An easy recipe for natural homemade mosquito repellent!

With the weekend approaching and summer maybe approaching....I thought I'd share this little tidbit for those of you out in the woods. If youre camping, hiking, or just hanging out in your backyard, mosquitos and other fun bugs find a way to bite you.

I havent used the "normal" bug sprays for years because of the DEET in them and the dangers that go along with it. Find out more about the potential dangers of DEET click here. If youre into making your own stuff whether it be soaps, cleaners, lotions, etc...you should totally try out this bug spray recipe I found on OffbeatMama.com. 

What you Need:

• Essential oils (citronella and lemongrass are musts, you can also use lavender, tea tree oil, or geranium oil for tick protection)
• One 14oz bottle of witch hazel
• One or two spray bottles (make sure you label them!)
• One jar for mixing
• One funnel

1. Pour the witch hazel into the glass jar then add your essential oils. They used about 15 drops of both citronella and lemongrass, and about 10-12 drops of lavender. 

2. Put the lid on the jar and shake vigorously until it is mixed. 

It should be pretty cloudy. 

3. Pour into your spray bottles using a funnel. 

4. Make a label (or write in Sharpie). They used an old Scrapbook sticker to make it "cuter". 

You can spray this on the exposed parts of your body: arms, legs, neck, ankles, feet, etc...and then rub it in. 

If you try it, please report back, we'd love to hear it!

Enjoy!

Ready for a Challenge? We triple-dog dare you.....

The folks over at Rodale.com have put it out there for us....well not for PlayNetwork specifically, but you know "us" as citizens of the world. If you don't know about Rodale, take a few minutes and check them out. They are the brainchild behind magazines like Prevention, Men's Health, Women's Health and Runner's World.

Their challenge? 

Give up plastic for the whole month of February; or at least try your very best to do so. Some of us still have to drive, and luckily (I suppose) they aren't asking "us" to give up all petroleum products entirely. Going plastic free or even consciously cutting down will reduce the use of our already mentioned underground buddy, petroleum and it's neighbor, natural gas. Both are great resources that most of us use everyday, but they are also both non-renewable. Boo. Worse, the process used to extract them from the earth pollutes our air and water.

If those are not good reasons to cut back, how about this: Plastic manufacturers add chemicals to certain types of plastics that can be highly toxic, like bisphenol A and phthalates. And although many companies are taking great strides not to add these chemicals, very few types of plastic are widely recycled. It's not even that they can't be recycled, they just often aren't. 

Here are the plastic-free ground rules: 

1. No buying or acquiring new plastic. 
2. No cooking with plastic or storing food in plastic. 
3. Minimize all other plastic use. 

Rodale invites "us" to share our experiances, tips, suggestions, questions and comments with them on their Facebook page. You can also get real-time description of their plastic-free trials and tribulations on their Twitter feed. 

They will be posting daily updates from those participating on their blog as well. 

So....if you think you can do it, and you're up for the challenge...PlayGreen will pay $50 at the end of the month to the first 5 people who complete this task. I know it's totally crazy. We're losing our marbles over here, just giving away the farm. So how do we know who's finished? What do you have to do to satisfy our desires?

We need a log of the following things at the end of the month:

1. A list of all plastics you were using prior to starting this process and what you were using them for. Both at work and at home. 
2. What were you able to substitute out? 
3. What was the most difficult to give up overall? Why?
4. What was the easiest to give up overall? Why?
5. What will you never ever go back to? Why? 
6. What will you for sure be going back to? Why? 

(Format for the above is totally up to you. So long as it's typed, not handwritten, and the answers to the above questions are clearly identifiable.)

In addition, every Friday, please email playgreen@playnetwork.com and tell us what has been easy and what has been really hard about the challenge this week. We are happy to create a distribution list and send out reminders to those of you that sign up. Just reach out and let us know youre participating. 

Start date: TODAY!

End Date: all completed submissions must be in by Friday, March 4th at 4pm. 

Please have fun with it! Send in pictures if you like! We'd love to see them! Also please remember all submissions are the property of PlayGreen and we can (and probably will) use them on this blog as well as feature your smiling plastic-free story and pictures in our newsletter. 

That's it! Are you ready? 

Set? 

GO!!!!!

