With the Mardi Gras season already upon us, and the big finale only days away, it’s easy to get caught up in the spirit of excess. However, what most people forget is that Mardi Gras is the last celebration before a season of fasting and the giving up of vices. Why not start early this year with some eco-friendly tips and make the transition easier. 

Ways to Green Your Mardi Gras

• Explore vintage options- If you’re dressing up this year for the parade or a party, start at your local vintage clothing or consignment store. Often you will find pieces that are inexpensive and unique.
• Make Your Own Mask- Another way to save is to skip buying a mask and instead  paint one of your face with eco-friendly face paint. You don’t have to worry about losing it, and can see all of the parade while looking festive. Google “Mardi Gras Face Paint” or “Masquerade Face Paint” to get some ideas.
• Carpool- If you’re traveling to NOLA, make it a road trip. Besides the obvious benefits of not taking multiple cars (including saving money on gas, and parking), you will also be safe in being able to choose a designated driver for those who celebrated with a few drinks.
• Choose local brew- We always say Buy Local, so why would a holiday be any different. Local breweries usually have tents that showcase the local brew options. This is a good way to help the community by supporting small businesses.
• Recycle- An epic party requires epic clean up. Help out those who clean up and the environment by placing your empties in the recycling bins. More often than not, these are located beside the trash cans, so make sure you pick the right one.
• Hang Up the Beads- Millions of Mardi Gras beads are shipping to New Orleans every year for the festival season. And most of them cannot be processed by traditional recycling centers.  Skip buying the beads and if offered beads simply say “no thanks.”  You can have just as much fun without supporting sweatshops and unfair wages.  Also, Mardi Gras is a time people allow themselves to overindulge in food and drink.  This year save some money, avoid unwanted calories, and limit food waste by passing on food items that will most likely end up in the trash.

Can’t make it to the NOLA?  Celebrate at home with traditional Creole recipes like Cajun Kale and Rice

Ingredients-

· 1 1/4 cups chicken broth

· 2 teaspoons salt

· 1 teaspoon dried oregano

· 1 teaspoon paprika

· 1 teaspoon garlic pepper blend

· 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

· 1 cup shredded kale

· 1/2 cup uncooked rice

Directions

1. Wash Kale using EcoDiscoveries Harvest™

2. Stir chicken broth, salt, oregano, paprika, garlic pepper blend, and cayenne pepper together in a pot over medium heat; bring to a boil

3. Stir kale and rice into the boiling broth mixture; return the broth to a boil, place a cover on the pot, reduce heat to low, and continue cooking at a simmer until the rice is cooked through and tender, 20 to 25 minutes

4. Make clean up safe and easy using EcoDiscoveries Kitchen™

Our own Director of Information Technology, Randy Cooper, was interviewed by Fox 5 Atlanta today to talk about QR codes and EcoDiscoveries. When we learn when the air date is, we will post it here on our blog. Check back so you can watch!

With Valentine’s Day less than a week away, many of you are thinking about how to make the evening as special as the person you’re sharing it with. If you’re like most people, you go out to eat more often than staying home. Change it up by cooking a romantic, sincere meal, and keep it eco-friendly from start to finish with these helpful tips.

Preparations

• B.Y.O.B. – "Bring Your Own Bag" – Skip your supermarket’s plastic bags and transport groceries in reusable tote bags or canvas produce sacks.
• Keep an Eye on the "9" – When checking for freshness, look at the numbered stickers on fruits and veggies. If they start with #9, your produce is organic, meaning it’s grown pesticide-free.
• Reduce Waste – Buy in bulk, pick fresh ingredients and look for products with limited — or at least recyclable — packaging. Switch to cloth napkins or buy paper towels and napkins labeled "recycled," "unbleached" and/or "post-consumer waste."
• Shop Locally – Look for locally grown produce at farmers’ markets, farm stands and food co-ops. You get fresher fare, support your community and help reduce fuel waste and emissions from long-distance shipping.

Cooking

• Batch Cook – Go all out for this special occasion and make multiple dishes at once. Since the oven will already be on, save energy and prepare several foods in one go.
• Cook Extras – If you’re making pasta sauce, soups or casseroles or cooking rice or mashed potatoes make some spare portions and freeze them. Reheating food uses less energy than cooking from scratch, saves you time and means you can buy in bulk.
• Dine by Candlelight – Reducing power consumption by turning off the lights and enjoy the shimmer of a few candles. Candlelight creates an intimate mood that is perfect for a romantic evening. Soy candles are an earth-friendly option and make beautiful decorations as well. Consider floating votives to give a soft glow and decorative pillar candles to light the tables.
• Grill It! – Show off those grilling skills use less energy than your stove and keep heat out of the house, reducing costly strain on your AC. Better still: upgrade to induction cooking — it’s most efficient. Use EcoDiscoveries Harvest to clean your veggies and save water.
• Put a Lid On It - The simple act of putting a lid on the pans you use can cut cooking time (and therefore your energy bill) by 75%.
• Turn Off The Gas – Cook with the residual heat. If you’re cooking white rice, diced potatoes or pasta, bring your food to a boil in a sauce pan with a well fitting lid. Once it has come to a boil, turn off the heat, don’t lift the lid and allow your food to cook with the residual heat.
• Use Eco-Friendly Gadgets – It uses less energy to use a bread maker than put the oven on for one loaf. A tiered steamer uses a fraction of the electricity of 3 different pans of vegetables. Woks cut your cooking time to a fraction, as do pressure cookers; and slow cookers will cook delicious warming meals with minimal amount of fuel.

