Back to School Shopping continued - Back to Cool

My well-abused stainless steel bento box, stainless steel chopsticks and reusuable mini-fork

I covered the basic school supplies in my earlier post on Back to School Shopping, the Green Way. But I neglected to cover lunchtime!

Have you ever had the gleeful experience of already owning something that's suddenly en vogue and sought after? Have you ever said, "What, this old thing?" and felt really, really smug? I have - and it's happening again!

For years I've had a proper, stainless steel bento box that my Grandma gave me. She probably got it from a Japanese friend of hers - all the really cool origami and Japanese items I saw as a little girl came from some lovely lady who worked with my Grandma in Vancouver.

I always liked the thing, but I don't think I once used it for it's intended purpose - a lunch container. In fact, I remember using it as a pencil case and coating the inside with an uneven, streaky layer of White-out, which I then scribbled on. Oops.

But here it is, having survived middle school and still shiny enough to capture my reflection in the photo! Now that's built to last!

The stainless steel bento box might be *the* hot item for back-to-school this year! I've seen them for sale on the internet starting around $35. Thirty-five! That's insane! So I did a little searching and found The Tickle Trunk (not the Casey and Finnigan variety!) selling one almost identical to my retro one for $8. EIGHT! Much better!

A few years ago for Christmas I put in a special request to 'Santa' for stainless steel chopsticks. It wasn't because I was on an anti-plastic kick but because I was lazy and wanted to bung them into the dishwasher. I figure they must exist somewhere.... Santa found a set of Joyce Chen chopsticks several years ago, and I have to say they've held up well!

The reusable mini-fork (it says `Lube Sheep`, rather inexplicably) I bought at YokoYaya123 (also available at The Daiso) for $2.

But I`ve found an even better deal, because The Tickle Trunk also sells stainless steel cutlery in an aluminum carry-case, and the set contains everything you need (fork, spoon, and chopsticks that unscrew in the centre to make two shorter pieces for storage) for just $6. SIX!

$14 and you could have the coolest Back-to-School lunch kit in the world. Sugoi!

Get them while they`re hot is my advice!

Northern Environment - Guest post by Adam Spencer in Taloyoak, Nunavut

Yellowknife.  15 minutes between my continued flight through to Cambridge Bay.  Went outside for a smoke to feel the unfamiliar air of an unfamiliar town.  5 minutes later I go back inside to figure out where my plane is, and the staff has been looking for me, the white man who’s going to Cambridge Bay.  There’s no time set for take-off - when the few passengers are there, roll out on the runway and take flight.  The air traffic controller must be a relaxed individual.  Before boarding the plane, I was informed that I may be landing in Gjoa Haven because of heavy fog in Cambridge Bay.  “Well that sounds adventurous” I said with a smile.  And they smiled back… kind of. 

Landing in Cambridge Bay.  The landing gear makes an eerie “popping” noise. I pretend not to notice.  Down through the fog.  Runway looks short.  No pavement up here…  No problem for these pilots.  As the plane gears down and slows to a taxi, the feeling of the beginning of a new experience overcomes me.  Warm air for the Arctic today, feels like home. 

After being introduced to my plans for work up here, construction plumbing that is, I have the evening off to explore the town before I fly out to Taloyoak in the morning.  The sun never sets this time of year up here.  So off for a stroll I go in the mid‑evening which resembles the light of early morning.  The roads are dirt and natural gravel, and I try to get used to the sight of no grass on the side of the roads, only dirt and grey mud.  And then as I looked down to my side, I was sad to see garbage embedded in that mud and barely a couple feet over, some more.  An old bag of chips emblazes its factory red through the grey mud like blood on concrete.  So I think maybe it’s just the way the people are up here, maybe uneducated of how the garbage scattered around affects the land.  Anyways, down to the water, I want to touch the Arctic Ocean with my bare hands. 

The people here are truly unique from the people I’ve known elsewhere.  The elders smile with their entire face, their life experiences showing through their many wrinkles.  I witness a young boy with his young buck attitude jogging as if to cause trouble somewhere, as an old elderly woman grabs the boy and pinches his cheeks and holds his face close to hers, smiling as direct as possible to the boy.  As a young buck would, he shakes out of the loving grasp and continues his pursuit of trouble.  I think of the boy’s future.  Here I am far away from the cities, the ugly grey cities infested by man, raping the land of what it’s worth and bringing in supplies from who knows where.  A giant ant nest.  And even here, a group of only 1500 people have assembled a small town, and it’s no different.  But this is maybe inevitable, as we have noticed in other animals, they will eat and sh*t and eat and sh*t until all of the necessities of life are gone, and they themselves will die.  It is in our nature.  The future is unknown. It’s also out of my expertise.  People throw their garbage and it pollutes and kills animals and all that, but we all know we do worse, and some we don’t even know about, I’m sure. 

When I got to the beach I touched the Arctic Ocean’s chilling, but beautifully clear water.  The bronze rocks shimmered light through the faintly disturbed surface and looked as clean as a glacier.  And here I stray not, every meter down the beach as far as I could see, at least one piece of garbage.  Sad.   How much longer will that water be clear?

We all like to blame someone or something.  And when you see that there is a third world country living beside our comfortable arrangement down South, you start to wonder.  Us Southeners may be naïve, but not ignorant.  But there are some of us who are, and they somehow always end up in politics, don’t they?   Money money money… if the country had lots of it to spare, all of these issues would be addressed, wouldn’t they?  I mean, that would be after we paid out the million dollar Christmas bonuses to the random politicians.  But once the ones in control of the money are rolling in their dirty money, the people up North will be taken care of right?  The ridiculous rate of suicide reversed?  The drug and alcohol abuse addressed?  The rapes prevented?  The animal cruelty ended?  The garbage all over the towns picked up?  The vandalism erased?  The lazy cops making $150000/year finally have an impact?  The import fees and price of living compensated for?  And how about the government’s housing corporation who is $90 million in dept because their employees were getting $70/hour plus overtime building 4 and 5‑plexes that should be done in 6 months, but somehow lasting over two years and not even being to code?  When will this be fixed?

Turn away from the town and look out into the variety of landscapes among Nunavut.  It’s beautiful, almost as beautiful as the people who live within it.  But don’t look back, because you’ll see what your white man has done.

Adam J. Spencer
Taloyoak, Nunavut, Canada

I Love Planet Veg!

Nevermind settling on Mars in geospheres - I'd like to live on Planet Veg!

