Showing posts with label counter top cleaner. Show all posts

Monday, December 1, 2014

Have You Stopped To Find Out If Your Christmas Tree Has Been Sprayed With Pesticides?

Picking out a Christmas tree is a favorite tradition this time of year. The whole family will likely be involved and have a different opinion about just how big to go! Should it have soft or prickly needles? Is it the right shape? Everyone will have an opinion, but finally you’ll all agree on the perfect one.

Even if you are a family committed to green living, it's easy to forget to consider whether or not your tree has been grown organically. Don't worry, that's normal. Of the 24.5 million real Christmas trees purchased in the U.S. every year, only 1 percent are grown organically. That doesn’t give you very good odds for finding an organic one. And, it likely means the tree in your living room was sprayed with pesticides. Do you really want to breathe that in?

Christmas trees and pesticides

Conventional growers spray a variety of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides on Christmas trees throughout their long life cycle. (It takes a typical Christmas tree 5 to 10 years to grow to maturity!) Many of the pesticides approved for use by the Environmental Protection Agency on your Christmas tree have been linked to cancer, hormonal disruption, neurotoxicity, organ damage, reproductive/birth defects, asthma, and more, according to Beyond Pesticides, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting public health and the environment.

The big but here though is that with zero studies on the effects, there’s no real way to know if residue from pesticides can harm you. Still, for those of us who try to live an organic lifestyle, it would be nice to find a tree that hasn’t been sprayed with chemicals.

Turns out, that’s quite the challenge. Most trees you see at big box stores, city lots or big garden centers are conventionally grown. The majority of the trees have been shipped from big plantations in Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Washington State, New York or Virginia.

Finding an organic Christmas tree

If you want to find an organic Christmas tree, your best bet is to check with a local grower. Ask how the tree was raised. If you look at tree farms where you can cut your own tree and farmers markets, you’ll also be more likely to find a sustainably-grown tree. Here are a few more resources to help you find an organic Christmas tree:

Beyond PesticidesThis nonprofit group provides some sources for organically-grown Christmas trees as well as up to date information about pesticides.

Green Promise
This website provides a list of organic Christmas tree farms by state.

Local HarvestFind farmers markets, family farms, CSAs and farm stands in your area. Local Harvest also lists sources for organic wreaths.

Bonus: If you do score an organic tree, it likely won’t have been sheared into the conical shape that’s the industry standard for Christmas trees today. Yours might have a more old-fashioned look, with imperfect branches and a more relaxed frame. There’s something quite nice about that though, wouldn’t you say?

Benefits of a real tree

Don’t worry if you already bought a conventional Christmas tree. Real trees (even non-organic ones) are at least a better choice than artificial trees. Real Christmas trees are often grown on land that isn’t suitable for other crops. And while it may seem like an artificial tree is the most sustainable choice because you can use it longer, the average family uses an artificial tree for only six to nine years before throwing it away, where it sits in a landfill and pollutes the environment. If you do have a real tree, don’t forget to reuse it after Christmas. We have some great ideas to reuse your Christmas tree. Most cities also offer curbside pickup for recycling Christmas trees. (Thank you, Organic Authority, for your wealth of information!)

We at Bayes, are committed to your health, which is why we try to keep you properly informed, for your health and the health of those in your homes. That's also why we've developed our extensive line of organic cleaning supplies, which happen to make great holiday gifts; like our granite counter top cleaner! We are confident that you will find fabulous gifts and a great tree for your green home this Christmas season!

Happy Holidays!

Monday, November 17, 2014

Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner? How to Have a Stress Free Kitchen this Holiday Season:

The holidays coming, for many, mean a lot of hosting and entertaining. Make sure you're prepared for a holiday of family, friends and food without the added stress or concerns. After all, the host should be able to relax as well, not just cook and clean and maintain chaos!

Be Oven Ready
Make sure your oven is ready for the marathon of baking about to take place! Wait until after the big feast to do any deep cleaning in the oven. You don't want to exhaust the appliance and have it burn out before the pies are complete! Rather, give it a thorough manual wipe down beforehand with your best non-toxic cleaner. After all, we don't any toxic residue to be baked and absorbed into the mushroom green bean casserole!

Clean the Refrigerator

The fridge can be quite a treasure chest of old and forgotten food. Take this week to compost produce gone bad, consume leftovers and give the shelves and drawers the cleaning they deserve. Not only will you have a better idea of what is needed to purchase before the big day, but you'll also have the room to store both ingredients, finished dishes and the leftovers that will follow!

Checklist Your Spices
We can run out of or be low on our most common spices and then find we don't have them when we need them. And who wants to rush off to the store for a container of cloves the morning of thanksgiving? Since we'd rather avoid the rush of that crowd, let's be prepared. Go through your spice rack and take inventory. Throw out what's old and make a list of what needs to be restocked. You'll be so happy you did.

Prepare to clean

We love our granite counter tops. It's great to toss the common cutting boards and chopping blocks and know that we have so much counter space to slice, dice and prepare our beloved feast. But all that cutting and temperature change will add up. So it's good to be prepared with your own bottle of Bayes Organic Granite Counter Top Cleaner and Conditioner. You decided to get those granite counter tops for a reason, so use them well but remember to care for them too!

We hope your Thanksgiving feast is one to remember... for the beauty and not the craziness! Please stop by Bayes and see how you have more organic products to be thankful for this year! Have a wonderful holiday.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Granite Counter Tops: Why They A Great Choice for a Green Kitchen

There are a lot of choices out there when it comes to counter top options and the information can be overwhelming. You want something that is environmentally conscious and able to stand the different stressors that kitchen use usually involves. But today, we want to encourage you to choose granite counter tops.

