Is Apple Cider Good For Weight Loss? And Four More Things You Need to Know

You probably have a bottle of apple cider vinegar (ACV) in your pantry right now. It’s a tasty addition to homemade pickles, marinades, salad dressing, and more - but is it good for you? Many of its supposed benefits are anecdotal, but some experts think that adding a little of this tangy vinegar to your life may have some health benefits.

Weight

Have you heard that apple cider vinegar will help you lose weight? There's not much formal research on the topic, but one study did find that people who drank apple cider vinegar daily lost a couple of pounds versus those who didn’t (both groups had a similar diet). The researchers suggest that vinegar may affect certain genes involved in breaking down fats thus improving digestion – which ultimately could lead to weight loss.

Blood Sugar

While apple cider vinegar most likely isn’t the weight loss magic bullet, it does appear to help with blood sugar control. Arizona State University’s Nutrition Program Director, Carol Johnston, PhD has been studying apple cider vinegar for years and believes it can have pronounced affects on blood sugar. Johnston says that the vinegar prevents at least some dietary starches from being digested and thus raising blood sugar.  It’s still advisable to focus on your overall diet if you have or want to prevent blood sugar issues – but adding ACV on salads might help too!

Antimicrobial

Vinegar is known to help kill pathogens, including bacteria and ACV has traditionally (not confirmed by research) been used for cleaning and disinfecting, treating nail fungus, lice, warts and ear infections. It’s even said that Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used vinegar for wound cleaning over two thousand years ago. Because vinegar is acidic, it has been used as a food preservative, and studies show that it inhibits bacteria from growing in the food and spoiling it.

Great Flavor Enhancer

ACV should be consumed! Use it in your food – from dressings, to dips, apple cider vinegar can be a great flavor addition to many dishes. Try alternating balsamic for apple cider vinegar to change the flavor and add more variety to your diet.  Add a punch to a fish dish with a splash of ACV on top!

Home Cleaning

If you don’t mind the smell, or are sensitive to chemicals try using ACV to clean your home. A mix of 1 part ACV and 9 parts water will clean just about any surface. It’s easiest if transferred to a spray bottle. You can also pour full strength ACV into the toilet, bath, babies tub, etc. and leave overnight.  Some appliances (coffee makers, etc.) can be descaled with ACV as well.

[via Supermarket Guru]

5 Tips to Cut Your Electricity Bill

From Expert David Johnston

Cutting back on your energy usage is one of the best ways to bring down your electricity bill. But did you know that making simple changes to not just your wattage consumption but the way your home retains and expels air can dramatically transform the way you experience your spaces and use electricity? Joining us this week to share 5 Tips on how we can better green our homes is green visionary and sustainable pioneer David Johnston who focuses on easy changes you can make with your appliances, air exchange, insulation and even windows that will pave the way to dramatic savings. Undoubtedly an expert on all things energy, David shares his over 30 years of experience and gives us a snapshot of some of the best ways we can reduce our energy consumption by up to 50%!

Tip 1 – FOCUS ON SMALL STEPS

When  your family’s energy bill is running high, there are a number of quick and easy changes that can be made that focus in on changing day to day habits. Every household should start noting how much energy is used per room per day, looking at how and how many rooms are being lit up at night, what appliances are running and the like. We’ve mentioned this here on Inhabitat before, but one of the easiest changes you can make is swapping out your energy hungry incandescent bulbs for green picks such as LEDs. These hogs are not only costly to run, but in the grand scheme are quite bad for the environment given their short life spans. The vast majority of people are also unaware of how many phantom loads are running throughout their homes. Phantom loads may seem like a small and pesky problem, but these loads can account for up to 15% of a house’s energy bill.

Unfortunately, the way the vast majority of appliances are designed today, they are built to run 24/7. You may not realize this, but because of it, day in and day out, you are using more energy than you think. One of the easiest things that you can do to alleviate this issue is to get a power strip and centralize where all your appliances draw their power. With a power strip you can easily shut things off when you are not using them. Experts say that 15-40% of energy consumption is behavior based, and the first move you should make is to think about what you can control right now.

