Life got away from me for about six weeks during the most food-focused time of year. The CSA produce bags kept coming while I ate at home less due to holiday parties, travel and deadlines. When I finally took the time to assess the damage, only half of the food in the fridge was still edible. My compost bin brimmed, while a back-of-the-napkin tally showed that I tossed nearly 25% of December’s food budget. Ouch.

In the United States, food waste is estimated at 40% and more. While a lot of that food loss occurs pre-consumer, a significant amount occurs once food arrives in households. A 2002 study of American households indicates that families discarded 14% of their food, to the tune of 470 pounds and an annual cost of $600 per year.

Beyond the impact to family budgets, this food waste has startling implications for our national energy policy. An energy study from 2010 claims that the energy embodied in wasted food exceeds that available from most popular “efficiency” programs, such as the annual production of ethanol from (mostly) corn and the annual output from drilling in the outer continental shelf. An estimated 300 million barrels of oil per year, or four percent of the oil consumed in the US was used to produce and transport food that was ultimately thrown away. Yikes!

With help from some smart, passionate folks here at Whole Foods Market, I came up with the following list. Here’s how I plan to respect food, money and the resources that go into growing the crops and getting them to me in 2012.

I will:

• Plan meals for the week. I can check my calendar on Sunday to determine when I’ll eat at home, spend five minutes assessing what’s already in the fridge and pantry, check online for recipe ideas and make use of the shopping list functionality on this website.
• Shop at home first. I receive veggies from my CSA farmer for about 40 weeks out of the year. I also grow fruit, veggies and herbs at home. My healthy pantry is well-stocked. I will use these things first.
• Shop like a European. Many people in Europe visit the market every few days and purchase small quantities of very fresh food — just enough for the next few days.
• Be less picky about produce. If fruits are going into smoothies, if veggies are going into soups and casseroles, why do they need to be cosmetically perfect?
• Belly up to the bulk bins. Choosing only the amount I need makes more sense than storing half-filled boxes of pasta or rice — or throwing out two extra cups of cooked quinoa past its prime.
• Store stuff better. I’m slowly investing in better storage containers — glass where possible — for pantry, pet food and refrigerated items. I’ve also been researching how to store produce properly.
• Smarten up when eating out. I might spend more per serving on a half-size portion but it costs me even more to toss out what I bring home in a container.
• Eat and enjoy my leftovers. ‘nuff said.
• Save the gnarly bits for stock. If you cook with a lot of fresh produce like me, the carrot tops, chard spines and celery stubs can be saved in a designated container for the Sunday soup stock pot.
• Make a pig, chicken or backyard bird happy. The neighborhood pot-bellied pig or chickens at a nearby farm will love leafy greens and squashes past their prime. The birds will love soft apples and past-prime berries.
• Drop off garden extras at the food bank. When my prolific peach tree starts bearing this spring I’ll share the bounty instead of stuffing the freezer.
• Keep a food diary. In addition to the health-focused notes, I’ll include preparation/cooking and food waste disposition entries. I’ll need to track my progress to see if I succeed!

What tips do you have to ensure that the good stuff ends up in your belly and not in the compost bin?

Holiday items:

• Compost, chip, or donate your real tree for wildlife habitat. Many cities and counties have programs for helping you dispose of your tree. Check soon: most programs start the week after Christmas.
• Carefully box or cover your artificial tree for storage and reuse. Dust and mildew from an improperly stored tree can wreak havoc on immune systems next year.
• Recycle holiday cards and gift-wrap and/or store for reuse. Used cards and heavier wrapping paper can be repurposed for next year’s holiday tags and craft projects.
• What about those battery-powered decorations, toys and gadgets? Hopefully you chose rechargeable batteries instead of regular ones. Recycle regular batteries instead of sending them to the landfill. You can find info on how and where at earth911.com.

