Dear Mr. Green,

I’ve been trying to live green this year.  With the holiday season approaching and my attempts at being green so new, I’m wondering… how do you feel about Christmas trees? Live, fake, or freshly cut?  And if they are OK, how can we decorate them in an eco-friendly way?

Thanks and Happy Holidays!

All Tied Up in the Burbs

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Dear Mr. Green,

Several weeks ago I noticed fleas on my indoor cats. Someone must have brought the fleas into my house. I took the cats to the vet and had them treated and then used an ecologically safe fogger and spray in the house all the while I cleaned and vacuumed every surface. I washed clothing and area rugs with diluted bleach and have continued this routine. I even hired an eco-friendly exterminator to do the house and now almost 3 weeks later the situation is not much better. All but one room has hardwood floors. The room with the carpeting is the one that I am having a lot of trouble with. The exterminator says I have not waited long enough for them to do something else but in the meantime I can’t enter that room and I am afraid that the cats will carry the live fleas into other rooms. I don’t even want to go into my home because of this problem and it is causing emotional problems for me. What do I do now?

Thank you,
Louise Mack

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Dear Mr. Green,

I’ve been wondering, what is the real benefit of a hybrid car when auto emissions are only 5% of the pollution problem and corporate emissions compose the majority of global pollution?

Sincerely,
Considering Corporate Contamination

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Dear Mr. Green,

What’s a surefire way of remembering my canvas bag for shopping? I’m pondering stapling it to my hand!

Signed,

Sack Slacker

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Dear Mr. Green,

I’m wondering… how old is old when it comes to clothing and shoes?  At what point is it appropriate to give hand-me-downs or donate clothes and shoes, etc. and when do you just throw them away?

Thanks!
Skeletons in the Closet

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Dear Mr. Green,

I really want a hydrogen car when they are readily available to the public, but what do you think will happen to the atmosphere if the entire population of automobile drivers switched to the water-emitting alternative? Water vapor, while not considered a pollutant is still a naturally occurring green house gas.

Best,
Substitution Restitution

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Dear Mr. Green,

After a lifetime of mess, I have finally hired the best cleaning woman in the universe! Sadly, she believes that bleach is the answer to everything, even my laundry! How do I teach her there are better ways to clean without using such toxic chemicals?

All the Best,

Messy Missy

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Dear Mr. Green,

Recently my husband and I purchased a new energy efficient washer and dryer that use much less water and detergent, and really clean our clothes better than our old washer and dryer.

I would love to use some of the safe time-trusted suggestions that you’ve recommended in your book Clean: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing. If the manufacturer recommends only one type of detergent for use in this machine, is it safe to use baking soda, borax, lemon juice, salt and vinegar in my new front-loading energy efficient washing machine and still keep it in tip-top running condition?

Mags

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