TIP 2 – GET AN ENERGY AUDIT

Every house in America is under-insulated, and 120 million of these homes are in such a state that a thorough energy audit is warranted.  Air leaks account for 25-30% of an average energy bill, and this is one of the most profound steps that you can make for the betterment your home’s comfort and reducing the amount of your monthly bill. Energy auditors are ell-equipped with the right tools and knowledge to quickly pinpoint problem areas in your home. When your auditor does arrive at your doorstep, you should be sure to trail him or her like a shadow – walk with them throughout the process so that you can best understand the issues in your home that are causing problems.

The first thing your auditor will do is a “Blower Door” which is one of the most effective ways to determine a home’s overall leakiness as well as to pinpoint specific leaks. A blower pulls air out of the house, lowering the air pressure inside. The higher outside air pressure then flows in through all unsealed cracks and openings. While conducting this test, a smoke pencil or infrared camera may be used to illustrate the air leaks. These tests determine the air infiltration rate of a building, and give you an idea of where you need will need to start to add weather stripping, caulk or more insulation. You’ll likely be surprised to find that you have air leaks on places you wouldn’t even suspect.

The second thing your auditor will do is take an infrared camera and survey your spaces and detect air leakage within building envelopes. This step is best done on cold days, where the camera will reveal exactly where you have insulation voids. The infrared camera is essentially Superman vision for air leaks, and it will even do you one better by photographing those trouble spots so that you have a digital record on hand to quickly tend to these spaces.

The third step your auditor will undertake is called a “Duct Blast.” The Duct Blast will tell you where in your ducts air is leaking. In most homes. thermostats will be set up in rooms at the top of the house, and this is what is gauging and regulating the heat below. A lot can happen between the basement and top floor as air travels through your ducts, and air loss is one of them. Leaky ducts require your systems to work harder to regulate and provide the hot and cool air expelled throughout the house. In fact, anywhere a duct changes direction you are likely to find an air leak. Ducts can be sealed on your own, with duct-mastic available at any hardware store – just get ready to venture into some dusty spaces! Finally, an auditor will provide you with a standard visual inspection, evaluating the design of your spaces and providing you with thorough notes on the situation at hand, and you can start pursuing a contractor or begin making the upgrades yourself.

Tip 3 – DON´T BE AFRAID OF OVER-INSULATION

A common fear of those looking to upgrade their home is that if they tighten homes up too much, they will find themselves in a dangerous and unhealthy living environment. The reality is that anytime you burn something in a house, you need oxygen – this includes water heaters, stoves, furnaces and more. Given that every house will find air leaks one way or another, this shouldn’t be a concern for most. On average a new home will have a Natural Air Change Rate (NACR) of 2 hours, and for an existing/older home, a rate of 30 minutes. Specifically, the NACR is the amount of time it takes indoor air to clear out in place of fresh air from outside. Building codes in fact stipulate strict rules that require that any structure with a NACR of three hours or more must be ventilated mechanically. So unless you’ve sealed up you home like a vacuum, you shouldn’t have to worry about this issue.

A real concern does however lie with new homes with leaky duct work. Too many leaks can give way to negative pressure in a home and affect appliances that carry a lot of destructive weight. Negative pressure occurs when indoor air pressure is less than that of outdoor air pressure, drawing outside air into the home. When too much air is being sucked into the house, in turn carbon monoxide can easily start to be distributed through the house without anyone being the wiser. Most heating appliances will produce by-products of mainly water and carbon dioxide, but if the combustion from these processes aren’t provided with enough oxygen, carbon monoxide is formed. Carbon monoxide is well known as the silent killer, and as David tells us from his experience, just 10 years ago, one third of the homes in both Colorado and California were suffering from this problem. Ironically, those who have an older home in hand don’t have much to worry about – these houses are typically leaking so much air that their high NACR mitigates the issue completely.

