New Column - "Livin' the Green Life"

I'm introducing a new weekly column to Pure Green, in an effort to help PGD apply to all areas of your life, not just design. Lets face it, we all love a pretty room but most of us have practical areas of our lives that we just can't ignore in favour of redecorating, so I'm trying to help with that.

As the holiday's approach, I'm going to feature eco friendly ways to introduce a little cheer into your home. Today I'm tackling air scents - the holidays are perhaps peak time for spritzing a little something, burning some candles or plugging in the glade, not realizing that all the while your home is a toxic soup of chemicals. Scented products for the home often cause an oil film (often methoxyclor, a pesticide that builds up in our fat tissue) to coat our nasal passage, or they release a nerve deadening agent to mask odor (eeew, that can't be good for you!). Now that I've scared you (sorry), the good news is that there are wicked alternatives. The easiest way is to make your own and simmer it in a pot on the stove, thus effectively filling your home with yummy, natural, non-toxic holiday deliciousness.

It's simple: place a pot with water on the stove, and add various ingredients depending on your fancy. Here are some of my favourites:

1. Cloves (or nutmeg) & orangepeel.

2. Cinnamon & vanilla (make sure you get pure vanilla, without added sugar, otherwise your pot might get sticky).

3. Add a few drops of peppermint oil and vanilla for a super yummy holiday scent.

4. Love Chai tea? Add cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom and pepper and bask in the vapours of a delicious cup of chai all day!

Enjoy!

p.s. - I'll be looking for reader inspired, eco friendly holiday decorating. If you're particularly proud of your holiday decorating, or have a great organic cookie recipe, or if you have any requests for something you'd like to see on Pure Green, don't hesitate. Email me!