Don’t throw your Christmas tree away!

1.       Instead of throwing your Christmas tree away, consider recycling it. When you are ready to get rid of your tree, contact your local recycling center or division of waste management to see if they are accepting trees. Remove all of your decorations before bringing them in. The trees will be turned into compost. In some cities, the division of waste management will pick up your tree. Often times the tree needs to be cut up or cut in half. Please note that many cities will not accept artificial trees.

2.       If you have property or know someone who does, consider laying the tree outside. Christmas trees can make a great home for mice and birds during the winter.

3.       Rent or share a shredder that will turn the tree into compost. Please note that shredded pine shouldn’t be put directly around plants.

4.       Burn your tree. Use caution because when evergreens dry out they become explosively flammable.

5.       Donate your artificial tree to thrift stores, reuse facilities, churches, schools or community organizations.

6.       If you have a pond, you can place cut-up pieces of your Christmas tree on the bottom to create places for fish to hide.

7.       Start a new compost pile with your tree. The best base for a new compost pile is a layer of thin branches.

Going green with makeup

Many of us want to look good. We use makeup to cover imperfections and enhance our looks. But, we don’t think about what is in our makeup. Many makeup products are toxic and bad for the environment.

●The average woman’s morning routine puts her in contact with a hundred chemicals before breakfast!

●Only 11% of 10,500 ingredients in beauty products have been tested for safety.

 However, there are many makeup products that are less toxic and more environmentally friendly. They may be more expensive but I can tell you it is well worth it!

1.       Organic Wear by Physicians Formula 100% free of harsh chemicals, 100% free of parabens, 100% free of synthetic colors and fragrances, 100% cruelty free. The packaging for compacts has 93% less plastic than conventional compacts. www.organicwearmakeup.com

2.       Sephora

3.       Saffron Rouge This company makes organic and natural cosmetics. They are made from mineral pigments and organic plant extracts. These products do not contain synthetic colors, artificial fragrances, or petrochemicals. http://www.saffronrouge.com/makeup.

4.       Ecco Bella This company provides cruelty free organic cosmetics. There is no animal testing. www.eccobella.com

5.       Stript This is a vegan makeup line. All the products are paraben free. www.striptmakeup.com

*Whole Foods carry many brands of organic and natural makeup.

My transition into living green

●There is always something more you can do to live green.

●It is easier if you make a gradual change into living green.

●Do as much or as little as you want.

●You can even make a change by doing one thing.

Here are the stages I took to living green:

Stage 1:

I made my first changes in college when I learned that I could do more to help this planet.

1.       I stopped getting magazine subscriptions.

2.       I stopped using trays in the cafeteria.

3.       I only washed my clothes when I had a full load. I also started using cold water instead of hot.

4.       I bought reusable bags for groceries.

5.       I started paying bills online.

Stage 2:

These are changes that I made when I lived in Fort Collins.

1.       I started buying used clothes.

2.       We started buying in bulk. We put bulk items in old glass jars and containers instead of throwing them away.

3.       To keep our apartment cool in the summer we shaded our windows. At night we opened the windows. In winter we kept the blinds open so that the sun could come through.

4.       We took our recyclables to the recycling center.

5.       I decided to no longer give material gifts to people. I will now only give food, money, gift cards, concert tickets, etc. to people.

6.       We became vegan! This certainly helps the environment.

7.       We only flush when we poop. We became more conscious of how much toilet paper we were using.

Stage 3:

I made further changes when I moved to Vermont with Kyle.

1.       We stopped buying paper towels and napkins.

2.       I ride the bus to work and walk to town to go to the library, bank, etc.

3.       We stopped using a dishwasher. We have 2 of everything: bowls, plates, utensils, etc. When we finish eating, we clean right away.

4.       We started composting!

5.       I bring a water bottle to work.

6.       We bought seventh generation laundry detergent.

7.       I bought glasses and will eventually wear glasses all the time. I am using contacts right now when I teach skiing. Contacts and saline solution are more things that are added to the dump.