TIP 4 – PRIORITIZE SEALING YOUR HOME

Sometimes it’s not within our budgets to take on a full upgrade that could cost upwards of $10,000. If you’re going to have to pick and choose, David suggests prioritizing what needs to be done like so: 

STEP ONE: Sort out your air exchanges Make air exchange your number one priority. Reducing the intake and outtake will give you the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to cash savings and comfort in your home. If you can’t invest in a contractor, there are plenty of references out there that will arm you with exactly what you need to work on your own. David himself has published numerous publications focusing on how the everyday person can make the upgrades themselves with materials easily found at a local hardware store. Some excellent references authored by David include: Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction; Toward a Zero Energy Home; and Green Remodeling : Changing the World One Room at a Time .

STEP TWO: Clean out your attic Once you’ve gotten your issues with air exchange squared away, David recommends looking next towards your attic. You should clean out that entire space – and he means wipe away all that existing insulation so that you see the bare bones of the construction, specifically, the top of the ceiling that sits right under your feet. If you’re able to see what’s going on from overhead, you can spot the points of leakage, be it through gaps, recessed lighting fixtures, vents and more. After you’ve singled out all those trouble points seal them up tight! More insulation is key, and as David states “When it’s cold outside you put a hat on, and it’s basically the same idea when it comes to your house.” Your new insulation, in part to seal up cracks, should be at least one foot thick. Cellulose is a green, quick and easily available option that you can pour all over the ceiling without issue.

STEP THREE: Clean out your basement and crawl spaces The third thing everyone should be mindful of is the basement and crawl spaces. You should seek out all the crack, gaps and leaks and pack in as much insulation as you can in these spaces. Special attention should be given to sealing up all your air ducts. Duct-mastic is a readily available sealant that comes in a paint-like consistency and can be brushed on all of the joints of your ducts. There are also companies all across the country who will come to your home just to do this. Pipe insulate is another great way to reduce your energy costs. In fact, just these three steps alone can give way to up to a 30% energy reduction and will cost you just $1000.

TIP 5 – INVEST IN NEW WINDOWS

While windows are a much more expensive upgrade than some of the tips mentioned above, they can make a huge difference. If you live in an area that experiences the four seasons at full-blast, you may notice that during these times there are areas of the house you just don’t want to be. This is mainly because you are likely the owner of major air leaks originating from windows and doors, and it’s no surprise that a lot of discomfort can result from poorly insulated windows. The new technology being applied to windows is nothing short of amazing, and there are four types of windows that you should reference if and when you decide that this is the right choice for you: Single pane windows, Double pane windows, Low-E windows and our new favorite, Super Windows. In practice windows are each given an R rating signifying their level of insulation (note that wall insulation will carry a rating of between R19-R20).

Single Pane: Single pane windows are common in older homes and feature a single glaze. These windows are a poor choice if you live in an area with notable changes in temperature throughout the year. These windows carry an R1 rating. 

Double Pane: Double pane windows will have two panes or glazes and carry an R2 rating

LOW-E Windows: LOW-E windows are a popular choice for those more concerned with energy consumption in cooling and heating. In the winter, the windows will reflect heat in ,and in the summer reflect the heat out. These windows register an R3 rating.

Super Windows: Super windows are the newest generation of windows that feature multiple layers of film between each glaze or pane. This solar regulating material is applied between each pane, and amazingly, these windows can have R ratings of between R7-R11. Marvin Windows now makes their own super window, a triple pane with a krypton/argon/air gas mix in between the panes, which ups the thermal performance significantly, reaching an unparalleled level of insulation that will knock hundreds of dollars off your energy bill.

MAKE YOUR HOME A COZY AND COMFORTABLE PLACE

Working in the business for decades, David will tell you that many of these alterations are a great way to save money in the long-run, but ultimately what most people are aiming for is to find a level of comfort that will maximize the happiness of those in their homes. All of these upgrades have the power to change the way a space is experienced phenomenally, and not only will you be able to recover dead areas of your home, but you may just find that several new cozy spots will be born anew!

[via inhabitat]

10 Easy & Inexpensive Tips for an Eco-Friendly Home

Simple yet effective ways to green your home.

