Five Energy Saving Tips

1. Wrap your hot water heater According to countryhome.com, "If 10,000 people wrapped their water heater in an insulating jacket, collectively they’d avoid the same amount of CO2 emissions as would be produced driving a Toyota Prius between NYC and LA more than 10,000 times."

2. Only use your porch light when expecting guests

3. Switch to compact flourescent lightbulbs

4. Don't leave the water running when you brush your teeth or wash your face

5. Turn off the lights when you leave a room

Petty Lawsuit

Well, I read an article about Scotts, the makers of Miracle-Gro suing TerraCycle, a small New Jersey based company for making an organic product that competes with Miracle Gro. Scotts claims TerraCycle's bottle looks too much like their own. What do you think?


It's so ridiculous and I'm very annoyed with Scotts. I don't plan on using Miracle-Gro any more. It's petty and selfish of them to try to stop people from doing something good for the environment. I don't think that bottle looks anything like Miracle-Gro and even if it did, is that against the law? Why is okay for dollar stores to sell knock-off house cleaners that look just like Windex? I don't get it. It all comes down to money and unfortunately, that's all some people care about.

The Diaper Dilemma

According to a segment featured on The Early Show, disposable diapers are the #3 item taking up space in landfills and 50 million are added every day. The long term problem is that they are petroleum based and made of plastic so they take about 500 years to break down. The short term problem is that babies make a lot of poo and nobody wants to be putting that in their washing machine! So what's a mama to do?

To the rescue, gDiapers are eco-friendly diapers that have a reusable outer layer with a biodegradable liner that can be shed and tossed or flushed, guilt-free, once it is soiled. The outer layer comes in multiple colors and styles so your cub can be fashionable on his/her playdates.

Seventh Generation also offers an alternative to the traditional plastic diaper. Their non-toxic, chlorine-free diapers are becoming readily available in grocery and drug stores and can easily be found in the baby aisle of Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and health food stores.

Happy Heinys and Swaddlebees are other earth friendly alternatives. They offer a variety of diaper styles and materials to suit your needs. They sure look cozy and are probably very healthy. The downside? They aren't disposable. You have to wash them.

There are numerous options out there for eco-conscious moms and their diapering needs. You can sample some by placing an order here. Let me know what you think.

Recycling Ideas from HGTV

HGTV is my new favorite channel. The Food Network will always hold a special place in my heart but seriously, I can't stop watching the home decorating and remodeling shows on HGTV. A new show I discovered today is Design Remix. The concept of the show is to be able to redecorate a room using mostly pieces that already exist in the house. In today's episode, the designer turned a spare room (dumping ground) into a whimsical baby nursery.

My favorite elements of the nursery include some picket-fence-style baskets made out of an old futon frame, a lampshade made out of a broken parasol and a changing table made out of a long shelf that was built into the wall. The best part of this program is that the bulk of the cost comes from paint and any new hardware that may be required to hang shelving, etc. Other than that, manpower and time, a makeover can cost nothing! How amazing is that?

I'm getting inspired to start my own home project of some sort, though I'm not yet sure what. One of these days Patrick just might come home to a new house.

Something Fishy

There has been lots of hoopla over Al Gore's daughter, Sarah. She didn't get drunk and dance on a bar or show her panties to paparazzi. Here crime? She served Chilean Sea Bass at her wedding rehearsal dinner. What's the big deal? The big deal is that Chilean Sea Bass is an overfished endangered species. However, the Gore family didn't do anything wrong. The restaurant confirmed that the fish came from a sustained population in accordance with the Marine Stewardship Council regulations.

Do people really think that Al Gore would be dumb enough to serve something that goes against everything he campaigns for? And if he did, for some reason, serve fish that was illegally caught, do you think he'd know about it? Maybe Gore doesn't know exactly which fish are endangered and which are sustainable. Give the guy a break. After all is said and done, it was safe fish anyway!

For future reference, you can use this link before you have your next seafood feast. We wouldn't want anyone to shame you for what you eat.

One month Anniversary

It's Sunday so it's a new week but it's also a new month for me. I've been blogging for exactly one month today. I can't believe how fast time flies by. Summer is almost half over and I caught myself talking about Christmas yesterday!

To celebrate the end of my first month of blogging, I'd like to rate my posts. I wanted to choose my favorite but that's sort of like choosing a favorite child. Here are what I believe to be my top three posts (in no special order).

