Earth Day is celebrated by The Oregon Garden

April 22, 11:02 AMOregon Green Living ExaminerShelly Wilkerson

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Photo of Earth as seen from space while it rotates past the sun

Even though today, April 22nd, is indeed Earth Day, The Oregon Garden decided to celebrate the day on April 18th. The day was chosen so that more people could join them on this wonderful day on a non-workday.

Earth Day was started in the spring of 1970 to honor the “Zero Population Growth” on the earth. The thought was that the bigger the population got the bigger the issues would become. The Oregon Garden decided to help out in the efforts by holding an Earth Day celebration. During the celebration there were many lectures, children’s projects, as well as tress donated by a local nursery to help out in the efforts and to commemorate the 150th birthday.

One of the many lectures given at The Oregon Garden on the Earth Day celebration was the “Making your own Green Cleaning Products” lecture given by the Oregon Environmental Council (OEC), or Oregon Green Council. Jen Coleman, the speaker, gave insight on how to switch your toxin chemical cleaning products to more healthier options that get the job done just as well. Jen moved to Oregon in December 2008, during the heavy snow storm, and currently lives in Portland, Oregon. She's currently with the OEC and has been an avid user of chemical-free and toxin-free cleaning agents for many years now.

“The purpose of the Oregon Green Council, is to help make healthier choice and to get the government to change their ways as well when it comes to cleaning with better products”, Jen stated to the group. “It’s not the short-term effects of chemicals; it’s the long-term effects that aren’t really thought about. How are these chemicals effecting us long term?” “Thylates mimic hormones in the body and can have adverse effects on anyone that breathes them in long term“, she added. “And many of them are found right in aerosol sprays that are sold in many grocery stores.”

Simple changes in your cleaning routine can be taken to make life a lot easier and your house healthier for yourself, your family and even your pets. Pouring chemicals down the drain, breathing the chemicals in and spending a lot of money could all be avoided by just making the right choice when it comes to cleaning. Here are a few hints that the Oregon Green Council recommends.

• Straight Vinegar: This product can clean almost anything, such as sticker residue, soap scum, coffee makers, and even laundry. And it won’t affect septic tanks either.

• Baking Soda (bicarbonate of soda): Baking soda can do most of your scrubbing in a non chemical form. You can add essential oils to the baking soda and set in a dish in your bathroom to work just like a deodorizer over the spray options.

• Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia): Tea tree oil is a great option for removing musty smells from laundry, pet’s beds and even in and around basements.

• Hydrogen Peroxide: Hydrogen peroxide works just as great as chlorine bleach but without the harmful side-effects.

• Castile Soap: Dr. Bronner’s offers a wide range of castile soap options from lavender, to peppermint and they can be used to wash dishes, laundry and even your body too. Castile soap or any veggie-based soap can be used in place of the regular soaps in your home.

• Natural Room Fresheners: Aerosol sprays seem the easiest to use when it comes to freshening our homes, but they contain a lot of harmful chemicals that can affect our bodies in the long run. Instead choose natural scents that come from essential oils or even make your own. Some examples that the Oregon Green Council recommends are ones such as a pomander, baking soda or cotton ball with essential oil drops, increase the air flow in the room, or simmer a pot with equal parts water and vinegar for a few minutes.

• Borax: Borax is a natural way to whiten clothes of chlorine bleach.

• Salt/Vinegar/Flour: This mixture will remove tarnish from your cooking pots and silver.

Always look at the label before buying any cleaning products. The warning labels are there for a reason. Look for the Third-Party-Certification on any cleaning products that claim they are all-natural as well.

Happy Earth Day!