Plastic Bags in Boulder – Ban Them, Add Fees, or Leave Them Alone?

Posted on May 8, 2012 by dan

The City of Boulder recently took public comments on the issue of regulating plastic shopping bags and potentially paper ones too. The comments came in overwhelmingly in favor of taking some action to regulate this ubiquitous accessory of consumerism. The potential regulations include a fee imposed on paper and/or plastic bags, or an outright ban.

There are numerous environmental reasons for reducing or eliminating our reliance on these bags, which are typically used only once then discarded. They take centuries or longer to biodegrade and they are one of the most common sources of litter just to name a couple.

“According to a Boulder County Waste Composition Study, 781 tons of plastic retail bags ended up in the county’s waste stream in 2010. That represents roughly 120 million plastic bags thrown away countywide.” Source

The Boulder City Council meets May 15th and is scheduled to discuss plastic bag regulations. What are your thoughts?

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One Year of Conscious Thoughts

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Allie

The past few weeks have been cause for celebration here at Clean Conscience.  Last month we celebrated our 5th Anniversary in business. Thanks again to all our great clients and staff for making it five awesome years!

This week one year ago we published our first post on Conscious Thoughts.  We wanted to take this moment to ask you, our readers, what you would like to see more of on this blog.  Please take a moment to vote in our poll or leave us a comment and let us know which topics you would like us to cover more.  You can also add the link to some of your favorite posts in the comment section.

We’d love to get your feedback because we would like to make the second year of Conscious Thoughts even better than the first!

Thanks again for stopping by our little spot on the web.

 

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Traditional Lawn Care Versus The “ecoLogical Way”

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Greg

It’s official Spring is here! Have you scheduled your spring cleaning yet?  How about a spring cleanup/prep for your yard?  Lawn pesticides and synthetic fertilizers are associated with an increased risk of cancer, neurotoxicity, birth defects, liver or kidney damage, reproductive effects and endocrine disruption. These are not chemicals you want in your yard and you certainly don’t want to track them into your home! John DeFilippi owner and founder of Boulder’s ecoLogical Lawn & Tree Care is our guest blogger.

Guest Blogger: In 2008, owner and founder, John DeFilippi realized it was time to offer an environmentally safe alternative to traditional lawn care that is dependent on chemical applications and synthetic fertilizers as well as pollution-spewing lawn equipment. He began researching the philosophy behind organic lawn care and consulting with the country’s leading experts and soon realized that the formula was simple: Conventional lawn care treats symptoms – Alternative lawn care solves problems. So in 2010, ecoLogical Lawn & Tree Care embarked on its first season of business, built upon eco-conscious principles and a promise to keep people, pets and the planet safe as Boulder’s first complete earth-friendly alternative to lawn and tree care. John was nice enough to take the time to tell us more about his business. 

How is ecoLogical nontoxic?

We never use toxic lawn chemicals, pesticides or herbicides in our turf care programs. Organic applications, high quality fertilizers and a dedication to improving and nurturing soil quality and microbial balance are our safe and effective methods for a healthy, green lawn.

  1. Gas-powered lawn equipment burns 580 million gallons of fuel per year and contributes to 5% of urban air pollution.

How is ecoLogical cleaner?

We only use cordless-electric or propane-powered mowers and equipment that are recharged with solar or wind energy.  Our equipment emits 3,3000 times less hydrocarbons and less than half the carbon dioxide than gas mowers.

  1. Pesticide run-off pollutes ground and surface water threatening the safety of drinking water and can endanger wildlife and family pets.

How is ecoLogical safer?

Our eco-friendly applications are free of chemicals and thus nontoxic to humans, pets and the environment.

  1. Expensive lawn pesticides and herbicides can add up financially and don not treat the root of the problem. In fact, these chemicals deplete soil nutrients and are only reactionary.

How is ecoLogical cost-saving?

Alternative lawn care saves you money by replacing on costly chemicals (which have short-term effect) with less expensive pest prevention techniques such as integrated pest management (IPM). IPM gets at the root of the problem such as increasing soil health, biodiversity, and monitoring bugs and weeds before they become pests.

  1. Lawn care accounts for more than 30% of total water usage in the United States

How is ecoLogical earth-friendly?

Our water conservation initiatives and irrigation management consulting encourage responsible water usage and help cut-down on household consumption.

