Winning Green Friends And Influencing Others

I have a lot of green friends.  I have a lot of friends who are starting to go green.  I am finding that I am also influencing others with the information that I freely give away.

A while back I told you about my commitment to not use take a way containers from restaurants.  Well, last night I was at a networking mixer and ordered the 2-for-1 wings as I usually do at this event.  I ate my fill and pulled out my container to take the rest home with me.  A little while later, I see a friend pulling out her own re-usable container and filling it with her extra wings.  I couldn't believe it!  I did my little happy dance.

I talked with my friend later in the evening and she said that her family was taking up my challenge to reduce the amount of restaurant waste when they go out to eat.  We talked further and she was telling me about more little things they were doing to reduce their overall environmental impact.  Something she said really made me giggle a little and admittedly made me proud.  She said that when they accomplished some challenge I set or tip I had given, they would say "Christopher would be so proud" or if they had a question about something, "What would Christopher do?"

Is Your Business In the Green part 2

The health and well-being of employees and customers should be a top priority for business owners.  In todays business world, however, this is too often overlooked or ignored altogether.  Why?

Most business owners think this is strictly about providing insurance for all of their employees.  They couldn't be more wrong.  Insurance is like a band-aid on the real issue.  The real issue is providing a work environment that is healthy and safe for their workers and customers.  How many of your employees have Asthma or allergies?  Chances are, the majority of your employees have some form of allergy or Asthma.  How many of those employees call in sick, A LOT?  Now think about your customers.  That number goes up exponentially. If a customer or client enters a space that causes them to not feel well, they will leave it and never return.  In their subconscious mind, they are equating your office or retail space with feeling bad. 

Most of the issues these employees and customers face is caused by a chemical trigger.  That trigger could be the chemicals that were used to clean the floor, the chemicals that are being used to give the restrooms that "fresh" scent or even the chemicals that were used to clean the display area.  Does your office area or display area receive full sun in the morning or afternoon?  Is this time time of day when employees are more likely to go home because they are not feeling well?

Changing your cleaning products from chemical based cleaners to all-natural cleaners is fast, easy and will end up saving your company money.  There are some industrial cleaning supply companies out there who have been touting their "all-natural" cleaners, yet they are guilty of green washing.  If you look at the label on a bottle of cleaner and you cannot pronounce or immediately recognize the ingredients as being plants or fruits, then that product is not natural.  Finding truly all-natural products, in the past, has been the hard part of the process and requires a fair amount of work.  As always, I want to make this entire process easier for you.  The ingredients in our cleaning products are very clearly labeled and contain only ingredients that are plants and fruits.  They have been formulated to provide maximum cleaning power and yet leave no scent behind.

As a business owner you want to keep your best employees and customers coming back, yes?  By making this incredibly small change in the way your facility is managed, you are making a bold statement to your employees and customers that says, "We care about you, your families and the environment".  Wouldn't you like to be quoted in the papers saying that?  Businesses who have made this statement in the past have all been hugely successful.  When you tell people you truly care about them, they will choose you over the other guy.

Contact me today and I will show you how your business can become OnlyGreen Qualified.

Topher And The Blustery Day

Living in Arizona we do not often see the effects of climate change.  This year, however, we are seeing some crazy, crazy weather.  We have had days where the temperature only reached the upper 40's during the day and we've already had days that have hit the low 80's.  All this in only the past two months.

Today we are experiencing another day of strong winds which is making it near impossible to enjoy spending any time outside while the temperature is still warm enough.  Most of our winter has been pretty windy.  During one storm we found everything in our back yard (patio furniture, table and chairs, 7 burner grill, etc) thrown against the wall within seconds.  As a native, I can say with certainty that this is not what the weather was like growing up.

With this change in the climate, there comes new opportunities.  There's change blowing on the wind, as they say.  We still have an extreme number of days with full sun, so the application of solar energy production is still a no-brainer here.  However, with the massive increase of windy days, we can now look at wind energy as a viable option as well.

