Recycle Easter

Even if you decided to celebrate an earth-friendly Easter, you will still have some recycling to do.

1. Gather up any plastic eggs and pack them up for next year, this will save you money and reduce the amount plastic you buy.

2. I know you were eco-conscious and avoided buying plastic Easter grass, but basket giving grandparents & friends may not have been - what to do with the grass? Use it to cushion items you ship or as filler in gift baskets throughout the year.

3. Reuse your child's Easter basket. We have a large natural basket we use throughout the year - it holds Christmas presents, Easter goodies, birthday gifts, etc.

4. Recycle any cardboard packaging.

5. Compost your Easter egg shells.

6. Don't be lured by after Easter sales unless it is to purchase decorations that can be used year after year or natural baskets that can be used for gift giving or storage around the house.

Eco Easter

This Sunday is Easter and you may be wondering if there is a way to celebrate a little greener. Here are some earth friendly Easter tips:

1. Choose an Easter basket made from natural materials.

2. Skip the artificial grass and opt for a more natural filler like raffia, yarn or shredded recycled paper.

3. When it comes to eggs, purchase fresh eggs from a local farm and color them with natural dyes - for egg dying tips check out my Eco Easter Eggs post from last year.

4. Instead of plastic trinkets, fill the basket with soy crayons, wood toys, tickets to the local museum or a play, or homemade coupons for game nights, movie nights, or fun family activities.

5. No basket is complete without a sweet treat or two, when buying candy choose organics like Surf Sweets Organic Jelly Beans, Yummy Earth Organic Fruit Lollipops, or Sweet Earth Organic Chocolate Eggs.

Green your St. Patty's Day

Tomorrow is the "greenest" of all holidays - St. Patrick's Day. When you celebrate tomorrow spread a little luck of the Irish to the planet by making earth friendly choices for your bash.

1. Serve "green" beer by purchasing organic beer. Some great choices - Whole Foods’ Old Plowshare Stout, Peak Organic Beers, and Anheuser-Busch's Stone Mill.

2. When it comes to the Wearing of the Green, avoid the cheap St. Patty's themed clothes and opt for a green organic tee instead.

3. Serve some great Irish veggies - organic potatoes or organic cabbage. Or look for recipes for Irish favorites made with meat substitutes since going veg is once of the greenest things you can do.

4. Discover your own pot of gold in the form of money saved. Choosing reusable products for your party will save you money while reducing your impact on the planet.

5. Irish eyes will be smiling when you give your guests something green for their garden. Give seed packets of organic clover as party favors instead of some plastic item that will eventually end up in the landfill and your guests just may be rewarded with a four-leaf clover.

Tree-cycle

Now that Christmas is over what to do with the tree? Assuming you went the greenest route and bought a replantable tree, there are many online resources with tips to plant your tree. We personally went with live trees this year and recycled them in our curbside recycling program which turns the trees into mulch. To find out if your town recycles Christmas trees check www.earth911.org. If you used an artificial tree and aren't keeping it, donate it to a hospital, thrift store, or Freecycle it - anything to keep it out of the landfill!

Sustainable Holiday Shopping

With the holiday season approaching, shop for gifts that everyone including Mother Earth will love. Choose gifts that are made from sustainable materials, recycled content, or are fair trade certified. Here are some great ideas for everyone on your shopping list:

For kids:
1. Xeko - a unique trading card game in which players learn about endangered ecosystems and the plants and animals found in these hotspots. The cards are made from recycled paper and are printed with soy based inks. To support Conservation International and their work in ecological hotspots, Xeko donates 4% of the net sales of the game.
2. Earthopoly - a Monopoly style game where players work to save the Earth. The gameboard is made of recycled paper and printed with vegetable inks. The game pieces are all natural or recyclable.
3. The Lorax - this great book was written by Dr. Seuss in 1971 and is now available in an earth-friendly version printed on recycled paper. It tells the story of the Once-ler and his destruction of the Truffula trees and is a great story to teach children about humans and their impact on the environment.
4. Gift memberships to local museums or zoos.
5. Tickets to local theatre performances.

For the home:
1. Plates and glasses made from recycled glass. My favorite recycled glass find is the great glasses made from recycled wine bottles available from Green Glass Co.
2. Give the gift of a good night's sleep with organic cotton or bamboo sheets.
3. Look for earth friendly products made from bamboo a fast growing grass that has natural antibacterial properties. Bamboo can be made into kitchen spoons, cutting boards, bowls, towels, table linens, and so much more.

Hostess Gifts:
1. Fair trade chocolates or coffee - fair trade certified items empower farmers and workers buy insuring they have safe work conditions and receive a fair wage, they use practices that protect the environment, and are taught the business skills they need to compete in the global marketplace.
2. Gift baskets filled with local produce, local wines, and homemade food items.
3. Gift certificate for a massage, green cleaning service, or homemade gift certificates for babysitting, or help with household chores.
4. Introduce a friend to the joy of journaling with a beautiful banana paper journal from Green Apple School Supply. The journals and sketch books have paper made from banana bunch stock fiber and post consumer paper which look like gorgeous handmade paper. The front of the books are adorned with beautiful sketches of animals like treefrogs and dolphins. Green Apple also sells great office supplies like pens, marker, highlighters, and rulers that are made from recycled materials

Once you have the perfect gift, wrap it in a reusable gift bag or a canvas shopping bag that can be used after the holidays.