On a typical day, how eco-friendly are you? Few of us wake up with saving the planet on our minds … and the truth is, we’ve often got so much going on in life that it’s easy to let our eco-friendly habits slip. Maybe we manage to keep a few green habits going when we’re at home, but we struggle in the office – or vice versa. Perhaps we’re good at remembering to switch off electrical appliances before work, but we often forget before bed.

So here’s how to have a great eco-friendly day, from morning till night:

Breakfast

I’m British, so breakfast definitely wouldn’t be complete without a cup of tea! We use electric kettles over here – they’re more efficient than boiling water on the hob. Don’t overfill the kettle – just put in the amount of water that you need.

When it comes to breakfast itself, avoid products with tons of packaging and ones which have gathered a lot of air miles. Opt for local produce, such as fresh fruit, eggs or bread. If you do go for cereals, look for ones that aren’t highly processed, such as oatmeal.

Commute

Do you drive to work? Could you carpool instead, or take public transport, or find some other way to go green on your commute? If you live near enough, how about cycling (here’s seven serious benefits to riding a bicycle) or even walking? In many cases, seeking alternatives to the car can benefit you as well as the environment: it’s easier to relax on a bus or train when someone else is doing the driving!

If you stop off for coffee on the way to work, take your own mug, rather than getting a disposable one. Better yet, fill your own thermos with coffee and save some money!

In the Office

Even when we’re good at sticking to eco-friendly principles at home, it’s easy to let these slide in the office. Perhaps your colleagues just don’t care, and it’s hard to encourage your office to go green. Or maybe you’ve given in to the temptation of seeing workplace environmentalism as someone else’s responsibility.

Simple measures – like switching off computers (not leaving them on standby) at the end of the day, and turning off lights in empty rooms – will have a real impact. Why not take things even further, and start up an office recycling scheme, if one doesn’t exist already?

You could also treat yourself to some gorgeous and green stationary. (Just be prepared for office mates “borrowing” your cool stapler…)

Lunch

When you’re busy at work, lunch often ends up being a quick sandwich, or something grabbed without much thought for the environmental impact. Most store-bought sandwiches come in plastic packaging (though here in the UK, more and more retailers are using biodegradable cardboard – a step up, but still not perfect!)

How about making your own sandwiches at home and taking them into work? You can put them in an airtight box, or a reusable bag. It’s a lot cheaper than buying sandwiches out – and it’s better for the environment too. Plus, avoiding highly processed foods is one of the ways you can lose weight while saving the planet.

Back Home

In the evening, try to stay eco-aware. If you typically slump in front of the television after a hard day at work, make sure it gets switched off when it’s not being used: get your kids or partner into this habit, too!

If you’ve been keeping an eye on your health, you might be in the habit of visiting the gym on the way home from work. Tons of strip lighting, electric-powered machines and high-flow showers aren’t great for the environment. Talk to your gym about their environmental policies, or look for alternative ways to work out: if the weather permits, jogging or walking outside is free, simple and doesn’t harm the planet.

Dinner

Do you typically order takeout for dinner? If so, wash up the containers and put them in the recycling – don’t just bin them.

When you cook, try to be efficient in your use of water and heat. You don’t need a giant pan of water just to boil some pasta. Keeping lids on saucepans means you won’t need to turn the hob up so high – or try using a steamer to cook lots of vegetables with just a little water. (And while we’re on the vegetables: remember that meat comes with a high environmental cost.)

If you’re putting the oven on, try to use it effectively: perhaps you can put that batch of muffins in along with the baking potatoes, for instance. You don’t need extra heat to cook more things in the oven, so keep it as full as possible.

Bed

After a glowingly eco-virtuous day, you won’t want to spoil it by falling into bed without taking a few simple planet-friendly measures. That means:

• Switching off lights
• Turning down the heating (use an extra blanket – or snuggle a bit closer!)
• Ensuring that computers and televisions are switched off

Don’t lie awake feeling guilty about the times you’ve thrown something recyclable in the trash, or when you’ve left your computer running while you were in a meeting: focus on the good bits of the day, and on the ways you’ve minimized your impact on the planet’s resources.

What does your typical day look like? Are there areas where you can up your eco-efforts?

(Image by jimmyroq)

Like many people, you might have a personal list of shalts and shalt nots for 2010. Alongside resolving to lose weight (after the excesses of holiday fare) and to save money (after the horror of your credit card statement), you may well have some eco-friendly resolutions (perhaps made when faced with that mountain of wrapping paper…)

As we all know from bitter experience, New Year’s Resolutions often don’t last beyond January. In fact, a recent study confirmed this: most resolutions fail, with 78% of us giving up. So if you’re making a whole host of great green promises to yourself – that you’ll never leave a light switched on unnecessarily, you’ll always buy organic meat, you’ll avoid excess packaging – then you may find that you’ve given up before long.

So how can you make your resolutions last?

Taking Small Steps – Not Giant Leaps

The secret to keeping a resolution appeared to depend on whether the person had broken their goal into smaller steps and rewarded themselves when they achieved a certain step.

(Most New Year’s resolutions fail: study)

Whenever you’re trying to make big changes in your life, it pays to start small. Rather than vowing to install solar panels and wear only organic hemp, think about little steps that you could take towards becoming more green.

