For The Home | 5 Minutes For Going Green

Category Archives: For The Home

Green Resolutions Anyone?

Written on November 25, 2008 by Guest Contributor

It dawned on me today that since summer ended time seems to be moving in fast forward and the new year is fast approaching. What better time for me to meditate on my New Year’s Resolution!

As cliché as it sounds, the Type A side of me loves to make goals and see them come to fruition. Let’s see, in 2008 I tried to share my true feelings instead of sugar coating. (Some would say I do it really well now!)

After some thought I decided that my resolution for 2009 will be to eat only organic foods, with a focus on locally grown products.

in All About Us, Eat to Live, For The Home, Frugal Living, Green Holidays, Green Outreach, Green Parenting, Green Thoughts, The Green Consumer

- 1 Comment

Programmable Thermostat Giveaway!

Written on November 24, 2008 by SusanC

80 Comments

It’s that time of year again. The time of year when slippers become a daily staple, hot tea seems to pour itself in your mug, and heating bills begin to climb to sometimes uncomfortable levels. The Home Depot wants to help you save energy and money this brisk winter season (and all year round), but we’ll get to that in just a moment.

First, let’s talk for a few minutes about programmable thermostats and what they can do for you and your home.

A programmable thermostat monitors the temperature of your home while you’re asleep or away. For example, the Rite Temp 7 Day Programmable Thermostat, an ENERGY STAR-qualified thermostat available at The Home Depot, offers temperature programming for every day of the week.

in Conservation, For The Home, Frugal Living, Got Energy?, Green Giveaways, Reduce Reuse Recycle, The Green Consumer

- 80 Comments

Recycled Note Of The Week: Ecojot

Written on November 11, 2008 by SusanC

2 Comments

This week’s Recycled Note Of The Week comes from Ecojot, a Canadian based environmentally friendly stationary line designed by Carolyn Gavin.

The paper comprising all Ecojot’s cards, notebooks, agendas, and file folders are created from 100% post-consumer recycled content, which means no new trees are ever used in their creation and printing process.

The three notebooks above came in a set I found at Powell’s, but there are many other colorful and eco-centric designs on Ecojot’s website. I liked these because they were simple and perfectly pocket or purse-sized, while also rocking three re-purposed mantras which make them not only great for list-making, but as a thoughtful and eco-friendly gift, too.

in For The Home, For The Office, Great Green Finds, Recycled Note Of The Week, Reduce Reuse Recycle, The Green Consumer

- 2 Comments

Sometimes, I’m a Big Green Hypocrite!

Written on November 7, 2008 by Guest Contributor

9 Comments

I am, by no means, perfect when it comes to green living.

There are many, many things I know I can easily replace in my home that consume energy. I can easily do more.

So why don’t I? Because I’m used to convenience. I like my food processor and my coffee maker. I love my vacuum and my lawnmower. I had once made a vow to begin replacing items in my home with green equivalents, if or when they broke down or got used up. Old habits die hard. My first instinct is to head to Walmart and pick up a replacement at a very low, low price.

in Conservation, For The Home, Frugal Living, Got Energy?, Green Thoughts, Reduce Reuse Recycle

- 9 Comments

Save Energy & Win Green With The Home Depot

Written on November 6, 2008 by SusanC

1 Comment

The Home Depot is running a “Save Money. Save Energy. Win Big!” video contest until midnight PST on Sunday, November 9th. The contest winner will receive a $5,000 Home Depot gift card and up to $2,000 for installed insulation or radiant barrier products from The Home Depot Home Services.

How to win these awesome eco-prizes?

Just shoot a short video to show how you are saving money and helping the environment by making your home more energy efficient, and enter it at www.homedepot.com/youtube. That’s it!