- Homemade Coffee
- Green Lips
- Eco Restroom

What's your favroite post?

Popsicle Sailing

Talk about recycling! Robert McDonald, a US man, used old popsicle sticks to build himself a boat in the Netherlands. He said thousands of children sent him their used ice cream and lollipop sticks until he had enough to make his dream a reality. Many children also helped him build the boat.

The boat, a replica Viking ship, is scheduled to set sail across the Atlantic in September, according to McDonald. It took 15 million sticks to build what he has named Thor. McDonald started his project with a radio announcement stating, "Pick up your ice cream stick, send them to me and I will put them to use". His intention was to build a recycled boat and auction it off for charity. What he got was enough sticks to build three boats!

McDonald, a stuntman in over 400 movies, has been working on his boat for four years and has said he is sick of looking at glue. You can watch a video about this amazing vessel here.

Where's the Beef?

I've heard that the beef industry consumes a lot of energy and that eating too much red meat isn't healthy for you so I've been trying to cut back. Patrick and I made a pact that we would eat what we had left in the freezer but after that we'd only eat burgers and steaks when we go out (we're not ready to give it up completely). However, we broke that pact when Patrick found an awesome steak recipe in one of our Rachael Ray magazines. I agreed and bought the steaks thinking what I hear Rachael say all the time, "Everything in moderation". It wouldn't be so bad to eat steak once in a while, right?

Patrick emailed me this article along with a message that said, "That steak will be yummy!" Oh boy, do I feel guilty now. "...four average sized steaks generated greenhouse gases with a warming potential equivalent to 80.25lb of carbon dioxide." I bought four steaks!!! So not only will we eat steak tonight, but probably tomorrow or Sunday, as well. UGH! That's it. If I had known exactly how bad it was, I would not have bought that meat. I only hope my will power is strong enough to avoid it in the future. As for tonight, I will try to enjoy a romantic meal with my honey. Wish me luck. :(

Defeating the Purpose

We know that gas guzzling SUVs are not good for the environment and the Hummer is the King of all gas guzzling SUVs. Some Washington, DC residents wanted to make sure their neighbor knew they didn't agree with his new mode of transportation.

Gareth Groves bought a used Hummer with the hopes to promote his image. It seems some of his neighbors didn't like that image. Living in an eco-friendly neighborhood, Groves awoke one morning earlier this week to find all four of his tires slashed and all the windows smashed. A message was carved into the side of the giant vehicle stating, "For the environ". Passersby don't seem to feel bad for him. Groves said people drive by with smug looks on their faces as if he deserved what he got.

Did he deserve what he got? Are we God? Do we get to take away the personal property of others if it doesn't fit our morals? I want to save the world as much as the next guy, but is it worth all the violence? Gareth Groves has stated he plans to get his Hummer repaired and have an alarm installed. Perhaps now he feels resentment toward environmentalists. I believe the ultimate goal should be that we live in a healthy AND happy world. What's the point in being healthy if we attain it with violence, hatred and resentment?

Drive Efficiently

I was browsing one of my favorite green sites, TreeHugger, and came across some tips to save energy while driving. Living in New Jersey and having to often deal with heavy traffic, I found one particular tip the most useful. Brake the Right Way is worth reading. It's easy to get caught up in wanting to hurry to our destination as quickly as possible but take a step back (or a roll back) and think about it. Our rush could mean the rush to global warming.

Green Lips

I am a lip balm junkie. I always have been. As a young child I would get horrendously chapped lips that would dry and crack and bleed. My earliest memory of a balm was Blistex in a tiny metal tube. My father always had one nearby...I guess it's hereditary. At school, the nurse would give me a little petroleum jelly and ahhhh, sweet relief. Then came Vaseline Petroleum Jelly lip balm. After that, Chap Stick then Avon's Dew Kisses Lip Dew and Mary Kay's Satin Lips. I even wore a balm around my neck for a while. Now I keep a stash everywhere. One at work, one on each side table on opposite ends of the couch, one next to the bed, in each bathroom, in my purse, in the car. I even make Patrick carry one around for me sometimes. If I don't have a lip balm nearby I start to hyperventilate.