Outfitting your home with the latest and greatest environmentally friendly appliances and accessories may make you super trendy, but it can also stress your budget and actually end up being bad for the environment. How can that be? Throwing out one appliance or accessory to replace it with another can be an expensive habit, and the more you throw away, the more stuff ends up in a landfill.

Rather than diving in headfirst, start adding eco-friendly touches to your home in small but meaningful ways. The following 10 tips are a good start for those who want to go green.

1. Replace only when needed

Unfortunately, many people think part of going green means getting all new stuff — not true. One great thing you can do for the environment is to learn to not be so disposable and to use everything until it's worn out.

2. Second-hand stores

Anything that gets thrown away is bad for the environment. Become a frequent contributor to second-hand stores, and shop them often. You’ll be surprised at the little treasures you’ll find, and you can request receipts for tax-deductible donations.

3. Antiques

Taking the used furniture idea a step further, antiques are a wonderful way to go green and to add aesthetic interest to your home. You don’t need to fill every nook and cranny with antique furnishings; a few pieces here and there fit in every home and are great conversation starters.

4. Rethink art

Look for artists who specialize in reclaimed or recycled pieces. Artwork doesn’t tend to be a huge environmental hazard, but by adding artwork with an environmental spin, you inspire your family and others. Who knows, you may be so inspired that you actually take up a new hobby and become an artist yourself!

5. Study materials

Learn what material items are made from and the environmental impact of those materials. Look for natural and organic materials (like 100 percent organic cotton sheets), fair-trade products, recycled plastics, reclaimed wood and bamboo products. This takes a little time and effort, but you’ll be a more educated consumer overall, and that’s a good thing.

6. Government programs

If you need to replace an appliance, check to see if there are any government programs that offer tax rebates for new energy-efficient appliances and fixtures. This is a win-win situation: You get a more efficient appliance and a tax break, and the environment isn’t taxed with still more carbon dioxide emissions or energy overuse. Turn it into an even bigger win by donating functioning older appliances to a charitable organization and help other families in need.

7. Plants

Literally going green in your home is great for the environment, as plants express your desire to be environmentally sound and help process and clean the air inside your home.

8. The right paint

Older paints release volatile organic compounds, meaning they have toxic fumes that remain long after the fresh paint smell goes away. Look for low- or no-VOC paints, so your home’s air stays as clean as possible.

9. Light bulbs

You’ve heard it for years, but compact fluorescent lights really are a more energy-efficient solution, and they’ll last longer than traditional light bulbs. By buying CFL bulbs, you’ll save money in the long run, and lighten your impact on the environment. Just remember that CFL bulbs contain mercury and must be disposed of properly - you can't just toss them in the trash when they need replacing. Most communities offer free hazardous waste disposal at select sites and times during the year. You can bypass the whole issue by investing in energy-efficient and non-toxic LED bulbs. They are more expensive initially, but prices are getting more reasonable, and they will literally last almost a lifetime which makes them less expensive in the long run.

10. Learn DIY 

Learn how to do some things yourself, and you’ll find you don’t need to replace everything — you can fix it, re-cover it, decorate it or give it new life in a variety of ways. Your DIY skills may actually become a hobby or even a potential income maker as you hone your skills. Take it a step further: Learn to build and repair things in an eco-friendly way, and you’ll not only see your items as things you can breathe new life into, but you’ll start seeing everything that way.

Less is more

These ideas are by no means the only ways you can begin adding environmentally friendly touches to your home — they’re just a few tips to get you started. You’ll find that as you learn more about what is good for the environment and what harms it, you’ll uncover new and innovative ways to bring eco-friendly touches to your home.

One key to remember is that being environmentally conscious is not necessarily about buying new, more expensive items. It’s about wisely choosing which items to keep, which to replace, what to repair or refinish, or what to repurpose entirely. The most eco-conscious homeowners are not looking for the biggest house filled with the newest, most environmental products. They’re going the opposite route entirely and thinking smaller, used, antique and “less is more.”

