Green talk is all over the place and knowing where to start can be overwhelming and expensive. Not all of us can put on solar panels or buy beautiful clothing made out of eco-friendly material. I do my best to really be green mostly for my health - the cost of health care in America is insane so anything I can do to prevent it, organically, is cheaper than a trip to the doctor or long term care. But I also do it because of the environment.

Where should a person start? I really believe it’s with your home - get your place clean the green way. Then I’d go organic with food (I highly encourage you to buy organic milk, dairy, and meat products. antibiotic’s and hormones affect our health significantly). But just greening the air you breathe and the clothes you clean can make a huge difference and it won’t break the bank.

One of the things that got me to switch so many years ago was when I bought some organic food and put it on the counter I had just cleaned with a spray that had 1.5 million chemicals in it. So despite having organic fruit, it was now sitting on gunk. I have always had sensitive skin and laundry was a nightmare until I switched.

The great news is that you can find organic cleaning products everywhere - even Target! And they’re not more expensive than the general especially when you take into consideration what the chemical products can do to your health and environment long term.

With that, here are my favourite cleaning green products:

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I’m not easily attached to material things but I confess to being very attached to my Kenmore Elite Washer and Dryer of all things. But let me explain why.

I have for years endured shared public laundry facilities in which the machines were old, dingy and overpriced. Not to mention all the weird washing liquid people used which would often discolour my clothes or leave me with a rash from all the chemicals. For mostly everything but towels and bedding, I hand washed so that I could keep better care of my clothes and use organic detergent without wondering what would be mixed in.

But the Kenmore machines changed me from a hand washer to a lazy washer as they made even my delicates beautiful and my whites? Very white. Thanks to it’s own hot water tank, it sanitized and whitened clothing using hot water and not bleach. It turned some yellowing old lace into new without one snare and a white dress I thought was forgone into a brand new spring staple. That’s why, despite being in a flat that doesn’t have hookups, I still have these units in storage.

But until I can use them again, I’ve been wondering how to get whites white in an easy, organic way. Leave it to Martha to have the answer in her February 2008 Martha Stewart Living Magazine “How To” issue.

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Although I purchased (and fell in-love with ) a washer/dryer last year for the house, I now share one very old washer/dryer with a complex of 8 flats. That one washer is quarter happy, always has crud around it from all the harsh chemicals people use (why?!) and seems to be constantly in use. This can make washing clothes rather a pain.

Since I don’t own that many clothes I want to keep what I do have and keep it in great shape - I don’t trust the complex washer and dryer to do that. And so I’ve hand washed most of my clothes forever - and guess what - I’ve kept most of my clothes like new forever.

My biggest tip is to not wash your clothes very often - some not at all which is handy for people like me who don’t really see hand washing as “beautiful” or “therapeutic.” Most people in the US cringe over that but there’s some sweaters and delicate blouses I only wear for special events or every now and then. Without dirt, stains or sweat all over it there’s no reason to wash it. I had a girlfriend here that washed her jeans after every wearing yet couldn’t understand why they faded and didn’t fit right after a month.

For things I must launder (towels, sheets) I never use dryer sheets - instead I use one of those reusable drying balls. And I use Seventh Generation Natural Laundry Detergent, which does the job really well without breaking down the fibers.

With loads of laundry before me, I was happy to discover some more great green washing/drying clothing tips thanks to the Green LA Girl. I’m a huge believer in air-drying, too, and love my drying rack completely (perhaps a little too much - I never seem to take it down. I should, really).

And my best tip? Run out and get yourself some Bacout. This biodegradable product gets rid of any stain in clothes and carpets. I’ve used it on everything with success - even on delicates.

Growing up I didn’t have a lot of toys for several reasons; there wasn’t the money, there wasn’t the availability and there wasn’t the need. I was a pretty content little thing who adored playing outside, making things out of nothing and using the same several toys over and over. When I think about it, most of my toys were hand made or made up by me. I was pretty green even back then!

Since I don’t have children, toys aren’t something I think a lot about. And even though I’m huge about being green, safe, simple the idea that a toy could be this way didn’t pop into my head. That is until I read Angry Chicken’s post on toys called, “Not Made in China.”

It’s an incredible post that came up because of the recent toy recalls. She talks about what are her beliefs with toys not just in how/where they’re made but what do the children really need? The post also has lots of information on how to make a toy and buy safer ones.

For children, I’ve always bought books or the gift of time (taken them to the beach, the museum, a park, the aquarium etc.). I’ve never bought an actual toy but this wasn’t done consciously - it was just done because that’s how I grew up and that’s what I knew to be lovely as a kid.

