The “ghost chair” may become the next step in green living, for those of us looking to fill our homes with reusable and renewable materials. The ghost chair might also fill a niche for apartment dwellers who live in small spaces, as the transparent quality of the ghost chair takes up no visual space.

Design Within Reach describes its version of the ghost chair, the Louis Ghost Chair, as if it were a work of art:

Reinventing the classic Louis XV armchair for Kartell, the playful Louis Ghost Armchair (2002) is a postmodern triumph of technical innovation and historical style. Translating the varied lines and formal geometry of its predecessor into a single form of translucent or opaque black or white injection-molded polycarbonate, it is a robust chair with not a single weak point. A generously sized seat and medallion backrest offer leisurely comfort, as do the subtly curved armrests. Resistant to scratches and weather conditions, it is suitable for indoor and outdoor use.

Medicinally, it is an anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic, emollient, expectorant, laxative, and may also be anti-tumor.

Apparently all species of violets including the garden varieties, are edible. Young leaves and flower buds are used raw for green salads in the spring and young leaves in the late summer. Leaves and flowers are used as a potherb also.

The green leaves make a good tea substitute. Long boiling does not make the tea bitter. Seeds are purgative, flowers are pectoral. A gentle laxative syrup is made by an infusion of the fresh petals which can also be used as a reactive. It is said that cancer can be cured by an infusion of violet leaves.

source: http://www.helium.com/items/1004888-benefits-of-eating-violets

The leaf and flower have been used for thousands of years by millions of people as an antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic agent.

Violets have been used to improve acne, anger, asthma, bronchitis, colds, eczema, fever, fibrocystic breast disease, grief, headache, heartbreak, lymphatic congestion, mastitis, mumps, psoriasis, scurvy, sore throat, ulcers, urinary tract infection, varicose veins, and whooping cough. Apply a cloth soaked in violet leaf and/or flower tea to the back of the neck to treat headaches. The flowers are eaten as a breath freshener.

Violet flower essence helps those that feel lonely, despite being surrounded by others. It increases openness and helps shy aloof people that want to share but feel overwhelmed.

source: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/a-vision-of-violets-with-brigitte-mars.html

Green living is the wave of the future and sales of natural flooring materials are booming. Bamboo flooring has become extremely popular. It has a similar look of a traditional wood floor but without it affecting the environment in a harmful way.

Natural bamboo is a member of the grass family which means it grows rapidly and the plant is not killed when cut. It continues to be harvested over and over again, taking only about four years to reach 20 yards or more.

There is nothing to give up with using bamboo versus wood – in fact, there is much to be gained. Not only is it environmentally friendly being a green product, it is also tough and durable. It is 27 % harder than oak and 13 % harder than maple. It is also known to be a healthy alternative because there is not the presence of PVC’s like in wood. With the concerns over allergens and air quality, bamboo is a better choice.

Installation is completed in the same way as other wood flooring. The manufacturing process makes the flooring just as smooth as any other hardwood or laminate. And, because the bamboo is composed of complex fibers, it doesn’t absorb moisture as easily as wood. This makes it a great green product to use in the kitchen where spills often occur.

Retailers offer a wide range of available styles and colors. Some large suppliers offer online ordering. This way you can order samples from them and after matching them up with your decor you simply order right from home.

Some of the large suppliers are: Bamboo Garden, Envirochoice, Far East, Ming Dynasty, Panda Lumber, Premium Green, Preswick, Springwood, Westhollow and Woodstock.

Some of the green materials can save homeowners money on their energy bills. Some will qualify for government tax credits and rebates. All promise to make your home just a little bit greener.

” There are so many things you can do: spray foam, LED recessed lights, bamboo floors, floors made out of cork, ” said Hersh Ruhmel of Ruhmel Contracting in Orefield. ‘ ‘We have built a model home that incorporates all of them .”

The home, which Ruhmel calls HoudenHAL ( renewable home in Dutch ), will become his company’s offices in Weisenberg Township. It features the recycled paper countertops, called Paperstone.

