The New Ultimate in Green Cleaning?!

by Mistie Dawn

I love discovering new green products and sharing them with my readers and I just discovered something REALLY cool, chemical free MiraFiber cleaning cloths.

The Ultimate Cleaning Cloth

Why is this product so great and why will it revolutionize green cleaning?

• MiraFiber cleaning cloths sets a new standard in Green Cleaning. There are no chemicals in or used to manufacture this super cleaning fabric.
• Requires only WATER no cleaning chemicals in order to grab dirt, dust and grim from surfaces trapping them in the cloth.
• Eliminates 90% of paper towel usage and has a high absorption capacity. 
• Doesn't scratch or mar delicate surfaces.
• Wash then reuse and it doesn't lose its strength or shape after washing.
• So gentle it is safe for baby's skin.
• Recyclable and doesn't release emissions or halogeneous substances when incinerated or placed in a landfill.

Made in an eco-friendly manufacturing process:

• ISO 14001 certified
• No solvents or binders used
• PVC free

How hard is it to take care of the ultimate cloth? Not hard at all. These cloths are machine washable with laundry detergent or you can hand wash it with dish soap and warm water. You can use bleach if you want just don't use fabric softener as it will leave a film on the cloth. The manufacturer recommends that you do not wash these cloths with other towels as the MiraFiber will pick up the lint and transfer it back to other surfaces when you use it. Air drying the cleaning cloths are best but they can be put in the dryer. Just be sure your lint trap is clean.

Old Tires Get a New Life, Support a Good Cause

by Mistie Dawn

According to the Department of Environmental Conservation an estimated 18-20 million waste tires are created in New York state alone. That is a LOT of tires. That number is without calculating world wide waste and several decades of accumulation making tire waste a growing problem.

The Associated Press

Tires can be difficult to recycled due to their rubber content. Their vulcanized rubber doesn't melt down very easily making it costly to break them down. Tires are also very large and take up a lot of landfill space and can trap methane gas.

Excitingly, I have begun to see a few creative products made from recycled tires on the market. Everything from burning tires for energy (which can create other types of pollution issues), playground equipment, door matts, pots, house decor, wallets, messenger bags, handbags and shoes.

Enters TZandals.org, a company specializing in recycled tire products. Their focus is tire sandals made in Tanzania. Purchase proceeds go to help build a sustainable economy through micro-loans for other Tanzania entrepreneurs. These sandals are the most common footwear worn by the Maasai people, who travel long distances with their herds of sheep and cattle to find water. Due to their availability, durability and ability to protect their feet from desert thorns these tire sandals have become "traditional" footwear. Here are a few of the styles available which are hand made by TZandal crafts people.

Kugesi Tire Sandals

Maasai Tire Sandals

Nyoka Tire Sandals

Ruff, rugged and a very cool way to reuse tire waste and a great way to support entrepreneurship in a developing country!

Carbon Off-Sets for Advertising Firms?

Did you know that there is now a company that helps businesses off-set Carbon emissions via their ad buys? That's okay if you didn't because we didn't either. PlanetUpAds business model uses every click or impression of their advertisers' banners to reduce CO2emmissions in real time, which generates a measurable contribution to fight against climate change.

PlanetUpAds.com

PlantUp Ads examines Carbon Offset projects to verify the best possible benefit for the world. Projects include reforestation, wind farms and methane destruction, among others. Plus, they are certified with ISO 27001 by the BSI Group which warrantees total transparency and reliability. TOMS, Ford and Top Hatter are some of of their many clients.

Citizen Cashmere - Ethical Clothing

As winter sets in everyone is looking 

for warm yet ethical wool. Enters Citizen Cashmere.

 

What makes Citizen Cashmere environmentally friendly? The seven nomadic herders who manage their goats are well paid to maintain their traditional nomadic way of life. Along with their families who move with them they get to thrive at the way of life they chose, which is to herd rather than moving into cities. Citizen Cashmere is proud to preserve this rich cultural heritage while paying wages that can let them afford to send their kids to college.

Their factory’s knitters are located in China. However to maintain our high quality standards, they pay 1/3 higher wages than other Chinese knitwear factories.

Since they own every part of our own supply chain, they can control every

aspect from how the goat lives to getting it combed and taking the hair and turning into a sweater. All their dyes are guaranteed to be good for the environment. They ensure their production is non-toxic and safe for aquatic life.

Citizen Cashmere conducts external testing with independent third parties to meet international standards for non-toxicity for our products and is committed to constantly seek ways to make their operation better for the environment.