Week 3 - Happy Green Spring

Depending on where you are, it may still seem like winter, but it is at least technically spring now - let's make the season as green as the plants hopefully will be soon! Once again, thanks so much for all of your submissions.

Speak Up:

Earthjustice (earthjustice.org/action): Earthjustice is a nonprofit law organization that represents environmental issues. On their website, they give you many ways to represent important issues, as well. You can use their site as a way of keeping up to date with important campaigns. The link above leads you directly to their page where they list campaigns that you can get involved in, with petitions, letter campaigns, and more.

Support: 

Kohl's (kohlsgreenscene.com): Kohl's department stores are very invested in recycling as much as they possibly can - which extends to whatever their customers can recycle, as well! You can bring in your excess plastic bags, and Kohl's will recycle them for you, which is especially helpful if your local recycling pickup services are lacking. The bin is usually near the customer service counter.

Earth Rated Poop Bags (earthrated.com): If you're a dog owner who needs to pick up after your pet, these are a great, earth-friendly option! Earth Rated sells bags made of recycled plastic, as well as compostable bags.

PerfPower batteries (perfpower.com): These batteries not only contain no lead, mercury, or cadmium, they also come with free recycling! Slip your used batteries into the prepaid envelope and make sure they do not end up in a landfill.

Everyday Living:

Inhabit (inhabit.com): Inhabit is a huge, multi-participant blog that tracks green news and technological innovations in design (including architecture, landscape, interiors, furniture, fashion, and more). They provide showcases for green products to buy as well as DIY projects. It's a big site, so go and explore!

GH Green Living (goodhousekeeping.com/home/green-living): More everyday living tips than you could know what to do with. (And here's where I calm my paranoia that people will stop contributing to this blog - I can always just mine one of these lists on a slow week!)

Reuse a Shoe (nikereuseashoe.com): If you wear your sneakers far past the point of donation (as I tend to), you can recycle them using Nike's Reuse a Shoe project, which turns old shoes into athletic surfaces and other products. Click the above link to find a collection location near you.

Get a low maintenance haircut: Less blow drying and hair products - saving energy, cutting waste, and also giving you more time to sleep in the morning!

Dishrags instead of paper towels: For hands, dishes, and when they're old, cleaning purposes.

Reuse plastic bags: If you have excess plastic bags (as many of us do) and work in retail, see if you can use some of them for customers who request them. (And remember, always ask the customer if they want the bag!) Many stores require you to use their personalized bags, but if you have a chance to make sure fewer bags are purchased, this is a good way to reuse items.

Use newspapers, magazines, paper bags, or old calendars to wrap gifts: We accumulate a lot of paper products in our lives; we might as well put them to more than one use!

Borrow clothes: Have an event to go to but don't want to buy new clothing that you'll only wear on specific occasions? If you have friends your size, you may be in luck. Patti says: "It helps if they like to shop a lot and you don't!"

Buy used: If you do need to shop, consignment shops are your friends. Obviously, this varies by availability in your location. If you're in the Boston area like me, though, there are roughly three billion secondhand clothing stores to choose from!

Take Back the Tap (foodandwaterwatch.org/reports/take-back-the-tap-guide/): We all know that using tap water with reusable bottles is better than buying bottled water. If tap water worries you, the above link has a guide to filtration systems and water testing to let you know how to safely take back the tap.


Stay tuned for a bonus post later in the week, in which the lovely Leah and I will try to convince you to reuse products you hadn't considered reusing before!