Where to Recycle Single-Use Batteries

I was cleaning out my kitchen drawer today when I came across a few single-use batteries. I can't remember the last time I used a device that required a single-use battery. My camera, cell phone, I-pod, etc., all have rechargeable batteries. I didn't know what to do with these, so I went to my favorite recycling site: http://earth911.com/ and searched for battery recycling in my area. Turns out, there are lots of places to recycle batteries. If you have a few you don't know what to do with, please don't throw them away...look up battery recycling in your area.

REduce Your Trash

The less you bring into your home the less opportunity of collecting clutter. When you’re out shopping ask yourself 3 QUESTIONS: do you LOVE it, do you NEED it, and will you USE it... before purchasing.
Also, consider how the item is packaged... can you recycle the majority of it?
Don’t take plastic bags from every store you shop at. Bring your own!

REduce and then REthink Storage Options

Before you start purchasing organizing containers you need to REDUCE and possibly even REUSE your items. Once you reduce, take a quick inventory of the empty containers you already have before you run off to the store to buy new ones.

SAVE some GREEN. Use household items for storage... shoeboxes, wooden crates, berry baskets, and empty jars can store anything from memorabilia to old paperwork to office supplies to doggie treats.

Keep, Donate, Toss and RECYCLE

When you are conquering the clutter separate your items into keep, donate, toss and recycle. Your goal is to reduce your toss pile by increasing your donate and recycle piles. It is amazing that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Tap into your local resources to see what items can be reused or recycled. EARTH911.org is a great search engine to find your local recycling resource.

TerraCycle makes products from waste packaged in waste!

Ever wonder what to do with your Cliff Bar wrappers or your yogurt containers? Well TerraCycle knows what to do with it along with many other products that are "non-recyclable ". Sign up online and give to those in need... www.terracycle.net. It's a win win!
For a limited time, TerraCycle is offering a discount on their first product, All Purpose Worm Poop Plant Food, the world’s first product made from waste and packaged in waste, at the lowest price:
· $3.50 each if you order 1-4 bottles (a 30% discount!)
· $2.50 each if you order 6 bottles or more (a 50% discount!)
All you have to do is go to a dedicated TerraCycle website, www.shoponlygreen.com and use the special code GROW.

Email and the Environment

The dream of a paperless office hasn't turned out quite the way we thought. If anything, technology has created more paperwork. Through technology, we are inundated with information and neat ideas that we want to hold on to. So, we print out a web page or email and put it in our pile, or file. Stop! Think before you print! Do you really need a hard copy of that information, or can it be easily found again online by bookmarking it, or saving into a folder on your computer? If you do have to print it, only print the pages you need. Often when you print an email, you'll get extra pages with one or two words of graphics on them. What a waste! Make sure you select the print mode in your email program, so you are not printing everything, or cut and paste the information you need into a word document and print just that.

Simple Steps to a Greener Life

Adjust the Thermostat
· Set your thermostat comfortably low in the winter and comfortably high in the summer. Install a programmable thermostat that is compatible with your heating and cooling system.
· Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120° F.
· Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators. And make sure not to put heat-absorbing furniture—like a couch—in between the radiator and the room.

Change the Light Bulbs
· Use compact fluorescent light bulbs. They produce 75% less heat (i.e. energy) than regular light bulbs and can last up to 10 times longer.

Turn off the Power
· On average, idle machines use 11% of a home’s electricity.
· Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use. This is not bad for your computer and hasn’t been since the days of mainframe computing.
· Plug all electronics into power strips and turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use.
· Call your utility company and learn how to buy green power.

Use Less Water
· Use low-flow shower heads and take short showers. There are good low-flow shower heads that feel like you’re getting the same pressure as you would with a traditional shower head.
· Skip the bath.
· Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
· Go to wateruseitwisely.com for more information on reducing water consumption.

Insulate
· With nothing more than proper insulation, most homes can cut their bills by over 30%. Check the insulation levels in your attic, exterior and basement walls, ceilings, floors, and crawl spaces. If you’re home pre-dates 1980, re-insulate it. Only 20% of homes built before 1980 are well insulated.
· Check for holes or cracks around your walls, ceilings, windows, doors, lights, plumbing fixtures, switches, and electrical outlets that can leak air into or out of your home.
· Caulk and insulate everywhere.
· Close fireplace dampers when not in use.

Stop Junk Mail
· Junk mail produces more C02 than 9 million cars, kills 100+ million trees and wastes 28 billion gallons of clean water each year.
· Try optoutprescreen.com, catalogchoice.org, and 41pounds.org to get off the junk mail lists. Start Recycling· Remember – almost EVERYTHING can be recycled.
· Most towns and cities have recycling information on their websites. If you are unsure of what you can recycle, start there. Many transfer stations and dumps accept items that you cannot recycle at the curb.
· Check for local non-profits or stores that will accept items for recycling.
· Set up a recycling station in your home and get your family involved.