The videos should focus on conserving energy in your home and addressing issues to prevent high energy bills – such as the use of dimmer switches, ceiling fans, water conservation and/or insulation.

in Conservation, For The Home, Frugal Living, Got Energy?, Green Giveaways, Reduce Reuse Recycle, The Green Consumer

- 1 Comment

The Undertow of Materialism

Written on November 4, 2008 by Guest Contributor

11 Comments

Trust me, I know how it is. You feel like you can just dip your toe into that ocean of consumerism this holiday season and walk away unscathed. Keeping it simple this year, you say? Not that many gifts or toys or decorations, you promise? And then one turns to two which turns to ten and whoosh! You are swept away. Just like that.

And in that rip current of consumerism, there aren’t only dollars floating into oblivion, there is waste.

Think of all the things thrown away during the holidays: wrapping paper, tissue paper, special little note cards, holiday cards you mail, tape, that do-hicky that holds the tape on your wrist (this includes all those other “helpful” plastic gadgets), shopping bags, receipts, fuel, gas, electricity, food, decorations and the list goes on and on.

in Activism, For The Home, Frugal Living, Green Holidays, Green Outreach, Green Parenting, Green Thoughts, The Green Consumer

- 11 Comments

Filtering For Change

Written on November 3, 2008 by Guest Contributor

9 Comments

I’m not ashamed to admit I’m blogging for The Man.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have been offered the opportunity to blog for Brita’s “Filter For Good” campaign for the next few months. What makes this job sweeter is that for the first time, I’m making money writing about what I love. Every little bit counts, and even though the NINE PAGE contract I signed freaked me out a bit, I felt empowered by my skills as a writer, and felt my passion could be used to influence the masses (or at least, my readers) into taking their green living a step further by pledging to bring filters instead of disposable bottles in their homes.

in Activism, Blog, Conservation, For The Home, Frugal Living

- 9 Comments

Think Green and Party On!

Written on October 31, 2008 by Guest Contributor

3 Comments

Autumn signals party time in our family. Since our sons attend preschool programs specifically designed for children who have birthdays that miss the September cut-off date, not only do my children celebrate birthdays in October and December, so do all their friends.

Now add the other parties for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukah and Christmas, and we are double booked solid each week! Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the social aspect, getting together with friends to play dress up and catch up; however, I abhor the waste of it all. We’ve already started using better choices for the things we can control like the hostess gifts and wrapping, but what about all the disposables you see at parties?

in Blog, For The Home, Frugal Living, Green Parenting, Reduce Reuse Recycle

- 3 Comments

Hide Those Plastic Bags Quick! The Green Police Are Coming!

Written on October 29, 2008 by Guest Contributor

4 Comments

green police car Shhhh . . . the green police are coming.

I had a party to celebrate my 40^th birthday and invited several of my “green” friends. I was so excited for them to come – some of them I only knew from blogging and was thrilled to meet them in person. But, what did I do in advance of the party? Did I clean arrange flowers, set out decorations? Not really. I did do some of that. But what I spent most of my time doing was hiding stuff. The not so green stuff we have.

I have always leaned towards green.

in For The Home, Green Parenting, Green Thoughts, Reduce Reuse Recycle, The Green Consumer

- 4 Comments

A Very Merry Green Christmas

Written on October 28, 2008 by Guest Contributor

15 Comments

Christmas is probably the number one most wasteful holiday. We go crazy on gifts, food, decorations, party Green Christmas supplies, etc. So what can we do to GREEN up the holiday?

Here are ten eco-friendly tips:

1. Buy a quality fake Christmas tree and use it forever or buy a live tree to plant every year.

2. Send digital Christmas party invites and Christmas cards or buy ones that are made from recycled paper.

3. Make your own Christmas tree ornaments using natural and/or edible materials like gingerbread cookies, popcorn, and candy canes.

4. Instead of purchasing the usual lights for decoration, think about using LED lights.

in Blog, For The Home, Frugal Living, Green Holidays, Green Parenting, Reduce Reuse Recycle, The Green Consumer

- 15 Comments