees
If you've been wondering which is better, the simple answer is that real trees are the more eco friendly choice. Although artificial trees last for many years they are made from metal and derivatives of PVC, which requires large amounts of energy to make, and also creates by-products such as lead which can be harmful to both the environment and human health. The average life of an artificial tree is just 6 years and given that they are not naturally biodegradable they will potentially pollute a landfill site for many years to come. Most artificial trees sold in the UK are now made in Taiwan and China and so have additional energy costs associated with transport. Real trees are carbon neutral, absorbing as much carbon dioxide as they grow as they will emit when burnt or left to decompose. They are also a wildlife habitat and a naturally renewable resource, and generally feel much nicer in your home. They can be planted in your garden after Christmas, and even used again next year. In 2006, six million Christmas trees took pride of place in British homes and offices. Of these only 10% were recycled and fewer than 5% planted to be re-used next year, so...

Tree Buying Tips
Buy from a small-scale sustainable grower and/or make sure the tree has Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) accreditation, you can go to www.soilassociation.org/christmas for a list of producers.

And choose a tree with roots so it can be replanted. If replanting isn’t an option most local councils run Christmas tree recycling schemes. Contact yours or go to www.letsrecycle.com

Or this year, why not start growing your own?

Be battery wise
Families can get through a lot of batteries, particularly at Christmas. Batteries contain toxic chemicals, don't biodegrade and are difficult to recycle. Instead use rechargeable ones or try our new battery wizard, it'll charge even ordinary batteries, or you could try these AA size USB rechargeable batteries. By opening the cap and plugging into a USB connector, you can recharge them pretty much anywhere there's a USB socket. You'll never have to search for a charger again.

Buy an organic turkey
10 million turkeys are eaten every Christmas. If you can, try to make sure it has been reared in humane conditions. Organic turkeys taste better too. I try to buy my Christmas food locally, shopping at farmers markets or buying direct from the farmer is far cheaper than buying organic in the supermarket. Think of the benefits – the taste of chemical-free food, the reduction in food miles and CO2 emissions, and reduced dependence on oil. Buying locally produced food also boosts rural jobs.

Recycle your unwanted presents
Unfortunately everyone receives at least one unwanted gift at Christmas. I often recycle my unwanted presents to charities. Local hospitals and hospices are often very pleased to receive unwanted smellies to give to patients. Or you could try our regifting forum - and swap them for other people's unwanted gifts!

Give a charity or environmentally friendly gift
Sponsor an animal or give a membership to a charity or environmental organisation for Christmas. Or of course, you could buy an eco friendly gift from Nigel's Eco Store!

With a little planning anyone can give presents that are thoughtful, original and make a difference to the environment too, and...
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD my FREE E-BOOK: How to Have a Good Xmas.

10 Brilliant Weekend Ideas

2010-12-20T14:32:00.000-08:00

This article was brought to you by Canadian Family
http://www.canadianfamily.ca/articles/article/10-brilliant-weekend-ideas/

think outside the pumpkin patch and discover some new, offbeat family adventures. We’ve got 10 cool weekend ideas to get your fall moving and shaking.

1 Hunt for some ’shrooms
Add a twist to a traditional hike and forage for some edible (non-psychedelic!) fungi. “Our kids, aged eight and 11, are expert at identifying chanterelles,” says Alison Dyer of St. John’s, Nfld. “Chanterelle hunting is done furtively – you don’t want to give your spot away. When one of us finds them, we yell our code word: ‘custard.’” (For links to mushroom-related sites, including safety, check out fungi.ca.)

Or consider fall’s other booty. Blackberries are everywhere, but so are blueberries and salmonberries in B.C., Saskatoon berries in the prairies, and partridgeberries in Newfoundland and Labrador.

2 Rock out together
Music is a great way to bond as a family. “I first took my daughter to a Def Leppard concert when she was nine, and she’s 20 now,” says Jill McNulty of Calgary. “Last year, we even drove to California to catch an Aerosmith gig.” Whether your tastes run to classical or hip hop, there’s probably an all-ages show happening near you. Consider the Canadian Deep Roots Festival in Wolfville, N.S., featuring all-ages rhythm workshops and family singalongs, or a Bunch Family Dance Party held in locations like Toronto’s über-hip Drake Hotel.

3 Go gallery hopping
While the idea of unleashing your little monsters on fine art may seem ridiculous, the wide-open spaces of most public art galleries are practically made for families. “People assume we’re like a library – that you have to be completely quiet and that young children aren’t welcome,” says Lora Carroll, education program coordinator at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria in B.C. Their range of programs for kids from two to 12 aims to break down those barriers and to get kids hooked on art. At monthly “Family Sunday” events, kids and their parents let loose with paint, sculpture, collage and even Chinese brushwork. Check out similar programs at public galleries near you.

4 Host a fall fiesta
Counter cool nights with a hot and spicy Mexican-themed party. Kids can dress up with sombreros and play games like pin the tail on the burro while adults chill with margaritas. (Just don’t drink too many before taking a whack at the piñata.) Pick some tunes to suit the mood – anything by Calexico or Ry Cooder would be perfect – and kick up your heels. Chelsea Donaldson of Guelph, Ont., relishes the end-of-summer bbq held by a beloved ex-babysitter every year. “The kids compete to eat the most corn, and the grown- ups play catch-up in the backyard.”

5 Start your own breakfast club
Start a family ritual of going out for breakfast on Sunday mornings, giving everyone a turn choosing where to go. If your five-year-old picks a gelato place, so be it; next time you can choose somewhere healthier. “Ever since my four daughters were very young, we’ve gone for brunch together on the weekends,” says May Yeung of Unionville, Ont. They started with breakfast at Burger King, then moved to dim sum and bistro fare as their taste buds matured.

6 Tweak the apple-farm tradition
Sure, it’s traditional, but even too-cool-for-you teens enjoy an outing to the orchard. “It’s a family tradition for us,” says Sally Erskine Doucette of Dartmouth, N.S. “When my kids were small, they would take a pony ride at the farm. They’re teenagers now but still like going.” Once home, extend the activity by turning your harvest into a yummy pie or heating up some cider.

7 Be department-store divas
Take your little princesses and princes to a department store to score perfume samples and look at all the chic grown-up stuff. Try on hats and gloves, ride the escalators (over and over), and splurge on fresh-squeezed juice and fancy cookies in the cafe. What’s ordinary to you may be a magical palace to your preschooler. Bonus: if the kids see that shopping can be fun, your next trip could be drama free.

8 Get snap happy
Turn your tots on to photography with a Polaroid or digital camera session. “Go with a format that gives instant results, and they’re hooked,” says photographer Adam Greaves, who runs classes for kids at Vancouver community centres. Greaves suggests setting up a photo shoot in your living room, where the kids can direct the rest of the family in a fashion shoot or re-enactment of a story they want to tell. You’ll giggle over the snaps for years to come. Or, get outside and capture the fall flora and colours super-up-close, pop-art style.

