Thursday, May 5, 2011

Simple Steps to a Greener Home Part 2

Simple Steps to a Greener Home: Continued.

As we we continue our discussion of ways to green your home I want to talk about some of the simplest ways to be Eco friendly in your home.

Houseplants:

Green your environment, literally, through the use of houseplants. Not only do houseplants provide natural beauty to our homes, but they also clean the toxins out of the air. A NASA study revealed that house plants can remove up to 87% of toxic indoor air within 24 hours, and can keep it at that level as long as you keep your plants.

Not all plants need to be placed near windows. Look for tropical plants to stick into dark corners and areas. They love the shade. Plants should not be placed in drafty areas because the draft prevents them from reducing toxins in the air.

If you are afraid of killing your plants because you might forget to water them or you travel a lot you can still have live plants in your home to help clean the air. Invest in plants known as succulents. They are arid plants and require very little water. They can go a couple of weeks and more between watering. My favorite succulents are Sedum, Red Succulents, and Aloe.

With so many indoor plant choices it is very easy to improve the air quality as well as the beauty of your home.
Here are some tips for caring for your houseplants:
·        When watering your plants use tepid water, not cold or hot.
·        Don’t over water your plants. More damage is done from over watering plants than under watering.
·        Read up on your plants to see what they need to thrive, light, fertilizer, etc..

Composting:

The average American household generates over 200 pounds of kitchen waste every year. I am talking about things like apple cores, lettuce, and pineapple peels. Most people throw this away. Instead of tossing this out make a compost pile. Think of the money you could save producing your own organic fertilizer instead of spending it on all that nasty toxic commercial fertilizer filled with unhealthy chemicals.

To make your own compost pile you will need a round plastic barrel shaped plastic container, that is open on both ends with holes cut or poked in the sides for aeration. You can just pile it on the ground if you don’t have a container but it will take longer to “cook” another way of saying turn into compost. It can be as elaborate or simple as you like, just o it! Remember to only place plant based scraps that are degradable in your compost bin. A good recipe to remember is to place items in your bin this way, brown, green, brown, and green. Brown being lawn refuse like leaves and grass clippings and green being kitchen refuse. Compost can provide nutrients to and improve the structure of soil. 

Next time we will talk about ways to Green up your bedroom, save energy around the house, and keep junk from ending up in landfills.

Until then remember to keep your Designs Courageous.

































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