This month, you can "seas the day":
  by using ocean-friendly cleaners. Picture yourself swimming this summer at your favorite ocean beach, lake, or local river. Now think about whether you’d like to go swimming in everything that gets poured down the drain. Of all the everyday substances to which people are exposed, household cleaning products rank among the most toxic. You can have a clean home and beautiful yard while protecting the health of your family and our ocean. Simple alternatives to commercial cleaners, including inexpensive ingredients such as baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice can stretch your dollars and keep your home fresh, clean, and safe. Try these inexpensive and effective ocean-friendly home cleaning recipes!
 by reducing waste while cleaning. Save your old socks and shirts to use as washable rags for cleaning and dusting. When washing windows, old newspapers work well with warm water and a little bit of vinegar, and the newspapers can be recycled afterwards. If you do buy commercial products, make sure to avoid commonly found household cleansers that contain signal words such as "caution," "warning," "danger," or "poison" which can be deadly for all sorts of life. Instead, purchase non-toxic household cleaners in concentrated or bulk versions to reduce packaging waste. Using fewer disposable products benefits the ocean. For example, paper towel production costs trees and most times involves bleaching with chlorine that pollutes waterways. Plastics are nearly all oil-based, pollute our waterways, choke animals, and are creating a sea of plastic.
 by creating a less hazardous home. Say "Yes" to a healthier home and a living ocean by making the switch from toxic products to effective non-toxic and "green" alternatives. In addition to home cleaners mentioned already, many homes are full of other hazardous materials, such as paint, yard chemicals, and pesticides. Learn more about household hazardous waste. Find the proper recycling centers for all your household products and dispose of them safely. Each year for example, Americans throw away over 84,000 tons of alkaline batteries; unless recycled, old batteries end up in a landfill and will corrode, leaching poisons into groundwater and local water supplies for years to come. Consider investing in greener, rechargeable batteries. They cost more up front, but will save you money over time, and help our ocean planet. This spring, remember to participate in your community's hazardous waste collection or recycling program and if your town or city doesn't have one yet, encourage your elected officials to start one! Your neighbors and the ocean animals will thank you for taking the initiative!
|