Closet and cabinet clutter:

• While you are clearing away the holiday items (and changing the battery on your smoke alarm) what about a quick sweep of the pantry? Do you have canned goods close to expiration dates? Rice, beans or flours that have been languishing on the shelf for more than a year or two? Compost non-meat edibles that have expired, or plan to use those on the cusp as soon as possible. Do a sweep of the fridge, too. Has that apple butter been lurking in the back of the fridge since 1999? Time to move on.
• Plan on making healthier choices in the new year? Prepare some space for all that good stuff. If you have foods in your pantry that your family won’t eat or that don’t fit with your current (or planned) dietary regime, food banks need donations after the holidays, too.
• If you had new linens and towels gifted to you this season, many pet rescue organizations would appreciate your old ones.

Electronics:

• Were you lucky enough to receive a new computer or other electronic equipment during the holidays? Donate your old stuff instead of running a history of technology museum in your garage or filling a landfill with toxic electronics. Here in Central Texas, Goodwill takes all electronic equipment for reuse. If they can’t fix or repurpose the equipment, they recycle it appropriately. Who does this in your city? Computers With Causes looks like a really good resource.
• Many Whole Foods Market stores have electronics collection drives every winter. Check with the closest one to see if their Team Members have one planned.
• Did you splurge on a new phone or mobile device this winter? If you’re ready to recycle your old ones along with batteries, chargers and other accessories, the Environmental Protection Agency website has a special section focused on recycling these items. Remember to clear your personal data from the phone before you recycling and save that special picture of Fido or Fluffy.

Other stuff:

• Are you an avid reader? This is a good time to do a sweep of print material around the house. Review your book and magazine collection to see what can go to another home. Does a friend like mysteries? Would the neighbor’s children like the books your family has outgrown? Would the nursing home on your way to work appreciate 2011 editions of National Geographic, the New Yorker, or Dog Fancy magazine?
• Did you get what you REALLY wanted — a gift card? Once you use it, don’t toss it in the trash. Bring it to any Whole Foods Market and we will recycle it for you. (Learn about our own recycled gift cards). If you received one you won’t use, remember that many charitable organizations would love to have it — you can re-gift with a clear conscience!

As New Year’s Eve (or, ahem, St. Patrick’s Day) approaches, won’t it be gratifying to ponder on the space you created for the New Year to fill with your dreams and its blessings? What tips do you have for the rest of us while we’re sending our things to the next steps in their cycles of use?

• Instead of resorting to disposable cups, use wine glass charms, ribbon, twine, rubber bands or other items to create a unique marking system for glasses, cups and mugs. Everyone knows which cup is theirs and nothing goes in the trash!
• If your party isn’t formal, acquire a mix of plates and beverage glasses at local thrift stores and yard sales. It can be fun to drink wine out of juice glasses and jelly jars and they aren’t as tippy as stemware. After your party, box everything up and return it to the thrift store. The organization receives a nice “donation” from you, and you aren’t left with the clutter — or a trash can full of paper plates.
• While beer bottles and cans are recyclable they’re also heavy and take up a lot of space in the recycling bin. Consider springing for a torpedo keg, a pony keg or a whole keg. Beer glasses are washable, as are plastic cups. And, of course, you return the keg and its tackle.

• Self-serve buffet tables with a choice of small bites, carefully labeled for guests with dietary restrictions, make a lot of sense for limiting food waste and or leftovers. Check out our great small bites recipes and spend a few minutes with our servings calculator while making your shopping list and you can purchase more accurately for the number of guests you expect.
• Keep an eye on the buffet table and make sure nothing cooked sits out longer than two hours – this will help prevent having to throw out the food that’s no longer safe to eat.
• For a formal event, consider borrowing or renting tableware and serve ware. You can return them the next day and not have to worry about storing them year-round.
• Cloth napkins, of course. Hopefully you have dozens by now. If not, see thrift store tip above. For informal parties, you can find cotton bandanas for about a dollar each. Or a length of cotton fabric can be cut into serviette-sized squares and washed once to give a fringed effect.
• Our vendor-partner Preserve offers serve ware made from 100% recycled plastic. It is sturdy enough to be used multiple times and can be recycled once it has been to its last party or picnic.
• If single-use serve ware is best for your needs, you can now find a gratifying selection of recyclable and compostable options in our stores. Handy for a drinks and small bites party, some stores carry elegant appetizer plates designed to hold a wine glass that are made from a sugarcane fiber-based paperboard called bagasse. Other serve ware and some utensils are made from bamboo, an eminently renewable resource that also composts well. Finally some stores carry plates made from dried tropical leaves that are lovely to hold and use.
• Enlist guests to help with recycling and cleanup. Clearly label bins for recyclables and compost and put out trays for washables.

