Greening It Up for Diwali

The festival of lights -- Deepavali, or Diwali -- celebrates the victory of good over evil. The lighting of diyas on a dark, moonless night signifies the end of all things negative. This festival, if celebrated in the traditional sense, has little to do with fireworks. So instead of polluting the environment with them, go ahead and celebrate a 'Green Diwali'.
Here are 10 creative ways for you to make it an eco-friendly affair this year.

Cut down on electricity usage.
Do not use electric lights to illuminate your home. Instead, opt for diyas (earthen lamps) and candles. This will not only reduce the amount of electricity being consumed, the flickering diyas will look prettier too. If you must use electric illumination, opt for LED lights. They use at least 80 per cent less energy than the regular ones and also come in various hues!

Opt out of using Firecrackers and find an alternative activity.
Although there are a number of environment-friendly crackers that have begun to flood the market and are definitely less polluting than others, this Diwali give the fireworks a complete miss. Instead, why not get all the children of the community to go for a nature walk the evening before and collect dry leaves, grass, twigs - then celebrate this festival of lights by lighting a bonfire on the terrace or in an open space and serve homemade sweets and sherbet.Fill up balloons with glitter or small pieces of coloured paper and spend the evening bursting them, either with your family at home or with a lot of friends. You could even have the kids blowing up brown paper bags and bursting them by jumping on them. The cheerful sound will be enough to usher in Diwali.

Go for what’s natural!
In earlier times, rangolis were made to feed the birds. This Diwali, go back to doing that. Instead of using artificial colours, make your rangoli with spices and other food items as follows: • For white, use rice powder • Yellow: Pulses or turmeric • Brown: Cloves or cinnamon • Green: Cardamom (chhoti elaichi) or fennel (saunf) • Red: Dried chilly or even kumkum, if you wish • You can even make a rangoli out of fresh flowers -- their fragrance is sure to create the perfect festive ambience. • You can decorate the doorway with garlands of marigold and jasmine and set up vases of roses and lilies. They will enhance the beauty of your house way better than the paper streamers and artificial lights would have.

Do DIY decorations!
If you must paint your home during Diwali, then use eco-friendly paint. Besides, here are a few ideas to decorate your home without having to paint it at all.
• Twist colourful saris and dupattas to create streamers. Or paint old newspapers and hang them up as wall decorations. • Use brocade saris or gold embroidered dupattas as drapes and curtains instead of going on a shopping spree. • Use your child's leftover craft materials like tissues, sandwich or rice paper to make paper lanterns (kandeel). You could use match sticks to form the spokes. • Save on electricity and stop using the doorbell for a few days. Instead, hang a bell at the door entrance and let all visitors ring that instead. It will definitely add to the puja feeling. • Bandanwars or traditional door hangings are the first thing that welcomes every guest. Make these with leftover papers or bright coloured cloth and then add glitter or paper flowers to them. • Don't throw away any fused incandescent bulbs. Instead, turn them into small flower vases by placing an orchid in the centre as a decorative accessory. You can also paint them different colours and hang them from the ceiling. • Use organic incense sticks and fresh flowers to create that heady fragrance that one associates with a puja. Do away with the synthetic room fresheners.

Choose homemade sweets.
Although innumerable options are available commercially, many of them come with artificial colours and way too much sugar. So this Diwali make your own sweets instead, using only natural products like milk, chickpea flour (besan), coconut, jaggery, dry fruits, sugar etc and keep them both nutritious and unadulterated. Some of the choicest Diwali sweets you can try making at home would be: • Laddoos made of besan and rava (semolina) • Barfi made of coconut and milk • Kheer made of milk, rice and jiggery • Shakkarpare made of flour, ghee and sugar • Gajar ka halwa made of carrots and milk

Organize Activities
Instead of buying expensive crockery for all your parties this festive season, go traditional and stay eco-friendly. Use banana leaves and small earthen glasses to serve the guests. Organise community competitions both for adults and for the children. Some options: • Rangoli competition • Flower arrangement competition • Sweet-making competition • Paper lantern competition for kids • Organise music programmes, puppet shows, talent shows and other cultural events • Throw a dance party. All you need is a music player and you will have all the sound you need without crackers. It will also be less expensive.

Personalize Presents
If you are shopping for gifts, don't buy any wrapping paper; save on it and stop trees from being cut. Instead, wrap your gifts with painted newspaper / make your own gift bags with newspaper / use pieces of cloth lying about in the house, which you can embroider or handpaint, or even jute. As for the gifts, instead of buying them, this year make them at home. Some options: • Bake cookies or cakes • Make homemade sweets • Make candles of different shapes and colours • Paint a picture • Create an artwork by using pieces of bright coloured cloth on a canvas • A potted paper plant or a bouquet of paper flowers • Try your hand at pottery and make a small decorative vase

Make your own cards this year.
Cut out pictures and stick them on craft paper to make your very own customised rangoli drawing on the card. Use kumkum and haldi to create Goddess Lakshmi's footprints on your card. You can even use ribbons, bindis, old clips and pieces of cloth to design your card with bright colours

Give back to your community
Instead of spending hours bursting crackers or drinking and partying, spend some time with underprivileged children. Donate old clothes, stationary etc, play games with them or make sweets at home and celebrate Diwali with them. Share your smile and spread cheer during this Festival of Lights. You can also visit an old-age home and spend time with the elders sharing stories, listening to songs from old movies and eating good food.

Lend a helping hand
When you go shopping, lend a helping hand to the elderly. Arrange for an afternoon of mehendi sessions for all the ladies in your neighbourhood. Spend an evening filled with card games and lots of sweet and salted snacks with everyone who lives nearby. With these simple tips, I wish everyone a very Happy Diwali! I wish all of you a lot of happiness, health, prosperity and safety. This year, let's try and make the festival more meaningful and delightful. Let us promise that in our pursuit of happiness, we will not harm the environment and ourselves.

Hollywood Goes Green

Hi, everyone! Here are five of the most eco-conscious Hollywood stars to inspire you on your path to going green.

Gisele Bundchen: The eco-friendly supermodel is no stranger to spreading her love for the earth! She shares green tips on her official website, founded the Clean Water Project, launched an eco-friendly skincare line, and even lives in a 22,000-square-foot green home to boot.
If that's not enough, Bundchen also has her own cartoon on AOL called Gisele and the Green Team aimed at helping kids become environmentally responsible. Gotta love a gorgeous gal with such a big heart!

Hayden Panettiere: America's favorite former cheerleader is not only a teen queen, she's a green queen too!
Well known for her fight to save marine life (who can forget her arrest warrant in Japan after protesting whale and dolphin hunting), she's been given the prestigious Genesis Award by the Humane Society for her environmental and animal activism. The real-life hero is also not afraid to get snapped by paparazzi showing off her recycling skills, frequently carrying reusable grocery bags.

Olivia Wilde: Olivia Wilde proves that being vegan helps one shine from inside out. The animal lover and activist is an avid supporter of green living, having said she aims to leave the planet "a little better than she found it".
She also launched a website, Wilde Things, that serves as a forum for her thoughts on the environment, her favorite charities, a vegan lifestyle, and much more.

Natalie Portman: From designing a vegan footwear line to her involvement with Global Green USA, the talented Natalie Portman is clearly oh-so-devoted to the environment. The stunning vegetarian is even eco-friendly when it comes to her jewels, using certified conflict-free diamonds and recycled platinum in both her engagement ring and wedding bands from hot hubby Benjamin Millepied.

Alicia Silverstone: The adorable actress is a devout vegan, environmentalist, and animal-rights activist-which means she swears off all fur, leather, and pretty much any food from an animal source. Even her rescued four-legged friends are vegans! With such a passion for the environment, it's no surprise this celeb cutie lives in a solar-paneled home and is creator of The Kind Life, a guide to living your healthiest, happiest life to the fullest, while taking care of mama Earth at the same time!

Hilarious Mop Babygro - Clean While You Crawl!

Since it's almost the weekend, we wanted to share this humourous article with everyone to get you through the last few working hours. It's a funny idea that somehow seems to be thriving, and for all they claim it to be efficient, we are merely trying to put a smile on your face with the help of a silly idea and a cute little baby.

