In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create, but by what we refuse to destroy. 
- John Sawhill

Amazing Grace

Click HERE for a neat picture of lights on Earth. Kind of makes you think what's going on out there

Have we made a huge mistake?

Want to see what Bush thinks of us, now that he is in office, and what he thinks about the environment?

Click here to see a page that is a journal of what is not right with our planet

Need a reason to appreciate the Planet? Take a look at the World Wildlife Fund travel Photoalbum

Click here to see A Partial List of Endangered Species

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The Loss of wildlife deservers everybody's ANGER. Anger that the World we hand over to our children will be a lesser one for our failures. Hundreds of species are endangered. Some have already become extinct. for others, the situation is critical. and its not just a threat to Wildlife. It's a threat to us all. because we are a part of Nature. not apart from it. In the complex ecological web that makes up this world, whatever happens to one strand of the web affects all others.

~ Taken without permission from an advertising insert for Canon in Oct. 2000 issue of National Geographic. Can you please go back and re-read it?

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Here are some tips I have collected that can convert your "earth unfriendly" household, into a friendly one!

CLEANING CHROME

Heading out to clean the car? Don't go for one of those commercial cleaners to polish the chrome, you've got terrific alternatives right there in your kitchen. In fact, you have a few choices in this area: First, you can mix together about 1/4 cup of baking soda and enough water to make a paste. Scoop the paste onto a sponge and rub the chrome until clean. You'll find this particularly effective for spots and stains.

Next, you can use simple vinegar. Saturate a sponge with vinegar and rub the chrome until it's clean. This is fast and works great

There are many ways to keep pests out of your garden without using pesticides. One of the most common ways is to bring in natural predators like ladybugs. There are two ways to go about this: one is to buy these bugs, another is to attract them. Here is a list of plants that help keep the beneficial bugs around:

* vegetables belonging to the cabbage family: radishes, mustard, and broccoli

* Queen Anne's lace, also known as wild carrot (important nectar for parasitic wasps)

* Poppies, black medick, ivy, red campion (attract butterflies and bees)

Here is a great tub and tile cleaner that is non-toxic. I like it because not only does it do a great job in deodorizing, but it also disinfects, and inhibits mold. Sounds great, huh? Nothing like a guilt free cleaner.

1/2 teaspoon washing soda (you can get this at the supermarket - Arm and Hammer makes something called Super Washing Soda)
1 teaspoon borax (again at the supermarket - Dial makes 20 Mule Team Borax)
1/2 teaspoon Dr. Bronner's Soap
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups very hot water

Combine all of the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well. Make sure all of the ingredients are dissolved. To use, spray onto the tile like you would any cleaner and wipe off with a damp sponge.

Why buy a commercially-produced liquid to spray on surfaces simply to polish and remove dust? I have an effective, pleasant smelling recipe for a beneficial (to the wood and the environment) polishing liquid. (I think we've covered the toxicity of various home cleaners.) The olive oil conditions the wood, the vinegar cleans, and the lemon oil smells nice.

Olive oil - 2 tablespoons
White distilled vinegar - 1/4 cup
Essential Lemon Oil - 20 drops or Lemon juice -
Water-2 tablespoons

In a spray bottle place the olive oil, lemon oil and vinegar. Fill the remainder of the bottle with water. Shake the mixture well. If you can't find essential lemon oil (and make sure it's essential oil, not the synthetics) you can use fresh lemon juice--just make sure you strain it well. However, keep in mind the juice will spoil if it is not refrigerated.

Here's is a zippy way to clean your toilet bowl effectively. I like to use Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap for this mixture.

1/2 cup liquid soap
2 cups baking soda
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 teaspoon tea tree oil (acts as a disinfectant and can be found at any health food store)

Mix the soap and the baking soda together. Use a fork to work out any of the lumps that might form. To this mixture add the water and vinegar. When it begins to foam, add the tea tree oil. Mix the solution well, pour into a 22 ounce squirt bottle, and shake well. Use as you would any commercial cleaner. I promise you will be pleased with the results.

Powdered sugar
Borax
Combine in equal parts and sprinkle in places where they crawl

Window Cleaner
1/2 Cup vinegar
1 gallon warm water.

Silver Polish
1 tsp. salt
Sheet of Aluminum foil
1tsp. baking soda
Put the foil in the bottom of a pan. Add 2-3 inches of water, then the baking soda and salt. Bring to a boil; add silver pieces making sure the water covers the silver. Boil 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan, rise and dry.For larger items, run hot water into the kitchen sink; add foil and salt. Let items sit for 2-3 minutes, then rinse, dry.

All purpose Cleaner
1/4 up Borax (per gallon of water)

Oven Cleaner
Sprinkle salt on spill immediately
Baking soda
Vinegar Salt
#000 steel wool.

Clean grease with rag and vinegar. Sprinkle salt on spills. Let it sit for a few minutes then scrape the spill and wash the area clean. For stubborn spots, use baking soda and steel wool.

Here is a nice way to freshen the air in your home without spraying chemical deodorants. You'll have to go out and get yourself a fine-mist spray bottle, but that isn't too hard to do. You can even get them at Williams-Sonoma.

So what do you do? Fill your spray bottle with white distilled vinegar. To this add about 25 drops of your favorite essential oil (make sure it's not synthetic). I like lemon essential oil, but head to the health food store and choose any flavor you like. Shake well and spray. It works great and is totally safe.

1 quart peroxide 1/4 cup baking soda 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap. Mix together. Wash dog using the entire mixture, leaving it in for at least a minute or two before rinsing. Repeat if necessary."

Here are a few steps you can take to keep your leather furniture looking snappy. To clean: Combine 3/4 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/4 cup food-grade linseed oil. Rub the mixture into your leather. To keep nice: Use 1/4 cup castor oil on a cotton cloth. Rub the oil into the leather.

I don't think I need to tell you that Drain-o is not so good for the environment. But what are your alternatives?

One thing you can do is preventive maintenance. Every time you clean the bathroom, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, along with 3 cups of boiling water. Let the mixture sit for a good while and then rinse with hot tap water. This will help to keep your drain free of clogs in the first place.

If something really clogs your drain, try this recipe: 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup vinegar. Pour the baking soda into the drain and then follow with the vinegar. Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes (it's going to make a bit of noise and boil a bit). Rinse with hot tap water.