Finally, enjoy and celebrate the season, your friends and family — and the food. What tips do you have for entertaining with flair while avoiding a landfill hangover in the morning?

You’ll find Whole Planet Foundation® 2012 calendars at any Whole Foods Market® store throughout the US and Canada. These colorful calendars feature gorgeous photography of 13 different microcredit clients from around the world and cost only $3. That’s right. Three bucks. Plus, it rolls up to just the right size for sticking in a stocking.  Wrap a ribbon or bit of twine around the middle and it’s good to gift.

But it gets better — for everyone involved. Thanks to funding from Whole Planet Foundation’s supplier partners, 100% of the proceeds from calendar sales go directly toward providing microlending support in more than 50 global communities. This is a gift you will feel doubly good about giving, plus your recipient will also receive more than $20 (US) or more than $16 (Canada) in coupons from Whole Foods Market’s suppliers, including Nature’s Path, Earth’s Best, Amy’s Kitchen and Seventh Generation.

Want a sneak peak at the deals? Check out the calendar page on Whole Planet Foundation’s website to see the list of coupons.

I’ve purchased a calendar in each of the five years it has been on offer and I’m convinced that the 2012 edition is the most gorgeous.  This year’s featured microcredit clients hail from Paraguay, Malawi, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Dominican Republic, Rwanda, India, Cambodia, Turkey, Indonesia, Ecuador and the United States.  Each client has a story to inspire.

For example, Veronica, the featured client from Malawi, developed a fascinating and successful business renting out solar powered lanterns and offering solar cell phone charging services in her village with the help of her loan and training from Malawi’s MicroLoan. Less than 10% of the Malawi population is hooked into a traditional power grid and it will be years before most villages have reliable electricity. In many parts of Africa, small solar devices make sense. Veronica’s original business, a tea room, wasn’t bringing in sufficient income to support her family, so she chose to invest in a new venture. She’s currently challenged to keep up with the demand for her products and services, and is earning a lot more.

Go to the Entrepreneurs page on the Whole Planet Foundation website for more inspiring stories of the women (and one man) who are using microcredit loans to create a better life for themselves and their families. As one of thousands of Whole Foods Market Team Member contributors (through payroll deduction) I’m also thrilled that, as of December 2011, Whole Planet Foundation now funds microcredit in 49 countries where Whole Foods Market sources products.

Pick up several Whole Planet Foundation 2012 calendars for the stockings you need to stuff. A word to the wise: while we plan to carry them in the our US and Canadian stores through January, a Whole Planet Foundation staff member told me that they’re disappearing fast. We’ve sold nearly 34,000 so far, enough to fund more than 450 microloans in the developing world.

Are you giving any gifts that give back this year?

Walter wants to unwrap The Bond: Our Kinship with Animals, Our Call to Defend Them by Wayne Pacelle. Penned by the president of the Humane Society of the United States, the book promises to be a passionate, insightful and comprehensive examination of humankind’s special connection to all creatures. The author explores our newfound understanding of animals’ remarkable emotional and cognitive capacities. After revealing how we’ve broken the bond with our industrialized farming practices, Pacelle points the way to a new, humane economy — one built on the celebration, stewardship and care of animals. Two paws up for that!

Rebecca plans to gift several of her friends (and herself) a copy of The Town That Food Saved by Ben Hewitt. “This book is an inspiring story of a humble town (Hardwick, Vermont) and its extraordinary determination to feed its residents by developing a strong local food system.” According to the author, the book explores the contradictions inherent to producing high-end “artisanal” food products in a working class community. To better understand how a local food system might work, he spends time not only with the agripreneurs, but also with the region’s numerous small-scale food producers, many of whom have been quietly operating in the area for decades.

