laundry day gets green

as apartment dwellers who spent many years lugging loads of laundry up, down, and around to a distant laundry room, saving quarters with the zeal of coin collectors, and cursing the clueless tenants who would forget to hit the restart button after opening the dryer tumbling our wash (leaving a soggy mess behind), we did the happy dance when we finally moved into a home with the elusive w/d hookups.

the laundry now gets done whenever we please in our combo washing machine which washes and dries in one little unit (space age by american standards but quite common in europe and asia) and is super energy & water efficient. the only thing is that the laundry is not quite as soft as before, and, since we are pretty green around our home, chemicals are a no-no.

even though method is our go to laundry detergent, the dryer cloths didn't quite work so, after experimenting with a vinegar rinse (better), i recently whipped up a few batches of eco-friendly fabric softener with a little help from the internet. the laundry is now softer than ever - mission accomplished!

this recipe makes enough for a few loads. feel free to play around with it and make it your own (the links give you the scoop on what makes each ingredient a laundry wonder):

• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup vinegar (fyi - costco sells a 1+ gallon jug)
• 1 tsp borax (optional - works as a softener if you are vexed by hard water)
• 5 drops essential oil (optional)

directions: mix baking soda and water then slowly add vinegar (if you pour the vinegar all at once expect a fun homemade volcanic eruption). add borax and essential oil. gently shake before use.

happy earth day!

p.s. take a peek at this handy stain chart from martha stewart.

sustainable sweetness

there are many good reasons for supporting small food producers but, up until now, craving something yummy from a faraway land was definitely a guilty indulgence once you factored in the environmental costs of getting it from here to there. carbon offsets are one way to reduce a product's footprint and royal hawaiian honey recently became the first u.s. made food to earn a carbon-free certification.

it's a family owned business from the honey making operation on the big island (better known as hawaiian queen co.) to the distribution end on the mainland. a product life cycle analysis of the honey tallied up everything from the fuel to power the trucks to check on the hives to the production and transport of the glass jar packaging. royal hawaiian honey then offsets the total by purchasing carbon credits which invest in renewable energy (think solar and wind power).

three varietals of the raw unfiltered honey (the first two are certified organic) are currently in production - christmas berry, hawaiian lehua, and macadamia nut blossom.

take a peek at the stockist list to find an island purveyor (california readers can grab a jar at their local whole foods).

{via susHI}

earth day beauty tips

to celebrate earth day, this week h|h is going green with easy eco-friendly tips tested by yours truly plus a roundup of island made products good for the environment.

today we're getting pretty with a few of my favorite beauty fixes that tread light on both the earth and on your bank account.

• tip no.1 - baking soda exfoliator. dampen a bit of baking soda with your favorite facial cleanser for a cheap way to slough off dead skin cells. your skin will be brighter plus you will use a smaller amount of any skin potions which will have an added boost with your newly revealed skin (don't forget the spf!).

• tip no. 2 - brown sugar body scrub. moisten sugar with kukui nut oil (olive oil works great on dry skin) and scrub away. raw sugar is a bit more rough in texture so if your skin is sensitive break out the regular brown sugar (the tub may be slippery afterwards so be sure to rinse it off with a little soapy water).

• tip no. 3 - apple cider vinegar rinse. i have been making the switch to natural/organic beauty products and have noticed that the more eco-friendly shampoos & conditioners (still looking if anyone has any suggestions) have a tendency to build up residue on my locks. the acv rinse is a simple substitute for clarifying shampoos. just add 1/4 cup of acv to a small water bottle and fill to the top with warm water (i prefer filtered but straight tap will do). rinse hair with mixture, give it a few minutes to soak in, and shampoo out. voilà - shiny, happy hair!

the sweet taste of hawaiian tap

the bottled water addiction can be a hard habit to break, but the owners of lanikai bath & body are making it a bit easier to go green with the introduction of their reusable hawaiian tap water bottle. a simple way to quench your thirst while doing a little good for our planet and your coin purse (those bottled water purchases add up!).

those unaware of the hidden costs behind the convenience of bottled water may want to reconsider that next sip once you discover the amount of energy and h2o (more than 6 times what you actually drink) needed to produce and transport a single serving. plus, let us not forget the hundreds of millions of bottles languishing in landfills missing their one chance to be recycled into a hip fleece jacket or lanai furniture.

scoop one up at lanikai bath & body's shop in kailua or order online before the end of the month and enjoy complimentary shipping. added bonus: a portion of hawaiian tap sales will be donated to help preserve the kawainui marsh!

• secret code: hawaiiantap
• expires: wed, apr 30th

pau hana clicks

• christa of honolulu nightlife diaries jets to kaua'i to document all the fun during hifi's inaugural green style on the garden isle.

• the kaua'i conservation conference demonstrates how to truly eat like a local by dishing up an all kaua'i meal.

• local boy & internet rock star guy kawasaki unveils a hawaii page on his latest venture alltop, an online newswire which saves you time and clicks by grabbing all the latest scoops from the top island sources (including h|h!) in one place. {via hawaii blog}

have a happy weekend!