Today is World Water Day and in honor of that I am sharing this fantastic website with you - www.storyofbottledwater.org This 7-minute animated film discusses the myths about tap and bottled water.
Fortunately for our planet, more people are becoming aware about how ridiculous it is to buy plastic bottled water. A Harris Poll found that 29% of the people surveyed switched back to tap water this year. "Bottled water usage is in decline in the United States for the first time in three decades, thanks in part to the hard work of our partners on this film. We hope this film helps to drive the final nail in this huge rip off," said Annie Leonard.
Showing posts with label be the change. Show all posts
Showing posts with label be the change. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Green Buying & Selling
Reduce your impact on the planet by choosing to shop greener.
1. Buy used if possible.
2. Remember your trash can be someone else's treasure - sell unwanted items on ebay or craigslist or donate them to the local thrift shop.
3. When making purchases ask yourself whether you really need to upgrade something that works just fine.
4. Rent seldom used items instead of purchasing them.
5. Shop locally and support small businesses.
1. Buy used if possible.
2. Remember your trash can be someone else's treasure - sell unwanted items on ebay or craigslist or donate them to the local thrift shop.
3. When making purchases ask yourself whether you really need to upgrade something that works just fine.
4. Rent seldom used items instead of purchasing them.
5. Shop locally and support small businesses.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Free Rice - Take 2
I first wrote about Free Rice 2 years ago, at that time the site had donated 14,165,837,150 grains of rice to the United Nations. Since then the site has grown dramatically and has now donated over 73 billion grains! The site has expanded its offerings beyond just vocabulary words to include famous paintings, foreign languages, grammar, math, world geography, and chemical symbols. For each correct answer the site donates 10 grains of rice through the United Nations World Food Program to help end world hunger. It's a win-win situation - you challenge yourself to improve your knowledge and food goes to those in need!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Happy Green Year 2010!
Happy 2010! Here's my family's green goals for this year:
1. Plant an organic garden this spring.
2. Prepare more items from scratch to eat healthier and reduce packaging waste.
3. Switch our plastic reusable food storage containers to glass.
4. Go on an eco-tourism vacation.
5. Learn to make my own soap and beauty products.
6. Support local merchants, crafters, and artists with my purchases.
7. Move to a home that allows use to reduce our driving.
8. Limit purchases to quality, earth-friendly items that will last.
9. Get creative with using recycled items in my crafting.
10. Continue to educate others about the importance of going green and the simple changes they can make to live a little greener.
1. Plant an organic garden this spring.
2. Prepare more items from scratch to eat healthier and reduce packaging waste.
3. Switch our plastic reusable food storage containers to glass.
4. Go on an eco-tourism vacation.
5. Learn to make my own soap and beauty products.
6. Support local merchants, crafters, and artists with my purchases.
7. Move to a home that allows use to reduce our driving.
8. Limit purchases to quality, earth-friendly items that will last.
9. Get creative with using recycled items in my crafting.
10. Continue to educate others about the importance of going green and the simple changes they can make to live a little greener.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Daylighting
What is daylighting? Daylighting is the use of natural light instead of electricity to illuminate buildings and homes. Daylighting will save you money while reducing your carbon footprint. New buildings are being designed to take advantage of natural light - check out www.daylighting.org for more information.
Our house was not specifically designed to take advantage of natural light, but we are fortunate that it gets great daylight in most of the rooms. We are able to get great natural light all day and only need to turn on lights after the sun sets or on cloudy days. See if you can take advantage of daylight by opening the curtains instead of turning on a light.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Carbon Rally
I stumbled across a great eco-networking site - www.carbonrally.com which has great earth-friendly challenges for everyone looking to live greener.
The site puts up new a easy to handle challenge every few weeks and keeps track of how much carbon you save. The current challenge is Cold Then Fold - use only cold water to wash and rinse all of your laundry this month. Previous challenges include biking one day a week, line drying laundry, recycling your old cell phone, and reducing the amount of meat you eat.