If you have any children in your life, I really recommend reading the post and then asking yourself, “what is my definition of a toy?” and then seeing what changes you can make when you give something to a little one.

My friend Angela, getting some natural exercise.

Most people are shocked to learn that I don’t have a TV but they soon learn to accept it. The one thing most people [in the U.S.] can’t seem to accept is that I also don’t have a car.

For the most part, being carless has not been an issue - it’s only been an issue when I lived in two U.S. cities: Nashville TN and Austin TX. The lack of public transportation, sidewalks, local shops and extreme humidity made life without a car impossible. But from London to Paris to New Zealand to Canada and yes, Santa Monica California - home of the car-loving people, I’ve been able to not have a car and am actually quite happy for it (my city has a walkable score of 98/100 - I actually think it has 100).

One of the reasons I love being carless is the fact that I hate to exercise. Hate. It. I can’t do gyms, do not ask me to go a yoga class, and please put away that Carmen Electra Shake Your Ass DVD. But the flip side to that is that I really do love being active; I’ll surf any day, I’ll hike a mountain, I’ll lift more heavy boxes than the mover and I’ll jump up and down in excitement over your promotion for 20 minutes. And I’ll especially walk. I’m a walker - I walk everywhere.

I’ve talked about this before in my Walkable Cities post but still the concept of walking, of natural exercise, seems to be lost. I can’t tell you how many people I know go to the gym, pay all those fees and then say to me, “Oh my god, you walk to get groceries?”

Let me just say that walking to the grocery store (Whole Foods) is a beautiful 30 min walk up tree lined streets in which I’m seeing people I know, inhaling flowers like nobodies businesses, laughing at little dogs and just enjoying the sunshine. When I get my groceries I load them up in my pack and repeat on the way home - this time with15lbs added and the view of the ocean to keep me going. Much nicer than feeling like a hamster in a wheel.

I do miss having a car and have signed up for Flexcar for those times I really need one (I do tend to go to a lot of events in LA and it just wouldn’t be right to show up in a fancy dress just off the bus!) and I’ve often toyed with the idea of buying a Prius (it’s what I rent when I need a car in L.A. and went 460 miles of commuting hell on one tank of gas!). But the value of not just saving money (car, insurance, gas, gym fees) but also of just having a healthy natural lifestyle means more to me than sometimes the convenience of having to get somewhere quick.

What are the ways you could be active without even knowing it?

Most of my shopping is done online because I’m generally not a shopper and drugstores, malls and Target freak me out. Not to mention people yelling at me from across the store, “HEY HOW ARE?”

But with all the home delivery comes a lot of waste; I cannot tell you how many things I’ve gotten from Amazon that are small but come in a huge, huge box. I try to recycle the boxes by breaking them down and putting them in bins (or reusing them for moving which seems to be every 3 months!) but still, it adds up. And despite being a rather green girl, I never really thought about a solution to this.

Luckily, Jasmin aka The Worsted Witch has. I love the note she includes when she places her order:

Please use minimal and recycled packaging. Kindly do not include any catalogs, inserts, flyers, shrinkwrap, bubble wrap, packing confetti, plastic “pillows,” or styrofoam peanuts. (You can use crumpled up newspaper if padding is necessary.) Please do not include me in any mailing lists or exchange lists you may have. Thank you!

The past two weeks I’ve found myself completely under the weather; strep throat combined with a nasty flu that just won’t go away. So here I sit this morning, achy, stuffed up and slightly cranky because there’s so much work to do, so many ideas going on and no cable to just veg out in front of. Look at that crank - I don’t do sick charmingly!

However, I’m trying to find a way to just relax and rest so that this flu, which is going on week two, will go away. In between napping I’ve been looking for some natural remedies to help me try to recover faster and here’s what I’ve found:

- Gluten Free Girl has a great post for getting better - especially if you have Celiac disease. I was given medicine that had gluten in it which made the whole things worse. Taught me to ask, ask, and ask some more about gluten.

- Martha Stewart has a great article on how to take homeopathic medicines

- Web MD’s article on natural ways to fight the flu.

- I have no appetite so for me, it’s lots of Leek Soup which is easy to make, a great drink, and a diuretic to help flush stuff out. If you’re into traditional chicken soup, try this recipe from the Gluten Free Girl.

Photo by Yolo Colorhouse

I had mentioned that about the current colours in my home, my dislike of them but the decision to keep them. And I was certain there’d be no painting involved. However, the yellow colour in my bedroom is driving me insane (and it seems like yellow rooms drive others crazy as well). Besides, I really want to get the green duvet from Brocade and it wouldn’t go well. I need paler, greener, walls.

