Give Back to Mom (and the environment while you're at it)
EcoExpert Kim Carlson Gives a Fresh Spin on a Mother's Day that Mother Nature will Love Too!
They say that the kitchen is the heart of every home - and most moms will attest that it's where they spend most... more of their time. So kick Mother's Day into high gear by transforming mom's kitchen into an earth-friendly oasis that is better for her health and a better bang for her buck. Kim Carlson - Eco expert, green business owner, author and founder of Earth Smart Consumer - offers some no-fail tips.
Out with the old, in with the new:
• Energy - and money - can be conserved with the latest in appliances. Install a new Energy Star rated refrigerator that has climate control systems that regulate air temperature and humidity levels in various drawers - it makes foods last longer which means less food waste. While you're at it, give her a convection oven, which cook foods faster and at lower temperatures, saving as much as 23% more energy than conventional ovens.
• If large appliances are out of your not-so-large budget, make small changes: replace the seal on the refrigerator door if cold air is leaking out, encourage mom to use smaller cooking appliances like a crock pot or toaster oven and make sure the hood fan is ventilated to the outside, not the attic.
• Make minor lighting updates. Swap out halogen lighting for under the counter fluorescents and pull down heavy blinds to allow more daylight to stream in. It saves money, energy and can do wonders for the spirit. Pendant task lights can give mom light exactly where and when she needs it for food preparation.
• If you (or your significant other) are handy, replace that tired vinyl flooring with easy to care for marmoleum, ceramic tile or bamboo planks with water-based finish.
• The air inside a home can be 100 times worse than outdoor air. Clean up mom's indoor air by setting up a portable room air purifier with a HEPA filter to remove pollen, dust and smoke from a room. Also, toss out the chemical spray and wall plug filters and replace them with natural fresheners such as plants (spider plants, peace lilies and ivy are the best) or zeolite, a natural volcanic rock that controls odors without masking them.
Extra credit:
• Fill some vases with organic roses that are grown without the use of synthetic chemicals (healthier for the soil and the people who handle them, and do not contribute to water pollution)
• Top the table with locally made all natural gourmet chocolates. Buying locally is one of the most important things you can do for the environment.
Here's to your mom this Mother's Day!
For additional information about Kim Carlson, please contact Courtney O'Neill or Catherine Pope of AAM at 212.661.1336.