Did you hear about the wash balls? If not, first let me explain what they are. Wash balls are plastic balls that you put inside your washing machine together with your dirty clothes. By using them you almost do not need to use any washing detergent. So you save some money and save the environment. Do they work? The opinions are divided, lets take a look.

I have been using wash balls for a few months now. I think that they do work since I haven't noticed any big difference in how clean my clothes are now in comparison to before I was using them. But I must confess that I always add some washing detergent because I like the smell that it leaves on freshly washed clothes.

So - how do wash balls work?

Wash balls are full of small ceramic pellets and these pellets must first be put in the sun so the UV rays charge them. You have to do this before you use the wash ball for the first time and then every now and then, like once a month.

These pellets inside the ball emit infra red rays that break water molecule's hydrogen combination into smaller water cluster and activate the small water cluster. This increases the molecular motion of the water, water easily penetrates the fibers and the washing power of the water itself is increased.

Besides that wash balls also soften your clothes. They do that by producing negative ions. These ions make the fibers softer and dirt can come out from softer fibers faster than from the hard ones. All this without the use of detergent.

Did you know that chlorine that is added to the drinking water makes your clothes pale and hard? Wash balls eliminate chlorine from the water. This makes water softer and saves your clothes. Softer water is water that has lower surface tension and that kind of water is much better for washing than hard water.

When washing clothes pH is also important. Wash balls keep the water at the same pH level as washing detergent. This helps remove oils from your clothes.

These were the basic principles of how wash balls work and how do they replace washing detergents. Since I am not that good at physics I can not tell you if this is theoretically and practically possible. But as I said I am using washing balls for some time now and they seem to work. You can also find quite a few comments from people that say they are just a fraud. I think it is best to decide for your self.

About the Author: Jenny writes on a small blog about these wash balls where she gives you more info about them - like how do wash balls work and where you can find reviews of the balls - do they work or not.

 
 

It is Earth Day month but you would think that it is now Earth Day every day.  We cant go far without seeing television commercials, billboards, print ads, radio advertisements, emails, etc. for the latest cleaning products.  These products promise to disinfect, brighten, clean and make our homes and clothes clean and smelling fresh.  But at what cost to our health and our planet with the chemicals and toxins that are present in traditional home cleaning products?

Many popular cleaning products contain chemicals and toxins that are not earth friendly and have been associated with serious illness and even deadly diseases.  These toxins have been associated with illnesses like allergies and asthma, and more serious diseases including cancer.  These cleaning products have not been animal tested, but many have not been tested for effects on the earth or long term exposure to humans. These products may clean our homes and clothes, but do we really want to take the chance of the long term exposure and the health hazards they may cause?

If we become aware of the devastation cleaning products have the potential to cause, would it have us look closer at alternative earth day every day cleaning solutions?  With the rise of allergies and asthma among children and adults, we look to the environment as a cause if there is not genetic association.  If there is the potential that something like a popular brand cleaning product can make us sick, most of us would not want to take that risk.

Many of these chemicals have not been tested in regard to long-term exposure around humans.  It is very scary when your child can't breathe or a stay at home mom discovers she has serious health concerns that may be due to exposure to toxins in her home that she thought was the safest place in the world.   

We have products that are used everyday in our homes that can help us clean more safely.  They can help secure a clean, fresh house and be a healthy solution for ourselves, our family, our homes and our environment.  Green cleaning jobs all over the house, from kitchen to bathrooms and everywhere in between, can be accomplished very effectively. 

Vinegar " The acidity of vinegar can kill some molds and bacteria, so it makes it a very effective cleaner.  Vinegar can be added to the wash to remove odors and whiten.  It can also be added to the dishwasher to remove buildup.  Clean shower doors by spraying them with vinegar and then use a squeege.  Vinegar can make an excellent window cleaner.  Mix half water and half vinegar and use newspaper to wipe windows clean.

These cleaning products that you already have in your home will not leave behind residues and do not have harmful toxins, chemicals or fumes that are unhealthy to breathe.  They save you money and are safe for the environment as well.  Many families prefer to clean with products like these, and others prefer to purchase cleaners for specific jobs.  Fortunately we now have very effective green cleaning products that help us be earth day friendly all year round when we clean our homes.

An important feature of green cleaning products is that they are very concentrated.  You mix them with water before you clean, and this can be a huge impact on our environment.  For example, one bottle of concentrated cleaner can make thousands of bottles of window cleaner.  That is just one cleaning job and we keep all those bottles out of landfills, not to mention the transportation to ship all of those products which has pollution effects on our planet.  The other feature, even more important to us as individual families at this tough economic time, is the cost savings.  One bottle of cleaner at around ten dollars compared to thousands of bottles at two to three dollars each is a huge money savings.  If we can clean our homes better with earth day clean everyday green cleaning products, and save tremendous amounts of money, I would think most of us would make this smart choice.