1941 Cornwall Avenue, Kitsilano (near the beach)

But first, a little background as to why choosing vegetarian meals benefits our planet:

Vegetarianism has long been associated with environmentalism (all of us “hippies” get lumped together, I suppose!) and has recently been touted as a way to battle climate change (read article at goveg.com here). 

While there are many, many fantastic reasons to kick the meat habit (like weight loss, heart and cardiovascular health, animal cruelty issues, antibiotic resistance and human pathogen concerns, awesome ethnic food choices, etc.), environmental issues are some of the most pressing. Most of the trouble with the meat industry is deforestation (usually rainforest) in order to provide more grazing land for beef and other livestock. The beef industry itself is estimated to produce 2 billion metric tonnes of CO2 emissions directly (yep, cow gas!) and another 2.8 billion tonnes in rainforest destruction (source here). 

Regardless of how you’d like to estimate or display the numbers, “Livestock are one of the most significant contributors to today’s most serious environmental problems” according to senior UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) official Henning Steinfeld (article here, from UN News Service website).

Vegetarianism is also a great economical option. Before vegetarianism became socially acceptable, home-maker’s magazines often featured (quietly) meatless dishes as a way to save money.

Earthsave Canada has a vegetarian directory for Metro Vancouver listing vegetarian and vegetarian-friendly restaurants in the local area, including the usual suspects like The Naam and The Foundation (both excellent choices, as is Bo Kong on Main Street or in Richmond).

Also listed is my favourite Vancouver restaurant of all time, Planet Veg, a gourmet Indo-Western vegetarian fast food joint on Cornwall by Kits Beach. I can’t promote this place enough – I don’t think I’ve eaten more often at any other restaurant in my life, and I really only started stopping by a year ago. I’m here weekly, which is also a testimony as to the affordability of Planet Veg’s menu choices and its proximity to both buses and the beach.

Planet Veg in the early morning (before the bistro tables and sandwich board)

Planet Veg began at its present location in 1997, a labour of love for Chitra Bansal to share healthy, delicious vegetarian food with others. Chitra and husband Babu are originally from Northern India, and have been running the restaurant non-stop, 7 days a week for the past 13 years. In my interview with Babu today, he admits that running a restaurant is probably more work than it’s worth, but Chitra’s drive and obvious talents have kept them going strong. 

Planet Veg has a loyal clientele (myself among them) that refer friends, but they don't advertise much which is why I'm keen to help them out. There are precious few Mom-and-Pop restaurants left in our city - just look at the chains like Nando's popping up along the same stretch. Support the worthy!

I asked Babu what they have done to lessen their impact on the environment (besides offering vegetarian fare and being small-scale and independent), and I had a hard time keeping up and jotting down all of their improvements! Eating in is obviously the best choice (stainless steel plates and platters, cutlery, etc.), but for take-outs, paper bags replace plastic ones. Gone are the Styrofoam take-out soup pots (replaced with microwaveable plastic - the next best choice). And the gelato plastic cups have been substituted for corn-based plastic ones. 

The sidewalk patio is a great place to people watch, as is the bar along the window on a non-sunny day. They have tap water in reusable cups available, a clean bathroom for pit-stops, and a mouth-watering menu that makes decision making quite the challenge! Fortunately, the friendly and approachable employees are always patient and helpful. If in doubt, go with the two most popular items – the Garden (Veggie) Burger with a Mango Lassi to wash it down.

Highlights at Planet Veg:

The Roti Rolls:

The Delhi Roll, Bombay Roll and Masala Roll are my favourites – choose your level of spiciness in these delicious, healthy and very satisfying curry wraps. Everyone I expose these wraps to love them, even the self-proclaimed ‘carnivores’ and young men between the ages of 19 and 25. Quite honestly the best wraps I’ve had anywhere, ever.

The Baked Samosas:

It might be hard to believe, but these are actually more delicious than their deep-fried cousins (and I like deep-fried!). They come in three varieties: curry potato, vegetable and spinach & tofu, the latter of which is vaguely reminiscent of and tastier than most spanakopita. 

The Tamarind Chutney:

Put it on and in everything – there’s a squirt bottle on every table. Mmm mmmm mmmm!

The Sandwiches:

Grilled Aloo (aloo = potato) and Grilled Paneer (paneer = mild Indian cheese). I have to admit that I’ve only tried these once (and loved them) because I always crave the Roti Rolls so badly. Nevertheless, these are just awesome – a better take on Panini than those of many Vancouver cafes and restaurants!

The Veggie Burgers:

The best selling menu items and what has made Planet Veg famous. Try the Garden burger (mushroom-based homemade patty) or the Mexi-burger (soy-based homemade patty). You can’t go wrong with the burger combo – you get a baked curry samosa on the side.

Pakoras:

If you’ve never had a pakora, it’s time! India’s improvement on the French fry and onion ring and probably just about as healthy. Life’s short, indulge!

Beverages and Dessert:

Mango Lassi – traditional and very satisfying. Delicious, thin (and refreshing) mango and yogurt smoothie. Good for putting out the spice fires!

Gulab jamun – for the sweet-toothed only, this traditional Indian dessert is best described as hot TimBits in warm sugar syrup. (Pronounced “goo-Lob ja-mun”)

Mario’s Gelati – oh yeah, they have a freezer and cones! My favourite gelato in the whole of the country (maybe the world?!), Mario’s makes ridiculously tasty gelati, sorbetti and tofulati. I had 'Tiramisu' from Planet Veg this very afternoon - it made me very happy!  If you get a chance to go direct to the source (Main and East 1^st), keep on the lookout for the “Italian Wedding Cake” flavour which I had once and almost died of pleasure. I think it might have been a one-time, on-a-whim creation but I’m not giving up hope yet….

Gluten-Free:

Not being a Celiac (I am thankful for this everyday), I have to admit that I’ve never knowingly had a gluten-free bakery item. I figured they’d be almost, but not quite, as good as the real thing. Babu generously gave me a banana chocolate chip muffin to try. I had already decided that I would say “Yum” no matter how gross that muffin was, but I didn’t need the pre-empting. This was honestly, hand-on-heart the tastiest banana chocolate chip muffin I’ve ever had, and sadly that includes those I’ve baked myself. And it’s completely free of gluten! If all gluten-free muffins taste as good as Chitra’s, maybe I don’t have to be eternally grateful that I can tolerate gluten.

Over half of Planet Veg’s menu is (surprisingly to me) gluten-free, and there’s rumours of more menu options to come. You can even have the most popular menu item of all – the Planet Veg Garden Burger on a tasty, gluten-free bun.