Where does all this balm come from and is it good for the earth? Is it good for us? Am I putting toxins on my lips that could be absorbed into my body? I don't have all the answers but I do know that most balms have petroleum in them and that is not such a good thing. Not only does the production of petroleum based products contribute to global warming but it turns out that small amounts of petroleum could be inhaled and cause lipid pneumonia! YIKES!

So what are the alternatives for an addict like me? Burt's Bees has a plethora of natural products made with recycled packaging. They even list their ingredients for you (and they are natural ingredients that we've heard of) right on their site. Eco Lips is one of my favorites. I discovered it when it was featured in Real Simple magazine. Knowing my love for balms, Patrick's mother bought me one to try. I loved it and still use it every day (it's the one on the right side of the couch). They use organic ingredients and are on a mission to save the environment.

I'll be trying more natural balms in the near future. Please let me know if you have any recommendations.

Does a Beach Really Need to Be Raked?

A one-day-old endangered Piping Plover chick was recently killed by a beach raking machine. You can read the article here.

Are these machines really necessary? If people didn't litter so much, we wouldn't need the rakes. The money and energy it takes to run these machines can't be good for the environment. This endangers the plovers and other birds, not to mention humans, in the area.

Whether grabbing birds from the nest or polluting air, beach rakes lead to the same ultimate outcome. Does the end justify the means?

Reusable Tableware

Patrick and I like to entertain (we're hosting a wine tasting party tonight) so we tend to go through a lot of paper goods. We got to thinking about how much money we spend on those paper dinner plates, dessert plates, bowls, cups and plastic flatware and it adds up over time. We were in Target last week and came across some nice recyclable dishes that were made in the USA and dishwasher safe. The best part...they were cheap! They came in packs of four for $1.38!!!!!!!! We grabbed up a bunch of plates, bowls and cups. Ya just gotta love Target for their clearance items. Granted, we didn't get dessert plates or flatware but I'm sure we'll find another deal somewhere down the road. Just think of all the money we'll save on paper products and the energy we're saving the earth that it takes to produce them.

You, too, can entertain with reusables. Don't spend a fortune. Just look for deals like clearance, yard sales and flea markets. And remember, you don't need a matching set. Eclectic dishes with common traits can be charming. When I lived in my first apartment I bought dishes one or two at a time that all had stripes or swirls. They were different colors but they still matched and I received compliments all the time. So go for it and don't be afraid to make it a project by adding your own artistic flair.

PS- We still have a lot of leftover paper products so we'll be using them up first. Tonight's guests will be using pink christening napkins from when we hosted my niece's christening party. Tacky? Maybe, but who cares? It'll give us something funny to talk about.

Making New Furniture Out of Old

My cousin, Denise, has new kitchen furniture. She didn't go to Ethan Allen or Ikea or any other store. She didn't visit a flea market or Salvation Army. She didn't get hand-me-downs, either. Well, she sort of did. Denise took her own old furniture and turned it into beautiful, new, unique pieces of art. She completely changed the look of her family's dining room by cleaning everything up and giving it all a fresh coat of paint.

The old hutch is on the left. The shadow in front is Denise's son, who we didn't want to broadcast all over the internet, so just use your imagination. The new hutch is on the right. Incredible, isn't it?

For the chairs, Denise used an old shower curtain in a pretty green to reupholster the seats.

The before is on the right, the after on the left. Can you believe it? A shower curtain!

The table went from being all wood-stained to a bright, clean white with a naturally looking wooden top.



Denise said the entire project cost only $60.00 for the paint and new knobs for the hutch. Kudos, Denise, for recycling old furniture into new!

New Electric Motorcycle is Cool

Oregon based Brammo Motorsports introduced the Enertia electric motorcycle. This bike is the newest green mode of urban transportation about to hit the market. The Enertia uses electricity instead of fuel. Aside from the obvious environmental benefits, since it doesn't use fuel, it doesn't smell like oil as other motorcycles do. In addition, it's safer. Without the roar of a traditional engine the bike is nearly silent, allowing the driver to hear his or her surroundings. It also has no exhaust and doesn't get hot, which are also safer for the environment, the driver and the people who may come near the bike. It maxes out at 50mph but will exceed that when going downhill and you can have one for about $12,000 late next year.

Bottled Water is Bad

A Yahoo headline this morning read, "Bottled, Bad for the Earth?" So I clicked on it and this is what I learned:

- Each year we throw away 30 billion empty water bottles. 4/5 of them end up in landfills.
- It takes a lot of fuel to transport water to us, whether it's from France or from Vermont.
- The process used to create the plastic bottles creates greenhouse gases.
- Tap water uses little or no energy.