An enterprising designer has come up with a unique way to get children involved with the housework: by turning crawling babies into cleaning machines.

The entrepreneur has combined the traditional 'onesie' babygro with specially designed mop heads fixed to the arms and legs which enable babies to polish the floor as they learn to crawl. The $40 (£25) Baby Mop is the brainchild of U.S. website BetterThanPants.com and was inspired by a spoof Japanese advert of a similar invention.

In their blurb for the novelty product the writers on the website joke that the outfit will 'teach your baby a strong work ethic early on in their life while burning off energy, aiding in allowing them to sleep better too.'

Mike Parker from BetterThanPants.com said: 'We have sold about 100 in just one month since adding it to our site. So far all the feedback from customers has been very positive, however we get some negative emails surrounding the idea of the actual product.'

The idea was formed to make the actual product from a Japanese commercial on the web.

'I believe the idea was submitted as part of a contest on ridiculous inventions in Japan but was never actually sold anywhere,' says Parker.'But this is the real deal, it's a legit product and is proving very, very popular.'

Shoppers visiting the site have reacted with good humour, saying they love the product - with one jokingly suggesting wetting the mop to make the baby more efficient.

10 Tips to Save Energy (and Money) in Your Home

Hopping on the eco firendly bandwagon is not as complicated, time consuming and expensive as you think! Browse through this list of simple solutions designed to save energy and reduce carbon emissions for the planet, and at the same time save you money.

A whopping 46% of home energy use is energy loss. Here are simple ways of reversing this, mostly by changes of habit.

1. Each degree you turn down the heat saves 3% of heating costs, while each degree you raise the temperature of your air conditioner saves 3-4% of cooling costs. By changing the temperature by 2 degrees all year, you can save about 2,000 pounds of C02 a year.

2. Cook with a slow cooker or a toaster oven (or even a solar oven) to reduce electrical use from kitchen appliances. For a meal that requires one hour to cook in an electric oven, and which uses 2.7 pounds of C02, a crockpot uses 0.9 pounds of C02 for seven hours, a toaster oven takes 1.3 pounds of C02 for 50 minutes, and a microwave only 0.5 pounds of C02 for 15 minutes of cooking. A solar cooker requires NO C02!

3. Switch to a laptop instead of using a desktop computer and cut three-quarters off your electrical use. Turn off the laptop at the end of the day.

4. Switch to cold water washing and save 80 percent on energy used for laundry and save an estimated $60 a year. Hang dry your clothes instead of using the dryer and save 700 pounds of C02 a year.

5. Plug anything that can be powered by a remote control or that has a power cube transformer (little black box) into a power strip, and turn it off, and/or unplug, when not in use. (Power cubes are 60-80 percent inefficient.)

6. Turn off the lights when you aren’t using them and reduce your direct lighting energy use by 45 percent. Stop using heat-producing halogen lamps (they can also be fire hazards). Install occupancy or motion sensors on outdoor lights.

7. Switch to compact fluorescent from regular incandescent bulbs and use 60 percent less energy per bulb and save 300 pounds of C02 a year.

8. Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket and save 1,000 pounds of C02 a year. Insulate your hot water pipes.

9. Use public transportation whenever possible, carpool, shop locally, and ideally switch to a hybrid or energy-efficient car (if you haven’t already).

10. Keep your tires inflated to improve gas mileage by 3 percent. Every gallon you save also saves 20 pounds of C02 emissions.

Thanks to climatecrisis.net and The Home Energy Diet for many of the carbon savings figures.

Efforts in Asia to Go Green Makes Waves!

Iskandar Malaysia – opposite Singapore located across the strait of Johor, houses the beginnings of a new project that will shape the future. With a surface area the size of Luxembourg, the site is being developed into what architects hope will be a mega city built along eco-friendly lines, using green energy to put to an end the pollution afflicting many Asian cities today.

With an expected population of 3 million by the year 2025, this booming city aims to provide energy from renewable sources, providing public transport and diverting waste to be made purposeful once more. The Malaysian government aspires to showcase this to be copied on a bigger scale across the region.

The world's urban population overtook the number of rural-dwellers for the first time in 2007, and future population growth in south-east Asia – at least 9bn people are expected to inhabit this planet by 2050, up from 7bn at present – is expected to be mainly in cities in the developing world. By far the greatest growth will be in slums, by current estimates.

Iskandar Malaysia offers an alternative. The plans are for a city that not only incorporates the latest in environmentally friendly technology, but that is designed for social integration. Green spaces and areas where people can mingle and relax will improve people's mental wellbeing and encourage social cohesion, it is hoped. Skyscrapers will be mixed with low-rise buildings and more homely, intimate neighbourhoods.

Najib Razak, prime minister of Malaysia, said in a speech: "Iskandar Malaysia [is] a smart city template – protecting the environment, promoting equitable development and addressing urban development challenges [through] the creation of smart, liveable urban communities that will yield an improved quality of life for thousands of citizens, with safer, cleaner, healthier, more affordable and more vibrant neighbourhoods, serviced by more efficient and accessible transportation systems – great destinations for businesses."

Ellis Rubinstein, president of the New York Academy of Sciences, which is working on the "edu-city" university campus area, said it could be "a model to countries needing to accommodate the social and economic needs of fast-rising populations and environmental challenges".

However, the project's developers will have to overcome significant obstacles. New eco-cities have been planned in the past, from China to the US, most of which have floundered. China's Dongtan was heralded the world's first planned eco-city, but plans have been mired in difficulty for years; a UK project for "eco-towns" was widely ridiculed and has been all but abandoned.

So far, the Malaysian government has managed to attract support from Pinewood Studios, which will build new facilities in Iskandar, and Legoland which will build its first Asian theme park in the city. Several UK universities – including Newcastle and Southampton – are also planning to open up remote campuses. More than $30bn has been promised for the city, of which more than a third will come from outside Malaysia.  

A Clean and Green Singapore

Clean and Green Singapore 2013 kicks off today at the Gardens by the Bay, boasting of live music performances, exhibitions and workshops to promote green practices.

Organized by the NEA, Central Singapore Community Development Council, PUB and National Parks, this event also brings together residents from the five districts of Singapore (Central, South West, North West, North East and South East) to showcase their ground-up programmes and community projects from agencies and key non-governmental organisations.

The public is encouraged to participate in the numerous activities ranging from environmental fashion shows to recycling craft workshops. There will also be a hack-a-thon, which will have programmers and developers brainstorm ideas to build and launch applications to help the community to adopt eco friendly practices.

Through various programmes with partners such as the Public Hygiene Council, Keep Singapore Beautiful Movement and Singapore Kindness Movement, the event offers opportunities for individuals to volunteer and make a difference.

Some 600 volunteers from schools, grassroots organisations and non-governmental organisations are contributing to the preparation and running of the event.

What are you waiting for? Head down to the beautiful Gardens by the Bay and take part as history unfolds for a better future.

Green Oddities

Hi, everyone! We love to embrace the unusual and here is an article found on www.oddee.com that covers the wierdest eco friendly products.

The green technology industry is booming: from recyclable earrings to a banana coffin, meet some of the weirdest eco friendly products.

Eco-friendly Burial

A Colorado company sells caskets made from banana sheaves, bamboo or pandanus that decomposes together with the body as a way of promoting ecologically-friendly burials. The so-called Ecoffin, short for eco-friendly coffins, of Ecoffins USA takes six months to two years to biodegrade. The company's marketing director, Joanna Passarelli, said the Ecoffins is better for the environment than cremating bodies. The lowest price for this eco friendly product is $800.

Eco-friendly Remote Control

Sony challenged Industrial Design students from China to design and eco-friendly device. One of the participants from Dong Hwa University came up with this unique creation called the Sony Conductor TV Remote. It's a wand shape kind of remote that needed to be swayed side to side to power it on and the green LED light fire up to indicate its power level. To start navigating, one can wave the conductor left and right to change your TV set's volume, up and down to change channels and in a circular motion to switch your TV set on or off. Sounds really tiring to me.

