environment and making the earth we live on a cleaner and safer place. They spoke out, paraded, chanted, ranted, raved and demonstrated and a lot of their efforts did bring about some change.
It’s time to talk Spring cleaning. The buds are out, the birds are returning, and the days are sunny and warm. And, thanks to someone, I have no idea who, longer sooner as well!
It’s that time of year when we shake off the winter blues and stretch back into the sun, rolling up our winter covers and extra clothing and digging out the shorts and tank tops. It’s also time to clean all that winter gear, put it away and get the house in order.
For many of us, getting back outdoors means getting healthier right away. When the average home is between 2 and 5 times more polluted than the outdoors, it’s time to get outside and reconsider how we are cleaning up inside altogether. And with all the attention and talk centered around global warming and the environment, it’s the perfect time to green up our Spring cleaning regimen.
To paraphrase Dierdre Imus in the press release for her new book “Green This!”, we’ve all grown up
associating cleaning with the smells of ammonia, chlorine bleach and other strong and potentially
toxic chemicals. So this Spring, it’s time to put the green back in Spring cleaning.
It’s simple to start by picking up a gallon of white vinegar, a large container of baking soda and a few bottles of hydrogen peroxide.
Replace chlorine based bleaching and cleaning products with hydrogen peroxide or, in its dry form,
sodium percarbonate. You’ll find it as “Oxy Clean” or “OxoBrite” or any of quite a few brand names
for a mixture that is usually 74% sodium percarbonate and 16 percent sal soda, (also called soda ash).
It is also possible to purchase sodium percarbonate online, in convenient 2 lb tubs from thechemicalstore.com.
If you’re using an automatic dishwasher, most of the commercial products contain bleach and other strong chemicals. Look for the alternatives from 7th Generation, Trader Joe’s and others. Or, switch out automatic dishwasher soap for sal soda and sodium percarbonate.
The hydrogen peroxide will work wonders to kill mold and mildew, wash windows and even remove pet urine stains from carpeting and upholstery. Test for colorfastness of the material before cleaning. For most regular cleaning applications a straight 3 percent solution is perfectly sufficient.
While you might not think it’s such a big deal to “go green when you clean” remember that many commercially available chemicals persist in the environment without breaking down. Even if you are not chemically sensitive to their use, they are leaving a legacy of polluted ground waters and streams and adding to the chemical soup of municipal waste treatment facilities.
For pennies you can switch from spray bottles of unpronounceable chemical compounds to either white
vinegar or hydrogen peroxide for most surface cleaning jobs. Use them in combination for a 100% bacteria free result in the kitchen or bathroom. (Don’t mix them in one bottle of the h2o2 will lose it’s effectiveness, instead, use a separate spray bottle for each liquid.)
In the end you’ll have a cleaner, fresher and most important healthier home, inside and out.
Local, city, county, state and the federal governments should be first to “go green.” Politicians should not be elected to public office unless they agree to convert every government building and vehicle to renewable energy. There are at least three reasons why this should be so.
Water water everywhere – your home uses hundreds of litres of water a day. Needless to say, water conservation, especially in Australia, is essential to ensure the health of our arid landscape. Even if you live in an eco home, you’d be amazed at just how much water you use in a day.
Conservation of the environment has always been an important concern for all of us. There has always been a continued effort in checking the processes that produce harmful wastes polluting the environment. One such process that needs concern in this regard is printing. In the digital age, printed material still has a lot of importance. Printed products such as booklets, brochures, business cards, notepads, postcards, calendars, stationery products, posters etc are always high on demand and thus are produced extensively.
WHAT DOES “GOING GREEN” COST?“Going Green” has become an advertising tag line that is becoming as common as McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It”. Our eyes and ears are getting flooded on a daily basis with products and suggestions that are geared towards more organic products that are better for the environment. I am sure we can all agree that the environment and our health should be at the top of the priorities list, but these products come at a high cost.
The world is constantly changing before our eyes. Technology has created advancements that we could never have imagined 20 years ago. But with many of the advancements have come negative changes to our environment like pollution and global warming that affect the way we live our lives.
As a result, these changes have inspired the creation of jobs meant to contribute to and aid our environment rather than destroy it. These jobs are called “green collar jobs.” If you are interested in learning more about this industry, take a look at how it affects you and how you can fit in.What are Green Collar Jobs?
Green collar jobs are typically defined along the lines of blue collar jobs. However, these jobs were created by companies that want to help improve the environment. You can see minor changes in the everyday activities of some businesses. For instance, some grocery chains have stopped passing out plastic bags for free and have began charging customers with the proceeds benefiting the environment. Because so much more effort is being placed on “going green” there are many more jobs coming available to help create zero waste, conserve water, develop residential solar energy and more.What Types of Jobs are Available?
Some specific job types that you might be able to get into that very directly mean to enhance the environment include bike delivery services, gas station jobs related to biodiesel, green waste composting, landscaping, construction material and debris hauling and reuse.
A few others include:
- Hazardous material clean-up
- Developments for non-toxic household cleaning products
- Expansion of open spaces such as parks, recycling, solar installation
- Printing with non-toxic inks and dyes
- Maintenance and repair for public transit
- Tree cutting and pruning
- Water efficiency and conservation
- Weatherization for homes
- Energy conservation
Many businesses are hopping on the “go green” bandwagon. So this is a good time to begin searching for employment in this area.Can I Get Involved?
One of the perks of green collar jobs is that many of them offer on-the-job training. So if you’re looking for an environmentally-responsible career change, or post-retirement job that can make you feel good about what you’re doing, many green collar jobs can be easily moved into. Additionally, if you want a mid-to senior-level position, those jobs are available too.
The industry is growing so rapidly that in fact it is predicted that jobs in the energy-efficient industries could grow from the currently estimated 8 million available to as many as 40 million by 2030. If you are interested in finding out where you fit in, you can visit a career consultant who can help you find your way based on your specific skills. You can, for instance, use your human resources background to become a human resources manager at a solar energy company. As the industry grows, the opportunities will be endless.
If your passion falls in line with caring for the environment then green collar work may be right for you. So take your time, explore what’s out there, and seek counseling if necessary. Then enjoy getting paid to make a difference in our world.