Obviously recycling has been heavy on my mind since learning of my city’s proposal to eliminate our curbside recycling service as a cost-cutting measure. (Yes, my blood is still boiling!)
This is just a reminder about one simple fact: the average household output of trash actually increases by 25% between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. There are a lot of opportunities to misstep this time of year…
Make sure to make wise choices as you go about preparing for the holidays:
- Think about the gifts you’re purchasing and what will happen to all of the packaging. Some things can actually be UN-packaged so YOU can do the recycling of boxes and materials.
- Reuse all of the wrapping materials you already have before you buy something new… take inventory! We often already have plenty if we made smart choices last year!

- Even when you purchase food for all of your holiday events, think about how they’re packaged. Choose recyclable materials and, well… recycle them!
- When you mail a gift, newspaper is a great cushioning material over bubble wrap and packing peanuts. Hopefully your recipient will toss the newspaper in the recycling bin after the box is opened.
Truly, this list could go on and on but, if you’re “here”, I think you already “know”… just don’t forget! Try to make “your 25%” a whole lot less.




I’m FINALLY back… Mom Goes Green just returned from a summer hiatus and a nice, long vacation at the OBX with my amazing family! We already miss the fresh ocean air every morning, noon and night. We experienced it all again this year… from dunes to surf, and sun to moon…
yellow lids? … yes, recycling cans. And the one small blue can? … yep, that’s for trash. But I think it’s very telling that there is more than twice as much capacity for recyclables than there is for trash. They acknowledge that there’s PLENTY that can be recycled and DOESN’T need to become trash.
Sometimes it’s easy to get so consumed with planning and preparing for a vacation that we forget about the home we’re leaving behind.

throwaway plastics and paper at all costs. And if you are away from home scrape off the food scraps, bring home the reusables and wash ‘em! You can even go crazy and choose some
Everyone knows the standard list of ways to go green in the bathroom (and I’m not talking about all of those green beers you’re planning to drink next week for St. Patrick’s Day!). I’m talking about turning off the water while you brush your teeth, low-flow shower heads, water efficient toilets, chemical-free cleaners, short showers and low-volume baths… okay, you’ve heard them all, but what about those little things you overlook?

It’s sometimes a difficult task to get kids to grasp the concept of what their daily life essentially means for our planet.
Have you ever received an electric bill that caused you to gasp? Or does your bill seem extraordinarily high every month? You might find yourself wondering what you did to create such an expense.
you can nearly eliminate this “phantom” power. To cut consumption completely, unplug the power strip once you’ve flipped the switch.
into an outlet consumes energy, even when they’re not in use.
As I’ve spent the last week doing some major shopping for the holidays, I’ve armed myself with my own reusable bags at every stop and in every store.
The holidays seem to be moving toward us at warp speed! We’re nearing that two week deadline and, if you’re anything like me, you still have plenty to do. (Okay, so maybe I am one of the few dragging dreadfully behind but, humor me for a moment and let me feel like I’m not alone!)
Halloween is just around the corner… and it’s the ideal time to let the creativity flow. But it’s also an opportunity to make some fantastic green choices.