How about:

• Buying energy-saving lightbulbs. Every time a light goes, just replace the bulb with a green one. Simple and effortless: and it’ll save you on electricity costs.
• Turning your thermostat down a little. A great excuse to wrap up in that warm Christmas jumper (or a Slanket, which seem to be all the rage this year).
• Following some baby steps to becoming green: you can find some ideas here – and some ways to extend each.

And don’t forget about rewarding yourself. Perhaps you could treat yourself to a gorgeous piece of stationary (eco-friendly, of course!) or something from this gift list.

If you feel most motivated when you track your progress, try using a site like Joe’s Goals or 43things.

Other Secrets to Success

They also told their friends about their resolutions, kept a diary and focused on the benefits of success.

(Most New Year’s resolutions fail: study)

Most of us do best when we feel accountable to others; there’s an extra motivational boost in not letting someone down, or in proving that you can do what you’ve promised. How about making green resolutions as a family, and challenging one another to stay on track? (This could be a great way to encourage your kids to be interested in environmental matters, too.)

You could also get your office involved: it’s easier to be green when those around you are making an effort too – and a lot of paper, electricity and water is wasted in typical workplaces.

Keeping a diary is simply a way of staying accountable to yourself. You could spend a few minutes each day jotting down the efforts you made to be green – and the more you focus on the positives, the more encouraged you’ll be to take bigger steps. The ideal time to resolve any problem is when symptoms only appear viagra cheap. But, as you looking for this you must be trying to pickup on essential aspects. Even if you’re not sure you’d benefit from help, it can’t hurt to talk to your doctor.

Self-Interest Doesn’t Have to be Selfish

When we make green resolutions, it sometimes feels like we’re doing it all for someone else’s benefit. Sure, we’re motivated by keeping the planet in good shape for our kids and grandkids – but frankly, in our lazier moments, it’s hard for our good intentions alone to keep us going.

We’re naturally self-interested – and that doesn’t mean being selfish. There are plenty of eco-friendly resolutions that you can make which help you towards your own goals. If you’ve resolved to lose weight, to get healthier, or to save money this year, you’ll find that your green efforts actually boost these resolutions too!

For lots of tips on these, read some of these ecosimply posts from the past few months:

Losing Weight / Getting Healthier

Eating Less Meat – Benefits For You and the Planet

4 Ways Saving the Planet Helps You Lose Weight
Saving Money

5 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Water Use at Home – And Save Money

If It All Goes Wrong…

Look at this as an important part of change, not a permanent set back. Nobody gets it right the first time. It is important to get back to your positive behaviors and not beat yourself up. Feeling like a failure will create one. Feeling like a champion will help you win.

(How to Stick to New Year’s Resolutions)

Sometimes, despite your best intentions, your efforts just aren’t enough. Maybe you end up binning recyclables because you’re in a rush. Perhaps you come home to find that you’ve left the TV on standby and the computer running – again. You might berate yourself for it, or you might simply find yourself slipping back into environmental indifference.

Or perhaps it’s a big event that throws your efforts off-kilter: a long-haul flight, or using disposable plates and cutlery at a big event.

Don’t despair! It does take time to change habits, especially if they’ve built up over a lifetime. Focus on the things which you’re doing right, and keep adding, little by little, to these. Sticking to good day-by-day habits (and encouraging others to do the same) is what will make a difference to our planet in the long-term.

What green resolutions are you making this year? Where could you cut down your energy use? How good are you at reducing, reusing and recycling?

(Image above by eurleif)

It’s holiday season, and that means … parties! When you’re hosting a gathering, it can be easy for the costs to mount up – to your wallet, to the planet, and even to your sanity. Here are some ways to have a great time, without busting your budget, without suffering green guilt, and without getting stressed out. Sounds good? Read on (and don’t forget to add your own tips in the comments at the bottom).

Invites and Arrivals

If you’re sending out party invites, use email – it’s cheaper and greener than sending out paper invitations.

Suggest that guests carpool if possible, especially if any are coming a long distance – perhaps approach a couple of close friends to ask if they’re willing to offer lifts. Many guests will be glad to have a designated driver so that they can enjoy a few drinks.

Give people instructions on how to find the party venue using public transport. You might want to ensure that the party starts and ends at times which make it easy for people to travel to you.

Use Natural or Reusable Decorations

Rather than decorating with paper streamers and rubber balloons, find ways to use natural decorations which have no impact on the planet. How about picking up fallen pine cones, or putting some long twigs into a vase on the hearth? This is completely free – saving you a good few dollars on decorations which would only get binned after the party. Once you’re done with the cones or twigs, just put them back outside!

Alternatively, buy holiday decorations which can be stored away and reused year after year. Colorful banners, lanterns and all sorts of other goodies will last for years. Don’t forget tablecloths: use cloth rather than plastic or paper.

Reusable Glasses and Plates

Although it might be tempting to use disposable plates and cups at a big gathering, this creates a lot of trash. It’s also an additional cost. Instead, use your own plates and glasses (and ask a friend to lend extras if you’re not going to have enough). If you’re meeting in a community hall, they may well have a stock of crockery and glasswear which you can use to serve food and drinks.

When it comes to washing up, rope in some volunteers to help! If you’re using a dishwasher, make sure you fill it fully – and if you’re washing up by hand, don’t use more water than you need.

Serve Veggie Foods

You don’t have to make your entire party veggie – but keeping meat and fish dishes to a minimum means that you’ll slash the food costs, as well as the environmental impact of the food. (You can read more about this in Eating Less Meat – Benefits for You and the Planet.)