CLOROX vs. PEROXIDE

I had this passed onto me in as part of an email forward. Good Read...enjoy!

This was written by Becky Ransey of Indiana (a doctor's Wife), and I want to share it with you. She was over recently for coffee and smelled the bleach I was using to clean my toilet and counter tops. This is what she told me. 'I would like to tell you of the benefits of that Plain little ole bottle of 3% peroxide you can get for
under $1.00 at any drug store. What does bleach cost?

My husband has been in the medical field for over 36 years, And most doctors don't tell you about peroxide. Have you Ever smelled bleach in a doctor's office? NO!!!

Why? because it smells, and it is not healthy! Ask the nurses who work in the doctor's offices, and ask them if they use bleach at home. They are wiser and know better!

Did you also know bleach was invented in the late 40's? It's chlorine, folks! And it was used to kill our Troops. Peroxide was invented during WWI in the 20's. It was used to save and help cleanse the needs of our
troops and hospitals.

Please think about this:

1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle) and
hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out. (I do it when I
bathe.) No more canker sores, and your teeth will be whiter without
expensive pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash.

2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of peroxide to keep them free of germs.

3. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe, or spray it on the counters.

4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria.

5. I had fungus on my feet for years until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry.

6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day. My husband has
seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine but was healed by soaking in peroxide.

7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and Water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without Harming your septic system like bleach or most other Disinfectants will.

8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, plugged sinus. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes, and then blow your nose into a tissue.

9. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly.

10. And of course, if you like a natural look to your hair, spray the 50/50 solution on your wet hair after a shower and comb it through. You will not have the peroxide-burnt blonde hair like the hair dye packages but more natural highlights if your hair is a light brown, reddish, or dirty blonde. It also lightens gradually, so it's not a drastic change.

11. Put half a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help get rid of boils, fungus, or other skin infections.

12. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there is blood on clothing, pour it directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary.

13. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors. There is no smearing, which is why I love it so much for this.

14. Another place it's great is in the bathroom, if someone has been careless & has wet on the floor around the toilet & it's begun to smell of urine. Just put some peroxide in a spray bottle & spray. In the blink of any eye all the smell will be gone & the bacteria eliminated!

I could go on and on. It is a little brown bottle no home should be without! With prices of most necessities rising, I'm glad there's a way to save tons of money in such a simple, healthy manner! ' This information really woke me up. I hope you gain something from it, too.

Green Gift Ideas!!

With Mother's Day right around the corner (May 9th) are you looking for the best Eco-friendly gift ideas? You've come to the right place! The desire to "go green" has impacted the way people shop for everything from clothing, to food, to cars, to pet products, even gifts. We have scoured the green scene, to roundup the top green gift ideas that are safe for the environment. Finding the right green gift for someone isn't always easy, but we're here to help with a nice selection of Earth friendly gift suggestions. It is getting easier to give an environmentally responsible gift, now that buying green is the "in" thing to do (thank goodness). Some green gift ideas are made of bamboo, a wonderful renewable, earth-friendly resource. However, it's important that the variety of bamboo used is NOT food or habitat for the giant panda. In addition to great shopping featuring the best green gifts, this page has an interactive visitor poll featuring over 100 green living gift ideas to choose pick the Top 10 green gifts for 2010. This article found on Squidoo.com.

Your Healthy Holiday Kitchen

From our friends at the Environmental Working Group:

'Tis the season to be in the kitchen, whether you're hosting an event, heading for a potluck or cooking a traditional meal for your family. Whatever the reason, you're probably going to buy ingredients, cook, clean -- and enjoy some leftovers.

EWG makes it easy to prepare your holiday feasts (and to purchase any supplies you need on Amazon) with your family's environmental health in mind. Just follow these simple tips as you shop, cook, eat and clean:

• Cook with safer foods
• Use non-toxic cookware
• Store & reheat leftovers safely
• Clean greener

1. Choose safer foods
   

   The food we eat can contain ingredients we don't want to eat -- from pesticides to food packaging chemicals. To find safer foods, we suggest that you:

   • Buy organic when you can. Organic produce is grown without pesticides, so when you eat it you're not also eating toxic chemicals. Organic meat and dairy products also limit your family's exposure to growth hormones and antibiotics.
   • When you can't buy organic, look for less-contaminated conventional produce. Our Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce ranks popular fruits and vegetables based on the amount of pesticide residues found on them. Check out the Shopper's Guide to Pesticides.
   • Avoid food containers that leach packaging chemicals into food, especially canned foods (the can linings contain bisphenol-A) and greasy fast-food wrappers. Instead, head for fresh food or prepared foods in glass containers. Pick recipes that call for fresh, not canned, foods.
   