Scott follows all things Martha (as do we all) and would love to find a copy of Martha Stewart’s new Martha’s Entertaining: A Year of Celebrations under the tree. Scott says, “Martha’s original Entertaining book essentially set the stage for her entire career and what came with it – reshaping the American aesthetic in the home.”

Kaci would love to find Michael Pollan’s latest, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual, in a recycled, reusable gift bag under her Rowan Tree on Winter Solstice. Pollan has added several new rules and the book is lovingly illustrated by Maira Kalman. Kaci thinks that this new book with its lively drawings will be fun for the whole family. She’s looking forward to exploring the new rules in 2012 (and possibly breaking a few on New Year’s Eve).

Derek, a former organic farmer at a Buddhist Monastery, is not attached to winter holidays but would nonetheless appreciate receiving The Deluxe Food Lovers Companion, a.k.a. the last word in restaurant kitchens. Says Derek: “A must-have for the home or pro chef, this incredibly rich resource offers clear explanations, ingredients and proper spelling of many dishes of old and new. Forgot what a Masala was? How about Scotch Egg? The Companion has the answer and knowing is half the battle.”

Anna, who celebrates Virgin of Guadalupe Day on December 12, hopes that a spiritually-minded feminist friend will gift her A Mess of Greens: Southern Gender and Southern Food by University of Texas professor Elizabeth S. D. Engelhardt. Anna says, “I’m intrigued to read that Englehardt uses the lives of moonshiners, biscuit- and cornbread-makers and tomato club participants to illuminate her revelations on the intersections of food, race, gender, class, religion and power. Food and culture in the South are endlessly fascinating.”

Finally, Susan, a single working mother, is hoping that Santa (or the UPS guy) will deliver What the F*@# Should I Make for Dinner?: The Answers to Life’s Everyday Question (in 50 F*@#ing Recipes) Susan says, “It’s related to my mission of ending my cycle of despair over the fact that my kids want dinner every single night.” Here’s hoping that either one of the big guys help her out by dropping off the book in the remaining days of 2011.

Got some book suggestions of your own? We’d love to read them.

• Kate L. and Natanya both hope that Santa brings John Besh’s My Family Table: A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking. Natanya was enthralled by Besh’s first cookbook, My New Orleans, and appreciates Besh for his southern charm, family-inspired recipes and unrelenting commitment to his community. According to Kate, “This latest cookbook from my favorite New Orleans chef frames up what I’m about: a busy mom from Louisiana who is passionate about serving up delicious, fresh, home-cooked meals. Besh emphasizes seasonal and local produce and conveys simple strategies to get tasty meals on the table any night of the week.”

• Scott would like to tear open the hand-printed giftwrap on The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook by Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell.  Full of personal stories, recipes designed to highlight heirloom vegetables and fruits and practical tips like “how to wash leeks,” the cookbook also provides blank spaces on each recipe page for the cook to write his own notes. Printed on heavy stock paper and designed to be passed down for generations, the book includes stunning blank recipe cards for family favorites.

• Elizabeth wants to find Sheri Castle’s The New Southern Garden Cookbook under her tree, being as she’s homesick for Carolina butter beans, tomato pie and ham biscuits. Elizabeth shares that Castle’s blend of storytelling and kitchen wisdom brings the recipes to life and will encourage any home chef to crack open that CSA box and get cooking.

• Jennifer would be psyched if the Sugarplum Fairy waved her wand and made Super Natural Every Day: Well-loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen by Heidi Swanson magically appear. A cookbook full of tasty, delicious recipes that just happen to be good for you isn’t too good to be true. Jennifer gushes, “It’s no secret that the blogger behind ‘101 Cookbooks’ writes books as stylish and informative as her website.”

• Kate R. would love to be gifted The Meat Lover’s Meatless Cookbook by Kim O’Donnel to add to her cookbook collection. Kate assures us that the book is oriented toward anyone (not just meat lovers) interested in creative vegetarian recipes. Chickpea Crab Cakes and Jig-inducing Falafel Burgers are just a few of the tempting recipes Kate can’t wait to try.