9 Learn a wild new skill together
Why not mix up the extracurricular scene and take a class with your child for a change? Think West African drumming at Vancouver’s Britannia Community Services Centre or sushi making at Niagara College in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. While many community centres and schools offer Saturday workshops aimed at families, an adult-learning class may still be suitable for your big kid. Talk with the instructor to see if tweens or teens are welcome.

10 Get up with the birds
Fall is the perfect time to bid adieu to the migrating birds. “Our kids are eight and five now, but we’ve been going up north for years,” says Jim Chliboyko of Winnipeg. “They probably couldn’t care less about the flocks of birds and Vs of geese, but since it means eating at – gasp – McDonald’s and a chance to stay up slightly later, they’re in!” Hey, if it takes a bit of french-fry grease to get closer to nature, we can live with that.

Eco Friendly Homes and Housing in Canada

2010-12-13T09:45:00.000-08:00

This article has been brought to you by www.EcoFirms.org
http://www.ecofirms.org/journal/eco-friendly-homes-and-housing-in-canada/

Eco friendly, or green homes have come a long way in just a short time. Ten years ago, the idea of an eco friendly home created images of large solar panels rising from rooftops. To many people, making a home “green” meant having to turn their lives over to mother nature. Eco friendly homes were for tree huggers, not for the everyday person.

Perception of an eco friendly home
Today, the perception of what an eco friendly home is has changed dramatically, and the results have brought the idea into mainstream society. There is more to an eco friendly home than a series of solar panels. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, an eco friendly home is one that “uses less energy, less natural resources, and releases fewer toxic chemicals.” Additionally, an eco friendly home should be indistinguishable from traditionally constructed homes (Max).

Demand for eco friendly homes
The demand for eco friendly homes is rising across the world. In some places, eco friendly homes are being built from the ground up, while in others, individuals and families are simply upgrading existing homes by using insulating foam, painting with non-toxic paint, and installing wooden floors from sustainable yield forests to make them greener. The benefits of these eco friendly homes can be seen in the amount of money that is saved on energy costs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a typical home can lose anywhere from 15-20 percent of its cool or warm air as a result of air duct leaks. Eco friendly homes save money by reducing the amount of energy that is wasted through the use of energy efficient appliances and construction materials.

The popularity of eco friendly homes is not limited to the United States. In recent years, there has been a noticeable rise in the demand for eco friendly homes and housing in Canada (Davis). Across the country, individual homes and larger housing complexes are making the decision to go green. In South Ottawa for example, real estate developers are working together with architects, engineers, homeowners, and eco friendly housing experts to help build new eco friendly homes. The goal is to eventually move from building individual green homes to building entire green communities. In this particular South Ottawa effort, the eco friendly homes feature everything from a method of harvesting rainwater to be used for irrigation and a built-in recycling center, to natural ventilation, and fluorescent lights throughout the home.

Another program in Toronto is taking existing homes and converting them to eco friendly ones. The project, known as The Now House project, is taking homes built during World War II and converting them to eco friendly homes. The push toward green homes is so strong in Canada that there is a strong effort not just to create green homes, but to create near-zero or zero energy homes. These homes are designed to produce just as much energy as they use, making for an overall energy use of zero. In fact, the goal is to have every single home in Canada be zero-energy by the year 2030 (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation). The goal seems extremely ambitious, but with contests that boast $50,000 and $100,000 awards for the winning design, the Canadian government feels that a net zero energy house design is not too far away (Dunn).

More and more individuals across the planet are becoming willing participants in the move toward greener, more eco friendly living. Whether it means driving a hybrid vehicle or living in an eco friendly home, the general goal is to minimize the amount of energy wasted and the amount of carbon that is released into the environment. With a drive toward eco friendly homes and housing in Canada and everywhere else, progress is definitely being made.

Written by Martin Jauregui

REFRENCES:

Davis, K. “Eco Friendly Prefab Home Gets Attention.” The Toronto Sun 01 October 2005.
Dunn, C. “All Canadian Homes to be Zero-Energy Homes by 2030.” Design & Architecture 18 July 2006.
Max, S. “Your Home: Is Going Green Worth the Cost?” Money 21 June 2007.
United States Department of Energy. 5 July 2008. U.S. Department of Energy. 1 July 2008 http://www.doe.gov/energyefficiency/
United States Green Building Council. 7 July 2008. U.S.G.B.C. 7 July 2008 http://www.usgbc.org/

Eco-friendly cement becomes standard in Ontario, Quebec

2010-12-06T16:20:00.000-08:00

Ontario and Quebec recognize Holcim Inc’s. PLC cement in building regulations

BY Canadian Manufacturing Daily Staff

MISSISSAUGA‑Holcim Canada Inc. will manufacture a new class of cement called Portland Limestone cement (PLC) that has been written into the Ontario Building Code (OBC) and the Régie du Bâtiment in Quebec as an alternative to general use (GU) cement.

Holcim’s plants in Mississauga and Joliette, Que. have manufactured PLC for customer trials with ready-mix producers and concrete product manufacturers in both provinces.

The PLC manufacturing process is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 130,000 tonnes, the equivalent to taking more than 25,000 cars off the road or planting 3,300,000 trees, and will reduce the dependence on virgin materials, according to the company.

Reductions are achieved because up to 15 per cent of the clinker used to produce regular cement is replaced by limestone. PLC also shows comparable strength performance and can carry similar amounts of supplementary cementing material as GU.

PLC was referenced in the National Building Code of Canada last November and was adopted by Ontario building code on Feb. 17.

Creating An Environmentally-Friendly Wedding

2010-11-30T13:34:00.000-08:00

This article has been brought to you by http://www.ecogogreen.com/category/green-living/page/18/
Posted by kahunaut

Anyone who has been a bride knows weddings are expensive. Each aspect of the event takes a lot of money to pull off with class, but your budget is not your only concern if you are planning. When large gatherings of people celebrate a big event, you are going to find there is a lot of waste. There are ways to reduce the waste without spending an arm and a leg, especially if you are willing to make environmentally conscious choices. If “going green” is important to you, there are plenty of eco friendly products available for your wedding day. Most of these are fair trade products, so you can celebrate your love with a clear conscience. Your wedding will be just as classy and elegant as you want, but you will not need to worry about doing any damage in the process.

The first thing you can do is make your planning environmentally conscious. Purchase a wedding planner that was created from recycled paper or consider keeping all of your planning notes on your computer. If you have a portable device, you can just send your notes along when you need them at a location. Vendors often offer to send you copies of materials and contracts. Ask if this can be done online so there is less printing and paper waste. You will still have copies but there will be no paper waste.

Next, keep your trial runs under control. It can be tempting to get color swatches, extra invitations, and extra odds and ends just to test them out. Limit these as much as possible. Most of these will just be dumped into the trashcan once you have made your final decision. Do your best to decide without needing these items. You can also look for inspiration online instead of buying bridal magazines. You are likely to get the same information without spending money and worrying about tossing all of these magazines.