Something else I'd like to mention is how accomodating they are for any allergies. I have been cursed with a sensitivity to garlic and red onions, which makes eating out insanely difficult. I have just learned to avoid either as best as possible but expect certain consequences. And yet I've never had 'issues' after eating at Planet Veg. Turns out that Chitra's recipes, like any real chef's, don't rely on garlic for flavouring. Her delicate mixtures of spices aren't only original and extremely toothsome, they also don't make me sick. I'm sharing this nugget of anti-garlic gold with my Facebook support group, the Campaign Against Garlic!

Not ready to go veg yet? Not to worry – you’re either the “quit cold-turkey” type or the “baby stepper”, and if you’re the latter, you might be interested in Meatless Monday. Giving up meat for one day a week will have a positive impact on the environment and your health. You’ll be shocked at how easy (and yummy!) it is. You’ll also be delighted by the reduction of your grocery bill!

Stop by Planet Veg this Monday for dinner, or pick up a Roti Roll and a Snapple iced tea on your way to Kits Beach. Say hello to Chitra and Babu for me!

Child Sponsorship - Help me choose!

I've just added a quiz I wrote at Quibblo.com to help fellow Canadians choose a child sponsorship programme that's right for them. There are so many to choose from, and I'd like to encourage EVERYONE to find one that they can feel good about supporting.
I don't know how long that quiz will last for (and if I'll get in trouble for borrowing logos for use in the answers!), so I'm going to list the organizations I've researched here.

As readers of my blog will know, I have a graduate student's stipend and owe some money in the form of student debt. But even with income of $17, 500 a year and rent and bills to pay, I find a way to support a child (through SOS Children's Villages Canada) in Africa who has been orphaned through the HIV/AIDS epidemic. I hardly notice the $33 a month - that's basically one dinner out a month, and it doesn't exactly stand out on my credit card bill.
Not only does it honestly feel good to help, your dollar or so a day makes all the difference in the world to a child living in a third-world country.
This is also a surprisingly economical entertainment option for families or for teachers to provide their classes with - exchanging letters and drawings with your sponsor child is all part of the experience, and the educational value of this is immeasurable. Your children will have such a personal understanding of what life is like as a poor child in that country.
Here are 10 different Canadian child sponsorship programmes, arranged in several ways.

By cost (descending):
$35 per month - World Vision Canada Child Sponsorship, PLAN Canada Child Sponsorship, Christian Children's Fund of Canada Child Sponsorship
$33 per month - SOS Children's Villages Child Sponsorship
$25 per month - Save the Children Child Guardianship, Salvation Army Child Sponsorship, SOS Children's Villages (Village Sponsorship)
$20 per month - Canadian Feed the Children Child Sponsorship
$10 per month - FTC (Feed the Children) Canada Feed-a-Child Sponsorship
$__ per month (name your amount) - UNICEF Canada Global Parent Sponsorship

By global presence (most countries, descending):
150+ countries - UNICEF Canada
132 countries -  SOS Children's Villages Canada
120+ countries - Save the Children Canada
118 countries - FTC Canada
90+ countries - World Vision Canada
48 countries - PLAN Canada
22 countries - Salvation Army Canada
7 countries - Christian Children's Fund of Canada
4 countries - Canadian Feed the Children

By reported donation breakdown (percent that goes directly to the child and child's community), descending:
Note: quiz lists Canadian Feed the Children as highest. Whoops. Can't undo...!
100% - Salvation Army Canada 
89%* - FTC Canada *(by my calculations only, based on 2009 annual report data)
86% - Canadian Feed the Children
82.5% - SOS Children's Villages Canada
82.1% - World Vision Canada
82% -  Save the Children Canada
80%+ -  Christian Children's Fund of Canada
80% - UNICEF Canada (in general, not child sponsorship programme specifically)
78.9% - PLAN Canada

By mandate/core values:
Non-denominational/inclusive of all faiths: SOS Children's Villages Canada, UNICEF, PLAN Canada, Save the Children Canada, Canadian Feed the Children
Christian (some of which are inclusive of all faiths): World Vision Canada, FTC Canada, Salvation Army Canada, Christian Children's Fund of Canada

I hope this helps you find an organization or programme that suits your personality and needs. It costs so, so little to make an ENORMOUS impact on a child's life! Please start giving today - you will NOT regret it!

Navigating the Cosmetics and Feminine Hygiene Product Minefield: Say NO to disposable plastic

Realistically, I don’t think it’s possible to create an exhaustive list on what to / what not to purchase from your local drug or cosmetics store. I’ve compiled a list of some essentials and a few tips that may help you save some cash and be kinder to our earth.

• Say NO to disposable plastic in the form of liquid handsoap bottles – Method’s refill package boasts a savings of 83% on plastic, water and energy over purchasing the same quantity of soap in their plastic pump bottles (which are recyclable). One thing that tripped me up in the beginning was that the refill packages (bags with a nozzle) are themselves not labelled as recyclable. Then I watched the fantastic CBC documentary called “Forever Plastic” (will discuss this further in a future posting) and was disillusioned with Canadian recycling practices altogether. Saving plastic and resources such as water and energy up front is always the better way to go. Shopper’s carries the refill packages, but I could only find my particular choice of fragrances at Superstore.

Say NO to plastic tampon applicators and plasticized wrapping and save $$$, too

• Say NO to disposable plastic in the form of tampon applicators – Some people just don’t like using tampons, and that’s alright with me. Of all things that can be considered ‘personal choice’, this is one of the most personal! But I’m not a fan of pads, even the reusable ones. Disposable pads are basically plastic-based diapers, and just about everyone is aware of the environmental impact used nappies have. (Incidentally, I feel the time is ripe for a diaper company to unveil a product line made from degradable, plant-based plastic in place of the usual stuff – someone get on that! There’s a market for it!). Tampons, on the other hand, are little more than cotton (or cotton/polyester) and an applicator. The cardboard applicator is biodegradable, which is more than what I could say for the plastic ones. (Don’t flush tampon applicators – they fit nicely back into the outer, preferably paper, wrapper and are just as easily disposed of in the garbage!). The generic brands, in my experience, are every bit as reliable as the giants of the industry. Unfortunately, even my cardboard applicator box is suggesting I switch to the new, contoured and pretty plastic applicators, just like all of the annoying television commercials. Let’s just be frank here for a moment (and hopefully not too crass): my relationship with that applicator, albeit intimate, will be as brief as possible and last a second or two at the most. The idea that said applicator is now going to spend the better portion of a thousand years becoming brittle and breaking into increasingly smaller pieces in a sprawling landfill site does not give me comfort. Speaking of comfort, I suppose the argument for the rounded plastic tip is one of comfort and ease. Again, without being too rude, let’s just say that all plastic applicators have an uncomfortable edge somewhere, and there’s pinch potential in the star-shaped opening (I know whereof I speak). If you find cardboard applicators woefully uncomfortable, Glaxal base (a non-scented, non-coloured, non-anything moisturizer used by dermatologists and in compounding pharmacies as a base for making steroidal creams) or Vaseline can alleviate the issue and make it less of a drag (pun intended).