• Rebecca would like to find Hellbent for Cooking by Annick Giroux on her doorstep this season. According to a reliable source, the dishes are as legendary as the bands that provided them. Nothing warms a cool winter evening like the heat generated by the favorite recipes of Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest and Uriah Heep, not to mention Norway’s infamous black metal chefs Mayhem and Gorgoroth.

I hope the reviews above spark some ideas for your own gift giving. Which cookbook would you most like to gift or receive this holiday season?

Gifts

Do your friends and relatives really need another “thing” in their closet? Mine don’t. Try some of these ideas:

• Give a consumable gift, like food or body care treats.
• Give an experience, like theater tickets, a cooking class or a dinner out.
• Make a donation to an organization he or she supports.
• Agree to exchange well wishes and time together NOT gifts.
• If you do give a “thing” gift, make it thoughtful. Would that graduate student better appreciate a case of her favorite healthy snack bars over a CD or sweater?

Gift wrap

This certainly one that has the potential to generate a lot of fodder for the landfill! Planning ahead is key but even if you are getting a late start, some of these tips are bound to work.

• Save tissue paper all year long, along with fancy shopping bags.
• Keep an eye out at thrift stores and yard sales for colorful scarves and baskets.
• Go with reusable bags, like our smaller sized Better Bags, which are just the right size for most gifts, plus they are sturdy enough for heavier items. Around 79 cents!
• Decorate bags and baskets with dried rose buds or herb sprays and maybe a bit of cloth ribbon or twine.
• Wrap in a tie-dyed scarf or new bandana.
• For gifts that need paper wrapping, go with a roll of recycled content paper printed with water-based inks.

Parties and big meals

While washable plates are great if you have enough, that’s not always the case for holiday entertaining. Use recycled, compostable paper plates or elegant one-time use plates and bowls made from plant fibers like bamboo or pressed palm leaves instead. Don’t forget to set our compost, recycle and trash receptacles.

Lights

Each year I’ve been replacing one strand of old lights with LED ones, and I have noticed the positive difference in my electric bill in December. I’ll box up and send the last of my old lights to be recycled to an organization that I support. You can search for other options on the internet; some national retailers like Home Depot offer a lights recycling service, as well.

These are my top-of-mind ideas for this season. I know a lot of our readers have great ideas too. What are your helpful tips for making the holidays green?

Wow! What an overwhelming response! We were moved (moved to tears in some cases) by your heartfelt stories. Congratulations to Yessenia T. from Florida who was randomly selected to win a $50 gift card. There certainly is so much to be thankful for and we hope that everyone had a memorable Thanksgiving.

Several years ago, I set myself the November challenge of posting on my Facebook page one thing I was thankful for every single day of the month. It surprised me how simply focusing on gratitude shifted my perspective and lightened my mood. And sharing that gratitude was uplifting to my friends and family, too!

In honor of thankfulness, we’re holding a contest. For a chance to win a $50 Whole Foods Market gift card, all you have to do is respond in the comments section below by November 24 (which just so happens to be Thanksgiving!) with a few sentences describing “The Thanksgiving I’m Most Thankful For.” The winner will be chosen at random so you don’t have to be an English major, just willing to share your story of gratitude with the rest of us.

To inspire your efforts, here are a couple of Thanksgiving tales from our very own Team Members:

L’aura:

“Nearly two decades ago, a bunch of Team Members (most of us without local family) decided to celebrate Thanksgiving at someone’s house in Palo Alto. Because of the holiday, the drive down from North Bay on a Thursday was unnaturally quiet and peaceful. I entered a house full of people and food, including eight different kinds of pie and the first turducken I had ever seen. After dinner we went for a walk around the neighborhood to enjoy the beautiful autumn weather. Back at the house, a co-worker got out his guitar and we lounged around the living room listening to music and talking till the sun went down. I’m thankful for the memory of such a peaceful day spent with like-minded souls in a beautiful part of our country — and that I work with such friendly people who welcome all like family.”

