The good news? One easy green way to save money on your electric bill is by buying CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulbs to replace all of your incandescent bulbs. According to the Energy Star program, CFLs use 75 percent less energy, last up to 10 times longer and also prevent over 450 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per bulb.

The bad news? Many of the CFLs on the market don’t pass the muster of the Energy Star ratings that they tout. They also contain excessive amounts of mercury, which is released into your house as mercury vapor if the bulb breaks. Mercury levels in the air can be very high for some time after a bulb breaks, and some of these Energy Star rated bulbs are illegal in Europe because of their high levels of mercury.

The environmental and financial benefits of using CFLs are clear, but the market is flooded with CFLs of all kinds. How can you tell which brands and models are best?

You’re in luck, because the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has done the work for you. They’ve listed hundreds of bulbs that don’t pass the Energy Star efficiency ratings, and come up with their picks of the top seven bulbs that do surpass the ratings, and contain the least amount of mercury.

The top performing bulbs with the lowest mercury content according to EWG:

• Earthmate Mini-Size Bulbs (13, 15, 20, & 23 Watt)
• Litetronics Neolite (10, 13, 15, 20, & 23 Watt)
• Sylvania Micro-Mini (13, 20, & 23 Watts)
• Sylvania DURA-ONE (reflector bulbs)
• Feit Ecobulb
• MaxLite
• Philips with Alto

Download your copy of EWG’s Lighting Guide (PDF) and refer to it when purchasing CFLs for your house, and reference the Bulbs with the Energy Star logo that fail 2008 standards list to make sure you’re not being swindled.

Image: Paul Keller at Flickr under Creative Commons

I’m a green entrepreneur and this is a new trend with more and more individuals going green but there are some big differences on what kind of green you might be. I for one, believe we can all be some shade of green but we all know the person that buys bleach and then calls themselves an environmentalist. According to a recent Fortune Small Business Article with market research done by Roper ASW there’s actually only 9& of Americans that can be considered “true-blue greens” and this means they do what they believe and aren’t all talk. That’s a pretty small percent.

The market research concluded that 6% of Americans are considered “greenback greens” and these are the people that will buy green if it is convenient and of those 6% only a quarter of those people actually recycled. That’s alarming to me.

Next would be what Roper ASW is calling “sprouts” and this totals 31% and to be a sprout means you go back and fourth on green issues. What about all the rest you wonder….well they apparently don’t give a darn. SPECIAL REPORT: THE GREEN BUSINESS REVOLUTION points out that 1 in 5 Americans take part in some type of environmental activity and donating money even counts towards doing an environmental activity.

I have to point out that this is an older article I am referring to but what makes me write about this is I wonder whether the numbers are 1 in 5 anymore or if the trend is changing and maybe it’s 2 in 5? Have the percents gone up, gotten worse or stayed the same? Makes you think.

This article really was written to point out that consumers really don’t care about going green when it comes to doing their laundry or washing their windows and to prove it they tote all of these facts. If this is the case still today then why is my business doing so well? Why would there be such an interest in the product I am selling? Why would Green and Clean Mom be doing so well and why is that there are Green Home Makeovers and name brand products coming out with green products?

Folks, I think that the numbers are up and times are changing but the real question is: Are you part of that or do you still not care? With it being the year 2009 I believe we have tipped the scale but tell me your thoughts.

Science has no doubt given us some miraculous medicines. Healing a wound, cut, cold or sore it is amazing how the body works. The medicines we use today came from humble beginnings and I believe we forget this, I do.  Herbs and medicinal plants have served civilization for thousands of years and many of the herbs are still used today.

When I have a cut, scrape or my head is pounding I reach for the medicine cabinet, not the pot of herbs at the window. This is all good and well but some medicine treatments aren’t good for us and are causing problems for people. The cough medicine scare for children is a good example.   This has led people to turn back to their roots and start using herbs to treat common bodily ailments. For me personally, I have turned to Hylands for many alterntive remedies for myself and my children.

I’ve come to learn that with herbs there’s a lack of side effects. Many herbs act like medicines and should be taken carefully, but the ingredients are all natural. With herbs you don’t have to be worried about harmful side effects as with some traditional medicines. Most herbs, luckily, are easy to find and don’t cost as much as brand name medicines or prescriptions. My natural food store offers a great selection of alternative herbal medicines and supplements.