   

   Read more about eating safely in our Healthy Home Tip: Go organic and eat fresh foods.


2. Use non-toxic cookware
   

   Skip the non-stick so you don't breathe toxic fumes (that can kill your pet bird!) while cooking on high heat. Non-stick pans are coated with a synthetic chemical (think Teflon), and, while convenient, they emit toxic fumes when overheated.

   Non-stick cookware is in most American kitchens. Is it in yours? If it is, use it safely. If you can, cook with safer alternatives. Here's how:

   • Choose safer cookware. We suggest cast iron, stainless steel and oven-safe glass. Yes, there are many new products on the market, but we don't know enough about them to know if they're safe. Even if they're advertised as "green" or "not non-stick," manufacturers do not have to release their safety data to the public. If you're in the market for a new pan, purchase it through Amazon and a portion of your purchase total will go to EWG!
   • Cook safer with non-stick if you're 'stuck' with it. You can reduce the possibility of toxic fumes by cooking smart with any non-stick cookware you happen to own: never preheat nonstick cookware at high heat, don't put it in an oven hotter than 500 degrees F and use an exhaust fan over the stove.
   
   

   Read more about cooking safely in our Healthy Home Tip: Skip the Non-stick.


3. Store and reheat leftovers safely
   

   Leftovers are an inevitable result of holiday cooking. Avoid plastic when storing and (especially) when heating them. Here's why -- and how:

   • Skip the plastic food storage containers if you can. We know that chemicals routinely migrate, or leach, into food and liquids placed in plastic containers. Ceramic or glass food containers (like Pyrex) are safer.
   • Don't microwave food or drinks in plastic containers, even if they claim to be "microwave safe." Heat can break down plastics and release chemicals into your food and drink. Microwaves heat unevenly, creating hot spots where the plastic is more likely to break down.
   • If you must use plastics, handle them carefully. Use them for cool liquids only; don't reuse single-use plastics; wash plastics on the top rack of the dishwasher, farther from the heating element (or by hand!); use a paper towel instead of plastic wrap to cover food in the microwave.
   
   

   Read more about reheating leftovers safely in our Healthy Home Tip: Pick Plastics Carefully.

4. Clean greener
   

   You clean before holiday guests arrive and after they leave -- and while you cook. But do you clean green? We recommend that you do, because our homes aren't safe and clean if the air inside is polluted with chemicals from household cleaners. It's really quite easy:

   • Choose safer cleaning products. Try natural alternatives (vinegar, baking soda and water!). Avoid anti-bacterials (here's how). Avoid the biggest hazards (acidic toilet bowl cleaners, air fresheners, oven cleaners, and corrosive drain openers).
   • Adopt safe cleaning routines. Open the window. Use gloves. Keep kids away from toxic products. Dust and vacuum often because dust often contains toxics.
   • Tips for the kitchen. Microwave your sponge. Wash your hands with plain soap and water -- it's just as effective. Use a baking soda & water paste instead of commercial oven cleaner.
   
   

   Read more about cleaning safely by downloading our Guide to Greener Cleaning at Home.

LEARN MORE about our Healthy Home Tip series and sign up to get the monthly tips in your inbox.

Healthy Home Tips: Skip the Non-Stick

From our friends at the Environmental Working Group:

Non-stick cookware has been popular because, well, it's non-stick -- very convenient to use and clean. But it also emits toxic fumes when overheated. Environmental Working Group recommends that you choose safer cookware to reduce the risk of inhaling toxic particles when you let that non-stick pan get a little too hot. And who doesn't do that occasionally?