Liz:

“Years ago two friends and I had just moved to Galveston, Texas, where we rented a beach house. Thanksgiving was approaching, so we each invited one new co-worker for dinner along with their partners. The plan was seven of us for dinner. Just before our guests were due to arrive I went to the phone booth across the street to call home. A dog followed me and on the way back I met a man without dinner plans, so I brought him and the dog with me. Eight for dinner. Moments later a car filled with six people stopped to ask directions. I didn’t know where they were headed but asked if they wanted dinner, and if so to come on in. They did. Fourteen. One roommate brought two more people he met on his walk on the beach, and the dog invited a cat. We had a lovely celebration with a patchwork of new faces.  Isn’t that what Thanksgiving was originally about?  Communion with people who are strangers. It will live in my memory as the most unique and wonderful Thanksgiving ever.”

Who and what do you remember from the Thanksgiving you are most thankful for?

Tell us in a few short sentences in the comments section below by November 24 for a chance to win a $50 Whole Foods Market gift card.

If you’re still in the sharing mood, stop by our Holidays hub and share your holiday snapshots with the Whole Food Market community and show us how you celebrate. While you’re there make sure to check out our festive recipes, cooking tips and entertaining guides.

While we can’t supply the elbow grease or send holiday elves to help, we can offer up our own brand of effective cleaning products with the added bonus of earth-conscious ingredients. These cleaners contain no sodium laurel sulfate, phosphates, phthalates or chlorine. What’s more, their containers are made from at least 50% post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials and are recyclable. We’ve tried to think through both our ingredient list and the packaging. In other words, these cleaners are healthier for you and your family as well as the planet, and we’re addressing responsible resource use, too. Plus, most of them just plain smell good!

For freshening those poinsettia-festooned table cloths and penguin-print flannel sheets:

• Whole Foods Market^™ 2X CONCENTRATED laundry detergent with enzymes, offered in lavender and unscented. The 100 oz. bottle will wash 100 loads of laundry in a high-efficiency (HE) washer. The mild lavender scent is derived from 100% natural essential oils that won’t compete with the turkey, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie fragrances wafting in from the kitchen.
• Whole Foods Market^™ 2X CONCENTRATED fabric softener in lavender and unscented. The 32 oz. bottle will cozy up a whopping 64 loads of laundry.
• 365 Everyday Value^® fabric softener sheets. These all natural fragrance lavender-scented sheets are recyclable! At 80 sheets to the box, they just might last through Valentine’s Day.

For washing the snowman cookie plate and Spode Christmas china:

• Whole Foods Market^™ liquid dish soap. The 25 oz. bottle will wash hundreds of dishes, bowls, pans and cookie sheets. The spicy ginger mandarin scent is derived from 100% natural essential oils that will blend well with the cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg permeating the kitchen. Also offered in unscented.
• 365 Everyday Value® dish soap. The 25 oz. bottle in all natural citrus scent will do a great job washing food storage containers for all the make-ahead sides and the leftovers you’ll want to savor after the feast.
• 365 Everyday Value™ automatic dishwasher detergent. This 4.7 lb. box of powerful powder will wash a whopping 75 loads of dishes. That’s enough for several weekends worth of parties and guests. The citrus scent is derived from all natural ingredients.

For wiping up after spilled eggnog on the counter and gravy on the stove:

• Whole Foods Market^® 2X all purpose cleaner. The citrus scent in this spray bottle is derived from 100% natural essential oils that help perk up everyone’s mood with its freshness. The 32 oz. bottle will prove to be your most versatile product of the season (although it isn’t recommended for upholstery—spill that eggnog elsewhere).
• 365 Everyday Value® Hard Surface Cleaner. For those surfaces that get dirty and spotty and for which you never seem to have the right product on hand that actually works. This concentrated, biodegradable spray will help tackle splatters and spots on ceramic tile, marble, porcelain, laminate, chrome, stainless steel and other non-porous surfaces. The foaming action and grapefruit scent will entertain and energize you while you work.

For cleaning the windows before outlining in LED fairy lights or for a quick wipe of the powder room mirror:

• Whole Foods Market^™ glass cleaner. This 32 oz. bottle will be your best friend when you want to clean Fido’s nose prints off the back door, too. The unscented spray won’t compete with the fragrance of snow-dampened dog, either.

