Advice and How-To on Green Living and How to Go Green
Easy tips and quick information that you'll need if you're just starting to go green or you need a green living refresher course! From how to recycle easily to how to reduce your energy use and your carbon footprint, these tips making being green easy!
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Planet-friendly Parties
By Elizabeth Barker for Green Goes Simple
By making a few easy changes to your party-planning strategy, you can cut back on waste, reduce your use of natural resources and even slash your spending budget. Here, Green Chic author Christie Matheson serves up eight tips for eco-fabulous entertaining:
1. Ditch the disposable goods and use your own tableware. Not enough to go around? Consider renting what you need or borrowing from a friend. You can also check your local chapter of Freecycle.org, an online community where members give away used household items.
Reusing and Recycling 101
By Dana Goeglein for Green Goes Simple
You want to be green, but it’s hard to know the difference between reusing and recycling. Fortunately, it’s not that complicated. Recycling and reusing have the same goal: to keep items out of overflowing landfills. The two tactics just go about it in very different ways.
Recycling involves reprocessing an old item -- such as a can, glass or newspaper -- and turning it into something new. Recycled paper products may be reprocessed into toilet paper and old tires may become a compound used to resurface roads.
Eco-eating: Delicious, Family-friendly Salads
Green Goes Simple: The Green Scoop
Eco-eating: Delicious, Family-friendly Salads
By Marisa Belger for Green Goes Simple
I pride myself on eating seasonally. This means steel-cut oats, roasted root veggies and hearty stews in the winter, and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables in the summer. And following this plan would be simple if the only palate I had to worry about was my own. But, alas, I’m also feeding a hungry -- and supremely picky -- little tummy as well.
Always challenged by the task of sneaking something healthy into my son, W., I’ve finally found a few ways of getting him to go green. Here are some of the summer dinner salads -- filling, nutritious and kid-friendly -- that have passed muster at our dinner table.
Mama’s Magic Mix
The master of all salads, the Magic Mix is made from anything and everything that W. -- said three-year-old -- deems salad-worthy. We always start with a base of mixed organic greens and expand from there. A recent Magic Mix included toasted pine nuts, avocado, green apple, parsley and cubed tofu for a protein kick. Toss the whole concoction in an easy dressing -- try honey, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Little W. gets in on the action by sliding the chopped ingredients into the bowl and mixing them together with a big spoon.
Chixalicious (or Tunalicious, if you’re so inclined)
In our house, chicken salad counts as salad. Heavy on the chopped veggies -- we use celery, carrots, red onion and apple -- and light on the mayo (a little goes a long way), this salad never fails to please. Not into chicken? Tuna makes a stellar substitute.
Modified Waldorf
I can’t deny the pleasure of a good Waldorf salad, and I was thrilled to discover that W. digs it too. Our Waldorf includes toasted walnuts, lots of dried cranberries (kids love hunting for the chewy sweet treats), apples, celery and, sometimes, thinly sliced green cabbage. Toss with a speedy dressing: olive oil, lemon juice and honey. Yum!
Marisa Belger’s work has appeared in Travel + Leisure Family, Natural Health, Prevention and TODAYShow.com, where she wrote a column about eco-friendly living. She was an editor at Lime.com and collaborated with author Josh Dorfman on his bestselling books, The Lazy Environmentalist and The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget.
Love Your Lawn (and the Earth Too)
Green Goes Simple: The Green Scoop
Love Your Lawn (and the Earth Too)
By Cynthia Ramnarace for Green Goes Simple
Maintaining a lush, healthy lawn without resorting to harsh chemicals is no easy task. Fortunately, you don’t have to have a supremely green thumb to keep your lawn naturally vibrant.
According to Paul Tukey, author of The Organic Lawn Care Manual, a truly “green” lawn requires patience, diligence and, most importantly, a pair of blinders. “Most people use herbicides because they’re worried about what their neighbor’s thinking,” says Tukey, who is also the founder of SafeLawns.org, a nonprofit organization devoted to promoting natural lawn care. “You have this aesthetic expectation that gets out, this ‘You’re not fit to live in the neighborhood if you let dandelions grow on the lawn.’”
