"It's Not Easy Being Green" But Here's 8 Quick Tips!!

"It's Not Easy Being Green" But Here's 8 Quick Tips!!

Last Christmas everyone on my list got cloth shopping/grocery bags. I wrote a silly little rhyming poem to go with about going green.

It was a really enjoyable project, actually. I made them out of material I’d saved since my children were small and lived endlessly in “jam pants” and lounging pajamas. It was always fun to pick out materials that matched their personalities, or events in their lives at the time, and I took the idea forward to 2010 with my GREEN bags.

My son in Alaska got Green Bay Packers Bags and Moose; My gardener friend got flowers and teacups; Another received varieties of sunflowers; Another son got …Green Bay Packers Bags and Holstein Cow Patterns (he lives in Wisconsin) …anyway, you get the idea.

The best is – the bags are eye-catching and “spread the word” about being GREEN just by being visible. I can't tell you how many conversations were started over inquiries about the bags.

It helps tie in with the latest catch phrase – Reduce, Re-use, Recycle – because we need to change, and we need to inspire others to do the same.

REALTORS and real estate agents have the opportunity for further education, and NAR has added Green Features to MLS listings. As consumers, ask your agent about GREEN features. You can search for homes that have solar panels, solar water heaters, multi- paned windows, ceiling fans, sun screens, energy star appliances, and so forth. Cari Genarelli wrote a great post on picking your green "battles" here. If we all remember, a little dab’ll do ya – for starters – we can’t help but rub off on others.

Here’s eight quick tips on how you can get started:

1. Reduce: use less (Try using both sides of your copy paper in your printer, wrap gifts in newspaper, use email instead of paper, eat your leftovers)
2. Reuse: Use your shoe boxes to organize your bathroom niceties or organize your sock drawer, use socks as dust rags, 2 lb coffee containers as sink-side compost until you empty them in your outdoor compost.
3. Recycle: Many communities have curb-side pickup now which makes it easy. Be sure you know WHAT can be recycled, and remember it has to be clean. (No pizza boxes oozing with tomato sauce and cheese) Buy a filtered water dispenser rather than plastic throwaway bottles, use your plastic shopping bags several times, or for pet litter, or vanity trash can liners. Cathy Dick has a great post on here that shares how to dispose of hazardous, or poisonous materials and where to look for recycling drop off areas to avoid contaminating the earth.
4. Use power thriftily: Un-plug chargers, light switches off, use low-power settings
5. Protect our Water resources: Repair dripping faucets, catch drips in containers to use for watering plants, water garden plants early in the morning
6. Shop Naturally: Look for labels like Energy Star or Green Seal, look for keywords such as organically grown, farmer’s markets, recycled materials, produced locally, water efficient
7. Show off: Blog about community businesses that promote sustainability and green practices, shop with your new Bags!
8. Walk: Get healthy, save gas, map what areas are “walkable” in your community. Michael Caruso has a great blog here! Support your local community!

If you'd like more information on recycling in Tucson, AZ, please check out my blog posting here on places you can take your STUFF!

Reprinted from my Active Rain Blog 6/2010