|
|
|
March 21st is the first official day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere (fall begins in the Southern Hemisphere). At the spring equinox, days are approximately 12 hours long with day length increasing as the season progresses. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and also to ideas of rebirth, rejuvenation, renewal, resurrection and regrowth.
In millions of homes throughout the Northern Hemisphere, rejuvenation also means spring cleaning. Reducing clutter, cleaning out closets, opening windows to let in fresh air and disinfecting and bringing a shine to kitchens and bathrooms and other rooms in the house
become the focus.
|
Limoneira Partners With Green Cleaning Experts
"When life gives you lemons, take the lemons and unleash your green clean machine" says Megan Roosevelt, Limoneira Lemons for Life™ Spokesperson and CEO of Healthy Grocery Girl®. In a new video, Megan shares a number of these tips to bring out the shine. Megan says "These people are professionals in their industry and know how to keep environments clean and sanitized naturally. They're excited to share their tips for using Limoneira lemons to add sparkle.
Green Cleaning Opinion Leaders:
New York City - Saudia Davis, Founder of GreenHouse Eco-Cleaning has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Crain's NY, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Economist, Fortune Magazine, ABC World News and is a frequent contributor to the Huffington Post. Los Angeles - Alex Rosten and Jeremy Round are the owners of Maid in the U.S.A, the premier boutique cleaning service in Los Angeles. Among the Company's clients are The Gap, Armani Exchange, Banana Republic. Toronto - Louise Taillon, Director or Training for The Sani Marc Group, is a frequent speaker on green cleaning and cleaning for health and sustainability. Boston - Diana Seablom - owner of Green Cleaning, uses products that are free from harsh chemicals, are biodegradable and toxin-free to help clean clients' homes. Baltimore - Kathleen Bands Schindler - Vice President at My Cleaning Service. Her Company is in the top 10% of janitorial companies in the United States, cleaning more than 5,000,000 square feet of space in the Baltimore area daily. Denver - Shelly Baker, Owner of An Angel's Touch, LLC, uses only eco-friendly, non-toxic and certified green cleaning products and recycled/recyclable cleaning supplies to offer both residential and commercial services. |
|
|
DIY Conditioner & Hair Gel
Naturally, you want to cut down on your overall exposure to potentially harmful chemicals and compounds. If you look at the ingredients on most hair products, the number of unpronounceable ingredients is downright scary - especially when you consider that the scalp is soft and covers our most vital organs and processes, including the brain and eyes.
Making your own hair products takes that out of your life and adds down to earth goodness that can nourish your hair and scalp. Healthy looking hair is the result.
Click here for the recipes!
|
|
Top Ten All-Natural DIY Green Cleaning Recipes And Tips Using Lemons
- All-purpose cleaning: Mix the juice from 1 lemon with 2 cups of warm water, a ½ cup of white vinegar and 5-10 drops of lemon essential oils. Transfer the mixture into a spray bottle, shake and spray to wipe clean surfaces.
- Laundry: One cup of lemon juice instead of bleach. It still breaks down stains, whitens fabrics and it leaves a fresh lemon scent.
- Toilet Cleaner: Sprinkle a half cup of Borax in the toilet bowl, add a cup of lemon juice and ½ cup of vinegar. Let it sit for 10 minutes then scrub as usual.
- Dishwasher: Adding a tablespoon of lemon juice to a regular wash can help boost grease cutting power.
"Lemons are one of the most versatile items in the produce department" says John Carter, Limoneira's Director of Global Sales. "Everyone knows that lemons are a great recipe ingredient and enhancer, but they also have many uses in the areas of health, lifestyle, beauty, and cleaning." For more natural, do-it-yourself cleaning tips, visit lemons for life ™
View Megan Roosevelt's lemony green cleaning tips.
|
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) And Safer Choice
The EPA notes that our actions impact the environment. Each thing that people do can help or hurt our planet in many ways. Finding cleaning and other products that are safer for us and our families and the environment should be easy - that's why they developed their new Safer Choice label. Everyone plays a role in protecting their families' health and the environment. Products with the Safer Choice label help consumers and commercial buyers identify and select products with safer chemical ingredients, without sacrificing quality or performance.
