By
Tox on December 20th, 2009 | Posted in
Green Holidays |
No Comments »
I bless the day that Internet shopping was conceived. I have been saying this over and over again, and I don’t think I’ll ever change my mind. During the Christmas period, I appreciate Internet shopping all the more. It’s less than a week before Christmas, and I am NOT done yet, so you can imagine the state I am in; but thank God for Internet shops, you can buy gifts online and have them delivered before Christmas Day! Even better, there are so many shops online which offer green products – perfect for environmentally-conscious people like you and me. Here are some of the best online stores that you can take a look at if you’re still doing some last minute shopping.
Mountains of the Moon
From dresses to shirts and tops to baby clothes, you can find these in this web site. Their products are made in the U.S.A. – sweatshop free! The materials used range from cotton to hemp and the designs are actually quite beautiful. I took a look at some dresses, and prices range from $80++ to hundreds of dollars.
Eco-artware
This site offers all sorts of things made from recycled, reused, and natural materials. Some things that you can buy are bags, baskets, bath products, furniture, kitchen tools, and jewelry. Prices vary depending on the item but you can find things for less than $50.
Eco Express
If it’s food that you want to buy and give as a gift, then this is the site for you. Fruits, wines, and other products are on sale especially for the holidays. You can also buy wreaths and gift baskets.
Have fun shopping!
Before I write anything else, let me just say that this list is absolutely biased. Everyone has his own idea of great gifts, and I do not expect all of you to agree with what I think is “cool.” However, the important thing about these gift ideas is that they are all eco-friendly! What better way to give gifts this year than to give without causing unnecessary stress to the environment?
“Green” food
I don’t mean green leafy vegetables, but that would also work if that is your preference. What I was thinking of was food products such as turkey, game fowl, honey, jams, etc. You can always get these at the supermarket but a better alternative would be to go to bazaars and markets where you can find products that are made in an earth-friendly manner. More so, you can never go wrong with food!
Beauty products
These may cater more to the women population, but who says men do not appreciate soaps and lotions? There are more metrosexuals out there than we probably know. Just make sure you buy organic products – they’re much better for the skin and they don’t have such a bad impact on the environment.
Herbs and spices
These days, you can buy all sorts of herbs and spices in pots. They would be excellent gifts for those who love to cook and don’t have space for their own herb gardens. Choose one or two pots and send them on their way.
Beeswax candles
I am a candle addict, seriously. While some people think that candles are generic gifts, I would love to receive tons of these! Again, choose natural products to lessen your impact on the environment.
Any other ideas?
By
Tox on November 21st, 2009 | Posted in
Green Holidays |
No Comments »
This weekend’s going to be a busy one for those who are getting ready for Turkey Day. Yeah, I am sure that you are very much aware that Thanksgiving is less than a week away and that you are up to your neck in preparation tasks. Let me ask you though, is the environment part of your Thanksgiving plans?
Perhaps you may be too caught up in all the other “regular” aspects of this holiday: making sure there is (more than) enough food for everyone, buying presents (if you do this), buying drinks, decorating the house, planning entertainment, and so on. Why don’t you take a look at a few simple reminders that can help you with your planning? At the same time, these tips will go a long way towards helping the environment.
Let’s start with portion control. I have a feeling that some may have problems with this suggestion, but hear me out. Year in and year out, TONS of food go to waste after Thanksgiving. That’s because no one wants to get caught with “not enough” food. If you think about it, though, you don’t have to go overboard. Why not estimate how much each person eats and prepare just enough? Call it portion control if you wish.
Now on to setting the table…what decorations and utensils do you use? Instead of using paper napkins, consider cloth napkins. If you have a huge crowd coming over, why not consider going potluck where the guests have to bring their own utensils and napkins – just so you can avoid using plastic, Styrofoam, and similar products? On the other hand, you can opt for disposable plates and utensils – this will help reduce water and detergent use for cleaning up. However, make sure that you buy earth-friendly products.