If you've got a competitive streak, Carbon Rally has challenges that you can do as a team. So compete as a group, family, or workplace and the planet will win.
The site puts up new a easy to handle challenge every few weeks and keeps track of how much carbon you save. The current challenge is Cold Then Fold - use only cold water to wash and rinse all of your laundry this month. Previous challenges include biking one day a week, line drying laundry, recycling your old cell phone, and reducing the amount of meat you eat.
If you've got a competitive streak, Carbon Rally has challenges that you can do as a team. So compete as a group, family, or workplace and the planet will win.
Monday, August 10, 2009
10 Reasons To Go Veg
Here are some great reasons why you should become a vegetarian:
1. A car driving vegetarian produces fewer CO2 emissions than a bike riding meat eater.
2. Cow farts contribute to global warming.
3. Pig farms pollute local water resources.
4. Rain forests are cut down to create grazing land for cattle.
5. It takes 35 calories of energy to make one calorie of meat.
6. Prevent animal cruelty in factory farms.
7. On average vegetarians live 6 years longer.
8. You’ll reduce your risk of food-borne illnesses.
9. Save money at the grocery store.
10. Pigs are much smarter than dogs, they have the mental capacities of a 3-year-old child.
1. A car driving vegetarian produces fewer CO2 emissions than a bike riding meat eater.
2. Cow farts contribute to global warming.
3. Pig farms pollute local water resources.
4. Rain forests are cut down to create grazing land for cattle.
5. It takes 35 calories of energy to make one calorie of meat.
6. Prevent animal cruelty in factory farms.
7. On average vegetarians live 6 years longer.
8. You’ll reduce your risk of food-borne illnesses.
9. Save money at the grocery store.
10. Pigs are much smarter than dogs, they have the mental capacities of a 3-year-old child.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Hold on to your butts
Cigarette butts are the most littered item in the world, often ending up in waterways and on our beaches. At beach cleanups, cigarette butts are the most common form of trash found, usually one in every five items collected is a cigarette butt. Cigarette butts are dangerous to wildlife that may mistake them for food. Many smokers think that cigarette filters are biodegradable and that it is not a big deal to to drop them on the ground, however they can actually take 15 years to decompose.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Repair, Don't Replace
We all know the 3 Rs - reduce, reuse, & recycle. Of the three the first - reduce is the most important. Every new item you purchase has a large impact on the planet, production uses raw materials, energy & water and creates waste. In light of this the most earth friendly thing you can do is to keep an existing item rather than buying new. Renew old items by visiting a jewelry repair, shoe repair, or local seamstress. A few months ago I broke a heel on a pair of my favorite shoes - a quick trip to the shoe repair store and $10 later my shoes were as good as new.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Ocean Friendly Sunscreen
With conventional sunscreens you are not only exposing yourself to dangerous chemicals you are also endangering the ocean's health. Researchers estimate that 4,000 to 6,000 metric tons of sunscreen wash off swimmers annually in oceans worldwide, and that up to 10 percent of coral reefs are threatened by sunscreen-induced bleaching. Choose sunscreens with plant-based ingredients and physical UV barriers which reflect UV rays, like titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. Some great choices are Caribbean Sol www.caribbean-sol.com or Soleo Organics www.soleoorganics.com
Remember these application tips for sunscreen to be the most effective -
1. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before heading outside
2. Reapply every 2 hours or after swimming or sweating
3. Don't skimp on the amount of sunscreen you use, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends using an ounce (a shot-glass-full) of sunscreen for full-body coverage.
Remember these application tips for sunscreen to be the most effective -
1. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before heading outside
2. Reapply every 2 hours or after swimming or sweating
3. Don't skimp on the amount of sunscreen you use, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends using an ounce (a shot-glass-full) of sunscreen for full-body coverage.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Greening Your Kitchen
Looking for some easy ways to green your kitchen?