Eco-friendly Pet Furs

If you think making clothes out of human hair is weird how would you feel if I told you humans are making clothes from their pet's fur? It isn't much different from using sheep's wool or natural animal fibers from alpaca, angora, llama or camel, right? Danelle German doesn't think so. She is a professional cat groomer from South Carolina. She started a business called Catty Shack Creations as a means of reusing beautiful cat fur instead of throwing it away. Her inspiration came when a friend of Danelle's asked her to clip her pet's hair so that it could be spun into yarn. First the pet is thoroughly washed to make sure the fur is clean and tangle free. Then the pet is shaved. Many pet owners have their pets shaved to help their pets survive the hot summer and to help make it easier for the owner to keep their pets well groomed. The fur is then collected and cured for a few days. The hair fibers are then carded, spun into yarn and finally knitted into handbags.

Eco-friendly Moss Carpet

They say walking on fresh grass increases your blood circulation; I can't vouch for that! Anyways, it is a reason to get going to the nearest park, remove your expensive Jimmy Choo's and prance around. The Moss Carpet, created by Nguyen La Chanh, looks at getting the grass to your feet, and that too in your loo! Made from imputrescible foam called plastazote, the mat includes ball moss, island moss and forest moss. The humidity of the bathroom ensures that the mosses thrive. And that's why you need to place it there and not anywhere else. Little gnomes not included.

Eco-friendly Umbrella

Conventional umbrellas come with a fixed surface. Although it is changeable, you cannot replace it easily. This eco-friendly design is more flexible. It is actually only a collapsible umbrella skeleton without any surface, so you can put anything such as newspapers, plastic bags or whatever you want to serve as the protecting surface.

Eco-friendly Edible Shoe Cream

Probably the weirdest on the list, this product was designed by Greenfibes, eco goods and garments. It's organic edible (yes, edible!) shoe cream. Apparently, it can be used for other purposes such as spreading on toast or as a lip balm. I don't know about you, but eating something that is advertised to be spread on a shoe does not interest me in the least.

Eco-friendly Clothing for Babies

Maybe you weren't the best to the environment, but darnit, your baby hasn't destroyed anything yet. Whether your child wants to be condescending with a onesie reading "Thanks For All the Global Warming," cutsie with a "Give A Hoot, Don't Pollute" shirt, or even disgusting in a onesie reading "Ask Me About My Compost Pile," strangers everywhere are sure to take a second look at your sassy starlet. And lest you worry about making your baby a hypocrite, all three tees are organic. Oh, and if your child is actually the K-9 variety, there are plenty of cute eco-friendly shirts for pups as well.

Pollution-Sensitive Dress

Don't be caught outside unaware of pollution levels in the air. The pollution-sensitive ‘EPA Dress' by Stephanie Sandstrom detects pollution in the air and wrinkles accordingly. That's right, this dress – which is actually quite pretty – looks like you pulled it from the bottom of the dirty laundry heap when the air is dirty. It might protect your health by advising you to stay indoors for the day, but it won't do you any favors if you're meeting with clients.

Eco-friendly Car Racer

Can you image a car racer is so eco-friendly that it is all made from plants. Just take a look at the picture, you gonna know that it's soooo natural. Eco One was designed by Dr Kerry Kirwan, a researcher at Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), the university's academic department which provides solutions to industry, and built by student Ben Wood over two months at a cost of £20,000.

Eco-friendly Earrings

A wonderful and great green product from Kitten Lab is now available for purchase to those who wanted to accessorize themselves in a green way. The eco fashion accessories by Kitten Lab are made by the artistic hands and from a vintage IBM Selectric typewriter balls. The balls are made of plastic, that is why it is light enough to be on your ears. With this creation, there will be no need for us to spend too much to be fashionably trendy, and it will dramatically reduce landfills, which is great in reducing the harm that we have for the environment.

An Awesome Discovery: Ekocycle!

Global music artist and producer will.i.am and The Coca-Cola Co alongside Levi's Brand MCM, RVCA and Case-Mate will join the Ekocycle brand. The Atlanta-based beverage giant announced in July a $1 million commitment and the launch of the brand with partners Beats by Dr. Dre and New Era.

The Ekocycle brand initiative aims to educate consumers about recycling, identify products that can be recycled and tout the positives of recycling. EKOCYCLE finds products, such as assorted plastic bottles and aluminum cans, that can be repurposed into recycled content for fashion-forward lifestyle products through the help of some of the industry’s hottest trendsetters.

Products from the partners include:
•Limited edition Levi’s 501 Waste Less jean, which is made with an average of eight recycled assorted plastic bottles per pair of jeans. The jeans will be available in April 2013 for $128 with global distribution via Levi’s retail doors and online at levi.com.
•Beats by Dr. Dre EKOCYCLE headphones contain 31 percent recycled material and deliver exceptional sound. They are now available online at Beatsbydre.com and global e-tailers, priced at $349.95.
•Case-Mate EKOCYCLE Barely There Case is molded from a 100 percent recycled PET -- a translucent, glossy finish that showcases more of a smartphone. It retails for $35 at Best Buy stores and the company’s website.
•New Era caps’ EKOCYCLE Cap Collection features two caps - a 59FIFTY fitted and a 9FIFTY Strapback. Both are made with a recycled fabric that consists of a traditional polyester fabric and recycled plastic. They sell for $30-45.

We support and admire people and companies who use their funds and fame for the benefit of the Earth. Check out Ekocycle today and tell us what you think!
http://www.facebook.com/EKOCYCLE

A Greener Singapore

As small a city as it is, Singapore finds itself vulnerable to the consequences of climate change. It is also particularly concerned with the need to use resources efficiently, especially energy and water. As part of the global community, Singapore has been doing its part to reduce the overall carbon footprint.

As part of this effort, the national target to “green” at least 80% of all buildings in Singapore by 2030 was set in 2009. Championed by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), the green building movement has come a long way since it was started in 2005. Public sector buildings took the lead to go green to be certified under the Green Mark scheme.

But green buildings are only a part of the solutions. While energy efficient buildings and technology enhancements are important, the intelligent and conscientious usage of energy at the workplaces and our homes are just as crucial. This is because close to 20% of the total amount of electricity produced in Singapore are consumed solely by households.

Studies have also shown that in office buildings and shopping complexes, the occupants and tenants are typically responsible for about half of the total energy consumed in such buildings. The green movement must therefore go beyond buildings to reach and galvanise the community and individual into green action.

The movement for change has begun, and the time to act on it is now. With the support and encouragement of those behind the first steps toward making a greener Singapore, we are left with no excuses not to care. Small changes in lifestyles often turn out to have massive chain reactions, such as packing your own lunch to work, bringing a bag instead of using those provided by the shops, running your errands for the week in one day instead of spreading them out across a matter of days – all of these efforts add up and make a dent in changing our environmental impact for the better.

Take the time to care for the earth, and it will honour you the same courtesy. Respect our home and guide others around you to do the same. We hope you have had a fantastic weekend, and urge you to start your week right. Live healthy. Live green.

Big Things Are Brewing!

There's something slow roasting in the Green Cleaners Headquarters and it's about to get crazy! Before we get into that though, we'd like to begin by sharing our new and improved brochures.

Please note that during October we have a new client sign up offer!
At Green Cleaners we pride ourselves on our high standards of cleaning and service. We’re confident once you’ve had your first Green Home Cleaning appointment, and seen, felt and smelt for yourself a home that is clean and healthy - you won’t want to leave us. With this in mind, you may wish to take advantage of our ‘Kick the tyres’ Promotion in October; For new clients, we’re offering your first appointment with 50% discount when you sign up for a regular service with us!* Offer ends 31/10/12. Subject to availability – please check for available dates early!

Staying Lean While Keeping It Green

Happy Wednesday, everyone! We really enjoyed sharing our DIY pampering recipes with you all last night, so tonight we’re carrying on the path to health and happiness. Did you know that your daily workout is another lifestyle area where you can make earth-friendly changes? There are countless eco-savvy ways to get in your daily dose of physical fitness. Here are some of our favorite tips for energizing your exercise with a green boost:

Take it outside whenever you can.
Instead of increasing your energy consumption via home and gym exercise machines, take advantage of hiking and biking trails in your area. One big advantage to the great outdoors - it’s 100% free and always interesting! If you don’t fancy going solo, invite a friend or two and take in some quality time as well.