• Say NO to disposable plastic in the form of razors – Does the plastic handle of your shaver really need replacing? That sucker will last forever (and ever and ever), but of course the blades won’t. As irritatingly expensive as they are, Gillette’s Venus/Venus Embrace razors with replacement cartridges make some sense. I still have my original handle from when the line first came out - they haven't changed the attachment mechanism yet, lucky for me! The brand name may have worn away from the bottom of the handle, but otherwise it's perfectly good (in fact, I almost prefer the 'generic' version). Buying the refill cartridges saves money over buying the disposable variety, but they are obscenely over-priced. Keep an eye out for sales on these and stock up. The great thing about evil marketing schemes is that they’ll change the colours often to keep their products ‘new’ – and it might benefit you as they purge the old stock. How can one possibly care what colour their razor cartridge is, save those with legitimate psychological conditions? I care about what size of dent they put into my monthly budget, and whether or not they work. That’s about it.

• Say NO to disposable plastic in the form of packaging – LUSH, a favourite company of mine for many reasons, has zero to minimal packaging on all of their products (all handmade – soaps, solid shampoos and conditioners, bath bombs and bubble bars, etc.). For the wet stuff, LUSH has 100% recycled black plastic pots of lovely fresh potions and creams. They even take back the empties for in-house recycling (probably saves them a mint by melting down and reforming their previously purchased recycled plastic. Smart!). In the meantime, they make cute seedling pots once they're emptied. One item I strongly recommend is their famous “Charity Pot” . They donate 100% of the price to charity (except the tax, because that would be illegal). Yes, that’s right – not 100% of the profit, 100% of the retail price. They absorb the manufacturing, shipping and advertising and any other costs there might be and give the money to charities (ever changing) that are advertised on the lid of the container. (This is how I discovered Sea Shepherd). Currently, Charity Pot sales support many charities the world over (click here for a cool interactive globe to see what and where!) like the Homeless Garden Project in Santa Cruz county, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Bicycles for Humanity (donating used bikes to Africa), Ecova Mali (teaching sustainable and ecological agricultural practices for some of the poorest people in the world), UNICEF – specifically children living with or affected by HIV/AIDS, the aforementioned Sea Shepherd (aggressive defence of dolphins, whales and other marine life from poachers/Japanese and Norwegian whaling fleets), and many others including one I have a personal connection to, the near and dear to my heart Camp Goodtimes  (Canadian Cancer Society camp in Maple Ridge, BC for children living with cancer directly or the cancer of a sibling). When you use Charity Pot cream, you can feel good about using fresh (fair trade ingredients, mostly organic), handmade, cruelty-free, vegan, sustainable and locally made moisturizer that had recycled and recyclable packaging where all of the $20.95 (plus taxes) went to supporting very worthy causes. Green and ethical in every way. Butter up!

Other tips, tricks and recommendations:

• Vaseline – petroleum jelly is NOT a green choice for reasons which the name suggests. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to find an alternative to pure petroleum jelly (Vaseline), though they probably do exist (let me know if you find one!). But then again, a single pot of Vaseline can last longer than you’d care to imagine, and has so many uses. As mentioned before, Vaseline works as a personal lubricant (***recall high school sex education – latex and Vaseline DON’T mix!***) in the case of tampons and other non-condom uses. It is also a great way to get more bang for your buck from your make-up: turn a lip liner into a lipstick shade by mixing a light layer of liner with a thin layer of Vaseline. Same goes for transformation of a matte lipstick to a gloss. Vaseline can also act as a base-coat to help keep powders like eye shadow on your skin, though remember to use it very sparingly – you don’t want to end up with sparkly ribbons of colour in the creases only! Vaseline on your eyelashes can substitute for mascara which is waterproof and won’t give you raccoon eyes. It can also be used to remove eyeliner (or, in small quantities, help it glide on and stay put), and is still, as the label suggests, the ‘ultimate moisturizer’. I remember using it on my poor old dog’s dried out soles, knowing that he’d lick 90% of it off and not get sick. It gets rid of the dreaded dead-of-winter cracked dry hands and elbow syndrome, too! Cheap, but it isn’t environmentally friendly, so by the time I finish my little pot (say, in the next decade or so), I’ll be on the lookout for a green alternative to Vaseline.

• Recycled paper toilet paper – BioLife (Shopper’s Drug Mart brand) makes great toilet paper with minimal environmental impact. At the risk of being offensive, I implore you to stop wiping your arse with virgin paper made from old-growth or unmanaged forest tree pulp. Think of what you’re using this for – does it need to be taken from a tree that housed countless animal and insect species, provided shade for plants and animals along the forest floor, and removed countless tonnes of carbon dioxide from the air? You can bet your ___ it doesn’t. BioLife toilet paper is affordable and often goes on sale – another item to put on your sale watch-list.

Have a green item from the drug store that I didn’t list? Please post a comment below (no Google account required).

Dutch Blitz - Cheap Entertainment

I would like to dedicate this entry to my friend Andrew who has been so encouraging with my new-found hobby of 'blogging'. 

Dutch Blitz is a sweet, unassuming card game made by the Pennsylvania Dutch in Flourtown, PA, USA. It's old fashioned and very easy to learn.

But don't let the cute little figures and simple colour scheme fool you - this game gets really ugly really quickly. I've known it to put otherwise rock solid relationships in jeopardy, cause mothers to turn on their children, and have some of the most violent collisions of any card game going. I even know a couple who have decided that it's not wise for them to play head-to-head; if you're even a little bit competitive, be warned!