Consider incorporating environmentally responsible items into your ceremony and reception. Soy wax works for unity candles, toss bird seed instead of rice, and recycled paper works just as well for programs and escort cards. You can plan your ceremony outdoors to save on electricity and heating or cooling costs.

You can also, plan a reception menu that features fresh, local foods that are easier on the environment. Many caterers specialize in delicious, organic meals that are healthy and prevent damage to your surroundings. There is a good chance you will have leftover food, so be sure you have a plan to distribute and store it properly. Consider asking a local charity if they are able to take food donations. Finally, use a hybrid vehicle to get around on the big day. This way you can incorporate environmental responsibility into your entire wedding.

Home Energy Saving Tips

2010-11-24T15:42:00.000-08:00

This article was brought to you by http://www.ecogogreen.com/category/green-living/page/2/

For years, we have relied on fossil fuel for power. We use fossil fuel to run our vehicles, and power our homes. We focused mainly on a non renewable energy source instead of using renewable energy sources. We can still recover from our present energy crisis if we learn to utilize renewable energy sources, and start saving what’s left from our ever depleting fuel source. We can begin by implementing simple power saving measures at home. 1

Computer – Desktop computers consumes high power. Even when you are using your desktop often, you can still implement power saving measures by setting your computer to “sleep mode” when it is not in use for a period of time. Turning off the monitor while taking a quick break also helps save power. It only takes a push of a button to power a computer monitor back on. 1

Light – Switching the lights off when not being used is a good way to save power. But you can also step up your power saving measures by using CFL light bulbs instead of incandescent light bulbs. CFL light bulb consumes less power and produces more light. The life span of CFL bulbs is also considerably longer than conventional incandescent bulbs, requiring less maintenance. For more information visit Fossil Fuel

Air conditioner – To feel comfortable during hot or cold weathers, the air conditioner is a must have appliance. However, air conditioners consume high power. One way of saving power when using the device is to set it neither too high nor too low. Setting your AC this way will help you save money from your electricity bills.

Washing Machine – When doing your laundry, minimize the number of washes by washing only with full load of clothes.

Television – At the end of the day we all want to relax with the whole family and watch good entertainment with the television right? Just remember to unplug the power cord after your favorite show to save power. A power cord left plugged in a power socket still consumes electricity even when the device is off.

Geyser – Use the geyser for the least amount of time possible. For more information visit Fossil Fuels South Africa

Refrigerator – You can save power with your refrigerator by avoiding putting hot foods inside the refrigerator. Let your food cool down first before storing it in the refrigerator. It will help you save power and extend the life of your appliance.

Car – Make sure your pull up your car windows first before turning on the air conditioner to prevent the cool temperature from escaping outside.

Article done by El Bilson Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=El_Bilson

Using Natural Finishes

2010-11-16T09:18:00.000-08:00

Using Natural Finishes
Written By Green Books

Using Natural Finishes is a new book due to be published for the first time on 28 February 2008.

It is a 264 page, full colour, step-by-step guide to lime and clay based plasters, renders and paints written by Adam Weismann and Katy Bryce. The book is a lavishly illustrated guide to using natural paints and other finishes in your home. David Pearson, author of The New Natural House Book has described it as “An inspiring vision and practical guide to one of the oldest and most versatile building materials.” With the increasing awareness of eco-building techniques alongside the desire to make our homes healthier, the historical benefits of using natural renders and paints are being rediscovered.

Using Natural Finishes is an in-depth guide to the selection, mixing and application of lime and clay based plasters, renders, paints and washes.
Providing step-by-step instructions with detailed illustrations to show the practical elements of working with lime and clay-based finishes, the authors demonstrate how these natural ‘breathable’ plasters and paints can be used on a wide variety of wall surfaces, including traditional and eco-build materials like cob, strawbale and stone, as well as modern plasterboard and concrete surfaces, withstunning results. Easy to follow DIY projects guide the reader through all aspects of using these natural finishes, with beautiful photographs of techniques and examples from the UK and abroad. The book contains sections on Wall Structures, their Properties and Design Details, Tools, Techniques and materials, Lime-based Plasters and Renders, Earth-based Plasters and Renders, Paints and Washes, Finishes around the World, Resources.

The Authors: Adam Weismann & Katy Bryce work with lime and clay on a daily basis through their company, Cob in Cornwall. They learnt these skills through restoring ancient vernacular buildings in Cornwall, and then began to apply the traditional techniques and materials to contemporary ‘eco’ builds. They have a passionate belief in the power of using these natural materials to benefit the health and well being of people, buildings and the environment. Adam and Katy are the authors of Building with Cob: A Step by Step Guide, also published by Green Books. Their website is www.cobincornwall.com

Bibliography

GREEN BOOKS, Foxhole, Dartington, Totnes TQ9 6EB Tel: 01803 863260 www.greenbooks.co.uk
For further information, please contact
Bee West: email bee@greenbooks.co.uk
or phone 01803 863260.
www.greenbooks.co.uk

Solar Shingles Help Green Your House

2010-11-08T10:09:00.000-08:00

This article was provided by www.Got2Begreen.com
Written by Alan Parker

It’s no secret that homeowners throughout the nation are considering ways to go green or at least to cut down on their power bills. As a result, the solar technology industry in the last five years has grown exponentially as homeowners invest in conventional solar panels for their roof. Yet many of these households are encountering problems, as their panels become the objective of thieves. Further, many Homeowner Associations don’t allow traditional panels on roofs because they jut up and can be seen by neighbors. This is preventing people from trying solar power, but some companies offer solar shingles as a solution. They are built to integrate with regular asphalt shingles, and are not mounted on racks like traditional panels. And, since they are installed directly into the roof, they are much harder to steal. Here’s a comprehensive look at the more common shingles available.

Sun Energy Shingles: Made by BIPV Inc, Sun Energy Shingles can deliver up to 50 Watts of electricity per shingle. They are intended to sit right over the existing composition or asphalt roof, so they lay even and provide a much more atheistically pleasing appearance than panels installed on racks. They use polycrystalline silicon, which BIPV claims makes them more efficient than other cells they produce using thin-film technology. Further, they have a Class A fire rating and a high wind and snow load rating, so they are rather durable and will continue to protect the home just like a roof is meant to do. The Sun Energy Shingles are presently available to homeowners, and have been fitted to a number of homes in the western part of the country.

Powerhouse Shingle: Supported by $20 million in funding from the US Department of Energy and justifying their $1.5 billion yearly investment in R&D, Dow CEO Andrew Liveris disclosed their Powerhouse Shingle in late 2009 and it is widely available to homeowners this year. They have received a lot of exposure since Dow’s shingle uses a much more low-cost and sturdy material called Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide (CIGS) instead of the customary silicon. These shingles are meant to replace traditional roof tiles so they adapt seamlessly to the home. This means regular roofing businesses can install them with an electrician connecting them to the home once installed, so homeowners don’t have to hire an independent solar installation company, which can often be very expensive. Dow’s extensive history with plastics allowed them to create an extremely strong plastic cover to replace the glass most solar panels use, without allowing any less light through. This lets the shingles shield the roof from the elements just like an ordinary roof.