Buffet-style meals are a great way to have a range of different foods, and people are unlikely to notice that there’s not much meat. Most food poisoning incidents are from fish or meat, too, so you won’t need to worry so much about giving your guests a party to remember for all the wrong reasons…

Eco-Friendly Drinks

If you can afford to, buy organic wine, cider or beer – from local producers where possible. Or go for large boxes of wine rather than bottles: less packaging, and buying in bulk means more wine for your money! Planet Green have a great article on How to Choose an Eco-Friendly Wine that might help you make your selection.

Instead of serving bottled water, put jugs of iced water out for guests to help themselves: again, you’ll be saving yourself a few dollars.

Restaurants

If you’re going out to eat, consider picking a restaurant which has good green credentials. You might also want to choose a veggie place (especially if this isn’t something you’d ever normally pick – it could make it an evening with a difference!)

Rather than having a three-course meal, have just starters and entrees, or entrees and desserts: people are very unlikely to go hungry, and you’ll also save some cash. When it comes to drinks, ask for tap water for the table: it lets people quench their thirst without glugging down yet more alcohol.

Try to find a local, independent restaurant: they’re much more likely to have a seasonal menu which makes good use of local produce. If you can walk there, that not only saves on taxi fares or gas, it also means that everyone can have a drink!

After the Party

When you’re a party host, you probably feel like just collapsing into bed as soon as the party is over! However, taking a few eco-friendly steps can make life easier for you the next day – and can prevent any unnecessary expenses.

• If you were at a hired venue, such as a village hall, then make sure you’ve followed all instructions about leaving it clean, turning heaters off, locking doors and so on. You don’t want to lose your deposit.
• At home, check you’ve switched off lights, music equipment, games equipment or anything else electronic used during the party.
• Get any rubbish picked up and sorted into recycling boxes. If you leave it till the next day (when you’re tired and hungover), you’ll just be tempted to put it all into the trash.

What holiday parties will you be hosting – or attending – this year? How can you help keep the environmental impact down, while saving some money too?

(Image above by mathplourde)

Christmas Cards

It’s hard to argue that sending out dozens of cards is eco-friendly – but when friends and family expect a holiday greeting in the post, how can you minimise the impact on the planet?

A few options are:

• Sending e-cards. As well as saving the planet, you’ll save time and money too! Invest a few dollars in buying a nice design that you can use for family and friends. One freelancer who I know does this and sends a personal Christmas note by email, along with a link to an electronic greetings card, every Christmas. This makes her greeting much more memorable than yet another generic physical card. (Try JacquiLawson.com for beautiful options.)
• Donating to charity. Some people donate to charity the money which they’d otherwise have spent on cards – and let relatives know that they’re doing this rather than sending cards.
• Buying recycled cards. Many Christmas cards – especially those from charities – are printed on recycled card. If you buy from a green charity, your money will also go towards helping the planet.

And what about the Christmas cards which you receive? Make sure you put them in the recycling once Christmas is over. If you’ve got children, why not keep the cards so that they can be cut up and used for craft next Christmas?

Wrapping Paper

I’d wager that even for some of us adults, part of the excitement of Christmas is ripping the wrapping paper from our presents! However, the amount of paper waste generated is significant: here in the UK, apparently “In the UK alone, enough paper is tossed out each Boxing Day to cover over 85 square kilometres” (from Green Christmas Wrapping Options for Eco-Friendly Wrapping), and “half of the paper consumed in the U.S. every year is used to wrap and decorate consumer products” (from A Season for Giving, Not for Discarding).

So what are the alternatives?

• Using (and reusing) gift bags. In my family, presents are often placed inside gift bags – which are reused year after year. The bags are easy to transport around, and save time on wrapping gifts, especially awkwardly shaped ones.
• Wrapping gifts in fabric and ribbons. You don’t necessarily have to wrap presents in paper: off cut pieces of fabric can make lovely, reusable wrap that becomes part of a family tradition. You could even make the paper into part of the gift, by using a nice scarf or shawl.
• Reusing other paper. Although wrapping your gifts in newspaper might look a bit stingy, you could try using old comic books or magazines, or decorating scrap paper – a particular favorite with kids.

Of course, chances are that you and your family will be receiving a fair few gifts wrapped in paper. Encourage everyone to unwrap their gifts carefully (to make this more fun, you could offer a prize to the family member with the most neatly removed papers!) and keep the gift wrap for reuse. If the pieces are too small to reuse, or if you have too much to store, then make sure it goes in the recycling rather than the trash.

Tree and Decorations

For many of us, Christmas wouldn’t feel right without a tree. However, as any greenie knows, chopping down trees to stick inside your house for a month – before they end up in landfill – isn’t very kind to the planet. So how about looking for an different option this year?

• Use a potted tree. You can replant it in your garden after Christmas – and you can reuse it year after year. If you use waterproof decorations which won’t blow away, you can even decorate your tree outside.
• Hire a tree. Lots of companies offer tree hire – which means more tree reuse, and fewer trees being cut down year after year.
• Reuse decorations. Many families do this anyway, bringing out old favorites year after year to hang on the tree. If you’re going to hang edible decorations on the tree, try making your own biscuits rather than buying chocolates which are individually wrapped in foil.
• Use LED tree lights. They’re more durable and less energy-draining than incandescent bulbs – and they probably won’t cost more. Plus, according to Gizmodo, they stay cooler, which means less risk of a tree fire.