  1. Gas equipment can run up to a potentially dangerous 100 decibels of noise

How is ecoLogical quieter?

Our electric mowers are up to 75% quieter

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Happy Birthday Clean Conscience!

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Greg

Wow! Clean Conscience turns 5 today! We’ve come a long way since that first day with 2 cleanings scheduled.   Thanks to all of our great staff and customers, we now perform close to 5000 cleanings annually!

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How to Keep your Pets Safe & Secure in their Home when you are Away

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Greg

Guest Blogger: Many of our customers have pets so we thought we would ask an expert for some tips for keeping pets safe when you are not at home. Dan Lipschultz is the Top Dog and President of Out-U-Go! Pet Care in Denver & Boulder. Out-U-Go! has 8 locations in 3 states and has provided more than 1,000,000 dog walking and cat sitting visits over 16 years. 

These are great tips, thanks Dan!

Heading out for work in the morning?  Getting ready to leave town?  That would all be simple enough if your pup or kitty didn’t have his or her own plans for what to do the moment you walk out the door.  As any pet lover knows, often times these plans include, but are not limited to, making a gigantic mess of your house.

Out-U-Go! has been providing dog walking and pet sitting since 1996.  As such, we have walked in on plenty of messes that took place after our pet parents stepped out.  As fun as it is to discover an easily preventable mess, clean it all up and then call the pet parent to break the news, following these simple Do’s and Do Not’s can help keep your pets safe, secure and out of mischief while you’re away.

-        DO NOT leave your pantry door open.  If you do, your pet might decide to eat all your food, or at least open a big bag of chips and spread them all over your floor.

-        DO keep your toilet seat down, unless you want your pup to drink all the water.

-        DO NOT leave your trash can out and open.  Pups love trash cans about as much as they like pantries.

-        DO put away dishrags, strings, small rawhide chews or other choking hazards when you aren’t there to supervise your pets.

-        DO NOT leave windows open if your cat can reach them.  Your kitty might decide to go for a mid day stroll right through the screen.

-        DO give your pets lots of love, scratches, treats and belly rubs before walking out the door!

-        DO NOT leave home for too long at a time without having an awesome, local dog walker or pet sitter from Out-U-Go! stop by to check in on your favorite furballs.

www.OUTUGO.com 

About the Author:  Dan Lipschultz is the Top Dog and President of Out-U-Go! Pet Care in Denver & Boulder. Out-U-Go! has 8 locations in 3 states and has provided more than 1,000,000 dog walking and cat sitting visits over 16 years.  More information about Out-U-Go! services and franchise opportunities can be found at www.OUTUGO.com. Please let them know you were referred by Clean Conscience.

www.OUTUGO.com

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Boulder Spring Cleaning

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Allie

patch of crocus flowers enjoying the early spring sunshineSpring is only two weeks away and that means it’s time to throw open the windows and break out the Eco-friendly cleaning supplies.  It’s spring cleaning time along the Front Range!

Spring cleaning presents a great opportunity to get to some areas of your house that are hard to reach during regular cleanings.

Green spring cleaning tips:

Refrigerator – Clean the floor and wall behind your refrigerator.  Don’t forget to dust and clean the refrigerator coils.  This helps the refrigerator run more efficiently, reducing your electricity bill.

TV & Entertainment Center – Clean the floor and wall behind your  TV and entertainment center.  Also take some time to get all the dust off the cables and vent fan grates on your electronics.  Make sure they are turned off, unplugged and cooled down before you do.  Removing all the excess dust from your  electronics will help them run cooler and more efficiently.

Reduce cleaning waste – use microfiber clothes and dish rags for cleaning instead of paper towels.  Swap out the Swiffer sweeper for a broom and reusable mop.

Get organized – Getting organized and planning ahead can help reduce stress and reduce the amount of time you are cleaning.  Check out this helpful spring cleaning checklist (pdf) from Martha Stewart.

Depending on your personality you are probably either eager and excited to get to your spring cleaning to do list or you are dreading what seems like an insurmountable list of chores.  If you fall into the latter category, then give us a call! We can help you with all your indoor spring cleaning chores in an Eco-friendly manner.  Contact us for a spring cleaning estimate.

Do you have one or two whacky or crazy spring cleaning chores or traditions? Share them with us in the comments.