Inspire a green makeover at your health club or gym.
If the great outdoors just aren’t for you, consider encouraging your gym to make some eco-friendly upgrades. Make sure your club offers recycling bins and energy efficient machines, and remind the staff to ask patrons to limit their towel usage.

Car pool to your local gym with a friend or neighbor.
Not only does carpooling cut down on your fuel costs and usage, but having a gym buddy is an instant incentive to keep up with your fitness goals and resolutions. For extra support, consider joining a soccer, volleyball, or kickball league in your neighborhood. No one to car pool with? Your bike is another great way to get where you’re going and warm up for your workout at the same time.

Dress the part.
Looking for some new workout clothing or gear? Organic cotton and bamboo threads are a great place to start for sweat-friendly green fabrics. For eco-conscious equipment choices, check the web or a local sporting goods shop for great deals on secondhand bikes and weights.

Give in to the bottle.
The water bottle that is! Move on from one-time use plastic water bottles. It’s time to commit to using refillable water bottles for workouts and everyday hydration. Using a refillable bottle means less waste in landfills and more money in your wallet.

Get creative with your workout routine.
It’s not always easy to find time to head to the gym or commit to an after-work jogging schedule. Try to throw in an extra walk or bike ride during your lunch break for a calorie-burning boost. Another great way to supplement your gym routine: Try knocking out some house or yard work by attacking the job with gusto! Shoveling snow, raking leaves, vacuuming and dusting can be great activities for burning off a greasy business lunch or the sins of the weekend roasts and barbecues. Do you have more ideas on how to stay lean and keep it green? We would love to hear from you. In the meantime, stay fit, happy and healthy the Green Cleaners way!

Pamper Yourself the Eco Friendly Way!

Who says you have to spend thousands of dollars on spa treatments and undergo the pain of going to the dermatologist? We at Green Cleaners believe that only the most organic of ingredients should touch your skin, and we have found some simple, easy and fun recipes for you to make and apply in the comfort of your own home! So whether it's a girls' night in or much needed time to rejuvenate, we hope you enjoy the experience of pampering yourself - because you deserve it.

Pore Scrub
Though it is not really possible to shrink your pores, keeping them cleansed makes them appear smaller than they really are. For this Pore Minimizer Scrub (to be used every other day), you will need:

1 tablespoon of warm honey
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
3 drops of lemon juice

After cleansing your skin, massage into pore-plentiful areas for 3 minutes. Keep those circular motions going and rinse with lukewarm water. Remember that hot water opens pores, so keep it at room temperature.

Banana Peel Facial
There's something assuring about knowing you can have a full facial treatment with ingredients found in your kitchen all year round! Follow these simple steps to smoother skin. For this recipe, you will need:

1 banana, just ripe
1 tablespoon honey
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon wheat germ oil
1 tablespoon finely powdered oats
1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional, if mask will not be used immediately)
2 drops of essential oil (your scent of choice)

Peel and mash banana. Add honey, egg yolk, wheat germ oil, oats and lemon juice, if used. Mash further to form a smooth, creamy paste. If mask is too thick, add a bit of distilled water, and stir well until smooth. Add essential oils last, and stir to mix well. To use, apply to clean face and neck, avoiding eye and mouth areas. Rest for 10 minutes, or longer if your skin is very dry. Rinse with warm water and ta-da! Baby soft skin.

Sweet and Zesty Body Scrub
Body scrubs have numerous benefits - it cleans and exfoliates the skin, improves blood circulation and helps remove toxins. For this lemon and brown sugar infused scrub, you will need
1/4 cup coarse brown sugar (to gently exfoliate without drying) 1 cup grapeseed oil (to moisturize) 1/4 cup grated lemon peel (to invigorate your senses)

Mix together all of the ingredients. Gently rub this delicious scrub all over your body in a circular motion. Concentrate on rough areas like elbows, knees and heels. Let it sit for a few minutes and rinse off with warm water.

Homemade Chocfull of Beauty Facial Mask
Who doesn't love everything about chocolate? With this yummy recipe in tow, you can enjoy the benefits that this treat has on your skin whilst having the lovely aroma surround you as you beautify yourself! For this mask, you will need
1/3 cup raw cacao powder or cocoa powder 1/4 cup of raw honey 2 tablespoons of mashed avocado 3 teaspoons of cornmeal (if you're looking for a great natural exfoliator)

Simply blend all the above ingredients together until creamy. With clean hands, apply the mask to your face and any other part of your body that you so desire (hands and feet can greatly benefit). Gently massage your mask into your skin, leaving it on for 15 - 20 minutes, and then rinse it off with warm water.

So there it is, a green way to end the day. We hope you give these home spa recipes a try and have a wonderful time making yourself look and feel beautiful!

A Green, Ghoulish Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner and we have everything you need from prep to clean up to ensure that your celebrations will be ghoulishly green!

Like many of our holidays, Halloween can be an expensive and wasteful experience. Don't let the commercialism take all the fun or eco-friendly opportunities out of it! Check out our simple tips to make sure you don't spook Mother Nature this October.

Green Halloween Costumes
Consider reusing or recycling costumes from previous years, or recycling old clothing into new costumes. Before you set out your paper recycling, set aside cardboard boxes and large pieces of paper that you can use to enhance ideas.

Green Halloween Treats
Instead of giving out high-sugar candy, consider giving pennies for UNICEF, pencils, erasers, or temporary tattoos. Besides reducing the waste of all the single-serving packaging, you’ll be providing a healthy alternative to candy. If your kids won’t let you give up food treats, consider small boxes of raisins or other semi sweet treats which have recyclable paper packaging.

Green Halloween Decorations
Halloween decorations can be natural and non-commercial, with gourds, pumpkins and Jack-o-Lanterns! Lower your emissions on Halloween by buying locally grown pumpkins, and then lower your waste by composting them after Halloween is over. Use recycled paper to make window decorations, and then send them on for another round of recycling after the holiday. Paper grocery bags can be cut and molded into spooky Halloween trees, masks, and painted white for ghostly effects.

Green Halloween Trick-or-Treating
Send your children trick-or-treating with reusable buckets, canvas bags or pillow cases. Lower emissions by trick-or-treating in your neighborhood and get to know your neighbors better by inviting them over for an old fashioned bobbing-for-apples competition at your house.

Green Halloween Party
Send electronic invitations instead of paper to lower waste. Instead of using plastic plates, cups and utensils, compostable silverware and party plates are now widely available. Go to your neighborhood store and purchase a pile of mismatched cloth napkins and then have guests toss them in a bin for washing and reusing at your next party. Be sure to recycle bottles and cans, and compost leftovers.

Green Halloween Cleanup
Once Halloween is over, recycle your pumpkins, the straw you used to build scarecrows and any other organic material by composting it. For inedible items, add them to your composting pile (or start composting now!) for great, nutrient rich soil in the spring.

If you have any further ideas to keep the festivities eco friendly, let us know! In the meantime, Trick or Treat!

We Reap What We Sow

Happy Sunday, everyone! We spent the better part of the weekend watching the film "The Lorax", and just had to share the finale with you. It sure teaches a valuable lesson - that change begins and ends with us. What better time to start than right now? Enjoy!
Let It Grow, finale from "The Lorax"

Media Frenzy!

Hi Everyone! We are so excited to announce that Green Cleaners has jumped on the media bandwagons of both Twitter and Pinterest! Follow us on @GreenCleaners09 and http://pinterst.com/greencleaners09 to learn more about the latest in the world of going green! Share your own home remedy recipes, or pin us with ecofabulous ideas that you want us to feature! We look forward to taking cybermedia space by storm with all of you.

Thin Slicing, Malcolm Gladwell, and the Chinese character for listening

Apparently, the Chinese character for listening is made up of other characters (or perhaps traces of characters) for the ear, the eye, and the heart. That surely suggests something vital about listening. And listening is a skill that is in desperately short supply in this era of overstimulation and information overload.

