Written on
April 20, 2009 by
SusanC
Most of you have probably heard by now that Earth Day is just around the proverbial corner, slated for this upcoming Wednesday, April 22nd.
I’m sure you’ve seen television spots, heard radio announcements, and read other green sites preparing to embrace the day, and the entire week, with wide open hearts and minds, in the hopes that together we can make a difference for our one and only planet.
Here at 5MinutesForGoingGreen we’re preparing for our own Earth Day shindig of sorts, gearing up to offer a slew of green products for you to read about and win ALL WEEK LONG, in addition to links galore, and helpful tips for how you can maximize your contribution to making our planet a greener place to be, five minutes at a time.
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Written on
April 17, 2009 by
SusanC
With spring finally in full force in most areas around the country, many people are tackling, or finishing up, their deep cleaning to welcome summer.
Something you may not have considered cleaning, however, is the air in your home. Did you know that most homes have much higher percentages of air pollution than anything you would find outdoors? Scary, but true!
So, what can you do to help clear the air? Well, there are a few simple steps you can take to help your family breathe easier.
-Open the windows and let the fresh air in! In our efforts to seal every nook and cranny in the summer and winter months so as to not let in (or out) any hot air, making our homes more efficient, we often don’t consider that we are trapping in the pollutants along with the temperature.
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Written on
April 14, 2009 by
SusanC
Today is little Maddie’s funeral, and in remembrance her parents have asked everyone to sport a bit of purple for the day, in memory of a beautiful little girl who left this world too soon, but left it brighter, warmer.
For this week’s Recycled Note Of The Week I wanted to sport a bit of purple, too, and so here are some lovely cards of the purple persuasion that happen to be made from recycled materials, too.
White Spring Flowers
Sweet, unique, blooming flowers wrap-around both sides of this set of 4 note-cards. Solid purple inside.
Card Size: 4.25 X 5.5
Printed on 100% recycled paper.
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Written on
April 13, 2009 by
SusanC
In my opinion, the word “reinvent” should absolutely be added to the “R’s” of recycling- as in Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Reinvent!
Okay, I know, it is similar to reuse, but really, when I think of the word “reuse” it just implies to me that I should use the same thing repeatedly-such as cloth grocery bags. Recycle is also a similar term, but it always conjures images in my head of blue curb-side bins and pop cans. Reinvent, on the other hand, involves giving new spunk and life to an old, or apparently unusable, item to make it useful once more!
Recently I have come across some fun ideas that will hopefully inspire you to look for ways to reinvent items in your own home.
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Written on
April 13, 2009 by
SusanC
The winner of the recycled scarf giveaway is commenter #2, The Green Yak!
Congratulations, and happy! Monday.
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Written on
April 9, 2009 by
SusanC
Every week or so we use this space to feature a recycled note or three from some of our favorite online sources. This week’s recycled note of the week comes from The Craft Pantry, a Pacific Northwest etsy shop featuring a variety of recycled goods perfect for your home or office.
Here are a few of my favorites from the shop:
Folklore Garden Cards (set of four)
Folklore Garden is designed using my own original digital drawing. A set of 4 Cards, top fold, blank inside, logo on back of card. Cards measure 4.25″ x 5.5″ & include envelopes.
I use the finest materials when making my cards.
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Written on
April 8, 2009 by
SusanC
Yesterday April 7th Heather and Mike of The Spohrs are Multiplying* lost their two-year-old little girl.
As Susan and Janice announced this morning, today the online community is mourning a loss so genuinely and heartbreakingly felt, but what is more, we are spreading the word about donating in Maddie’s name, so that more children can benefit, survive, and thrive with the help provided every day by the March of Dimes.
You can read more about Maddie here, and donate in her name to the March of Dimes using the widget to the left, or by visiting her page, here.
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Written on
April 6, 2009 by
SusanC
Yes, you heard me, in addition to the last few weeks talking about using cloth for your kiddos, now I want to talk about cloth for you!
Alright, before you freak out and think, “Now this woman has totally lost it!” Hear me out!
Shouldn’t the same reasons we use for cloth diapering our little ones (reducing trash, avoiding toxins, saving money, pure comfort) be the reasons we consider using cloth for ourselves during that certain time of month?
Once again, I understand the aversion and used to have the same one! I used to think, “Wow, that is just way overboard and definitely only for hard-core hippie women.” Then I had my son and ended up using disposable pads for eight straight weeks after his birth.
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Written on
April 1, 2009 by
SusanC
Every week or so we use this space to feature a recycled note or three from some of our favorite online sources. This week’s recycled note of the week comes from Moderne Motive, a shop that specializes in eco-friendly stationary and other fun paper goods.
I was instantly drawn to this shop because of the clean and lovey-dovey designs, and here’s where I show you my three favorites from the shop:
Psst, I love you…
– listing is for 1 card/envelope
– measures approximately 4.25” (W) x 5.5” (H) folded
– printed on 100lb FSC certified 100% PCW cover stock in cool white*
– partnered with a 80lb FSC certified 100% PCW envelope (A2) in cool white*
Krafty Hellos
From the seller:
This card set is perfect for everyday use.
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Written on
March 30, 2009 by
SusanC
Over the past few weeks I have been doing a little rundown on what modern cloth diapering really looks like, and a few comments have been made with curiosity about how early my son potty trained. If you don’t recall from earlier posts, by 16 months he learned to pretty much exclusively go poo on the potty and by just over two-years-old he was fully potty trained (aside from nights).
Now, I must admit, these early results were prompted not only by our cloth diapering (which I do believe helped tremendously) but also by our elimination communication efforts.
So, what exactly is elimination communication (EC), you ask?
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