Clean Up

• Chill Out – Fill empty space in your refrigerator or freezer with crumpled newspapers or full water bottles — it improves cooling and saves electricity and money.
• Clean Greener – Scour cast-iron pans with salt to preserve seasoning, turn off the tap while scrubbing dishes and only run a full dishwasher. Plus, stock your pantry with eco-friendly cleaners like EcoDiscoveries Kitchen!
• Go Compostal! – Feed fresh kitchen scraps (no meats or oils, please) to a compost pile. Then use the nutrient-rich compost to perk up your herb garden.
• Recycle! – Kick those cleaned-out cans, jars, plastic bottles, pizza boxes and even used tin foil to the curb on recycling day. When sorting plastic containers look for #2 and #3 on the bottom and trash or reuse the rest.
• Refresh – Burned Dinner? Get your kitchen and dining room smelling like nothing happened, with EcoDiscoveries Airzyme®.  

Tips from foodnetwork.com & littlegreenblog.com

EcoDiscoveries M2:

A Safe, Non-Toxic Solution for Mold and Mildew

During a flood cleanup, the indoor air quality in your home or office may appear to be the least of your problems. However, according to the EPA, contaminated materials and humidity can present serious long-term health risks. Wet materials are a breeding ground for microorganisms, such as viruses, bacteria, and mold. They can cause disease, trigger allergic reactions, and continue to damage materials long after the flood.  Keeping your indoor air free of these impurities and chemical toxins is important for you and your family. Improve your indoor air quality and remove mold and mildew stains and odors safely and without the use of toxic chemicals by using M2.  For more info on cleaning indoor mold using M2, see Indoor Use.

Looking Back: Hurricane Katrina

In the greater New Orleans Area, the structures that remained standing after Hurricane Katrina’s flood water receded were contaminated with bacteria and became ideal hosts for toxic mold growths. It is estimated that elevated mold growth was present in 194,000 (44%) homes in the GNO area and that 70,000 (16%) homes had heavy mold growth. Concentrations of endotoxin and glucans exceeded those previously associated with adverse health effects. With such high levels of microbial growth following flooding, potentially harmful inhalation exposures can be present for persons entering or cleaning affected homes. In order to prevent the growth of mold and bacteria, structures impacted by flood waters should be treated with M2 in anticipation of these hazards.

More Helpful Tips for Cleaning Up After a Flood

(Tips provided by TIMES)

Clean up after a flood can be a daunting task. Here are some tips for cleaning up your flooded home:

EcoDiscoveries Mold and Mildew Laundry Additive is a patent-pending formula, specially formulated to remove mildew and mold stains and odors, leaving laundry free of mold and mildew soils and smells.

EcoDiscoveries Laundry Additive can be added to the washing machine, in place of detergent or with detergent, to remove mold and mildew stains and odor from machine washable clothing and fabric. Our laundry additive contains no bleaching agents and is safe for all washable fabrics. If you are concerned about the item, check in hidden areas for colorfastness prior to laundering. Fabrics must be laundered in cold water only.

Safe has a clean side.

Where to Use

EcoDiscoveries Mold & Mildew Laundry Additive is great for curtains, camping or outdoor gear, shoes, throw rugs and blankets, small pillows and plush toys, pet bedding, towels, outerwear, and any fabrics soiled with mold and mildew stains and odors.

Directions

Top Loader: Fill empty washing machine tank with cold water. Add suggested amount of additive* to washing machine tank water. Mix well. The water will look brownish. Add laundry. For very soiled garments, soak for 5-10 minutes. If desired, add detergent and run normal washing machine cycle.

Front Loader: Place clothes in tub and lock in. Pour additive into detergent reservoir (with detergent if desired). For very soiled garments, program a soak cycle. Run normal washing machine cycle.

By Hand: Add Additive to cold water in wash tub. Mix well. The water will look brownish. Add clothes. Soak for 5-10 minutes. (Add a small amount of detergent if desired.) Hand wash clothes as directed.

Mixing Ratios

Our additive is:

• Chlorine-Free

• Fragrance-Free

• Dye-Free

After a summer filled with late mornings, getting your kids ready for school in the early mornings is going to be a challenge. A plain breakfast of just cereal or oatmeal is not enticing enough to lure your kids out of their beds. Rather, try this yummy and protein rich recipe to start off your day and school year on the right side of the bed.

Nutty Oatmeal and Strawberry Pancakes:

¾ cup of all natural pancake mix
1/3 cup of quick cook rolled oats
¼ flax powder
1 TSP of cinnamon powder
½ cup of walnut pieces
Pinch of Salt
1 ½ cupe of water
1/3 Pure Maple Syrup
5 strawberries, washed and sliced.