For about $15, you can buy your own set from Drexoll games (4th, near MacDonald) and invite 2 to 4 friends over for an evening of cards and shouting. If you have a family with children 8 years old and up (or those that can count 1-10, match colours and have the dexterity to move cards as fast as humanly possible), you can get the whole of your kin up in arms and out of control in no time at all. I've lost my copy of the rules (there was an incident....), but we've found a way to play in teams for the younger players to get in on the action and stay competitive.

Take your bored children off the electrical grid with this game. The simplistic green box describes Dutch Blitz as "A Vonderful Goot Game" and "Fast paced fun for everyone". It's great to take camping, assuming you have a large flat area to play on and no noise restrictions. BC Ferries vessels have proven to be yet another brilliant location for a furious game or two.

Nothing like a good ol' fashioned card game to drive people apart, I mean, bring them together. You can find Dutch Blitz at Drexoll Games on 4th or at the Granville Island Toy Company, or even at the Trinity Western University bookstore, apparently. For a list of distributors in other areas, or to send away for missing cards (it happens), visit the official website at www.dutchblitz.com .

Looking for a good old fashioned outdoor game? Stay tuned for a post on Kubb, the most talked about game on Kits beach (thanks to us)!

Handmade Gifts are the Best – Learn to Crochet

First post in a discontinuous series of homemade gift ideas

In my last post (Back to School Shopping) I managed to work in a line or two on learning to crochet. It’s my latest obsession, and with 5 pregnant friends (so far – more on the way!), I’m finding it’s a great way to make personalized and heartfelt baby shower gifts. Or bizarre birthday gifts, like the Hamburger Coasters.

Angel Wings Pinafore (made by Hayley) - free Ravelry pattern by Maxine Gonser

Handmade gifts really are the best, provided you avoid a few pitfalls. In the case of knit and crochet, don't knit/crochet anyone but yourself a sweater unless it's a baby and it has no say in the matter; don't make dolls that are actually toilet paper roll covers for anyone but yourself (no, just don't make them at all is my advice); choose neutral or fashionable colours - and don't go overboard with the bright acrylics and create something that resembles unicorn poop. Also be prepared for the inevitable - someone will not appreciate your creation. That's the way with all gifts, but it hurts so much more when you've put work into it. Accept this fact now and save yourself some pouting.

Learning to crochet over the internet (which is where I got 95% of my instruction) can be frustrating. But it is possible! Start with the Granny Square – you really only need to know two stitches: the double crochet and the chain (North American terminology). If you keep going with that Granny Square, you can make a square blanket or throw (or placemat or rug or . . . !) in no time. Or, at 20 cm (8”), you can donate it to a very worthy cause, Knit-a-Square. Knit-a-Square collects 8” knitted or crocheted squares and sews them together in South Africa to distribute blankets to AIDS orphans in the poorest slums of Africa. All you have to do is crochet one and pop it in the mail!

Invite some friends over, make some appies for potluck (but keep those fingers clean!) and try to learn together to make Granny Squares for Knit-a-Square. Not only a cheap (and entertaining!) evening, but a great cause as well. 

Once you’ve mastered the Granny Square, move on to new projects. The single crochet and triple crochet stitches are just simple tweaks to the stitches you’re already familiar with.

Here are the resources and materials you’ll need to get started:

• Crochet hooks: Best place to buy them is Yokoyaya123 or the Daiso in Richmond. They sell very light weight and sturdy gold-coloured hooks in a wide range of sizes for $2 each. Go with a ‘medium’ sized hook between 3.5 and 5mm (5mm is an “H” hook in the US, and is a very common size for the patterns I’ve come across).

• Yarn: Dressew Supply (Hastings – walking distance from Yokoyaya) is a great place to buy cheap yarn and wool. Wool is lovely to work with but will felt (i.e. shrink and fuzz!) if you wash it, which can be a neat effect. Wool blends are more forgiving – note that all yarn has washing instructions on the label. Cotton and cotton blends are some of the best for clothing and for things like dish cloths (another quick and easy beginner project). Rowan PureLife is a brand that produces organic cotton and organic wool yarns that are naturally dyed and come in a range of earth tones that are very pleasing to the eye. I’ve bought both wool and cotton from Rowan PureLife at Dressew. Another great option is to borrow some cheap acrylic (not so enviro-friendly, but nevermind) yarn from someone’s stash – anyone who knits or crochets generally has a stash of leftovers, and they’re usually pleased to share! A coworker of mine has a sister who recently gave up crocheting and generously donated ALL of her stash to me! I’m sharing the love and using it for teaching purposes at our next stitch and bitch (a colleague and I are starting up one for students in our program). For nicer yarns, try Baaad Anna's (it's new! East Van) or in Kits there's Homecraft Importers on 4th and Gina Brown's Yarn (also new - West Broadway).

• Yarn needle: They come in handy, but you can get by without them in the beginning. They can be plastic or metal (go with metal – better option for the environment as you can pass it down) and look like big, blunt darning needles. Bought mine at Dressew for 25 cents or so.

Websites: Here’s the exhaustive list:

Crochet Cabana – a wonderful lady named Sandra Petit created this site. It has step-by-step photos for each stitch and several techniques (for example, joining pieces or squares together) and in-depth explanations. A great place to begin.

CrochetSpot – another good place to go if you’re a beginner! Rachel Choi recently added a bunch of guest authors (one of which is Alicia Kachmar whose blog I just love! Click here for her Safety Cone pattern) to blog about every crochet topic under the sun. Her site includes the CrochetSpot store where I bought my pattern for the Hamburger Coasters (hilarious and a great beginner’s project!) as well as many, many free patterns that are easy to read and for which she offers online assistance. 

Hamburger Coasters (made by Hayley for Chantal) - pattern by Rachel Choi, CrochetSpot.com

YouTube – do a search for the stitch or technique you need help with. There are too many videos to mention, and do try a few to find an instructor that suits your needs. It’s a great accompaniment to Sandra Petit’s Crochet Cabana site – between her step-by-step photos and a video online, you’re sure to figure it out.

Ravelry – oh, how I love this site! I wasn’t too keen on it at first (overwhelming), but now, wow! Here’s where to go when you want to start making things like clothing or laptop cases or really funky household items. The patterns (free or for sale, usually as PDFs) are reviewed by the users (out of 5 stars) and are also rated by difficulty (starting with “piece o’cake” and working up to “impossible”). The pattern search tools are unbelievable, and with each pattern there are a list of user projects complete with photos (great for colour inspiration!) and comments. Those comments are so useful – if everyone’s telling you that market slouchy bag comes out really small, believe them! Ravelry is a fantastic resource for finding local yarn shops and groups (Baaad Anna’s has a group on Ravelry, and hosts stitch and bitch nights in the shop on Wednesday from 6pm to 8pm). If you need help with deciphering a pattern or simply learning how to do the basics, attend a stitch and bitch! If you can’t, get on a Ravelry forum for help from your peers.