1. Give up disposable paper napkins by switching to cloth napkins.
2. Whenever possible, use your microwave to save energy.
3. Become a label reader and educate yourself about different certifications like organic and Fair Trade.
4. When buying dishes, bakeware, and pots look for eco-friendly products.
5. Opt for a bamboo or natural wood cutting board.
6. Use your dishwasher instead of handwashing dishes. As strange as it sounds, dishwashers use less energy and water than handwashing.
7. Fill your pantry with products with minimal packaging and recycle as much packaging as possible.
8. Make your own natural cleaners from items found in your pantry like baking soda, vinegar, and lemons.
9. Instead of paper towels, use reusable cloths for cleaning up spills.
10. Relax with a glass of biodynamic wine with a cork closure. Cork is recyclable and earth-friendly since cork is sustainably harvested from living trees.
1. Give up disposable paper napkins by switching to cloth napkins.
2. Whenever possible, use your microwave to save energy.
3. Become a label reader and educate yourself about different certifications like organic and Fair Trade.
4. When buying dishes, bakeware, and pots look for eco-friendly products.
5. Opt for a bamboo or natural wood cutting board.
6. Use your dishwasher instead of handwashing dishes. As strange as it sounds, dishwashers use less energy and water than handwashing.
7. Fill your pantry with products with minimal packaging and recycle as much packaging as possible.
8. Make your own natural cleaners from items found in your pantry like baking soda, vinegar, and lemons.
9. Instead of paper towels, use reusable cloths for cleaning up spills.
10. Relax with a glass of biodynamic wine with a cork closure. Cork is recyclable and earth-friendly since cork is sustainably harvested from living trees.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Tips from Green America
Here are some great living green tips from Green America...
1. Grow Your Own
"The biggest thing I'm doing this year is growing my own vegetable garden. It will be organic, and it doesn't get any more local than my own back yard. Plus, it's one heck of a money saver. It will even help me build community, because I will surely have extra fruits and vegetables to share with my neighbors."
— Jessica S., Littleton, CO
2. One Less Car
"I don't own a car. Even in the cold Minnesota winters you'll find me biking. Riding a bicycle obviously saves money and resources, but I believe it also builds community. When I am on a bicycle, I feel more connected to my surroundings, and I'm more approachable. I'm always saying hello to people as I ride past, whereas in a car, that interaction would be lost."
— Sarah P., Minneapolis, MN
3. One Less Car, Part Two
"Although I get 48 miles per gallon with my hybrid car, I still make every effort to plan my trips to avoid needless driving, to carpool, and to take public transportation and telecommute, as often as possible. I write and call my political leaders in support of laws and funding for mass transit, and for greener cars."
— Jeanne T., Springfield, VA
4. Reuse, Reuse, Reuse
"One way I have discovered to keep items out of landfills and save a bunch of money in the process is FreeCycle – an online group where members post things they are looking for, and what they have to get rid of. I have received a dining room set (complete with six chairs, buffet, and hutch), bunk beds for my kids, a set of night stands, and a really good juicer for no cost. And I've used FreeCycle to give away all the clothes that my kids have outgrown."
— Lea P-W., Painesville, OH
5. Stop the Leaks
"I'm unplugging the toaster, lamps, cell phone chargers, laptops, and other electronic devices when I'm not using them. These things leak energy needlessly when they are plugged in all the time. It's the quickest way to save energy and it saves me money on the electric bill too."
— Rachelle N., Nashville, TN
6. Harness the Sun
"We installed solar panels on our townhome in March along with another family in our homeowners' association. Several others had expressed interest before the economic meltdown and then backed off, but we hope that with our example others will see that in the long-run it's a money-saver, and they will understand the benefit for both the planet and their bottom lines."
