Remodeling baby’s room is a time-honored ritual that women have used to make those last few months of anxious waiting move by more quickly. Picking out just the right décor and furniture makes the experience real, soon a little angel will be smiling from those covers in that freshly painted room. It makes a mother’s heart flutter to think of it. Common sense would tell most that you would not want to put baby in a freshly painted room that still smelled like fresh paint, but many do not know that even after the paint is dry, it continues to emit harmful VOCs for many years.

The following will explore issues that affect the mother who wants to remodel and the hazards of many common items involved in remodeling that may be harmful for your baby. Many of us do not think about paint on a daily basis, but it can be full of hidden dangers, just like the dust bunnies lurking underneath the couch. Let’s see if we can uncover the hidden truths about paint and bring them into the light. As a side note, we are talking about paints but a ceiling fan (we recommend GreatCeilingFans) is critical to airflow in your child’s room as well.

Paint
If you have been to the local hardware store recently, you know that finding a paint color to match your needs is not a problem. They literally have thousands of colors and options. The problem with paints is that they emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs). That is what causes that distinctive wet paint odor. VOCs are really nasty stuff and long-term exposure can have long-term health effects, including contributing to asthma and cancer. Short-term effects are headaches, dizziness and fatigue. Most of us know this from experience. The problem with VOCs is that even after the paint is dry, VOCs can be emitted for years. This was the reason for the development of low VOC or No VOC paint. In the past low VOC paint was considered inferior to regular paint. It tended to need re-painting often, particularly after washing for spot removal. However, newer versions have solved many of these problems and they are for the most part, as durable and washable as their VOC containing counterparts.

I asked one of the attendants at a local paint store what eco-friendly options were available. Surprisingly, he pointed me to several eco-friendlier options for paint. One option was clay paint. This option is made of naturally occurring minerals and water as the primary solvent. This is one of the oldest forms of paint. It has an earthy, adobe-type finish, but your color options are limited. If your design includes earth tones such as white, blue, and orange, then clay paint may be a good choice. It is also an effective odor absorber, due to the high clay content. They are water-based and can only be used indoors. It cannot be washed, without a quick touch-up.

Another organic paint option is lime wash, this used to be known as white wash in the days of our great grandmothers. Lime wash is created from crushed limestone and water. It can be used indoors and outdoors. It comes in a variety of colors and can be used on porous materials. It sinks into the materials and leaves behind an antiqued finish. This would be a great option for older homes. Like clays, they were once difficult to wash and tended to fade quickly. However, technology has fixed these problems and the newer versions are much more durable and easier to maintain.

The third option that was possible, but not as easy to find through traditional hardware stores as the other two is milk paint. This is a time-tested paint that is made from powered milk mixed with water, clay and earth-based pigments mixed into a thick, soupy paint. It is just like tempera paint. It is not that different from what Leonardo DaVinci used to paint the Mona Lisa. It is bought in a powered form that must be mixed with water and used immediately. If not, the paint may clump and not be as smooth as expected. However, you do not have to mix up the entire batch at once. It does not come in many finish options. Matte is the only finish available.

Exterior Paints
You may have notices that all three eco-friendly options available have one key drawback: they are water-based and cannot be used outside the home. I would also question using them in high moisture areas such as bathrooms and kitchens, but ask your local supplier about your particular situation. The problem with interior paints is that they are soft. Chemicals are needed to harden paints so that they can be used outside. There are fewer green options for outside paints than for inside jobs. Luckily, VOCs rapidly dissipate in the outside air, unlike indoor situations where they can build up without proper ventilation.

However, this does not help when you want to do your part to avoid contaminating the atmosphere. Stain and lime wash are the only two truly environmentally friendly options for outdoor paint. They do make low VOC outdoor paints, but the EPA gives them a wider fudge-factor than they do for indoor paints. Ask your local hardware salesperson about the options in your area.

Paint Removal
Paint removal is something that most of us avoid if at all possible. However, sometimes it must be done. Paint strippers are one of the worst offenders of environmental pillage. Different strippers are made for different substrates, but most of them are petroleum based. This means that the key problem is VOCS, of which the worst is dichloromethane. Now they are making some methylene-free removers, but even these contain some nasty chemicals. Work in a well-ventilated area and avoid contact through the skin.

FINAL CAUTIONS!
Before you remove any old paint, whether you use sanding or strippers, make certain that it does not contain lead or mercury. This is especially true for paints manufactured prior to 1980. If it does, then it will have to be removed professionally. DO NOT try this yourself, because the lead can contaminate the entire house and the last thing that you would like to do is to bring your baby home to a lead or mercury-contaminated room.

Some VOCs have been linked to birth defects, so if you are pregnant and your motherly urge overcomes you, ask a friend who is not pregnant or your husband to help. There are many other things that you can do to make your baby’s room perfect. Play it safe, your baby will thank you later.