Imagine it; you have solar energy panels on your roof and it's reduced your electric bill to almost zero.  What's preventing you from reaching that zero dollar amount on your next bill?  What if you added a small wind-turbine?  There are new turbines on the market small enough to go in your back yard without being an eyesore.  We have the energy resources we need to take our city off the grid.  My question to you is; why aren't we taking advantage of it?

It's A Blizzard, Auntie Em!

Okay, so here's the deal:

The average temperature increases by a degree or two from all the garbage in the atmosphere.  This causes the ocean temperature to rise by a degree or two.  This warmer water causes the glaciers at the North Pole to melt just a little bit.  Then, because it's just a hair or two warmer than usual, those glaciers start to deteriorate.  Once this happens, they begin to break apart. Our natural solar reflector is now in pieces and floating away into much warmer water, where the pieces melt completely.  This causes the average temperature to rise a few more degrees.  More precipitation in the air means more severe storm activity.  See where I'm going with this yet?

Anyone who tries to deny that man has any effect on the environment only need take a look outside today.  This is what we've done.  We have no one to blame but ourselves.  Did we foresee this coming 100 years ago?  Nope.  Did we see it coming 50 years ago?  There were some wacky theories making the rounds at that time.  Did we see this coming 20 years ago?  You betcha!  Could we have prevented our Northern ice cap from melting?  We could have done a lot more to prevent it.  I don't know if we could have stopped it altogether, however I do know that we could have slowed it down considerably if we had only taken the initiative to do something about it.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the result of Global Warming.  Ain't it fun?

Earth Hour Every Week

Ever since Earth Hour first started, I have been a huge proponent of the idea.  I love it!  It reminds me to step back from everything and take a breath.  We usually end up going waaaay past the alloted hour each year.  We light a few candles and enjoy spending quality time with the neighbors.

We decided we like the idea so much, why not do it once a month?  So we did.  Once a month we would unplug all the unnecessary devices/appliances in the house and read by candle light or have a drink and play a board game with the neighbors.  This became a habit after a few months.

After our second official Earth Hour we asked ourselves, why don't we try doing this once a week?  So we did. Each week we unplug and spend some quality time together.  There's no ringing, buzzing, beeping or "background noise".

What would happen if you and your family decided to do Earth Hour once a month instead of once a year?

Schrodinger's Cat

I sometimes look at my inbox and want to run away from it.  A lot of what I get is junk, some is not expected yet worth keeping and some of it I have been waiting impatiently for.  Does this sound like you?  Or do you see how many unread messages are there and don't bother looking, you just move on to something else?

When designing my weekly newsletter, I sent out the mock-up to many people asking for feedback.  I worked hard to implement the suggestions given.  Some of them just didn't work and were scrapped.  Others made my newsletter so much better than I had originally planned.  I needed it to be something that was easy to read, informative and something that people looked forward to receiving each week.

Have you seen it?  I send out a new one every Monday morning.  In it you will find a recipe for dinner, information about current eco-issues and questions from subscribers.  You'll find the sign-up form just to the right of this post, please take a minute to fill it out and subscribe.

Is Your Business In The Green? part 1

I have said before that I do a lot of networking here in the valley.  Every week I meet business owners who may recycle at home, yet they don't in their business.  I find this very strange.  I know that part of the reason is that there is no recycling service as part of their regular waste disposal in most cities here.  I try to impart this little nugget of information to each business owner I meet; greening your business is more than just recycling.  Recycling just happens to be the most popular place to start for most people.

Does your business have a break room or kitchen?  Do you supply the cups, cutlery and plates/bowls?  There are amazing products available to business owners to make a HUGE difference in just this one area.  There are cups, cutlery, plates and bowls made from corn, made from sugarcane and other plants, that are biodegradable/compostable.  There are garbage bags made from corn that break biodegrade so that the contents can properly break down.  Next week, keep an eye on your break room or kitchen and take a mental note of the waste and types of waste produced in five days.  Once you have an idea of the amount, now multiply that by 51.  Now think about this; what if all of that completely biodegraded and didn't exist after a few months.

