Ahh… laundry day. It’s looming in the MGG household and it happens to be one of my least favorite of mom-duties. (I’m fine with the washing/drying part but I deeply dislike the putting-away part!)
Anyhow, I digress… so, today I just want to share one little tidbit about how to be a bit more energy efficient with the duty, aside from the long list of ways to green your laundry that I’ve shared in the past.
- Fact: The average American household spends $150 in energy consumption each year to simply dry their laundry.
- Fact: ONE SIMPLE way to avoid 30% excess usage of energy – CLEAN YOUR LINT TRAP!
Yes, that’s it! That pesky, yet necessary, lint trap can actually dramatically increase the energy usage of your dryer. The screen should be checked and cleaned after every load.
You should also occasionally “deep clean” the screen, the trap and the tubing. Scrub the screen with a soft brush, mild soap and water (because there is build-up, I assure you, even if you’ve removed the fuzzy!). Use your vacuum cleaner extension tool or long skinny brush to give a good cleaning inside the trap area. And don’t forget the vent tube… remove it from the back of the dryer and clean out any lint or obstruction. After you’ve done this, run the dryer on air fluff for about 10 minutes to clear out anything that remains.
You’ll be amazed at the decrease in drying time after you’ve done this simple task… and you will use less energy as a result. Now, I’ll make you a deal… I’ll do the “task” if you do my laundry!



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.
This weekend is the mother of all “picnic times!” The 4th of July picnics, parties, cookouts and celebrations will go on all weekend! (I know they will for us!)
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
This weekend’s weather in Cleveland was sweltering… fortunately we didn’t reach the magnitude of 
(This giveaway is now closed for entries. See “comments” for winner announcement!) 
Everyone knows the standard list of ways to go green in the bathroom – 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?

I’ve evaluated hand washing vs. using the dishwasher and found, overwhelmingly, that (if you have one) 
Ahh… Fridays. The infamous Friday night “Carry-Out Food and Movie Nite” in the Mom Goes Green household. The night when I don’t have to think about “what’s for dinner” and instead can rely on the simple question of where to get the food.
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First, the backstory: We are, without doubt, a water conserving family. We have 
If you want to “buy” greener, just “concentrate”… buy concentrated formulas of anything and everything, that is. It helps to eliminate a lot of packaging waste, even if it happens to be recyclable. As much as I hate math… it’s simple math. Less volume = less packaging.