When I first started looking at green ways to unclog a drain, I didn’t have a green motive. It was around ten o’clock at night, I was brushing my teeth and noticing the sink wasn’t draining nearly as fast as it should’ve, and I wasn’t about to go out to the store to buy some batch of chemicals to clear the drain. So I sought an answer online, hoping that a green solution could made from ingredients we already had in the house. The internet came through.

So not only is this recipe “green,” it’s very cheap, comprised entirely of harmless products you probably already have (I did anyway), and saves you a trip to the store for caustic drain cleaner. As much as Drano would love you to believe their product is the only thing on the planet capable of cleaning out your clogged drains, it’s not.

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I’ve been playing a lot of golf lately and it’s amazing how manicured some courses are. It’s also amazing how overrun others can be, considering the cost of your average round of golf! So it makes sense that the perfect person to dispense lawn care advice is the groundskeeper (really they’re called Greenskeepers) of your local golf course. He, or she, is the person in charge of making sure the course is up to par.

We don’t have a huge lawn in front of our house, which makes it even more egregious if it’s not properly maintained! For a while we’ve been battling weeds and one of the things I really hate buying are those toxic-looking weed killers. I feel like pouring that stuff on my lawn negates all the recycling we do… so in addition to lawn care tips, I scoured the web for some good suggestions for green ways to kill weeds. One thing I stumbled upon was a secret lawn “tonic” from a former golf course greenskeeper.

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Cockroaches are gross. I don’t know if it’s their relatively large size, their long antennae, those creepy looking legs, or the fact that their backs so disgustingly shiny. Oh… and they’re almost indestructible. It’s like you kill one and three more appear within days, each one having been grown from the pieces of the one you smashed with your shoe! As the saying goes, if you see one wandering around, chances are you have dozens more crawling around in your walls. It’s a disgusting thought that gives me goosebumps and fortunately we’ve been (knock on wood) lucky enough not to have any problems with roaches. (there’s a reason why this post has no picture )

However, we live in a townhouse, which means our house is physically connected to our neighbors on two sides. One of the first lessons you learn when you live in a townhome is that your neighbor’s problems soon become your own. If your neighbor has his or her house treated for an infestation, like a roach invasion, chances are you have the same problem, even if you don’t know it. If you don’t yet have an infestation, the survivors of your neighbor’s treatment may find themselves moving in.

So while we don’t have a roach invasion just yet, an ounce of prevention is said to be worth a pound of cure.

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Greenwashing in the newest term around the green shopping aisle and it refers to the marketing practice by companies who are creating products and hoping that you think they are eco-friendly and healthier for you simply because they look “green”. This can include the simple addition of the word “natural,” which is currently not defined or regulated by the FDA. This sneaky marketing practice is certainly not in the best interest of the consumer, but it’s not illegal. It’s just dirty and not very ethical or honest. The best way to learn about a product is to look past the wildflowers and butterflies fluttering on the box and to actually read the label of everything you purchase. This will help you avoid common dangerous ingredients and learn more about what you are bringing into your home.

Now, if you’re looking looking for ideas to be green while washing around the kitchen, here are some ideas you consider:
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