Scrub the tub Mix baking soda with water for an abrasive scrubbing paste, or substitute castile soap such as Dr. Bronner’s in place of water for extra power. To disinfect the bathroom, spray with hydrogen peroxide and rinse with water.

Claim the drain Pour baking soda in the drain, add 1 cup white vinegar, and watch the volcano, just like in grade school. Flush with hot water and repeat if necessary.

All hands on the pans Mix white vinegar with enough salt to form a paste, and watch the grease slip away. Add 1 tsp lemon juice for scent and extra power. More...

When shopping for a laundry detergent, my primary concern is to choose a brand without a long list of chemicals or petroleum-based products. Despite my best intentions, my research occasionally leaves out additives or terms I'll come across that I’m not sure about, such as “optical brightener” or “surfactants.” Although these terms may sound "sciency", I have a feeling they're not the best for my skin or our water supply. Rather than expound on the various vagaries detergents list as containing (or claim they are free of) OR digress about how scary it is that companies are not required to disclose their chemical ingredients, I’ve decided to spotlight the little-known soapnut, also known as the soap pod.

You can order organic soapnuts online, as they are not common yet in the United States. Soapnuts have no chemical additives and make your clothes smell nice and clean! Although there are some good eco detergents out there, soapnuts are reusable for several washes, and are also much less expensive. They're also great if you have sensitive skin or allergies to other soaps- read on… More...

A new home eco store is opening, run by the Oregon Center for Environmental Health and stocked with goods such as glass bottles (with no bisphenol A), hemp shower curtains, and our personal favorite: laptop lunchboxes! Proceeds support the center's goal to eliminate toxic pollutants through community action. Saturday, June 21, 2008
10am-1pm, 4819 NE Fremont St. Portland. Memberships begin at $25.


More info after the jump. More...

I love having books recommended to me. It doesn’t mean that I always like the recommended book, but it usually takes the work out of trying to decide what book to read next. 

Back when I was pregnant, my sister horrified me with a story about someone she knew whose baby caught Kawasaki Disease from her floor cleaner. This is the sort of thing that would generally prompt a “Hmmm…” or something from me [read: are you quite certain? That’s odd.], but my sister is a non-paranoid, intelligent person. I looked it up online, and all of the cleaning companies are crying, “It’s not true! It’s not true,” while environmentalists vary, and many doctors and scientists seem to be saying, “While there have been some links between carpet cleaners and KD, research has not shown…” Many say, "We just don't know, so keep your kids away from cleaned carpets."

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Jeffrey Hollender talks about what is good enough for a business, greenwashing in advertising, and how cleaning up oil spills with oil products is not sustainable. View the 3 minute video from the 2007 Idea Conference at the Creativity Online site. At the same conference Blendtec blends an audience member's Blackberry. You can recycle your own phone with our e-waste resources or read the blogs Technically Green and Talkin' Trash. More...

Review by ecometro blogger Hillary Ryan. Read her blog Baby Greens at Seattle ecometro.com.

Eco-Me specialized in 100% do-it-yourself cleaning kits. They carry a line of cleaning kits to help people make their own natural, non-toxic, chemical-free products including: Eco-Me Home, Body, Baby, Dog and Cat. I was drawn to the product concept of 100% natural baby products made at home since so many baby items aren't as gentle on the skin as they could be. More...

This is the time of year when I see almost everyone as a potential health hazard. My husband, who rides Tri-Met on the days he doesn’t cycle, has grown used to my looks of distaste if he doesn’t wash up before touching me or the kids after coming home (all those people with their moist germy hands squeezing those bars over and over and over and over). I’m not crazy, or obsessive compulsive, nor a germaphobe. Turns out that flesh-eating bacteria are all over the place, and hand-to-hand contact is the best way to begin your own personal horrorshow. More...