The Greendream
We Love Nature. We Love the Planet
Hi, welcome to my post about “Being Green”, or eco-friendly. Eco-friendly means, in part, to always consider the impact ( negative or positive) on our environment when buying products for our homes, making travel plans, choosing energy suppliers, making home improvements and supporting Eco-friendly companies in our everyday decision-making. Do you buy non-toxic cleaners? What about the products that you use in your yard? Do they kill bees and other pollinators that are critical to our food sources? Do you use Solar Panels at your home? LED lights? Monitor and decrease your Power and Water usage?
We are being asked to reduce our carbon footprint in response to the ongoing climate change. As a property owner I am doing my part to reduce my footprint by reducing energy consumption ( lowering electricity bill); reducing gas and water consumption ( devices that help conserve water and asking guests to limit the long, hot showers); buying the right Earth-friendly supplies. These are part of my overall plan to reduce my carbon footprint and lower The Greendream Rental Home energy consumption. This is a life-long action plan that I’ve already implemented at my Rental Home because WE ONLY HAVE ONE PLANET ”
WHAT IS ECO-FRIENDLY?
“Eco might include products:
- that haven’t depleted any of the natural resources
- where depleted resources have been replenished by the manufacturer
- that use resources not under threat
- that use less resources to produce eg water and energy
- which have no added dyes, chemicals or nasty ingredients
- which do not pollute the environment
- that commit to eliminate plastic or offer a viable solution to reuse
- with lower transport carbon costs (eg ones you rehydrate at home e.g. Splosh or Smol )
- with packaging that is recyclable or reusable
- that are truly palm oil free
(Thanks to BobG, a fellow environmentalist for the above.)
I am always searching for the best “eco-friendly” products for my Greendream Vacation Home. My dream is for guests to fall in love with these Nature-friendly products, and use them at home!
SUPPLIES
- Beeswax Food Covers and food wrappers to replace plastic bags.
- Shampoo, conditioner and body wash dispenser to eliminate my use of travel-size, plastic containers.
- Wool dryer balls with lovely Lavender oil to replace single dryer sheets. Add a few drops of oil to the wool ball and your clothes smell fabulous! Various scents available.
- Filtered water pitcher instead of plastic water bottles.
- Biodegradable hot/cold cups for your favorite beverage.
- Bamboo reusable toothbrushes.
- Ecobee Smart Thermostat that allows you to schedule the temperature in my home to help reduce the carbon footprint ( see below).
- Amazon has over 80,000 “eco-friendly products. Make sure that what you are getting is truly Amazon eco-friendly I purchased beeswax food covers, Better Living Products dispensers for the bathrooms to eliminate plastic travel-sized toiletries; Ginger Lily Farms Botanicals shampoo, conditioner & body wash to fill dispensers; Biodegradable “dog poop” bags; Wool Dryer Balls with Lavender scent that eliminates dryer sheets; Biodegradable Bamboo Tooth Brushes; Reusable “Unpaper” Towels and Smart Plugs that manage lights via the Kasa app.
- Ecobee thermostat . I have the thermostat and sensors which monitorthe temperaturein each room. The app let’s you manage temperatures remotely to save usage. You can set up a schedule for daily and weekly temperature settings that will maintain a consistent temperature.
- Cleancult Cleaning This company provides cleaning products and shipping that is carbon-neutral.
MORE RESOURCES
1. Tiny Pollinators- Do you have flowers or fruit trees in your yard? Do you enjoy gardening? How about glorious, Spring days where you just have to be outside?
I have a fabulous idea for you that is a great little project for kids, too! 2 years ago I started hosting tiny bee pollinators in my back yard. I’m afraid of wasps, so I gave this a lot of thought, but my desire to help our decimated bee population overcame my fear. I found a terrific Company on the West Coast that sells tiny pollinators as well as the supplies ( a bee house ) needed. They’re called Crown Bees, and they will send you a little package of live bees that you just set free inside you bee house. That’s it!
Now when I say TINY BEES, I mean tiny. They sell 2 kinds of bees: Mason Bees ( these little babies like mud), and Leaf Cutters Bees which eat leaves. I bought the Leaf Cutters, and I started noticing them hovering over my flowers almost immediately. They are so tiny that you really have to look for them. The little bites that they take out of leaves are miniscule. Trust me. They use the leaves to protect the baby cocoons inside their house. These teeny bees are NOT AGGRESSIVE and adorable! Trust me on that, too. I use a wheelchair, so I feel like a sitting duck when I see wasps. This has become an annual mini project for me, and this is a great gift for friends.
2. This web site is hosted by GreenGeeks whose mission is to reduce their carbon footprint thus making their business eco-friendly. Check them out : GreenGeeks
TOURISM INDUSTRY- Climate Emergency Declared
This climate emergency initiative declared by members of the Tourism industry ( aviation companies, sustainable travel partners and agencies, travel forums, etc.) is an action plan (Climate Blueprint) developed for members of the Tourism industry to take steps to reduce their carbon footprint. The site Tourism Declares Climate Emergency is where members sign up to 1. DECLARE their support for this initiative, and also 2. Get the CLIMATE BLUEPRINT that outlines steps that we all can take for reducing our carbon footprint. I have Declared my support, and will get the blueprint for how to reduce my footprint at my rental home, The Greendream. The site has terrific resources for companies and individuals on how to be more eco-friendly.
*My Statement declaring The Greendream strategic plan to battle climate change: (Tourism Declares Climate Emergency): Statement Document
Tourism Declares supports tourism businesses, organizations and individuals in declaring a climate emergency and taking action to reduce their carbon emissions.
I encourage everyone to join!
Stay tuned for more ideas. Until then, please feel free to book your next vacation or holiday stay at The Greendream. Feel free to Contact Me if you have any questions or ideas. Let’s GO GREEN!
Catherine, The Homeowner
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