Ever wonder what farmers did hundreds of years ago to fight off crop pests? Long before the invention of harmful chemical pesticides (yes, the kind that is linked to cancerous cellular activity), farmers and householders came up with multiple remedies for removing insect infestations from their garden plants.

The following list will offer some of our favorite, all-natural, inexpensive, organic methods for making bug-busting pesticides for your home garden.

1. Neem

Ancient Indians highly revered neem oil as a powerful, all-natural plant for warding off pests. In fact, neem juice is the most powerful natural pesticide on the planet, holding over 50 natural insecticides. This extremely bitter tree leaf can be made in a spray form, or can be bought from a number of reputable companies.

To make your own neem oil spray, simply add 1/2 an ounce of high quality organic neem oil and ½ teaspoon of a mild organic liquid soap (I use Dr. Bronners Peppermint) to two quarts of warm water. Stir slowly. Add to a spray bottle and use immediately.

2. Salt Spray

For treating plants infested with spider mites, mix 2 tablespoons of Himalayan Crystal Salt into one gallon of warm water and spray on infected areas.

3. Mineral oil

Mix 10-30 ml of high-grade oil with one liter of water. Stir and add to spray bottle. This organic pesticide works well for dehydrating insects and their eggs.

Continue reading: “10 Homemade Organic Pesticides”

So we’ve seen what we can do inside the house to make a difference on the environment, see my previous blog post “Going Green inside your home“. Now let’s see what we can do on the outside. And let me tell you, if you have kids or a green thumb, some of these are going to be a lot of fun.

1) Composting

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Composting is one of the easiest and greenest ways to help out the environment. A compost bin doesn’t cost too much, or you could even build your own, but even then they’re not necessary, when a nice heap will do fine.

Pretty much anything will go into a compost pile, from your lawn clippings to raked up leaves to last night’s dinner. If you like to drink coffee, add in your used coffee grounds to increase the overall nitrogen balance.

Not only does composting keep your garbage scraps out of the everyday waste, but it also creates a great food for your garden. Wait for your compost to really degrade, and then you have some seriously healthy dirt to start planting your new veggie garden.

2) Start a Vegetable Garden

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A lot of the stuff you can do outside is going to have a green thumb about it. If you have your own compost pile, as well as having your own veggie garden, the circle of nature is just beautiful.

Imagine growing your own food, right outside your kitchen window, and never forgetting those last minute herbs or vegetables you need for dinner. And when all is said and done, all of your scraps go out into the compost bin, to one day help grow more vegetables.

Starting a garden isn’t just something for those with a huge backyard either. Anyone can grow their own vegetables, whether you have a backyard or not. Container gardening is a great way to grow your own vegetables, if you don’t have enough yard space. Everything from tomatoes to lettuce to peppers and herbs, all right out in the small courtyard in front of the kitchen.

Continue reading: “6 Tips for “Going Green” Outside Your House”

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Many readers have expressed interest in creating their own organic garden in their own backyard. As a result, I wanted to share a few tips for starting a backyard garden that is organic, sustainable and earth-friendly.

There are numerous benefits to planting your own organic garden at home. It enables you to eat the freshest fruits, herbs and vegetable. At the same time, you act to help reduce the amount of pesticides and toxins in the environment. As organic produce can be costly in the supermarket, growing your own delicious organic produce at home can also save money.

Continue reading: “7 Tips for Starting Your Own Organic Garden”

As much as we have to look after our own insides, we have to also take care of the insides of our houses, because, if nothing else, that’s where we live, and if we’re to stay healthy, we should live in a clean and healthy environment.

In my “Green Living” cleanse program, I talk about the importance of purifying the air you breathe, water you drink and cleaning up your environment. The tips listed below go beyond the health benefits from a green living environment and focus on quick, easy and cheap things you can do to save money on your electricity bill, as well as help the environment at the same time.

1) Start Recycling

I would like to believe that everybody is recycling by now, but I know it’s not true. Recycling really is an easy thing to do. Save your plastic, aluminum and steel, and put it out by the curb in a separate container once a week or drop it off at the closest recycling facility. The long-term benefits of recycling should be all the motivation you need.

Continue reading: “5 Simple Tips for Going ‘Green’ Inside Your Home”

Many people do not think of their mattresses, sheets, or pillows when they think of items in the home that are frequently responsible for making them sick. In fact, most of us would never think to use the term “toxic bedding” at all. Could the beds that we sleep in every night really be dangerous to our health?

Magnified Photograph of a Dust Mite

While many of us associate paint, household cleaners, and even some personal care products as potential hazards to our health, but we tend to think less of toxins being present in our bedrooms. Toxic bedding, however, is a very real threat to our health and something we should all take action on.

If you or your children suffer from any type of chronic illness or allergies, this article may be of particular interest to you because the intent is to alert you to the health hazards that you may be sleeping on every night.

Organic vs. Traditional Bedding

Of course, most of us realize that organic is best; not only when it comes to choosing the foods that we eat, but also in choosing what we sleep on. Organic mattresses can be found from a variety of different vendors, and the health benefits that these mattresses have to offer might just surprise you.

Continue reading: “Is Your Bed Toxic?”