Other firms, like OK Solar, are also getting in on the action to help homeowners power their home by renewable energy without having to sacrifice the aesthetics of the house itself. Plus, because of their design and installation, solar shingles are a great replacement to the traditional panels, especially if worried about burglary or Homeowners Associations. If thinking over ways to green your lifestyle or home, solar shingles are a terrific decision.

Alan Parker is a blogger based out of New York, NY who writes about alternative energy, green business, sustainability, and climate change.
Follow on Twitter @AGreenParker

http://www.got2begreen.com/green-lifestyles/solar-shingles-help-green-your-house/#more-9556

www.FreshandClean.ca

Get Ready for an EEK-O-friendly Halloween

2010-10-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

This article was provide by www.Got2BeGreen.com

Halloween should be fun, but every year it gets scarier–for parents and the planet. From the discovery of lead in fake teeth, and candy, to chemicals in costumes , to the garbage left in the holiday’s wake, it’s a wonder more of us haven’t given up the festivities and spent October 31 watching It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

The good news is, there are loads of child- and earth-friendly alternatives to the usual Halloween fare.

The most important point when planning to green up any holiday or celebration, especially those involving children, is to get their “buy-in.” And of course, your approach makes all the difference. Telling kids, “We’re going green this Halloween–that means, no candy,” isn’t helpful. What can be is a discussion about the challenges that Halloween brings. Obviously, what you say (or don’t), depends on the age of your children. But helping them to see the wider ramifications of their actions can help make transitioning to healthier choices more appealing or at least understandable.

Many kids are learning about eco-issues in school. They often want to do something about them, but need guidance on where to begin. Talking to them about the excess and waste associated with Halloween (and all holidays and celebrations) and discussing how they can make a difference, may spark their altruism and inspire them to act in positive ways.

A great way to start a discussion is to list each aspect of Halloween (costumes, treats, decor and activities), and brainstorm child- and earth-friendly choices to what you’ve done in the past. Then, encourage your kids to choose one or two of the ideas to implement this year. After Halloween, talk about what worked, what didn’t and what you’ll do next year.

Costumes
In the “olden days,” (the eighties?), many kids made their costumes, often with help from parents. Making the costume was actually an enjoyable, bonding activity. Today, millions of people spend millions of dollars on costumes that are made from non-sustainable materials (like petroleum), that are worn once, then discarded.
But there are earth-friendlier alternatives. If you usually buy costumes, consider:

Making them. Kids are incredibly gifted and creative when we encourage them. There are almost no costumes that cannot be handmade. If your children are stuck on turning a popular TV or movie character into a costume, brainstorm how you can make it happen with items you already own or can get at no cost by borrowing or making. Be sure to check online for ideas.
Purchasing costumes made from more eco-friendly materials or at least not from plastics. Choose cotton, organic cotton, silk or hemp, for instance. Unfortunately, these alternatives are not yet widely available, but if you’re interested in them, ask local stores to consider carrying them next year. And check at the end of this post for some great online sources.
Trading them. Arrange a costume swap with neighbors, check online at swap sites like Green Halloween,or see if you can interest a local child-focused organization in sponsoring a swap.
When Halloween is over, don’t throw costumes away. Save them, dismantle and hold on to the “parts,” trade or take them to a thrift store.

Treats and Treasures
Halloween may be all about the treats, but happily, there are great alternatives that kids, when given the option, will happily embrace. You can’t do much about the sweets your children receive on their foray around the neighborhood (although you can have the “Halloween Fairy” replace the confections with a wonderful gift when the children are brushing their teeth…shhhh…), but when it comes to what your family hands out, planning ahead so that you are not making a last-minute dash to the grocery store, will help you avoid limiting choices to what’s on the shelves at the moment.

If you have a local natural foods store, check out their offerings. Take your kids along and choose a few items to sample if you don’t normally shop there. Honey sticks are a favorite and are very inexpensive (never give honey to children under age 2). Many natural food companies make small “bars” in flavors kids love like peanut butter and chocolate. Assuming you have the time to order online, check out GreenHalloween.org for dozens of alternatives.

One issue that often comes up when discussing organic or green choices is cost. While it is true that many healthier items cost more, there is a simple solution. Instead of handing out fistfuls (or allowing kids to take as much as they want, which has become the norm), try this: Fill a bowl with a variety of great choices, whether sweets or “treasures” like sparkly stones, feathers (yes, kids love these), hair decorations, temporary tattoos, stickers etc. Cover the bowl with a cloth. When children come to the door, get down to their level and whisper, “At our house, we have some very, very special treats and treasures. You may now choose your favorite.” Then with a flourish, whip off the cloth and let them sift. Compliment them on their choice afterwards.

If you’re not yet ready to totally embrace greener treats and treasures you can still help cut down on expense and waste by choosing one of these options:

Put out two bowls, one with conventional candy, the other with “treasures.” Let kids choose one item from either bowl.
Hand children whatever you are giving them. Do not allow them to take as much as they want.
Let older children know that unwrapped candy can be composted.
Whatever you do this Halloween, taking time to plan and implement will make the holiday a lot less spooky!

Eco Tips for a Green Halloween

Plan, plan, plan. Sit down and talk about what you need to buy or make, then schedule time to do it prior to the night before Halloween.
Get your local school involved. For instance, see if they’d like to host a candy composting party. Children bring in leftover candy, unwrap it and place it in a compost bin. They can be rewarded with a healthy alternative treat or treasure (see above).
Talk to your neighbors and friends about offering healthier, more earth-friendlier alternatives.
Older kids might enjoy reverse trick or treating. Check it out here.
Plan a neighborhood Halloween party with likeminded parents. You can control all aspects of the event so it is as eco-friendly as you want.
Eco Picks for a Green Halloween
Costume ideas:

Organic cotton costumes for “wee ones” can be assembled by pairing themed onesies and caps. (Try Kee-Ka’s pumpkin body suit.)
Sarah’s Silks , Nova Natural, A Toy Garden , and Magic Cabin sell costumes made out of silk, rather than petroleum. While these are more expensive than others, they can be used for years for dress up and kids adore them.
Treats and Treasures

Snack bars such as LARABAR, and Cascadian Farm
Glee Gum “minis” or other individually wrapped small gums
Organic licorice bars, rope, and gum, (cut into pieces), by Tundra Trading
Adhesive “bandages” with pirate, black cat and other fun themes (one per child. Great for older kids!)
Coins (US or non-US)
Confetti- biodegradable, water-soluble
Cootie Catcher Note Cards (one card per child)
Crayon “rocks” ( soy-based)
Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.net

http://www.got2begreen.com/green-lifestyles/get-ready-for-an-eek-o-friendly-halloween-part-1/

Earth Day Preperations

2010-10-18T12:06:00.000-07:00

Still months away, Earth day is far on the bottom of many people's lists of things to plan for. As a leader in green cleaning and restoration, Fresh and Clean believes that proper preparation will provide people who aspire to incorporate more green ideas in their lives to be able to do so. For the next few weeks, along with the regular carpet cleaning blogs, Fresh and Clean will also be posting blogs, forums, stories and do it yourself projects- from oher bloggers, as well as sites that promote the reduction of our carbon foot print in the world.