— Ellen S., Boulder, CO
7. Waste Not, Want Not
"I compost. I keep my garbage creation to a minimum. I refuse packaging and bags whenever possible (bringing my own cloth bag). I explain to the checkout person why I am refusing the bag or giving back the packaging. Also, steel is 100-percent recyclable. The recycled steel isn't downgraded or 'downcycled.' I recycle every unusable nail, every screw, every wire, etc., at my local transfer station. Even my steel roof will be recycled when it is done being my roof."
— Ruth O., White Salmon, WA
8. Dispense With Disposables
"This may seem like a minor thing, but it really helps on my limited budget. I have ceased purchasing paper towels and instead use old rags for cleaning and wiping up spills. I wash the dirty rags and reuse them until they wear out. I didn't realize how many paper towels I used to go through before I started this new system."
— Sarah F., Tullahoma, TN
9. Reallocate Your Resources
"Our path toward sustainability began when we realized the value of doing things for ourselves. I began by making our own laundry detergent. It is all-natural and costs less than a penny per ounce to make! We used the money we were saving to take bigger steps: buying our meat in bulk from local farmers who raise their animals on pasture and sustainably, and buying Energy-Star appliances for our house."
— Carrie C., Salem, VA
10. Examine Your Diet
"By becoming vegan I cut my carbon footprint to at least 60 percent and the amount of money that each meal costs me by an average of 78 percent. Beans and legumes are so inexpensive compared to meat! I cut costs even more by growing herbs and vegetables for myself, and I earn fruits by offering to do the picking for friends with fruit trees, in exchange for keeping the surplus. I preserve them in glass jars and make pickled fruits and vegetables to extend them even further ."
— Sarah F., Tullahoma, TN
11. Green celebrations!
"On June 20, I am getting married green style. Oh, green wedding, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
1) Used wedding dress from eBay, $10!,
2) Organic, Fair Trade apparel for the wedding party that they can use afterwards,
3) Asking guests to carpool to save gas, money, and the environment,
4) Sending plantable wedding invitations [That's right, you bury the invitations and wildflowers spring forth, just like love blooms…],
5) Using leftover supplies from my cousin's wedding,
6) Buying organic flowers from the farmer's market … and more.
My fiancé Mark and I will be celebrating our day free from wedding-induced debt and the weight of a heavy carbon footprint!"
— Michelle B., Oshkosh, WI
12. Invest Wisely
(and Needs vs. Wants)
"We're always asking ourselves whether this next purchase is a 'need' or a 'want.' When we actually stop to think about it, there are precious few needs. People say things like 'I need cable TV,' but that's probably not true. Calling such things 'needs' cheapens the meaning of the word. We've also begun investing some savings with a community bank. Interestingly, in our experience, the smaller community bank with the social mission has been reliably beating the pants off of the mega-banks in terms of rate of return. We know that we're saving more by getting the higher rate of return, but we are also proud that our money is doing good in the community as well!"
— Steve O., Mamaroneck, NY
13. What Really Matters?
"I'm trying to stay focused on people and relationships rather than stuff. This helps me consider who is affected by what I do buy and from whom I buy it. I save by buying only thrift store clothes, but splurge on Fair Trade chocolate. I support locally owned businesses. I volunteer my time. And with some of the money I save, I use it to support organizations that help people help themselves. I do without stuff; that isn't what matters anyway!"
— Kelly G., Charlotte, NC
14. Get everyone you know involved in going green and saving green.
For more great green living ideas visit Green America at http://www.coopamerica.org
1. Grow Your Own
"The biggest thing I'm doing this year is growing my own vegetable garden. It will be organic, and it doesn't get any more local than my own back yard. Plus, it's one heck of a money saver. It will even help me build community, because I will surely have extra fruits and vegetables to share with my neighbors."
— Jessica S., Littleton, CO
2. One Less Car
"I don't own a car. Even in the cold Minnesota winters you'll find me biking. Riding a bicycle obviously saves money and resources, but I believe it also builds community. When I am on a bicycle, I feel more connected to my surroundings, and I'm more approachable. I'm always saying hello to people as I ride past, whereas in a car, that interaction would be lost."