• Why you should skip the non-stick
• What safer cookware to choose
• How to cook with non-stick if you're 'stuck' with it
• Other ways people are exposed to PFCs, and how to avoid them

WHY YOU SHOULD SKIP THE NON-STICK

Non-stick surfaces are aluminum pans coated with a synthetic called polytetrafluoroetheylene (PTFE), also known as Teflon, a DuPont brand trademark. Learn more about Teflon and its perfluorinated chemical “family” (PFC’s) in our chemical dictionary.

Toxic fumes from the Teflon chemical are released from pots and pans at high temperatures, potentially killing pet birds and causing people to exhibit flu-like symptoms (called "Teflon Flu" or, as scientists describe it, "Polymer fume fever"). Ingesting particles that flake off scratched non-stick cookware isn't toxic because solid PTFE flakes are inert.

Manufacturers' labels often warn consumers to avoid high heat when cooking on Teflon. But EWG-commissioned tests conducted in 2003 showed that in just two to five minutes on a conventional stove top, cookware coated with Teflon and other non-stick surfaces could exceed temperatures at which the coating breaks apart and emits toxic particles and gases.

See a graphic of what happens at to Teflon at various temperatures.

Health dangers: When you breathe kitchen air polluted with fumes from overheated Teflon, you're at risk for developing flu-like symptoms (yes, "Teflon flu"). The long-term effects of routine exposure to Teflon fumes, and from Teflon flu itself, have not been adequately studied.

PFCs have been found in nearly all Americans tested by federal public health officials. Chemicals from this family are associated with smaller birth weight and size in newborn babies, elevated cholesterol, abnormal thyroid hormone levels, liver inflammation and weakened immune defense against disease.

Environmental hazards: Manufacturing PFCs and the consumer products that contain them poses great risks to the environment and wildlife. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says PFCs present "persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity properties to an extraordinary degree."

SAFER POTS, PANS AND BAKEWARE ARE READILY AVAILABLE

While there are a growing number of new cookware options on the market, we don't know enough about them to know if they're safe -- even if they're advertised as "green" or "not non-stick." We continue to recommend cast iron and stainless steel cookware as safer options for stove-top cooking, and oven-safe glass for baking. These safer pans might be a little harder to clean, but your health is worth it.

Stainless steel is a terrific alternative to a non-stick cooking surface. Most chefs agree that stainless steel browns foods better than non-stick surfaces.

Cast iron remains a great alternative to non-stick cooking surfaces. Lodge, America's oldest family-owned cookware manufacturer, refers to its cookware as "natural non-stick." Cast iron is extremely durable and can be pre-heated to temperatures that will brown meat and will withstand oven temperatures well above what is considered safe for non-stick pans.

HOW TO COOK WITH NON-STICK IF YOU'RE 'STUCK' WITH IT

• Never preheat nonstick cookware at high heat -- empty pans can rapidly reach high temperatures. Heat at the lowest temperature possible to cook your food safely.
• Don't put nonstick cookware in an oven hotter than 500 degrees.
• Use an exhaust fan over the stove.
• Keep pet birds out of the kitchen -- the fumes from an overheated pan can kill a bird in seconds. Learn more here.
• Skip the self-cleaning function on your oven. It cleans by heating to high temperatures, which can release toxic fumes from non-stick interior oven parts.
• Choose a safer alternative when buying new cookware.

OTHER WAYS PEOPLE ARE EXPOSED TO PFCS, AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

PFCs are ubiquitous -- both in and out of the kitchen. They are widely used as water, stain and grease repellents for food wrap, carpeting, furniture, and clothing. They keep food from sticking to pots and pans, repel stains on furniture and rugs, and make the rain roll off raincoats.

If you want to avoid PFCs in more places than your cookware, download our Guide to PFCs to reduce your exposures further.

LEARN MORE about our Healthy Home Tip series and sign up to get the monthly tips in your inbox.

HOME: A Documentary

Hello Fellow Green Team Members,

I watched this video a few weeks ago and was really moved by it, so I thought that other people in the group would also be inclined to watch it and hopefully share it with their friends and family as well. It is a bit long and can take a while to download, but if you do have the drive and the time to watch it, it comes highly recommended!

Link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqxENMKaeCU

Link to Wikipedia synopsis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_(documentary)

Thank you for taking the time to read this and be sure to keep an eye out for more fun and educational green videos! I will try to post every Friday.

Thanks ~ and PlayGreen!

Brina