By
Tox on November 5th, 2009 | Posted in
Recycle Reuse |
No Comments »
The obligation of doing our part for the environment lies on the shoulders of each and every person, never mind the age or the background. In this particular post, I would like to focus on college and university students. These years could be some of the best years of one’s life, but that doesn’t mean forgetting to do one’s part in saving the earth. Here are some simple ways by which students can contribute through recycling and reusing.
Newspapers and other periodicals. Most, if not all, colleges have their own newspaper. Students normally get these papers on top of regular newspapers and magazines. In many cases, students tend to immediately throw away or recycle these materials. My suggestion? Reuse them instead! Put them in the dormitory reading room. Donate them. Before you recycle, try getting more use out of them.
Plastic bags. Many grocery stores and shops do not use plastic bags anymore. If you do go to a store which makes use of plastic bags, don’t throw them away. Instead, find good use for them. I like using used plastic bags as trash bags. It saves me on money – I don’t have to buy garbage bags as often. You can also use these plastic bags to carry around wet things.
Readings and other papers. Again, instead of immediately bringing your stacks of used paper to the recycling center, why not make the most of them? Cut them up and use the unprinted side for notepads. Use whole sheets of paper as scratch. If you’re printing drafts for yourself, then print on the other side.
Remember, try to get as much use as you can from your things. You’ll not only save money, but help the earth as well.
The year is almost over, and it is time to make your travel plans for the holidays yet again. At this time of the year, a lot of people pack their bags and hit the road (or the skies) to visit friends and family or to simply discover new places. If you are traveling in the next month or so, why not take the time to re-think your plans and see if you are contributing towards the welfare of the environment? Here are some things that you can consider.
Fly economy instead of first class. The latter may be more comfortable but since there are fewer people in first class (more space is given per person), it technically uses up more fuel. More than this, however, you should also consider taking the most direct route. It is common sense, as it will get you to your destination faster, but flying directly also lessens your carbon emissions contribution.
Better yet, take the bus. Yeah I know, the bus is not your first choice. If you have time to spare, however, and you do not have that much luggage on you, why not take the bus instead of driving or flying? You will save a LOT on fares and your carbon footprint will benefit from it as well.
Avoid holiday traffic jams. We all want this, but probably for a different reason – who likes getting stuck in traffic anyway? Another reason for avoiding traffic jams, however, is the fact that your car uses up much more fuel when sitting idly. This means higher emissions. As such, plan your trip so that you won’t have to battle it out on the roads with other travelers.
Any tips of your own?
Photo courtesy of Boeing
We see and hear about all sorts of green tips that can help us save the environment in our own little ways, but we don’t really pay attention to some of the little things that we take for granted. Take for example shaving. Have you ever thought that in doing this mundane task, you can also help the environment? Here are some tips to prod you on your way to becoming what I want to call a “green shaver.”
Use an electric razor. There are a lot of electric razors in the market today, and while they cost considerably more than the disposable ones, they do last much longer and save you money in the long run. More importantly, you do not have to throw away electric razors as often as you do disposable ones. Can you just imagine how many disposable razors are thrown away each year?
If you just have to use a disposable razor, then you might as well look for the ones which impact the earth in the least harmful way. There are disposable razors made of recycled plastic – go for them. Also, instead of merely throwing away those disposables with the rest of the trash, gather them and bring them to a recycling center.
Don’t you just love the sound, feel, and convenience that running water brings? Well it is a waste, and you know it. Instead of leaving the faucet running the whole time you shave, get a small basin and dip your razor. It may not be as fun, but it does the job and saves water as well.
Photo courtesy of Nivea For Men
Just a couple more nights and Halloween is here! I just posted some ideas on “greenifying” your Halloween celebrations, but I realized I there’s more, courtesy of the Treehugger. This time, let’s focus a little bit more on creating your own costumes. I hope they’re not too lame for you – I thought they were pretty cool!
Go as a skunk! What is better than going around on Halloween dressed as something that repulses everyone? You can be a skunk without having to buy a costume. Just go find a black turtleneck and black pants or tights. You can then create the white stripe using a piece of cloth or even tissue paper.
