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Don’t feel like washing your hair today…No worries, it’s ok, you’re helping the environment.

That’s right, oily, unwashed hair can destroy dangerous pollutant ozone. Scientists at Missouri University of Science and Technology discovered that dirty hair absorbs seven times more ozone than clean hair.

I know what you are saying…absorb the ozone? But I thought we needed to protect & save it.

According to the EPA, ozone is a gas that occurs both in the Earth’s upper atmosphere and at ground level. Ozone can be “good” or “bad” for people’s health and for the environment, depending on its location in the atmosphere. In the troposphere, the air closest to the Earth’s surface, ground-level or “bad” ozone is a pollutant that is a significant health risk, especially for children with asthma. It also damages crops, trees and other vegetation. It is also a main ingredient of urban smog.

Ok, so how does not washing my hair actually helps the environment?

The explanation is strictly chemical: The oil in our unwashed hair and skin contains double-bonded molecules, including triglycerides, fatty acids, and a substance called squalene, that latch onto the ozone (O₃), neutralizing it before we have a chance to breathe it in.

Unfortunately, though, it’s not without its drawbacks. The absorption process causes by-products like formaldehyde and other irritants.

Need a new scratch pad for making grocery lists, notes or doodling?
Why not make one?
Yeah, make one!

You can do this in two easy steps and by reusing your scrap paper.

Step 1: Depending on the size of the scrap paper, cut it into halves or quarters.

Step 2: You can then staple the paper (blank side up) together to make a little notebook, or punch holes and string the paper together with a little string or twine, or use a clip board and tuck all the scrap paper under the clip for easy note taking.

If you eat a lot of pasta, like I do, you always have lots of glass jars in your recycle bin or trash can from all the red sauce. I like to keep my glass containers out of the landfill by reusing.

Here are my top 5 ways to reuse glass jars:

1- Vase: Glass jars make great vases and you can decorate them to match any decor.
2- Paint Container: Just fill with a little paint and away you go. Glass is great for this because it last longer than plastic, and it doesn’t stain.
3- Piggy Bank: Jars make great banks. Simply cut a slot in the lid to put change in, and before you know it, it will be full and time to go to the bank to cash in. You can also decorate your new penny saver to match any decor.
4- Planter: Put pebbles in the bottom of a small jar, then fill with potting soil and a small plant.
5- Candleholder: This is a great project for any size glass jar. Use glass paint to create a stained glass look, then place a soy candle at the bottom for a great glow.

Do you wear glasses? Do you have old ones laying around the house not really sure what to do with them? Why not Donate them. New Eyes For The Needy recycles donated glasses for distribution to indigent people in developing nations worldwide.

All you have to do is mail your old glasses to New Eyes in a padded envelope or box using the least expensive method of shipping (the cost of shipping is tax-deductible) to their office in New Jersey. That’s it!

For some reason I always have extra socks and can’t find the matching pair. Instead of just tossing those extra socks out, I reuse them.

Here are my top 5 ways to reuse socks:

1- Pet Toy: Get creative & make new toys for your dog by turning your old socks into tugging toys.
2- Dusting: Put one sock over your hand, add some eco-friendly cleaner and dust furniture or window blinds.
3- Cold Compress: Cover a bag of ice to make it more comfortable.
4- Hot Compress: Fill sock with rice, heat in microwave & applied to the body to help relieve pain.
5- Sock Monkey: This is a really fun activity for those rainy days.

Father’s day is right around the corner, and the big question is what to give the big guy that is impossible to shop for?

Don’t worry…The Go Green Blog has your back.

Here are the top 10 green gifts to give your papa this year and lessen your carbon footprint on the environment.

1- A Hammock made from recycled plastics
2- Organic beer or whiskey
3- Organic cotton tee shirts
4- A hemp backpack
5- A bamboo robe
6- Solar powered charger for all his gadgets
7- Fair Trade treats like nuts or chocolates
8- Tickets to a sports event
9- Donation to a charity or an organization in your Father’s name
10- Fleece jacket made from recycled plastics

Are you shopping for a new washing machine? Consider buying the front-loading style. Front-loading washing machines use 40 percent less water, 50 percent less energy, and less detergent than the traditional top-loading washing machines. Plus they spin more water out of the laundry, which means drying time is cut and in turn even less energy is used. So, greenify your wash by buying and using a front-loading washing machine instead of the traditional top-loading machines.

Like soup? What about all those cans? Keep those tin cans out of the landfill by reusing.

Here are the top 5 ways to reuse tin cans:
1- Pots for Plants: Punch a few holes in the bottom for drainage and fill with dirt & a small plant.
2- Tealight Candles Holders: Punch some holes in the sides & place a small soy candle at the bottom. This works best with smaller cans.
3- Pen, Pencil, Marker Holder: Decorate your can holders to match any office or studio decor.
4- Workshop Organizer: Drop all your extra nuts, bolts & screws in different cans and label them for easy finding.
5- Telephone: Punch a hole at the bottom of 2 cans, string together with string & presto! You got yourself a telephone toy.

When defrosting frozen foods, either plan ahead by placing frozen items in the refrigerator overnight or defrost them in the microwave rather then running them under warm water. By doing this, you have the potential to save 50 to 150 gallons of water per month.

Greenify your family’s dinner by planning ahead!