When my family and I began this journey going green, we started with simple recycling. I am telling you- it is really addictive. We began to notice that trips to the alley for the garbage dwindled as the trips to the recycling center increased. Good, but I knew we could do better. The next step was creating ways to discard even less and begin reusing materials more.
Paper was the easiest material in the beginning so we incorporated the following changes in our daily routine:
- Created a recycled paper bin where we went to get paper for art projects, making cards, wrapping presents, packaging supplies for my ebay business, scrap paper, pretend post offices, etc.
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Written on
July 21, 2008 by
SusanC
I never knew raising kids required so much energy! And I’m not just talking about the energy that I expend chasing my kids around all day. I’m talking about the energy I use in my home to feed, wash, entertain, and clean up after them. Americans use nearly a million dollars worth of energy every minute…EVERY MINUTE! The good news is that it’s much easier than you think to reduce your contribution to that figure, trimming your monthly energy bill while helping you protect the planet. Here are some easy ideas for reducing energy consumption in your home:
Control Your Temperature: About 2/3 of the money you spend on energy is used to control your home’s temperature.
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What started as a joke with our neighbor has grown into a tiny obsession in our home. Months ago on a warm spring day our neighbor chatted with my husband Andy and I about the surrounding homes running their AC full tilt so early in the season. Since our windows were open, we could hear the incessant humming of the machines. Who wouldn’t long for the cool, refreshing breeze wafting into their home after a long winter we wondered.
Once the conversation turned to greening our lives, I made a wager with my neighbor that he would turn on his AC before us.
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Written on
July 18, 2008 by
SusanC
People no longer snicker when they learn your latest find was something you picked up at the local thrift store. In fact, thrifting, gifting, swapping, or repurposing (or reusing) your gently used (and sometimes barely hanging on) clothing, books, and other personal items can save you money, and keep a little more green in your pocket.
This hobby is not new to our hippy and hipster era. In the 80’s, a favorite pastime was “thrifting,” which involved shopping at second-hand stores, garage sales, flea markets, etc. in search of that vintage or unusual find. My passion was clothing and I found so many beautiful dresses fit for a princess attending a ball, which I bought, and of course had nowhere to wear.
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Over the last couple years, I’ve gradually been going green, and it’s not until recently that our efforts have been more aggressive. However, with that said, I’ve always taken time to stop and explain to my children every step we are taking, all the whys and all the hows. My children are 12, 10, and 7, so there is quite a bit they understand and can participate in. Plus, I’ve always been the kind of Mom that feels the more communication between my children and me, the better.
When I was in college last year–attempting to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up–not having to make cold lunches every morning for my kids was great.
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When it comes to going green we all want to save our green and not lose it! It can seem as though organic food is more expensive, and frequently people use the excuse of not buying organic food because it costs more. There are simple ways to go green in this department without breaking the bank! Recently, MSN Health even reported how to eat organic on a $7 a day budget, so it can be done! Here are some simple pointers that won’t take too long and can save you money and help you buy organic.
♦Choose to buy organic on some items like milk, cheese or meat.
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With gas prices at record highs and only expected to go up, we all need some reminders on how to save money on gas. Not everyone can afford to switch to a hybrid, nor want to, but there are some simple ways to increase the MPG on your current vehicle. It takes a few changes in driving habits, but once you start, they’ll become second nature and you’ll be saving money before you know it!