Hopefully with the coming weeks, you will feel inspired to make a few changes, or do a few projects that will not only be better for you, but for the environment as well!

Happy Greening!!

www.freshandclean.ca

Eco Friendly Carpet Cleaning Testimonials

2010-10-07T10:35:00.000-07:00

Testimonials
Quick response to my phone call. Polite service people on the phone and in person. Professional Betsy McDonald, Feb. 2010

Your representative was a pleasure to have in my home. His pleasant personality gave me a relaxed feeling- A job well done!
Barbara Barney

The gentlemen were very polite and helpful to me-nice job also
Beverley Gallagher

Congratulations Fresh and Clean! I just wanted to say that I have used your company a few times and have referred to you my sister as well and you've always done a great job. The carpets in my condo look nice and clean! Once again, congrats to Fresh and Clean!
Suzanne M. - Aug. 30, 2010

Fresh & Clean believes in old fashioned customer service!
Basement carpet cleaning I first used "Fresh & Clean" about 10 years when we moved into our new Toronto home. They call once a year (never more!) to offer their services, but never with annoying sales pressure. They are pleasant, accommodating, efficient and thorough. The price is very reasonable. They recognize customer loyalty with discounts and keep impeccable records of each visit. They remind me what I had done last time! This company follows the good old fashioned belief in customer service and are good at what they do.
Linda & Peter - Vaughan, May 29, 2010

VERY satisfied cleaning
Cleaning of carpets in Living room, Bedroom, stairs and Dining room I never used a cleaning company before, but my wife asked for a professional cleaning company to clean our newly renovated house. I called Fresh and Clean and surprised at how professional the customer service person was on the phone with me, and she even gave me an appointment for the next day - NOT MANY COMPANIES WOULD DO THAT.

The guy that came to the house to perform the cleaning were great! My wife really liked the fact that they used booties while entering and working in our home. They explained to me about how stains and how they used all green products. I will use them again for sure.
Clean house in Toronto - York Region, Oct 13, 2009

Thank you fresh and clean
area rug cleaning great service, highly recommended! Area rug was cleaned and returned promptly. Cleaner had friendly attitude and was helpful when furniture needed to be moved. Very reasonable prices and good customer service.
Linda - York Region, Jun 08, 2007

Certified Green Sustainability Contractor

2010-09-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

I have owned or operated cleaning businesses for almost thirty years. I have seen cleaning methods change, and the introduction of an endless supply of new cleaning chemical products and applicators come on to the market. Each product or method has a sales pitch or gimmick. How are contractors or our end users able to differentiate what works and what doesn’t? The only way to tell is to use the product or process and look at the end result.

There is a new challenge for building operators. There is the new push for being “green” and “sustainable” in all aspects of our operations. The problem is that some products are being called green because they are in a recycled bottle or use less toxic (but not safe) cleaning chemicals or are less detrimental to the environment. There are many different definitions of green cleaning. How are cleaning contractors and their clientele able to determine what truly is “green”?

In Canada there is now a program called the Canadian Green Sustainability Program (CGSP). The Canadian Sanitation Supply Association (CSSA) has developed this comprehensive management and operations program to help standardize the cleaning industry from coast-to-coast. The philosophy for this program is “A new standard for Canadians…by Canadians”.

Let’s look at the definition of the word “sustainable” created by the World Commission on Environment and Development- “Forms of progress that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”

There are many definitions for “green cleaning” but the definition most followed is “cleaning that cause less harm to human health and the environment when compared to other competing products and services.”

The new Standard created by the CSSA hopefully will create a common ground that all manufacturers, distributors, retailers, contractors and end users will be able to relate to. I have looked at programs created by people like IFMA and BOMA and their green sustainability seems to focus on everything from energy and water reduction to site location and building envelope. But I have yet to see an outline on how to perform sustainable green cleaning.

While my company was making the necessary changes in our standard operating procedures to be compliant with the new CGSP standard we had to look at several subjects that included:

An understanding of LEED and third party accreditation
Indoor air quality
Products and procedures
Waste management
Company policies (including procurement)
Auditing the system

Third Party accreditation is a very important aspect of this program. The two programs that are recognized by the new standard are Ecologo and Green Seal. The products used should be certified by one of these organizations and have their logo if such a product is available. We have had no problem finding general purpose cleaners, floor cleaners, bathroom cleaners, carpet cleaners and floor finishes that have the required certifications. This CSSA program is a good way to get prepared for LEED certification.

Should products used not be available with Ecologo or Green Seal Certification then they must be low VOC and scent free wherever possible. These are two aspects of cleaning solutions and processes that contribute to poor indoor air quality.

There are three areas of concern that impact indoor air quality under this program:

Microbial contaminates
Airborne particulate
Gases

Microbial contaminates covered under this program are moulds and bacteria. The main procedure used to prevent mould growth is moisture control. If there is no moisture, mould cannot grow. Microfiber made of polyester or polyamide fiber hold about seven times their weight in water and allow for cleaning at the microscopic level. Microfiber mops allow significant reduction in the amount of moisture used while cleaning and reduces the collateral damage caused by reckless use of regular string mops.

Particulate control can be greatly improved by changing vacuums to true HEPA vacuums. There is a big difference between HEPA vacuums and vacuums using HEPA filters. HEPA vacuums are tested to ensure that soils being introduced into the vacuum system actually pass through the HEPA media and are captured by the filter. A HEPA vacuum must trap 99.97% of particulate 0.3 microns in size or larger.

Floor scrubbers and floor sanders must be fitted so that particulate is kept to a minimum. We use machines capable of being attached to HEPA vacuums.

Company policies and auditing the company’s procedures are other essential components of the program. We have found that many of our cleaning staff are reluctant to change cleaning products. Some of their reasons have been interesting. Some cleaners have complained that the new cleaning products don’t foam. They state that they didn’t believe that non-foaming products worked as well as ones that do. Many other cleaners have complained that the new products don’t work as well as the old ones. They state that they put more cleaning solution in and it still doesn’t work. Well many of the cleaners are automatically dispensed or don’t require a heavy dilution. This runs contrary to what many cleaners believe to be true-that more cleaning solution is better. Unfortunately the opposite is true with many products-the more concentrate put in the worse it works. Training your staff in proper product usage is absolutely essential. Monitoring what is being used is also important.

Finally is waste reduction. We have created a recycling policy and it’s amazing how much recycling we have accomplished. This includes rags, paper and bottles.

Our company Fresh and Clean has just become the first company in Canada to be a Certified Green Sustainability Contractor under the new program. We are extremely proud of this accomplishment. We had many policies in place that already met the new standard. We had to change quite a few. But the net result will be that our customers’ sites will be cleaned safer and actually end up cleaner.

