Posts Tagged ‘recycling’

How to live a “Greener” lifestyle

Friday, March 25th, 2011

Image by Marvel

As earth day is approaching we start to hear how important it is to live a “greener” life.  What does it exactly mean to be green?  I know these are the famous words of Kermit the Frog but I don’t think that is what environmentalists are going for here.

According to Nicki H. over at Brighthub.com, “it’s about making lifestyle changes that reduces your impact on the environment.”  Reducing waste, preserving natural resources, getting rid of toxic cleaning products, etc., are just a few of the ways you can begin living a “greener” lifestyle.

How can one reduce waste?

  • Recycle all plastic products like yogurt lids, milk and water bottles, etc.
  • Recycle aluminum, foil, and glass products.
  • Newspaper, office paper, cardboard, etc., can be recycled.

How can one preserve natural resources?

  • Purchasing energy efficient appliances.
  • Select products that can be recycled.
  • Buy vehicles that get really good gas mileage.
  • Use public transportation or car pool.

What are alternatives to toxic cleaning products?

  • Most alternatives are right in your pantry.  Vinegar and water is good for countertops, bathrooms, carpets, and flooring.  Adding a lemon scent will cut down on the vinegar smell and is anti-bacterial.
  • Lemon acts as a natural bleaching agent.  Try using lemon on all of your cleaning projects if possible.

Other ways we as individuals can live a greener lifestyle is to:

  • Ride and share your bike
  • Reuse
  • Buy a coffee mug and water bottle
  • Turn off the overhead lights
  • Use tote bags at the grocery store rather than plastic bags
  • Shop at Goodwill or Salvation Army
  • Turn off the water
  • Turn the heat down in cold months and dress warmer
  • Only turn on the AC in unbearable heat
  • Wash clothes in cold water

For ideas on how to put these lifestyle changes into effect, check out “15 ways to go green” on Associatedcontent.com.  This post is for college students but it can also apply to everyone.

Source: Bright Hub and Associated Content

Image: Wikimedia Commons

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Posted in Clean Energy, Save 1 Million Trees | 2 Comments »

Bottle caps and recycling

Friday, March 18th, 2011

Image by J.smith

Don’t toss those bottle caps in the garbage, believe it or not they are recyclable.   My daughter’s school just recently had a bottle cap drive.  They encouraged all of the parents and children to save bottle caps for this purpose.  If your child’s school doesn’t have this program you as a family can recycle bottle caps and make some very interesting things with them.

Getting creative with bottle caps

In my efforts to find fun crafts for my kids I came across some very creative ones on the family craft section of About.com.  It’s truly amazing how creative you can get with just using and recycling bottle caps.  Check these out:

  • Bottle cap alien magnet craft-  All you need for this cute little craft are: bottle caps, pom-poms, wiggly eyes, pipe cleaner, ribbon, glue, magnet, and scissors.
  • Message in the bottle cap magnet- All you need for this cute little craft is: bottle caps, glitter glue, alphabet beads, craft glue, magnet, and scissors.
  • School Bus Craft- All that is needed for this fun little craft is: small pint milk carton, construction paper, markers,  4 bottle caps, craft glue, hot glue with glue sticks, and scissors.
  • Bottle Cap game pieces- Click the bottle cap link for more details on how to make bottle cap game pieces.

If you would like to find more fun family crafts you can do with bottle caps check out arts and crafts on artistshelpingchildren.org.

Have you ever recycled bottle caps?  Why recycle them anyways?  Well, according to earth 911,  if we recycle these items we prevent marine life and wildlife from eating them and getting sick and possibly dying.  Keep in mind it’s the plastic ones you are to recycle since they are made from a different kind of plastic and have different melting points than that of bottles.  This plastic contains contaminates.

So, if you remember to please recycle those plastic bottle caps.  You will be doing wild life and marine life a big favor when completing this small little act of recycling!

Sources: Earth 911 , Artists Helping Children and About

Image: Wikimedia Commons

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Posted in Wildlife | 6 Comments »

5 tips for a greener school

Friday, March 4th, 2011

Image: Rawich / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Is your child’s school recognized as a “green” school?  Many schools are participating in greener school programs nationwide in the attempt to educate children about the importance of protecting our environment.  What are some ways that these schools are recognized? 

  • By making school grounds enhancements.
  • Conservation of energy and water.
  • Involvement in the community.

And the list goes on.  If you are unsure if your child’s school takes part in this program, contact your child’s principal or even the school district to find out if they are working towards this goal.

What are some tips that may help a school become “green?” 

  • Reusable lunch containers
  • Buy snacks in bulk vs. individually wrapped.
  • Educate your child of the importance of not wasting food.
  • Encourage healthy, wholesome, lunches.  Organic is the way to go.

This may not seem like a whole lot but believe me, just these tips alone will definitely cause your child’s school to become “greener.”  Also ask your child’s teacher about recycling paper, bottle caps, etc.  Many schools participate in these causes to contribute to a greener lifestyle.

Sources: Our Green Schools, US News

Image: Free Digital Photos

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Posted in weather and environment | No Comments »