— Sarah P., Minneapolis, MN
3. One Less Car, Part Two
"Although I get 48 miles per gallon with my hybrid car, I still make every effort to plan my trips to avoid needless driving, to carpool, and to take public transportation and telecommute, as often as possible. I write and call my political leaders in support of laws and funding for mass transit, and for greener cars."
— Jeanne T., Springfield, VA
4. Reuse, Reuse, Reuse
"One way I have discovered to keep items out of landfills and save a bunch of money in the process is FreeCycle – an online group where members post things they are looking for, and what they have to get rid of. I have received a dining room set (complete with six chairs, buffet, and hutch), bunk beds for my kids, a set of night stands, and a really good juicer for no cost. And I've used FreeCycle to give away all the clothes that my kids have outgrown."
— Lea P-W., Painesville, OH
5. Stop the Leaks
"I'm unplugging the toaster, lamps, cell phone chargers, laptops, and other electronic devices when I'm not using them. These things leak energy needlessly when they are plugged in all the time. It's the quickest way to save energy and it saves me money on the electric bill too."
— Rachelle N., Nashville, TN
6. Harness the Sun
"We installed solar panels on our townhome in March along with another family in our homeowners' association. Several others had expressed interest before the economic meltdown and then backed off, but we hope that with our example others will see that in the long-run it's a money-saver, and they will understand the benefit for both the planet and their bottom lines."
— Ellen S., Boulder, CO
7. Waste Not, Want Not
"I compost. I keep my garbage creation to a minimum. I refuse packaging and bags whenever possible (bringing my own cloth bag). I explain to the checkout person why I am refusing the bag or giving back the packaging. Also, steel is 100-percent recyclable. The recycled steel isn't downgraded or 'downcycled.' I recycle every unusable nail, every screw, every wire, etc., at my local transfer station. Even my steel roof will be recycled when it is done being my roof."
— Ruth O., White Salmon, WA
8. Dispense With Disposables
"This may seem like a minor thing, but it really helps on my limited budget. I have ceased purchasing paper towels and instead use old rags for cleaning and wiping up spills. I wash the dirty rags and reuse them until they wear out. I didn't realize how many paper towels I used to go through before I started this new system."
— Sarah F., Tullahoma, TN
9. Reallocate Your Resources
"Our path toward sustainability began when we realized the value of doing things for ourselves. I began by making our own laundry detergent. It is all-natural and costs less than a penny per ounce to make! We used the money we were saving to take bigger steps: buying our meat in bulk from local farmers who raise their animals on pasture and sustainably, and buying Energy-Star appliances for our house."
— Carrie C., Salem, VA
10. Examine Your Diet
"By becoming vegan I cut my carbon footprint to at least 60 percent and the amount of money that each meal costs me by an average of 78 percent. Beans and legumes are so inexpensive compared to meat! I cut costs even more by growing herbs and vegetables for myself, and I earn fruits by offering to do the picking for friends with fruit trees, in exchange for keeping the surplus. I preserve them in glass jars and make pickled fruits and vegetables to extend them even further ."
— Sarah F., Tullahoma, TN
11. Green celebrations!
"On June 20, I am getting married green style. Oh, green wedding, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
1) Used wedding dress from eBay, $10!,
2) Organic, Fair Trade apparel for the wedding party that they can use afterwards,
3) Asking guests to carpool to save gas, money, and the environment,
4) Sending plantable wedding invitations [That's right, you bury the invitations and wildflowers spring forth, just like love blooms…],
5) Using leftover supplies from my cousin's wedding,
6) Buying organic flowers from the farmer's market … and more.
My fiancé Mark and I will be celebrating our day free from wedding-induced debt and the weight of a heavy carbon footprint!"