8.       We stopped using bags at the produce section. (I never thought about this for some reason. I guess I just always watched my mom use bags at the produce section.)

Future goals:

1.       Buy reusable bags for bulk.

2.       We are provided lunch at work but they use disposable plates, cups, etc. I want to bring my own Tupperware and utensils.

3.       Use a moon cup instead of tampons/pads. I already bought one onlineJ

4.       Bring our own coffee mugs and Tupperware when we drink and eat out.

5.       I want to use oil lamps and candles instead of using electricity.

6.       I want to start timing my showers and keep them under 5 minutes.

A little farther down the road:

1.       Stop using toilet paper.

2.       Use poop as compost. Think about how much water is used so that we can use the bathroom.

3.       Grow our own fruits and vegetables.

4.       Live off the grid.

Inspired by No Impact Man

I just finished the book, “No Impact Man.” It was fantastic and very inspirational! It is about a man named Colin Beavan who lives with his wife and child in a New York City apartment. He decides to live a year making zero net impact on the environment. That means no trash, no electricity, no elevators, no toilet paper, no toxins in the water, no television, etc.

*There is also a documentary.

No one is perfect. I certainly haven’t been able to become 100% environmentally friendly. I take the bus, watch television, use toilet paper, and turn on lights. However, I am always striving to do what I can. I always have goals and I post them on the refrigerator. All I am saying is for you to be more conscious of what you are doing and how it impacts the world. Reduce your negative impact as much as possible! You can make a differenceJ

How you can be no impact man or woman:

No trash

Don’t buy food with packaging. Use the bulk section and produce section of the grocery store. Don’t use plastic bags at the bulk section, produce section and when checking out. Use reusable bags. You can find reusable food bags here. http://www.etsy.com/shop/kootsac

Don’t use toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, tampons/pads, or disposable diapers. Use cloth diapers.

Alternative to tampons/pads: the moon cup http://www.mooncup.co.uk/

Alternative to disposable diapers: cloth diapers http://fuzzibunz.com/

Compost! Use worms to eat your garbage! http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/2011/05/slimy-pets-to-eat-your-garbage-and-entertain-your-kids.html

Use reusable cups when you go to coffee places. Take reusable containers to take-out places.

Cancel newspaper and magazine subscriptions.

No mass transportation

Walk, bike, rollerblade, scooter instead of taking the bus, subway, train, or car. Don’t go on an airplane.

No electricity

Use oil lamps and candles. Read instead of watching television.

Do it yourself

Make your own cleaners. Use baking soda for deodorant and shampoo.

Don’t buy new products

Borrow, rent or buy used.

Eating

Eat locally

Don’t eat meat. Think about the trees we cut down for pasture land. Think about animal waste going into our waters. Think about the methane farts and burps from cows.

People may think that this is all very depressing and that we will no longer be happy. However, you will realize that you will have more time to spend with people you love and care about, you will eat better, get more exercise, and learn.

Composting 101

We currently live in the basement of a house in Vermont. The lady who owns the house has a compost pile in the backyard. We add to that pile every day! It’s nice for us because we can reduce our amount of waste. There is no garbage pickup in Stowe so we have to take our trash to the dump. It costs $3.50 for two bags.

Why compost?

-Soils and potting mixes that include compost produce healthier plants! It builds good soil structure, enables soil to retain nutrients, protects against drought and protects plants from many diseases.

-It helps the environment by reducing the amount of organic material that goes to waste in your local landfill!

Pick a place for your compost pile

Select a location for composting. The backyard is a great place! You may want to put it near the garden for convenience. Make sure there is good air circulation. Don’t place it next to your house as the decomposing scraps and resulting compost may cause the wood to rot. Partial shade is a good idea so the compost doesn’t get overheated. Also make sure the spot of land where you place your heap gets good drainage.

