Accidentally Green

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

Help! I Want to Go Green … Where Do I Start?

Do you want to go green but don’t know where to start? Or is green living not such a concern, but you’re not sure how to begin making healthier choices? I have some advice for you – start small. Where do I begin? Identify one area that concerns you the most and make one change. Maybe you’d like to use safer personal care products. Start by switching out one toxic product for a safe one. You could: Switch your antibacterial hand soap for a safer choice. Try a new shampoo that ... Read more

Cool Without Air Conditioning

Summer’s almost here and temperatures are heating up … how can you keep cool without using an air conditioner? As someone who just doesn’t like air conditioning, I know you can save a lot of energy (and money) by choosing other ways to cool your home. Open and shut Depending on what the weather is like, you may need to open your windows – or close them. On hot, hot days, open your windows at night, when it’s cool – and shut them in the morning. When you shut your windows, close the ... Read more

Help! I Can’t Afford to Buy Healthy Food!

Think you can't afford to buy healthy food with your strict budget? Think again. Years ago, when I mainly ate processed foods, I thought there was no way I could afford to buy healthy food. Shame on me – I don’t think I ever did a price analysis between processed and fresh foods. But it definitely was a perception for me. I wish I would have priced how much three pounds of Cheetos cost ($9.96) compared to three pounds of organic apples ($4.99). Once I started eating healthier – and ... Read more

Help! I’m Not Sure If I Should Vaccinate My Baby!

Unsure if you want to vaccinate your newborn or infant? I've been there. Here's my advice: Maybe you're pregnant and have read that your newborn will be getting a Hepatitis B vaccine before he or she comes home. Or maybe you're newborn is growing quickly and you've scheduled his or her 2-month well-check. There's a lot of talk about vaccines – but you're not sure who to believe. Do you trust your pediatrician who insists on a strict vaccine schedule? Or do you trust a friend whose child ... Read more

10 Ways to Reuse Newspapers

When I worked as a newspaper editor, much of the editorial staff remained humble because we knew that no matter how hard as we worked on each daily edition, our newspaper would end up lining someone’s birdcage. There’s nothing like poring over story, design and editing details for hours and knowing that, ultimately, all your hard work will end up in the trash. You may choose to line your birdcage with newspaper – if you have one. If you’re bird-free, though, and still subscribe to a ... Read more

Safe and Simple Weed Removal

If you have any sort of garden, yard, or stone path that you take care of, you know weeds can be a pain. Weeding stone sidewalks was one of the earliest chores I had as a child – and I hated the job. Now that I’m responsible for weeding flower gardens all around my house, I have a different perspective about weeding: I appreciate it. I’ve lived in dozens of different homes throughout my adult life, and most of them didn’t have outdoor room for gardening. Last summer as I complained to myself ... Read more

Help! My Spouse Doesn’t Care About Going Green!

Dealing with a spouse who just doesn’t care about going green? This is the most frequently asked question I receive ... and here's my insight on the issue: I’ve learned – both from my own marriage and observing plenty of others – that spouses change throughout the duration of a marriage. The changes may be minor or drastic, and they may be good or bad – but they happen. (Sorry, but if you’re thinking “I’ll be able to change my husband!” or “I can finally change my wife!” that’s not the kind ... Read more

Green Baby Shower Gift Ideas

If a woman will change to a healthier, greener lifestyle, I believe it is more likely to happen when she’s pregnant. It may happen at other times, but from my experience I’ve found that most healthy and green moms began changing once they became mothers. It makes perfect sense to me: when faced with the startling realization that they’re responsible for a helpless being’s health and welfare, many mothers-to-be look for safe and healthy options. Image courtesy of ... Read more

Green Bridal Shower Gift Ideas

Have you ever noticed that April showers seem to bring June weddings? With the summer wedding season approaching, this is a popular time for bridal showers.  Image courtesy of Nutdanai Apikhomboonwaroot/FreeDigitalPhotos.net If you’re wondering how to share your green lifestyle choices with the brides and grooms in your life, here are a few green shower gift ideas: Portable glass food storage containers Sometimes plastic food storage container sets seem like such a great deal – yet glass ... Read more

Think.

As I was thinking about what to write about on Earth Day, I have to admit that I was pretty clueless. I write about environmentally friendly topics often on Accidentally Green. In the past I’ve written about how to celebrate Earth Day – and I’ve shared how I believe it’s important to be a good steward of the planet God has given us. I realized that Earth Day isn’t such a big day for me – because every day should be Earth Day. Why should we treat the Earth with kindness just one day in ... Read more

6 Ways to Reuse Egg Cartons

If you buy eggs to eat, chances are you have egg cartons to dispose of – or reuse. Wondering how you can reuse egg cartons? Here are 6 different ways: 1. Chicken Farmers If you know someone who owns chickens, pass along your egg cartons – they’ll appreciate your recycling efforts. 2. Crafts If you’re looking for something creative to make – either for your artistic outlet or your kiddos’ – check out my Pinterest ideas for egg carton art. Both cardboard and Styrofoam egg cartons can be reused ... Read more

3 Ways to Reuse Eggshells

Do you use a lot of eggs? As an incredibly affordable source of protein, my family eats an awful lot for breakfast each morning (around 6 to 8 eggs between the four of us). Until my husband builds a compost bin later this spring, we’ve been wasting a lot of eggshells – especially since eggshells are made of calcium carbonate. All of that calcium (typically 750 milligrams per egg shell) could be helping around our home. Here are 3 ways to reuse eggshells: Eggshells in the ... Read more

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