Crochet Pattern Central – the ghetto version of Ravelry with free patterns only. No log-on required and there are an awful lot of toilet paper roll covers and tea cozy patterns. Don’t say I didn’t warn you – tackiness level 10. But if you’re up for browsing, there are a few free gems hidden away here that aren’t on Ravelry. I prefer Ravelry – most of the worthwhile patterns appear in both places.

Baby Hoodie (made by Hayley) - free Ravelry pattern by Moda Dea company

This is my first year of crocheting (although I once learned to make a Granny Square sometime in college, I think), and as you can see from my shameless exhibit of my work, I can actually make things! Try it yourself - if you're dextrous and crafty, you'll be crocheting gifts in no time.

Back to School Shopping, the Green Way

It’s that wretched time of year again, where parents listen with glee to Staples’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” anthem and truck the kids off to Bellis Fair for some new school outfits. It symbolizes the END OF SUMMER, which is really the worst time of the year when you think about it.

Nevertheless, there are satisfying green choices you can make for your back to school shopping this year that may take the edge off the inevitability of the fall.

Earthzone pencils aren’t your typical “rain-forest” friendly options – they are apparently “the world’s most environmentally friendly pencil”. Made from 100% post-consumer (i.e. it’s been printed and read and now it’s being reused!) recycled newspaper and glue with a thin layer of the standard marigold-coloured veneer, you can see the layers of newspaper between the paint and the graphite tip. They even have latex-free erasers for the allergic folks! Earthzone is a local company (one block from my place, apparently!), and you can find their range of pencils, pencil crayons and artist’s pencils at the UBC Bookstore or major companies listed on their website (Chapters, Basics), or simply shop online at www.earthzone.ca. A super cool option for your little environmentalist.

Earthbound (from TopFlight Inc.) makes recycled paper notebooks, and have been a staple of mine for years. I especially like their 3-Subject recycled notebook (short and chunky) which has dividers with pockets that fit spent seed packages perfectly. I use it as a garden journal to keep track of what thrived, what didn’t and what croaked. I also use it in the dead of winter to fantasize about my balcony container garden for the coming spring and summer. Earthbound even has an ‘Earthbound Chic’ line which has a Salvador Dali label and associated graphics (melting clock face anyone?). Find them at your University bookstore (UVic always had a great selection as well), or online: http://www.topflightpaper.com/earth.htm

 

But my favourite eco-back to school item of all has to be Banana Paper from TNF Ecopapers: http://www.thebananapapercompany.com/ Banana paper is made from discarded organic material from the banana plantations and has a smooth, even glossy feeling to it that is easy to write on in ball-point (great for speedy shorthand!). The yellow monkey has been the face of my Organic Chemistry notes, Biological Psychology notes and many other courses and I still don’t cringe when I see its mischievous face. Not the easiest website to navigate – click on the yellow “Collections” seal to get the goods! I used to decorate the Kraft paper cover with fruit labels from my apples and bananas – the notebooks got a lot of attention. A great choice for the eco-minded student of any age.

Some general tips and ideas of what to look for on the back-to-school shopping trip:

• Wait – buy the basics ONLY: Don’t buy everything on the list right away. Most things will sell out, Staples will be an absolute zoo, and you’ll end up spending more on things you like less. Get the basics (notebooks, pencils, pens, etc.) and hold out for the next wave of school supplies to get the good stuff. There’s always the urge to buy everything all at once, but I would argue that this is not the best approach. Remember your old friends the internet and the credit card – you can order those Earthzone pencils and make do with an old chewed one for the time being.

• Mechanical pencils: If you can’t find the super-cool Earthzone newspaper pencils (and I’d argue that you’re not trying hard enough – you can buy them online!), the next best option would be a pencil that has a reusable core that you can refill again and again. On a funny note, I remember writing a letter to The Body Shop when I was 12 because I was suspicious that their “Save the Rainforest” campaign products included pencils made from rainforest wood (looked exactly the same as the interior of the cheap bad-for-the-environment type). I took their silence as an admission of guilt. I switched to LUSH shortly after, and I've been using mechanical pencils ever since.

• Used clothes: Yes, it might be hard to get your teenager on board for this one, but if you hit up all the great second-hand and consignment places in the city (Shine, Pink Elephant on Commercial, My Sister’s Closet, Turnabout, Happy3, The Blue Room, etc.), I’m sure there will be something of interest to them. I bought a BCBG sweater from Happy3 once that caused a sales associate at the BCBG in Pacific Centre to come up to me and complain that I managed to get one before they sold out. She said she thought about buying the navy one, but the brown was her first choice and she was very jealous that I had snapped one up! Didn’t have the heart to tell her I only spent $40 on it and it was used, but I am pretty pleased with myself all the same.

• YokoYaya/Daiso has sturdy plastic reusable report covers: There’s almost nothing at the Daiso or YokoYaya that’s environmentally sound, unfortunately. But if you shop wisely and choose durable items that will stand up to more than one school year (or more than one semester, depending how rough your kid is with their belongings!), you might be able to come out on top in terms of economy. Look for cheap but sturdy fabric pencil cases, too (at YokoYaya, they’re by the socks and underwear – probably meant as cosmetic cases but whatever). Also recommended: the cola-scented erasers. They’re probably horrid for the earth, but they smell great, look cool and work well. Yeah, I sold out. I liked them too much. http://www.yokoyaya.com/

• Etsy and handmade: Yes, it’s my answer to everything. Handmade notebooks made of repurposed LP’s for covers and pencil cases that you can’t find anywhere else. Want to keep your kid busy making their own supplies instead? Why not learn to crochet and make their own 3-ring binder pouch – there is an easy to follow free pattern on Rachel Choi’s CrochetSpot website: http://www.crochetspot.com/crochet-pattern-3-ring-binder-pouch/ (or here for the purchased pattern: http://www.crochetspot.com/crochet-pattern-3-ring-binder-pouch-version-2/ ). A good way to use up yarn scraps, and can easily be personalized by changing colours. For free general crochet instructions and tutorials, visit the Crochet Cabana: http://www.crochetcabana.com/ 

 Know of another green choice for back-to-school shopping? Share it - leave a comment below!

Cheap Eats!