There are a couple of concerns for me when painting: low VOC and great colour availability. Usually low-voc paint doesn’t have that great of a colour choice or it’s hard to find. So I was excited to discover the wonderful Yolo Colorhouse. From their site:

What makes your paint environmentally-friendly?
VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are the solvents in most paints that evaporate and contribute to the depletion of the ozone. VOCs are also a part of the stinky odor in paint that is offensive and continues to off-gas which contributes to poor indoor air quality. YOLO Colorhouse® is formulated without the use of these solvents, as a result it is a 0 VOC and low odor, premium interior paint.

What is Green Seal® Certified?
Green Seal® is an independent non-profit setting standards for environmentally responsible products. Green Seal® certification is based on VOC content, the absence of chemicals (www.greenseal.org/standards/paints.htm), durability, performance and manufacturing practices. Green Seal® certification automatically qualifies YOLO Colorhouse® for LEED certified projects.

Offering large colour swatches is such a great idea; I’ve ordered a few to test. I’ll let you know how it works out.

Can “lazy environmentalism” really make a difference?
Yes! Most people - myself included - will only take actions that plug into their lifestyles. I care about water and energy conservation, for example, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to take shorter showers. Now, if someone comes up with a gadget that lets me use less energy or water without changing my behavior, I’ll buy it. That’s lazy environmentalism: finding solutions that are grounded in the reality of how we live.” - Josh Dorfman, The Lazy Environmentalist.

All the furniture I own is really solid, high quality, and expensive pieces. However, I’ve never paid full price for any piece of furniture, ever. I’m a frugal girl who wants the best but lives within a budget so here’s my tricks for getting only the furniture I love, want and works.

The Rules:
1. If I can’t afford to buy it, I wait. I never “make do” with furniture. Why spend money on something you’re not in-love with? Put that money towards what you do love and you’ll find that soon enough, you’ll have what you want without wasting money on what you don’t

2. Make friends with sales people. I know which stores work for me in terms of style and construction. I make friends with the sales people who often offer me employee discounts or friends and family discounts. Also, they’ll let me know when a particular piece goes on sale or when a floor model becomes available.

3. Know what you want, when it came in, and how long it’s been there. This is especially great for stores like Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Williams Sonoma or any other chain. If I fall in-love with a piece of furniture (as I did with my TV console table), I make note of when it arrived. Certain pieces are “staples” and very seldom go on-sale. But some are seasonal styles so I just keep checking in every couple of weeks to see when they’re getting rid of the styles. I noticed that the TV consoles they had on display were becoming fewer and fewer. So I kept asking how many they had in stock until one day they had just the display model. I said I’d buy it but I noticed a few knicks (on the back). So I talked them down from their sale price another 30%. Original price: $699. My price? $225 including tax.

4. Outlets. Now, be very, very careful about outlets. A lot of stores make products just for outlets and these are usually of lesser quality. Or you get damaged goods or rejects here. However, you sometimes just get last seasons goods. For me, I scour websites of products I like so I know what the original value is worth and when it’s going on sale or not. I bought two beautiful solid benches that were $500 a piece for $125 a piece along with a little setee and storage bench for linens.

5. Floor models. Recently, I found the largest desk imaginable of solid wood and fell in-love because it would doubled as a kitchen table and look fabulous with my benches. The problem? The desk was $1600. However, there was a floor model they said was scratched and had it on sale for $599. I made comments about the size and something else and got another 10% off. Perfect! I also bought my fridge as a floor model - perfect condition but I saved 15%!

6. Cash! I’ve paid cash on a lot of big ticket items such as my couch. I adore my couch; it’s custom maid with down filled pillows in a matalasie cover. It’s also enormous! The store was having a no-tax day event but I offered to pay cash for a 5% discount. I saved close to $700 and it’s been one of the best investments I’ve made.

7. Specials. Usually specials aren’t specials so be cautious. But I recently bought a set of All-Clad cookware which, buying as a set, saved $150. But they offered three bonus products; a grill pan (worth $125), grill cookware (worth $100) and a grill book.

I’ve used all these tactics from bedding to kitchen goods to bedding. I get the very best without the pricetag and I never settle for second best. I’d rather go without than have something I don’t love cluttering up my home. Why waste money? Besides, a home is not about decor but about reflecting you. So be selective about what you put into your home and by using the rules above, you really can have what you love and not a second rate version of what someone else does.