Green Cleaning means using cleaning products that don't endanger you, your children or the environment. This is especially important for people who have asthma. The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive has as their mission statement, "Promoting sustainable environmental stewardship throughout the federal government." According to a recent OFEE newsletter:

On average, Americans spend about 90 percent of their days indoors. EPA studies indicate that human exposure to air pollutants indoors can be 2-5 times, and occasionally up to 100 times, higher than outdoor levels. Poor quality indoor air can produce health effects ranging from headaches and dry eyes to nausea, dizziness and fatigue. An important part of ensuring good indoor air quality in Federal facilities is choosing cleaning products that have a reduced impact on human health and the environment. We call these green cleaners.

Visit www.ofee.gov for more information about the federal government's programs to protect our environment.

Indoor pollution is due in large part to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that evaporate or "off gas" from home decorating and cleaning products (The Green Guide, 2003).

Green cleaning products for the home might include:

• Baking soda
• White vinegar
• Murphy's liquid soap
• Scouring pad
• Cotton washcloth or a sponge
• Cotton rag without much lint
• 16 oz. spray bottle

The green cleaning products recommended above are effective, inexpensive, and safe for you and for the environment. For more in depth information, pick up a copy of Better Basics for the Home by Annie Berthold-Bond.

Matting Cuts Tracking

Mats play a significant role in the mundane and work-a-day worlds. "Outdoor mats stop dirt, sand, water, snow and pollutants at the door and prevent them from invading and spreading throughout a building," says Doug Leamon, national sales manager for Golden Star Inc., a matting manufacturer based Kansas City, Mo. "Indoor mats absorb moisture, keep hard floor surfaces dry, and prevent slips and falls," he adds.

Dirty Feet, Costly Mess

According to the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA), most of the dirt found within a building is tracked in on people's shoes, and about 85 percent of that dirt wouldn't enter the building if entry mats are properly designed, placed and maintained. For more information, visit www.cleanlink.com/sm/article.asp?id=2004&keywords

Catch It Quick, Before It Can Stick

From Don Aslett's book, Stain Buster's Bible, here is a table to keep handy for stain removal:

Liquid spills. Blot up all you can and sponge the spot with water before it dries.

Dry, powdery stains (such as toner or dried mud). Vacuum or dry-brush to remove all you can before applying any kind of liquid.

Dry, crusty deposits. Scrape, then soak if needed to loosen stubborn stuck on stuff.

Oily or greasy stains. Use absorbent (like cornmeal) to suck up as much oil as possible before wetting the spot with solvent (like isopropyl alcohol).

Gum, tar, and other sticky stuff. Freeze, shatter, and scrape to remove the bulk of it before applying solvent.

Penetrating stains (in stone, concrete brick). Use a poultice (K2R is ready made) to draw the matter out.

(Aslett, 2002, p.51)

Food for Thought-Avoid Bad Behavior and Give Your Career a Boost

Here's your chance to get advice from an executive coach who usually works with CEOs and other corporate elite. In his book, What Got You Here Won't Get You There, Marshall Goldsmith focuses on behavior, not skills or knowledge.

He writes about 20 bad habits that could keep you from success in your career, your marriage, and as a parent. With the help of co-author Mark Reiter, he examines such topics as how to apologize, advertise, listen, thank, follow up, and practice feed-forward.

Goldsmith's number one annoying habit is clinging to the past and blaming your faults on your parents or how you were brought up. There's nothing the matter with understanding the past, but he says that if you want to change the future, the past won't take you there. Accept the past and move on.

That can be difficult to do, because going back there lets you blame someone else for anything that has gone wrong in your life. You may use your past as a weapon against others.

His number two annoying habit is refusing to express regret. People think apologizing and seeking forgiveness makes them feel subservient. The irony, says Goldsmith, is that "apologizing turns adversaries into allies, even servants. It is one of the most powerful and resonant gestures in the human arsenal, almost as powerful as love."

Apologizing forces everyone to let go of the past. To be more successful, he says. Learn to let go of the past and to say, "I'm sorry."

The author points out that some bosses attribute their success to their bad behavior. That means that others will be able to gain ground by improving their people skills first. Goldsmith's processes benefit both senior executives and wannabe managers.

[What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter]

Three's a Crowd Sudoku

Sudoku is gaining popularity all across Europe. Only logic and patience are required. No math is involved. Simply make sure that each 3x3 square region has a number 1 through 9 and that the number only occurs once. Each column and row of the large grid must have only one instance of the numbers 1 through 9.

Here's a tip for playing. We'll call the 3x3 squares "regions." With a highlighter, color in all the rows in the large grid and all the columns in the larger grid that have a 3 in them. We chose 3 because there are several of them in the puzzle. Finished?

Now observe. In the top right region and the top left region, what is the only possible location for the 3?

This technique is called "scanning" and you usually do it with your eyes and not a marker.

The difficulty rating on this puzzle is medium.