Finally, for all those jobs (umm after the New Year’s Eve bash?) requiring a bucket, scrub-brush or refillable hybrid mop:

• Whole Foods Market™ all purpose concentrated cleaner. This 40.5 oz. bottle will clean many a muddy floor or scrub down a neglected basement shower stall. Find it in our favorite, essential oil-based scent of the season, pine.

Do you have a plan to get ahead of your chore list this holiday season? What are your best tips for keeping everything clean—and in perspective?

While our group typically meets outdoors, this time it was my house and I didn’t want to let Ella down. Nor, frankly, was I interested in spraying questionable chemicals in my living quarters. Thanks to Ella’s influence, I stopped using air fresheners (and even conventional perfumes) years ago. I have bamboo floors and the last time any walls were painted was 11 years ago, so I felt like those elements were under control. But I’d let a few things slip over our long, hot summer and I now had 24 hours to tidy my house in a mindful way, removing dust and grime, while using products that wouldn’t cause Ella distress.

Last year I deliberately removed all conventional cleaning products from the house. Everything that remains in my housekeeping caddy comes from Whole Foods Market, where our Quality Standards extend even to things like cleaning supplies. As I’ve used up products, I’ve upgraded to those that are categorized as Yellow or Green on our Eco-Scale. But I have to admit, I hadn’t read the labels very carefully.

Before I spritzed the first spray, though, I wanted to double check on the fragrance component. I remembered that manufacturers of conventional cleaning products sometimes use phthalates to enhance the longevity of a product’s scent. Phthalates have been linked to cancer and endocrine system disruption and are currently covered under the umbrella term “fragrance” in conventional products, where ingredient transparency is not currently required. I consulted our Eco-Scale Unacceptable Ingredients list which told me that any products in our Eco-Scale Orange level can contain artificial fragrance, but no phthalates.

Ella reacts to almost any kind of artificial fragrance, though. I checked to see what my counter spray cleaner listed. Citrus blend essential oils. Good, I could use that one safely — no artificial fragrance OR phthalates. Whew!

While tossing the guest and kitchen towels into the washing machine, I read labels again. I wanted to make sure that none of my cleaners or laundry products contained any bleach, which has an odor (and chemical composition) my friend would likely react to. Although popular as a conventional disinfectant and fabric whitener, even diluted sodium hypochlorite can be extremely harsh on skin and can actually contribute to the formation of organochlorines, such as the chlorofluorocarbons that damage the ozone layer. Talk about a potentially volatile substance! Sodium hypochlorite is another compound Whole Foods Market doesn’t allow in the cleaning supplies listed on our Eco-Scale, so I was covered on that one, too.

But what about phosphates? Laundry detergents are often full of these chemicals, which soften water and increase cleaning power but also encourage algae growth in waterways and decrease the oxygen content in standing water. While the phosphates wouldn’t bother Ella, they bother me. A check of the Eco-Scale reveals — no phosphates.

Floor mopping was simple. My all-in-one mop consists of a microfiber pad for the head (reusable and no one-use pads going to the landfill) and a refillable tank into which I poured all-purpose citrus-based cleaner with some water. No worries about the cat sauntering across the wet floor and getting questionable chemicals on her paws. Besides, like most cats, she detests the odor of citrus — she stayed out of the kitchen.

Finally, the sinks. They’re big, they’re porcelain and they needed some elbow grease. Thankfully, I had a scent-free gentle scrubber on hand that used calcium carbonate as a mild abrasive. Unlike the bleach-boosted powder cleansers I used in the past, this cleaner also shined fixtures that tend to show every hard water spot and was pleasant to use.

How did I do with my mindful cleaning efforts? The Goals Gals stayed for three hours, with Ella experiencing nary a brain sizzle. We accomplished much toward our goals and the house smelled and felt much cleaner — in a healthy way. As a result of my Saturday scrubbing efforts I have a better understanding of just how useful our Eco-Scale and the ingredient transparency that backs it can be. I’m even more impressed with what we don’t allow in our cleaners.

Could anyone who visits — or lives in — your house (perhaps someone with asthma) benefit from “less” in your cleaners?