The main things we learned preparing for the program and standard were that microfiber cleans better than regular cloth, HEPA vacuums greatly reduce airborne particulate and that microfiber mops reduce moisture and that in turn reduces microbial growth.

The new CSSA program also has another aspect that deals specifically with the building management.

That will be left for another day.

We Are the First Certified Green Sustainability Contractor in Canada

2010-08-29T10:34:00.000-07:00

I am extremely proud and honoured to announce that Fresh and Clean is the first Certified Green Sustainability Contractor in Canada.

We had to make some fundamental changes in the way we do business to achieve this designation.

All our vacuums are now HEPA vacuums.
All our mops are microfiber
All our cloths are microfiber
We had to develop and maintain a recycling program
We had to use diluted and dispensed floor cleaning solutions
We have used the safest cleaning chemicals all along so we thought hte process was going to be a cinch. It turned out otherwise.

All our managers were trained to maintain the sustainability angle of the company. We had to write an exam and we all passed.

The process has been beneficial for us and will be especially beneficial for our customers.

And we will will always be able to say ‘we were first”.

Lee Senter

President

Fresh and Clean

Well Its Finally Here-Green Carpet Protector!

2010-06-12T10:32:00.000-07:00

Fresh and Clean is now offering this product for the use on carpets.

With all the bad press and concerns with the flurochemical products that have been sold in the market place for the past few decades its about time!

Of course we still offer our company warranty on this product. If in the first year (or until the next cleaning whichever comes first) a spot won’t come out, you call us for instructions, if it still doesn’t come out we’ll come out and take it out for you.

How can you tell your carpet is being cleaned “green”

2010-05-29T10:32:00.000-07:00

Whats the latest?

2010-04-11T10:31:00.000-07:00

Well the CSSA has done its first series of training ESPs. Fresh and Clean is now getting ready to become the first Canadian carpet cleaning company to have certified techs under the Green Sustainability Program. We will let you know when we pass!

We have also added a new green product for commercial carpet maintenance. Its an encapsulant called Vac Away Green. We will be trying it at select sites before expanding its use. Don’t you worry, we still have Can-Encap which is about as safe as it gets for all concerned. We are just trying to stay ahead of the curve.

Watch out for the formal release of our household green products. We have the IQ line of house cleaners which takes the meaning of green to a new level. We also have the We Care Organics line of laundry and toiletries. These products are available now but the formal launch will be around June 1, so watch for it, there will be great opening week discounts available.

Citrus Cleaners are Not Necessarily Green

2010-03-06T10:29:00.000-08:00

I was down in Nashville a couple of weeks ago at Mikeyfest/Pembertonfest. I had a great time. I saw the latest electric truckmounts. I saw the latest chemicals.

Now I am not going to take the high road and say I know it all. However I saw many references to d-limonene as being green. Well d-limonene is a turpene, in other words it comes from the same chemical group as turpentine. It is a waterless oil. It is suspected to be a neurotoxicant, liver and kidney toxicant. I know if I clutch a d-limonene saturated rag (made by Dupont) that if I get the chemical under my fingernails my foot immediately starts to tingle.

I also know from past experience that when I (or my employees) use products that have a high concentration of citrus solvent it is hard to find your breath when in the immediate vicinity of the product being sprayed.

Fresh and Clean will use d-limonene or citrus gel as a safer alternative to your regular OMS and dry solvent carpet spot removers, but we will not use this product as an overall general cleaner thank you very much.

Seam sealer added later

2010-02-16T12:57:00.000-08:00

Again this week I saw two situations of installers just not getting it when it comes to seam/edge sealing.

First one was from an installer who was repairing a seam that had a depression along it that was likely caused by too hot of a seaming iron. The guys who had tried to fix the seam the first time had dismantled the seam, redid the seam and then left a tractor with the customer and asked her to run the tractor over the seam all weekend. Needless to say the customer was not impressed. The last installer went in there and said he could not match up the pattern. It was a high /low loop and the pattern was just less than an inch long. The installer said he could not powerstretch the carpet a half inch to help line up the patterns. I found this quite unbelieveable, especially when there were no elongated holes in the secondary backing that always exist when the carpet is adequately stretched. The same installer told me the seam he constructed was excellent and that he sealed the seams from the bottom with a glue gun!

Second one is from a delamination claim on a commercial install. There was more sealer on the concrete than on the seam. The old Standard said you could butter one cut edge and then butt the other edge into it. The new Standard states that you must seal both cut edges and then add a third bead of sealer to bind the two cut edges together. When I mentioned this to the retailer he was shocked that the new standard says that and that no manufacturer had told them of the new Standard For Carpet Installation.

I guess he has a point, who else would tell the retailers and installers that there is a new standard but the manufacturers? However is it the manufacturers responsibility to tell everyone of the new Standard? Of course it isn’t! I guess this is the tip of the iceberg for us inspectors over the next couple of years.

Gloves Off Carpet Care and Disinfectant

2010-02-14T10:28:00.000-08:00

We just got a new order of Concrobium Carpet Shampoo and lo and behold–they have changed the name to Gloves Off Carpet Care. Gloves Off has just recently released their DIN registered botanical disinfectant/cleaner.

It is nice to have new additions to the family of eco friendly cleaners that actually work! In particular its nice to now have a cleaner/disinfectant in one that is certified green.

The eco-revolution is growing quickly. Fresh and Clean will always be in the forefront of green carpet cleaning.

Our prespray TLC now has the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Seal of Approval, our rinse agent/cleaner Chemspec DFC105 also has the same certification. This means that these ultra safe products can be used on a carpet and not void the carpet’s warranty. If your carpet cleaner does not use products with this Seal of Approval there is a chance that he is voiding your carpet’s warranty. Check with your carpet manufacturer.

Don’t be fooled by other people’s claims of being green—insist on seeing third party verification of their claims.

The certifications you should be looking for are the EPA’s Design for the Environment, Ecologo, Terrachoice and Envirodesic.

We at Fresh and Clean take great pride in using cleaning solutions that have both the CRI Seal of Approval and a Green certification.

Canadian Green Sustainability Program

2010-02-07T10:26:00.000-08:00

by lee -
Well its finally here a green cleaning program made for canadians by Canadians. The Canadian Sanitation Supply Association (CSSA) has started a program that will set the standard for Green Cleaning in facility management. Buildings will be able to receive recognition for their green cleaning and so will building service contractors.

The initial training of ESPs starts this month and will continue into next month. An ESP is an Expert Sustainability Professional. Our company Fresh and Clean plans on having our staff trained by an ESP who will likely be the owner of Fresh and Clean and the author of this blog Mr. Lee Senter.

Once our technicians are trained by an ESP they will have to take a test and will then become Certified Green Sustainibility Contractors.

We’ll keep you updated on this program as it grows.

Shading on a woven face on face

2010-02-05T12:56:00.000-08:00

I was commissioned to look at a woven face on face or tops and bottoms as they are referred to.I don’t want any clues on the mill but it is American made and the face fiber is polypropylene. The commissioning party is asking me to inspect a high line. They also stated that the shading problem has been explained away.

