Batteries

Do you have a ton of battery powered items?? Do you wonder why you have to spend so much on batteries?? As a mom, I DO!! So as a way to save us $$ and to be more environmentally friendly, we replaced many of our batteries with rechargeable. Yes, they do cost more in the beginning, but they last a LOT longer. For controllers and cameras considering using rechargeable. For kids toys that you don't want to last forever (hehe, yes I am a mom who understands LOL.) consider buying them from a liquidation store. Save-a-lot or Big lots for example. They are cheaper and they are selling the ones, the big stores can't sell. They would otherwise end up in a landfill anyways.

Concider finding ways to recycle them when your done. Many places have a box to collect them in. Schools and large office buildings can get these as well.

For more great information on "disposable-vs-rechargeable" you can find it here.

Bills, bills and more paper!!

As I was cleaning my office today, I was surprised by the amount of paper I was shredding. Old bills, that I no longer needed. Just from ONE year it was a pile that filled my shredder almost to the brim. So how does this relate to recycling? Well for every paper bill you receive a tree had to be cut down. Most companies don't print on recycled paper (I'm sure a few do) so lets save some trees on our own. Consumers are making an impact on companies to become more green, therefore they are offering your bill in email form. Consumers Energy, AT&T, Verizon these are just a few that now offer a way to save the paper clutter. So if you can stand to NOT receive that paper reminder in the mail, opt for a paperless bill. Get your reminder in email. I know this isn't practical for everybody, but just eliminating one bill in paper form can make a difference. Every bit we do, HELPS!!

Get a day planner and use it to write down your bills, so you don't forget about one. This is a help in general budgeting too, but it goes even farther in eliminating the extra paper waste.

So until next Tuesday

JenD

Sponge or Washcloth

Part of being green is finding ways to replace disposable items with reusable.



Another great replacement is using a washrag instead of a sponge in the kitchen. Aside from the money saving factor (not buying sponges all the time) it is better for you. Sponges hold bacteria inside of it. Yes you can boil them, put them in the microwave or even put them in the dishwasher to kill the bacteria.



Or you can invest in some washcloths that have a scrubby side on them. Microfiber Scrubber dishcloths are a great replacement. I've seen these at Walmart as well.. They are made for washing dishes with. I replace it with a new on everyday, and throw the used one in the laundry.



Here is a great article on tips for using a sponge safely (if you must).



If you have other plastic scrubbers you can clean them in the dishwasher as well. They are sure to get disinfected and cleaned. If you don't have a dishwasher, a safe disinfectant spray or boiling it on the stove is an option as well. I don't recommend using the microwave, but that is another story all together..

So throw away that sponge for the last time and invest in some reusuable dish rags. You'll feel better for it....

Fresh produce wash

Do you eat lots of fresh fruits and vegi's? I don't have to tell you, it's a good idea right?? Well another good idea is to wash them before eating them. If you aren't using organic it's even MORE important. All the of the chemicals used to clean them in the processing is still on them. Many fruits and vegi's are also coated with wax or other chemicals to keep them "fresh" longer. So how do you effectively and safely clean all of this off?? Well I have a great solution..

Tough and Tender

If you area already a customer of Melaleuca, than you may already know this. If not, I'd be glad to show you how to become one.

The diluted mixture of water and concentrate makes a perfect wash. Just spray it on the produce, let it sit for a minute and wash it off. This works great for potatoes, grapes, broccoli and apples just to name a few.

The best part is, it's a "green" product. There are NO chemicals, phosphates or any harmful ingredients.

The uses don't stop there, it's an multi-purpose surface cleaner. We use it to clean the table, counters and even walls. If we need to disinfect than we use Sol-U-Guard Botanical..

So now what's your excuse for not eating more fresh produce???