Waste Less Plastic
· Plastics are made from petroleum -- the processing and burning of which is considered one of the main contributors to global warming. Each year Americans throw away 38 billion plastic bags and 60 million plastic water bottles.
· Bring reusable shopping bags with you wherever you go. They fit more than you can imagine and their lightweight design makes it easy to scrunch them up and fit them in your bag, purse or glove compartment.
· Use only reusable food storage containers.
· And finally, stop it with the single use water bottles! Switch to reusable bottles, preferably in aluminum, which contains no BPA.

A Simple Way to Stop Junk Mail

41pounds.org is a non-profit organization designed to help stops your junk mail and catalogs — protecting the environment. Junk mail wastes an incredible amount of natural resources and contributes to global warming. Our nonprofit service covers your entire household for five years, saving...

Time — No credit card offers to shred or unwanted catalogs.
Trees — Keep 100+ million trees in forests, cooling the planet.
Water — Protect 28 billion gallons of clean water.
Climate — Junk mail produces more C02 than 9 million cars.
Planet — We donate to your favorite charity when you sign up.

Go to http://www.41pounds.org/ and stop getting junk mail today!

Choose Cloth over Paper

Consider organic cloth napkins and towels rather than paper. Cloth is washable and reusable and can also be more decorative and practical. Plus, cloth napkins are sturdy and nicer to use than paper napkins (think softer on your face!) By using cloth rather than paper, you reduce the number of trees cut down and also decrease the trash cluttering our planet.

Upcoming Event!

On Thursday, May 14th, I will be giving a free talk and demonstration on organizing your home office at the Thos. Moser Boston Showroom.
A reception will follow.
The event is from 5pm to 8pm at 19 Arlington St. in Boston.
Please RSVP by contacting the Thos. Moser Boston Showroom
http://www.thosmoser.com/showroom.detail.php?click=677233&showroom_id=25

Simple Steps to Green

Going green can be daunting. If you are feeling overwhelmed with the whole process, just pick one thing to do per week to get yourself moving in the right direction. Every little thing you do helps. You don't need to run out and purchase a bunch of products (consuming more isn't very green). Try turning off the faucet when you brush your teeth, or turn off lights as you leave a room. Start small and simple and you'll be making a difference right away.

Have a wonderful and green day!

Earth Day Savings!

Earth Day 2009 is April 22, and Amazon is launching Earth Day Savings at www.amazon.com/earthday , where customers can save on organic groceries, home products, CFLs and more. Additionally, learn how to go Extreme Green, Ease Into Green, or be Eco-Chic.

Did you know that printing junk mail wastes 100 million trees each year! Get yourself off those junk mail lists! The best way to get off junk mail lists is to contact the company you received the mail from directly and ask to be removed from their list. Also, when ordering anything online or by phone, be sure to let them know you do not want your information shared with anyone else.

The Direct Marketing Association used to have a Do Not Mail list. Recently, they have changed it to a Mail Preference list. This allows you to narrow down the type of junk mail you receive, but not cut it out entirely. For more information visit: https://www.dmachoice.org/dma/member/regist.action

Creative Repurposing!

Here are a few creative ways to repurpose some household items. I will be adding more, so stay tuned!

Dressers
Old wooden dressers and bureaus make great linen or dish storage. Just sand down the wood and paint them the color of your choice. Add some new hardware and they can make a great accent piece.

Appliances
Use wallpaper to cover an old rusty fridge or appliance. Use rubber cement to adhere it. Or use large stickers to cover over a spot or too. If you don’t want to get too fancy, there is always appliance paint.

Over-the-door shoe racks
Convert the over-the-door shoe rack into extra bathroom, art supply or toy storage. They also work well in a hall closet for hats, gloves and items you take with you when you leave the house.

Greeting Cards
Save the cards you have received this year for use next year by cutting them up to use as gift tags or package decorations. Or check online for charities that can reuse the fronts of cards and donate them to a worthy cause.

The Reusable Shopping Bag Revolution!

I've recently discovered the wonder of the reusable shopping bag. They are great for more than just groceries. I bring them to the mall when I am shopping for clothes and gifts. I use them as a laundry bag when I am traveling or at the gym. I bring my lunch to work in them. They fit more than you can imagine and their lightweight design makes it easy to scrunch them up and fit them in your bag, purse or glove compartment. I recommend keeping a bunch handy in your home and car. The reusable shopping bag is a simple way to make your life a little greener...

Be Green by Reusing!

Over the next few weeks I will be providing some creative ideas on how to reuse the items in your home that you no longer need. Here are a few…
#1 - Reuse old luggage instead of plastic bins to store linens, blankets, and off season clothes.
#2 – Old wastebaskets can be used to store rolls of wrapping paper, sports equipment; such as baseball bats, fishing rods and hockey sticks, and anything else that is tall and difficult to corral.
#3 – Use the tins from all the holiday cookies you received to store kids craft supplies, or hair elastics, jewelry…or bake some cookies and give them away again!