A simple way to go green now is by turning off the water while you’re brushing your teeth or shaving.
On average people brush their teeth for 2 minutes twice a day. If you leave the water running during this time you are wasting about 3 gallons in 2 minutes. By turning off the water you can help save an average of 6 gallons per day. That’s 2,184 gallons of water a year!
What is Earth Hour?
Earth Hour is a global climate change initiative, calling individuals and businesses around the world, to turn off their lights for one hour on Saturday, March 29, 2008 from 8 to 9 p.m local time.
The campaign ran by WWF (World Wildlife Fund), is designed to express that individual action on a mass scale can help change our planet. It’s not just about cutting back for one hour. It’s about taking a stand and thinking ahead about what you can do to slow climate change.
“One person can make a difference. Cities, working together, can change the world.” - WWF & Earth Hour
When you have the option to use a revolving door or a regular sliding door, always use the revolving door. It’s the green thing to do!
By using the revolving doors you will insure that warm air in the winter & cool air in the summer doesn’t escape the building when you enter or leave. This will minimizing the need for fuel to be used to maintain the differential in temperature.
Fleece is not a natural fiber but it is still eco-friendly because it is made from recycled materials like plastic soda bottles. It takes about 25 plastic bottles to make an adult sized fleece garment.
Fleece is the ideal alternative to wool, and is a great cozy layer to wear outdoors or indoors instead of raising the thermostat on those cold days.
One of the most easiest ways to go green in the home is by washing your laundry in cold water and using an eco-friendly laundry detergent. 90% of the energy used by washing machines goes into heating the water. Most clothes really don’t need hot water to get a good cleaning, so why waste the energy. Be green by cleaning green.
Parade day in Chicago on St. Patrick’s Day means dyeing the Chicago river Green! That’s right, every year a small boat goes out on the Chicago river dumping in 40 pounds of green dye turning the river a bright green for four to five hours.
This maybe fun and festive, but is this eco-friendly?
Story has it that in 1966, the environmentalists accused the parade committee of polluting the river, complaining that the dye was oil-based and was detrimental to all living things. Since then, the committee uses a vegetable dye.
But what is really in the dye?
The formula for the dye is a closely guarded secret, so the public will never know for sure, however the committee does insure us that the dye has been thoroughly tested by independent chemists and has been proven safe for the environment.
The Chicago parade will be on Saturday, March 15th 2008 staring at noon and the dyeing of the river starts before that at 10:45.
Easter is right around the corner and fast approaching. Before you know it, it will be Sunday morning, March 23rd, and the kiddies will be racing around the back yard looking for eggs. Instead of using fake plastic eggs, or dying real eggs with those nasty chemically filled pellets that come with traditional decorating kits…Greenify your Easter egg hunt by using free farmed organic eggs & natural dyes.
Natural dyes are awesome. In fact, they give you more color possibilities then the toxic pellets, including every shade of the rainbow from reds to yellows to blues and greens and everything in between.
All you need to do is boil your eggs in water with a bit of vinegar and one of the natural dye ingredients below, then let simmer for at least 15 minutes. And presto! You have beautiful colored organic eggs that are super eco-friendly!
Pink - Use beets, cranberries, or raspberries
Red - Use red onion skins, or pomegranate juice
Orange - Use yellow onion skins, or paprika
Dark Orange - Use chili powder
Yellow - Use carrot tops, ground cumin or turmeric, orange or lemon peels
Green - Use spinach
Blue - Use red cabbage
Lavender - Use purple grape juice
Brown - Use coffee, tea, or black walnut shells
One of the easiest ways to green-ify your life is to use technology. Technology can help you cut down on paper waste, trash sent to the landfill, as well as save yourself money & time. Here are the top 5 ways to use technology to live a greener life and lessen your carbon footprint on the environment.
1- News - Read news & celebrity gossip online instead of receiving a daily newspaper or weekly magazine
2- Cards - Send e-Cards & e-Invite instead of traditional cards & invites
3- Meetings - Set up a video conference with iChat AV & iSight instead of traveling for meetings
4- Bills - Use online bill pay to pay your bills instead of mailing them in the traditional way
5- Music - Download your favorite music from iTunes instead of buying a new CD
Most electricity is used and wasted when products are plugged in but not turned on. Save the environment and money on bills by unplugging appliances or turning off the power strip when products aren’t in use.
Got a new toothbrush? Don’t know what to do with the old one?
Don’t throw them away. Instead toss them in the dishwasher for a good sanitizing, and use them around the house. They are great for cleaning just about any small space in your home, car or office.
Top 10 Ways To Re-Use Your Old Toothbrush:
1- Spot clean laundry, carpet or your furniture upholstery with a non-toxic cleaner & scrub the spot with your old toothbrush
2- Clean vents, blinds and window screens with your old toothbrush and some warm soapy water
3- Make your jewelry shine again with your old toothbrush and some warm soapy water
4- Scrub around the blades of your manual or electric can opener with your old toothbrush and some warm soapy water
5- Scrub shower corners, tile and tile grout with your old toothbrush and an eco-friendly cleaner
6- Clean out electric razors with your old toothbrush
7- Clean under your finger & toe nails with your old toothbrush and some warm soapy water
8- Clean and oil tools and car parts with your old toothbrush
9- Save your fingers and clean your cheese graters with your old toothbrush
10- Use your old toothbrush for any fun and funky art project