So even if we recycle all our water bottles, they are still VERY bad for the earth. So what can we do?

I have always been a fan of bottled water. Not because I think it's healthier than tap water but because, frankly, it tastes better. So a couple years ago I bought one of my best investments ever. Brita makes a water cooler that you fill with your own tap water. Other brands like Hamilton Beach and Pur have the same thing. For mine, there are two standard Brita filters in the reservoir and you can choose to have water come out hot or cold. I got mine at Target for $99 and the only other cost is to replace the filters about every three months. It more than pays for itself within no time at all. Just imagine how much money you probably spend on bottle after bottle and case after case of water. I strongly recommend this to everyone. It's convenient, the water tastes great AND it's good for the environment. The best part is that I no longer have to wait for water to boil for my morning tea. I just use the hot water tap on the cooler. Please consider getting something like this, or a tap filter, for your own home and help eliminate those plastic bottles.

Safe Detergents

Laundry and dishes: Two things that get dirty on a daily basis and have to be cleaned. How can we make it easy on our earth? I have finally found four wonderful products that I'm happy to share with you.

Ecover Dishwasher Tablets are just as good as Cascade or any other brand I've used. If you can't find them in stores, you can get them at drugstore.com.

Method dish soap is available at Target, some Home Depot stores, most grocery stores, drugstore.com and Amazon.com.

Method laundry detergent is awesome. It is super concentrated so you get a lot of soap in a small package. They have lots of different scents for you to choose from. You can find this detergent at the same place you find your Method dish soap.

Method fabric softener comes in liquid form or in biodegradable dryer sheets. You can pick them up with your dish soap and detergent.

As you run out of your current dish and laundry soaps, please consider switching to the above mentioned items. They are much easier on our environment and are still affordable. Happy washing!

Bagless Shopping Experience

I've been stressing the importance of bringing your own bags when you go shopping. Here are a few reactions I've gotten recently.



At a shoe store - ME: "That's okay, I don't need a bag. I'll just carry the box." CLERK: "Are you sure? (while making a strange face) Okay."



At a major department store buying clothes - ME: "I actually brought my own bag." CLERK: (just stares at me like I'm nuts). ME: I'm trying to reduce the use of plastic bags and save the earth." CLERK: "Well, I could give you a nice shopping bag and you could save that." ME: "No, thanks."



At a kitchen/cooking store buying an oversized wine glass - ME: "I can just carry that. I'm going right to my car and then home." CLERK: "Oh no. I'll wrap it in paper and put it into a bag for you." ME: "I'm going right to the car. I can hold it in my hand. It'll be okay." CLERK: "Really? Are you sure?" ME: "Yes, I'm sure. I'm trying to conserve by not using bags. Anyway, it'll be a good conversation starter. Maybe someone will stop and ask me why I'm carrying a giant wine glass through the mall." (no one asked but I could tell a lot of people wanted to. It was quite funny)



At a popular discount store - ME: "Oh we don't need bags. We brought our own." CLERK: "Oh, okay." ME: "We're trying to be be better about the environment. Ya know those plastic bags are awful." CLERK: "Oh, cool. You're the first person to tell me they have their own bags. More people should do that."



While the last clerk seemed stunned at first, she was the most impressed. She was also the youngest. Maybe there's something to that. We need to make sure we make a huge impression on kids and young adults. They're the ones who will be leading the world through tough times in the future.

NJ Makes Environmental Headlines and Live Earth

A ceremony was held yesterday at today's NJ Live Earth Site for the signing of New Jersey's "Global Warming Response Act". According to 1010Wins.com, "The legislation requires the state to reduce global warming gases to 1990 levels by 2020 and ensure that greenhouse gas emissions don't exceed 80 percent of 2006 levels by 2050". Al Gore was on hand to praise Corzine for making NJ the third state to pass a comprehensive greenhouse gas reduction law.

"There's a danger for all humanity if we don't face this danger realistically and now," Corzine said. Hopefully more states pass the same law soon.

Don't forget to tune in to see/hear any or all of the more than 150 Live Earth performances today and tomorrow, or watch replays online at your convenience. If you're in the NY city area you can see the Empire State Building dressed in green through Sunday. Help make a difference - spread the word to stop global warming.

