Avoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year!

Take your green efforts one step further and incorporate it into your laundry room.  Did you know that washing your clothes in cold water will give you the same end result as hot water?….clean clothes.  However, you’ll save tons of cash on your electric bill.  It takes so much energy to heat all the water in your hot water tank.  Why pay for something that you don’t need to?  Switch to a cold water detergent and start washing your clothes in cold water.   Do some multitasking by saving money,  being kind to the environment, and conversing, simply by switching to cold water when you do laundry.

A big thank you to EcoBold for not only supporting eco-minded people and businesses, but for also featuring Supernatural Botanicals today.  The following article is courtsey of EcoBold.  Visit their site to learn more about the great work they are doing…then let it inspire you!

The founder of Supernatural Botanicals, Robin Feltner has a chemistry background and she just knows what ingredients should or shouldn’t be inside skincare products. This line is completely paraben-free and phthalate-free. Learn more with the interview below:

Tell us a little bit about the background and story of Supernatural Botanicals.
Supernatural Botanicals is an eco-chic bath & body company specializing in skincare that follows Green practices and principals, and formulates its products with intent and purpose.

At the inception of Supernatural Botanicals, we knew we wanted to create a company that knows its demographic. Growing increasingly disappointed with mainstream bath & body stores catering to teenagers, Supernatural Botanicals wanted to target the grown sexy woman demographic. We also wanted to focus on being Green and creating products that not only feel and smell amazing, but products that are highly beneficial for the skin.

We created products formulated without Parabens or Phthalates. Green products come from natural and organic ingredients, and that’s exactly how we formulate our products…with intent and purpose, and as natural as we can. After literally hundreds and hundreds of prototypes, we formulated perfection, bringing to you natural products that smell as incredible as they perform.

What did you want to be when you were a kid? 
I’ve always had “entrepreneur” in my genetic makeup. I was selling homemade cards to neighborhood ladies at the age of 4. I wanted to grow up and have a double major as a fashion designer and interior designer. That dream never materialized. In hindsight, I wish I would have had a mentor to help me prepare, telling me which art and business classes I should have taken.

What’s wrong with standard skincare products and why do you think such ingredients are allowed? 
I believe lack of quality ingredients poses a huge threat. Not only has quality fallen by the wayside, but we also should be concerned with the toxins in the products we are using every day. Many common ingredients have been proven by scientists to be harmful, yet manufacturers continue to use them because they are inexpensive, thus allowing for more profit.

How did you choose your ingredients and what to put in each product? 
Extensive research! Having a chemistry/pharmacy background, I’m always extremely cognizant about using quality, natural ingredients.

What’s the biggest lesson you learned while starting Supernatural Botanicals? 
I’ve literally learned a wealth of knowledge in forming my company. I’ve learned that customers sincerely do appreciate companies that are going the extra effort to keep them healthy. I, too, have learned how many mainstream companies use cheap fillers in order to make profits. 

If you could choose just one of your products, which one would it be? 
Extremely hard to narrow that down as I love all of the products. I do favor our Beach Body Spray. Not only does it smell absolutely amazing and I get numerous compliments on it every time I wear it, but it’s a multitasker. It works great in your hair, giving your hair extra volume and beautiful scent. I even use it as a linen spray on my bed sheets. It’s also our best seller.

Describe a typical day in your life.
I’m an early riser. I tend to get a tremendous amount accomplished in the early hours. I work on the business end of the business from 5-8…networking, emails, following up on orders, PR, social media, etc. From 8-6 I’m in our workshop, formulating skincare products and filling orders. The day flies by, and I’m always hungry for more hours at the end of the day. In the past, it would be very common to find me in my workshop until as late as 11 p.m. I’ve luckily learned time management, and the importance of accomplishing that task.

What’s one thing we could do to have an awesome skin, naturally? 
Check your labels. Use products that do not contain parabens. Don’t be fooled by companies that splash the name of an all natural ingredient, only to flip the label over and realize that they natural product they are promoting only has trace elements within it, and is filled with other harmful fillers. 

If there is one thing/thought/idea that you could pass on to the next generation, what would it be? 
One huge concern I have for our next generation is the condition of our planet. Global warming and eco concerns will certainly be a problem in which they inherit. My hope is that we can educate the masses enough to get everyone on board with being green and eco-responsible. 

What’s your # 1 green tip? 
Recycling is an easy way to start being green. Every human being on the planet creates waste. There’s absolutely no reason we shouldn’t be more responsible for the garbage we create. This is also something that even children can learn and be a part of. If we start them early, it will become second-nature to them.

• Set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer to save on heating and cooling costs.
• Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) when your older incandescent bulbs burn out.
• Unplug appliances when you’re not using them. Or, use a “smart” power strip that senses when appliances are off and cuts “phantom” or “vampire” energy use.
• Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water.
• Use a drying rack or clothesline to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying.

Before throwing out expensive mineral makeup because you think it irritates your skin, try using a different brush first.  Many times it’s makeup  brushes that causes your face sensitivity and itchiness as opposed to the makeup itself.  Because synthetic hair brushes tend to cause irritation and even tiny abrasions to tender facial skin, opt to go with an all natural brush.  You’ll feel the difference immediately.  Eco-Tools makes inexpensive high quality, all natural brushes that are, of course, eco-friendly.  Love that!

Think you can’t have a garden because you live in the city?  Think again.  The Durvaes Family of Pasedena, California has done just that.  Watch the amazing transformation of their yard, from dry, parched dirt, to rich organic soil where fruits and veggies (and more) grow.  Their story is ultra-inspiring.  Let it inspire you to do the same!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IbODJiEM5A

One of Cincinnati’s favorite resources for fresh fruits and veggies, unique meats and cheeses, and amazing breads and pastries is Findlay Market.  Located in downtown Cincinnati, Findlay Market remains the hottest spot for the coolest people.  Check out my visit from earlier today.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spqkev3U5iY

So it’s no secret that we here at Supernatural Botanicals are tree-hugging, granola-eating, Earth-loving people, so an event like Earth Day 2011 is a celebration for us.  In our effort to be Green, we ask that you do one thing kind for the planet today.  You can approach this in a myriad of ways…try to walk instead of drive, recycle something, reuse something instead of chucking it into the garbage, avoid putting toxins down your drains,  reduce your consumption, plant a tree, start a garden.  Simply, live a cleaner, more eco-friendly  lifestyle.  Start today, and see if it “sticks” tomorrow.  Stand for something, have a cause.  Happy Earth Day!

If you have lots of wood surfaces in your home, you know that the costs of furniture polish has skyrocketed.  And when prices start to soar sky high, so does our creativity.  How can we do it cheaper, better, and to boot….all naturally?  While there are numerous “green” recipes for homemade furniture polish, they all have the two basic ingredients…oil and lemon.  And as luck would have it, it’s all you need.

To make homemade furniture polish, simply whisk together olive oil with an equal amount of lemon juice (you can also use vinegar, but lemons smell so much nicer).  Simply leave it in the bowl you mixed it in and dip a rag in, or put the liquid mixture in a spray bottle.   The bowl method is easier and less wasteful, as you can mix only the amount you’ll need for the days’ chores.

Use a dry rag, dip the rag into the oil mixture, and buff down all your wood surfaces.  It brings the wood back to life in an instant, and makes it appear brand new.  All natural, less expensive, and oh-so-crafty!    We love this!

About two-thirds of households that regularly recycle credit the woman of the house as the “recycling enforcer,” according to a 2009 survey. That’s a big deal since women continue to shoulder most of the housework, experts say.