Go Green (and Blue) in 2008!
They say it’s the year of the rat but I think it should more like the year of the frog. Everything in my “book” should be GREEN! Not only is green one of my favorite colors but I’ve instilled effective methods in my home that makes it easy and fun for my son and I to practice what we preach and take part in doing everything we can to be kind to our enviornment.
I send Zach to school with reusable sandwich “boxes” instead of wrapping them in plastic bags- they are plastic and fit a sandwich perfectly. He also takes a drink in a thermos-so retro but so green! No more juice boxes and no more waste and expense. I can also control what I give him for lunch this way.- no pre packaged food. Homemade is better. I try to pack just one napkin and utensils that can be washed and reused to further minimize waste.
And Zach has a sturdy knapsack made out of recycled materials- Green Earth and Office Supply and www.worldofgood.com sell good ones in kid friendly colors and styles- and they last for years.
Now we stretch computer paper by using both sides of it instead of tossing it in the recycle bin after just one side is used…teachers understand and appreciate this. And we shred some of our paper to use as packing material (we just used it during our last move) and even mulch in the garden. I also now buy “processed chlorine free” (PCF) paper, and the highest percentage of post-consumer recycled (PCR) or post consumer waste (PCW) content. Staples and Office Max both sell good versions of this greener paper. I also look for school notebooks with the same paper- Earth Friendly Second Nature Brand makes good ones.
And of course Zach gets very involved in the household recycling, which we are committed to. He knows where to put bottles, cans and paper and helps keep our home recycling center, organized neat and also ready with a hammer and nails in case he needs to fix something!
Go Green and Stay Green At Home! My top 10 for energy and cost saving tips that are easy in your home.
1. Change standard bulbs to fluorescent models – they last longer, use less electricity. According to energystar.gov: “If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent, we would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of nearly 800,000 cars.” Wow!
2. Lower your thermostat by 1 to 5 degrees and you will save a bundle of money and home heating fuel.
3. Install low flow toilets, showerheads and faucets to save on water – and water bills.
4. Don’t let faucets leak – that wastes water too. It’s easy to replace a leaky faucet yourself! Check out www.barbarak.com for more information.
5. When replacing floorings – choose natural fibers in rugs such as wool,see grass, cotton and silk over synthetics which create more pollution in production and can emit bothersome fumes, especially to those of you who have allergies or who have children with allergies.
6. Putting in a hardwood floor? Consider bamboo instead. It is sustainable,meaning bamboo trees grow fast and easily replace those that are cut down for wood – or use reclaimed wood taken from old houses and barns.
7. Take recycling a step further and consider buying vintage fixtures for renovation projects. Beautiful sinks, tubs, doors, and windows can be found at salvage shops – you get something original and totally one of a kind, and you stop perfectly good stuff (sometimes made even better than new) from ending up in a land fill.
8. Recycle newspaper by shredding it and adding it to your compost pile.
9. If you have a small lawn, try mowing it with a push mower instead of one that uses gasoline or electricity. You get a good workout and it’s free and has no environmental impact. Clippings can go into your garden compost.
10. Buy and use biodegradable cleaning products or make your own. Fume free,and with no dangerous chemicals (for you and the earth) means cleaning is safe and healthy. For example, avoid products that contain chlorine bleach and ammonia, phospahtes, diethylene glycol, nonylphenol ethxylate, and butyl cellosolve, and instead opt for fume free products (read labels) or make your own with pantry items most everyone has on hand, such as baking soda (with a little water it makes a great bathroom cleaner); vinegar and water kills mold; sodium carbonate (washing soda like Borax) cleans clothes and a host of other household surfaces.
Thanks for visitng my blog, hope you got some great information and remember to log on every week for more fix-it advice and tips on saving money and time for easy care-free living in your home.
“If I Can Do It , So Can You”!
Love , Peace & Tools,
Barbara K