Christmas Lunch

There are a lot of little eco-friendly measures to take in order to make the big Christmas meal a little more planet-friendly. One big step is to be realistic about how much food you need: over-catering can result in a lot of food wastage. You’ll also want to keep an eye on some of these details:

• Recycle Christmas crackers. A festive table just wouldn’t look right without crackers – but all that cardboard should be recycled, not trashed. Make sure that the pieces get collated and put in the recycling box. Better yet, make your own crackers and fill them with genuinely useful gifts rather than bits of plastic. You can probably write better jokes, too…
• Buy locally. You can probably order a bird from your local butcher – and get plenty of delicious seasonal vegetables from a greengrocer’s or farmer’s market. Avoid buying lots of exotic delicacies which come with added air miles…
• Cook efficiently. Keep lids on pans, and don’t keep opening the oven to check on the turkey. Only use as much water as you need.
• Let leftovers cool before refrigerating. Your fridge will have to work harder if you put food that’s still warm into it.
• Fill your dishwasher. That might mean ensuring that it’s packed effectively, or hand washing awkwardly shaped dishes.

Have you got any holiday hints on staying green while having fun? Do you have family traditions which work to save the planet and to keep costs down?

Photo by eyeliam on Flickr / CC BY 2.0

This isn’t a guilt-tripping blog. It’s okay to be honest with yourself and admit your eco-hating guilty secrets. None of us are perfect and, with so many causes and agendas to care about in the world (along with the day-to-day running of our own lives), it’s easy to struggle with environmental indifference.

Even when you’re feeling fired up about your green efforts, you might find yourself coming up against other people’s indifference. Maybe you’ve implemented an office recycling scheme, but people are still chucking paper in the trash. Perhaps you wish your partner would stop scoffing at your efforts to buy eco-friendly projects.

Here’s how to tackle environmental indifference — both yours and other people’s.

Look At What’s In It For You

Whether you like it or now, you probably find that self-interest motivates you. When your green actions tie in with a direct benefit to you, it’s a win-win situation. You help protect the planet, and you get more direct benefits too. Here are just a couple:

Being Green Means Saving Money

Adopting a more eco-friendly lifestyle inevitably means saving money. Why? Because you’re rejecting rampant consumerism and the proliferation of disposable products. Green aficionados may find that there’s a little less strain on their wallet due to any or all of the following reasons:

• Avoiding unnecessary foreign travel
• Keeping lights and electrical equipment switched off (lowing bills)
• Eating local, seasonal foods
• Eating less meat
• Using rechargeable batteries rather than disposable ones

If money-saving is high on your list of priorities (and let’s face it, in current times, it’s a focus for many of us), then check out Simple Eco-Tips That Can Save You $600 a Year.

Being Green Means Getting Healthier

Taking care of the environment and taking care of your own health often go hand-in-hand. Both mean taking a longer term view, and both require an acknowledgement of cause-and-effect. Plus, green measures often directly help you get healthier:

• Walking or cycling rather than taking the care
• Avoiding highly-packaged foods (which tend to be junk foods)
• Buying local product — packed with vitamins not preservatives

If you’re looking to drop a few pounds before Christmas, try reading
4 Ways Saving the Planet Helps You Lose Weight.

Make Life Easy For Others

So you know what’s in being green for you, and perhaps you’ve conquered some of your own indifference. What about other people?

Accept That Not Everyone Shares Your Views

However passionate you are about all things green, be careful about evangelizing to others. It’s fine to explain the recycling box to your colleagues – but holding court at the water cooler about your political views is probably too much.

Sadly, not everyone in this world cares about environmental issues. We might wish that they did, or even feel that they should … but badgering them to do more is unlikely to get a favorable result.

Having said that, one of the best ways you can harness your colleagues, friends and family for the green movement is to put some practicalities in place.

Make Green Behavior Simple

One of the best things you can do is to make it easy for others to go green. If putting paper in the recycling is as easy (or ideally, even easier) than putting it in the trash, people will do it. If being green involves jumping through hurdles, they won’t.

You could help out at work by trying the suggestions in How to Make Green Easy for You and Your Office — or you could try getting your kids on board at home with Growing Green Kids.

Get Hopeful!

Many of us become indifferent and jaded because we’re not convinced that we can do enough to make any environmental impact. Perhaps we’re overwhelmed by the scale of problems like climate change, or the use of fossil fuels.

The good news is, there’s plenty to be hopeful about.

One Person Can Make a Difference

You might think that your actions are insignificant, but that’s not true. Just like with voting, the effect of millions of small decisions really does add up. Plus, as well as having a direct effect yourself, you can be an example for others. If you influence two people to become greener, and they influence two others and so on, you can see how the effect will snowball.

You Can Start With Simple Actions

None of us are perfect when it comes to being green. The good news is that you don’t need to make huge, sweeping changes in your lifestyle in order to start helping the environment — you can start small.

You don’t need to install solar panels on your roof (though it’s great if you do!) — how about just making some changes to your home office setup? Or making sure that you’ve got a good recycling system in place?

If you aren’t sure where to begin, start with 5 Baby Steps for Becoming Green.

How can you conquer your own indifference? What simple, practical steps can you take towards becoming more green today?

(Image above by Mr. T in DC)

For many of us, especially in the west, meat is seen as a key part of dinner, if not lunch and breakfast as well. Here in the UK, “meat and two veg” is still some folk’s conception of a proper meal. Vegetarian options are seen as a boring alternative. Particularly amongst some men, not eating meat can seem dismayingly girly. Others raise worries about lack of protein, vitamins and iron.