A quick tip for those on a tight budget living in Kitsilano: the New Apple Farm Market at 4^th and Vine sells bags of “ripe-right-now” and slightly bruised/discoloured fruits and vegetables for 99 cents apiece. 

I have to admit that I’ve never found such offers particularly appetizing, but yesterday we went to pick up some fruit for immediate smoothie purposes. (Incidentally, the local blueberries are cheap and plentiful right now - blueberries really ARE a ‘superfood’ and are worth eating as much as you can of!).

I figured that for less than a buck, two ripe mangoes was a no-brainer. I also saw a bag of red peppers (4) for the same price. I love red peppers – I put them in everything. But one of the best uses for them is “Roasted Red Pepper Sauce”, page 119 of Moosewood Restaurant ‘New Classics’ cookbook (or a roasted red pepper dressing in ReBar Modern Food cookbook, page 174 – the indescribably delicious Santa Fe Pasta Salad recipe). You need these cookbooks! Buy them used through Amazon.ca or at your local second-hand bookstore. You can bet that a ‘used’ cookbook won’t be covered in grease stains and food since the recipient or purchaser obviously didn’t regard it as useful. I bought my Moosewood New Classics “used” on Amazon.com for less than half of the price advertised for a new copy, and this “used – in good condition” book arrived with the Costco price tag still on it, in immaculate condition. Sweet deal!

Check out the New Apple Farm Market bargain bin (at front of store, outside towards Vine Street) for cheap veggies that you will be slicing and dicing the same day.

Homemade Cleaning Solutions

Disclaimer: I’m not an expert in any way on any subject. I can make no promises that taking my advice will be safe or beneficial to you and your household! In fact, it may even be dangerous, so please follow any advice with caution and always consult a professional (medical, architectural, etc.) before trying out anything you read in my blog. I cannot be held responsible for any injuries or damage that may result to anyone or anything from trying out what I hope to be helpful tips! Thanks, and have fun using your common sense! - Hayley

Toxic, prettily packaged germ-fighting, soap-scum busting, “use in a well-ventilated area” commercial cleaning products STINK. Yes, not only will you kill brain cells, you’ll also kill your household cleaning budget.

Take it from me, who has an undergraduate degree in Microbiology and the uncanny ability to make any food container mould over in record time – you probably don’t need to completely disinfect your home on a daily basis, despite what the television commercials suggest. If you have small children or are pregnant or otherwise immuno-compromised, or have an elderly relative to worry about, spraying your doorknobs and faucets with Lysol is not a bad idea. Same goes if you’ve had an outbreak of a nasty virus or infectious agent – follow the advice of your knowledgeable health care professional! But apart from that, do you really need to destroy every potential living thing on every surface? How much bacteria are there on a given surface to begin with? 

For starters, bacteria like warm, dark and moist places (your mouth and other bodily orifices, sinks, wet gym strip and towels, etc.). Your linoleum floor is obviously not an ideal place for a dangerous bacterium to settle down and start a family. Keeping it clean to prevent build-up of dirt and grime is pretty much all that is necessary.

There are some key areas where it makes good sense to keep bacterial growth to a minimum (the toilet and sink, for example). Surprisingly, it’s not the usually bathroom where the really hazardous bacteria live (unless you have a house guest with cholera, that is). The biggest reservoir of nasty, potentially virulent bacteria, fungi and mould is the kitchen sink and the damp sponge that accompanies it. And cutting boards are a close second. It just makes sense – bacteria that can thrive in food (Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus) are found in food, and living in an environment where it’s nice and damp (water in sink and drain, damp sponge, damp cracks in cutting board) and where there’s lots of microscopic food debris (fuel for the little pests) is basically tantamount to microbiological heaven. And since you’ll be preparing and storing food in the kitchen, there’s a good chance of cross-contamination (i.e. food poisoning)! Yes, your toilet will have enterobacteria (bacteria that live in your guts, and that includes some that aren’t beneficial – the opportunistic pathogens), but how likely are you to end up ingesting (eating!) something that’s come into contact with the toilet? Not very, unless you don’t wash your hands after using the toilet and then reach for a sandwich or finger food.

Some advice to live well and not have to disinfect your entire home on a daily basis with nasty chemicals:

• Wash your hands really well. 30-60 seconds or longer, regular soap and warm water will do, and scrub the nails and cuticles, between your fingers, all along your thumb, the back of your hand and your wrists, and to get under the nails without a nailbrush (which is a fantastic invention), bury your fingers into your soapy palms and scrub back and forth. Note that this won’t exactly work on long nails and will be uncomfortable if you have them. Trim the claws or get a nailbrush to compensate. Dry your hands thoroughly (all the same places – nails, between fingers, everywhere). Washing your hands often and well is a great habit to adopt, but if your skin gets dry, invest in some moisturizer. Or simply rub a little olive oil (one tsp goes a long way) into your hands. 
• Microwave your kitchen sponge UNTIL IT IS DRY. Be careful not to make it burn, of course, but steaming and boiling your sponge dry in microwave radiation will kill what’s living in it and make it inhospitable. Works great and it’s a good way to get more life out of your sponge. It will also make your kitchen infinitely safer! For my cellulose sponge and microwave, it takes about 3 minutes on High power to dry it out. I also store it away from the damp sink.

Why don’t I recommend anti-bacterial soap? Easy! Do you know what cells are made of? Well, with some variation for adaptation to specific environments, cells have a phospholipid bilayer that acts as their skin, essentially. Phospholipids are basically fat (lipids) with phosphate groups on them. The phosphate groups are hydrophilic (meaning they like water and aqueous environments) and the lipid portion doesn’t like water at all (oil and water don’t mix!). So what happens is that a double layer of phospholipids naturally forms, with the fats in the middle away from the water, and the phosphate groups outside. 

Soaps and detergents dissolve fats, right? Well, technically they emulsify oils, meaning that the soap breaks the fat droplets into such tiny pieces in such a way as to ‘dissolve’ them in water – then you can just rinse them away! The same thing will apply to the lipids in a biological membrane. This is why any old detergent will kill most bacteria – the bacterial cells will rupture and the organism will die. The more you expose regular, easy-to-kill bacteria to anti-bacterial soaps and other products, the more resistant the bacteria will get until it takes a new, undiscovered chemical to kill it. Remember that you are made up of trillions of cells, too. If it’s toxic to bacteria, it’s also likely toxic to you!!! 