Ruhmel said the surface is as hard as granite. People can cut on it and clean it with normal household solutions. The countertops come in different colors and can be detailed for custom edges. The prices, Ruhmel said, are comparable to granite.

Driveways were another place where homeowners could go green.

Jim Engelman of Engelman Construction Inc. of Macungie, displayed some pervious concrete. The material is mainly a mix of cement, water and little sand, creating pockets where water can penetrate.

Instead of rain running off a driveway, as it would normally on concrete or asphalt, this material allows the water to drain through the surface like a sieve. The water collects in an underground basin and drains into the soil.

The environment benefits because there is less water runoff, which carries pollutants into streams and rivers. Meanwhile the underground water table is replenished with clean water filtered through the soil.

More: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-a7_5green.7212930mar21,0,1077254.story

Returning human waste to the land is nothing new, nor is the composting of human waste. Cities across North America have been spreading human waste effluent on farm land for decades, serving the needs of farmers for fertilizer and City administrators for a cost-effective way of disposing of sewage sludge.

However, there are downsides to spreading sewage biosolids onto farmlands, including the fact that sewage treatment plants do not remove heavy metals and industrial chemicals found in abundance in city sewage, prior to spreading the waste.

A composting toilet system, using little or no water, is designed to aerobically treat human excrement by allowing it to decompose naturally. This is typically a faster way to treat human waste when compared to the wastewater methods, such as the septic systems used in most urban areas. The most important attribute, however, may be the saving of thousands of gallons of water annually.

Nutrients salvaged from composted human waste matter are returned to the land in a safe, cost-effective and ‘green’ way. Whereas raw sewage releases chemicals and pathogens onto the farmer’s land, the composted matter is free from industrial chemicals and pathogens have been destroyed through the natural process of aerobic decomposition long before the nutrient-rich material is returned to the land.

How a Composting Toilet Works
While there are many varieties of composting toilets available and they are used all around the world, all composting systems rely on a basic process involving the collection of human excreta into a composter chamber where a bulking agent (such as sawdust or peat moss) is added to create air pockets for maximum aerobic processing and where decomposition will occur as a result of bacteria breaking down the waste into its various components. The bacteria consume some of the waste during breakdown, reducing the volume of the matter and eliminating pathogens in the process. The one essential in all composting systems is proper ventilation.

Source: Green Living with Composting Toilets: Environmentally Friendly Human Waste Management http://water-conservation.suite101.com/article.cfm/green-living-with-composting-toilets#ixzz0iUuEqX3q

If you desire some balance in your life, maybe it’s time to incorporate the principles of both green living and Feng Shui into your design.

The two concepts are compatible, said Cheryl Amantea, chair of both the Advertising and Fashion & Retail Management degree programs at The New England Institute of Art in Boston. ” Feng Shui ” incorporates plants, sunlight, cleanliness and the elements of running water and circulation of air, so it’s not a stretch to put the ‘green living lifestyle’ in with Feng Shui.

“Feng Shui (pronounced ‘fung sch-way’) means ‘wind water.’ It connects what is seen ( environment ) with what is unseen ( energy ) — often referred to as chi ( pronounced ‘chee’ ),” added Amantea.

Chi can be found in your color scheme and placement of objects, with each color symbolizing different characteristics. Aptly enough, green symbolizes life, growth, vitality and energy. Yellow and earth tones represent health, while blue is symbolic of knowledge and red is used for power.

Placement is key to creating a positive chi.

“Picture your home as an octagon,” said Amantea. Find the true front door of your home and, according to interior design student Adam Neidlinger at The Art Institute of Indianapolis, ensure air and energy are moving in a steady nurturing manner.

“The flow of the energy, or chi, through a space can be increased or decreased by the objects being placed in the room,” said Neidlinger. “Wouldn’t you rather get energy from a natural, sustainable, green object than from a manufactured, most likely chemical-filled object?”

Bamboo is a great element because it is natural, clean and it quickly regenerates itself. Live plants are also important, according to Neidlinger. “Plants renew the air, which is what carries the energy in a room.”