I arrive at the home and the only thing the customer wants to talk about is the shading. The customer stated that there were many bands across the width of the carpet when the carpet was originally rolled out in the home. These were likely pressure bands and are actually very common, they are usually repairable on wool and nylon but pretty tough to fix on olefin. Anyways the majority of the bands were no longer discernible. There were variations in the carpet pile showing some areas as dark and some areas are light. This is a cut pile carpet that is NOT made from staple yarns–YOU WILL GET SOME SHADING! I try and show this to the customer by rubbing the pile with my feet and hands. They were not listening. Instead I have the lady customer (in her 60’s) telling me numerous times that the carpet looks like “shit” and that the sample of the carpet at the retailer is false advertising.

I am of course rattled by their tirades. I am shaking and nervous. I am definitely not in any condition to shear the high line in front of the customer when I know the area will likely show some new shading.

For some reasons the customers think that being rude with me was going to help their case?!? Anyways I guess the moral of the story is that cut pile BCF yarns will usually not be trackless and will show some kind of shading .

Carpet inspections I see that boggle my mind

2010-02-01T12:55:00.000-08:00

I see a lot of carpets. I continue to learn each time I am out there. This one defies logic. I went out to see a carpet that was down in two main panels of a bedroom that had just been renovated. The end user had chosen a white wool wilton weave with a viscose blend. It was 75% wool 25% viscose. The renovation contractor decided to install half the carpet in the bedroom while he continued to demolish the bathroom. He then installed the other panel of carpet and seamed them together. Well needless to say there was a colour difference between the two panels. The carpet that was laid down while construction continued was grayer in colour. The contractor called in a company he uses to clean the carpet. They hot water extracted the carpet twice, once by portable and another time by truckmounted unit. They had no success. I was then called in to inspect. I ended up calling the carpet cleaning company who did the cleaning and quizzed them on how they cleaned the carpet. They told me they presprayed with an enzyme and extracted. I investigated further and found out that this was indeed dry clean only. My conclusion on my report blamed the Contractor and end user for putting the carpet down during construction. I also pointed some blame at the carpet cleaning contractor for improper cleaning. The carpet cleaning company freaked. They stated that they can clean any carpet by hot water extraction. I pointed out it was dry clean only and likely because there was viscose in the pile which shrinks severely. They said they did not know that. When I pointed out that their was not enough emphasis on dry particulate removal by extra careful vacuuming they said that they vacuumed regularly. I pointed out that they used an enzyme on wool they said it was good for wool(?!?).

It was a double header, a contractor who puts an extremely expensive ($25K) bedrooom carpet down and then works in the area adjacent and a carpet cleaner who thinks he can extract any carpet. Even a woven carpet with funny looking yarns in it.

Gloves Off Carpet Care and Disinfectant

2010-01-31T12:54:00.000-08:00

Canadian Green Sustainability Program

2010-01-25T12:53:00.000-08:00

Well its finally here a green cleaning program made for canadians by Canadians. The Canadian Sanitation Supply Association (CSSA) has started a program that will set the standard for Green Cleaning in facility management. Buildings will be able to receive recognition for their green cleaning and so will building service contractors.

The initial training of ESPs starts this month and will continue into next month. An ESP is an Expert Sustainability Professional. Our company Fresh and Clean plans on having our staff trained by an ESP who will likely be the owner of Fresh and Clean and the author of this blog Mr. Lee Senter.

Once our technicians are trained by an ESP they will have to take a test and will then become Certified Green Sustainibility Contractors.

We’ll keep you updated on this program as it grows.

Green Cleaning of Carpets

2010-01-25T11:33:00.000-08:00

Concrobium Carpet Cleaning Shampoo

2010-01-20T12:53:00.000-08:00

The company that makes Concrobium Mould Control has now come out with a carpet shampoo. Now I hope it truly is a “shampoo”. Shampoos are still used in our industry-especially when dealing with natural fibers on upholstery and area rugs. The idea is to whip the shampoo up and use the foam of the shampoo. The foam is then lightly agitated into the fabric/yarns and then extracted back out. This allows us to clean using a virtually water free solution and still getting the benefits of quick drying and the power of the cleaning solution.

Why is this exciting for us? Well the product is made of food based ingredients! The only non-toxic product we have been using as a “shampoo” is Ecogent. Ecogent does foam up a bit, but its not really a shampoo.

Our foreman Paul “Stains” McMahon is out there using the product last week and next. We hope to have a report back soon on its effectiveness.

Green Cleaning is No Compromise

2010-01-15T12:52:00.000-08:00

We have our preconditioner–this is something that we spray on the carpet at the beginning of the process and is left to dwell on the carpet for anywhere from 5-15 minutes.

This preconditioner is made of micelle enhanced nano-surfactant. These micelles are made from corn derivatives. The neat thing about these nano-surfactants is they have the ability to attach to soils much smaller than regular surfactants. Regular surfactants attach themselves to soils in the range of 3 microns in size and larger. The micelle enhanced nano-surfactant attaches itself to soils as small as 1 micron in size. This may not mean much at first glance but in many situations up to 90% of the soil in a carpet can be smaller than 3 microns in size. The micelle enhanced nano-surfactant is new, but it is turning up everywhere and its making its mark very quickly on our industry.

The second step of our cleaning is the solution that is run through the extraction machine. This is a product made from 100% FDA approved food based ingredients. The really neat thing about this product is that it has the ability to rinse away organic materials and dries to a salt form. So, what this means is that soils (including old soapy residues) get rinsed away and the carpet is left essentially residue free so that it does not attract dirt quickly. Everyone loves a carpet that stays cleaner longer.

Now for those situations where the carpet has just been abused we still carry a variety of other cleaners. However I can safely say that we use the above process over 97% of the time.

Concrobium Carpet Cleaning Shampoo

2009-12-20T10:19:00.000-08:00

Cleaning Green is as Effective as Cleaning With Harsh Chemicals

2009-12-10T12:51:00.000-08:00

I often get asked the question “how can one be assured that using green products can compare to using regular off the shelf non green cleaning products?” They also like to add in the aspects of using disinfectants and other biocides on carpets for further cleanliness.

Well let’s start out by saying that scientists don’t usually view disinfecting of a carpet possible. I know of no product that is approved by Health Canada or the US EPA for such a purpose. This whole attitude of sanitizing and disinfecting things is unnecessary in many cases and bad in the long run in others. The repeated use of sanitizers and disinfectants not only kill the bad bacteria but they also kill the good bacteria that are essential for healthy life. There is also mounting evidence that biocides dumped in lakes, rivers and streams are creating antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Disinfectants are supposed to be applied to freshly cleaned surfaces. They are meant to attack that microscopic thin layer of soil that could not be effectively cleaned away from the pores of surfaces by conventional cleaning.

When it comes to carpet cleaning the key to success is thorough organic soil removal from the carpet. Dry particulate can be removed from the carpet by vacuuming. The carpet knap can be groomed up to facilitate vacuuming and allow deeper penetration of the carpet cleaning solution when it is applied. The cleaning solution used should deflocculates the soil from the carpet fiber and allow it to be extracted or absorbed by some form of medium.