— Michelle B., Oshkosh, WI
12. Invest Wisely
(and Needs vs. Wants)
"We're always asking ourselves whether this next purchase is a 'need' or a 'want.' When we actually stop to think about it, there are precious few needs. People say things like 'I need cable TV,' but that's probably not true. Calling such things 'needs' cheapens the meaning of the word. We've also begun investing some savings with a community bank. Interestingly, in our experience, the smaller community bank with the social mission has been reliably beating the pants off of the mega-banks in terms of rate of return. We know that we're saving more by getting the higher rate of return, but we are also proud that our money is doing good in the community as well!"
— Steve O., Mamaroneck, NY
13. What Really Matters?
"I'm trying to stay focused on people and relationships rather than stuff. This helps me consider who is affected by what I do buy and from whom I buy it. I save by buying only thrift store clothes, but splurge on Fair Trade chocolate. I support locally owned businesses. I volunteer my time. And with some of the money I save, I use it to support organizations that help people help themselves. I do without stuff; that isn't what matters anyway!"
— Kelly G., Charlotte, NC
14. Get everyone you know involved in going green and saving green.
For more great green living ideas visit Green America at http://www.coopamerica.org
Thursday, May 7, 2009
One step at a time...
Looking to make greener purchases, but feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to start? You don't have to make drastic changes, start small. Change your actions one step at a time by choosing one product you buy often and commit to looking for a greener alternative. Once that change has become habit, look for another item to start buying green. Need suggestions:
1. Instead of reaching for a regular candy bar, choose a fair-trade certified bar. Fair-trade certification means the farmer is fairly paid and the cocoa beans are grown sustainably.
2. Purchase an eco-friendly laundry detergent like Seventh Generation which can now be found at your local grocery store.
3. Purchase toilet paper made from recycled paper. Publix's Greenwise products are earth-friendly and inexpensive.
4. Trade your paper napkins in for cloth napkins. Paper napkins are used for a minute and then are tossed, cloth napkins can be washed and used over and over.
5. Buy items with minimal packaging. Buy bulk items if possible, choose fresh fruits & veggies instead of canned or frozen which will eliminate packaging, and look for cereals sold in bags instead of a bag inside of a box.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Love Your Mother Earth
Mother’s Day is this Sunday, why not show your love for mom and the planet with some great green gifts.
1. Instead of cut flowers which only last a few days, buy mom a potted plant, a plant for her garden, or plant her an organic herb garden she can enjoy throughout the year.
2. Treat your mom to a day at an eco-friendly spa or put together a home spa gift basket. Find a fun reusable container and fill it with natural, organic, and paraben free spa products.
3. Give mom some sweets. In honor of World Fair Trade Day on May 9th, give mom a fair-trade and organic chocolate sampler or bake a batch of homemade organic cookies with chips from www.sweetearthchocolates.com
4. Encourage mom to go green by giving her a reusable tote, a reusable water bottle, and a book on living greener.
5. Cut down on waste by giving mom a day of fun and enjoy some special time together - take a trip to a local museum, head to the beach, pack a picnic and go on a bike ride, or head to the local theater for a play.
1. Instead of cut flowers which only last a few days, buy mom a potted plant, a plant for her garden, or plant her an organic herb garden she can enjoy throughout the year.
2. Treat your mom to a day at an eco-friendly spa or put together a home spa gift basket. Find a fun reusable container and fill it with natural, organic, and paraben free spa products.
3. Give mom some sweets. In honor of World Fair Trade Day on May 9th, give mom a fair-trade and organic chocolate sampler or bake a batch of homemade organic cookies with chips from www.sweetearthchocolates.com
4. Encourage mom to go green by giving her a reusable tote, a reusable water bottle, and a book on living greener.
5. Cut down on waste by giving mom a day of fun and enjoy some special time together - take a trip to a local museum, head to the beach, pack a picnic and go on a bike ride, or head to the local theater for a play.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Phonebook Overload
Well it's that time again - new phonebook delivery time. In the next few weeks, phonebook companies will deposit their huge phonebooks on my doorstep. Their are two reasons that I get annoyed by all the phone books - first, I rarely use a phonebook as I tend to look up numbers on the internet and second phonebooks are a big burden on the environment - their printing require tons of paper & ink.