Don’t forget that you have the most incredible system in the world working defence for you – your immune system. There are studies suggesting that exposure to pathogens actually HELPS your immune system (why kids who grow up on a farm almost NEVER have asthma – it’s called the hygiene theory of allergies if you want to look up more on the subject). Let your kids eat dirt – I could write about how insanely awesome the human immune system is for days on end, but will resist for the sake of the reader.

• Boiling water straight from your kettle will kill! Yes, good old boiling H₂O will beat the snot out of almost everything. Whenever I boil water for tea, I boil the full 1.5 litre capacity. I usually only use about 500 mL, so that means I have a whole litre of boiling water to douse my stainless steel sink with. It kills better than a lot of commercial cleaners, and it’s practically FREE!

One note of discretion – plastic plumbing (or plastic-lined pipes) will likely not enjoy boiling water. Look under the sink to see or ask your landlord if this is safe first!

I also like to lay out a reusable rag (ditch the paper towels – they’re flimsy and expensive) on a cutting board and then pour boiling water on that. Works on countertops, too, especially if they’re old crappy rental-suite formica (wouldn’t recommend this on marble….again, consult your landlord or an expert in the field before following this advice). Just let the rag sit there, steaming, killing whatever’s trapped beneath. Free, healthy and incredibly effective. Awesome, if you ask me.

• Grade-school science: the ol’ vinegar and baking soda trick. Remember the volcanoes you made that spilled over and made a colossal mess when you poured in a little vinegar? Well now you can have the same satisfaction cleaning your sinks and toilet, and clearing the drain, too! Don’t buy Drano and similar products unless you absolutely, positively have exhausted ALL other options – it’s pure evil to the waterways! With about ½ a cup of baking soda and ½ a cup of vinegar (equal amounts – you could make a really big eruption if you wanted some entertainment….!) and about 30 minutes chased with some boiling water, you can get those slow drains working with the magic of basic acid-base chemistry! First send down the baking soda, then pour on the vinegar and enjoy the carbon dioxide spewing out, bubbling and pushing around the bits of gunk that were stuck. Wait about half an hour and wash it all away with your kettle, and that’s it! I use this in my slow and pathetic toilet to bubble off all the crud that builds up because the bowl never empties, minus the boiling water plus a quick scrub with a toilet brush at the end of the 30 minutes. The fizzing makes me happy. Another tip is to make a scrub out of baking soda and a little splash of water to get tiles and tubs shiny. Another item to buy is a hair trap for your shower drain (fits over the drain – usually white plastic disk-shaped with a mesh in the centre) – such an easy way to keep your drains running freely.

Again, apply common sense here – boiling water is hot and dangerous. Don’t splash it in your face or spill it on skin. And do be kind to your plumbing. The hot water could even crack your sink or toilet, so please again consider all eventualities before following any advice here.

• Vinegar and water: yes, it works! A 1:1 ratio (equal parts) of vinegar to water will clean just about everything – windows, floors, countertops, you name it! You can heat it up in the microwave (glass containers), you can customize with a little lemon juice or lime zest or drops of essential oils (but keep the add-ons out if you’re cleaning windows or mirrors!), and it’s cheap and efficient.

• Borax – how to make your dishwasher detergent go farther, and an alternative to vinegar and water cleaning solutions. Make a mix of 1:1 (equal parts) generic powdered dishwasher detergent and Borax and store it in a container. Use this to fill your powdered detergent reservoir. It’s cheaper and cleans really well! Borax and hot water can also be used to make a floor cleaning solution – I cheat and add a tiny splash of Tangerine Dream VIP dish washing liquid to help cut the grease. Borax has a ton of other uses: laundry (they say for baby clothes, but it’s best not to expose your infant to appreciable amounts of sodium borate (Borax) as there appears to be some developmental toxicity associated with its use on children), deodorizer (sprinkle in the garbage can), carpet clean up (sprinkle on wet spills and vacuum when dry), stain removal and as a scrub for tubs and tiles. Works great for cleaning and deodorizing toilet bowls and rims, too.

• Microfibre cloths – can be used wet (water) or dry. Will make mirrors and windows spotless, and bathroom taps and stainless shine! You don’t even need a cleaner! Dry, and without grit, they can safely clean computer monitors and TV screens. Find them for cheap at YokoYaya or at most dollar stores. Reusable and really, really easy!

• Homemade air fresheners – especially good if you don’t like the smell of your vinegar solution! You can simmer a pot of water with the zest (grated rind) of citrus fruits, or cinnamon sticks, or spices, or lemon juice to scent your kitchen and apartment. But that takes electricity, so it’s not the greenest option. Why not bake some bread or roast some garlic while you clean instead? A simmering pasta sauce with sautéed onions will smell like dinner and easily overpower the vinegar scent. Other air fresheners include old-fashioned pomanders (oranges stuck with cloves and hung from a ribbon – I have never made one that hasn’t moulded, for the record. I hear Orris root powder helps, but I’ve never found it for sale. Cinnamon is purported to have anti-fungal properties – good for dusting broken roots of orchids in during transplanting – so maybe you could dust the pomander with it as well). I often just mince the end slice of a lemon that I’d throw away anyway and leave it sitting on the cutting board or in a bowl. People with garburators often throw down lemons or portions of lemons for the same reason (but garburators aren’t very energy efficient, so avoid using them when possible).

And that’s about it! There are a few things like soap-scum that don’t come away easily, and that’s where the rags come in and the homemade scrubs (Borax or baking soda mixed with a little water). You’d be amazed with what you can do with a cut-up old towel and some muscle! And if that’s not working, VIP soaps/Echoclean make ecologically sound (and nicely priced!) green cleaners to help you out on the tough jobs.

The bottom line today is that products that kill viruses and bacteria can potentially kill you too. Try making your own homemade cleaners this month! Some cautions: NEVER, ever mix bleach and ammonia together (even accidentally, like cleaning with Vim (bleach-based) and then spraying with Windex (contains ammonia)! Be careful!) because of the poisonous gas that forms! And keep in mind that carbon dioxide will displace oxygen, so don’t go sticking your face next to the bubbling vinegar and baking soda expecting to breathe freely.

Further tip – did you know that you can crochet or knit a cover for your Swiffer or generic flat floor sweeper/mop? You might even be able to stitch one out of an old towel. Imagine how handy that would be! Some links to free patterns for Swiffer-compatible crocheted and knitted cleaning cloths on Ravelry.com:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/crochet-biffer-shrug

and

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/zoom

Happy cleaning and again, take any advice with a grain of salt!