January 11, 2013

1 comment


The Benefits of Steam Cleaning

 One of the biggest ways that you can green your home is by making smarter choices about the products that you use to clean it. In addition to using chemical-free cleaning products and green cleaning cloths, you can eliminate many common chemical-cleaning products by switching to steam cleaning.

Cleaning with steam has many benefits that make it a great alternative to chemical-based cleaning:

 - Steam cleaning uses nothing but heated water to freshen fabrics and remove dirt and grime and is shown to be just as effective as cleaning with traditional products.

 - Steam cleaning can be used to naturally eliminate bedbugs and other common pests, which typically can't be dealt with by using ordinary cleaning products.

 - The heat from steam can kill many common types of household bacteria, including e. Coli, listeria and salmonella.

 - When you clean with steam, you'll leave no potentially toxic residues behind on fabrics, flooring or other surfaces.

 - Because no cleaning products are required to clean with steam, you'll save money over time when you switch to steam cleaning.

 - Steam cleaning machines can be used to clean the whole house and, with the right attachments, can even be used to freshen clothing or tackle tough jobs like grimy grout in the bathroom.

 - In homes of allergy sufferers, steam cleaning does not introduce fragrances that can trigger respiratory or skin reactions.

 - Steam cleaning is quick and simple and can greatly cut down on the amount of time that you spend cleaning your home.

 If you're ready to make the switch to steam cleaning, check out our Vapamore steamers collections.

 Are you an experienced steam cleaner? We'd love to hear about how steam cleaning has benefited you and your family! Please share your stories in the comments section.


January 10, 2013

0 comments


Paperless Kitchen Now Sells Steamers!

 We are thrilled to announce that we have now added Vapamore steam cleaners to our inventory of green cleaning products!

 The decision to carry steamers is a natural extension of our mission to make reducing the size of your eco-footprint an easier task. Steam cleaning allows you to tackle a virtually endless amount of cleaning jobs without having to use chemicals and is a viable option for treating bedbugs, freshening clothing, detailing automobiles and performing a wide array of specialty cleaning jobs.

 Recently, we have read a lot about the benefits of steam cleaning and began investigating the options available on the market. Of the many steam-cleaning products that we researched, Vapamore impressed us the most.

 The brand's steamers are ETL certified, durable, easy to use and effective and backed by manufacturer's warranties. The company's eco-conscious philosophy was also in line with our own, making Vapamore an easy choice.

 You'll now find two Vapamore steamers featured on our site: the Vapamore MR-50 steam vacuum and the Vapamore MR-100 Primo steamer. The MR-50 is a hand-held wet-dry vacuum and steamer combination, while the MR-100 Primo is a full-size, rolling steamer. You can learn more about both models by visiting their product pages.

 In the coming weeks, we'll be reviewing a Vapamore steamer to give you an inside look at what it's like to use the steam cleaners. If you have questions about steam cleaning or our Vapamore collection, please feel free to contact us for more information.



January 09, 2013

0 comments


What Climate Changes Mean for the Future

 On Tuesday, the federal government announced that 2012 was the hottest year on record in over a century, beating the mark set in 1998 by a large amount. Researchers recorded the average temperature of 2012 to be 55.3 degrees which was one degree above the previous record and a whole 3.2 degrees higher than the 20th century average. The causes of this temperature increase are debated by scientists and researchers, but it can be agreed upon that a large contributing factor is the burning of fossil fuels which produces greenhouse gases.

 Many of us believe that climate change and global warming are part of the distant future but we are already experiencing warmer temperatures in our every day life, which we are not used to. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) explained that these types of weather patterns won’t occur every year and we won’t continue to see breaking records with each passing year but we will see climate changes with increasing frequency. Other researchers have noted that these greenhouse gas emissions that lead to the climate changes will not end in the near future. Carbon is a very accessible and affordable way to supply energy so CO2 emissions will continue to rise because of the benefit carbon energy brings. We are continuing to see a warming world and without a stabilization of greenhouse gas emissions, temperatures could reach dangerous levels by the end of the century.