I Know I Should Do More part 3

It is my hope that you have thought about taking control of your environment.  The next step is the most vital piece of information you need on your path to going green.  Are you ready?  Here it is: Only buy products as you need them!  Far too many people think they have to change everything all at once.  This will empty your bank account fast.  If you notice that you are running low on a product (shampoo, lotion, bathroom cleaner, etc), then start looking for an all-natural replacement.

If you follow this one simple rule, your transition to a greener, healthier lifestyle will be super easy and will probably actually save you money.  In fact, if you host an OnlyGreen EcoWorkshop, you can take advantage of our wonderful Host Rewards program and receive several of the products you want at no cost.

The Cost of Living Green

I attend quite a few networking events here in Phoenix.  I was at one last night, which is my favorite, and met someone who asked me what I do and proceeded to tell me, quite forcefully, that living green was cost prohibitive and that one couldn't sustain that kind of "lifestyle" indefinitely.  She also said that it would eventually lead people to a life of crime to pay to continue living this way.  This last statement really shocked me.  How on earth could living a green life lead one to commit crime?  Her reply to this question was simple: truly green products and services cost too much.  Aha!  I hear that a lot.  "I know I should use natural products, but they cost too much.  I can get the regular stuff much cheaper."

If you are shopping for green products at your local grocery store or boutique store, these products are going to be more expensive.  Are they really more expensive to create and manufacture?  Nope.  They are actually cheaper to produce than the chemical alternatives.  You don't need special training for your employees to handle the ingredients because they are all-natural.  Your insurance costs go down because your employees are healthier.  You don't need special storage and removal equipment and services to handle the, oftentimes, toxic chemicals.  Companies are charging more for these products because they can.  To make matters worse, the majority of these products aren't really "green" at all.  There are several companies, however, that are stepping up to the plate with truly green products at prices that meet or beat what you can purchase at the supermarket.  OnlyGreen is one of those companies.

When you make the decision to stop onto the path of going green, you are laying claim to your personal environment.  I talked about this in a previous blog.  Your environment is that area commonly known as "personal space".  I urge you to read it, it's good stuff!  Once that commitment has been made and you begin walking that path, you are going to find some undeniable truths; your health will improve (which will result in lower medical care costs), all-natural products are often concentrated (you use less to do more, saving you more money), more and more businesses are offering discounts on goods and services (many stores give you a discount for each bag you re-use, many coffee shops give you a discount for bringing your own cup).  If you are saving money at almost every turn, it's impossible to rationalize this idea.

The idea that going green is more expensive is a horrible myth that we must dispel.  I always urge my clients to investigate the products they currently use and the total expense of that product.

It's A Numbers Game

I recently came across an amazing video that I want to share with you.  It was made by National Geographic.  The statistics shown in the video are incredible.

I welcome your comments.

I Know I Should Do More part 2

Do you feel your curb-side recycling takes enough?  They don't.  Most city recycling centers are still in "landfill" mode and don't see the benefits to increasing their recycling capabilities.  This doesn't mean that you can't do more.  You can recycle as much as you want.  If you take a little time at the beginning, the process is simple, quick and actually makes you money.

You can recycle almost anything.  Here are the steps to recycling more:

1. Look at what you are putting in your regular garbage can.  Make a list.  Are you putting in plastics, papers or glass that you suspect could be recycled?

2. You want to locate a good recycling center near you.  To do that, you want to visit this link: Earth911.

3. Almost all recycling centers require you to separate everything once you are there.  Save yourself all that work and separate it before hand.  Look at the list you made in step one and pick up a container for each type of material you are going to take to the center.  Now when you throw that stuff out, it's already sorted and you don't have to do it at the center.

