Lighting accounts for about a quarter of all electricity consumed in the U.S. That’s a lot of energy. Let’s reduce that by turning off the lights when you leave a room, even if it is just for a short period of time. It’s the Green thing to do!
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.
Everyone is now promoting compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs, as a way to save energy and go green. However, improper disposal of the bulbs creates a hazard, due to the small amounts of mercury each bulb contain.
Don’t worry, things are getting easier!
Home Depot now offers a recycling program for taking back your old CFLs in all of its 1,973 U.S. stores, and will accept any maker’s bulbs.
So don’t worry, it’s okay to greenify your home with CFLs, because you can now recycle them conveniently at your local Home Depot Store.
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.
I don’t know about you…but I receive a new telephone book that is about 4 pounds every couple of months. I never asked for the books & never use them. I just wish I could just stop the waste.
Well now you can!
Yellow Pages Goes Green is this awesome new service that allows consumers to “opt out” of receiving the unsolicited telephone books. The organization will contact the publishers and inform them to stop delivering books to your address. They do this by working with state and local governments on ordinances concerning the delivery of unsolicited telephone books. And best of all…their service is FREE for all consumers.
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.
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