One of the worst pieces of advice in recent years came in the Malcolm Gladwell book Blink in which he described the phenomenon of ‘thin-slicing’ people when you meet them by just getting a quick gut read on them in a matter of seconds or nano-seconds and then assuming that you’ve got all you need to know. Malcolm argues that thin-slicing is a reasonably accurate way of checking someone out.

Of course, if everyone did that, none of us would ever listen to anyone again. We’d save loads of time, and we’d learn virtually nothing about the external world. It’s a recipe for global disaster from an otherwise brilliant writer.

Which brings me back to listening and that Chinese character. We don’t need to listen less, or faster; we need to listen to each other more, and more deeply. We need to hear, and appreciate, and learn, each other’s stories. If you don’t think so, ask yourself this: when are you going to start paying attention? In the next life, whatever that is?

We need to listen to each other because life is precious, and short. We need to listen to each other because despite our superficial disagreements and differences, we humans are still the best hope and the gravest danger for the planet we call home. We need to listen to each other because we need to work together in peace in order to build a better world. We need to listen to each other because lives need to be shared, we are a communal species, and isolation kills.

Please. When you listen, listen with your whole body. Use your ears, of course, but also use your eye and your heart. Listen for the facts, of course, but also listen for the underlying emotions and values of the other person. Only when you listen that carefully and deeply can you begin to understand and then communicate with another person. I don’t know if the Chinese character for listening really does include the characters for the ear, the eye, and the heart, but I do know that listening needs to include all those things.

Let's start listening better to one another and maybe -- just maybe -- we can save this magical planet and the precious, irreplaceable people on it.

With thanks to Dr. Liane Davey for explaining the Chinese character to me.

Reposted from; http://publicwords.typepad.com/nickmorgan/2012/09/thin-slicing-malcolm-gladwell-and-the-chinese-character-for-listening.html

India's richest shrine goes green

India is one of the world's largest producers of carbon credits. The clean development mechanism is offering an incentive of companies to innovate and find low cost green technologies.

Shilpa Kannan gets an exclusive look at how one temple in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh is going green.

See the video here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16798580

Singapore top carbon emitter in Asia-Pacific: WWF

Singapore had the largest carbon footprint per head in the Asia-Pacific in 2010, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said on Monday.

The environmental advocacy group said Singapore's 2010 per capita gross domestic product of more than US$40,000 (S$50,314) - one of the highest in the region - fuelled exorbitant consumption habits.

But the group also fingered the corporate sector and in particular the construction industry for crowning the tiny city-state as the region's top per capita carbon emitter. Precise figures for various nations in the Asia-Pacific will be released together with the WWF's Asia Footprint Report in June. But WWF President Yolanda Kakabadse revealed on Monday that Singapore topped the list.

'Every member of the population in relation to the size of the country is consuming a lot in food, in energy,' she said. 'Singapore... is a society that maybe is one of the best examples of what we should not do.'

Green Cleaners success on AG - Feb 2012!!

Green Cleaners' founder Colin Pudsey, successfully pitches our growing business opportunity and increasing demand for our services/products to Asia's leading VC's. As featured on CNA's Angel's Gate - Feb 2012.

For more information on Angel's Gate please visit:
http://www.youtube.com/user/AngelsGate
http://angelsgate.com/tv/prj/green-cleaners

Green Cleaners' on the Angel's Gate - Monday 13 February 2012

Hi Friends!

As we usher in the year of the dragon and welcome new challenges, Green Cleaners’ will be expanding in Australia & APAC and our journey continues with an exciting appearance on the new Angel’s Gate TV show and we’re asking for your support!

Angel's Gate is Asia's latest reality TV series focusing on business and entrepreneurship (think: Dragon’s Den Singapore!). Backed by Asia's leading venture funds, the Angel's Gate is a 360-degree platform spanning the TV, Web and Mobile that gives entrepreneurs the opportunity of a lifetime to pitch their dream business ideas to some of Asia’s most successful investors.

You can see Green Cleaners featured on next Monday’s episode (13/02/12) on Channel News Asia @ 8pm (SG/HK time). Angel’s Gate episodes and interviews will also be available the day after on their YouTube channel.

This is where we call to all of our friends and need your help...

Angel's Gate is honoured to have CapitaLand Hope Foundation as a Charity Partner. The Foundation will donate S$1.00 for every "like" that Green Cleaners’ receives on our online business profile.

We’re asking for your support to help a very worthy cause with only one click of a button! All proceeds up to S$100,000 will be donated to 4 children's beneficiaries (see below). We need your help to get to our donation target.

Please follow the link and click “like” today! http://angelsgate.com/green-cleaners

The power of social media is unbelievably strong and we do hope you can share this with your friends, family and colleagues too! :)

Thank You!

More eco friendly toys for tots

As more and more consumers are becoming environmentally conscious, simple solutions for adopting a green lifestyle have become readily available. While you once had to seek out eco-friendly products in specialty stores, you can now find them nearly everywhere for all needs, from home appliances, to cleaning products, to clothing, to modes of transportation. Toy makers are even starting to offer eco-friendly toys and games, making now the perfect time to introduce your kids to the idea of going green.

There are many benefits, for both children and the environment, to buying eco-friendly toys. Young children have a tendency to put everything they come in contact with into their mouths, but with eco-friendly toys you don't have to worry about them encountering harmful materials since all green toys are non-toxic. These toys are also often made with age-appropriate classifications in mind, so they're made to withstand the hard play habits of toddlers and the curious disassembly phase that many older children go through.

Eco-friendly toys are usually made out of recyclable and/or biodegradable materials, so if a child outgrows them or they should break beyond the point of repair, disposing of them won't harm the environment.

While it would be easy for any manufacturer to put a "green" label on its products, there are certain questions to consider when shopping for eco-friendly toys:

Are both the toy and its packaging made from recycled/recyclable and/or biodegradable materials? Where is it made? Part of what makes a toy eco-friendly is it being manufactured by energy-efficient operations. The farther a product has to travel to make it to your local store, the bigger a carbon footprint it's leaving, so truly eco-friendly toys are made locally.

How sturdy is the toy? Well-made toys will last longer and can be handed down to other children once the original owner has outgrown them. Toys that can stand the test of time are naturally eco-friendly as they don't wind up in the garbage after one extremely rough play session.

There are several toy manufacturers that focus exclusively on making eco-friendly toys. Green Toys Inc., located in California, makes it their mission to create safe, fun toys made from recycled materials that are manufactured in a socially responsible way. Recycled plastic milk jugs are the main ingredient in all of their products, and all of the production occurs locally in California, from the collecting of raw materials to the final packaging (which is 100% recyclable corrugated boxes). All of their toys--like building blocks, play dining sets, and toy vehicles--also go through safety testing in nationally-recognized, USA-based labs, where they must pass a series of tests before being sold.

Sprig Toys Inc. in Colorado is another great source for eco-friendly toys. All of their toy series are primarily made of recycled wood and plastic, and focus on being kid-powered, rather than running on batteries that will ultimately wind up in landfills. Having distributors in both North America and Europe, Sprig Toys has manufacturing operations set up on both continents in order to minimize the amount of traveling their products have to do.

Also based in Colorado is ImagiPLAY, whose motto is "Toys with Integrity." Offering a wide selection of toys--including wooden puzzles, fabric dolls, and themed building block sets--everything ImagiPLAY produces is made of eco-friendly materials, a favorite being the wood from rubber trees that can no longer be harvested for the sap used in making latex. They even set up their factories in areas close to where the raw materials come from and aim to hire locally-based laborers, who they encourage to walk or bike to work.

As more parents are becoming eco-savvy, more eco-friendly toy makers are creating products from locally sourced, recyclable materials. There may even be some setting up shop in your neighborhood, or at the local farmer's market or craft fair. Introducing kids to well-made, environmentally-conscious toys is a fun and smart way to start creating a new generation of green-minded individuals.

Wine drinkers boost eco-friendly milk; something both parents and children can enjoy!

