It's holiday shopping time again, but instead of heading to the mall why not give a different type of gift this year and help a friend or family member by sharing your time and talent. Everyone has little projects that get put off due to lack of time or the skill to complete them. Think you don't have a talent to share, check out some ideas:
1. Help someone by organizing their photos, closet, pantry, or collections.
2. Prepare some homemade meals to help stock a friend's freezer.
3. Help organize items for a garage sale.
4. Help with home decorating projects.
5. Lend a hand with any handyman projects - installing lights, cleaning gutters, lawn care, painting, etc.
6. Prepare and plant a garden.
7. Sew curtains, pillows, or perform wardrobe repairs such as hemming or sewing buttons.
8. Computer help - set up a blog or family website.
9. Help train a new puppy or attempt to teach an old dog a new trick.
10. Everyone has a special talent that friends admire them for, find out what yours is and share it with those you love.
Giving a gift of your time is green since it adds less stuff to the planet. An added benefit is that every time your friend looks at their well organized closet, they will remember the love you shared with them.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Skip the fabric softener
Ever wonder what's in fabric softeners like Downy and other major brands? Well one startling ingredient is dihydrogenated tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride - a derivative of rendered fat from cattle, sheep and horses mixed with ammonium. Gross! Fabric softeners also contain cancer-causing and neurotoxic solvents such as toluene and styrene. Looking for some greener options? Check out:
1. Earth friendly brands like - Method, Ecover or Seventh Generation
2. A cheaper and greener option - add a 1/4 or 1/2 cup of white vinegar to your laundry rinse cycle. Your clothes will be softer and static free without any vinegary smell.
1. Earth friendly brands like - Method, Ecover or Seventh Generation
2. A cheaper and greener option - add a 1/4 or 1/2 cup of white vinegar to your laundry rinse cycle. Your clothes will be softer and static free without any vinegary smell.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Unique Green Gift
I got a great gift for my birthday that would make a unique earth friendly present for someone on your holiday shopping list - Retro 51's Bamboo Tornado pen.
This pen is fantastic - it is lightweight, beautiful, and writes like a dream. The pen barrel is solid bamboo, which despite it's hardiness is not a wood but is actually the fastest growing woody plant. The pen has a cute picture of a panda engraved on it, as bamboo is a favorite treat for pandas. In addition to its eco-friendly bamboo barrel, the pen also is refillable which is much better for the environment than disposable pens.
Despite it's great looks the best feature of the pen is when you purchase the Bamboo Tornado you are saving 250 square feet of endangered rain forest through the Arbor Day Foundation's Rain Forest Rescue Program. This great program has already saved more than two billion square feet of rain forest. Why is saving the rain forest so important? Despite the fact that the rain forest only covers 2% of the earth's surface, it is home to thousands of plant species that may help us find a cure for cancer and other diseases.
For more information on this gift that you, the recipient, and the planet can all feel good about visit www.retro51.com
This pen is fantastic - it is lightweight, beautiful, and writes like a dream. The pen barrel is solid bamboo, which despite it's hardiness is not a wood but is actually the fastest growing woody plant. The pen has a cute picture of a panda engraved on it, as bamboo is a favorite treat for pandas. In addition to its eco-friendly bamboo barrel, the pen also is refillable which is much better for the environment than disposable pens.
Despite it's great looks the best feature of the pen is when you purchase the Bamboo Tornado you are saving 250 square feet of endangered rain forest through the Arbor Day Foundation's Rain Forest Rescue Program. This great program has already saved more than two billion square feet of rain forest. Why is saving the rain forest so important? Despite the fact that the rain forest only covers 2% of the earth's surface, it is home to thousands of plant species that may help us find a cure for cancer and other diseases.
For more information on this gift that you, the recipient, and the planet can all feel good about visit www.retro51.com
Monday, December 1, 2008
Fridge Facts
Refrigerators are the largest energy hogs in most homes, consuming about a third of the total energy used in a home. Here are some tips to improve your refrigerator's efficiency:
1. Fridges work more efficiently when they are full. If you have open space in your fridge, fill up some containers with water to help your refrigerator stay colder.
2. Store your food in glass containers. Not only is glass free from the harmful ingredients found in plastic, it helps food stay colder which helps the fridge work more efficiently.
3.Vacuum the coils twice a year since dust and pet hair make the coils work harder.
4. When planning a new kitchen or a kitchen remodel, place your refrigerator away from the oven and sunny windows to help it stay colder.
5. If your fridge was purchased before 1993, replace it with a new Energy Star model. When checking out all the great features available on new refrigerators remember, models with the freezer on the bottom or top use about 20% less than side-by-side models.
6. Remember your mother's reminder to close the refrigerator door? As usual mom is always right, the longer the fridge door is open, the more cold air you’re losing and the harder your fridge will have to work to replace it. So when getting items out of the fridge do so quickly. When putting foods away after your grocery trip instead of opening the refrigerator door multiple times, gather all the items that belong in the refrigerator together and open it up once to put everything away.
1. Fridges work more efficiently when they are full. If you have open space in your fridge, fill up some containers with water to help your refrigerator stay colder.
2. Store your food in glass containers. Not only is glass free from the harmful ingredients found in plastic, it helps food stay colder which helps the fridge work more efficiently.
3.Vacuum the coils twice a year since dust and pet hair make the coils work harder.
4. When planning a new kitchen or a kitchen remodel, place your refrigerator away from the oven and sunny windows to help it stay colder.
5. If your fridge was purchased before 1993, replace it with a new Energy Star model. When checking out all the great features available on new refrigerators remember, models with the freezer on the bottom or top use about 20% less than side-by-side models.
6. Remember your mother's reminder to close the refrigerator door? As usual mom is always right, the longer the fridge door is open, the more cold air you’re losing and the harder your fridge will have to work to replace it. So when getting items out of the fridge do so quickly. When putting foods away after your grocery trip instead of opening the refrigerator door multiple times, gather all the items that belong in the refrigerator together and open it up once to put everything away.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)