Now I need to unload last year's phonebook and the numerous unnecessary editions I will receive this year. Fortunately I can recycle the unwanted books in my newspaper recycling bin, check www.earth911.org to see how to recycle phonebooks in your community. Since reducing is always better than recycling, I wish the companies would change their delivery system and only deliver books to those homes that actually want them.
This lead me to do some research online to see if there was a way to stop phonebook delivery and was very pleased with what I found. To opt out of phonebook delivery visit http://www.paperlesspetition.org
Hopefully next year I will not have a mountain of phonebooks destined for my recycling bin.
Now I need to unload last year's phonebook and the numerous unnecessary editions I will receive this year. Fortunately I can recycle the unwanted books in my newspaper recycling bin, check www.earth911.org to see how to recycle phonebooks in your community. Since reducing is always better than recycling, I wish the companies would change their delivery system and only deliver books to those homes that actually want them.
This lead me to do some research online to see if there was a way to stop phonebook delivery and was very pleased with what I found. To opt out of phonebook delivery visit http://www.paperlesspetition.org
Hopefully next year I will not have a mountain of phonebooks destined for my recycling bin.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Simple Steps to Greener Living
Ready to start living a greener lifestyle, but feeling a little overwhelmed? Not sure where to start? Here are ten simple things you can do this weekend and still have time left over to nap in the hammock.
1. Switch your conventional lightbulbs to Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs).
2. It's spring - open up the windows and let some fresh air in instead of running the air conditioner.
3. Clean or replace your air conditioning filter and put reminders on your calendar to complete this task monthly.
4. Hang your sheets on the clothesline to dry. What a blissful way to fall asleep - under fresh, clean sheets dried in the sun.
5. Buy and install a low-flow shower head.
6. Check to make sure your car's tires are properly inflated to save on gas.
7. Make up a batch of homemade earth-friendly cleaners with items found in your pantry. Check my archives for some easy recipes.
8. Tackle some of your weekend errands on your bike.
9. Go meatless this Sunday.
10. Shop your local farmer’s market. You will enjoy fresher fruits and veggies while supporting local growers.
1. Switch your conventional lightbulbs to Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs).
2. It's spring - open up the windows and let some fresh air in instead of running the air conditioner.
3. Clean or replace your air conditioning filter and put reminders on your calendar to complete this task monthly.
4. Hang your sheets on the clothesline to dry. What a blissful way to fall asleep - under fresh, clean sheets dried in the sun.
5. Buy and install a low-flow shower head.
6. Check to make sure your car's tires are properly inflated to save on gas.
7. Make up a batch of homemade earth-friendly cleaners with items found in your pantry. Check my archives for some easy recipes.
8. Tackle some of your weekend errands on your bike.
9. Go meatless this Sunday.
10. Shop your local farmer’s market. You will enjoy fresher fruits and veggies while supporting local growers.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Do you have a green hero?
Do you have someone who inspires you to live a little greener or be kinder to animals? The best thank you they can receive is for you to pay it forward and encourage others to make changes in their life that will make the world a better place. However if you are looking for another way to say thanks, enter them in Kind Green Planet's Pay It Forward Push. By making a small tax-deductible donation to Kind Green Planet, your hero will be entered in four drawings for gorgeously green, animal-friendly prizes. Simply visit www.kindgreenplanet.org and donate $10 and input the name and email address of your kind green hero. Kind Green Planet will send your hero an e-card letting them know that you consider them a kind green hero and that you have entered their name into our fabulous prize drawings. Don't delay the contest ends tomorrow and the winners will be announced on May 1st.
Friday, April 24, 2009
10 Recycling Tips
So of course you are recycling, but there may be areas you can improve on. Check out this list of 10 great recycling tips:
1. Make sure you are recycling everything you can - contact your local recycling company for more information on what your community recycles.