So forget the neighbors and embrace these chemical-free and resource-reducing suggestions for a natural -- and beautiful -- lawn.
Apply organic fertilizer … and wait. Commercial fertilizers spoil lawn owners by producing overnight greenness. Organic fertilizers work by feeding the soil, not the plant, and so it takes weeks before the blades absorb those new nutrients.
“Until your soil is brought back to life with earthworms and all kinds of microscopic organisms that you don’t even think about, your lawn is not going to turn green,” says Tukey.
Spread organic compost. Add about a 1/4- to 1/2-inch of compost across the entire lawn, suggests Tukey. Then water with compost tea (2 pounds of compost for 5 gallons of water). “The nutrients will begin to bring the soil back to life,” he says.
Respect your weeds. Although they can be a nuisance, weeds hold more information than you may think. “Weeds are messengers sent by Mother Nature to tell us something about the soil,” says Tukey.
For instance, if you have a lot of dandelions, the soil lacks calcium. “Put down high-calcium limestone and come back in a couple of years,” says Tukey. “There won’t be any dandelions.” Can’t wait that long? Dig them up, flame them -- which you do by torching the seeds before they can spread -- or spray them with a vinegar-based weed killer.
Keep seeding your lawn. Try not to use the ever-popular Kentucky bluegrass variety of grass, which grows quickly. Instead, opt for a slow-growing variety, such as buffalo grass in arid environments and turf-type tall fescue in regions that get regular rain.
“There are plenty of lawn grass species out there now that grow more slowly, require fewer resources and have you mowing only every three or four weeks,” says Tukey.
Make sure your grass is at least 3 inches tall. Doing so will shade out the weeds, making it more difficult for them to grow and keeping the ground moist. The shorter your grass is, the more frequently it will need to be watered.
Don’t blow your leaves away. Instead, mulch them with a mulching or push mower. The leaves, like grass clippings, feed the soil.
Turn off your automatic sprinkler. Defaulting to an automatic watering system means you may be wasting water. See if your soil really needs it by digging a hole that is 6 or 8 inches deep, then feeling the earth. If it’s dry, water your lawn until the ground is saturated. If not, wait a few days and test it again.
“Once the soil surface dries out, the roots will naturally gravitate downward to where the moisture is,” says Tukey. “If you water daily, your roots learn to stay near the surface, waiting for their next drink. If they dig down deep, you can go away on vacation for a week and your grass will still be OK.”
Cynthia Ramnarace is a freelance writer in Queens, N.Y. She is a regular contributor to iVillage.com and AARP Bulletin. Her work also appears frequently in American Baby and Kiwi magazines.
How Green Is Your Bathroom?
By Rachel Bertsche for Green Goes Simple
Turning your house into an eco-friendly space is a step-by-step process, but if you want to start out with a bang, hit the bathrooms first. “As far as water use inside the home goes, the bathroom accounts for the largest share -- over 50 percent,” says Crissy Trask, author of It's Easy Being Green: A Handbook for Earth-Friendly Living.
“Considerable water and money can be saved when you make a bathroom as water-efficient as possible, and many small fixes are extremely economical and can be done by the do-it-yourselfer.” To get started, try these inexpensive and easy suggestions to save energy and money every time you hit the showerhead.
The Way You Water
Green Goes Simple: The Green Scoop
The Way You Water
By Amy Levin-Epstein for Green Goes Simple
Watering the lawn, running in the sprinkler, lazy days by the pool -- each of these summer activities proves that water is a central part of warm-weather fun. So how do you cut back on water use -- without cutting back on the fun?
