Accidentally Green

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

Naturally Scare Away Spiders

I HATE spiders. It doesn’t matter what size they are or how they benefit the environment … they give me the heebie jeebies. Spiders aren’t repelled by chemicals, so forget trying to spray them away. If you’d like to prevent spiders from living in or around your home, here are some natural tips: Clean your house! Don’t give spiders a chance to spin their webs anywhere inside (or outside) your home. Regularly clean your home and dust or sweep away any spider webs. Remove clutter, too. ... Read more

Natural Ways to Repel Mosquitoes

Did you know there are many natural ways to repel mosquitoes? Since all of these are natural remedies, pick one to try before you head outside again!

Read more mosquito prevention and repelling tips in my eBook, Repelled. Every summer, mosquitoes drive me inside more than anything else. Even if I’ve been having a great time outside all day long, as soon as the mosquitoes start to bite, I know it’s time to head for home. I could easily spray on a synthetic  repellent, but I can’t stand wearing something so fumey. Besides – I’d rather not expose myself or my loved ones to DEET, especially since it’s toxic and easily absorbed by ... Read more

Repelling Insects Quite Naturally

Read more mosquito prevention and repelling tips in my eBook, Repelled. It should come as no surprise that pesticides are toxic. Most people are aware that they’re filled with hazardous ingredients. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that pesticides are known to irritate eyes and skin, cause birth defects, cancer, and nerve damage. Some disrupt the endocrine system. Others are carcinogens. Clearly, pesticides are not safe for anyone. But unsuspecting children and pets may ... Read more

Shopping for Safe Sunscreens

When shopping for safe sunscreens, look for a few important things. First, make sure the sunscreen offers protection against both UVA and UVB. Not every sunscreen protects against both kinds of rays, so choose products that have titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or avobenzone as active ingredients. Look for phrases like “UVA/UVB protection,” “broad spectrum” or “multi spectrum.” 1 SPF As I explained on Tuesday, SPF doesn’t give you extra protection from the sun – it simply allows you to stay ... Read more

Two Ingredients Make Sunscreens Dangerous

Yesterday I explained what sunscreen does and doesn’t do – including the fact that it doesn’t prevent skin cancer. Sadly, most sunscreens in the American market do expose people to toxins. (Part of this problem is due to a decision the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s made in 1978: they declined to set sunscreen safety standards. 1 Strangely enough, they have never tried to revisit setting any standards.) In May, the Environmental Working Group released their 2011 Sunscreen Guide. After ... Read more

What Do Sunscreens Do?

Why do you apply sunscreen? Do you want to protect yourself against UVB rays? UVA rays? Are you trying to prevent skin cancer? Did you know that sunscreen does not protect you against skin cancer?This definitely was news to me. I guess I assumed sunscreen was a magical potion that could protect you from many of the sun’s evils. But it turns out that sunscreen just prolongs the amount of time you can be exposed to the sun without getting a sunburn. The Environmental Working Group reports ... Read more

My Own Sunscreen Story

Growing up, I remember using sunscreen on sunny summer days. Not every day when I played outside (my family lived in the woods ... I was used to shade), but definitely any trip to a swimming pool, lake, or vacationing in Florida. When I was a teenager and my family started taking beach vacations, I used sunscreen, but after laying out for hours I looked like Neapolitan ice cream – white where my bathing suit had been, brown where I had tanned, and pink in the areas that burned. I used an awful ... Read more

Trouble With Bubbles

Yesterday I shared an idea for rainy day summer fun. Today, I have a sunny day idea for you and your family. Earlier this week, I bought Big Brother and Little Sister a pretty cool set of bubble wands. The wands came with a container of “Billion Bubbles” bubble juice. The kiddos loved trying to blow bubbles and chase them around. While they were playing contentedly, I refilled their bubble juice and glanced at the container. Big mistake. A perfectly happy bubble blowing experience was ... Read more

Homemade Finger Paint Is Easy Rainy Day Fun

We had a LOT of rain in Ohio this spring. And as a stay-at-home mom, I’ve tried a lot of creative ways to pass time on our rainy days. In case you’re stuck inside this summer, I’d highly recommend making your own finger paint. It’s easy, cheap, you know what it’s made of, your children will have a lot of fun making it with you, and they'll love painting for a long time. When I made it with my children, Big Brother loved helping me stir the ingredients. Then he and Little Sister started ... Read more

Revisiting Accidentally Green’s Purpose

Exactly why do I think it’s important to make healthy decisions that honor God and happen to help the environment? First and foremost, it glorifies God. As 1 Corinthians 10:31 admonishes, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Quite frankly, exposing yourself to a bunch of toxins does not glorify God. Second Corinthians 7:1 instructs us to “purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for ... Read more

Sharing a Few Green Things I Do Around My Home

I’ve disclosed a lot about my personal life this month, and thought I’d finish May by sharing just a few more things that I do. They’re nothing major, but they are cheap, healthy, easy and help the environment, too. Last year I switched to glass storage containers for our food. I LOVE them. It’s pretty handy to be able to microwave leftovers in the storage containers. I started out with two sets of Pyrex dishes with lids, but now I’m adding to my collection. I also use glass canning ... Read more

My Cosmetics of Choice

When I learned about the toxic ingredients included in so many personal care products, one of my greatest concerns was my cosmetics. At the time I used a lot – which ones were safe and which were dangerous? Cosmetics ended up being one of the most difficult areas for me to transition to safe products, just because it’s hard to find many at normal stores. And, they tend to be pricey when bought online. After trying different products for the past four years, I’ve finally found some affordable ... Read more

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