Photo credit: pdbreen on Flickr
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Green Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Allie

Valentine’s Day is only one week away, do you have a creative, green gift for your special someone? No? Well there’s no need to worry!  Check out our last minute green Valentine’s Day gift ideas below.

1. Organic and Fair Trade Chocolates

Sweet Earth Organic Chocolates

Chocolate that is grown, produced and marketed in a way that isn’t harmful to the planet or the farmer.  Plus they taste great!

The Daily Green has a great list of 19 of the Best Organic and Fair Trade Chocolates.  Check it out.

 

 

 

2. A Potted House Plant

Peace Lily

It doesn’t get much greener than an actual plant.  Just to be safe, I wouldn’t get a potted plant as a replacement for roses, but it would go great in addition to some lovely organic roses (see below).

Don’t know what type of house plant to get?  Check out our post about house plants that actually clean your indoor air.

 

 

 

3. Organic Roses

There are lots of online flower retailers that now offer Eco-friendly and even USDA Organic certified roses and other ornamental flowers.  Organic Bouquet offers Veriflora certified organic roses that are perfect for Valentine’s Day.

You could also check with your local Denver or Boulder florist to see if they have any organic roses available.

 

4. (non-toxic) Scented candles to set the romantic mood

Medium Romance Gift Basket

Way Out Wax has an extensive line of hand made, all natural soy candles scented with non-toxic essential oils.  No harmful additives or dyes are used.

Check out their romance gift baskets, available in small, medium and large.

 

 

5. Clean the House

Everyone loves the gift of free time and everyone loves a nice clean home.  Why not offer to clean up the house this weekend and let your special someone kick their feet up and relax.  You could also buy a Clean Conscience gift card and give the gift of green cleaning and then spend the free time on a romantic picnic.  Contact us to purchase a gift card for Valentine’s Day (picnic not included with gift card…).

Happy Valentine's Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo credit: Picinic - via Visit Finger Lakes on Flickr
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How to clean a flat screen TV

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Greg

Are you ready for Super Bowl Sunday? Not unless your flat screen TV is clean. Here’s how:

How to clean series:

Flat Screen TV or Monitor

Today’s flat screen TV’s and monitors must be cleaned differently than the old CRT monitors. The CRT monitors had a glass screen and could be cleaned the same way you would clean any other piece of glass.  Flat screens (Plasma, LCD, LED) are much more sensitive and can be easily scratched or damaged so they require some special care when cleaning. Before attempting to clean any TV screen or monitor you should always check the owners manual for instructions or special care.

Follow the easy steps below to safely clean your flat screen monitor or TV in just a few minutes.

  1. Turn off the TV/monitor and let it fully cool down for roughly 30 minutes. When the screen is dark, it will be easier to see the areas that are dirty or oily, and when it is fully cooled off there is less chance of damaging pixels.
  2. Use a dry, soft cloth and very gently wipe the screen. A great choice would be the microfiber type of cloth used to clean eyeglasses. Avoid using paper towel and never use anything remotely abrasive.
  3. If the soft dry cloth did not completely remove the dirt or oil, do not press harder in an attempt to scrub it off. Pushing directly on the screen can often cause pixels to burn out.
  4. If necessary, dampen the cloth (do not spray the screen) with distilled water or with an equal ratio of distilled water to white vinegar. Many companies also sell small spray bottles of special cleaner for flat screen monitors which you may want to consider but the vinegar mixture is usually just as effective.  Avoid cleaning products that contain ammonia, ethyl alcohol, acetone, toluene, ethyl acid, methyl chloride, or window cleaner (which is mostly ammonia). These chemicals can react with the materials that the flat screen is made of which could yellow the screen or cause other kinds of damage. Also avoid tap water as the minerals can leave white spots on the screen. Never spray liquid directly on an LED, LCD, or plasma screen. It could run inside the monitor and cause damage.
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What’s your green resolution for 2012?

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Allie

The new year is here! Did you make any green resolutions for 2012?  Here are some great green resolutions that are fairly easy to implement, make a difference, and that you’ll enjoy.

Green Resolutions for 2012

Reduce meat consumption – have one or two vegetarian days (or more) per week.

Beef CAFO

Switch to organic meat – When eating meat, make a concerted effort to only eat organic meat.  Don’t buy meat products from Concentrated Animal Feed Operation (CAFO).  These operations generate lots of animal waste and the close confinement allows pathogens to run rampant.  As a result, CAFO animals are given large amounts of antibiotics and steroids to ward off infection.  You can read more about CAFOs here and here.