Wine drinkers and milk-lovers now have even more reason to toast for ‘good health’ thanks to an environmentally and heart-friendly milk derived from a winemaking by-product. Who would have thought that wine and milk could work hand in hand to help save the environment and keep us all healthy? That is of course, unless you happen to be lactose intolerant.

New research by the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has found that feeding dairy cows the stems, seeds and skins from wine grapes increased milk production, dramatically cuts their methane emissions and makes their milk healthier.

Scientists at DPI’s Centre for Dairy Excellence at Ellinbank found that supplementing the cows’ feed with grape marc reduced their emissions by 20%, increased milk production by five per cent and increased the healthy fatty acids in their milk when green feed was not available.

The cut to emissions is thought to represent the largest reduction of its kind ever attained through the use of a feed supplement. The scientists supplemented the diet of dairy cows with 5kg of dried grape marc over 37 days and compared the results with other animals fed conventional fodder. They then measured the cows’ milk yields, milk composition and methane emissions.

DPI scientist Peter Moate said the researchers were stunned by the results.

Supplementing a dairy cows’ diet with dried grape marc increases the healthy fatty acids in milk by more than six times that of standard autumn fodder. These particular fatty acids are extremely potent in their ability to benefit heart health and are also known to help fight cancer, diabetes and arthritis.

Dr Moate said there were also early indications that cows fed grape marc also produced milk with higher levels of healthy anti-oxidants and that further tests were being conducted to verify this. He said on top of the cuts to emissions and the potential health benefits for milk drinkers, the discovery could also provide tangible benefits for the wine industry.

“We’ve managed to utilise what is currently a waste product for the wine industry and turn it into a very valuable feed source,” Dr Moate said.

He said there was currently around 200,000 tonnes of grape marc produced in Australia every year making it a readily available product for dairy farmers. However there were limits to the movement of grape marc because of quarantine restrictions to prevent the spread of the grapevine pest phylloxera.

In another benefit to flow from the research, the results also showed that feeding grape marc to dairy cows also increased their daily milk production by 5%. Dr Moate said the trial was carried out towards the end of the lactation cycle and that the researchers hoped to repeat it during early lactation when the cows were producing more milk.

“It’s possible that the benefits of using grape marc as a feed supplement in early lactation could be even more significant,” he said. Dr Moate said the research into using grape marc as a feed supplement was another example of DPI science aiming to enhance the productivity and profitability of Victorian food and fibre producers.

This research is part of a wider program looking the use of feed supplements to reduce methane emissions, such as brewers grains, cold-pressed canola meal, cottonseed meal, and hominy meal, all reduce methane emissions while supporting milk production.

Dr Moate said the use of grape marc together with other methane reducing feeds could result in a reduction in methane emissions of up to 20,000 tonnes per year – the equivalent of taking about 200,000 cars off the road.

Source: Department of Primary Industries

Recycling wins it for school in Negros Occidental, Philippines

For teaching an entire community how to dispose of its garbage properly and more responsibly, a Negros Occidental school topped this year’s National Search for Sustainable and Eco-friendly Schools, elementary level.

Iliranan Elementary School in San Carlos City bested some 45 regional winners from across the country in the second year of the competition.

The Camarines Sur National High School and De La Salle University-Dasmariñas were first in the high school and college categories, respectively.

The annual search for the most eco-friendly schools is conducted by the Departments of Education and Environment and Natural Resources, Commission on Higher Education and Smart Communications.

“What set us apart from other schools is that we are reaching out to the community and (are regularly monitoring and evaluating the program) to achieve our project’s goals and to guarantee its sustainability,” said Iliranan head teacher Jessie Batosin in a statement.

Iliranan initiated earlier this year a solid waste management system that extended beyond its campus. Partnering with village leaders, the school helped community residents change their habit of dumping their garbage in open pits or burning the trash.

The school taught and led the community in practicing waste segregation and recycling. Teachers and village coordinators also worked together to monitor how households managed their trash.

“A household that practices open burning and open dumping is given a chance to change its ways within a three-month period. After three months (without any) sign of behavior change, the council invokes the solid waste management ordinance and the no-garbage collection policy is strictly enforced,” Batosin said.

Green business inspiration...

Marty Metro loved the idea of buying something used and selling it for a bargain. He had watched resale shops do it successfully for years with everything from clothing to sports equipment. "EBay became a $10 billion company selling something used cheaper than new," says Metro, a former IT consultant for Fortune 500 companies.

But when Metro saw a moving truck loading boxes during a cross-country drive in the late 1990s, he recalls talking to his wife about how difficult it is for people to get rid of boxes after they’ve moved. "They break them down, tear them up, but they still don't fit in the recycling bin," he said. That casual conversation ultimately inspired him to leave his lucrative tech career in corporate America and strike out on his own. Metro's idea was to connect people who have used boxes to those who need them. At the same time he'd keep a lot of cardboard out of America’s landfills and help the environment.

While Metro passionately believed in the concept, little did he know he would first fail miserably at retail and sink deep into debt before turning it all around. He would have to recast his eco-friendly idea and create innovative technology to help him ultimately build a nearly $10 million business.Still, there were five years of hard lessons learned along the way. Metro's journey is one of inspiration, innovation and perseverance, which all small-business owners can learn from.

In 2002, Metro got his start by founding Los Angeles-based Boomerang Boxes, a retail store that sold used cardboard boxes, primarily to people moving into new homes and apartments. His father, a CPA, was skeptical, saying, "You're going to have to sell a hell of a lot of boxes to pay your rent."

It turned out dad was right. Selling $1 boxes out of brick-and-mortar locations didn't quite pay the bills. By 2005, Metro was forced to shut down Boomerang Boxes' four locations. Consumers appeared to love the idea, but the company was losing $15,000 to $20,000 a month and wound up $300,000 in debt, which Metro is still paying off today.

Still, Metro refused to give up. He started working on a plan to sell used boxes online, but in a unique way. "Historically, no one really sold boxes -- let alone used boxes -- online," recalls Metro, now 40. "They were too expensive to ship, so most people just went to a retail store (and asked for their discards.)"

Metro's distribution centers -- owned and run by third-party logistics teams -- make shipping more efficient and inexpensive since they're strategically located across the country near the major cities of Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago and near Syracuse, N.Y. The company also owns and operates its own facility in Baltimore.

By 2008, Usedcardboardboxes.com had grown to $1 million in annual sales and demand was quickly beginning to outweigh supply. Metro needed more boxes, so he started buying and selling used boxes from national companies, expanding his customer base beyond consumers.

If a company needs 100,000 boxes, that information is put into a database that checks what boxes are available, the cost to ship them and the price Metro has to charge to make a profit. His IT staff updates the software and improves it almost daily. "It is very much the core of our success and a major factor in our future," he says.

Metro's software and monitoring system includes a business-to-business portal that offers big companies the option of viewing real-time inventory and ordering directly from the distribution centers.And he can access data from each distribution center right from his computer -- or even his phone -- which allows him to quickly identify and manage any issues or problems as they come up.

Electronic Recyclers International, which recycles computer components and other e-waste, has been a customer for three years. Chief executive John S. Shegerian says buying used cardboard boxes not only saves money, but also fits in nicely with his company's green goals. "We make it a cultural thing. Even our forklifts are hybrids," he says. "They have a great business model that supplies the boxes we need -- when we need them -- and they're recycled."

Meanwhile, Metro's father is no longer worried about his son selling cardboard boxes. The company's annual sales are just under $10 million and growing fast, according to Metro. He now has a few hundred business clients -- including a dozen large corporations. And the company's average order has gone from a $100 moving kit in 2006 to an $8,000 truckload today.

Eco-friendly advice for fellow entrepreneurs: 1. Your green efforts should help -- not hurt -- your bottom line. Being eco-friendly does not make a successful business model. "You make money either by helping companies save money, or helping them make money," he says. "Being eco-friendly is icing on the cake."

2. Every employee should have an eco-friendly focus. Sustainability does not have to be a separate company department. It should be a core value of your company and incorporated intoeveryone's job description.