Herbs work to heal the body and not fight against it. The effect of the cure many not be immediate but the herbs are effective. I haven’t seen any news on lately touting the bad effects of herbs, have you? I have with antibiotics or recently children’s asthma medicines. Our bodies are becoming resistant to certain antibiotics because we use them so frequently and if you have an infection and need a particular antibiotic, this isn’t such great news.  I worry about this with my own daughter and her ear infections.

What I love about herbs are the different ways they can be used. Herbs can be eaten, steeped for tea, ground into powder or even made into a cream. Some herbs are used to speed the bodies healing process. Here’s a list of just a few popular ones you might have heard of:

• Cinnamon - lowers blood sugar and cholesterol
• Ginger - prevents motion sickness and nausea
• Turmeric - helps with arthritis pain
• St. John’s Wort - creates a stable mood in mildly depressed people
• Garlic - lowers blood pressure and risks of some cancers
• Red yeast rice - lowers cholesterol

Except for the St. John’s Wort and red yeast rice, we have most of these items on our kitchen shelves. Adding a little to your food each day can assist with these conditions without even causing an upheaval in your routine. Other helpful substances include: apple cider vinegar and Aloe Vera. Luckily, I eat plenty of garlic and love to add cinnamon into my recipes!

All natural herbal formulas seem to be a milder alternative to mainstream medicine. I highly suggest consulting your doctor before using any type of herbs for medicinal purposes. The very last thing you want is a drug interaction or something strange to happen. Treat all herbs as medicines and do your research before beginning a herbal supplement routine, this helps you get the most from them.

A great resource:  Herb Research Foundation

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I bunch and my husband folds. You know, when you wipe your bottom after you go to the bathroom, what do you do with the toilet paper? I’m too busy to sit and fold the toilet paper but he says it’s wasteful and being a “green mom”, shouldn’t I take the time to conserve the toilet paper? At first my response was, no! Just to spite him but in all actuality, it’s yes. Even though I’m not really sure he’s correct that folding saves toilet paper. I think it’s just a wiping preference and the way you were taught not an Eco issue!

I have a point in writing this, I do. With the New Year here, tomorrow…I need a resolution that is obtainable. Something I can really do and succeed at. Measurable too! I need to see results so I know I’m being successful and making a difference. I’ve decided less toilet paper is my New Years Resolution. I can’t really go to the bathroom fewer times a day but I can try to use less tee pee and buy recycled toilet paper. If my husband is reading this, which I doubt he is, he is probably jumping up and down. He’s been begging me to do this for years! I’ve eliminated paper towel from our home so this is a logical next step.

I’ve also considered a Biffy personal rinse and when I started researching and I found an excellent post about this same topic over at Lighter Foot Step (guess I’m not the only one thinking about using less toilet paper). I realized that a Biffy might not be the best option for saving resources because then you are using more water. Geesh, what’s a girl to do when she just wants a clean bottom and a healthier planet?

The Seventh Generation website tells me that if every family replaces one twelve pack of “conventional” toilet tissue with one twelve pack of recycled toilet tissue, 1.3 billon gallons of water can be saved. That’s more than a drop in the bucket. That means using fewer squares to wipe. Research is telling me that this is inconclusive on whether it is going to make a big difference in helping the environment but I think it will and here is my logic:

1. If I buy in bulk there will be less packaging and I will save money.
2. Using less will mean I won’t have to drive to the store and buy as much and that’s good for the environment and my pocket book.
3. Making Eco-friendly choices on toilet paper from the NRDC will help to support efforts for recycling content for toilet tissue and companies not using bleaching methods. The NRDC rates all toilet paper and includes if mercury is avoided.
4. Water will be conserved (if the Seventh Generation site is correct) and that’s Eco-friendly!
5. I also think fewer trees will be cut down if more consumers buy toilet tissue made from recycled content. That’s just my thinking and an older MSNBC article points to this as well but it is debated. The Kleenex® and Cottonelle® website point out that the tissue is from the waste of trees already cut down for other uses. You can even see the life cycle of the tissue product. So it’s up for debate.

Every litte bit counts, even toilet tissue. That’s my resolution this year, what’s yours?