 What can you do to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions? You can all reduce these emissions through simple actions like changing a light bulb, powering down electronics, using less water, and recycling. It may not seem like much now, but if everyone tried to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions through these simple actions, we might be able to protect the climate for the future. 



January 08, 2013

0 comments


Introducing SKOY Cloth Multipacks

 Here at Paperless Kitchen, we're always looking for ways to make it easier for our customers to go paperless, green their cleaning routines and discover new replacements for paper towels. One of our favorite paper towel alternatives is the SKOY cloth, a green cleaning cloth made from plant-based cellulose. The cloths are reusable and more absorbent than paper and deliver the cleaning power of 15 rolls of paper towels.

 SKOY cloths can be used for virtually any task that you would ordinarily use a paper towel for and to make it easier for you to replace paper towels completely in your home, we have put together money-saving SKOY Cloth Multipacks.

 We now have eight different multipack options to meet your green cleaning needs. If you're curious about SKOY cloths and want to give them a try, we recommend the SKOY Cloths Starter Set, which contains four cloths. To replace paper towels in your kitchen, we offer the standard SKOY Cloths Kitchen Set and the SKOY Cloths Deluxe Kitchen Set for larger families and bigger rooms.

 For those who use paper towels in both the kitchen and bathroom, we have added the SKOY Cloths Kitchen and Bathroom Set and the SKOY Cloths Deluxe Kitchen and Bathroom Set. There's also the SKOY Cloths Whole House Set available to replace paper towels wherever you use them in your home.

 To give every member of your family a SKOY Cloth to take with them to work or school, we suggest the SKOY Cloths Family Set, and we also have the SKOY Cloths Corporate Set available for businesses.

 To learn more about our sets, visit our product pages or contact us for assistance.


January 07, 2013

0 comments


Avoiding Toxins During Pregnancy

 Most expectant mothers see doctors far more frequently than other people, so you would expect that they would receive the finest medical care. However, a shocking report released by "Environmental Health News" suggests that many women aren't being properly informed about how to best care for their bodies and protect themselves and their babies during pregnancy. 

The article details the findings of a survey in which 2,600 OB-GYNs were asked questions about how they care for expectant mothers. The survey found that the majority of physicians don't explain the risks of environmental toxins to their patients, instead focusing on preventing pre-term labor and complications related to obesity like gestational diabetes.

The need for education becomes clear when you examine the results of a study published in 2011. In the study, pregnant women were found to have 100 different toxins in their bodies, and 43 of these were isolated in the bodies of all 268 study participants. The toxins discovered in the study can lead to numerous health complications for developing babies, such as birth defects, respiratory disorders and a higher risk for cancer later in life.

For women concerned about what environmental toxins should be avoided, we've put together these tips taken from Environmental Health News, Dr. Oz, the American Pregnancy Association and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

 - Avoid eating raw and undercooked meats, soft cheeses and unpasteurized dairy products.

- Give up processed meats, such as hot dogs and lunchmeats.

- Don't eat foods that contain high fructose corn syrup or trans fats.

- Thoroughly clean produce with natural fruit and veggie cleaner to eliminate pesticide residues.

- Have someone else pump gas for you to avoid fumes from petroleum.

- Limit your exposure to BPA and phthalates, common additives in plastic. Make the switch to metal, glass or sustainable bamboo cookware, dishes, silverware and drinkware.

- Stop using cleaning products that contain toluene, xylene, benzene, tetrachloroethylene, ethylene oxide, acetone, acetonitrile  and formaldehyde. An easy way to avoid these chemicals is to switch to green cleaning products, such as cloths that can be used with just water.

- Test your home for radon and take steps to reduce levels of the radioactive gas if necessary.

- Don't consent to any type of medical test without specifically asking if it is safe to perform during pregnancy, and ask a pharmacist or your doctor before taking any type of medication, including over-the-counter products.