3. Consider alternatives to recycling. Reusing is better than recycling. In recycling, you're "breaking down one material to create another," Metro explains. This generally requires expensive machines, energy, fuels and chemicals. Reuse, in contrast, often requires no breakdown and less energy and emissions.For Metro, the greatest challenge then became tailoring his used offerings to specific needs. When a company requests a 12-by-12-by-8-inch box, for example, nothing else will do. That's where his tech expertise has come in handy; Metro developed custom software that automatically matches what companies need with what he has access to.

5 Powerful Eco-Friendly Children’s Books

Numerous studies inform us that reading to our children stimulates their imaginations, expands vocabulary, develops analytical and logical thinking, strengthens the parent/child bond, increases attention span, creates a love of reading…and it’s a fun and loving thing to do together.

But we don’t need a study telling us knowledge is power. We know this every time we snuggle up with our child to read a book and they turn to us and ask, WHY.

Our children will inherit this planet, with all its troubles and all its beauty. Providing them with age-appropriate information about pollution gives our children a powerful edge for the future. Where can all that power come from? Books.

Here are 5 books that are a breath of fresh air, that teach us timeless lessons about loving the world we live in and the importance of protecting it.

1. One of the books included in the popular Magic School Bus series, "The Magic School Bus Gets Cleaned Up", illustrates how particulate matter from the old Magic School Bus’ diesel exhaust gets into the lungs. The book includes a clean air checklist with important tips like, “ask your bus driver to turn off the engine when the bus is parked.”

2. Children’s book author Dr. Barrett Hays created "Mars, Jimmy, and Me." This book combines humor, whimsy, and science to jumpstart an examination of pollution, economic justice, and individual responsibility. It tackles real environmental issues such as global warming, the use of plastic and the need to talk about clean air and it's connection to the rise of asthma in children, in a way that is easily grasped by readers if all ages.

3. A lovely picture poem book entitled "A House Is A House For Me" by Mary Ann Hoberman. The poem culminates with a clear message to protect our planet, “Each creature that’s known has a house of its own. And the Earth is a house for us all.”

4. Another book called "I Know the River Loves Me" tells the story of a little girl and her special relationship with a river. Written and illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez, this bilingual book is the perfect way to talk to children about the beauty of nature and why it’s important to preserve it.

5. No children’s bookshelf would be complete without Dr. Seuss’ iconic cautionary classic, The Lorax. The Lorax is profoundly upsetting and leaves the parent reading to the child to explain what that mysterious and ominous UNLESS means. While that does provide a terrific starting point for conversations about how pollution threatens the world we live in, it also makes for guilty throat clearing.

After all, the children have done nothing wrong and can do nothing to fix the problem. It is the grownups who are making this enormous mess. Unless, it turns out, is a message for parents. Unless we stop. Unless we teach our children to cherish the planet — by cherishing it ourselves.

Six ways to save the planet

When faced with the whole idea of living the green way, it all seems too hard. But If you want to do more or you want to make a start in living a more sustainable life but worry that it may be too time consuming, difficult or expensive, take the time to read on and see how simple - and enjoyable, going green can really be.

Tip 1: Use toxin-free everything, from shampoos to home cleansers, cosmetics to mouthwash. Here's a scary thought - did you know that many mouthwashes contain the chemicals formaldehyde, sodium lauryl sulphate, polysorbate, cetylpyridinium chloride and benzalkonium chloride?

All these can be highly toxic to aquatic life. So when you're spitting in the bathroom sink and washing it down the drain, you're adding to the toxic soup our waterways are becoming.

There's also a possibility that if you use the same chemical mouthwash again and again, your oral environment could become resistant, creating a mouthful of superbugs. The easiest and most effective mouthwash is good old salt and water. Add as much salt as possible to a glass of warm water and stir until dissolved then gargle with it. It also works for mouth infections.

For cleaning the home, you can't go past baking soda and vinegar. Try putting your baking soda in a talcum powder- like container and your vinegar in a pump spray bottle. Simply sprinkle the baking soda over the area needing to be cleaned and spray on the vinegar. Rub with a damp cloth and wash off with water. Not only will this do the job, it is also extremely cost effective because you can buy in bulk.

Tip 2: Reduce, reuse, recycle - everything possible.

To make this easy, set up a cupboard for recycling, complete with bins or boxes for plastics, paper and cardboard, bottles and jars. Before throwing out paper and jars, think creatively.

Paper can be used as weed matting for the garden, to wrap up Christmas presents or to feed the critters in your worm farm. You can also use unwanted pages to make your own paper, which can be turned into hand-made cards and other artsy offerings.

Old jars are perfect for holding just about everything. You can boil them clean and use them for home-made jams, chutneys, pickles and preserves, or for seeds, nuts and rice. If you can't find a use for them, take them to your local hospice shop, where they will surely be found re-useful!

When you head to the supermarket, make sure you've got a whole bunch of shopping bags with you. Make the effort and cut right down on those harmful plastic bags.

If you've got sick of some clothes or they don't fit any more, think creatively about what you can do with them.

Hand them down to a friend or get together with your creative crew and see what you can do with old clothes - take them in, jazz them up with lace, ribbons or buttons to radically remodel them. Add panels if they're too tight, and try hand-painting dull shirts or skirts. For those that you just don't see being worn by yourself again, remember there are salvation army branches popping up everywhere ready and willing to take on anything you can contribute from your closet.

Tip 3: Ditch the car and get active. If you've got two cars, carefully work out if you could co-operate to live with one. Or you could decide to have carless days or even choose to get on your bike for any journey within a five-kilometre radius of your home or catch the bus.

Walking is another great way to get around, but make certain you've got good shoes and opt for a backpack. Make a car-free travel plan. Not only do you save money on petrol and parking bills, you get to cut down your carbon footprint and exercise at the same time.

Supporting public transport also means fewer cars on the road and more chance of the service surviving. One day, the oil will run out, so get ready for it by imagining it's already happened. Work out how you'd get the groceries, visit the library or go out for dinner with no car available. Treat it as an adventure.

Tip 4: Focus on vegetables. Do your best to eat in season and local and have a go at growing your own produce without chemicals If you're a beginning gardener, start small. Try growing tomatoes or lettuces in a tub or pot. When planning a bigger garden, do your research first. It all begins with choosing a site that gets sun most of the day - facing northeast is ideal. You need to prepare the soil (best to do in winter), and get planting.

Head to your local farmers' market, car-boot sale or garden centre to buy seeds and seedlings and ask for advice on what you should be planting now and how to tend your vegetables.

Plan for the future by planting a fruit tree or two. When you pick your first ripe apple or plum you'll be delighted. Build a raised garden or make a circular bed, both of which should be easy to weed.

Also add more meat-free meals to your repertoire and try to include "super foods" that are great for your body and brain. They include apples, apricots, avocados, blueberries, broccoli, brown rice, carrots, garlic and onions, grapes and raisins, seaweed,mushrooms, nuts, oats, spirulina, sprouts, wheatgerm and yoghurt.

Best of all, feast on the best of the season until you're sick of cherries or grapes until next year, when you start all over again.

Tip 5: Make your own compost bin or worm farm. You don't need to buy anything flash - you can build your own from basic materials. For a worm farm, an old bath raised up on short poles will do the trick. Add your worms, your food scraps and cover with old carpet. The worm juice can be drained out of the bath for feeding plants and the castings added to the garden.

For an effective compost bin, simply build a two-bin wooden structure in the corner of your garden and fill up one side at a time. When one side is full, leave it to break down and fill up the other side. This is a wonderful way to use lawn clippings and food scraps. But, if you have a dog or cats, you will have to cover up to prevent them from snacking on things like corn cobs and egg shells.

You can use corrugated iron or old carpet for this job, but just make sure the compost doesn't get too hot or dry.

Tip 6: Unplug, switch off and power down.

This comes down to vigilance and will not only cut down energy usage (imagine if everyone did this!), it could slash your power bills. First step is to turn off lights when leaving rooms.

Unplug cellphone chargers when not in use and don't leave appliances on save mode - turn off at the wall. Some classic culprits are computers, laptops, stereos and TVs. When replacing home appliances, opt for those with Energy Star ratings and then use them well.