If you are tuned into this website, you have probably already explored the need to ditch many of the cleaning products that used to be old standbys. I don’t even need to go into what is on the label and why natural cleaning solutions are a necessity to green living. What many do not realize is that green cleaning products come in two different flavors. There are those that come from the store, sold as “green” cleaners. This constitutes one type of natural cleaner. The other type of green cleaning products are those that can be made from things in your kitchen cupboard such as baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, and others. Many opinions exist as to which are better and these opinions divide green cleaners into two camps.

However, the problem comes to roost on Friday night when you stand at your shower, brush in hand, faced with a nasty layer of soap scum. Hummmm, which to use? Do I choose name brand green cleaners or Vinegar and baking soda?

We are lucky to live in an age where we have instant access to the wisdom of millions of wise old grandmothers and their wisdom at the stroke of a key. Previous generations only had access to the wisdom of a few grandmothers at best. Now, when your three year old spills peanut butter and jelly on the white carpet, steps in it and goes running through the house because they know that they were not supposed to have it in the living room anyway, you can just type in, “peanut butter and jelly on carpet” and come up with a wealth of suggestions. Problem solved, right? Wrong, now you have too many options to choose from, so which is best?

The answer to that is that it depends on what the spill is and what it happens to be on. Of course, makers of eco-friendly cleaning products claim that theirs clean better than the homemade flavor, but do they really? Opinions differ all over the Internet, so much that it will make your head swim. Let’s examine some of the products from my own arsenal.

• Baking soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) is the ultimate odor neutralizer. It neutralizes acid, deodorizes carpets, fabrics, refrigerators and anything else that needs it. It polishes metals and plastics.
• Borax deodorizes too, but it also prevents mold and mildew. It removes stains, something baking soda does not.
• Cornstarch cleans windows, carpets, and polishes furniture.
• Alcohol is the all time disinfectant.
• Lemon juice deodorizes, cleans glass and is a stain remover.
• Vinegar is an anti-mildew agent and degreaser. It also does windows, stone, brick, and concrete

These are the basics from the kitchen cupboard. There are simply too many suggestions on how to use these products to go into. A number of recipes are also available that clean a specific surface or a particular spill, but all of them rely only on a few basics, such as those listed.

Now there are a number of natural cleaning products available by environmentally minded companies that claim to do the same thing, only without all of the elbow grease and hassle. The truth about them is on the label. Many of the green cleaning products that can be found on the grocery store shelf are made with things like vinegar, filtered water, grain alcohol, natural surfactants, and borax. Several other products take the high tech approach using specialized natural ingredients. These included amino acids, vitamins, minerals and ingredients that are made from edible seeds, green vegetables, and seed bearing plants. Another approach to the manufactured line of “green” products uses essential oils, glycerine, coconut based cleaning agents, corn based ethanol, biodegradable preservatives (but they do not tell you what), and blue and yellow coloring.

These are only a few of the many variations of natural and eco-friendly products available on the open market. What does this tell us? Read the labels. One of the most popular “green brands” claims to be 99% petrochemical free. Yet, I do not see any petrochemicals listed on the label. The bottom line is to know what you are buying.

Now back to the basic question of whether all natural things from your kitchen cupboard are “better” than those marketed commercially as ‘green”. The answer depends on the product and the philosophy of the company behind it. For those that are simply the ingredients put together from things in your kitchen cupboard for the convenience of not having to mix them in a spray bottle yourself, the answer is, “no”. These are the same thing.

The answer to the question about commercial products that are all different. If you try to use them in way in which they were not designed, they will not work. The same can be said for the things in your kitchen as well. The all-purpose cleaner, whether it comes from the factory, or from your kitchen, will only perform it if is used for what it does best. This is a mistake that many make with any type of cleaning product. If you use oven cleaner to clean your hardwood floors, the result could be disastrous. It makes no difference whether the cleaner is a “natural” manufactured product or sea salt, vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice. They must be used as intended in order to work. Our grandmothers and great grandmothers relied on the cleaners from their cupboard for many years and they managed to keep their homes sparkling clean (insert “ting” sound). So, yes they do work and work wonderfully, but so do manufactured products when used as directed. Regardless of the option that you choose, it pays to do some research first. A little research will pay off big in the long run.

To Compost, or not to Compost?

Composting is one of the most basic elements of green living, but many do not know what it is or why they should do it, let alone how to do it. Composting can sound intimidating to the novice, but it is really simple and happens all the time in nature without any input from human hands at all. It was going on long before we were here and will continue long after we are gone. Look at the grass below you, where did all of that soil come from? The answer is compost.

Our topsoil is the result of the decay of organic matter and builds up at the rate of ¼ inch per year in most non-wooded average areas. The type of dirt that we are after is light, airy, nutrient rich loam or humus. They only way to get this is through the decay of organic matter.

