FreeCycle

If you have not yet tried Freecycle then now is the time to check out the Freecycle group in your area. The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,751 groups with 6,761,000 members across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (good people). Membership is free. To sign up, go to Freecycle.org and find your community by entering it into the search box above or by clicking on “Browse Groups” above the search box. Have fun!

Notes from a Plastic Bag-Free Fanatic!

I recently started the spring semester of college. (Those of you who know me personally know that I have gone back to school after a 27 year hiatus.) I am taking watercolor again this semester, I am not sure if this is just to torture myself and the professor I had last semester or if I truly have found a passion in the class that nearly killed me, but I digress.
Last semester I carried my large sheets of watercolor paper to school in the cardboard box that I received them in, I like that box, it is just the right size! However, it is a bit awkward to tote around, and it is getting a little worn around the edges. So I decided to make myself an oversized tote to carry my cardboard box in, hoping to keep my box and art protected from the elements this semester.
Doug and I went to the fabric store and I made my selection from the remnant pile and headed toward the check stand. I was a little distracted as I was checking out and I forgot to tell the checker that I did NOT need a bag, so she handed over my fabric in a plastic bag. Of course I told her, that I really didn’t need the bag. In fact I was trying to save the world from plastic bags, one bag at time and that I hoped the folks in line behind me would pass on bags as well. Again those of you, who know me, KNOW that everyone heard my story, as I am no shrinking violet. I noted to myself that the lady behind me just had a little bit of ribbon in her hand, and those behind her not too much more, certainly none of them would need a bag for these items.
When we got to the car, I begged Doug to wait so I could see if my words of wisdom had touched any of these souls. Had I been able to convert a person to a plastic bag free life with my words of wisdom? Well, Doug was not as interested in my scheme as I was, so he was not planning on waiting, but as he backed out, I saw the woman who was in line behind me exiting the store……GIANT, plastic bag in hand!
I was so bummed, I really thought of all the folks, with her tiny bit of ribbon she would have passed on a bag for sure. I would like to find some explanation that makes me understand this fascination, obsession/addiction some people seem to have with plastic bags. I wanted there to be some happy ending, but alas that was not the case……. So, I guess there should a moral to my story…….however my mother always told me if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all, so I guess I will just have to keep quiet on this one.

Last Minute Green Gifting!

It’s the holiday season, and let’s be honest, time is getting shorter and shorter. We all have those last minute gifts we just have to get. Let’s ensure we get green gifts instead of a gift that is not so environmentally friendly.

Shopping little boutiques in your town may be just what you need. Many offer vintage items. These are great ways to recycle. They offer everything vintage, from clothing, to jewelry and knickknacks. These boutiques also may offer soy candles and homemade natural soaps. These are both great green gifts to give.

Don’t know what to purchase, think gift card. Yes, these may be the easy way out, but when you think of it, they make great green gifts. Take for example online music gift cards. You have just given the gift of music. You didn’t involve wrapping paper or packaging. You didn’t even contribute a CD to the environment. They can download the music straight to their MP3 player.

You can also give a gift of service. This may take a little thought on your part, but will be much appreciated. If you have a single parent on your gift list, you can offer to watch their kids for them. Offer to shovel the sidewalk and driveway for an elderly couple this winter. These are great green gifts that will be very appreciated.

It doesn’t take a lot to give a greener gift. Sometimes it just takes a little more thought.

Have a very green holiday this year.

Who would have thought Microwave Popcorn would be bad for you?!?!?!

Nena Baker, author of "The Body Toxic"(North Point Press, 2008), offers tips for reducing your exposure to everyday toxins. One of her tips that really took me by surprise was this one:

• Don’t Eat Microwave Popcorn. The inside of a microwave popcorn bag is usually coated with a perfluorinated chemical (PFC) called a fluorotelomer that can break down to form perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Designed to prevent oil from seeping through the bag, PFOA can migrate into the food when heated. It has been linked to cancer and birth defects in animals and preliminary epidemiological studies suggest that a pregnant woman's exposure to PFOA may reduce her baby's birth weight. Moreover, the EPA's scientific advisory board has recommended that the chemical be listed as a likely human carcinogen. The good news is that the EPA has asked manufacturers to work toward eliminating PFOA from their products by 2015. While it's unknown what level of exposure from popcorn bags is harmful, Baker says that consumers should be aware that any exposure could result in very long lasting presence of the chemical in your body. Some perfluorinated compounds are extremely persistent and never break down in the environment, she explains.

Tip of the Week

By Solvie Karlstrom |

Reserve a Table for Two—at Home

On average, Americans eat out about five times a week.

