I was excited to read yesterday that Akbank, a Turkish bank, has decided on full disclosure when it comes to it’s environmental impact. According to an article by Nathaniel Parish Flannery, a contributor to Forbes,

…Akbank, a Turkish bank, was recognized by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) for being the first Turkish bank to disclose a GRI-compliant sustainability report.  In the report, the company discusses its workplace safety record, environmental performance and social contributions in detail.  For individuals and institutions interested in using investing as a tool for promoting good corporate behavior and helping reduce the ecological footprint of major companies’ operations, such disclosure is critical.

As a consumer and stock holder I do as much research as I can before deciding on a company to support. I feel as though the “consumer vote” is an important one and we should remember it every time we decide to make a purchase. A bit WAY TO GO to Akbank, but it seems as though we have a ways to go.

According to GMI, the New York City-based environmental, social, governance (ESG) research firm, right now less than one third of the world’s 4,200 largest publicly traded companies disclose their environmental performance records to the public.

Here’s the link to the full article: forbes.com

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Thanks for making an effort Nike.

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Photo taken by John Makely, courtesy of MSNBC.com

Sometimes I get so wrapped up in re-USING that I forget about recycling.  Statistics like the above from a recent article written by Allison Linn of MSNBC.com show that we all have a long way to go when it comes to recycling.  The bummer about plastic is that it is not biodegradable and when it does finally start to whither into the earth nasty chemicals get released into the air.  So, it not only takes up space, it changes the environment for the worse.

A really huge example of how non-biodegradable and obtrusive plastic can be is to take a look at this video of the plastic mass that is currently floating in the Earth’s oceans.  It is so big it has a name, The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Read this article for more information on that mass of plastic waste.

Plastics not getting recycled is most likely due to many things.  People don’t realize that the plastic they are finished using is, in fact, recyclable.  And, according to the article, “Many Americans simply don’t have a convenient way do it. About 40 percent of the U.S. population has no access to curbside recycling programs, according to the EPA, and even among those with curbside recycling not all programs accept all types of plastics.”  I think some people don’t think about, other people don’t care, and other people are lazy.

So, what is the next step?

Well, first things first, if you live in an area that does not have a recycling program, start one! Here is a great article I found on planetgreen.com about starting your own community recycling program from scratch.

Don’t get discouraged.  I hate when I see someone throw something in the garbage I know to be recyclable.  But, I still believe that one person can make a difference.  And, I also believe that there is a domino effect that can occur in a community.  I am not telling you to go out on the street and shove environmental propaganda down people’s throats.  I operate in a bit of a different fashion.  As Ghandi is quoted as saying, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”  So, concentrate on being the best plastics recycler you can be.

Educate your mind on the different types of plastic.  The article I referred to earlier breaks it down a bit, so read it!  Buy products from companies that use less packing.  Vote at the register, I like to say.  I still believe that you can make a difference by what you choose to purchase.  REUSE those plastics as many times as you possibly can.  Upcycle them too, if you feel like being creative.  And, then, after all that, put em in the recycling bin.

We have a ways to go, but I believe that we are moving forward, inch by inch, day by day.

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According to an article posted on Science Daily on April 8th, some shampoos and detergents might be linked to a water contaminant called NDMA.

The article states shampoos and detergents…

…may be a source of precursor materials for formation of a suspected cancer-causing contaminant in water supplies that receive water from sewage treatment plants.

To read the full article, click HERE.

A great solution to this problem is to make your own shampoos and detergents from all natural ingredients.  I have been searching throughout the vastness that is the Internet and have found my favorite recipes.

Homemade shampoo’s main ingredient is liquid castile soap.  You can buy it in bulk online.  One example is made by Dessert Essence.

• scoochmaroo of Instructables.com has put together a great 10 recipe guide and gives tips for all types of hair.
• I love this super easy recipe from PlantGreen.com

Herbal Homemade Shampoo

1/4 cup of your favorite herbal tea, strongly brewed
8 oz liquid castile soap

**Add soap to tea. Stir over low heat until well blended. Store in a capped bottle.**

And here’s another recipe from hubpages.com

Herbal Shampoo for Dandruff Relief

Ingredients

* 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary
* 2 Tbsp fresh thyme
* 2 Tbsp coconut flakes
* 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
* 1 cup water
* 2 Tbsp of liquid Castile soap
* 1 tsp light vegetable oil

Instructions:

Bring water to a boil. Steep herbs and coconut flakes in boiling water for 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature and strain solids from water. Add other ingredients and mix until well combined. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Apply amply to wet hair and massage into scalp before rinsing well with cool water.

photo courtesy of tipnut.com

And, now on the the detergent:

Here is one of ten recipes found on TipNut.com

Ingredients:

1 cup Vinegar (white)
1 cup Baking Soda
1 cup Washing Soda
1/4 cup liquid castile soap

1.  Mix well and store in sealed container.
2.  I find it easiest to pour the liquid soap into the bowl first, stir in the washing soda, then baking soda, then added the vinegar in small batches at a time (the recipe foams up at first). The mixture is a thick paste at first that will break down into a heavy powdered detergent, just keep stirring. There may be some hard lumps, try to break them down when stirring (it really helps to make sure the baking soda isn’t clumpy when first adding). I used 1/2 cup per full load with great results

For an awesome photo enriched tutorial, check out DIYnatural.com.
Using three simple ingredients you can buy at your local grocery store, you can make detergent that will cost you 0.05 a load!

There you have it. A small collection of nice and cozy links to wonderlands of homemade shampoo and detergent.

Happy homemaking and earth helping.

If you have any favorite shampoo or detergent recipes, share!

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