[via GAIAM Life]

Building a Covered Greenhouse Garden

If your garden is subject to a lot of wind activity, try building an above-ground covered garden.

 

Building a little green house to protect your vegetabeles from the wind and to elevate the temperature during the colder days. This should also help with the "year round" gardening.

Start out with 2x12s at 8 feet and 4 feet. (I do not recommend 2x12s as they are very expensive, and you can get the same results with stacked 2x6s.) Level out the dirt a bit before assembling them.
 

 

I used the pocket hole system once again to join the pieces of wood. If you have some resident pests (moles, etc) in the yard, staple some chicken wire to the base and flip the whole thing over.

 

Build a frame to go on top out of 2x2s and 2x4s for corner braces. This will be the base for the covered part.

 

 

Then attach 1/2" 10-foot PVC pipe to create the arches.

Put one screw into the inside bottom of each pipe (to keep it from slipping), then secure it with a pipe clamp.

 

Use electrical tape or 1x2 screws (into the PVC) to secure the wire mesh to the pipes.
 

 

Staple some 3.5 mil plastic to the 2x2 frame - do attempt while it is breezy outside. Plastic everywhere, suffocation, etc.

 

Attach two hinges on one of the short 4' sides.

 

And some chain on the long 8' side. (plastic chain is not recommended, as it bends and stretches far too easily).

 

If you're planning on rigging up an automatic watering system for my soaker hose, install this adapter in the side. The garden hose will go on the blue side and the soaker hose will come out the other side.

 

Mix some compost and existing soil from your yard and a healthy amount of pine needles.

Now it's time for planting! Your tomatoes, basil, squash, onions, garlic, herbs, etc. are planted and safe from the cold and wind!

[via swingNcocoa]

Composting 101

Understanding composting can be a bit intimidating. but fear not!...One of our favorite resources, Earth911 has compiled tons of great information to make the process of conjuring up your first compost pile a not-so-complicated challenge, hopefully increasing your knowledge and not stress! 

According to the EPA, 24 percent of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream is composed of food remnants and yard trimmings. If these materials were diverted to another use that kept them out of the trash, a significant portion of the country's everyday waste could be recovered for reuse.

Enter: composting. Grass clippings, food scraps and yard waste are all ideal materials to add to a compost pile. This means that starting one is about more than just creating a great soil booster for your garden or farm - it can cut down on your waste output as well.

For those who have been thinking about starting a pile for some time now, but are still unsure about taking on the challenge, understanding the basics of composting can make it a less intimidating process.

First Thing's First: What is Composting?

For households, composting is a way to recycle certain materials and kitchen scraps and turn them into a beneficial soil amendment for home gardens and reduce waste output.

For small-scale farms, composting is a way to utilize the residual plant and animal material generated and put it to good use as a fertilizer and soil-builder for future crop production.

In both cases, composting is the natural process of decomposition, sped up by a deliberate strategy in a concentrated environment to transform materials such as grass clippings, vegetable scraps, newspaper and more into a new material (known as "humus") that can then be incorporated back into the soil. Also, composting with worms, or vermicomposting, is another option over traditional composting using outdoor bins.

Break It Down: The Process

So, how does composting work? According to Nance Trautmann and Elaina Olynciw of Cornell University, microorganisms break down organic matter, producing heat, carbon dioxide, water and humus in the process.

When composting is done correctly, a pile undergoes three optimal phases:

1. The mesophilic, or moderate temperature phase, lasts 2-3 days
2. The thermophilic, or high temperature phase, lasts anywhere from 3 days to several months, depending on what is in the pile
3. The cooling and maturation phase lasts several months

In the first stage, what are referred to as mesophilic microorganisms quickly break down the easily degradable materials in the pile. The microorganisms’ output of this breakdown is heat, so the temperature in the pile rise. High temperatures in a compost pile are necessary to ensure that the next phase—where thermophilic (meaning "heat loving") microbes replace the mesophilic ones—ensues.

