Chicks go green...

Turn off the water when you brush!

I know you have heard this before, but it bears repeating:

Turn off the faucet when you are brushing your teeth

Did you know that when you turn off your tap water while brushing you can make a real contribution to the water supply?  It may not seem like that much, but every time you brush your teeth and turn off the water, you can save more than five gallons. At three times a day, seven days a week, that adds up to more than 5,000 gallons a year and equals more than one month of water for the average person in the United Sates.   When you look at things in a bigger picture, you find that your one little step (like turning off the water) can make a big impact. Take a moment and look at other small things that make a big impact. Here are some websites that talk about water conservation:

• http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/
• http://www.waterconserve.info/
• http://www.h2ouse.org/

Recycling and giving at the same time

T’is the season to give, give, give. To make room for all that new stuff, I needed to do some spring cleaning in December.  I noticed that I had some clothes in there that I hadn’t worn in a long time--even a jacket that I haven’t worn in years. They were still in really good condition, and I hated to throw them out. So, instead of throwing away the clothes in the landfills, why not give them to Goodwill or a homeless shelter. For what is old to us, is new and great for someone else. So, go through your closet and donate that holiday dress that you doesn’t fit anymore. Someone less fortunate might be lucky enough to get the dress and feel really special! Here are some links to finding a donation location or information on how to donate:

• http://charityguide.org/volunteer/fifteen/clothesshoes.htm
• http://www.ehow.com/how_10125_donate-clothing-homeless.html
• http://locator.goodwill.org/

Plus, don’t forget the tax benefits. Make sure you take a photo of the donations and document the individual value. There are some good computer programs out there that have the estimates of the values so you just pick the type of clothing it is and the condition. It figures out all the rest. With the accompanying photos, you have documentation for your tax deduction.

• http://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-preparation/itsdeductible.jhtml

Burn those Yule Logs, or not?

As of December 1^st new restrictions have been put into place for wood-burning fireplaces in the Sacramento region (and maybe your area as well).  The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District is putting into effect four levels which will determine whether or not homeowners can burn wood in their fireplaces.  While the restrictions do not affect natural gas fireplace inserts, it does prohibit the burning of wood and wood pellets in stoves and inserts on days with a “Stage 2” alert, which means all burning is prohibited.

I would think that this would make those homeowners that have bought all that firewood feel as if they wasted a lot of money.  However, on days that you are able to burn, it is good to burn dry, seasoned, hardwood. Don’t burn any wood that is moist or wet because it will smoke a lot. It is also recommend by the Air Quality Management District not to burn manufactured logs, wrapping paper or treated wood.  For more information regarding burn days and the different stages check out http://www.airquality.org/.

I recently heard about new "better for the environment" logs that are made out of coffee grounds. No, they don't smell like coffee but they are much better for the environment. You can find some here (you can even make your own):

• http://www.java-log.com/product_overview_en.htm
• http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-JavaLog/

Since this tip has to do with fire, I want to be sure I mention a disclaimer that I don't recommend you do this at home!

We want to buy new gadgets but what about the old?

Just as you buy that new computer, you realize that you have to get rid of the old one. Or, worse yet, you buy the most up-to-date electronic gadget and realize that in the next week, it’s out of date. What do you do with the old one? You can’t put it in your garbage, but there are locations that you can drop off your e-waste for a nominal fee.  Some waste management companies will allow you to have two free drop offs a year.  All you have to do is check with your local company. Here is Wikipedia's definition of ewaste: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-waste.

In the Sacramento area there are two sites that accept e-waste: Kiefer Landfill and North Area Recovery Station. Here is some places nationally that accept eWaste.

• http://www.erecycle.org/
• http://www.4ewaste.com/
• http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Electronics/Collection/RecyclerSearch.aspx
• http://www.zakenterprises.com/
• http://www.nlrlamp.com/
• http://www.electronicrecyclers.com/

Wrapping up all those gifts

The lights are on the tree, all the presents are wrapped with bows, and they are hidden under the tree. Multiply that by thousands and perhaps millions.  That is how much wrapping paper and bows will hit our landfills. That’s a lot of trash. 

When wrapping gifts this year, why not look for alternatives.  I was shopping the other day and found wrapping paper that did not emit toxic fumes when it was burned or ruin the environment.  Also you might want to reuse those gift bags that you thought were so great last year.  You can also purchase recycled paper or use plain old brown kraft paper.  As for the bows, why not use real ribbon? That way you can recycle and use it on a craft project later. You will always remember this time of the year, when you admire your projects. 

Here is a good source of gifts bags:  http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/wrap-your-presents-in-reusable.php. They have beautiful cloth bags. I found some great gift bags at Fry's last week that are completely, 100% non-toxic when burned. They are called "Reusable Green Gift Bags" and were only $19.99 for 8 of them.

Here is their description: "Non-woven bags are more environmental friendly than traditional plastic, paper, or cloth counterparts. PP non-woven interlining's main component are Polypropylene which can be recycle, naturally decomposed and completely incinerate without any production of poisonous gas or pollutant. Polypropylene also maintain a lot of useful chemical properties, including water resistance, air permeable ability, fire proof as well as no allergies to human bodies." If you can get past the bad spelling and grammar, you will realize that is a great concept!

Picking the best tree

“Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree, how lovely are your branches.” As we begin to look at our options this year--should you choose a live tree--you might want to look for one that has been grown “Green.”  You ask , "aren’t all Christmas trees green?"  Well, yes, hopefully. But I’m talking ecologically green. Most trees are grown in Oregon and there is but a handful of growers that have created a system to help consumers identify trees grown under certain environmental standards. To pass muster, a farm must be inspected to ensure that it meets certain standards for managing wetlands, nutrients and pets. Water and soil conservation measures are reviewed and biodiversity and worker safety are also considered.

The trees are not organically grown, but the coalition says the measures help mitigate some of the environmental dangers of Christmas tree farming. Consumers can look for a special tag on their tree of choice and be certain that the farmer has thought about mother earth.  For more information on this you can visit http://www.christmastreeoregon.com/cecg.html.

They even offer you the option to purchase a tree on their site and ship it to you (no ornaments included)! http://www.christmastreeoregon.com/buylivetree.php