4. Decide when you are going to take your materials to the recycling center.  Will you need to go once a week, two weeks or maybe only once a month?  You'll have a better idea of when you need to take it in once you start collecting it.

5. Take your containers to the recycling center.  They will normally have bins to transfer the materials into.  Since you don't have to stand there and sort everything out, this is super easy and quick.  They will weigh everything and give you a receipt and send you to the office where you will get paid for the materials you brought in.

What are you going to do with that extra money?  I really want to know how you do with this.  Leave a comment telling everyone how your efforts are going and what you are going to do with the extra money.

I Know I Should Do More part 1

This is a comment I hear A LOT!  People who they should do  more, yet don't.  Most often when asked why they don't do what they feel is "more", they usually say, "I just don't have the time" or "I don't know where to start, there's so much to do and I feel overwhelmed".

Have you said those things?  Are you still saying those things?  Someone recently asked me who my main competitor was.  I gave my usual reply and they told me I was wrong.  This was obviously confusing; how could I be wrong?  I keep on top of that kind of thing.  Her reply was, Time.  Time is the competitor to all.  It's always working against us and it's usually in the lead.  So I looked at the "I just don't have time" response and asked someone who has given me that excuse what their typical days consists of.  I was blown away by the response!  This person was doing less in an entire day than I do in 2 hours each day.  Yet, somehow, they just couldn't get things done and are always putting things off.  You've no doubt heard the phrase, work smarter not harder.  We each have the same 24 hours every day.  What makes the difference is HOW those hours are spent.  Are you trying to multi-task?  Here's a secret; multi-tasking doesn't work.  It only serves to keep you distracted from finishing anything.  Do you have systems in place to take care of all the repetitive stuff?  You should.

One of the reasons I started my business was to help people who were "overwhelmed" and give them a starting point.  There is an amazing amount of information out there and it can be extremely time consuming trying to sift through it all to learn what you need.  If you had access to someone who knew the answer, wouldn't give them a call rather than spend all the time trying to find the answer?  I wanted to be that person.  I am that person.  If you have any questions about anything "green" feel free to contact me.

A Different Conversation

The environment, it's not some abstract concept that you can not touch or feel or see.  It is very real and always around you.  This is how I want the conversation to start: Are you concerned about YOUR environment?  This is a pretty easy question to ask, but not one that is easy to answer for most people.

Let's define the idea of "your environment".  We all know what personal space is.  It is a three foot perimeter around you.  And if someone invades that space, most of us get defensive and irritated.  You've already claimed that area around you.  But are you taking care of that space?  What are you doing to ensure that area remains free from cancer-causing chemicals, hormone-altering pesticides or even physical debris?  I've really only changed the name of "personal space" here, however, now that it has a new name and some definition, it has a completely different emotional impact.

Now that you have been put in control of your environment, what are you going to do to make sure it's a healthy space?  How would you feel if someone littered in that space?  Or if they sprayed harmful chemicals in that space?  Your environment doesn't belong to anyone else and no one has the right to pollute it without your permission.  I have already made the commitment to keep my environment as clean as I can.  Will you?

End The Year Right

It's hard to believe I haven't posted anything since the beginning of the month.  For that I apologize.  To make it up to you, keep an eye on this blog in January.  There will be a new post every day.

There has been a lot of activity this year in regards to the environmental movement and I am honored to have been allowed to share some of that with you.  My goal with my business and in my personal life is education.  Educate others about healthier, alternative products and ways of doing things.  I, myself, have learned an amazing amount in such a short time.  By following me online or attending one of my EcoWorkshops or even just meeting me at a networking event, I hope you learned something to.  If you came away from any of my information sources with a new piece of information you then shared with someone else, I have accomplished my goal.  Thank you.

Remember, this blog is not effective unless other people read it.  Please click the button to Follow me and share the link with others.

