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While pundits and economists worry about Wall Street’s well-being, Americans worry about losing their jobs, paying their bills and the health of the planet. The capitalist marketplace promotes the exploitation of people and natural resources as cheap fixes. But you don’t have to abandon your values to save a buck. Welcome to the People’s Marketplace.

By Martina Steiner

You can save money and “go green” at the same time by making cleaning products at home. Why might you want to try this? Common household cleaning products contain toxic chemicals – the kind that cause cancer, respiratory problems, and long-lasting environmental pollution. Also, most natural cleaning products are easy to make, requiring two or three super cheap ingredients. And, most importantly, natural cleaning products are effective. There are tons of websites and books with natural cleaning recipes for any need. Most differ only in name, as the formulas are essentially the same.

The majority of the recipes you’ll find will include one or more of these: plain white vinegar, baking soda, borax, lemon juice, washing soda (not to be confused with baking soda), and cornstarch. Among its many uses, white vinegar cuts grease and removes mildew. Lemon juice kills common bacteria. Use borax to disinfect, and to soften water. Cornstarch absorbs well and can be sprinkled on carpet before vacuuming, or used to soak up oil spots on clothes. Baking soda is a great deodorizer, and an alternative to scour your oven with. Washing soda cuts through grease and grim and is good for cleaning bathroom surfaces.

Check out www.eartheasy.com for this All-Purpose Cleaner: Mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda (or 2 teaspoons borax) into 1/2 gallon of water. Store in a glass or plastic container. Apply with a sponge or spray bottle. This will clean and disinfect most surfaces and remove water stains. To kill bacteria on your chopping board, simply rub it with lemon, and rinse. This will kill food bacteria as well as any chemical laden commercial cleaner. Deodorize plastic food containers by washing or soaking them in warm water and a little baking soda.

Check out http://www.natural-healthy-home-cleaning-tips.com/ for more options. It recommends using tea tree oil as a natural antiseptic. Try this to clean mold and mildew: two teaspoons tea tree oil and two cups warm water. Mix it up in a spray bottle, apply, and scrub.

www.grist.org – that’s g-r-i-s-t.org, has this easy mix for furniture polish: one tablespoon olive oil to one half-cup white vinegar. The vinegar cuts the dirt and grease, while the olive oil shines!

Start small, and make a batch of something simple. Permanently replacing even one store-bought cleaner with something natural will make a big positive impact on your health and the environment. Try it, and stretch your dollar to meet your values. Together, we can take back the economy.