More than 2,000 products currently qualify to carry the Safer Choice label and are available in grocery stores for homes and businesses.
According to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, "Safer Choice products are safer for you, your kids, your pets, and the environment. Our scientists employ a stringent set of human health and environmental safety standards when reviewing products for the Safer Choice program, so a product with the label is backed by EPA science. Consumers know it's a credible stamp they can trust."
Good Housekeeping says that in addition to Safer Choice labeled products, there are all natural cleaners including lemons that can provide a safe powerful clean! To remove rust stains on porcelain or enamel sinks and tubs, dip a half lemon into Borax, scrub the surface and then rinse.
|
Cleaning Internationally
We live in an increasingly interconnected world, and trends that start in one part of the world are often picked up in far flung places. That said, cultural differences still exist and it's interesting to look at cleaning in different countries:
South Korea
Home care in South Korea has continued to grow. Air care is especially dynamic as the social trend of enjoying fragrance as a means of personal wellbeing and relieving stress in daily lives becomes more important. South Korea was hit by the unprecedented crisis of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2015 and the nation experienced terrible shock and fear due to this strong disease. As a consequence, public awareness of hygiene and antibacterial products has increased dramatically. Some types of home care products were also influenced with increased demand in 2015 such as bleach and surface care.
China
Toilet care has experienced a strong growth rate with increased hygiene awareness. With increasing incomes, consumers' demand for toilet care products has increased, boosting sales of such products. Furthermore, manufacturers' investment in popularizing in-cistern (the tank for storing water for toilet flushing) devices.
Mexico
Hand dishwashing products are becoming more popular as products are becoming more affordable. Leading brands are focusing on developing differentiated versions that offer a competitive advantage in terms of cleaning efficiency. "All-in-one" products have recently launched that have antibacterial, odor control and deep cleaning features. Hand dishwashing is predicted to remain a niche segment with limited distribution among outlets targeting affluent consumers.
Canada
Busy lifestyles leave no time for cleaning, which leads to changes in cleaning habits and drives the launch of new innovative cleaning products that are efficient for the consumer to use. Products that make home cleaning quicker and minimize effort have gained popularity. In addition to liquid tablet detergents, dishwashing tablets and general purpose wipes, this trend was seen in toilet cleaning products and floor cleaning. These products are expected to be successful in the future as core consumers increasingly value convenience and efficiency over specialized products.
Chile
Consumers
seek products that were easy to use and convenient, which boosted sales of products such as multi-purpose cleaners. Such products are formulated to offer a good balance between cleaning power, ease of use and providing delicate surface care, while being priced as affordable.
As a general rule, in the context of changing lifestyles and growing numbers of 1- and 2-person households, Chilean consumers are expected to continue to favor products that help reduce the time dedicated to household tasks and give optimal results. In addition, the traditionally high penetration of domestic help is in decline due to changes in lifestyles, which is leaving consumers in search of efficient and task-specific home care products that deliver better cleaning and care with less effort.
Singapore
Home care achieved value and volume growth in 2015. However, these growth rates
slowed. Even more price promotions and marketing campaigns have been unable to stop this slowdown due to the impact of the slowdown in growth of the number of households in Singapore.
As Singaporean consumers kept their spending in check, private label penetration has increased and price promotions have intensified between competing brands vying for more market share.
Singaporeans live busy lifestyles with the bulk of their time spent on work. Their remaining time is used mainly for leisure. As such, shopping for groceries and home care products is time they wish to reduce. Supermarkets are well established in Singapore. Their increasing prevalence provides much-needed convenience for Singaporean consumers to purchase their home care products. As convenience is still a bigger concern for Singaporean consumers, internet retailing is starting to achieve a greater presence within retail distribution as well.