 While it's not possible to completely avoid environmental impurities, taking these steps can lead to a healthier pregnancy.

January 06, 2013

0 comments


Google, HelloFax and Others Urge You to Go Paperless

It's no secret that paper waste is a serious problem for businesses, but a recent infographic from The Salary Reporter, really put the issue into perspective for me both in terms of the environmental impact of paper waste and the impact on company profits. Some of the revealing facts that it presents include:

 - 5.26 million tons of paper waste were generated by U.S. companies in 2010 alone, that's the weight equivalent to 23,377 Statue of Liberty statues

 - Most office workers use 10,000 sheets of paper per year, which adds up to a cost of around $80 per employee per year.

 - Filling the equivalent of just 1TB hard drive with electronic data instead of using printed material can save up to 50,000 trees per year

 Awareness of the impact of businesses' paper waste is growing, and in 2013, a new corporate coalition has formed to help spread the word and urge companies to take steps to reduce the amount of paper they use. Called, Paperless 2013, this group is encouraging companies everywhere to take a pledge to go paperless this year.

 The Paperless 2013 Coalition is made up of seven companies and services that offer paper alternatives to companies, including:

·      Google Drive, which provides cloud storage

·      HelloFax, a paperless, e-mail based fax service

·      Manilla, a service for e-billing management

·      HelloSign, a method of collection signatures electronically

·      Expensify, a website for creating paperless expense reports

·      Xero, which offers paperless accounting services

·      Fujitsu ScanSnap, a manufacturer of scanners for paper-to-electronic conversion

 You can take the paperless pledge at the Paperless 2013 website. Once you make the pledge, you'll be signed up to receive monthly tips from the members of the coalition.

What tools or services does your business use to reduce paper waste? Share your tips the “Comments” section.
January 04, 2013

0 comments


New Design for Sustainable Paper Wins Prestigious Prize

 Last month, a team of engineering students at John Hopkins University won the 2012 Odebrecht Award for Sustainable Development for a unique green design that could help prevent the deforestation associated with paper waste.

The students won the $15,000 prize for taking a traditional form of paper-making often used in remote villages in Korea and developing an inexpensive process that can be used to produce large quantities of paper. Their technique uses by-products from agriculture, such as the husks that are removed when grains are processed into flour.

The team created the deign for a machine that grinds these by-products into a powder, which becomes mixed with water. The resulting mixture is then boiled to create a pulp. Once complete, the pulp is formed into sheets and dried on racks. This low-tech way of making paper would allow impoverished communities throughout the third world to produce paper that can be used in businesses and schools in large batches for a very low cost.

Since the process relies on sustainable agricultural by-products rather than paper and requires no electricity, the process and resulting paper are much greener than traditional paper. The students, Sangkyun Cho, Jay Hyug Choi and Victor Hyun Oh, are planning to use the $15,000 prize to build the first prototype of their design.

 

January 03, 2013

1 comment


Greening Your Dishwashing

 What do you wash your dishes with? You likely don't give much thought to the scrubber that you use to your do your dishes, but if you're concerned about greening your kitchen you should! The majority of the scrubbers available at big box stores are made from plastics and metals and greatly add to your eco-footprint. 

Here are some great ideas for how you can green dishwashing by making the switch to more eco-friendly products. 

- If you use Scouring Pads you're either contributing to the depletion of metal resources or using non-biodegradable plastic to get your dishes clean.

 Instead try the Twist Ravioli Scrubby. Designed to get into corners on baking dishes and glide easily over pots and pans, the scrubby performs as well as a scouring pad, but is made from natural cellulose, so it's biodegradable.


- If you use Brillo or S.O.S. pads, you’re contributing to the depletion of natural resources. Plus, the soap that they contain introduces chemicals to your dishwater. 

Instead try the e-Cloth Washing Up Pad. This two-sided scrubber allows you to loosen baked-on grime and wipe dishes with one convenient tool. Plus, its unique fiber network cleans without the need for soap!