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – accredited architect and engineer Samuel Hurt, who instructs at The Art Institute of Indianapolis, agrees with Amantea, but is not exactly sold on Feng Shui as green living.

“Personally I’m a bit skeptical about Feng Shui and some of the claims, but that doesn’t mean it is a completely useless way to clean up the environment,” said Hurt.

Through his teaching of sustainable green design and his sustainable work on buildings in the Midwest, Hurt has become well-versed in the green movement. He believes that if Feng Shui wants to combine with sustainable design, however it is defined, we are all better off.

“If Feng Shui can assist in reducing contamination in the world, then that is fine,” he said. “And good for anyone else who can advance the same cause, no matter what the particular path may be.”

Peggy Way, adjunct psychology professor at Argosy University in Nashville, considers Feng Shui and green living as a means to promote positive mental health and stress reduction.

“Utilize Feng Shui and green living to create a personal space that will help sustain and renew you in the midst of a stressful professional life,” she said. “Intentionally seek out the ribbons and colors of nature and let the experience restore you. Don’t neglect outdoor space. Consider creating a small natural garden. This is the time of year for garden and landscaping shows, where many exhibitors will focus on natural environments and natural forms of growth.

It is the parent’s responsibility to help teach and prepare our children. show them what the values of Green Living, and learning about the earth are really all about. These Green Living Tips are targeted more to the parents than to the children, simply because the child will be at such a young age. Whatever a parent does with their kids will be as much fun for the parent as for the child.

When a parent starts teaching their children while they are young, it sets in their mind and most of the time, the things you teach them will always be with them. If you live in a rural area, and you have a garden spot, give your child a small space for them to grow something of their own. For instance, Don’t just plant vegetables, make it fun for the youngsters, let them plant things that they would like, even if it is something like gourds, or watermelons. A parent would take the time to make sort of a game with their young ones, buying some seeds, showing the child how to plant them and then taking their child outside often to check the progress of the plants. Once the plant blooms, if it is a flower, the child will get to see and smell the work that they have put into this project. If the plant was a food source, the child will get to taste the fruit of their hard work. There is not only gardening in the spring, but there are fall veggies that can be planted. You can even sit down with your children and let them help pick out the flowers and vegetables for next years garden.

This will begin to teach children responsibility and dedication to a project, which is needed in our world today. These are the basic steps for teaching our leader for tomorrow’s leaders.

As a parent, you should spend time with your child. Such as going bike riding, showing your child how to build things, how to start a project and especially how to finish it.

If a family lives in the city instead of in a rural area there are still things that can be done almost the same way. Most plants can be started and grow inside a pot and put outdoors on a terrace, or inside near a window where it will get some sunlight. You could even teach kids about the pigeons and how they came to the city, and how they survive in the city. Let the child figure out several purposes that a pigeon has in a city. You could take the children a nearby park, find an ant hill and teach them the purpose of the ants.

Reading books to them about the values of the earth and always telling them the dos and the don’ts of polluting the earth. For instance, don’t throw paper or garbage of any kind on the ground, or if you pull up a tree, plant another tree somewhere else to take its place. Teach them the art of recycling things.

Teach your children to watch nature channels on TV, such as The Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, and other nature related shows. Take them outside for a walk and show them the butterflies and the bees, explain what the purpose of the small animal have in this world.

Giving your children small chores at home and making sure they do them will also help in building their minds, preparing them for the future.

Kids watch their parents every move, so if you as a parent turn off lights that aren’t being used and saving water whenever it is possible, recycling things, your children will follow your example.

If given the support and education, young people will change the world. They could be our future conversationalist, environmentalist and humanitarians.

By helping train our children about green living, each parent will realize what their children like best and can direct them in the right path, so that later on in life they may be trained and further educated in their particular field, coming together with other such groups and developing a much more Green Lifestyle for the entire planet.