You are invited to learn more about natural, <a href="http://EarthDayCleanEveryday.com">Earth Day Green Cleaning</a> products from the #1 natural nutrition company in the United States that have been tested and proven to work as well or in many cases better than popular store brands and save you lots of money.

 
 

Author: Tal Potishman

Right now saving energy and reducing one's carbon footprint is en vogue.  UK residents are racing each other to the "green" finish line as they work to prove that they are saving more energy than their neighbours and friends.  People trade energy saving tips the way they used to trade recipe, cleaning or shopping tips. 

So much focus is placed upon living the greenest life possible that most are surprised to learn that the waste levels for water are at an all time high.  It appears that even the most energy efficient and carbon conscious United Kingdom citizens have yet to understand that saving water is just as important as saving power.

Did you know that the fresh water resources in the United Kingdom will most likely run out within the next thirty to forty years? That seems highly unlikely because of how much rain the United Kingdom receives every year but there are experts who insist that the fresh water resources are not as vast as they originally thought.  It is now a fact that both Syria and the Sudan have more fresh water available than the United Kingdom, and these are parts of the world that are known for their arid climates and droughts!

The rate at which water is being wasted is surprising because it is easier to save water than it is to waste it.  It is very easy to turn of water faucets and spigots when they are not being used.  When it comes time to brush your teeth, simply fill your water cup and use the water from the sink to rinse your toothbrush.  Don't let the water run throughout the entire routine.  Your dishwasher most likely has a water saving function built into it. 

Even a five minute shower can waste more than one hundred litres of water!  Wait until there are enough clothes or dishes to fill a load before you run the washing machine or dishwasher.  If you like cold water, keep a pitcher of water in your refrigerator instead of running the water until it reaches your desired level of coldness.  Don't over water your yard.  These are just a few easy ways to save water.

The amount of water a person uses in a day can be reduced by leaps and bounds and it should be.  Water is essential to the survival of all living creatures.  Fresh water is a resource that should not be taken for granted.  It is just as easy to conserve water as it is to conserve energy and reduce your carbon footprint.  Remember, it is just as important to save water as it is to save power!

Tal Potishman, editor of Heating Central, writes articles on efficient heating, plumbers, plumbers in Bromley, underfloor heating and solar thermal. He specializes in helping save money by advising on efficient heating.

 
 

Greenhouse gases will be categorized as a pollutant following the US Supreme Court's landmark notice approving the EPA rule. The gases harm the environment as they do not dissipate following release from a variety of common systems, including refrigeration and cooling units, fire protection systems, vehicles, power plants, and ventilation and air-conditioning systems. The gases build up and have been found to be responsible for adverse climate changes.

The Supreme Court ruling endorses the EPA rule which states that greenhouse gases "may endanger public health and welfare". The federal agency may now enforce regulations under the US Clean Air Act and control pollutants that cause global warming. The authority is binding and will be even if the U.S. Congress fails to ratify.

Passed on April 17, 2009, the EPA rule stresses strict regulations on carbon dioxide emissions and greenhouse gases. These offenders have been shown to harm the public and the environment and the endangerment finding puts those facilities that use certain chemicals on notice that they must begin phasing out usage and turning to alternatives.

A 60-day public comment period has been opened up by the feds following the US Supreme Court's approval of the EPA rule. Once this comment period closes, the findings will go into the Federal Register, forcing the EPA to implement its rules and regulations if the US Congress has not enacted a law by that time.

Following the recent EPA rule, facilities using environmentally harmful chemicals are accelerating efforts to find cost effective and efficient ways to track and report their emissions. Global leaders, including the Obama administration, have pledged to improve air quality for all and to reduce global warming.

The EPA rule is designed to reduce the more than 7,000,000,000 tons of greenhouse gases discharged in the United States per year. Certain industries are the worst offenders, including coal-fired power plants, facilities using refrigerant gas, industrial sources and motor vehicles.

Facilities are turning to vendors working in the energy management and asset procurement business, who haveproduced automated refrigerant tracking software. This software will allow them to conform with the previously approved EPA rule, ratified by the recent court ruling. Regulations limit the production and use of chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons, found in refrigerant gas.

The EPA rule is in addition to the current phase out of refrigerant gases used in commercial cooling, air conditioning and fire suppression systems. Furthermore, the Obama administration is considering plans like a cap and trade system that would promote companies to invest in greener methods. Other ideas are a direct tax plan. The federal environmental agency will begin meeting the requirements necessary to issue its final ruling and propose environmental standards that entities must comply with in order to avoid being penalized or fined.

About the Author: Daniel Stouffer has a great deal of information on the importance of the EPA rule and how the refrigerant-tracker will be of use to you.