How about a spider? Here is another creature that creeps out a lot of people. You can also use black clothing – tight articles are the best. For the legs, you can use black stockings that are stuffed to the max.
The same article suggests going as a rag doll or a jack in the box – you will not need much to come up with these costumes, both in terms of money and other resources. The bottom line is letting your creativity flow and use materials that will not add to the strain that the earth is already experiencing.
A few more tips – when your kids go around trick or treating, make sure you bring an extra bag with you, for the trash. This way, you will not be guilty of leaving around trash. Also, instead of using plastic bags, why not use recycle bags? This will also help impart the value of recycling to the kids. For more tips, visit the whole article.
Orange and black are the traditional Halloween colors but who says you can’t go green this year? With less than a month till this big holiday, people all over the country are gearing up for their own celebrations. You’re probably one of them, but have you given some thought to the ecological impact of the festivities? Perhaps it’s about time that you did! Let’s take a look at some ways that you can have green Halloween!
Lighten up on the wrapping. Individually wrapped candy can create so much waste, even if you don’t immediately realize it. This Halloween, why not try to lessen this waste? Instead of giving individually wrapped candy, buy candy in bulk. Not only will that help you save on the waste but you’ll probably get discounts too. Another option is to find treats that are wrapped in biodegradable material, or not wrapped at all. Fruits are a good idea.
Make your own costumes. I know it is so much easier to go to the store and buy ready made costumes, but more often than not, these costumes are made of non-biodegradable material OR the process by which they are made is not good for the environment. A good alternative would be to get creative and make your own costumes! Of course, it goes without saying that you have to choose earth-friendly materials as much as you can.
Swap costumes. If you are not so good with crafts, another way you can have a green Halloween is to re-use costumes. Naturally, kids would not want to wear what they wore last year, so what you can do is get together some friends and see what you all have. You can then swap so that the kids can have something “new” to wear this year without having to buy a new set.
We ask all blog publishers to help bring awareness to the world today on the dire situation with climate change and the need for action!
Why Climate Change?
Climate change affects us all and it threatens more than the environment. It threatens to cause famine, flooding, war, and millions of refugees.
Given the urgency of the issue of climate change and the upcoming international climate negotiations in Copenhagen this December, we think the blogosphere has the unique opportunity to mobilize millions of people around expressing support for finding a sustainable solution to the climate crisis.
Suggested Posts
We encourage you to write about climate change in the context of how it relates to the topic of your blog. To help you start thinking, here are a few ideas about how you might connect climate change to things that you might already write about:
* A Technology or Business blog might write about emerging clean tech and how innovative companies might be able to help address the problem of climate change.
* A Health or Lifestyle blog might write about how climate change will affect our children’s health and daily living.
* A Nonprofit or Political blog might write about how climate change is deeply connected to many other issues – such as poverty and conflict.
* A Design blog might write about new trends in eco-friendly or sustainable design.
* A Travel blog might write about the places you want to see now before climate change makes them difficult to access or, well, under the sea.
Please join the 7,037 blogs in 135 countries and 11,211,921 readers in uniting over this urgent issue!
Halloween is around the corner! Have you taken steps to make sure that this holiday is an eco-friendly one? If you didn’t know this already, fun holidays like Halloween are some of the most wasteful times of the year – think of the amount of new costumes, decorations, candy, and pumpkins consumed…..then the waste that comes afterwards? Fear not, your family can still have a terrific Halloween while still caring for Mother Earth. Plus, you can save money too. That’s another great reason to go green- it’s definitely good for the budget!
Read on for my very easy, tried-and-tested tips:
1. Decorations
First off, the most obvious and easiest thing you can do is RECYCLE!! Your old decorations, I mean (this goes for costumes too, but more on that below). Last year, I had this in mind, so I made that extra effort to carefully store all my decorations to minimize breakages and maximize use for years to come in spite of 3 children under 9 and their rowdy Halloween parties. I purchased a few of those large plastic, airtight boxes, which may not seem so green an idea at first, but when you think of the durability and protection against the elements, it made sense. In the past I used old cartons, and lost a lot of things because of bugs, damp and rain.
Read the rest of this entry »