Of course, much of this is nonsense. All the nutrients in meat are available from other sources – and there are plenty of tasty vegetarian dishes that’ll make you glad you went for something meat-free.

You might wonder why eating meat affects the environment – and you may also have questions about the personal benefits of cutting down your meat consumption. I’m going to address those in this post.

Environmental Problems with Eating Meat

There are a number of reasons why our meat consumption contributes to climate change and other environmental problems.

Greenhouse Gases

Meat production involves factories, often where animals are bred and kept in confined quarters. Whether or not you have concerns about animal welfare, these factories are energy-consumers which pollute water supplies and emit greenhouse gases:

According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation, 18 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions are from meat production.

(Eating 30 percent less meat good for health, planet, Reuters)

Destruction of Forests

When animals aren’t reared in factories, they need space to graze. This often involves the destruction of forested areas – meaning that there are fewer trees to remove harmful carbon dioxide from the air, and fewer natural habitats for rare plants and animals. As more countries increase their meat consumption to match Western levels, rain forests being cut down:

Last week, the president of Brazil announced emergency measures to halt the burning and cutting of the rain forests for crop and grazing land. In the last five months alone, the government says, 1,250 square miles, or 320,000 hectares, were lost.

(The staggering cost of rising world meat production, New York Times)

Inefficient Use of Land

When grain and plants are farmed for human consumption, they go straight from the field to our plates. They also tend to be closely packed – whereas animals need room to roam. This means that it’s considerably more efficient to produce calories in the form of grains or plants than in the form of animal flesh.

Like us, animals are naturally inefficient because much of their food is converted into energy for movement, excreted as manure, or used for the growth of body parts not eaten by people. Very little can become direct edible weight gain.

(Meat production’s environmental toll, Veg.ca)

Benefits to You from Eating Less Meat

So, you know that eating a lot of meat (the average American eats 8 ounces of meat per day) isn’t a great environmental decision. It’s also not the best decision on a personal level. If you’re looking to be more healthy or more wealthy, cutting down on meat is one of the best choices you can make.

Eat Less Meat, Be Healthier

Many meats are high in fat – especially heart-clogging saturated fat. Cutting down on these will reduce your risk of suffering a heart attack.

Having a few meat-free nights each week can also prompt you to discover new, healthier recipes. Perhaps you’ll switch your chicken curry for a vegetable-packed one, or try a vegetarian chilli that’s naturally lower in fat and calories than your usual version.

Many people worry that eating less meat means that they won’t get enough protein. In fact, in the West, most of us eat much more protein than we need.

Eat Less Meat, Be Wealthier

Because it costs a lot more to produce meat than plant-based products (due to the amount of land and processing required), meat is much more expensive than alternative protein sources. One of the quickest ways to cut your weekly grocery bill is to change to some vegetarian options. That might mean buying quorn, tofu, lentils or beans in place of meat.

Making “Meat-Free” Fun

It’s definitely possible to enjoy having some meat-free meals each week. See it as an adventure, not as a chore! How about:

• Buying a vegetarian recipe book and trying out some new meals and techniques
• Getting the whole family involved in coming up with meat-free meals
• Having just one meat-free day a week (meat-free Mondays are catching on in popularity)
• Experimenting with spices and other flavorings
• Trying dishes from around the world: many Asian cuisines involve vegetarian dishes
• Preparing vegetables in different ways – if you think veggies are bland, try roasting or grilling them

One of my favorite veggie recipes is pasta with pesto roasted vegetables – gorgeously more-ish and packed with flavor!

These sites all offer recipes and vegetarian tips:

Meat Free Mondays – Things to Try at Home – a few ideas for different seasons

BBC Good Food – Vegetarian Recipes – great recipes if you’re planning a party or something a bit special

Taste.com.ac – Vegetarian Recipes – lots of flavour-packed ideas

Do you eat meat every night? Could cutting down help your health and your wallet – as well as the planet?

(Image by VirtualErn)

If you’ve recently woken up to green issues, you might be struggling to get your family to take an interest. Perhaps you’ve come home from work to find all the lights on again, and paper and cardboard is still getting thrown in the trash. Maybe your teens can’t see the point of turning computers and televisions off, instead of leaving them lazily on standby. You know that constant nagging isn’t going to help … so how can you get your kids switched on (and your lights switched off)?

Lead By Example

If you say one thing and do another, you can’t expect your children to do what you’re telling them! Make sure that you’re engaging in environmentally-friendly behaviours … and let the kids see this.

Ever since she was a baby, Heather, age 5, has watched her parents routinely turn off lights that aren’t needed and toss the day’s newspapers, cans, bottles, jars, and other recyclables into a big, yellow bin – that is, if they can’t find a second life for the discarded items in their own home first.

(Barbara Sprung, Growing Up Green, Scholastic)

Let your kids see you recycling, composting, turning off lights, shutting down electronics, and they’ll pick up the same habits easily.

Getting Kids’ Input

First, ask your kids and teens what they think. Most schools today teach environmental issues, and your children may be all too keen to tell you where they reckon you’re going wrong! Ask for their ideas, and don’t be dismissive of any which you think aren’t realistic.

Try asking specific questions, rather than simply asking “how can we save the planet?” Kids might have creative answers to:

• How could we recycle more?
• How could we save energy around the home?
• How can we make sure we don’t waste water?

