Get Clean Air With No Work

Humans (and animals) need clear air to survive. And while we work with bureaucracies to stop burning coal and polluting the air, we can do something very simple to purify the air in our homes. Are you ready for this?

Houseplants! We know trees give us breathable oxygen by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen through its leaves. No need to buy expensive and energy wasting air purifying machines, when all you need is a little green and TLC (tender loving care, that is).

According to NASA, here's a list of plants that best filter the air in your home.

·       English ivy (Hedera helix)

·       Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

·       Golden pothos or Devil's ivy (Scindapsus aures or Epipremnum aureum)

·       Peace lily (Spathiphyllum 'Mauna Loa')

·       Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema modestum)

·       Bamboo palm or reed palm (Chamaedorea sefritzii)

·       Snake plant or mother-in-law's tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata'Laurentii')

·       Heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron oxycardium, syn.Philodendron cordatum)

·       Selloum philodendron (Philodendron bipinnatifidum, syn.Philodendron selloum)

·       Elephant ear philodendron (Philodendron domesticum)

·       Red-edged dracaena (Dracaena marginata)

·       Cornstalk dracaena (Dracaena fragans 'Massangeana')

·       Janet Craig dracaena (Dracaena deremensis 'Janet Craig')

·       Warneck dracaena (Dracaena deremensis 'Warneckii')

·       Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina)

·       Gerbera daisy or Barberton daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)

·       Pot mum or florist's chrysanthemum (Chrysantheium morifolium)

·       Rubber plant (Ficus elastica)

How cool is this? Little Critterz know it's important to have greenery in your home because of the tranquility and peace it brings, but we also love sustainability so these plants win in our book!

Our World Without Water

As you've probably seen us post about on our Facebook and Twitter pages, we've been shocked, nervous and curious about food production and waste as of late. We know that climate change is occurring and population is growing. So we wonder, what factors are contributing to the impending food crises? After all, there is estimated to be 9 million people in the world by 2050, and poverty and starvation is already a huge problem.

Water is the Worlds Most Precious Commodity

In Developed Nations, 95% of water that enters the home goes down the drain.

We know long showers, and letting the water run while brushing your teeth and washing your face wastes water after all 27% of water usage is from showering. But did you know that receiving one newspaper every day uses 66,000 gallons of water each year? Holy cow!

70% of water usage is for irrigation. But over half of the water used for irrigation is lost to leaks!

Trends

Increased population
Decreasing productivity due to climate change
Changing consumption

What People Are Eating Is Changing

In 2010, the world consumed 235 million tons of meat. By 2020, it is expected the world will consume an additional 60 million tons.

Producing 1kg of animal protein requires 100 times more water than 1kg of grain protein.

Let's Talk About Waste

24% of calories produced are not consumed. That's 198 million hectares, or the size of Mexico. Think about all of the energy and water that goes into producing this food, only to be thrown away!

In monetary terms, the average US American family wastes $1600 in food every year.

A UK report suggests that food waste if given to pigs instead of incarcerated could provide 800,000 tons of pork per year.

Anyone Else Nervous Yet?

So what can we do?

Grocery shop more often, but buy less. Buy what you need for the next day or two. I think we in the US feel so pressed for time that we make excuses about not having time to run to the store for an item we need. But wouldn't we rather make the time to go more often instead of over buying, over spending, and wasting what we don't really need just because we want to be "safe not sorry"?

Drive less. One car uses 40,000 gallons of water in gasoline. Walk or ride your bike to the grocery store. Making lifestyle choices to be more active everyday will cut down on gym time, leaving more time to be conscious about buying habits and the environment. Can we say win, win!

What are you doing to save water or prevent food waste? Comment below and let us know!