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New Years Resolutions usually revolve around saving money or losing weight, not going green or doing good things for the environment. Most resolutions aren’t kept for more than a month or two with the resolution falling to the way side verses being maintained and achieved. This is usually do to the goals being set to high and not being obtainable. This New Year, feel good about yourself, maybe lose some weight, save some money but best of all be some sparkling shade of green this New Year with these 9 easy and very manageable and obtainable tips:

1.  Make a list. Write down exactly what your family can do to help the environment this New Year and pick one of these to start with. When you’ve mastered eating only veggies, limiting your meat intake or buying organic beef…move on to the next item but the list is what applies to YOU and YOUR family.

2.  Reduce and Reuse. Recycling is easy and with Earth911.com it’s even easier to know where and how to recycle items. Now move on to reusing and reducing. Find new ways to use an item before putting it in the trash or recycling it. Try reducing the amount of items you buy and perhaps the junk food that fills your grocery cart and this will help the environment, your waist line and pocket book.

3.  Advocate. If handmade natural toys ruffle your feathers and gets you excited request that local stores carry the items and support the companies carrying the natural toys.  Want to see more of an organic selection at your grocery store, tell the manger and tell him or her every week. Advocate for the changes and products you want to see. Get to know your legislators and voice your opinion, they don’t know unless you tell them. Great sources, Moms Rising for advocating and Natural Pod for handmade wooden toys.

4.  Plant a seed and take a cooking lesson. Yes, grow something and eat it. Maybe not an entire garden or start a farm but plant some tomatoes and start there. You’ll enjoy the home grown taste of your own accomplishments, save money and might decide to grow more the next year. Then take a cooking lesson and learn how to cook the food, try new spices, flavors and appreciate home made food and family time cooking and eating the food. Eat. Drink. Better. is a great source for bringing the farm to the table.

5.  Clean green and natural. Green doesn’t have to cost a fortune and with some vinegar and baking soda you can clean more than you imagined. If that isn’t going to work for your family make sure you buy cleaners that are concentrated, biodegradable and don’t have phosphates. The word “natural” isn’t supervised and has not protocol so anyone and everyone can use the word, don’t be fooled…same with “green”.  Using your common sense goes a long ways. If it’s bright blue or green, how natural is that?

6.  Pick a holiday and green it. Yes, it is possible. Choose one holiday and start small with buying less consumables and wasteful items. Maybe it’s a birthday party, have a charity party and everyone brings toilet paper to donate to local shelter along with a small gift for the birthday boy or girl. Get creative but start small so it isn’t a shocker to everyone and it’s achievable. Just deciding to not use wrapping paper for one holiday or event is a start! ECHOage is a great environmentally friendly birthday party idea.

7.  Swat the fly. Bugs are pesky but pesticides are dangerous. Buy a few fly swatters, use an organic plant based insect control for wasps, try natural methods for killing the bugs and if all else fails call on integrated pest management before bombing the house. Visit Beyond Pesticides for more information and facts.

8.  Be Thrifty. Garage sale, use the library, freecycle or craigslist, mom to mom sales and clothing swaps. These are all hip and trendy now and the best thing is, you save money and it’s easy.  Children grow like weeds so garage sale for new clothing, arrange a clothing swap at a local church and if you need big or small items, good guess someone is giving it away or selling it for next to nothing. Be resourceful and think before buying.

9. Ditch the plastic. Just don’t use it and if you can avoid it. Choose glass whenever possible. Glass storage containers, baby bottles, drinking glasses, etc are just going to be safer with all the plastic scare and debate going on. Stainless steel is another safe option but plastic, it’s just not good for the environment and possibly your health.  If you have to use plastic at least choose BPA free plastic, limit plastic wraps and go with wax paper or aluminum foil. The Soft Landing, Zrecs Guide or Safe Mama are excellent resources.

Being a “Green and Clean Mom (or dad)” isn’t a contest or special title that only certain people hold or are entitled to. Being green is doing something for the environment and for your health. Limiting exposure to toxic chemicals on your foods or in the personal care products you use is doing some green for your immediate environment but it also keeps our earth cleaner. There is no race or contest and it isn’t a competition. These 9 tips for having a greener and cleaner New Year for 2009 are starting points, ideas and they’re practical. Just start somewhere and that is better than starting nowhere.

Cheers to a healthier and greener 2009!