“In the U.S., the average person uses between 100 to 175 gallons of water daily,” says Caroline Howell, founder of GreenBeanie, a green home and lifestyle consultant. “To put this in perspective, the average person in Africa uses a mere 5 gallons a day.” Clearly, people aren’t doing all they can to conserve water, a limited resource that -- if used improperly -- can result in sky-high summer bills.
Fortunately, hope is not lost! Howell has many easy tips to conserve water -- and save some cash -- this summer.
Wake up and Water
If you douse your lawn and garden under the midafternoon sun, a good chunk of that precious liquid will evaporate before it reaches root level. “Watering the lawn and garden should be done in the early morning hours before the sun comes up,” says Howell.
Sprinkle Your Lawn Smartly
Inefficiency equals major waste, so look for products that fix leaks and help water get to your parched plants and lawn. A noodle sprinkler can help improve your aim and keep your garden truly green. And if you have an automatic sprinkler -- which is already eco-friendly! -- make sure to override the system and shut it off whenever rain is on the way.
Conserve During Playtime
Kids are going to want to run through the sprinkler, so look for a low-flow option that reduces the amount of water used. And if they’re turning into prunes trying to stay cool with the sprinkler, give them water pistols. They will not only get some exercise while running around, but also use much less water.
Reuse Rain and Shower Water
“You can capture rainwater with barrels connected to your gutters, and then use this for watering your lawn,” says Howell. It’s not as hard as you may think -- there are many preconfigured kits available online, and you can also build your own system.
Rain isn’t the only water you can collect and reuse. “I have a bucket in the shower that captures a gallon of water while it’s getting hot,” says Howell. “I use this water on the plants on my patio.”
Protect Your Pool From Evaporation
“Put a cover on your pool to stop evaporation, which saves significant water in warmer months,” says Howell. There are even solar covers that will heat the pool naturally, so you’ll save water and energy!
Lead by Example
Kids learn from watching you, so show them easy, everyday ways to save water. Turn off faucets while brushing your teeth and shut down the hose while soaping up the car. They’ll follow your lead and you’ll see some big savings!
Amy Levin-Epstein is a freelance writer who’s been published in magazines like Glamour, Self and Prevention, on websites like AOL, Babble and Details.com and in newspapers like the New York Post and the Boston Globe. You can read more of her writing at AmyLevinEpstein.com.
Transform Your Trash
By Marisa Belger for Green Goes Simple
The jars came first. Instead of sending my growing collection of empty glass receptacles to their usual fate at the bottom of the recycle bin, I did something unexpected -- something wild. I peeled off their labels and plopped them in the dishwasher.
I wanted to see just what would happen if I gave these jars another chance. Full disclosure: I was motivated not only by the thought of transforming trash into something new, something useful, even something cool, but also by the fact that jars were clogging up my kitchen. You see, we’re a jar-centric family, tearing through what I’m starting to believe is an abnormal amount of pickles, mustard (the spicy French and yellow varieties), sauces of both apple and tomato, and jams and jellies.
Could You Go Water-free?
Green Goes Simple: The Green Scoop
Could You Go Water-free?
By Dana Courtney for Green Goes Simple
For 24 hours, I went on a water diet. No, it’s not the next fad in weight loss; it was an experiment in using less of one of the earth’s most precious resources.
My assignment began first thing in the morning as I fumbled for my toothbrush, still in a sleep-induced haze. I mindlessly reached for the faucet, but before a single drop was wasted, I stopped myself. I decided to take my toothbrush into the shower, where I could multitask my cleansing.
I’ve long since abandoned one of my favorite (wasteful) luxuries -- the 20-minute shower. But this morning, I put myself on the clock to see how much of my normal routine I could squeeze in while using as little water as possible.
With my toothbrush ready and my two-in-one shampoo/conditioner in hand, I turned on the faucet. In a mad dash of suds and scrubbing, I managed to wash my face, hair and body, and to brush my teeth in less than five minutes. Success! Sure, it wasn’t as relaxing as my usual routine, but I left the shower feeling energized and completely clean.
