Accidentally Green

Making Healthy Decisions That Honor God and Happen to Help the Environment

You’ll Never Guess Why I Can’t Use Fels-Naptha Soap

Even though it’s been sold for more than a hundred years, I never heard of Fels-Naptha bar soap until I started making my own laundry detergent four years ago. I bought a case of the soap and loved smelling the fragrance – both when I made the soap and then when I used it when washing clothes. I never gave a second thought about its safety, though – until I noticed an article on Livestrong.com. One potential conflict is that naptha is a petroleum-derived ... Read more

Is Murphy Oil Soap Safe Enough for my Family?

If there’s one smell that transports me to my past, it’s Murphy Oil Soap. One sniff and I’m back helping my mom scrub the house with the warm, soapy water during summer vacations. Then the longer I smell it, the more I realize it also reminds me of college. Every year I moved in to a new dorm room, my mom would wash out all the dresser drawers and woodwork with Murphy Oil Soap and water. For some reason, the smell lingered for a few days, and now it’s my scent of anticipating new ... Read more

How (And How Not) to Remove Carpet Padding From Hardwood Floors

When my husband and I finally took possession of our new home we discovered a gem: finished hardwood floors underneath nasty carpet in our entire upstairs. We knew we wanted to tear out the carpet as soon as possible, and after hours of stripping wallpaper, priming and painting, we were ready. The results were great in our daughter's bedroom, and not so shabby in the hall and the master bedroom. Then we discovered the floor in our son's bedroom. What a mess. The hardwood looked ... Read more

My Love/Hate Relationship with Castile Soap

  If you mention “castile soap” in green circles, you’ll probably hear overwhelmingly positive feedback. You can use it to clean everything. It’s natural. It’s safe. Heck, the Dr. Bronner’s brand even markets it as “magic soap.” I do like using castile soap. But I don’t always love it … mainly because of a few major disasters I’ve had while using it. Love it! Castile soap is a great product made of organic, vegetarian oils. Dr. Bronner’s includes water, organic coconut oil, organic olive ... Read more

The Day I Realized Healthy Choices Don’t Guarantee Health

Healthy choices are better than unhealthy ones, but they're not a guarantee for a problem-free life.

Healthy choices are better than unhealthy ones, but they're not a guarantee for a problem-free life. Growing up, healthy choices weren't important to me. I never gave a second thought to healthy eating or exercise. And I never considered the safety (or hazards) of products. Quite naively, I thought that because I lived in First World America, my products and food all were safe --- and good for me. When I realized this was not the case --- and I had spent a lifetime consuming ... Read more

Avoid Synthetic Bug Sprays with All-Natural Repellents

Insect repellents are necessary, but safe choices are hard to find. Instead of synthetic bug sprays, I like all-natural repellents.

Insect repellents are necessary, but safe choices are hard to find. Instead of synthetic bug sprays, I like all-natural repellents. Disclosure: This post is brought to you by Butterbean Organics. I still remember crawling into an orange pup tent as a child, excited for my first campout in my parents’ wooded backyard. I can hear the crickets and tree frogs in my memories … and smell the overpowering scents of a DEET-based mosquito spray. It was hard to get to sleep, partially because of ... Read more

The Day I Learned I Could Cook Real Food

After a life of eating processed food, I was sure I couldn't cook real food. Was I wrong!! I've found it's easy and affordable to cook real food.

After a life of eating processed food, I was sure I couldn't cook real food. Was I wrong!! I've found it's easy and affordable to cook real food. Growing up, I never helped much in the kitchen. Oh, I’d look forward to baking Christmas cookies with my mom every December, and I’d make my own macaroni and cheese from a box for summertime lunches … but that was it. Once I graduated from college and moved far away from my family, I needed to figure out cooking on my own. Cooking for one ... Read more

The Night I Discovered Thrift Stores

After a lifetime of bargain shopping without thrift stores, my shopping changed once I tried thrift stores. I appreciate how it's affordable to repurpose quality clothing! Growing up, I was taught to be a good bargain shopper – to this day, I still gravitate toward sales racks and clearance sections. (Why spend extra money if you don’t have to?) Yet I never stepped foot in a thrift store. Ever. I was happy with my discount store deals, but when I got pregnant in 2007, I knew there was no ... Read more

The Day I Realized I Hated Gym Class

I admit - I skip exercising because I automatically remember that I hated gym class. But I need to practice my mental fitness and just do it. My health is too important not to fight to stay fit.