Japan
The Japanese are hyper vigilant with respect to hygiene and cleanliness. They claim that theirs is merely the minimum level of cleanliness; gaijin (foreigners) are simply a grubby lot. There is powerful evidence that the Japanese take washing and cleanliness a little too seriously. This comes in the form of kokin guzzu, or anti-bacterial goods designed to try to get rid of germs on things with which they come into contact.
One bank branch has all of its counters coated in anti-bacterial chemicals and a wide variety of other anti-bacterial products are available too: tea towels, copper panels, toothpaste, ice-making machines, pajamas and underwear. Snap-up bank-note holders that press while they sterilize are also available, as are bug-killing tissues, floors, wallpaper, stuffed toys, bicycle child seats, sand boxes, origami paper and steering wheels.
A big outbreak of food poisoning last year has caused the sales of such goods to soar. Manufacturers report, for instance, that annual sales of tableware dryers, which heat cutlery to temperatures sufficient to kill all but the heartiest of bugs have seen dramatic growth.
Source: RnR Market Research
|
Three Key Trends Impacting The Global Health And Wellness Food Market Through 2019
The latest global health and wellness food market report issued by Technavio, a leading technology research and advisory company with a global coverage highlights three key emerging trends predicted to impact market growth through 2019. Key findings of this market study indicate the Americas region to emerge as the largest market for health and wellness products over the next four years. The need to prevent and control obesity and diabetes is a key driver for the market.
The market is witnessing a huge demand for health and wellness food products from various industries, with retail and food and beverage predicted to emerge as its major end-user segments until 2019.
- Emergence of performance nutrition
- Glucose control becoming mainstream health concern
- Increasing number of retail outlets dispensing health and wellness products
Emergence of performance nutrition
The global sports nutrition market is valued at over $24.57 billion and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.10%. There is a high demand for protein-based products which is driving the performance nutrition category globally, with North America leading the market. The demand for protein-based bars, supplements, and powders is increasing among consumers due to the large number of functional benefits provided by proteins in terms of nutritional value, weight management, and strengthening of the immune system.
Manufactures are also producing a range of cookies, breads, and cakes that help the elderly in increasing their protein intake. To tap this opportunity, many new entrants are expected to introduce such novel products in the next four years.
These products offer benefits, including building of muscle mass, muscle strength, conditioning and toning, endurance, muscle repair, and recovery. While the market remains largely focused on athletes, brands are expected to increase the appeal of these products to a broader audience as well.
Glucose control becoming mainstream health concern
Glucose control will soon take center stage in functional foods as part of the fight against rising obesity and its impact. In Europe, there have been 10 approved claims for blood glucose control, mainly for soluble fibers. However, in Japan more than 140 claims have been approved, and it is an indication of the positive impact blood glucose control products can have over the market.
Globally, 382 million people have diabetes, and WHO projects diabetes to emerge as the seventh leading cause of death in 2030. Responding to this new trend, manufacturers globally are coming up with new products that are aimed to address glucose imbalances.
Increasing number of retail outlets dispensing health and wellness products
Major retailers, including Carrefour, Metro, Tesco, and Wal-Mart, are expanding their presence in Africa and the Asia Pacific to expand their market shares. For instance, Wal-Mart has announced its plans to open 1,246 retail stores/outlets in Africa by 2016. Similarly, Carrefour has formed a joint venture with CFAO, a global leader in brand distribution, to expand its operations in eight countries, including Cameroon, Congo, Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal in West and Central Africa. Therefore, the increasing number of retail outlets across the world is consequently predicted to increase the demand for health and wellness food during the forecast period.
|
Ten Awesome Ways To Make Cleaning Fun For Kids
Valerie Deneen is the inspiration behind Inner Child Fun Media, LLC, a group of sites made up of a team of editors and writers from across the U.S. dedicated to the power of play. She says it's time for some spring cleaning, so why not make it fun? She asked some of her network's most creative moms to share their best tips for keeping their kids motivated to help out around the house. She says these tips make cleaning time seem like a blast!
