Cleaning Closet

Our grandmothers kept their houses spotless without a lot of fake, harmful cleaning products, and we can, too. Put down those air fresheners, chemical cleaners and expensive single-use products. There are cleaning options that are healthier for your family and the planet.

Medicine Chest

"Home remedies" have become big business. More and more supposed "alternatives" to pharmaceutical products are made and sold by the same companies that make typical over-the-counter medications and remedies. Why put more money into the pockets of companies that are destroying the environment and making us less healthy when you can use real alternative remedies that you make yourself?

Laundry

Do the perfumes and dyes in store-bought detergents, fabric softeners and other laundry aids make you itch? Do you hate using your electric dryer because of the amount of energy it consumers? Not only can you find lots of healthy, home-grown alternatives to the big-box name brand laundry products, there are also lots of laundry practices and strategies that can help you maintain a greener household.

Bath

Why subject yourself to all the unhealthy ingredients found in shampoos, moisturizers and other cosmetics when you can create your own healthy versions using ingredients you grow yourself? To be fair, you may not be able to grow everything used in your cosmetics, but there are better, more natural and healthier alternatives than you'll find in the toiletries and cosmetics aisles at the store.

Kitchen

Among the neatest benefits of growing your own produce is that you get to eat the fruits of your labor. A lot of vegetarians find themselves eating pre-packaged and mass-produced foods because they're not sure how to create healthy, delicious dishes from scratch using their own home-grown produce. Next time, instead of reaching for the frozen veggie burgers, check out some of the recipes and cooking tips here.

Garden

Being a homegrown vegetarian starts in the garden -- that's the homegrown part of it. When you grow your own vegetables, herbs, grains and fruits, you know exactly what you're getting. You don't have to worry about pesticides, inorganic fertilizers and GMO foods because you grew them yourself from scratch.