Green Thoughts | 5 Minutes For Going Green

Category Archives: Green Thoughts

Christmas Is Not Your Birthday, Green Edition

Written on November 13, 2008 by SusanC

Christmas is Not Your Birthday is an initiative started by the brains behind CoolPeopleCare.org, in an attempt to redirect the typical holiday hub-bub and excessive consumerism surrounding the holiday season with local outreach, outward thinking, and overall giving.

In 2006 they asked readers from all over the world to simply think outside of themselves, and outside their needs and wants, for that particular holiday season. In 2007 they asked everyone to buy gifts for their friends and family that made a difference to the local and global community, to commit to buying better gifts, purchases that gave back in some way.

in Activism, Conservation, Green Holidays, Green Outreach, Green Thoughts, Reduce Reuse Recycle, The Green Consumer

- 2 Comments

Voluntary Simplicity in a Bad Economy

Written on November 12, 2008 by Guest Contributor

5 Comments

Family

One of the biggest misconceptions that people have about living simple or living in a frugal manner is that it means great personal sacrifice.

Yet the idea behind simple living, or voluntary simplicity as it is also called, is not to live as cheaply as possible, but instead to see just how well you can live on less. It is entirely possible to be perfectly content and have all of your needs met and satisfied by living in a simple and frugal manner, no great sacrifices required. A vow of voluntary simplicity can bring a sense of inner peace and certainly less financial pressure.

in Blog, Eat to Live, Frugal Living, Green Parenting, Green Thoughts

- 5 Comments

Green Gratitude

Written on November 10, 2008 by Guest Contributor

2 Comments

Autumn brings not only a rash of holiday events, but birthday parties for my two sons. So when I started thinking about presents, favors and hostess gifts, I tried to put on my thinking cap (Sister Carolyn would be proud!) and get creative.

Halloween was a breeze. Despite my husband’s protests, we gave out locally produced apples from Nichols Farm purchased at our local Green City Market. Whew! Something I could believe in, an item my kids actually prefer over candy, and used dollars to benefit a local business. Perfect! No plastic crap made in another country to mindlessly buy to give.

in Frugal Living, Great Green Finds, Green Holidays, Green Parenting, Green Thoughts, 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

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

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

Fall Cleanup With A Little Elbow Grease And Manpower

Written on October 27, 2008 by Guest Contributor

2 Comments

Leaves blowing around the yard may be a discouraging sight to the tidy landscaper, but with the right lens, leaves covering the ground can be seen as ample opportunities.

Many outdoorsy folks look forward to the fall as an opportunity to work in their yards during comfortable weather and to get outside and play. Last week, Amy, also known as the Crunchy Domestic Goddess, shared a few tips on how gardeners and composters may make use of fallen brown leaves to create a nutrient-rich compost throughout the year.

When it comes to managing fall leaves, you may also wonder how to remove leaves from your yard in an environmentally friendly way, and whether or not it makes sense to remove leaves at all.

in Clean Air, For The Home, Got Energy?, Green Gardens, Green Thoughts

- 2 Comments

Around The Greenosphere: Weekly Link Roundup

Written on October 25, 2008 by SusanC

1 Comment

It’s Gardenvisit.com’s 10th anniversary, and to celebrate they are giving away free eBooks throughout the month of October. Two titles by Tom Turner are currently available for free download: 24 Historic Styles of Garden Design and The Principles of Garden Design.

Over at Sunnybrook Farm Designs, Rebekah has an interesting post about how to re-purpose old t-shirts into reusable eco-friendly shopping bags. A creative and green alternative to simply tossing your old t-shirts!

Just in time for traditional Fall festivities on October 31st, Ecologue has a post with some great ideas for going green for Halloween, including tips on how to get the most out of pumpkin carving, and how to fashion a one-of-a-kind eco-goodie bag for trick or treating.

in Around the Greenosphere, For The Home, Green Parenting, Green Thoughts, Reduce Reuse Recycle

- 1 Comment

Hard To Be Green When You Need To Dry Clean

Written on October 22, 2008 by Guest Contributor

5 Comments

Help! My healthy, green lifestyle has produced a serious conundrum. On one hand, I am making genuine progress with my health. Acupuncture and massage have improved my sense of well being while giving up dairy has alleviated my chronic sinus condition allowing full, relaxed breathing. Much better.

On the other hand, I am a big admirer of fashion and although I have a very meager wardrobe in comparison to the typical woman, I am left with a tough decision. Where to take my dry cleaning? Although I have many clothes made from eco friendly, organic materials that are able to be laundered, I have a variety of vintage and second hand items that genuinely require dry cleaning.

in Clean Air, Green Thoughts

- 5 Comments

Seeing Green In November: The Energy Crisis On All Ballots This Year

Written on October 16, 2008 by SusanC

2 Comments

It’s the middle of October and election day is fast approaching. With November 4th comes one of the most highly anticipated and unprecedented presidential elections this country has ever seen. This year perhaps more than any other year before it, environmental issues–the idea of a nation learning daily how to go green and greener still–will play a significant role in choosing candidacy, as no doubt our nation’s leadership will help propel or hinder our forward motion in the areas of eco-friendly living and preservation on a global scale.

Feeling strongly that you should make the decision for yourself–and hopefully you already have–I am not here to sway you to one candidate’s side or the other; nor am I here to debate along partisan lines.

in Activism, Conservation, Got Energy?, Green Thoughts

- 2 Comments