All those commercially prepared meals add up to big bucks. The damage for a reasonably priced dinner for two can be $40 or more, while the same meal prepared at home can cost less than half that. This month, try switching just one restaurant dinner a week for a home-cooked meal, and you'll likely have an extra $100 to go towards other expenses, like credit-card bills or those winter boots you've been eyeing.

from The Green Guide, 2008

Home Made Laundry Detergent Recipe

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• 1 Bowl to Mix
• 2 cups Mule Team 20 Borax
• 2 cups Super Washing Soda
• 1 bar of Natural Soap (Dr.Bronners, Kirks Castille, & Ivory work great)
• 10 drops each of Orange, Eucalyptus, Lavendar, and Tea Tree Essential Oil
• Cheese Grater
  
• Processor (Magic Bullet or any brand)
• 1 Container (for the finished powder)

Step1

Grate 1 bar of Natural Soap. My cheese grater works great and it is safe since this is non-toxic.

Step2

This what they look like. Combine 2 cups Borax, 2 cups Super Washing Soda, and the grated bar of soap. All of these can be found in the laundry aisle at the grocery store.

Step3

Essential Oils Add 10-15 drops of each Essential Oil (EO). Orange EO is a degreasing agent. Eucalyptus EO is a disinfectant and a cleanser. TeaTree Oil is a disinfectant. Lavender EO is a great added scent.

Step4

Mix in to a fine powder using a food processor.

Step5

The finished product! Use 1 tablespoon a load!

Are you voting green?

This pollster tip is from one of my favorite web sites, IdealBite!

You are if you car pool to the polls. Assuming it's too far to walk, organize a carpool for Tuesday with coworkers or friends, so nobody, er, forgets to vote, and to combat congestion. That way, no matter who you pick, you'll score a mini victory for the Earth.

The Benefits

• Fewer absentees. If you're cruising to the polls in a group, there's less chance of someone missing out (behold the power of peer pressure).
• Stuffing your wallet, not the ballot box. Splitting transportation costs is another plus.
• Not being late to the political party. Most of us don't have to get on the highway to get to our polling place, but car pooling gives you a license to use the car-pool lane.
• Our exit polls say 'pooling to the polls reduces traffic (and angst over certain politicians' stances on global warming).
  

What ideas do YOU have? We’d love to hear them!

PLASTICS: ILLUMINATED

My friend Lisa Leary posted this on our community forum

and I thought it was such great info, I had to share it here as well!!!! THANK YOU LISA!!!

What can you reuse? What can you recycle? What should you avoid all together? Take a deep breath friends. I am here to simplify what can unfortunately be incredibly complicated. There are codes on the bottom of your plastic containers and it is my pleasure to illuminate what each and every one means to you and to the world. Green knowledge is green power!!!

You can download the below information here.

The number 1 with three arrows around it—PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate):

a) Safe to drink out of ONCE, so do not reuse
b) Recyclable

Example: water bottles

____________________________________________________________ ____________

The number 2 with three arrows around it-- HDPE (high-density polyethylene):

a) Safe but few are reusable, so best to avoid reusing all together
b) Recyclable

Example: Milk bottles

____________________________________________________________ ____________

The number 3 with three arrows around it—Vinyl or PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride):

a) AVOID—emits carcinogenic chemicals
b) Not Recyclable

Example: Shampoo bottles, peanut butter jars

____________________________________________________________ ____________

The number 4 with arrows around it—LDPE (low-density polyethylene):

a) Safe
b) Recyclable BUT only at Whole Foods Market, Wal-Mart and plastic-bag recycling centers

Example: bread and frozen food bags, most plastic wraps

____________________________________________________________ ____________

The number 5 with three arrows around it-- PP (polypropylene):

a) Safe
b) Recyclable BUT only with certain curbside-recycling programs; please check with your local sanitation department

Example: ketchup bottles, yogurt tubs

____________________________________________________________ ____________

The number 6 with three arrows around it—PS (polystyrene):

a) AVOID-- can leach styrene which is a possible human carcinogen
b) Recyclable BUT only with certain curbside-recycling programs; please check with your local sanitation department

Example: Styrofoam containers, take-out food containers, plastic cutlery

____________________________________________________________ ____________

The number 7 with three arrows around it. Includes varieties:

1. PC (polycarbonate):

a) QUESTIONABLE-- Composed of hormone-disrupting bisphenol A
b) Not Recyclable

Example: most plastic baby bottles, “Nalgene” brand and sports water bottles

2. PLA (polylactide):

a) Safe
b) Not Recyclable but can be composted

Example: Plastics made from renewable sources like sugar cane, corn and potato starch