While you’re home this weekend, take a few minutes to switch over to paperless billing. These days everyone is offering it, and opting in is as simple as a few clicks on the ‘ol computer screen.
The Pay Off: Less paper in your mailbox and less paper in the landfill.
Photo © Flickr user uzvards
- Algeen Rain Barrel
In a recent post I mentioned that I hoped to add some rain barrels to our yard this summer to cut down on our fresh water usage.
Well, I think I’ve finally found the perfect rain barrel for my family: The Algeen 81002 Agua Rain Water Collection and Storage System (pictured above). It holds 50 gallons of water, and is made of thick, molded plastic (pretty standard stuff); but its styling is definitely a cut-above.
I just love the terra cotta urn design and the built-in planter at the top. This is a rain barrel that actually looks like it belongs in the yard. So nice to find an alternative to those clunky industrial barrels.
While out yard saling the other day, my husband picked up an electric pencil sharpener, and I immediately started to question whether we needed one. I mean, sure we sharpen a lot of pencils at our house, but our little hand-held sharpener has always gotten the job done AND gotten it done without electricity.
Wasn’t it better then, to forgo electricity when we could? To use our own power to complete simple tasks? We decided that it was, and left without the electric sharpener.
Want to cut back on the amount of electricity that you use?
Consider these simple changes:
- use a wisk and a bowl, instead of a mixer
- use a regular razor, instead of an electric razor
- use a hand-held can opener, instead of an electric can opener
- use a crank radio, instead of an electric radio
No Sign
Green living is about what you choose to buy, but it’s also about what you choose not to buy. With that in mind, Sustainlane.com has put together a list of 10 products to ban from your home. Are you still buying any of these items?
Photo © Flickr user TheTruthAbout
Earth Day offers the perfect opportunity to get your green on without spending any of your hard-earned green.
Cash in on these great Earth Day Freebies:
- Get a free roll of Reynolds Wrap Foil made from 100% Recycled Aluminum (while supplies last)
- Receive a free gift from the Disney Store when you bring in three plastic bottles for recycling (rumored to be a stainless steel water bottle)
- Score an organic cotton tote and a sample of shampoo and conditioner from Aveeno (limited quantities)
Know of other Earth Day freebies? I’d love to hear about them.
Still using incandescent bulbs because you can’t justify the cost of CFLs or water-guzzling toilets because you can’t bring yourself to shell out for low-flows? If so, this is the week to move forward with your plans and feel good about it.
Since Earth Day is Wednesday, stores are knocking themself out to earn your go-green dollars. This week, you’ll find deals on everything from biodegradable trash bags to organic fertilizer and energy-efficient appliances.
A few Sale Highlights:
- Lowes is offering a $5 mail-in rebate on all 1-gallon containers of low-VOC Olympic paint
- CVS is offering their store-brand rechargeable batteries buy-one-get-one-free and Go Green biodegradable trash bags buy-one-get-one-half-off
- Walgreens is offering a two-pack of store-brand CFLs for $3.99 with coupon
Rain Barrel
Flowers are nice, but a rain barrel is what I really hope to see in my yard this summer. I just hate using city water to water our veggies and wash our cars, when I know a better alternative exists. So, bring on the barrels, I say!
Want to add rain barrels to your yard? They’re actually pretty easy to make. Check out these instructions from the EPA:
Photo © Flickr user grifay
Eager to upgrade to LED light bulbs, but turned off by the price? Then, ease in with LED nightlights. They sell for as little as $2 a piece, and pack the same high-tech punch.
Why switch to LED nightlights?
Because they:
- use 90% less energy than incandescent nightlights
- cost 27-cents a year to operate
- last 15 times longer
I love the idea of biodegradable trash bags, but they’re just so darn expensive. I mean seriously, you’re buying them to throw away! It’s not exactly the easiest expense to justify.
And while I suspect I’ll eventually make the switch, for now my focus is on trying to limit the number of bags that my family uses. One clever trick that we’ve employed: using the plastic wrap from large toilet paper packages as trash bags.
I figure they were bound to go out in the trash anyway, so they may as well go out as the trash bag instead of as the trash.
Have you found other ways to green your garbage bags?
WRAP-N-MAT
Plastic grocery bags are bad – it’s been drilled into our heads a hundred times over. And yet, very little has been said about plastic sandwich bags. Why is that? They’re just as bad for the environment, and we actually PAY to bring them home!
Determined to cut back on the amount of plastic used in my house, I set out to find a earth-friendly alternative to plastic sandwich bags, and I’m happy to report that I found a great one: the WRAP-N-MAT.
Design-wise it’s pretty simple stuff: just a piece of fabric and a liner that folds around your food and seals with a piece of Velcro, but in action it’s the stuff of genius. When you open the WRAP-N-MAT it becomes a placemat (bye-bye cafeteria germs), and clean up couldn’t be easier. Just wipe off the lining, and store it away until next time.
Want to give WRAP-N-MATS a try? You can buy them direct from the company ($7.50 each and up), or do what I did, and take advantage of the 4-for-3 promotion
over at Amazon.
Photo © Erin Huffsteter
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