Ladies, Consider Downsizing

 

Ladies, I know that it can be nice to have a whole pocket book of luxuries at our fingertips, but consider downsizing. Many purses are made of leather and metals, and probably use a lot of resources to make (especially if you have several!). Most days I find that all I need are my license, money, phone, keys, and chapstick. When it comes down to it, that's really not that much. I recently bought this coin pouch that is no larger than a debit card, and it fits my needs perfectly. Better yet, it is made out of recycled plastic! So, how do I manage? It helps that it is winter and so I am always wearing a coat with pockets. My money and license fit perfectly in the pouch, and then I just use my pockets for my phone, keys, and chapstick. In the summer this might need some adjusting, but we'll see. It works for now and if I can make it a habit then it will also save some resources.

Reuse tea bags

 

It is common to use a tea bag once to make a cup of tea and then immediately throw it away. But what if once you finish that cup you realize that you want another? You can reuse the tea bag. Yes, reuse it! You're tea won't be any weaker or less delicious, I promise. Save yourself from having to open up a whole new package. Simply steep that same bag in hot water again, and voila! 

95% Savings

You are always told to recycle, and I am sure that you know to recycle aluminum cans, but have you ever been told why? Recycling aluminum cans actually uses 95% less energy than making a new can from bauxite ore requires. I knew that recycling saved energy, but I never realized how huge the energy saving was! 95%! And by recycling we are also avoiding needing to mine and strip the earth of natural resources. Mining is a hugely disruptive and polluting action of natural environments and ecosystems. So, hopefully recycling cans has a new meaning for you now.

Floor Heaters Need Space

 

It is important to remember not to crowd floor heaters. If you place your furniture right up against the heater then the heat will be blocked from spreading into the room. This will lead to inefficiency and will probably cause you to turn the heat up higher and longer than you would need to otherwise. If it is unavoidable that you put furniture in front of a heater, be sure to leave space (maybe 6 inches minimum) between the wall and the furniture. You need to allow it to actually do its job, and that job is increasingly important during these chilly months.

Cantle Piece (Can-Mantle)

If you have a mantle or shelf where you place all of your fancy knick knacks and decorations, here is a new idea: decorate with fancy cans and bottles. It is not the most elegant of decorations, but who cares. Some labels can be really flashy with bright colors or cool designs. And, if they don't really have anything special to them then you can decorate them yourself and turn them into a nice piece of art. Do whatever you have to do to keep your items from being waste. Maybe having a few cans around will remind you that waste can't really go "away". It is going to stay with us for the rest of our lives, so we might as well enjoy it if we can.

Wrapping with Newspaper

 

It may be a little late for a Christmas post, but for the future: wrap presents in newspaper. It achieves the same goal as wrapping paper but it is reusing something old rather than using something new. Also, newspaper is not glossy or anything so it is probably easier to recycle or biodegrade. You'd think that the paper would be boring or ugly but I actually got kind of excited about what was on the paper. If nothing else, your gifts will be unique.

Coffee & Plates

 

If you frequent Starbucks or any other coffee shop a lot I am sure that you've gotten something to eat there while you study or work. Usually it is given to you in a paper bag. But, if you're staying in the store then you really don't need the bag. I was in Starbucks the other day and ordered banana bread. I was working at a table that was just a few feet from the counter, so the bread was literally in the bag for no more than a minute before I took it out. The bag was really not used. Instead, ask for your order "for here" or "on a plate"... whatever it takes. They should give you a ceramic, reusable plate that will serve its purpose much better than the bag. Unfortunately, despite my request, I still received this bag. I assume there was just a miscommunication, because I have seen it done before. Keep trying!

Tape

 

Here is a product to keep an eye out for at the grocery store or office supply store: greener tape. I like the title, because it is "greenER" not "green". I am not sure that they meant it that way, but anyhow...the tape is made of 75% recycled OR plant-based materials. I am not really sure what the "or" means and this product might not be quite as exciting as it initially looks: but it is something! They are on the right track. Greenish tape is better than ordinary tape.

Homemade bottle

 

Now it might be a little late to make any Christmas presents like this, but here is an idea for the future!  My uncle made this decorative bottle out of an old wine bottle that he found at my grandmother's house and a string of battery operated lights.  He drilled a hole through the side with a drill bit so that the battery pack could rest outside of the bottle. I'm sure if you looked you might find some kind of lighted bottle, but none as special as this. Reused and homemade is just better! Better for the environment and better as a thoughtful gift. Old or new, pretty bottles can always be used for all sorts of crafty things.