Create or buy a compost bin

-Collect old pallets. Use one for the bottom. Pound in metal support poles and then add pallets by slipping them over the support poles to make your bin’s walls.

-You can also skip the bin and just have a compost pile or heap.

Size

The perfect size is about 3’ X 3’ X 3’.

Moisture

The microbes that do the work require water for survival. Too much water means your organic waste won’t decompose and you’ll get a slimy and smelly pile. Too little water and you’ll kill the bacteria and you won’t get your compost. The more green material (leaves, grass, weeds) you put in, the less water you’ll need to add.

Aeration

Oxygen is also required by many of the microorganisms responsible for successful composting. Turn the pile often and well. Use a pitch fork, spade, or compost aerator to mix your pile.

Things you can compost

-All fruit and vegetable trimmings

-Coffee grounds and filters

-teabags

-cut up cardboard

All organic matter is broken down initially by naturally occurring microorganisms. To speed up this process kitchen scraps should be cut into small one-inch pieces. After you have added the waste, throw some leaves or grass clippings on top. This will help keep things balanced, reduce smells, and make your compost bin less attractive to critters who are trying to sniff out a free meal.

When is it finished?

Compost is finished when it is a dark, rich color, crumbles easy, and you can’t pick out any of the original ingredients. It can take 3-12 months to create compost. Once you have achieved finished compost, you can add it to the soil any time of the year. Add compost to your garden a few weeks before you plant. An easy way to apply compost is to mulch with it. Spread the compost in a thick layer on top of exposed soil. You can also use compost when potting indoor plants. Use seven parts soil to three parts compost to two parts sand.

Simplify Your Life By Saying NO!!!

I was that person who said yes to everything. If someone asked me to do something I said yes. I was never able to say no because I wanted to please people. I wanted to be accepted and wanted people to like me. It got to the point where I asked myself, “Am I doing this because I want to do this?” It also got to the point where I didn’t have time for myself.

The simple answer to this is to do what you love. Don’t do something because someone wants you to do it. People will take advantage of you and walk all over you.

Think about what is important to you. Cut out all the rest that distracts you and keeps you from doing what is important. Simplify your life. Our lives are so overloaded. Don’t worry…cutting something out of your life will not leave an empty hole!

Learning to say no:

1.       Examine all of your commitments. Ask yourself if they are really important to you and if they give you value for your time.

2.        Take guilt out of the equation. Don’t agree to do something you would rather decline because of feelings of guilt or obligation. This will likely lead to added stress and resentment.

3.       When saying no, be direct, honest, and brief.  

4.       Realize it is okay to say no.

Things you may cut from your life:

1.       Hours of surfing the web

2.       Television

3.       Gambling

4.       Going to the mall

5.       Negative people and people who are disrespectful to you

6.   A job that doesn't make you happy

7.       Social engagements you don’t want to go to

8.       Volunteer work that doesn’t support your values and goals

9.       Reading an entire book when you’ve already decided you don’t like it by Chapter 3

10.   Birthday parties, afterschool activities, sports or events that you deem unnecessary or are simply too much to handle logistically.

I realize no one is perfect. I know that it is easier said than done. I know I could watch less television and spend less time on facebook. I am going to start asking myself, “Am I doing anything meaningful right now?” “If I were to die tomorrow, would I be proud of what I did today?”

No need to buy new gifts; Re-gift!

It is almost black Friday and there are going to be many people out shopping. It will be a mad shopping frenzy! Do you want to rack up credit card debt? Do you want to stress out about giving gifts? Do you really want to make a negative impact on the environment? This is the beginning of the worst season for consumerism!

Many people have things lying around the house that they don’t use. Why buy new gifts for the holiday season when you can simply re-gift things around the house?

Re-gift: To give an unwanted gift to someone else; to give as a gift something one previously received as a gift.