Pretend Play -
"I can always get my son (now 6) motivated to help out if I tell him that I'm going to give him a challenge, or sometimes I call it a 'mission'. For example, 'For the first part of this challenge you need to find all your shoes and put them away. The second part you need to make sure all your clothes are in the hamper. And the final part of the challenge you need to wipe down the kitchen table. Let's see how quickly you can complete your challenge.' Then I sing some of "mission impossible" to get him going!" PlayDrMom
"Dress up like proper maids and butlers, and pretend you are cleaning up after the messy children who live at this house. 'Can you believe they left their crayons all over the floor? Tut, tut!' I really think it would be fun to keep aprons, maids' caps, and bow ties in a special place for this purpose." Having Fun at Home
"I get my girls to play 'Cinderella' with me, we wear hankies on our heads and scrub the hardwood on our hands and knees (with vinegar water in little buckets and rags)" Pink and Green Mama
"My girls love to pretend they are filming cleaning commercials. It always makes me smile when they talk about the other leading brands!" -Inner Child Fun
Use Kid-Sized Cleaning Tools -
"My kids love our Swiffer with the middle sections pulled out so that it is just their height!" MamaSmiles
"I made a little cleaning caddy for 'C' to carry around the house. Her favorite part is her "dust bunny" (an old gym sock with a bunny drawn on it with Sharpie!)"Pink and Green Mama
"Kids can start using a dust buster vacuum as early as 3.5 - this makes moms happy - the kids love it too - it's just their size!" - Kristen from Busy Kids Happy Mom
Make it a Game -
"To get them to help tidy their toys, we make it a game - either a 'Let's see how fast we can clean this up' style game, a friendly competition to see how many toys they can each put away in a certain amount of time" Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
"We sometimes make cleaning up a game (especially when we're faced with a huge mess in their bedroom or playroom). I might issue a challenge like 'Pick up as many blue things as you can before the timer beeps' and give each kid a color." Come Together Kids
"We have a kitchen that's open to the living room so one thing that works well for us is that I turn on a timer and 'race' the kids for 10 minutes of cleaning. I try to get my kitchen clean while they pick up the living room. They're still young so I'm sort of shouting directions as I wash dishes like, 'Oh no! I hope they don't get all those blocks picked up! They're going to win! All they have to do is get those couch cushions back on the couch!' Getting goofy and trying to work quickly gives us all a little energy boost." Creative With Kids
|
Meet Jordan Hamons - Limoneira Recipe Opinion Leader In Cincinnati
Jordan Hamons is a classically-trained chef, cooking teacher, and food and travel writer. She currently lives in Cincinnati, Ohio and is the visionary behind The Hungry Traveler, a culinary travel blog about globally-inspired cooking and food-driven travel.
Jordan studied business at the University of Cincinnati, Soongsil University in Seoul, Korea, and Toulouse Business School in Toulouse, France. She completed her culinary training at The Midwest Culinary Institute and has continued her education by taking cooking classes around the world.
Jordan has worked as a corporate chef for a Fortune 500 company, as a restaurant consultant, and a food and beverage branding specialist working with brands such as the Cincinnati Bengals, Jim Beam, California Pizza Kitchen, and Kellogg's.
You can find Jordan all over the social media sphere:
|
Limoneira Winner's Block
This month our lucky winner is Edna Meyers from Statesville, North Carolina. As our monthly winner, Edna has won a Limoneira Orchard Fresh or Lifestlyes Gift.
Congratulations Edna!!!
For your chance to win, make sure you're on our mailing list to be entered into our monthly drawing. To join click here or visit our website at www.Limoneira.com.
Be sure to check out our other contests and drawings for additional changes to win prizes. |
|
|
|
|