Thermophilic microbes then kill any pathogens that may exist, as well accelerate the breakdown of complex carbohydrates, fats and proteins that exist in the pile. Important to note is that if temperatures in the pile go above 149 degrees Fahrenheit, even the heat loving microbes can be killed, slowing the rate of decomposition.

Because piles can get too hot, aerating, or turning the pile, is essential if the cooling phase is to be reached. The cooling phase is where the high microbial activity of the other two phases is reduced, allowing for the compost to mature and become ready for application.

The Do's and Don’ts: What to Add, What to Leave Out

Besides the process itself, knowing what ingredients should go into a backyard composting operation is essential for a successful outcome.

“Green” (nitrogen rich) and “brown” (carbon rich) materials are required to be in proper balance to ensure that the pile does not become anaerobic. Anaerobic decomposition occurs as a result of an improper chemical balance, mainly a lack of oxygen.

This lack of oxygen necessitates aeration (turning the pile). If the pile is not properly aerated or has too much nitrogen and not enough carbon, rotting and stinking can occur. A compost pile should never smell, according to the EPA.

So, how to achieve this proper chemical balance? Let’s start with the greens. Green materials refer to those that are rich in nitrogen. Some examples of green materials include:

• Food scraps - Vegetable peelings are a common material produced by households and make a great compost amendment. However, never add animal-based leftovers (fat trimmings, meat, cheese, milk, etc) as the oils and fats are not conducive to a backyard composting operation.
• Fresh grass clippings
• Manure - If you have access to manure from horses, cows, sheep, goats or chickens, it is a great compost ingredient because it speeds up the decomposition process. It is not a requisite for a successful compost pile, however. Never use manure from carnivores.
• Plants and plant cuttings - Just-picked weeds from around the backyard (as long as there are no developed seeds or seed heads) are permissible, as are flower tops. Green leaves from a freshly cut branch work as well (just make sure to shred them).

Brown materials, on the other hand, are rich in another crucial ingredient, carbon. Carbon gives the microbes the energy they need to work. It is useful to shred most brown ingredients so as to lessen the workload for microbes, enabling decomposition to happen faster.

Some examples of brown materials include:

• Dead, dry leaves
• Hay and straw
• Simple paper products - Newspaper, paper and cardboard
• Crushed egg shells
• Coffee grounds - tea bags and loose-leaf tea work as well
• Wood ashes and sawdust - Use sparingly. Wood ashes can make the pile very alkaline, which limits microbial activity, and sawdust can take a long time to break down.

Some Final Tips: Water

According to the EPA, another important factor to keep in mind is the moisture content of the pile, since the hard-at-work microorganisms need an adequate amount to survive. Water also transports nutrients and organic matter throughout a compost pile, which keeps the pile from becoming stagnant.

But how do you tell if water should be added? According to the New York City Compost Project, if you have just loaded the pile with  autumn leaves from the backyard, make sure to add sufficient water to them so that they glisten. Doing so kick starts the decomposition process of the carbon-rich leaves.

Additionally, the NYC Compost Project recommends that "Optimal moisture levels for composting occur when materials are about as moist as a wrung-out sponge—obviously moist to the touch, but yielding no liquid when squeezed."

For advanced-level composting, moisture content instruments are available and can help you to be more precise, although rainfall will often do the trick, as it provides a slow soak that is optimal for a infiltrating a compost pile. For those in a drier climate, however, intentional watering will probably be necessary. Make sure to add water slowly and to turn the pile to incorporate the water so it reaches all sections.

Make It Easy!

To avoid countless trips out to the backyard to dispose of kitchen scraps, put them in an airtight bag and freeze them. This also helps to avoid the smell of old food.

Additionally, freezing will assist in achieving chemical balance in your compost pile. For example, if you have an overload of “green” food scraps from that get-together you had the other night and you do not have the necessary “brown” materials to balance out the pile, freeze the scraps for a while until you have enough "brown" to add to the pile.

Where you live and your particular climate will have a significant effect on your pile, some it occasionally may come down to some experimentation. For more guidance as well as some more advanced composting methods, check out the video below to get started:

All-Natural Air Fresheners

A fun, DIY recipe for making all natural air fresheners that look as great as they smell has been making it's way around the internet today. If you're a fan of natural fragrances we highly recommend you take a look at the post.