Recycle Your Chapstick

 

Have you ever thought about recycling your chapstick once you were done with it? I never have, until I saw this picture on the side of a Burt's Bees chapstick. Now I couldn't tell you the last time that I actually finished a chapstick because it does take a while. But the next time that you do, recycle it! This chapstick says it is made with #5 plastic so make sure that your town takes #5 plastic first. If it does, great! If it doesn't, take it to a Gimme 5 box.

Wrapping Ingenuity

 

In my last post I mentioned saving wrapping paper strips for things like bookmarks. Well here is an even better idea! If you're wrapping things in tissue paper, attaching stickers, tape and bows to them is pretty much death. The paper rips too easily if you try to remove those things. Here is a solution! Secure the tissue paper around the present using solely ribbon. This does the same job as tape, without the permanent impact! Then loop a strip of used wrapping paper around the ribbon, and use that as a tag (to: _, from:_). 

The strip is used and the paper is saved! This is a win win wrapping design. Have fun!

Wrapping Strips

 

If you're finding old wrapping paper scraps to reuse from last year but there's some rips and tears in them: just work around them! You can trim the edges off and it should still fit your gift. Then, instead of throwing all of those strips out find a use for them! Book marks and scrap paper are always my default. 

Recycled Purses

 

This coin pouch is made entirely out of recycled juice boxes, and you'd never know! It might not sound nice, but it still looks nice. If you have a weakness for purses, look into one of these. It might spruce up your collection, or make a great gift! Usually with these kinds of items, the profits also go to nonprofit organizations. This pouch benefits the KILUS Foundation.

Plain Is The New

 

When you are wrapping presents this holiday season, don't go for extravagant. I found this old plain paper that would otherwise go unused, and wrapped a present with it. It may not look the most exciting, but it does the same job and will feel the same when my friend opens it. I could add a bow or a ribbon maybe, or I could even draw on it and decorate it myself, but I was satisfied with plain. Because it is what's inside that counts the most, right?

Newspaper Pencils

 

Next time you're in search of something to write with, don't settle for ordinary pencils. Look for recycled newspaper pencils! They use our garbage and turn it into something useful! They come with cool writing designs as well.

Happy Birthday!

 

Happy Birthday! But wait, those candles are still good! You only lit them for 30 seconds!

When you light candles for a birthday cake, or any other purpose, blow them out, cool them down, and stash them away for next time. Candles don't have to be one time use. Their still good, I promise! So keep them around, don't throw them out yet!

Clothes box

 

Consider wrapping your presents in clothing boxes. These boxes often have cute designs on them already, so no extra paper is necessary. They also do not rip as easily as paper might so they can be reused for longer. There is not really an excuse to throw them out, and they don't produce that much waste! And don't worry, just because they're called clothing boxes doesn't mean that you have to put clothing in them. If you have something that would not fit in this shape, there are plenty of other boxes out there that are different shapes but have the same idea.

Peanut Disaster

 

We don't always have control over how boxes are shipped to us, but if you have any control over it: avoid this! This is an unnecessary packing peanuts disaster. Little bits of styrofoam that get all over the place and don't biodegrade sounds like a nightmare. This box contained an empty photo album which would have been fine without any peanut padding.

Thrifty!

 

Look at what I found at a thrift store! A perfect little dog sweater! 

This season consider looking for gifts and clothing at a secondhand store. You might think it sounds gross or creepy to get something used, but I promise that it is not that bad! It might be a hit or miss kind of way to shop, but it is fun to get something a little worn in and off beat. I think that this kind of store is great because it is making do with stuff that we already have, rather than creating new stuff. 

Contain The Excitement

 

When you open your gifts try to save the paper. I know you might be excited, but try not to rip the paper! Contain yourself! Opening the package just a little bit more carefully goes a long way. This way, you can reuse the paper next year and generate less trash. If not, at least the bows are easier to save! Rip them off of the paper if you must, but keep them somewhere safe (anywhere but the trashcan or the yard!). 

And hey, opening the packages more delicately might make your special day last longer too!

Useful Scraps

 

If you find yourself trying to wrap a particularly large package that is just too big for the wrapping paper roll...give up! Instead, use odd ends and scraps of paper (that you've saved from previous years of course) to cover the package. If you have a little patience it will be a good use for all of those pieces you may not have been able to use otherwise. The gift will certainly look unique too!

Give The Gift of Food

 

If you're not sure what to give for Christmas this year, make it! Food will always be a good gift because everyone loves to eat! You can be sure that your present will not end up in a landfill or in the ocean. And your recipient will probably reuse the container that you put it in as well.