With teens, you might want to discuss some of the realities of global warming and other ecological problems.

Putting Kids in Charge

Children love to be given some responsibility. Instead of yelling at your son when he keeps throwing recyclables in the trash, how about putting him in charge of the recycling box? Or taking it in turns to have a “light monitor” to make sure lights are being switched off?

Kids also love to be able to catch adults out in bad behaviour, so putting them in charge could encourage you to ditch your eco-hating guilty pleasures…

With young children, try giving them simple (and educational) jobs like:

• Separating out different types of recyclables – be careful with glass or any sharp edges
• Watering the garden
• Turning off taps and lights

Older children could help out by:

• Creating and maintaining a compost heap
• Looking for products in shops with minimal packaging
• Shutting down electronical equipment properly, rather than leaving it on standby

Green and Healthy

If the effort of encouraging your children to be environmentally responsible still seems like too much work for too little reward, think about this: the greener they are, the healthier they’re likely to be.

Get your children eating fresh, locally sourced (or even home-grown) produce – and you’ll be ensuring they get their daily vitamins and lots of goodies. Better for them, and better for the planet, than additive-and-sugar-filled snacks.

Start walking or cycling to school with your kids, and you’ll save money on gas – plus you’ll be ensuring that they stay active and healthy. (While you’re at it, you ight also want to think about going green on your own commute.)

Green and Well Educated

A lot of environmental topics are great opportunities to educate your kids – not just about the green agenda, but about everything from the water cycle to how big business works.

Whether you homeschool or just want to supplement what your children are learning in school, try tying in their lessons to practicalities like recycling and growing vegetables in the garden. We all find it easier to learn when we focus on something concrete rather than abstract.

There is something about gardening that helps children develop a sense for nature, the cycles of life and the law of the harvest. Planting a garden and then helping the children work, water and later harvest will give them an appreciation for nature, the earth and the environment.

(Wayne Parker, Helping Your Children Become Environmentally Aware, About.com)

Taking it Further

Getting involved in a green project as a family – whether that’s conservation work on a few Saturday afternoons, or a working holiday on a farm – can be a powerful way to engage your kids’ interest.

If that’s too much, how about starting a vegetable patch at home, or choosing a green charity to regularly donate money to as a family? Discuss how your family can go a bit further than simply recycling and turning off taps and lights – and see what ideas your kids come up with!

When birthdays are imminent, you could plan a green party with your kids (Green Kid Parties, in Atlanta, Georgia will organise party stuff for you) – or help them to make a wish list of green gifts.

Books and Websites for Green Kids

There are loads of great books out there aimed at engaging children’s interest on green issues: here are just a few for different ages:

Why Should I Recycle? ($6.99, age 4 – 8) – a picture book for younger children, about a school teacher who takes his class to a recycling plant and answers their questions

True Green Kids: 100 Things You Can Do to Save the Planet ($15.95, age 9 – 12) – a practical and fun book that gives children a hundred different ways to go green

The Green Teen: The Eco-Friendly Teen’s Guide to Saving the Planet ($14.95, age 12+) – written in an accessible style for teenagers, and offering practical tips about making real change

You and your kids might also enjoy these websites:

Bright Green Kids – UK site with lots of videos, and a chance for kids to send in their own green ideas (whether “weird, wacky, inventive [or] practical”)

Quest of the Ring Leaders – adventure game which teaches kids about recycling

Captain Planet – I remember this cartoon series from when I was a kid! Your children might enjoy the chance to sign up and become a “planeteer” like the teens in the cartoon.

However you choose to get your kids involved, don’t give up on getting them to grow up green: the future is, quite literally, in their hands…

(Image above by woodleywonderworks)

Does Christmas creep up on you every year? Do you find yourself struggling through the mall with an ever-increasing armful of gifts, trying desperately to find the right thing for everyone? In the midst of a present-buying frenzy, most of us don’t stop to think about green issues. You could save yourself some time and hassle, though, by some savvy planet-saving shopping. Plus, even grumpiest relatives will struggle to find fault with gifts are designed to bring a little extra good into the world. So this Christmas, make sure it’s not just your tree that’s green…

Charity Gifts

For several years, charity gifts (also known as “good gifts) have been popular. Essentially, you donate money to charity on behalf of your friend or relative, and you get a card to give them to explain what the money’s being used for. In an age where we all have too much stuff, charity gifts are a great way to make sure that your gift budget is making a real difference in the world.

When choosing charity gifts, try:

• Selecting a gift which will be meaningful to the recipient. For example, many charities let you buy school supplies, which could make a great gift for a teacher.
• Don’t use Christmas as a time to push your own political, moral or religious agenda on relatives — select gifts that are appropriate for them.
• Bearing in mind the age of the recipient: children may not understand the concept of “their” gift going to someone else.

Where to buy:

A large number of charities offer this sort of gift, so check out any which you already support. A few large gift suppliers include:

• The Good Gifts Catalogue
• Oxfam America Unwrapped (search for “Oxfam unwrapped” to find your nation’s equivalent)
• Heifer International (not just heifers!)

Geeky Gifts

Admit it, you’ve got a geek or three in your life (or perhaps you’re a bit of a geek yourself). Some geek hobbies can be quite power-intensive, so rather than giving yet another gadget, try looking for something that’s got that geek cachet — and that helps out the environment. There are plenty of sites selling geeky gifts, and many of these fit the “eco-friendly” bill.