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As we head into 2009, I’d like to recommend some of my favorite relationship books to you. I’m a big fan of reading as an educational process, and I believe a lot of wisdom is free for the taking whenever we crack open a book. Here’s hoping you get some useful info from these as well (or even just a good laugh…)

• Awareness: The Perils and Opportunities of Reality ~ Anthony De Mello - While not particularly focused on relationships, this book is full of little gems of wisdom on becoming aware and being present. I think that working on ourself is one of the biggest gifts that we can give to our partner. The more we learn about our reactions and interactions in the world, the better we are in relationships. I highly recommend any book that De Mello has written.
• When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times ~ Pema Chödrön - This is another author that I can’t recommend highly enough. With chapters such as Intimacy with Fear, This Very Moment is the Perfect Teacher, and The Love that Will Not Die, this book helps us to understand and to be OK with things not being OK. She makes us see the universality of longing and suffering, and with that understanding, we can bring more to our relationships.
• Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus ~ John Gray - While I feel that some of this book is overly generalized, I got quite a bit from it (My wife read it first, and had to practically beg me to read it). At first glance, it seems full of clichés and pop-psychology, but I had to admit that some of that was dead on. Men and women have different styles of communication, even different languages, and if we can just acknowledge that, we’re way ahead of the game. Half of the people I know who read it disagreed and hated it, and the other half were very enlightened by what they read. (For women, you might have to twist his arm to get him to read it, but it might just be worth it)
• The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate ~ Gary Chapman - Again, very generalized, but definitely worth a read. The premise is that each one of us has a dominant love language (how we like to give and receive love). The different languages, according to the author, are: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. This isn’t to say that we only use one of them, but rather one is more prominent than the other. For example, as a man, I may think that because I serve through doing things for my wife and family (or working hard to pay the bills and provide), I am meeting her needs. Meanwhile, she may really just want warm fuzzies and for me to tell her she’s beautiful. Being aware of this difference helps me to see the areas that I can improve upon.
• The Essential Rumi ~ Coleman Barks - Rumi’s poetry, written in the 13th century, really speaks to me. The lover he speaks of is not a physical lover, but rather the presence of God, by whatever name you wish to call it. His writings are ecstatic, mysterious, and overflowing with beauty. Rumi captures the essence of love, and brings magic to the world. I find that when I get caught up in myself, reading his words brings me back to what is important to me - my wife and family. There are a number of different translators of his works, but Coleman Barks’ versions are simply inspired.

This is just a short list, I know, but as a major book addict, I had to stop myself here or risk boring you.

What books have helped you to strengthen your relationships? Leave me a comment, I’d love to know.

Image: gotplaid? at Flickr under Creative Commons License

Christmas is over. I’ve survived! Barely but I’m here typing with a steaming hot cup of coffee and the children enjoying their morning PBS before we head off for the day.  It’s been a whirlwind these last few days! The children woke at 5 am excited that Santa had left them too many presents under the tree. I was blurry eyed but smiling as they ran down the stairs (Mrs. Clause didn’t sleep until 1 am).  Before my coffee was even done, the children had torn through the gifts and were happily jumping, laughing and playing. It was a grand time and memorable. My daughter decided to not sleep that night and climbed out of her crib hourly to enjoy her new dollhouse.

I’m still recovering from the lack of sleep, the dangerous hurdles from the crib led us to the “big girl bed” sooner than I expected. The first night my Twitter pals helped me through the ordeal of getting her to stay in bed. It was rough and from 2:30 am - 4:30 am she decided she was up for the day. I slept at the foot of her bed and then at the door! Last night we all slept soundly with no climbing out of bed and only after two times of being put back into bed, she stayed.

The holiday “break” sure has been memorable but now I’m back to work and hitting the keyboard. I’ve worked a bit here and there but excitedly I want to invite you head over the Green and Clean Mom Community. I’ve struggled with this for a long time, a way to provide what I’ve learned, what I know and how I do what I do (blogging, social networking, internet marketing, affiliate marketing, etc) with my readers. The Green and Clean Mom Community now has a group just for this and I’ll regularly be participating and contributing. I will also begin offering once a month webinars at a low cost with monthly special guests and you get to call the shots and pick the topics!  So please, head on over and join this group. I get emails almost daily asking me questions but now I get to send you the Green and Clean Mom Coaching Group and actually cover topics in depth! Sharing with you my secrets, tricks and how to of blogging! I’m super excited about this and how you are too! I coach companies on how to have a Web 2.0 strategy and use blogging but now I get to help the bloggers and that’s inspiring. Join me.

Make a Smilebox greeting

Thanks for reading, have a super holiday. I’m taking a few days to catch up, relax, spend time with my family and enjoy this blessed time of year. More great Green and Clean Mom posts to follow after the weekend.