Why should we want such a thing? If you are a gardener, you already know the answer to this question, but if you are not a gardener, then the answer might not be so obvious. High nutrient, composted soil has many uses for the non-gardener. If you grow houseplants, it is the best potting soil. It is the basis for any potting soil mix. It can be amended to meet many needs.

If you are making new flower beds, there is no need to purchase organic soil or compost, if you already have a supply of your own. If the beds are already established, a fresh dressing of compost is an excellent way to add nutrients back into the soil. You can just put a little around the plants whenever you happen to have a little extra compost to spare. If you don’t do flowers or other gardening, spreading it out over the lawn can help to keep it fresh and vital. It is probably true that composting is not worth the effort for those who live in places where there is no lawn or green space. However, everyone else can find a use for it.

Composting helps to reduce landfill waste. Although, ultimately organic matter will eventually break down into soil, at the landfill, it does not have optimum conditions to do so. It will break down much more efficiently in a backyard composting set up. The best reason for composting is that it is an excellent way for children to see the reduce, reuse, recycle idea in action. They can see how what they throw out breaks down, provides food for living creatures (worms) and get reused to help a new plant grow. This is an excellent classroom activity that can take place on a small scale over the course of a school year.

Composting Basics
The first thing that you will need is a container. The container should be large enough to pile up a good quantity of decaying material. You will want extra room for turning. It must have air circulation and drainage. There are many commercial composting systems available. They range from simple plastic bins with holes in the top and drainage holes in the bottom to ones that can be turned by an attached crank system. They come in a wide range of price ranges and sizes. Search the internet and you are sure to come up with something that suits your needs. Mine is a fenced area that is about 4 feet by 4 feet per side. Don’t’ go much bigger than 4 feet X 4 feet X 4 feet high or there is the potential that enough heat can build up to catch fire. This in one place where it pays to think small.

Once you find a proper composter, it is time to decide what to put in it. Passive composting is a slow natural process, as it occurs in nature. No one takes an active role is speeding up the process in this case. Active composting means taking actions that can speed up the process to about 2-6 weeks. Active composting requires aeration by turning the pile about once a week, moisture, and the proper carbon to nitrogen ratio. Hey wait, I thought you said it was simple?

The carbon to nitrogen ratio is important for the growth of decomposers. Carbon is like food for worms and nitrogen helps them to digest carbon and turn it into energy. The proper ratio is typically 30 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen. This sounds tricky, but it will happen naturally if you thrown in a variety of plant materials. For instance, carbon is found in leaves, straw, hay, shrub prunings, shredded paper, cardboard, newspaper, sawdust, woodchips, and dryer lint. Nitrogen comes from eggshells, fruit and vegetable scraps, grass clippings, weeds, flowers, coffee grounds, and tea leaves. Don’t worry about the carbon to nitrogen ratio and getting it exact, as long as you vary your composting material, the little microorganisms and decomposters will be quite happy.

One hint about the carbon/nitrogen ratio is that if the pile begins to smell badly, you probably need to add more nitrogen materials. The most common odor source is the production of ammonia gas due to not enough nitrogen. Composters are happiest when they can come in contact with air. Breaking up the material and reducing it by chopping, shredding or mowing will help to make the material easier for the decomposers to digest. Also, the addition of fruit and vegetables should be done by burying it in the pile or it could attract fruit flies.

Aeration is an important part of the process. The compost should be turned once a week. If you forget to turn it, don’t be surprised if there is an odor. This means that the microbes could not get to that part of the pile due to lack of oxygen. Turning it helps to cur down on odor. If you happen to go on vacation for a month, don’t worry, decomposition will continue, just turn it when you get back. This is a very for giving process and will happen whether you tend to it or not.

Moisture is another important part of the process. Microorganisms can only use organic molecules if they are dissolved in water, otherwise they will go dormant. When decomposition slows, smells will begin to appear. It should be kept at about the moisture of a damp sponge in order to be at its best. As the microorganisms and decomposters begin to work, the pile will build up heat. It should be around 90-140 degrees F for optimum growth. Decomposition still occurs outside this range. Your compost pile will keep working through the winter, but it will be much slower. I compost around the outsides of raised beds so that the decomposition will produce heat through the winter. I have used it around cold frames and greenhouses to raise the temperature in the winter. Fresh lettuce and carrots in January in Ohio, Yum!

Redworms are one of the most efficient composters and are one of the most forgiving too. If you do not have a ready supply, you can purchase them on the Internet and have them shipped. The number of worms that you need depends on how much food waste you generate in a week. The worms will reproduce if sufficient food is available or die back to a sustainable number if enough food is not available. Worm castings are an excellent nutrient source for plants.

I have read various estimates on the amount of food waste that ends up in our landfills and numbers range anywhere from 20-40%. Composting food scraps is something that everyone can do. If we reduced the amount of waste in our landfills by that much, it would save more room for things that we cannot compost. Composting is a rewarding experience. It is satisfying to reach your hands into that ‘black gold” and know that your plants will love it and so will the environment. Happy Composting!