Reclaimed Edgings Are Hot

 

If you buy firewood, consider getting something like this: reclaimed edgings from local wood mills. It takes scraps and uses them rather than throwing them away, and it prevents new trees from being cut down. Make use with what you have, I like to say! As the tag says, Save our forests! 

Terracycle For Christmas

 

Are you stumped on what to get your friends and family this Holiday Season? Do you want to avoid being "trashy" but don't know how best to do that? Consider getting gifts from Terracycle.com. Terracycle is a company that takes trash and turns it into usable, practical items. Then in turn, anyone can buy those "upcycled" items and enjoy. Trash is removed from a landfill and someone gets a really cool gift. Yay!

A Foot of Innovation

 

Let's admit it, I am short. And the desk that I use is kind of high. Therefore, my feet do not touch the ground when I sit at my desk. I was going to ask for one of those footrest things for underneath desks for Christmas, but then I realized that I didn't really need one. All I needed was an object that my feet would reach. For example - an old 1-800 pet meds box. Perfect! Most of us already have too much stuff, so don't add to the clutter unless you need to. Find solutions to your problems by finding uses for things that you already have. 

P.S. The box works great, and it was free (plus shipping and handling), and it is reusable once I am done with it.

Seriously...Get an Energy Audit!!!

 

So a couple months back I suggested getting an energy audit done on your home. Well this weekend I finally had one done on my own home. We recieved $800 worth of free CFL lightbulbs and discovered that our walls had no insulation. The CFL's will save my family about $700 per year, so even if we had bought them on our own they would have paid for themselves within a year. Getting insulation will save on heating as well. Wowza! So really...Get an energy audit!!! It is free of charge (because you are already forced to pay for it in your taxes) and you receive boatloads of free stuff that save you even more money. (And all of those money savings also translate into huge energy savings which translate into environmental savings.) Other than the fact that it was at 8:00 am it was totally painless. So I am telling you, take advantage of your home energy audit!

*pictured above are all of the light-bulbs that got removed and replaced with CFL's...that's 8 boxes full!

Bamboo Birdhouse

 

I know that I have posted about birds before. When we cut down trees and forests we take away bird habitats, so it is important that we put out houses and feeders to help them out. But additionally, check out this cool thing! It is a birdhouse made entirely out of bamboo! Bamboo is incredibly renewable...it grows up to 2 feet per day! This house is made by Duncraft (in case you were interested) and is said to decompose after 4-5 years of use in about a year. So to recap: it is made from renewable resources and does not make any trash when you are done with it. Let the bird-mating begin!

All I Want for Christmas is Some Nice Clean Air

 

UPS offers emission free shipping when you want to send a package with them. Depending on what kind of shipping you require it is only $0.05 to about $0.75 I believe. Your extra cents will go to things such as reforestation, landfill gas destruction, wastewater treatment, and methane destruction. These types of services help to offset the carbon output from the trucks, planes etc. that UPS uses to ship. Since shipping uses so much fuel and energy it is great that they are trying to offset their impact. So, while you are shipping all of your boxes this holiday season think of adding a few extra cents to your bill for Mother Nature and cleaner air. Because I know that all I want for Christmas is some nice clean air!

Therostats Need Sleep Too

 

Running your thermostat as little as possible is best. We all know not to set it too high, and to get a programmable one so that it is only on when we are home.However, what about at night? Have you ever thought of that? Obviously we don't want to freeze at night and wake up to an icy house. However, there is no need to set it to the normal 68 degrees or whatever your normal is. If you're unconscious, bundled up under layers of blankets I do not think that your body will mind if the heat is down to 60 degrees or whatnot. Just set it to turn down around the time that you usually go to bed and then to turn back up about 30 minutes before you usually get up.

Clipping Your Nails Outside

 

Now I am sure that nail clippings are never an issue when it comes to trash dumps and pollution...but they are all natural and don't really neeeed to be thrown in the garbage. Instead, choose to clip your nails outside. In the summer it is nice to catch a little sun and not worry about getting the clippings all over the floor or the table. In the winter when it is colder this may not be so nice, but maybe a little outdoors might still be nice. If not, chuck 'em out the window when you're done!

BuyGreen.com Surprise!

 

I recently ordered from buygreen.com. It is website full of useful, environmentally friendly things! When I first opened the package I realized that it was unusual, and was confused as to why the box said Duracell on it. Then I realized, duh! They reused packaging to ship me my order! How appropriate. I love this so much. They even put a sticker on the side about shamelessly reusing packaging. So, if you're looking for some joy this season, order something from buygreen.com! Who knows what kind of box it will come in!