While some manufacturers have published data concerning the environmental impact of their products, most commercial air fresheners are met with skepticism in regards to their effect on personal health as well as the environment. One article by the Washington Post speculates that one ordinary plug-in air freshener uses 18.4 kilowatt-hours of electricity…the equivalent of 1 barrel of oil. Aside from any potential health risks, air fresheners can be expensive and let's be honest, they don't always smell so great. 

So why not turn an expensive, mundane chore into a domestic adventure?! But how?! Good question. We did some digging and with the help of some of our favorite resources such as Rodale News, were able to find a few whacky, yet effective ways of cleaning the air around your house. 

#1: Vodka
Ethyl alcohol, found in vodka and other spirits, is a main ingredient in most commercial air fresheners. But cleaning your air with vodka allows you to get rid of musty odors without saturating the air (or your lungs) with added chemicals, like petroleum-derived propellants and harmful synthetic fragrances. Vodka leaves no odor as it dries, so you can spray it straight into your air as is, or add 20 to 30 drops of your favorite essential oils for a pleasant scent.

#2: Kitty Litter

Have a smelly closet or musty basement? Set out a tray of cat litter, specifically, Jonny Cat Litter brand, recommends Joey Green of Joey Green's Cleaning Magic (Rodale, 2010). One primary reason that brand works so well has to do with the fact that the main ingredient is diatomaceous earth, a naturally occurring mineral that, among its many wonders, absorbs odors (it also absorbs moisture in the air, and kills pests that come in contact with it). So if you can't find any Jonny Cat Litter, buy a box of diatomaceous earth and set a few bowls out in the corners of smelly rooms. You can find it online from garden supply stores, such as Planet Natural.

#3: Coffee Grounds

Who doesn't love the smell of coffee? According to Green, it's another weird odor remover that helps cut the smell of winter mustiness. You can use fresh or used grounds, but if going with used, let them dry out a bit first. Place them in a bowl as is wherever you need an odor removed, or wrap them up in a coffee filter or old stocking and hang them in a closet or from a shelf. If you're not a coffee drinker, you can still benefit. Some Starbucks (and many small locally owned cafes) give their used coffee grounds away for free.

#4: A Palm Tree.
We're not talking about palm trees at the beach (though a beach vacation is a good way to get away from dirty indoor air). Palm trees used as houseplants are very effective air purifiers, known to remove formaldehyde, which lurks in paints, furniture finishes, and the glues used to hold pressed wood and particle board together. You'll get similar benefits from a variety of other houseplants, but palm trees are among the easiest to care for. Look for Dwarf date, bamboo, areca, lady, or parlor palm varieties.

#5: Your Skin.
Thanks to all the oils in your skin, dead skin flakes act like natural air purifiers, say researchers from Denmark. According to their study, published in the most recent issue of Environmental Science & Technology, one of the most common oils in skin, squalene, reduces levels of the indoor air pollutant ozone, a respiratory irritant that can trigger asthma attacks. After comparing levels of ozone in a day-care center's indoor air with the amount of squalene from skin flakes in its dust, the researchers determined that dead skin flakes can reduce ozone levels anywhere from 2 to 15 percent. Even we aren't sure how to best make use of this information, so please don't go around leaving skin flakes everywhere. But isn't it nice to know your very presence can make the air fresher? Also, ewwwww.

#6: Elbow Grease.
Ultimately, the best way to deal with smelly or chemical-laden indoor air is to go straight to the source. It's easier to eliminate an odor's cause than to try to cover it up with coffee grinds or cat litter. And indoor air pollutants that collect in dust can be trapped by a good vacuum and weekly dusting with a damp cloth. To prevent further polluting your indoor air, make your own green cleaning kit with white vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda, and borax, all of which are also natural odor removers. For cleaning recipes, see How to Make Green Cleaning Recipes That Really Work.

8 Tips for a Green Home and Yard