Green Looks Good on Everyone | 5 Minutes For Going Green

The Undertow of Materialism

Written on November 4, 2008 by Guest Contributor

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

Around The Greenosphere: Weekly Link Roundup

Written on November 1, 2008 by SusanC

1 Comment

Alison, at Homeschoolers’ Guide to the Galaxy, wrote a post this week sparking thought and discussion regarding green cooking and eating. It’s definitely a hot topic, and one worth pondering and researching further, no matter where you are personally in your great green journey.

Deb and her “marauding band of vintage avengers” are perpetually asking you, “Did you buy that new?” This site is a great resource for great vintage finds, and for creative ideas on what you can do with them! Reduce reuse, repurpose.

Lori Ann over at Simple Makes has a great and informative series of posts on composting geared toward those living in apartments, or in houses sans a lot of yard space.

in Around the Greenosphere, Great Green Finds, The Green Consumer

- 1 Comment

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

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

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