Here are three reasons why granite counter tops are a great choice for kitchens everywhere.

1) Durable - Granite Countertops are one of the best types of countertops for any home. The abuse from children, heat or other elements found in the kitchen or bathroom will not be able to harm your granite countertops. Granite is a hard, durable surface that has already survived many of the elements on earth today. It is very hard to scratch granite and granite will not burn.

2) Uniqueness - Granite Countertops can easily update or freshen the look of any home. Each granite countertop slab is unlike the next. Although there are many granite slabs of the same granite color -- slab color can still vary in pattern, lightness or darkness of color, or veining. Your granite countertops will be unique to your home, easily matching your decor and being the envy of your guests.

3) Affordable - With us, we are not just a granite countertop installer -- we import, distribute, custom fabricate and install the granite countertops for your kitchen. This entire process cuts out any middle man or subcontractor, allowing us to give you the most discounts on your granite countertops. Granite Countertops used to cost many thousand dollars for just one simple kitchen remodel, but as the times have changed, the average granite countertops kitchen costs around or under $2000.

On top of that, we at Bayes, have made it so that these great counter tops are incredibly easy to clean! Our organic counter top cleaner both efficiently cleans and gently conditions the counter tops to keep it in the best condition possible. We hope you found this helpful and can't wait to be a part of your green home!

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Live Better With These Green Habits for the Home and Whole Family

Living green doesn't have to mean turning you life upside down. There are little

things you can do here and there that make a big difference on the environment, your home life and family. Try these tips out and live better with greener habits for the home and whole family.

Relax While Driving

It doesn't matter what kind of car you drive; fuel-sipping hybrid or hulking gas-guzzler, you can improve your gas mileage, save money, and reduce your impact on global warming just by changing your driving habits. Be relaxed while you drive; when we are in a hurry or irritated and react by speeding, accelerating or breaking excessively, we burn unnecessary amounts of fuel. Calm down. You will get where you need to go. When you relax, you'll save gas and possibly yourself from an accident.

Eat Seasonal, Locally-Grown Food

Eating locally and eating in season are two of the most important parts of a sustainable diet, and they really go hand in hand. Eating locally allows you to minimize the number of food miles your purchases travel, and eating in season is the best way to get the most out of a local diet. Also, your best and most available organic produce will be local and, naturally, in season. Even better, if you can walk or bike to a local farmer's market, you'll really be reducing fuel usage and know that your food is the highest quality and freshest possible.

Skip the Bottled Water - Bring Your Own!

Bottled water typically costs about 10,000 times the cost of tap / filtered water, so by using your own mug instead of buying one individual, disposable plastic bottle every day, you could save $500 a year. Obvious and easy change!

Bring Your Own Bag to the Store

Paper or plastic? How about neither? The fact is both paper and plastic shopping bags impact the environment considerably. Instead, choose more durable, reusable canvas shopping bags. These green bags are popping up everywhere these days, so you’ll have no problem finding one to suit your style.

Buy Green

Show businesses that consumers want products made responsibly and sustainably. Next time you’re shopping, take the time to look at the labels on the products you buy. Try to avoid over-packaged items, household products with toxic or non-biodegradable chemicals, and choose items made of recycled materials or are organic, fair-trade, or LEED certified.

Bayes decided to go into business out of a desire to meet the need that so many people are asking to be filled. Our cleaning products are organic, non-toxic and gentle on the spaces in your homes. We encourage you to make small steps to big change in your home as you make your cleaning routine more green.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Easy Tips to Make Your Cleaning Routine More Green!

We all want a cleaner and healthier home and while many people are intimidated by cleaning in general, there are simple ways to ensure that your home is a cleaner and fresher place to live.

Here to make your cleaning more enjoyable, here are some easy tips to make your cleaning routine more green.

BETTER AIR QUALITY
It's surprisingly common to find that the air inside the home is more toxic than the air outside. It's because the toxins and substances that insulate homes (which is a good thing) are strong and being off gassed on a general basis. Keeping windows open as often as possible allows fresh air in and keeps toxins flowing out. This is especially important when cleaning your home.

BAKING SODA CLEAN
Baking soda not only removes those strange smells coming from your fridge, it's also a great odor-eliminator for your carpet. Just sprinkle on a little baking soda to soak up some of those odors and then vacuum it up.

NATURAL AIR FRESHENERS
Skip the store-bought air fresheners and instead try boiling cinnamon, cloves, or any other herbs you have a fondness for. Fresh chocolate chip cookies also have been known to create a friendly aroma. Also, plants may not make your house smell different but are good for filtering interior air--pretty much any broad green leaf plant will do. Peace Lilies are a favorite choice.

LEAVE IT AT THE DOOR
Imagine what's on your shoes at the end of the day. Everything from car oil, antifreeze, animal waste, pollution, pollen, (and who knows what else) into the house is especially common for kids and other critters that spend time on floor level. Keep the sidewalk out of your home with a good doormat and a shoeless house policy. Many green buildings now include entryway track-off systems as a means of maintaining a healthy interior environment. Less dirt also means less sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming, which means less work, water, energy, and fewer chemicals. You can do it!

GREEN CLEANING PRODUCTS
As the health and environmental impacts of conventional cleaning products become more thoroughly understood, more and more brands of healthy, green, and effective cleaning products have started hitting the market and competing for that coveted place of honor under your sink. Many of these products are non-toxic, biodegradable, and made from renewable resources (not petroleum).

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Amazon Reviews for Bayes Granite Countertop Cleaner and Rejuvenator

KitchenDesignIdeas.org