Watch Live Earth at any of the following:
TV- NBC, Bravo, CNBC, Sundance Channel, Universal HD, Telemundo and Mun2
Online at MSN.com

Homemade Coffee

Patrick likes coffee but I don't. I'm a tea person. However, I love the scent of coffee so I support my man's addiction to the bean. He has been talking about wanting to make Chicory coffee for a long time now so I decided to help him out yesterday.

Chicory is an invasive alien plant (not a good thing for the environment) that thrives on roadsides and waste areas. You've probably seen this purple, bushy plant along your own frequented highway. Patrick and I like to study local wildflowers and upon doing so we learned that chicory is edible and the roots are frequently used to flavor coffee.

We've been looking for a good spot to pick some Chicory but since it grows mostly on highways, it's dangerous to park in most areas we've seen it growing. I saw it in front of a paint store yesterday and thought about grabbing it but I didn't want the store owner to come out yelling at me for stealing what he might think is a beautiful flower on his property. Then, JACKPOT! I spotted the purple flowers on a corner of a major road near our house where a residential crossroad intersects! Perfect! I turned onto the residential road, found a safe little spot to park, and went to work.

It turns out Chicory is a tough plant to pull. The roots are strong. It took two hands and all my might to pluck the ten or so plants I got. Drivers and a lone bicyclist gave me funny looks but I didn't care. I was determined to help my honey make his coffee. And I did.

I called Patrick at work and told him I had a present waiting for him in my car and he could get it himself when he got home (I did all the work so far; he could do the rest). He was excited when he approached the car and saw his gift. He went right to work cutting the roots off, washing them and roasting them in the oven. He enjoyed his cup of Chicory coffee last night and has enough leftover to have another cup tonight.

If you spot Chicory growing in your area and can safely get to it, you'd be doing the environment a service by pulling it out. Make yourself, or someone you love, a cup of coffee by following Patrick's step by step recipe. You can take it even further by reading this article about how invasive Chicory is and use their salad recipes while you're at it.

Please let me know if you do make coffee or anything else with Chicory. Enjoy!

Eight Random Facts Meme

Here are the rules for Eight Random Facts:
Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

I bet you didn't know this... or maybe you did:

1) I used to work at a taco stand called Red River Taco at Six Flags Great Adventure.

2) I was the flute section leader in my HS marching band.

3) I graduated magna cum laude from Monmouth University.

4) I'm an insomniac. I could read all night long.

5) I can play any instrument but I'm not very good at strings.

6) Like Patrick, I love to cook and am semi-obsessed with the Food Network.

7) I'm a thrill seeker. I love roller coasters and I've been bungee jumping twice. Patrick took me on a hot air balloon ride last year and it was awesome.

8) I crack my knuckles. I've been doing it since I was about 5 and can't seem to break the habit. I even crack my toes!

OK, now who shall I tag? I don't know many bloggers yet so I'll tag people whose blogs I like to read.

Jen
GrrlScientist
Savvy Vegetarian

Eco Restroom

My friend, Kim, went to the Bronx Zoo and brought back some exciting information. The zoo has installed what they're calling Eco Restrooms. There are two major components to the Eco Restroom. The toilets and the sinks.


The Toilets
The toilets at the Bronx Zoo are composting toilets. When you flush, instead of water, a biodegradable foam cleans out your waste and pushes it down to a composting area. In the composting area, urine and feces is broken down with a compost starter full of enzymes that help turn your waste into valuable fertilizer which will be used for landscaping on the grounds. Each stall has information on the process for you to read while you're going to the bathroom.





The Sinks
The sinks are amazing. Not only will you wash your hands with biodegradable soap, you will be able to help the zoo's garden flourish. The water goes down a drain, through a filtration system and out to the garden. You can visit the garden to see the flowers you've helped to bloom as well as read about the process.



I am very happy to learn about this awesome eco-friendly system. I'll have to go visit the zoo in person to check it out now.

You can learn more by watching this video:




Thanks to Kim for the pictures!

A 4th Without Fireworks?

I love a good fireworks show and today will be no exception. Our town is sponsoring a colorful show that promises to be spectacular. Patrick and I have been planning to go since we found about it. It's perfect...right down the road. We could probably walk if we want to but since it'll be dark and we'd have to cross a highway and walk down a major, sometimes traffic-filled, road we'll be driving our CO2 producing car.