 

Reduce gasoline consumption

  • Ride a bike or walk to close by places of business and interest
  • Car pool to work
  • Take public transportation one or more times per week

Grow some of your own food!

This is a very fun green resolution.  Even if you live in an apartment, you can grow some small bit of food from herbs on a windowsill to growing a tomato plant on your terrace.  However much or little food you grow, every bit helps to reduce fossil fuel use at numerous points along our industrial food supply chain.  From diesel in tractors and trucks to natural gas derived fertilizers, our industrial agricultural system uses a tremendous amount of fossil fuel.

Small Raised Bed Garden - via Flickr

There are other benefits in addition to reducing fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions.  Growing a garden is a great way to spend quality time with the family.  One of my favorite benefits is that you can grow unique heirloom varieties of different vegetables.  They taste great and some of them look wild and exotic.

A related resolution: Eat more locally grown food

Eating locally grown food also helps reduce the amount of diesel fuel used for food transport.  Plus it helps the local economy.

You can buy locally at the Denver Farmers Market and the Boulder Farmers Market.

 

A perennial green resolution, reduce waste. 

There are so many ways that we can all reduce the amount of waste we produce everyday.  Here are just a few simple ideas to think about.

  • Don’t use single use coffee cups
    PortionPac
  • Carry a handkerchief with you instead of tissue paper
  • Use old cloth, towels and sheets instead of paper towels to clean up messes in the kitchen. Wash, rinse and repeat.
  • Green house cleaning. At Clean Conscience, we use PoritonPac and Sh-mop cleaning products that greatly reduce packaging waste and resource waste while providing a superior clean.

Have you made a green resolution this year that I didn’t mention?  Share it with us in the comments.

 Photo credit: redteam - Flickr
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Green Holiday Tips

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Allie

Hectic Holiday Shopping

The holidays are quickly approaching and there is still much to do.  Take a moment from your hectic holiday planning and check out these simple, no-nonsense ways to green your holiday season.  These tips may even save you some time to sit back, relax and actually enjoy the season with your family and friends.

Gift wrap:

Here are some great ideas for gift wrapping alternatives.

  • Scarves, handkerchiefs or bandannas
  • Old posters and maps
  • Pages from a child’s coloring book taped together (this is especially nice for relatives who would enjoy the artwork)
  •  Old newspapers
  •  Last year’s holiday paper (press with warm iron if wrinkled)
  •  Wallpaper scraps
  •  Pictures or advertisements from magazines and catalogs (you probably shouldn’t use the Victoria’s Secret catalog)
  •  Sunday comic pages
  • Paper bags from the grocery store

Bows and ribbons:

  • Reusable items, such as hair bows, ornaments, shoe laces or toys
  • Stencils or pictures from holiday cards pasted onto a plain brown paper bag or box
  •  Last year’s holiday cards cut up for gift tags
  •  Old neckties

 Packing material alternatives:

  • Biodegradable starch packing peanuts (available at a lot of shipping stores and online)
  • Crumpled ads from the newspaper (The ink on glossy paper won’t smear as it does on the rest of the newspaper)

Gift ideas:

Instead of giving the usual gifts of plastic toys made in China or the latest and greatest electronic gadget; consider giving thoughtful gifts this year that are not resource-consuming. Some of the most favored and remembered gifts are those we can make ourselves.

  • Look for gifts that are unpackaged or minimally packaged, without unnecessary plastic wrap or cardboard backing.
  • Evaluate the gift for simplicity and durability.
  • Buy durable gifts with long-term warranties (cue Lexus commercial).
  • Know the store’s return policy and include tags or receipts for easier exchange or return.
  • Consider the impact of your gift: Is it environmentally friendly and safe for children? Will it be reusable? Is it recyclable or made from recycled materials?
  • Purchase holiday cards made from recycled paper or make your own from items found around the home.
  • Give an experience (for example, a hike in the mountains or a day trip on a train).
  • Give a garden! Seeds, gloves, tools, etc.
  • Create a family recipe book.

After the holidays

Sierra Club TV offers similar tips and some others we haven’t covered in the following video.


Have other green holiday tips? Share them in the comments.

Happy Holidays from Clean Conscience!

Photo credit: Lars Plougmann - Flickr
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