Tree Free Paper Towels from Ology

Yay for tree free!

I try to minimize my usage of paper towels, and only buy recycled. This week, I wanted to opt out of tree-made towels altogether, so I tried my first treeless paper towels from ology by Walgreens.

And I love them. Not only are they softer than most recycled paper towels, but they are also very absorbent.

So, if they aren’t made of trees, then what’s inside? Bamboo and sugarcane husk! The sugarcane husk would have been otherwise disposed of, and the bamboo is very renewable (ie, much easier to replace than a tree).

What a lovely idea. I must say, I didn’t have high hopes for these treeless paper towels, but I found them to be better than regular paper towels. Plus, the ology paper towels are whitened with a non-chlorine based bleach. However, they are made in China.

I paid less than $4 for a two-pack of these treeless paper towels at Walgreens.

Have you tried ology paper towels?

Have a Very Cherry New Year

Please don’t scream at your screen (or me) for making you hungry, but I had to share an image of  my cheesecake with homemade cherry topping!

I’ve made a bunch of cheesecakes from scratch, but this year I decided to try a new recipe, and a new topping! I’ve never made a cherry topping before, but I’m amazed at how easy it was. I hated the idea of using canned cherries. Who thinks that tastes good?

I found a recipe for cherry cheesecake topping using fresh cherries at Smitten Kitchen. It was so easy, but I do have to warn you to be careful when taking the pits out of the cherries. I stained my counters with cherry juice. (Any ideas on how to remove this?)

So, if you’re out to make this topping, plan on about 7 minutes to wash, de-stem and de-pit your cherries, then about 5 fives to make the sauce on the stove. After that, you need only let it cool down before serving on top of your divine cheesecake.

I haven’t tried Smitten Kitchen’s cheesecake recipe. I had already baked my cheesecake using the Joy of Baking New York Style Cheesecake recipe. It was so creamy and wonderful!

Ok, now that I’ve got you hungry with all these photos and links, remember to have a wonderful New Year. And if you set goals for yourself (such as making a cherry topping!), remember to be kind to yourself. PsychCentral has some tips on Setting Nourishing New Year’s Resolutions!

A special thanks to my husband for taking the photo for me, though he’s “not really into cherry toppings.”

Happy Autumn Feasting

Despite the wintry Christmas decor everywhere, it is still fall, after all. We kind of rush away autumn, don’t we? (Pumpkins still sit on my doorstep.)

Whether it feels like fall or winter to you, here’s hoping you have a lovely Thanksgiving feast, be if made of tofu or turkey!

Be Thankful. Be Happy. And if you shop, be careful!

And please don’t forget to make room on your Christmas list to give to your local food bank.

How are you celebrating Thanksgiving this year?

Can buying green make you more comfortable?

What are your thoughts on this infographic from elocal exploring the differences between “acting green” and “buying green” today?

Do you still practice some of the habits on the “acting green” side even though you “bought green” and now have a more efficient toilet or washing machine, etc.?

Like it? Get the code to embed.

How to Use Vintage Candy Displays

I don’t know how I’d use this vintage metal Life Savers candy display from the 1930s or 1940s.

But I did think it was retro-cool enough to take a pic in the antique store. But still, aside from using this on a movie set, what would you do with it? Please tell me.

Some possible ideas for reusing vintage candy displays like this:

• Mount it on the wall to hold office supplies at work
• Hang it up simply as eye candy in some cool loft
• Put it in the laundry room to hold supplies

Pre-measured Bags of Detergent Here to Stay? Let’s explore all mighty pacs.

A few months ago I noticed all mighty pacs at Target and immediately thought the product wasteful, but maybe I was wrong.

What are mighty pacs?
all mighty pacs are little pre-measured pouches, or pacs, of liquid laundry detergent – one for each load, or two if you have a huge load. The pacs dissolve in the wash when placed in the drum, and are safe for all machines.

What’s that film made of?
The second time I saw these mighty pacs gazing at me from the shelf I decided to do a bit of research. Just what on earth is that film made of anyhow?

According to the all product website, the film is made of polyvinyl. I immediately thought of the yucky polyvinyl chloride, but that couldn’t be it. This film is supposed to be biodegradable. I asked a contact from Sun Products Corporation if the mysterious film is composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). And, indeed, it is. PVA is nontoxic, but I’m not a chemist, so if anyone out there has some interesting facts to throw at me, have at it.

Are mighty pacs green?
We could talk all day about green detergents from companies like Seventh Generation, etc., but what I’m focusing on here is whether this new type of packaging from a very popular company is eco-friendly.