Just try to resist buying too many nifty toys for yourself while you’re browsing…

Look out for products which:

• Involve renewable energy sources, such as the sun or wind-power
• Ideally, which are fun! Although energy-saving power strips are great inventions, they’re not the most exciting thing to find in your Christmas stocking…

Where to buy:

• I Want One Of Those — Gifts for Greenies
• Firebox — Eco Gifts
• Think Geek — Power and Eco-Friendly

Kids’ Gifts

You may have a tacit agreement to exchange small gifts, or to donate money to charity in lieu of gifts, when it comes to adult friends and relatives. If you have your own kids, grandchildren, nephews or nieces, however, you may be struggling to find something that’s not yet another plastic toy or computer game. There are loads of fun, kid-friendly gifts that are also kind to the planet.

If you have your own kids, get them involved in choosing presents — especially if you’re giving charity gifts. It’s a great way to help them understand how worldwide issues tie in with your individual choices and actions.

Go on the hunt for:

• Gifts which will get kids enthused about environmental matters. Don’t focus on “educational” gifts, but on ones which will spark an interest.
• Age-appropriate presents: being eco-friendly isn’t an excuse to get sloppy. If you don’t have much experience with children, simply ask the parents what would suit.
• Fun colors and designs. Even if you’re buying recycled notebooks or school supplies, you can get some gorgeous stationery — don’t settle for beiges and browns!

Where to buy:

• My EcoStore — Gifts for Kids
• Progressive Kid Store (closing soon — so get there quick and enjoy the sale!)
• Kate’s Caring Gifts — For Kids

And don’t forget your own Christmas list: are there eco-friendly items you’d like? Would you prefer relatives to donate to a favorite charity on your behalf?

(Image by queercatkitten)

How eco-friendly are your office or school supplies? If you’re a bit of a fashionista, you might be attached to your perfect notebook or your gorgeous collection of pens … even if you know they’re zero percent recycled.

Eco-friendly stationary isn’t all about dull browns and beiges any more. If you’re picturing rough recycled paper and flimsy envelopes, read on (and feast your eyes on some gorgeous images) for a sampling of today’s amazing range of recycled and repurposed stationary items.

And if you can’t resist getting your hands on some of these, there are links to various online shops at the bottom…

Notebooks

Whether you’re a writer, a student, a to-do list fanatic, or just someone who likes to have a notebook handy, there are plenty of options beyond the standard recycled paper. Paper doesn’t have to be made out of trees, you know… how about lemon, mango or banana paper?

(Just remember – it might look good enough to eat, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it is…)

(Lemon paper notebook image and banana paper notebook image from EcoPaper)

If your notebook has to have the perfect cover in order to inspire true creativity, then check out the amazing range available at EcoJot.com.

And if you’re feeling brave, you could even try an elephant dung notebook…

Pens and Pencils

All the eco-friendly paper in the world won’t be much good to you unless you’ve got something to write on it with. Ditch those ugly ballpoints, and get a recycled, reusable pen instead:

(Recycled pens image from the Keetsa blog.)

Alternatively, if you like to sketch, draw, mind map or just doodle, how about a set of pencils made from “good wood”?

(Pencils image from Nigel’s Eco Store)

You can even get pencils made from recycled newspaper: these ones come in a recycled paper pot, too.

(Recycled Pencils image from MyEcoStore)

Pencil Cases

Once you’ve got your hands on a bunch of great-looking, eco-friendly pens and pencils, you won’t want to lose them at the bottom of your bag, or leave them lying around on someone else’s desk.

Treat yourself to one of these gorgeous pencil cases… or get a pencil holder from your desk.

(Recycled Juice Carton Pencil Case image from Doy Bags)

For a grunge, urban look, how about a recycled car tyre? (Recycled Tyre Pencil Case image from Nigel’s Eco Store)

If neither of those suit you, how about a recycled chocolate cookie wrapper pencil case?

If you spend most your your day at your desk, get your hands on a useful desk tidy. Made from recycled wood chip, this cork pencil holder doubles up as a handy place to pin memos.

(Cork Pencil Holder image from Nigel’s Eco Store)

Odds and ends

And in case your stationary cupboard isn’t already bursting at the seams, how about adding in a few extras?

Stapler

This very groovy looking stapler has a cutting-and-folding action to hold up to three pages together – without all those tiny bits of metal that end up getting thrown away (or which invariably jam). A little gimmicky, perhaps, but wouldn’t it look fab on your desk?

(Eco-Stapler image from Nigel’s Eco Store)

Circuit Clipboard

Show off your inner geek by getting your hands on a recycled circuit clipboard. So many computer parts end up in landfill – it’s great to see some being reclaimed!

(Circuit Clipboard image from Hot PCB)

Get Your Hands on These Gorgeous Stationery Items

If you’re drooling over the images above, here are a few stores that sell a selection of different notebooks, pens, pencils, and accessories.

EcoJot – loads of recycled paper notebooks to suit any taste from conservative to flamboyant!

Nigel’s Eco Store – UK and Europe only. Lots of great office and stationery items, plus more.

Etsy – for unique, hand-crafted and utterly gorgeous recycled items, try Etsy.

TerraCycle – some amazing recycled goodies, and you can even get involved by sending in your own trash to be reclaimed. They’ll pay you, too!

GrassRootsStore – for more minimalist but still awesome designs, check out this store.

Have you got any favorite eco-friendly stationery items? What’s going on your Christmas wishlist now you’ve read this list

(Main post image by lilit)

When was the last time you used — and threw away — something disposable?