Tips when re-gifting:

1.       The gift should not look as though it has been used.

2.       DO NOT give the gift back to the original giver.

3.       Never re-gift handmade items.

4.       Don’t re-gift signed books or monogrammed items.

5.       Be sure that the recipient will appreciate the item.

6.       Don’t reuse gift wrap.

7.       Don’t mention to the recipient that the gift is a re-gift.

Gifts that are good for re-gifting:

1.       Unopened bottles of wine

2.       Jewelry

3.       New household items

4.       Candles

5.       Bath sets

6.       Vases

7.       Books

8.       Exercise equipment

9.       Workshop tools

Pros of re-gifting:

1.       It’s cheaper in difficult economic times

2.       It’s a way to get around annoyingly high expectations about gift-giving.

3.       You don’t feel guilty about stuff going into the landfill.

4.       It reduces the amount of stuff you have.

5.       You don’t have to spend time shopping.

Going Green with Shampoo

Many shampoos have chemicals that go back into the environment. They typically contain artificial colors, fragrances and ingredients that haven’t been specifically tested for safety. Many of these shampoos come in plastic bottles that cannot be recycled. That’s why you should go with “green shampoo”. Green shampoo can come in a recyclable bottle, is sulfate-free, is DEA free, is free of synthetic dyes, is 100% Vegan, 100% Biodegradable, 100% Alcohol free and organic.

Everyone thinks that all those foamy bubbles clean your hair and scalp. Wrong! The lather is created by sulfates. If you want to go green, go with a sulfate-free shampoo. Even though there is no lather, it is still cleaning.

Make sure to read the label. Get a shampoo that doesn’t contain salt (sodium chloride). Salt is abrasive and creates friction on your hair.

Shampoo cannot exist without have some kind of preservative in the formula to keep the product from separating and going bad. The bad preservatives are called parabens and DMDM hydantoin. Watch out for sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, and disodium laureth sulfosuccinate.

Great shampoos:

1.       BY Framesi Shampoo: Packaged in a recyclable container, safe to use on color treated hair and is water soluble.

2.       Aveda Smooth Infusion Shampoo: This shampoo tames flyaways with babassu oil, aloe, and guar bean. It’s produced using wind energy and comes in recycled packaging.

3.       Tasmanian Lavendar Shampoo from Sea Chai Organics: This shampoo is great for all hair types. It does not contain any solvents or sodium laureth sulfates. It contains natural ingredients like seaweed extract, calendula blossoms, and kombucha tea.

4.       Lavender Rosemary Shampoo from John Masters Organics: It contains 13 certified organic ingredients and is cruelty-free.

5.       Clarifying Shampoo from Alba Botanica: This shampoo has a pleasant fruity scent. It is made with eucalyptus, which has antiseptic and cooling qualities. It contains 100% vegetarian ingredients.

Another option is to not use shampoo. Shampoo isn’t really necessary. There are many claims that hair is healthier and more manageable without shampoo. Shampoo strips the coating off of the hair follicles causing them to dry out, and then the scalp over produces oil. It can take up to 2 months for the oil production to balance out once starting the no shampoo method. My husband does not use shampoo and it works for him, but he has really short hair. I tried it for a couple of weeks, but my hair was greasy. I then went to baking soda and that worked for a couple of months. Honestly, it was annoying after awhile and I am now using Aveda. However, my hair has a lot of tangles and it takes a lot of work to brush. I am still going to experiment.

Make your own shampoo! You can make your own shampoo using baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and a few drops of peppermint and chamomile essential oils.

1.       Wet your hair.

2.       Make a paste with a couple teaspoons of baking soda and water.

3.       Spread it through your hair.

4.       Rinse.

5.       Get a reusable bottle. Put 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in it and fill the rest of the bottle with water. Add a few drops of peppermint and chamomile.

6.       Squirt a few tablespoons of the solution on hair and rinse.

*You can also use lemon juice instead of the vinegar.

Organic shampoos are extremely safe on hair as well as the environment. By using shampoos made from natural ingredients you can play a very important role in protecting the environment as there are no harsh chemicals released in the process.