The funny thing is before you know it your kids will be teaching you. My five year old has caught me a few times throwing things away that should have been recycled for example. Boy, have I empowered him!! And that is the key in teaching your child anything, making your children feel they can make a difference and empowering them is the most a parent can ask for. Even though I have been embarressed a couple of times by my son correcting me, I am extremely proud of him.

It is not only our children that we should teach, but by trying to educate other adults around the world the values of Green Living, they in turn will educate their children as well. Since, it is all to true that mankind has polluted our world up to now, and we are just realizing how important it is to take care of our Earth.

Top 5 Green Living Facts

Green Living Facts #1. According to a recent McKinsey Global Institute report, the U.S. residential sector is second only to Chinese heavy industry in terms of inefficient energy use.

Green Living Facts #2. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that if every American home exchanged the five most frequently used bulbs with efficient compact fluorescent bulbs, one trillion pounds of greenhouse gases would be kept out of the air over the course of the bulbs’ lives (a lifetime range of five to as many as eight years or so). That’s equivalent to the annual emissions of 8 million cars, the annual output of more than 20 power plants, and $6 billion in U.S. energy savings.

Green Living Facts #3. Many conventional building materials and coatings release chemical vapors into the air, sometimes for decades after construction. Green building design and construction dramatically reduce or eliminate emissions of volatile organic compounds, such as formaldehyde.

Green Living Facts #4. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, nationwide, landscape irrigation accounts for almost one-third of all residential water use. If all residential irrigation systems in the United States were replaced with weather-based systems (systems that adjust irrigation levels based on local weather conditions), America would save 24 billion gallons of water annually.

Green Living Facts #5. The National Association of Home Builders estimates that building a 2,000 square-foot home in the United States generates an average of four tons of construction waste. With a little planning and preparation, it is possible to recycle as much as 90 percent of the construction waste from the homes without raising costs for builders or home buyers. Green home building practices could eliminate more than four million tons of construction waste annually.

Green family living is not as hard as it seems. Learn about more about living green and saving money ideas.

America’s kids have become our strongest environmental advocates. They are the future, after all, and recognize that small actions by a family can make a difference. With that in mind, we collected 10 basic ideas you can incorporate into your household to live a little greener. Some are so simple a child can do them; others, you can take the lead on.

Green Family Living Idea 1.
Collect or keep scrap paper with a blank side—old handouts, flyers, etc.—and store it in a bin by your computer. Use it to print recipes, directions, and more.

Green Family Living Idea 2.
Take shorter showers. Try taking a ” navy shower ” — a quick soak, lather, and rinse—more often. The opposite, a ” Hollywood shower, ” uses more water.

Green Family Living Idea 3.
Shop with reusable bags. They cut down on plastic use and are nice and sturdy. Many grocery stores give a small discount when you use them. Your kids can help by carrying items in their backpacks.

Green Family Living Idea 4.
Use rechargeable batteries. Most batteries ( even the rechargeable kind ) contain heavy metals, which are a major source of toxins in landfills. Investing in reusable ones ( and a charger ) helps keep them in service longer.

Green Family Living Idea 5.
Buy in bulk. It creates far less packaging waste, and many bulk superstores encourage you to pack items in their leftover cardboard shipping boxes—which you can then recycle.

Green Family Living Idea 6.
Install faucet aerators. They mix air into the water stream, lowering the amount of water you use ( by up to 50 percent! ) while maintaining your water pressure. They’re simple to attach and available at most hardware stores.

Green Family Living Idea 7.
Consider cloth diapers. Disposable varieties make up the third largest single consumer item in our landfills and take up to 500 years to decompose. They also make up 50 percent of household trash in a home with a baby. Cloth diapers, on the other hand, can be reused and take less than 6 months to decompose.

Green Family Living Idea 8.
Give homemade gifts. Baked goods or crafts you make as gifts instead of store-bought ones help cut down on packaging. Tickets to a show or an athletic event are also good options.

Green Family Living Idea 9.
Replace pesticides. If you have ants, for instance, follow the little pests back to their nest or opening and sprinkle chili powder into it. It will drive them away.

