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Category Archives: Reduce Reuse Recycle

Green Gratitude

Written on November 10, 2008 by Guest Contributor

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

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

Recycled Note Of The Week: Norie & Lee

Written on November 5, 2008 by SusanC

3 Comments

I found this week’s recycled note of the week at Norie & Lee, an Etsy shop dedicated to fun, lighthearted, and 100% recycled greeting cards.

Here are two of my favorites from the shop, both of them holiday-inspired as December is once again fast approaching (so crazy, that):

To My Favorite Person

Holiday Stokage

Norie & Lee’s clever designs are waterless printed in small quantities with soy-based inks on paper that is 100% post consumer waste recycled, Green Seal & FSC* certified, manufactured with Green-e certified renewable wind-generated electricity and processed chlorine free.

Envelopes are also 100% recycled, with at least 20% post consumer waste.

in Great Green Finds, Green Holidays, Recycled Note Of The Week, Reduce Reuse Recycle, The Green Consumer

- 3 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

Recycled Note Of The Week: Plantable! Cards

Written on October 30, 2008 by SusanC

1 Comment

This week’s Recycled Note Of The Week comes via Round Robin Press, and their “playfully modern plantable cards.”

I’m quite smitten with plantable cards of all genres and varieties, mostly because what’s better than sending a note that after being enjoyed can ultimately be recycled into something lovely and organic?

Round Robin Press has some of the best designed of all plantable cards I have ever seen online or otherwise, and the two below were two of my favorites from the shop.

Plantable Card, The First: Thank You

This gracious-themed card is printed on plantable handmade paper embedded with wildflower seeds, and comes with a coordinating papaya-colored envelope.

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

- 1 Comment

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

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

What’s on Your Reading List this Winter?

Written on October 24, 2008 by Guest Contributor

1 Comment

If you’re a homesteader like I am, or even just a beginner or veteran gardener, chances are, you’ve got some books on your list to dive into now that the outdoor growing, harvest and preservation season is just about over. (Of course, I am speaking for those of us who live in climates where we cannot outdoor garden year round!) It’s important to find new ways of doing things on your homestead, or just refining what you already know. This is why I’ve got quite a few books on my list and my night stand to read during these long winter months.

in Blog, Eat to Live, Frugal Living, Green Gardens, Reduce Reuse Recycle

- 1 Comment