[pepper]

that's a great question, i'll have to do some research.

what kind of energy info are you looking for?

[venetia]

all but 2-3% of cancer is related to diet, only 2-3% is hereditary

Pepper, where does that put skin cancers from UV radiation? Or are you just talking about tumours?

Hey does anyone know anything about affordable energy alternatives (eg solar power)?

[pepper]

hey ya go, flushable diapers.

the oven cleaner thing was just too easy, i googled it and got tons of hits.

[lapis]

Hi everybody,
I have two green questions.
1. Any suggestions for oven cleaner?
2. So, in your opinions what is the best diapering route for a new baby in a state with a water crisis? I had planned to cloth diaper but am worried about the drought. Diaper service is out. Any ideas?

[phobia]

Hey, I heard this article summarized on local NPR today. Really interesting.

A low-fat vegetarian diet is very efficient in terms of how much land is needed to support it. But adding some dairy products and a limited amount of meat may actually increase this efficiency, Cornell researchers suggest.

...

"The key to conserving land and other resources with our diets is to limit the amount of meat we eat and for farmers to rely more on grazing and forages to feed their livestock," said Jennifer Wilkins, senior extension associate in nutritional sciences who specializes in the connection between local food systems and health and co-authored the study with Gary Fick, Cornell professor of crop and soil sciences. "Consumers need to be aware that foods differ not only in their nutrient content but in the amount of resources required to produce, process, package and transport them."

Probably not a lot that farmers haven't known for a while, but interesting nonetheless. I try hard to buy local produce, which is easy since the local supermarket chain (Wegman's) makes a really big effort to support logal agriculture. And Upstate cheese is yummy. There's this lady at the local Farmer's Market who does whole-milk, unpasteurized, grass-fed, old-world style cheeses (I think there's a loophole regarding how you distribute your product so she can sell the unpasteurized stuff, but I dunno) that freaking ROCK. She's got pamphelets showing her cows all hanging out in the fields looking chill.

Oh also, this creepy guy in a white kidnapper van totally accosted me in my (still fairly brand-new) Prius the other day to ask about my gas mileage. CREEPY!!!

[pepper]

great video about the direct relation between animal protein consumption and tumor growth. this guy has been personally involved in several long term dietary studies, he grew up on a dairy farm and became a scientist, through his studies he found irrefutable proof that animal protein causes cancer. all but 2-3% of cancer is related to diet, only 2-3% is heriditary (!!!!!!!).

[faerietails2]

I just read this article about how New York City is the single-biggest U.S. destroyer of Amazon rainforests. That's where they get their wood for all the boardwalks, park benches, etc!

"If deforestation continues at its present rate, within four years it will be the single-greatest contributor to climate change, pumping a staggering amount of CO2 into the atmosphere -- more than all the flights in the history of aviation."

Yikes! This is awful.

[yuefie]

Kitten, there is a soy based cleaner by Biokleen similar to "SoftScrub" that is pretty good. The trick for me is finding it locally. I actually ordered it at drugstore.com.

I love the way Method's cucumber all purpose spray cleaner leaves my kitchen smelling.

[Alotta Errata]

Sweet! Good to know. I'm a recent Dr. Bronner's convert and so i haven't had to refill yet... my grocer doesn't have the big jugs (heh... big jugs) so I'll have to check the Dr. Bronner's site when it comes time.

[lilacwine13]

Alotta, I checked Amazon and they didn't have the size I was looking for, but I checked Dr. Bronner's website and they have what I was looking for, plus free shipping. Good suggestion, though, usually Amazon doesn't let me down.

[Alotta Errata]

lilac, have you looked on amazon.com? they offer lots of stuff in bulk (including seventh generation et al) so they might have Dr. Bronners, and they might even have free shipping on it.

[lilacwine13]

I use Dr. Bronner's too, both for myself and the house. Usually I mix it with some vinegar for washing the floor and the walls, and it works great. Only problem I have is that the store I used to go to refill my bottle went out of business and I can't find another place in my area where they sell it in bulk.

[pollystyrene]

I use dr. bronner's as a body wash, since I'm allergic to just about everything else. I keep meaning to use it for household cleaning, too.

Lemon and salt can also be used to clean wood cutting boards, too.

[freckleface7]

here is a link for a catelog I get, called Gaiam Living.
it's all organic & natural stuff, ranging in price from affordable to not so much, but they offer a ton of cleaning products.


http://www.gaiam.com/retail/gai_CatalogLan...e.asp?page_id=2

pepper, I have used lemon & salt for my coffee pot but never thought to use it for anything else -- really?
cool! I'll have to try that!

thanks!

[pepper]

i mix baking soda with dr bronner's castile soap (i use the tea tree oil but peppermint is a disinfectant too) and that cleans amazingly well. i like that i am cleaning with things that i can put in my mouth 'cause with kids in the house you just Know they're getting it into theirs!

lemon and salt together make a pretty good scrub, 'specially for pots and pans.

that orange peel based cleaner is amazing too. orange glo or tko are the natural brands i think. it's pretty pricey but it's super concentrated so it lasts forever.

[mouse]

bon ami is good, also maybe try vinegar? letting it soak a bit first?

[lilacwine13]

Baking soda is fine for cleaning the bathroom, as long as the stain isn't too stubborn. I use it and aside from having to scrub a little harder in certain spots, it works fine. Usually I don't mix it with water, I just sprinkle it on the surface and scrub.

I might have to try borax, though. There are some marks on my sink that refuse to budge.

[pollystyrene]

I confirmed from a few sources that Bon Ami is chlorine-, dye- and perfume-free. Looks like you can also use Borax for a myriad of stuff, including as a scrubber in the bathroom. Here's a PDF brochure listing it's many uses.

[freckleface7]

yah, the green thread! I'm a doopa bc I never read it before now .

kittenb: try baking soda.
mix it w/ a little water , to make a sort of paste.
I haven't tried this yet, but seems like it Should work?

also, look for a line of cleaning products by a company called Sun & Earth (.com?)
I have/am using their organic laundry det/liq fab softer (wonderful stuff!!) but am really in luv w/ their organic multipurpose spray cleaner. I use it for my counters and sinks and even to mop my floors. plus it cleans glass w/out streaks (tho they make a seperate glass cleaner I haven't tried yet) and leaves everything super clean and smelling litely citrusy.

[kittenb]

Thanks for bumping this, raisingirl.
Here is my current question. I've started using the Target cleaner Method brand for almost all of my cleaning needs to make my house "greener." However, I cannot find a substitute to Comet cleaner that I like to really scrub my bathtub. I've tried just mixing salt with the green cleaner but I didn't like the results. Can anyone think of anything that might work? I want a soft abrasive that works like bleach but isn't.
Thanks!