The green cleaning movement has allowed industry to create many different cleaning products and solutions. When a cleaner purchases a cleaner there are many different categories of cleaning solutions. There are surfactants, enzymes, solvents and many others. The product is usually chosen for the type of soils to be cleaned. Are they oil based soils? Are they food based soils? Are they animal/human based soils? Well green cleaning solutions should be chosen in the same way. The industry now has a good selection of different green carpet cleaning solutions.

In other words don’t expect one cleaner to be able to clean every different type of soil load. Remember it’s the removal of the soil that is the important component. Proper selection of the appropriate cleaning solution is the key to success.

The green cleaning movement is speeding ahead in Canada. On January 29, 2010 the Canadian Sanitation Supply Association (CSSA) is introducing its Canadian Green Sustainability Program to its members and the public. The first certification classes will start in February. All certifications will be audited by independent third parties.

We all hope that the program will have long reaching impact and set the bar on green cleaning in Canada. There are three factors that our company expects in a green cleaning solution:

it has an excellent ability to clean carpets to levels safe enough for public health
it is safe for use around chemically sensitive people
it is safe for the environment including its affect on waste water

Why is CRI’s Seal of Approval (SOA) important?

2009-11-16T12:50:00.000-08:00

I am asked this by my students, customers and clients that I inspect carpets for all the time. It really is quite simple and easy to relate to when you think about it.

There are a couple of old wive’s tales that say “once you clean a carpet it will get dirty that much faster” and the other is “don’t clean a carpet until you have to”.

The reason these tales have wrung true for so many years is that carpets actually do have a tendency to get dirty quickly after cleaning. Why? Well the proof may lie in the Seal of Approval Program. The CRI tested 25 carpet cleaning products before the program was implemented. Of those 25 products, 21 cleaned worse than water alone!!!

The main criteria for a carpet cleaning product to pass the SOA is:

•Overall cleaning effectiveness — This ensures that the product removes soil and spots better than plain water.
•Rate of resoiling — This ensures that the product does not attract dirt to the cleaned areas faster than the rest of the carpet.
•pH — A more neutral pH ensures that carpet dyes and fibers are not adversely affected.
•Surface texture change— The product must leave the carpet pile minimally changed after repeated cleanings.
•Optical brighteners — None is allowed, as they can leave some patches of carpet lighter than the rest.
•Colorfastness — Products must not be so aggressive that they cause a color change in the carpet.The rate of resoiling is often made worse by the carpet cleaner’s over use of cleaning chemistry. For some reason cleaners don’t like using measuring cups.
This just expedites the problem.

Our Carpet Prespray Receives CRI Approval

2009-11-16T12:48:00.000-08:00

Great news! Our carpet preconditioner has received the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Seal of Approval. Now most people are going to say whats that? or so what?
Well believe it or not the major carpet mills insist that their carpets be cleaned by IICRC certified technicians using CRI approved products.
So now our company cleans with both a prespray and a rinse agent that CRI approved.
I am extremely happy to make this announcement on our blog’s post. I hope if you believe in green cleaning you will follow us here or on Facebook.

Lee Senter, Expert Author

2009-11-12T12:47:00.000-08:00

The owner of Fresh and Clean, Lee Senter, has been deemed the go to person in regards to all things carpet related. As a certified carpet inspector and an instructor in the industry, one can easily say that Lee is in fact a true carpet expert.

Lee has been writing informative articles that have been posted to blogs and the acclaimed EZines.com site. Just recently Lee has been made to be an Expert Author writing featured articles for EZines.com.

All articles are posted EZines.com. Take a gander at the informative pieces on carpet care and the importance of green cleaning.

Green Carpet Cleaning Solutions

2009-10-28T12:39:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of talk about what a green carpet cleaning solution really is. In my opinion a green cleaning solution must not harm the environment nor any living species it comes in contact with.

As an industry instructor and business owner whose main theme is green I encounter people from all walks of life who want my opinion on this subject. The main concern of the people I talk to is “is the cleaning process going to harm my children or my pets?” The talk is rarely about the environment. Although most non-toxic solutions are safe for the environment, it is not a given.

The products I feel the most comfortable using are products that have been verified safe by independent third-party groups such as: Design for the Environment (DfE), EcoLogo program, Green Seal and Envirodesic.

You must also consider that the carpet mills themselves are now insisting that you clean your carpets with a product approved by the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Seal of Approval Program (CRI SOA). The CRI SOA gives strong consideration to how green a product is.

There has been a bit of resistance by the chemical manufacturers to have their products tested by CRI SOA. When the program first started 21 of 25 products tested did not meet the CRI SOA’s stringent performance requirements. In plain English this means that they performed worse than water alone for carpet cleaning. This is all the more reason to use products with the Seal of Approval.

I like using products produced from renewable resources. There are excellent food based carpet cleaning solutions available. These products are manufactured from 100% FDA approved food ingredients. They are readily biodegradable. Readily biodegradable means that the product is 99.7% bio-degraded in 28 days.

There are several products that are botanical and many refer to these products as bio-based. There are product lines that use nanotechnology. These are typically made from extracts from plants such as soy, corn, grain, potatoes and trees. There are many other plant-based cleaners available. But you must be prudent in what you choose.

There are many people who talk about their process being green but they use products that are citrus based. The main ingredient is often d`limonene and although from a natural renewable resource is considered a terpene. This is from the same group of chemicals turpentine comes from. So be cautious of people’s claims.

To sum it up, if you want assurance that your carpet is being “cleaned green” and it won’t damage the fibers make sure you see the CRI Seal of Approval and some proof that an independent third-party has approved it.

green cleaning is no compromise

2009-10-14T13:10:00.000-07:00

Our green cleaning is a two part process.

We have our preconditioner–this is something that we spray on the carpet at the beginning of the process and is left to dwell on the carpet for anywhere from 5-15 minutes.
This preconditioner is made of micelle enhanced nano-surfactant. These micelles are made from corn derivitives. The neat thing about these nano-surfactants is they have the ability to attach to soils much smaller than regular surfactants. Regular surfactants attach themselves to soils in the range of 3 microns in size and larger. The micelle enhanced nano-surfactant attaches itself to soils as small as 1 micron in size. This may not mean much at first glance but in many situations up to 90% of the soil in a carpet can be smaller than 3 microns in size. The micelle enhanced nano-surfactant is new, but it is turning up everywhere and its making its mark very quickly on our industry.

The second step of our cleaning is the solution that is run through the extraction machine. this is a product made from 100% FDA approved food based ingedients. The really neat thing about this product is that it has the ability to rinse away organic materials and dries to a salt form. So, what this means is that soils (including old soapy residues) get rinsed away and the carpet is left essentially residue free so that it does not attract dirt quickly. Everyone loves a carpet that stays cleaner longer.

Now for those situations where the carpet has just been abused we still carry a variety of other cleaners. However I can safely say that we use the above process over 97% of the time.