Mom Goes Green

The twelve days of Christmas are over.  I am slowly (and oh, I do mean slowly!) making sense of all the remnants of the holidays and starting to put everything away.

So, the gift bags are folded and flattened.  The trees are coming down.  The stockings are being “un-hung”. The wreaths and candles are being packed away.  And a big stack of cards is mocking me… again.

I’ve never been good at getting rid of the cards.  It seems so cold to toss out the “wishes” others send to us, so I’ve stockpiled quite a mass of them from years (and years) gone by.  I’ve used them by cutting out bits and pieces of the art and turning them into gift tags but, seriously, I will never give enough gifts to use them all!  I’ve even thought about using the fronts as postcards (maybe a good idea for a ‘thank you’ postcard) or turning a strip from the front into bookmarks for next year’s gifts.

And although most cards are recyclable, I’ve discovered a great way to recycle Christmas cards that doesn’t include dumping them in a recycling can… St. Jude’s Ranch for Children.  SJRC is a non-profit organization that cares for abused, abandoned and/or neglected children.  They accept used greeting cards and the children remove the fronts, attach them to a recycled paper back, and turn them into new greeting cards… and then sell them!

I think this is an amazing option to traditional paper recycling and a great cause to support.  Your cards will be accepted until February 28, 2009.  Just bundle them up and mail them off to:

St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
Card Recycling Program
100 St. Jude’s Street
Boulder City, NV 89005

Learn more about the program, and even how you can buy the “new” recycled cards!

Now, if I could just find a place to mail my entire HOUSE for a thorough, post-holiday overhaul, I would be one happy mama!

Over the holidays, I probably saw at least – (at LEAST!) – 50 catalogs hit my mailbox… what a waste.  Sadly, I didn’t use one of them.

But the start of a new year certainly has me thinking about reducing the amount of junk that hits my mailbox.  I can think of, maybe, one catalog that I actually used in all of 2008, so let’s stop it now!

Did you know that the average adult receives 41 POUNDS of junk mail each year?!?  That’s a lot of wasted trees and natural resources, and 44% of it is said to wind up in landfills, unopened!  But 41pounds.org says they can change all that and block 80-95% of your unwanted mail.  Plus, a third of your fee goes to an environmental cause that you get to choose. The fee is said to cover the removal of these unwanted mailings for 5 years!… yea, that’s 205 pounds of mail we’re talking about!  Can you even imagine?

Catalog Choice is another service that allows you to say “no more” to unwanted catalogs!  This service is free and all you need to do is select the ones that you’d like (love!) to opt out of and they’ll tell the catalog companies “thanks, but no thanks” for you. That certainly sounds like something I’d like to give a try.

I also have a backlog of magazines that I never got to.  I’m sure they have information that I’d love to read, but will I really?  So maybe we should consider paperless magazines, sent directly to our inbox.  Zinio is a publishing company that offers digit versions of tons of magazines delivered electronically through email or to mobile devices.  Their list has over 200 titles and their Read Green Initiative is actually giving away free one-year subscriptions to some of the most popular mags too!

So, this year, spread some serious tree-love and say ‘no 41 pounds for me!’

HaPPy NeW YeaR!!! A new year has arrived and I hope your celebration was great, green and safe!

So, if you’re visiting Mom Goes Green, you probably try to live green, you’re looking for new ways to go green or maybe you just don’t know where to start.  Well, with the beginning of a new year, maybe it’s appropriate to start a new beginning of green living and think about the fundamentals.

Maybe there are things we’re forgetting, things we haven’t put into action or simple things that we’ve fallen off the wagon with.  So, let’s get started…

Use this as a checklist of things to think about and work into our daily lives. Drum roll please!!!…            (in no specific order… 10 simple ways to go green: )

1. Recycle anything and everything.  There’s no reason not to.  Cans, bottles, newspapers, plastics, paper, cardboard, catalogs, junk mail… ALL recyclable, so don’t let them add to landfills.  Don’t forget about electronics, ink cartridges, cell phones… recyclable!  Check earth911.org to find out where.
2. Reduce your water consumption.  Turn off that faucet, buy water- (and energy-) efficient appliances, run only full loads of dishes or laundry, check for leaks, buy a low flow shower heads, reduce your shower time… it all adds up to a great big difference.
3. Unplug, unplug, unplug… and turn it off.  Anything that’s plugged in still uses electricity – your cell phone charger, computers, appliances – so unplug them or use a power strip.  Turn off lights when you leave a room.  Don’t let your home be an energy hog.
4. Switch your light bulbs to CFLs.  They save money and use less energy.  Just remember to properly recycle them.
5. Buy locally grown produce.  Not only does it support local farming, it also creates a much smaller carbon footprint and your organics will likely be cheaper too.  Maybe even consider a CSA.
6. Buy less or NO commercial cleaners.  Vinegar and baking soda do wonders for so, so many things.  They’re less toxic, don’t pollute water sources and they’re a whole lot cheaper too.
7. Buy reusable shopping bags. Use them! Never, ever accept another plastic bag.  It’s that simple… ’nuff said!
8. Stop buying bottled water.  Sure, the bottles are recyclable, but think about the energy and resources needed to manufacture them and the footprint to get them to the grocery store shelves.  Plus, BPA is frightening.  Buy reusable aluminum or stainless steel bottles… your conscious will be clear.
9. Stop throwing away the things you don’t need anymore… donate them instead.  Clothes, furniture, appliances, toys, books… someone wants them, needs them and will appreciate them.  They don’t need to be trash.
10. Buy recycled products, products in recyclable containers and reusable items.  If they aren’t recyclable, find ways to reuse them. Be aware of over packaged products too. Simply, make wise choices.

Wow… that was fast.  I think I could have easily made that a “50 ways” list, but I don’t want to overwhelm you… or me!  There are so many other things I could have added, like turning down your thermostat, reducing your driving, planting a tree… but for now, we’ll stick with the fundamentals list!

I just did the checklist myself and I need to smack my own hand.  With a few of them I’m not doing so well, so I need to make them a part of my own New Year’s Resolutions!

How did you do?