The pre-measured pacs can help you avoid laundry detergent overdosing, so they can prevent waste. All detergent contains no phosphates, and is biodegradable. The free and clear version of all detergent contains no dyes or perfumes, and is often recommended for allergy sufferers.

According to the manufacturer, mighty pacs use 88 percent less water, and on average 64 percent less plastic packaging than their standard liquid detergent. Sun Products Corporation also says that they can ship 200,000 more wash loads per truck compared to their standard liquid detergent.

So, it’s clear that the pacs involve less plastic compared to the detergent bottles, and that the company may save fossil fuels during shipping. What’s not clear is whether the production of the PVA film negates the green benefits noted.

Does the pac actually dissolve?
Yes. I used the free and clear version in a front-loading he machine, and there was no evidence of a film after the wash. While it was handy to not have to measure and to know exactly how many loads I had left, it did take some time to re-zip the bag, which is supposed to remain closed. You also have to avoid touching the pacs with wet hands, or they may dissolve on you.

Will I buy all mighty pacs again?

Sigh. I haven’t decided. I’d love to get a conversation going on whether these mighty pacs are actually more eco-friendly compared to laundry detergent in a sturdy plastic bottle.

What do you think of pre-measuring laundry detergent in water-soluble pacs?

Book Contest Winner: The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids

Congratulations to the blog contest winner, Maryssa!

She will receive a free copy of Helen Olsson’s new book, The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids: How to Plan Memorable Family Adventures and Connect Kids to Nature.

If you didn’t win, check Helen’s blog for upcoming chances to win during the book’s blog tour!

Count Up to Earth Day: Tip 16 Get a Salad Spinner

This post is part of a series counting up to Earth Day on April 22.

Get a salad spinner and buy fresh lettuce. Right now.

Fresh lettuce can have a price tag equal to about one-third what the grocery store expects you to cough up for the washed and bagged stuff.

Plus, it really seems we hear of so many bagged lettuce recalls, right?

Wash, spin and cut your own lettuce. It saves money and kills the need for that plastic bag.

Count Up to Earth Day: Tip 9 (a Contest too!) Take the Kids Camping

This post is part of a series counting up to Earth Day on April 22. Check back for the rest of the 22 tips!

There’s perhaps no better way to raise nature lovers than to take your kids camping. And freelance writer and mother of three Helen Olsson has written a wonderful guide to help you: The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids: How to Plan Memorable Family Adventures and Connect Kids to Nature.

Just in time for Earth Day, The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids delivers all the information you’ll need to plan a successful camping trip with kids, including recipes and activity ideas.

And not only that, the book is so adorably illustrated you may even want to leave it sitting on your coffee table! The illustrator, Scotty Reifsnyder, couldn’t have dreamed up more charming art if he tried.

And just so you know, the book actually has sweet rounded corners, which I happen to adore, and is printed on 30 percent post-consumer recycled acid-free paper.

While the book will be most beneficial to parents, even camping-shy adults without kids stand to learn a lot from Helen’s camping guide. After all, who wouldn’t want to know how to make delicious blueberry pancakes during a camping trip? And packing checklists for camping – always handy! Plus, you don’t have to worry about reading a dry, guide-type book. The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kidsis an entertaining, at at times humorous, read. Plus, each new chapter starts with a fun quote from a camping book, poem or song.

To enter to win The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids, simply leave a comment on this post before you turn in for the night on April 27, which happens to be Arbor Day.

The contest is open to everyone, even those who reside outside of the U.S. One winner will be chosen randomly to receive a free copy of the book courtesy of the publisher, Shambhala Publications/Roost Books.

Tips: Please check your spam filter after April 27. If you win and don’t respond to my request for a mailing address within five days, I’ll pick another winner. And, if you don’t win, visit the author’s website for a coupon code.

Disclosure: I received a courtesy copy of this book from the publisher. See my disclosures policy.

Count Up to Earth Day: Tip 4 Tap the Cooling Power of Plants

This post is part of a series counting up to Earth Day on April 22. Check back for the rest of the 22 tips!

Trees may be strong and grand, but little plants can also make a difference for you. When landscaping for energy efficiency, don’t forget that plants, vines and shrubs have real cooling power.

Shrubs shade windows, reducing the amount of solar heat entering your home in summer months. And plant power comes in the form of shade lent to the ground and pavement. That shade lowers heat radiation and chills the air before it reaches your home’s walls and windows.

If you’re a fan of the lovely look of climbing vines, you’ll be happy to know that they also shade walls, though you may want to use a trellis for stubborn vines like ivy. If you aren’t a trellis-type person, then go for some cute plant boxes with trailing vines for wall shading.

Check out the USDA’s hardiness map to research which plants will work best in your area.

Have you considered how your landscaping can help lower your utility bills?

(image via flickr)