- If you use a Scrub Brush, the handle is likely made from non-biodegradable plastic or non-renewable hardwood, and the bristles are either petrochemical-based plastic or metal.

Instead try the Full Circle Laid Back Dish Brush. The handle on this brush is made from sustainable certified organic bamboo, and its bristles are plant-based Bonterra plastic. The scrub brush heads are also replaceable, which cuts down on waste.


- If you use a Sponge, you're relying on chemically-derived fibers laden with synthetic dyes.

Instead try the Twist Naked Sponge. This heavy-duty sponge is more durable than many ordinary sponges and is made from plant-cellulose, so it's biodegradable.


December 31, 2012

0 comments


George Washington University Institutes Green Procurement Policy

 As you can imagine, universities use an incredible amount of paper, and George Washington University is no exception. The university recently completed a self-study that examined its paper use and extrapolated the environmental impact of the institution's paper consumption.

The findings of the study concluded that:

-       4,108 cases of paper were used during 2012 and that more than half of that was not recycled content paper

-       By using only recycled paper, the university would have

o   Saved 121 tons of wood

o   Prevented 43 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere

o   Conserved 430,034 gallons of water

 

Here at Paperless Kitchen, we admire George Washington University for conducting this study and for publicly publishing its results. The institution's commitment to understanding its environmental impact is admirable enough, and we are even more impressed that the university has taken significant steps to make a change for the better.

The university has developed the George Washington Ecosystems Enhancement Strategy, which now makes buying only recycled paper a standard, expected practice. This immediate change is supported by the university's commitment to implement green procurement practices for electronics and water by 2015.

With more than 24,000 enrolled students and 7,000 employees, George Washington University is a large organization with complex needs, yet the university was still able to evaluate the size of its eco-footprint and take steps to reduce its size.

Now that 2013 is upon us, we hope that companies and institutions of all sizes from single proprietors to multimillion-dollar corporations will follow GW's lead and examine their own procurement strategies to make green improvements.

Has your company taken steps to protect the planet? If so, we'd love to hear about it in the comments section!


December 30, 2012

0 comments


Four Great Paper Towel Replacements

In addition to the season of holiday shopping, December also brings us to the close of another year and a time to start setting goals for next year. Establishing a paperless kitchen and living a greener life are great resolutions that you can make for 2013, and this month, we'll be giving you many tips for simple changes that you can make to decrease the size of your eco footprint.

In the kitchen, paper towels are one of the largest sources of waste. Earth 911 reports that 13 billion pounds of paper towels are used annually in the U.S. and that if each of us just used one less towel per day, we could save more than 5.7 million pounds of paper per year.

So what do you use in place of paper towels? Here's a few of our favorite paper towel alternatives: 

Bambooee Reusable Bamboo Towels are made from sustainable bamboo instead of paper. Machine-washable and reusable, the towels come in a roll of 20, which can be used in your paper towel holder. One roll of Bambooee towels is the equivalent to 60 roll of paper towels, which adds up to a big paper savings.

 

SKOY cloths are individual towels made from cellulose instead of paper. The towels are 100 percent biodegradable and machine-washable. One SKOY cloth is the equivalent to 15 rolls of paper towels, and these handy cloths can be used for virtually any task you'd ordinarily use a paper towel for.

 

- PeopleTowels are certified organic cotton towels that are square rather than rectangular. The towels feature colorful graphics produced with low-impact inks and are ideal for drying your hands. Their small size makes PeopleTowels very portable, so you can use them in public washrooms, at the gym and anywhere else where you would ordinarily find paper towels.

 

Full Circle Magnetic Stick'Em Dish Towel is a handy reusable dish towel that you can use to clean up messes and spills in place of paper. The towel is outfitted with a magnet, so you can keep it handy on the fridge to reach for when kitchen catastrophes strike.

 

All of these great paper towel replacements are available for purchase here at Paperless Kitchen. Which ones have you tried? Share your stories in the comments section. 
« Previous 1 27 28 29 30 31 35 Next »
Back to the top