I hope you have a time during the next few days and I wish you health and prosperity for the new year.

Why Should I Go Green?

Today I wanted to write about the reasons why you should be moving toward more all-natural, organic products in your home.  Instead of writing, I decided instead to give you a short video that breaks it all down.



The process of going green is incredibly simple.  The process consists of one part; education.  When you know what is in the products you use every day, you are then able to make Informed Purchasing Decisions.  As is often said by a man that I respect highly, "Once you learn something, your brain never goes back to the size it was."  Once you have the knowledge, you will always have it.  No one can take it away from you.  So the next time you are about to make a purchase, look at the label.  If you don't know what the ingredients are, call me 602-492-5184.

Do you have a green question that is just nagging at you?  Send it to me!  And remember to sign up for my weekly newsletter below.

What's on your fruits and veggies?

With a focus on 5 servings each day, it’s no secret that we all have to love our fruits and veggies. They are extremely beneficial and packed full of essential fibers and vitamins. With this in mind, we all know that they are a must in our daily intake…but how do you ensure that you are just ingesting the benefits? 

When you walk into your local grocery store, the variety of fresh produce that is available to you is astounding. However, it has to make you wonder, how do they get perfectly fresh looking strawberries in the dead of winter? What pesticides and insecticides did the producers use to grow them? What waxy, synthetic preservatives were used to keep them looking so great on their long journey to get here? 

The Environmental Working Group published a list based on a five-year analysis, completed in 2005, that shows which foods consistently scored the highest in pesticide levels and toxicity and which scored the lowest. Below are the charts with their findings, commonly called ‘The Dirty Dozen’ and ‘The Consistently Clean’ 


*Contamination was measured in six different ways and crops were ranked based on a composite score from all categories. The higher the score, the higher the pesticide load. Get the full results of the study at www.foodnews.org. SOURCE: ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP 


So how do we take better care of exactly what is going into our bodies from our necessary fruits and veggies? A couple of easy ways are to try and buy organic and locally as often as you can. You can also add a safe and high quality fruits and vegetables wash to your meal preparations.

OnlyGreen offers a new all natural Fruits and Veggies Wash, specially formulated using some of the key gentle ingredients from our popular SoapBerry line. Learn more… 

Light A Candle, Ignite A Toxin

For most people, lighting a few candles is a great way to unwind and relax after a long, grueling day. Unfortunately, they don’t really know exactly what they’ve lit.

When looking over the list of pollutants and toxins that are emitted from the majority of candles, you quickly realize there is nothing relaxing about them. A standard paraffin wax candle can give off things such as benzene, formaldehyde, soot and lead, just to name a few. So what exactly is this paraffin that’s ruining your calming vibe? Paraffin is simply a waste product of the petroleum industry, used most commonly in candles for its white, waxy texture.

One of the biggest problems is that burning paraffin doesn’t last very long. In order to increase the burn time, many candles also contain a lead-soaked paper cotton wick. This means that on top of the chemical toxins you are already breathing in because of the wax, you also have to deal with the excessive level of lead filling the room.

So how does one enjoy the incandescent serenity of candle light without polluting their home? Many healthier choices are available in the candle industry. The two most common would be beeswax and vegetable based soy. Both of these substances provide a clean and long-lasting burn. Also, because they have a natural long burning time, they are commonly made with lead-free wicks. The one thing to watch for with these options is that the candles you are purchasing are in-fact 100% beeswax or soy and have not been diluted with paraffin or bleach.

OnlyGreen’s Soy Cup Candles are made with 100% vegetable based soy, pure essential oils and lead-free wicks. They are hand poured into beautiful glass jars that can be reused over and over again. Our candles are available in Amber & Sandalwood and Lavender scents. Plus, 50% of all profits made from the sale of our candles go towards OnlyGreen’s charitable efforts!

Contact your local OnlyGreen EcoAdvisor to learn how to get your hands on a cleaner burning solution today.