Then I started thinking...fireworks are made of chemicals that explode in the air, leaving particles floating around until they fall to our ground or waterways. This can't be good for the environment. So I decided to do a little research.

This site points out that the proof of pollution is right in front of us when we see and smell the leftover particles from the gunpowder that us used to propel and ignite the explosion. The article also states that it is metal that creates the array of pretty colors that we love so much. Now that can't be good!

This article claims that the pollutants, "often in violation of federal Clean Air Act standards", may be contributing to acid rain. Also, some of the heavy metals used in fireworks have been linked to cancer!

All this AND the litter this pyrotechnic display causes in virtually every town in America is certainly cause for alarm. Something should be done. If more people were educated on these issues, perhaps we wouldn't be so willing to celebrate this way.

Disney to the Rescue?
Disney has created a new technology of using compressed air to launch fireworks. While there are still other issues (the chemical compounds of the fireworks themselves) that need to be addressed, this is a step in the right direction. As one of the largest corporations in America, maybe Disney will continue to find safer alternatives and the rest of the country will follow suit.

What will you do? Would you be willing to make a statement for the environment and skip the fireworks celebration tonight? Would you be willing to write to your town council encouraging them to research Disney's alternative? Every little step helps. Think about it.

Happy 4th of July!

Got Bike?

Do you own a bike? I do. Do you use it? I don't. Patrick bought us bikes for Christmas in 2005 and we've used them about three times since then. They are nice, comfortable and smooth riders yet we never say, "Let's go for a bike ride". Why is it that European cities like Berlin have so many bike riders but we, in the US, choose to drive our cars four blocks to pick up a quart of milk? Not only is bike riding better for the environment, it's better for us. We are an obese society with home gyms in the basement and bicycles in the garage. It's too late for a New Year's resolution so I'm going to make a Half Year's resolution to ride that shiny new bike more often. How about you? Would you like to announce your commitment to leaving the car keys behind and hopping on a bike instead?

Help the Farm Stands Help the Environment

Eco-minded people have been trying to find a solution to those pesky, toxic plastic grocery bags we see everywhere from the stores to the gutters to stuck in the trees. While I believe we should all be shopping with our own reusable bags, I have another solution to the plastic bags we can't (or forget to) avoid.

Patrick and I visited a farm stand on our way home from Home Depot today. I brought my own plastic Wal-Mart bag for our produce. The kind lady running the stand thanked me and said she spends $$ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS A WEEK$$ on plastic bags!!!!! Once I heard that, I decided to help her out. I suggested she put up a sign asking her regular customers to recycle their bags with her. I also said that next time I'm in her area I will donate some.

You can help, too. Please recycle your plastic shopping bags somewhere they will be used again instead of taking up space and contaminating our land. Donate them to your local farm stand, antique shop or any other local business that could use them. And to help eliminate the bag problem altogether, get yourself a reusable shopping bag and use it!

New on the Book Store Shelves

A Year Without Made in China is a new book written by Sara Bongiorni and is intriguing me so much I may just go order it right now. It chronicles a family's experiment to not purchase anything with the "Made in China" label for one year. I've read reviews that it's funny, informative and inspirational. If you have read it already, please leave your reviews in the comments of this post.

Strange Silver Clouds

Take a peek at Treehugger.com's article on these new clouds that could be a sign our atmosphere is changing. It's a creepy eye-opener.

Eco-Friendly Paper Products

Tissues and toilet paper are staples in all our lives. If a poll was taken on the most important factor in these paper products, I bet it would be texture. Texture (meaning softness) is what keeps our noses and bottoms from turning red and dry. So how can we not want Puffs Plus with Aloe or Charmin Ultra Soft? Well, if you knew what those products are doing to the environment, you might think twice. Makers of famous paper products such as Puffs, Kleenex, Charmin and Cottonelle chop down valuable forests faster than they can be replenished.

To the rescue, Marcal has come up with a reasonable alternative. Their line of tissues, toilet paper, napkins and more contains 100% recycled contents. After trying many other eco-friendly brands, I tried Marcal and have had success. I have very sensitive skin and have been able to make the switch with no problems.

If you are not already a Marcal user, please give them a try. Their products are affordable and readily available at almost any local grocery or discount store. This is an easy change that will make a huge difference.