After dressing, I strolled into the kitchen, where a small stack of dinner dishes remained from the night before. I took a deep breath and came up with a strategy to tackle the task at hand using as little water as possible. Because our sink only has one large basin, I decided that it would be best to do the dishes in shifts.
First, I filled up the sink with a small amount of soapy water. After scraping the dishes, I dipped each one in the sudsy water, scrubbed it and set it aside. Once each plate took a soapy plunge, I drained the sink, filled it with a small amount of clean water, rinsed each dish and placed it on the rack to dry.
The process seemed to take a bit longer than my usual habit of leaving the water running as I scrubbed and rinsed each plate individually, but knowing that I consumed half the amount of water than usual made the extra two minutes feel worth it. And because my shower was so much shorter in the morning, I noticed that I was still ahead of schedule as I walked out the door.
Throughout the day, I found a few more ways to use less. In the restroom, I considered whether it was necessary to flush. Because I was in a public stall, I decided yes; if I had been at home, though, I think I could have held off. Afterward, when I went to wash my hands, I soaped up first, and then turned the water on to rinse.
That night, I met a friend at a restaurant for dinner and asked the waiter to leave our silverware and table settings between courses. Although it was a small gesture, the restaurant had to wash fewer cutleries at the end of the day, which meant less water was used for our meal.
Before bed, I turned the water off while brushing my teeth and quickly splashed my face clean.
Although it took practice to be more mindful, after a day of water-dieting, I saw how very little I had to change to make a difference. My assignment may officially be over, but I think my work to save water has just begun.
Dana Courtney is a writer, yoga instructor and whole-foods educator in New York City, where she strives to help others create harmonious, connected lives.
Future Fashion: Eco-conscious Style
By Alison Baenen for Green Goes Simple
For most of us, getting dressed is personal. We use clothes to convey a message about ourselves to the outside world and to express, perhaps outlandishly or subtly, our aesthetic sensibilities. As such, the questions we run up against in the closet range from the prosaic (“Do these jeans make my butt look big?”) to the theoretical (“Can I wear this on a job interview?”).
But as more and more designers acknowledge the importance of a growing eco-fashion market, we may well be asking bigger-picture questions as we build our wardrobe: What kinds of material is this fabric made of? How much energy was consumed to create this item? Under what kind of working conditions was this made?
Reduce Waste at Work
Green Goes Simple: The Green Scoop
Reduce Waste at Work
By Marisa Belger for Green Goes Simple
When you’re a working mama, you may have to dig through Matchbox cars in your purse to find the files you need. But once you get down to business, it’s good to know there are easy steps you can take to ensure that the way you work not only gets the job done, but also creates the least amount of waste possible. I’ve discovered that it’s easy to green your gig. Here’s how.
Print Less, Print Better
No printing is the best kind of printing -- it saves paper, which saves stress -- but if you must click “Print,” there are three ways to make it more planet-friendly. First, stock up on recycled paper. Next, print on both sides of the page. And finally, seek out printer inks made from eco-savvy materials like soy, which are a little easier on the earth.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refill
Whether you’re working at home or away in an office, always keep the fourth “R” in mind: Refilling is key. Instead of tossing empty printer cartridges and plastic pens in the trash, refill them! Check out TheGreenOffice.com for all the green gear your office needs.
Beat Vampire Energy Drain
Whether you’re low-tech or extra-high-tech, power-sucking gadgets are an inevitable part of office life. You can beat vampire energy drain -- also known as wasted energy -- and lower your electric bill by unplugging computers, printers and phone chargers whenever they’re not in use. Make it easy by plugging everything into one power strip and flicking the “Off” button at the end of the day.
Marisa Belger’s work has appeared in Travel + Leisure Family, Natural Health, Prevention and TODAYShow.com, where she wrote a column about eco-friendly living. She was an editor at Lime.com and collaborated with author Josh Dorfman on his bestselling books, The Lazy Environmentalist and The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget.