Even if you’re trying to be eco-friendly, I’d bet that you’ve used something disposable in the last day. It could be:

• Contact lenses
• Tissues
• A razor
• Batteries
• A coffee cup
• A ballpoint pen

Don’t feel guilty about this. It’s not just you: we’ve become a throwaway culture. Big business likes it that way, because disposable products mean repeat buyers:

In the late 1800s, with the advent of packaged biscuits (with brand names Uneeda and Iwanna) and paper shirtfronts (developed to satisfy demand for spotless whites from men without access to laundry), manufacturers began to realize the seemingly endless commercial potential of short-lived products. Freshness and brand name would be linked to lure repeat customers.

(Terry Tamminen, Made to Break reveals the roots of our throwaway culture, Grist)

Over the past century — and definitely since the 1950s — more and more disposable products have been invented. You can now buy disposable toilet scrubbers, cameras, cell phones, even audio books…

Many people buy disposable products either for convenience’s sake, or because the products are initially cheaper. In both cases, this is a false economy: after all, is it really more convenient to buy disposable batteries (and have to keep buying more), or to buy rechargeable batteries that you can pop in the charger overnight? Cost-wise, reusable options will almost always work out much cheaper in the long term.

The rise in disposables is not an altruistic move by big business:

Even though some companies are working towards more environmentally friendly products, it seems like other companies are working towards figuring out how to make their products more disposable (and make more money at the same time).

(Craig Takeuchi, Disposable products increasing on the market, Straight.com)

So what common disposables could you do without?

Batteries

Do you still use disposable batteries? Rechargeable ones don’t cost much more, and can be reused up to a thousand times. You’ll save a huge amount of money over the lifetime of each battery, especially if you use a digital camera or other power-hungry battery-operated equipment.

I’d recommend buying a good quality recharger and set of batteries, rather than the cheapest you can find: I’ve found that some of the cheaper models don’t seem to hold a charge well. If you plan to use the batteries in a specific product, check the manual or manufacturer’s guidelines for compatibility.

Diapers

Cloth diapers are becoming more and more popular as an alternative to disposable ones. Of course, in many parts of the world (and throughout history), parents have used cloth diapers — but the big diaper manufacturers like Pampers and Huggies have changed that.

Although disposables end up in landfill, cloth diapers do need washing so require water and energy. Some commentators have suggested that both have a similar environmental impact; others maintain that avoiding landfill waste is more important than avoiding water and energy usage.

Pens and Stationary

Do you throw away your ballpoints when they’re out of ink? Get a refillable pen instead. These often don’t cost much more — but they reduce the amount of plastic in landfill. And a good pen can last for generations.

If you’re struggling to find reusable stationary, look for products which have been made from recycled materials — such as pencils from vending machine cups.

Plastic Cups, Plates and Cutlery

Disposable cups, plate and cutlery often aren’t recycled. When cardboard, plastic or paper has been contaminated with food, it can’t be recycled unless it’s carefully cleaned — and let’s face it, who uses disposable cutlery and then washes it?

Only recycle clean paper and cardboard.  If it has been contaminated with food, oil or grease the paper or cardboard will not be recycled.

(Paper & Cardboard recycling guidelines — Tablelands Regional Council)

If you’re getting coffee, take along your own mug. If you’re catering an event, can you use regular plates and cups instead of disposables? (You may want to rope in help with the dishes…)

Plastic Shopping Bags

Do you get a separate bag in each store? Take along a long-lasting shopping bag, preferably made out of cloth. These are normally easier to carry and well-sized to hold all your purchases: no more juggling with multiple bags hanging off each hand!

Of course, there’s nothing preventing you from reusing the plastic shopping bags you’ve already been given. How about keeping one in the car, or in your pocket or purse, so that you’ve always got a shopping bag to hand?

Razors

Most of us use disposable razors — but these aren’t the only option. You can get a straight razor, with a blade that you resharpen, you can use an electric razor or you can buy razors which are re-usable with a disposable blade.

As with diapers, there’s some debate over what type of razor has the least impact on the environment.  There’s some good advice about choosing your razor on Use an eco-friendly razor at GreenYour.com.

Tissues and Paper Towels

Do you have a handkerchief? I know that I, and a lot of people from my generation, associate handkerchiefs with our dads and granddads, and tend to use tissues instead. However, handkerchiefs are often a much better option — they don’t fall apart like tissues and, as Michael points out in Why you should carry a handkerchief, they have a number of other uses…

You can also use cloth rags for mopping up spills in the kitchen, instead of using paper towels. Over time, you’ll save money using this method. You can generally squeeze in a few handkerchiefs and rags with your regular load of laundry, so the environmental impact of washing them is negligible. (If you want some advice on ditching paper towels, read Thoughts On Abandoning the Paper Towel from Trent at The Simple Dollar.)

If you must use disposables…

However hard you try to be ecofriendly, there’ll always be some times when you end up using disposables. When this happens, make sure:

• You don’t flush them — many products can either cause problems and blockages in the sewer system, or they can harm the fish in rivers and seas, if swallowed. (Contact lenses are a particular culprit here.)
• You dispose of them properly — where possible, recycle. Any products like batteries and ink cartridges should not go in the trash: they contain harmful chemicals.

During the next day, keep an eye out for the product you use which are disposable — whether at home, at work, or out with friends. How many of these could you switch for a reusable option?

(Image above by walknboston)