15 Ways to Reduce Your Water Footprint

●The United Nations has identified water shortages as one of the two most serious problems facing the world today.

●A faucet leaking one drop a second wastes 2,700 gallons a year.

●If all Earth’s water were in a one-gallon jug, a little more than a tablespoonful would be available for human use.

●It takes 24 gallons of water to make one pound of plastic.

What you can do:

Anyone can make a difference even if it is reducing your shower time from 15 minutes to 10 minutes. You don’t have to do everything on this list. Try doing just one thing and then work your way up.

1.       Wash dishes in a dishpan using biodegradable soap, then empty the water on flowers and plants in your home or outside.

2.       Don’t flush the toilet unless you poop.

3.       Take shorter showers. Try taking a shower every other day or every 3-4 days or longer!

4.       Insulate hot water pipes. It saves water because you don’t have to let the water run as long to get hot water to the faucet.

5.       Instead of an in-sink garbage disposal, start a compost bin.

6.       Run the dishwasher and the laundry machine only when full.

7.       Regularly look for and fix leaks.

8.       Wash cars rarely or take them to a carwash. Commercial carwashes use less water per wash than home washers.

9.       Upgrade older toilets with water efficient models.

10.   Designate one glass for your drinking water each day or refill a water bottle.

11.   Use a water-efficient showerhead.

12.   Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.

13.   Let pots and pans soak in water instead of letting the water run and scrubbing food particles off.

14.   While soaping up your hands, turn off the water.

15.   Fill a jug of water and put it in the fridge for when you want a cool drink.

Buy Green: Toothpaste

Do you know why they tell you not to swallow toothpaste? Because there are so many chemicals that it is unsafe to swallow.  Should we really be putting this in our mouths? Some of the ingredients in toothpaste have been proven to be linked to the development of breast cancer and damage to the gums and skin. Lucky for you, there are some great alternatives:

1.       Tom’s of Maine: In this toothpaste, flavor oils take the place of artificial sweeteners. Silica is used instead of bleach. This company uses renewable energy, implements green practices in its factory, and packages products with recycled, sustainable materials. Their toothpastes come in 100% aluminum tubes, not plastic.

2.       Sea Fresh Plus Toothpaste from Jason Natural Products: This toothpaste uses natural ingredients such as sea salts, minerals, bamboo powder, and grapefruit sea extract. The company has found a replacement for synthetic ingredients found in conventional toothpastes. There is no animal testing.

3.       Peelu Toothpaste: This toothpaste contains natural flavors and no sweetener. There is no animal testing nor are there animal products in the toothpaste. They use fibers from the peelu plant which makes for a non-abrasive cleaner.

4.       Sensitive Aloe Vera Toothpaste From Kiss My Face: The aloe in this toothpaste soothes teeth and gums. Instead of using artificial ingredients, they use olive leaf extract, Iceland moss and tea tree oil.

5.       Natural Toothpaste from Nature’s Gate: This toothpaste uses bamboo powder, stevia extracts, silica, baking soda and other natural ingredients. Flavorings come from oils and extracts instead of artificial chemicals. The company supports WaterAid to help provide clean water to Africa and Asia.

6.       Burt’s Bees: This toothpaste contains cranberry extract, silica, and natural peppermint flavor.

7.       Herbal Choice: They don’t test their pastes on animals. They use 100% recyclable packaging. The toothpaste contains organic ingredients, and is chemical, additive, and paraben free.

OR

Make Your Own Toothpaste!!!

The greenest toothpaste is homemade. You don’t waste as much packaging and it costs less.

Ingredients:

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. sea salt (finely ground)

1 drop peppermint, spearmint, sweet orange, clove, or cinnamon bark essential oil

A few drops of water

Combine ingredients in a small bowl and mix them thoroughly with a toothbrush, your finger, or a small spoon until a smooth, thick paste forms. The paste shouldn’t be too runny. Dip your toothbrush into the paste and use as you would regular commercial toothpaste.