I admit that I skip exercising because I automatically remember that I hated gym class. But I need to practice my mental fitness and just do it. My health is too important not to fight to stay fit. I never thought much about physical activity when I was a child. I liked to play – and once I started school, recess and gym class were fun enough. I preferred other “specials” like art and music, but I don’t remember much about gym class – except for playing with parachutes and having ... Read more

Create a Safe and Simple Home

Create a safe and simple home with the help of a brand new eBook!

Create a safe and simple home with the help of a brand new eBook! Sometimes it can be hard to create a healthy home. You may know that you want a healthy home, but have no idea what to do … or where to start. I know this is true, because I faced the same situation eight years ago: I experienced a lot of trial and error. I attempted healthy changes that just weren’t easy. I changed my strategies to make the safest choices in the simplest ways. Now that I’ve lived it and ... Read more

The Day I Threw My Cosmetics Away

When it comes to safe and unsafe cosmetics, you can successfully take a jump into healthy choices. You might prefer baby steps, or need to make a huge change to jumpstart a healthy lifestyle. Do whatever works best for you!

Ready to start middle school, I was 12 years old when I was allowed to start wearing cosmetics. My mom took me to the drugstore and treated me to a pastel blue Caboodles container and way too many Cover Girl products – concealer, foundation, blush, eye shadow, pressed powder, and Lip Slickers lip gloss. I just had muted colors (which was fairly miraculous for the late ’80s!) so my makeup looked fairly natural. But I still had the cosmetics – and I wore them each and every school ... Read more

How to Go Green at the Hair Salon

If you're trying to go green at the hair salon, you have several options when it comes to products, stylists and salons.

Wondering how you can --- or why you should ---  go green at the hair salon?  A trip to the hair salon can be such a treat. It’s a chance to get pampered, get a fresh new look, and take a little bit of a break. But if you’re diligently trying to make healthy product choices, a visit to the hair salon has the potential to feel like a nightmare. Your hair can be lathered and slathered with all sorts of products. If you’re ultra-cautious about the ingredients in your products, ... Read more

100 Real Food Breakfast Recipes

Start your day with a few of these 100 real food breakfast recipes!

Start your day with a few of these 100 real food breakfast recipes! Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day – there are just so many delicious things to eat and drink! The great thing is that you don’t have to wait until morning to whip up a delicious breakfast; breakfast recipes are fantastic (and typically easy!) for brunch or brinner. I’ve compiled a list of 100 real food breakfast recipes from some of my favorite bloggers. Whip up a culinary masterpiece for Mother’s Day ... Read more

The Ultimate Guide to DIY Homemade Beauty Products {100+ recipes!}

Looking for DIY homemade beauty products? You’ll love this ultimate guide of more than 100+ all-natural recipes!

Looking for DIY homemade beauty products? You’ll love this ultimate guide of more than 100+ all-natural recipes! Creating your own DIY homemade beauty products is a fantastic way to know exactly what you’re putting on your body. You don’t have to worry about an ingredient list filled with words you can’t pronounce, and you don’t have to double check if the product’s legitimately safe or filled with toxins. Since you’re whipping together the product, you know what safe, ... Read more

Longing for a Resourceful, Old-Fashioned Way of Life

Green living does NOT have to be a radically different way of life. At its heart, green living simply embraces a commonsensical old-fashioned way of life and old-fashioned values.

Am I the only one longing for a resourceful, old-fashioned way of life? I miss the good old days. I know I’m not that old, but I still remember life during my childhood when people were less busy and more carefree. The late ‘70s and early ‘80s weren’t as hurried and harried. When kids had birthday parties, they were simple and fun. Think water balloons, pin the tail on the donkey, and homemade decorated sheet cakes. We rode bikes – without helmets. We drank water from the hose – without ... Read more

How to Help The Environment … Today

Today on Earth Day and on any other day of the year, the best way you can help the environment is to simply be mindful.

Happy Earth Day! I hope you’re able to celebrate the day by making some green differences in your home and neighborhood! As I consider how to best encourage you to make a difference in the health of the world and how to best help the environment, one obvious but simple tip popped into my mind. Be mindful. Today on Earth Day and on any other day of the year, the best way you can help the environment is to simply be mindful. Think about the decisions you’re making. Think about the ... Read more

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