2. Once you know what can be recycled, do your best to avoid items that can't be recycled.
3. Compost food scraps and yard waste.
4. Contact catalog companies to stop any catalogs you receive and choose to shop online instead.
5. Stop junk mail as much as you can by checking out the tips found at http://www.obviously.com/junkmail
6. Use the backs of any junk mail you receive for notes or shopping lists before putting them in the recycling bin.
7. Be sure to recycle your hazardous household waste properly, consult earth911.org for more info on how and where to recycle hazardous waste in your area.
8. Create an attractive and organized recycling center in your home so your family can easy help with your recycling efforts.
9. Create some recycling fun for your kids by making crafts with items that might typically end up in the trash. Need some inspiration, check your local library or bookstore for Laura C. Martin's book Recycled Crafts Box.
10. Try to find ways to recycle everything - donate used clothing to thrift stores, donate magazines, books, and movies to the library, donate cell phones to charitable organizations for recycling, donate old towels to the local animal shelter, donate craft supplies to local schools or nursing homes, offer items you no longer need on freecycle.org - the list goes on and on. Try to make the trash can the last choice for items you no longer need.
1. Make sure you are recycling everything you can - contact your local recycling company for more information on what your community recycles.
2. Once you know what can be recycled, do your best to avoid items that can't be recycled.
3. Compost food scraps and yard waste.
4. Contact catalog companies to stop any catalogs you receive and choose to shop online instead.
5. Stop junk mail as much as you can by checking out the tips found at http://www.obviously.com/junkmail
6. Use the backs of any junk mail you receive for notes or shopping lists before putting them in the recycling bin.
7. Be sure to recycle your hazardous household waste properly, consult earth911.org for more info on how and where to recycle hazardous waste in your area.
8. Create an attractive and organized recycling center in your home so your family can easy help with your recycling efforts.
9. Create some recycling fun for your kids by making crafts with items that might typically end up in the trash. Need some inspiration, check your local library or bookstore for Laura C. Martin's book Recycled Crafts Box.
10. Try to find ways to recycle everything - donate used clothing to thrift stores, donate magazines, books, and movies to the library, donate cell phones to charitable organizations for recycling, donate old towels to the local animal shelter, donate craft supplies to local schools or nursing homes, offer items you no longer need on freecycle.org - the list goes on and on. Try to make the trash can the last choice for items you no longer need.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Disney's earth
If you didn't see Disney's new movie earth yet - you must! It is a wonderful film with phenomenal footage of some of the most amazing creatures on this planet. It is directed by Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield who also did the fantastic series Planet Earth. The main story focuses on a polar bear family, an elephant herd, and a humpback whale mother and calf, but the film will introduce you to never seen before animals like some of the captivating birds of paradise found in the rain forest. At the heart of the story is the perfect relationship between the Earth and the sun. The film reminds us of the fragile balance that our planet must maintain and how connected every organism is to others. The most amazing thing to me is the huge efforts some animals must undertake just to survive - long migrations for food and water, months without eating, and outmaneuvering hungry predators. After seeing the trials of these animals, is it really such an effort to remember your reusable bags as you head into the grocery store with its bounty of food or to to turn off the faucet while you brush your teeth? These simple actions are a small step in the direction of the efforts we need to take as a planet to help us keep these beautiful creatures around for future generations. As an added bonus, Disney will be planting a tree for every ticket sold during opening week of earth.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Happy Earth Day 2009!
Happy Earth Day! Earth Day was founded by Gaylord Nelson and was first celebrated on April 22, 1970 as a day to teach people about the environmental dangers facing our earth. Like most holidays, Earth Day is becoming commercialized and over-hyped. Thinking about the Earth and our impact on it one day a year is not enough. What can you do to celebrate Earth Day in a meaningful way? As a family pledge to make one small change that you can continue long term to make every day Earth Day. Remind your family of the beauty of our planet by spending time outdoors- go on a nature hike, a stroll on the beach, or stargazing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)