Green Family Living Idea 10.
Grow your own. Join a community garden in your neighborhood if you can, and grow your own veggies. Your young farmers will love digging in the dirt and watching seeds sprout. Plus, you’ll be eating fresh, local produce.

Many pride themselves on a spotlessly clean and fresh as a daisy house. Upon closer look, it’s likely that the products commonly used every day are creating a toxic, chemical warfare zone in the home. News reports about contaminated toys and food products cause us to avoid those things for our health and safety. What’s rarely discussed are the thousands of chemicals, many known to be hormone disrupters and cancer-causing agents, that are present in the every day products used, including toothpastes, shampoos, and skin care products.

Bathing in Toxins
What is put on the body is as important as what is put in it. Skin is the body’s largest organ that does much more than just keep our insides from falling out. It breathes and eliminates toxins from the body. It also absorbs nutrients and, unfortunately, toxic chemicals. Studies have shown, in fact, that skin absorbs 60 % of the chemicals in products that it comes into contact with.

Exposure to toxins contained in every day household and personal care products has been linked to cancer and many other diseases, including immune disorders, cardiovascular and respiratory disease, reproductive and endocrine disorders. They have also been linked to physical and mental development issues in children. Those suffering from sinus problems, allergies, asthma, persistent rashes or skin irritations, acne or other incurable, sometimes mysterious health issues, the culprits may just be the toxin-laden household and personal care products.

In an average day, most have absorbed, swallowed, and inhaled, hundreds of chemicals before ever leaving home in the morning. The morning grooming routine involves soap, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, cologne or aftershave. This is often followed with skin creams, nail polish, and make-up. Those dangerous chemicals are absorbed and inhaled.

Natural and Organic Personal Care Products
Many are unaware that there are no FDA requirements or oversight on the ingredients used in personal care products. Manufacturers can put anything they want into soaps, shampoos, skin creams and beauty products. Consumer pressure is the only control.

Think about the products used in the bath or shower when the warm water opens the skin pores wide, inviting the chemicals into the body. There are over 100 known toxic chemicals that are used in shampoos, with most popular brands containing over 20 of them, including Sodium lauryl sulfate ( SLS ) that has been linked to neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, and cellular level changes. It has also been demonstrated to slow hair growth by damaging hair follicles.

Most personal care products contain synthetic chemical fragrances. Over 4,000 different chemicals are used to create fragrances, including those made from petroleum waste products. Synthetic fragrances have been implicated in cancer, birth defects, infertility, and central nervous system degenerative diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, and Alzheimer’s.

Commercial beauty creams and other personal care products contain preservatives and chemicals to increase their shelf life. Among these chemicals are sulfates, ureas, and parabens (methyl, ethyl, butyl, and propyl). Parabens absorbed through the skin from creams, deodorants, antiperspirants, and body sprays have been strongly linked to breast cancer in studies.

Exposure to chemicals found in personal care and household products can result in symptoms including headaches, allergies, chronic fatigue, asthma, dizziness, and nausea. Children can be particularly vulnerable, suffering from learning and behavior problems, attention deficit, and hyperactivity.

Fortunately, consumer support of organic and natural products is increasing, making more of these products available and affordable. Read the labels on all of the personal care products used so you know what you are putting on your skin. Look for organic skincare products. For added assurance that the ingredients used on your skin are toxin free, many products can be made at home with only organic, natural ingredients. Making skin-healthy herbal lotions and organic skin cream is very simple and much less expensive than commercial products.

Safer Alternatives to Live Chemical Free
There are few household or personal care products that can’t make from safe, non-toxic ingredients or replace with natural, organic products that can be purchased now in many stores or online. But do beware that there are many scams popping up due to the increasing demand for organic products. Learn what the organic labeling means and be careful not to pay top dollar for products that claim to be organic but that are, in fact, just more of the same toxic products with a “green” label.

source: http://pollution-control.suite101.com/article.cfm/green-living-in-a-toxin-free-home