Your dishwasher will have an eco mode, so press those buttons. Wash clothes in cold water where possible and use your drier only in an emergency. Put up an indoor washing line in the garage or put a clothes horse in your sunroom.

Once a week, try having a technology-free day. If that's too much, try once a month.

That means no TV, computers, cellphones, PlayStation, X-box or MP3 players.

Imagine sitting around playing cards and board games or heading off for a day at the beach without anybody contacting you? Twenty years ago that was the norm for all, so show your kids what the good old days were like.

If you're thinking all this may be a bit much to begin with, move forward into going green with baby steps; try it one thing at a time and it's guaranteed that once you experience how good it feels to be doing your part, you'll been encouraged to keep making a difference.

Crowded Earth: how many is too many?

Already straining to host seven billion souls, Earth is set to teem with billions more, and only a revolution in the use of resources can avert an environmental crunch, experts say.

As early as 1798, Thomas Malthus gloomily forecast that our ability to reproduce would quickly outstrip our ability to produce food, leading to mass starvation and a culling of the species.

But an industrial revolution and its impact on agriculture proved Malthus and later doomsayers wrong, even as our numbers doubled and redoubled with accelerating frequency.

"Despite alarmist predictions, historical increases in population have not been economically catastrophic," notes David Bloom, a professor in the Department of Global Health and Population at Harvard.

Today, though, it seems reasonable to ask if Malthus wasn't simply a couple of centuries ahead of the curve.

On October 31, the world's population is officially scheduled to hit seven billion -- a rise of two billion in less than a quarter century.

Over six decades, the global fertility rate has roughly halved, and amounts to a statistical 2.5 children per woman today.

But this varies greatly from country to country. And whether the planet's population eventually stabilises at nine, 10 or 15 billion depends on what happens in developing countries, mostly in Africa, with the fastest growth.

As our species has expanded, so has its devouring of the planet's bounty, from fresh water and soil richness to forests and fisheries.

At its current pace, humankind will need, by 2030, a second planet to satisfy its appetites and absorb its waste, the Global Footprint Network (GFN) calculated last month.

And through the coal, oil and gas that drive prosperity, we are also emitting greenhouse gases that alter the climate, potentially maiming the ecosystems which feed us.

"From soaring food prices to the crippling effects of climate change, our economies are now confronting the reality of years of spending beyond our means," GFN's president, Mathis Wackernagel, said.

French diplomat Brice Lalonde, one of two coordinators for next June's UN Conference on Sustainable Development, dubbed "Rio+20," said Earth's population rise poses a fundamental challenge to how we use resources.

"In 2030 there will be at least another billion people on the planet," Lalonde said.

"The question is, how do we boost food security and provide essential services to the billion poorest people but without using more water, land or energy?"

This is why, he said, Rio+20 will focus on practical things such as increasing cleaner sources in the world energy mix, smarter use of fresh water, building cities that are environmentally friendlier and raising farm yields without dousing the soil with chemicals.

But such options dwell far more on the impact of population growth than on the problem itself.

Braking fertility rates would help the human tally stabilise at eight billion and haul poor countries out of poverty, ease the strain on natural resources and reduce climate vulnerability, say advocates.

For some experts, voluntary birth control is the key.

Geoff Dabelko, director of the Environmental Change and Security Programme at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, cites Somalia as a case study of what happens when women have no access to contraception.

Racked by civil war and poverty, its population is projected to grow from about 10 million today to 22.6 million by 2050. It has the eighth-highest birth rate in the world and an average of seven children per family.

Even before the country fell into a full-fledged crisis, a third of its children were severely underweight, according to UNICEF. Ninety-nine percent of married Somali women have no access to family planning.

Many economists, though, argue that the answer lies more in reducing poverty and boosting education, especially of women.

A 2010 study in Colombia found family planning explained less than 10 percent of the country's fertility fall. The real driver was improved standards of living.

Even so, at summits that seek to shape Earth's future, tackling population growth head-on is almost taboo.

"When I attended the UN environment conference in Stockholm (in 1972), the No. 1 item on the agenda was out-of-control population growth," recalled Paul Watson, head of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, a radical green group.

"When I attended the 1992 conference (in Rio), it wasn't even on the agenda. No one talked about it any more."

Demography was similarly absent from the UN's 2002 Johannesburg Summit, when Earth's population had climbed to six billion.

Why does "how many is too much" remain absent from the top tables?

One perceived reason is the opposition by religious conservatives to contraception or abortion. Politicians, too, may see no mileage in addressing an issue that will only cause them headaches and yield benefits several decades away.

But for some critics, population measures are synonymous with the mistakes of coercive sterilisation in India in the 1970s or China's "one child" policy, which has led to a gender imbalance in favour of boys.

Top 3 most polluted countries in the world

Emerging nations around the world are often heralded for their fast growth but we don't often hear about the downsides of that rapid development.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released a report on air quality in countries around the globe, on which we based a list of the ten most polluted countries. Almost all the worst offenders are either major oil and gas producers, or emerging economies that are growing rapidly.

The WHO study looked at air quality in 91 countries, measured by the amount of PM10 particles per cubic meter. PM10 particles are particles of 10 micrometers or less that can cause diseases and infections. According to the WHO, PM10 levels above 20 micrograms per cubic meter can cause health risks. The top ten most polluted countries have PM10 levels from six times to14 times that level.

So, which countries have the world's worst air quality?

3. Pakistan = Pollution level: 198 ug/m3

Pakistan's air pollution is nearly ten times higher than levels considered dangerous by the WHO.

Political instability, corruption and a lack of government measures to curb carbon emissions have led to a cloak of thick smoke over major cities like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. In 2008, a government study revealed that every car in Pakistan, regardless of its age, generates 25 percent more carbon than one in the U.S.

Karachi, Pakistan's biggest city has a capacity for only 700 vehicles per hour, but according to the study, there are more than 11,000 vehicles per hour on the roads. The city, which already has more than half the country's 3.5 million vehicles, adds up to 400 new cars a day.

Water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste has also become a major problem in the country. In addition, Pakistan's water supply is evaporating so quickly that it will become a "water-famine" country by the end of this decade, according to the country's Centre for Research and Security Studies.

2. Botswana = Pollution level: 216 ug/m3

It might seem strange that a country with a population of only 2 million people, and the largest proportion of land under conservation in the world, is the second most polluted nation in the world. But, that is the case of Botswana, 80 percent of which is covered by the Kalahari Desert.

The country was one of the poorest nations in Africa at the time of its independence from Britain in 1966. Today, Botswana is one of the world's fastest growing economies, and the largest producer of diamonds. The country has transformed itself into a middle-income economy with an annual average growth rate of about 9 percent, according to The World Bank. Mineral revenues account for about 40 percent of government revenues.

With growing wealth, the southern African nation has experienced widespread environmental damage. Wild fires and pollution from the mineral industry are the main sources of the country's poor air quality. Copper smelting for example has been blamed for sulfur dioxide and nickel emissions.

1. Mongolia = Pollution level: 279 ug/m3

Mongolia is the world's most polluted country and also home to one of the world's most polluted cities — Ulaanbaatar.

The city of 1.2 million accounts for about 45 percent of Mongolia's population. During the coldest months of the year -- December to February -- Ulaanbaatar's horizon is completely hidden behind a thick grey-brown smoky haze.

The country's main sources of pollution are its traditional coal-fuelled stoves and boilers used for heating and cooking, as well as congested traffic and old cars. Heating is essential for the survival of its people for about eight months of year. The country uses everything from coal, wood to refuse, such as black tar-dipped bricks and old car tires to fuel stoves and boilers. Ulaanbaatar's dry climate and severe windstorms further worsen its dangerous levels of airborne dust.

Rapid urbanization has also been a major factor behind the country's pollution problem. Ulaanbaatar's population has expanded by 70 percent over the last 20 years with the city's infrastructure unable to keep up with growth. With an air pollution level 14-times higher than the WHO's standard threat level, the number of premature deaths, chronic bronchitis and respiratory related hospital admissions are on a rapid rise. The government has been trying to mitigate the problems by introducing measures such as cleaner coal-based fuel and modern stoves to address its pollution crisis.