1. In a reusable container, mix the pancake mix together with the oats, flax, cinnamon powder, nuts and salt.
2. Spoon approximately 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake. Let them cook for ~2 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown.
3. Top with maple syrup and strawberries.
(Recipe taken from Alive Magazine, August 2011)

EcoDiscoveries’ Harvest Fruits and Vegetable wash is essentially in all recipes calling for produce. Aside from removing pesticides, waxes, dirt and harmful chemicals, Harvest also has preservation abilities that keep your summer berries fresh and free of mold. Click here for more information on Harvest.

For more information on our lineup of green, toxic free household cleaners, please visit EcoDiscoveries.com. As always, we here at EcoDiscoveries are committed to provide our customers with effective, but toxic free and environmentally friendly products. Safe has an effective side.

The days of late mornings, basking in the summer sun, and family barbecues are coming to an end.  Summer is slowly slipping away, and the school year is slowly but surely creeping up on us.  Help your kids start the school year the healthy and green way. 

• We at EcoDiscoveries have stressed this before, but for a healthier snack, purchase fruits and vegetables from your local farmer’s market, or buy organic.  Before you pack those fruits, make sure to wash them thoroughly with EcoDiscoveries Harvest Fruit and Vegetable Wash to remove waxes, toxins, and dirt so your children don’t consume them.
• Reuse, reuse, reuse! Buy plastic containers that can be reused even after the school year for school supplies and lunches.  Buy canvas binders and plastic folders that can be passed onto the next academic year.  By reusing, you are saving Mother Earth from an enormous amount of waste. 
• Keep your house free of unnecessary toxins generated by harsh cleaning products.  EcoDiscoveries’ lineup of green household cleaners are all natural, free of VOCs, and effective. Clean has a safe side.

For more Eco-friendly tips and information visit www.ecodiscoveries.com today!  Also, don’t forget to join us on Facebook to stay up-to-date with all our latest promos and product releases.

In the midst of recording breaking temperatures, it’s no wonder people are feeling weary and languid. Revitalize yourself with these delicious summer drinks, the healthy and environmentally friendly way.

All Star Summer Smoothie

• 1 cup strawberries
• Handful of blueberries
• 1 banana, cut into chunks
• Half a mango, cut into chunks
• Half a peach, pitted
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 cup of fat-free Greek Yogurt or plain yogurt

These fruits can either be frozen or fresh. Toss all the fruits, juice and yogurt into a blender and blend. For an additional kick, add substitute refreshing green tea for orange juice to invigorate body!

Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, peaches and watermelons are at their best during the summer. Stop by your local farmers market to pick these up, and create your own super summer smoothie filled with antioxidants, vitamins and yummy goodness.

Mint Tea with Lime
1. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil and place 4 green tea bags AND 4 mint tea bags in the water.

2. After steeping for 8 minutes, cool to room temperature, or whatever your preference is.

3. Add about 1 lime to the tea and 6 fresh mint sprigs.

4. You can sweeten this concoction with honey or 2 teaspoons of agave nectar.

5. Serve over ice and lime wedges and mint sprigs to add more flavor and color.

Remember- wash your fruits with EcoDiscoveries’ Harvest Fruit and Vegetable. It removes waxes, chemicals, dirt and other toxic particles. Although organic produce are pesticide free, the fruit and vegetable skin may contain droppings from bugs and animals that plain water won’t entirely remove. Harvest also has preservation abilities that keep the all too common mold from growing on your summer berries, and produce. Made with all natural and organic ingredients, Harvest leaves no residue on your fruits, making that summer drink even cooler.

Mold is a fungus that causes allergic reactions, wheezing and serious respiratory issues. Mold flourishes dark, damp and humid environments, so sometimes it can be hard to find and get rid of mold. To prevent mold, make sure your house is well ventilated and between 40 to 60 percent humidity.

If you discover mold in your home, EcoDiscoveries developed a new, effective product that is aimed at mold stain and odor removing. M2 is a safe and effective method to clean mold and remove mildew stains. Containing only natural ingredients and free of hazardous chemicals, M2 has phenomenal abilities for tackling mold and mildew growth.  It is composed of plant derived components, which penetrate mold stains at the source, eliminating the stain. On a molecular level, the plant extract break down the mold stain, which in turn decreases the size of the stain and becomes easier to clean. Free of harsh chemicals and VOCs , M2 is safe to use indoors, outdoors, fabric and other textiles.  For more information, please visit EcoDiscoveries!

In a recent Consumer Report test, it was found that many packaged salad greens were not as clean as their “pre-wash” or “triple-wash” label says. 208 containers were tests and over 39% of the samples had surpassed acceptable levels for coliforms, and over 23% exhibited unsafe levels of entercoccus.

ü Buy packaged foods (green or not) as far away from their expiration as possible.

ü Always choose fresh over processed

ü Make sure you wash your vegetables, regardless of what the label suggests. Regular rinsing won’t remove all the bacteria and dirt, but EcoDiscoveries’ Harvest Wash can limit your exposure to life-threatening bacterium, such as E.Coli. Harvest is formulated to remove dirt, waxes, chemicals, and other contaminants that you would otherwise be consuming.