Tree Hugging Family » Green Home

Green your trash bags

Jennifer — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:50:29 +0000

Is there anything more boring than talking about trash bags? Not much I’d wager, but consider how many you use. Dozens, maybe even hundreds per year? Plastic trash bags pose some major threats to the environment – most are made of new plastic which of course takes non-renewable resources to make plus they’re just going to sit, full of trash, in the landfill forever.

You can try:

Making less trash to start with. This is not an easy task, but any family, with a little work can do it. Take a green home trash audit then make some decisions to grind up or compost old food, and recycle all the trash you can.

If you get paper bags with your groceries (although you should be using a reusable bag) you can use them to hold trash, although they fail when it comes to wet trash. However, they will biodegrade where as plastic bags of trash will not.

Recycled plastic bags are not great but they are a much better choice than conventional bags. Many recycled plastic bags contain a large amount of recycled plastic. They still create pollution during the manufacturing process, but not as much as new plastic bags, and use less petroleum as well.

Where to find recycled plastic trash bags:

Talking about trash bags may not be fun but by greening your trash bags you can help protect the earth.

[image via stock.xchng]

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Buy Green Home Goods & Learn How To Save Money (Yes, at the same time!)

Jennifer — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:49:48 +0000

I actually can’t remember if we’ve ever discussed Green & Save here, but even if we have, it’s been a while and it’s worth a mention. Especially with spring coming up as you may have plans for your tax returns (home projects) or spring fix-it projects.

Green & Save is a super cool green living site geared toward the money end of eco-living. Basically, Green & Save provides Home Efficiency Consulting for consumers who want to save money on their utility bills or who simply want to be sweeter to the planet. That’s the short story.

The long story: Following is just some of what you can find at Green & Save, which by the way, is info offered free of charge.

Learn how much money you can save if you spend money on green goodies: For example, if you spend $375 on Solar Path and Garden Lights you can save $176 in a year or $1,760 in ten years. Another cool component is you get to see the return investment. Examples, your return on the solar lighting example above is 46.9% while your return on composting is only around 15%. This allows you to see where you can gain the biggest bang for your eco-dollar.

Learn what you’ll save on TONS o’ green home items: From basic home tune-ups, to energy and other green audits, to major remodels and so much more. If it’s green and home related, there’s a good chance you can learn about the money side of it at this website.

Snag seasonal green living tips.

Get green deals and discounts: You can sign up for their green email event which sends out tips about the best values and opportunities for home savings and weatherization, seasonal sales and they track the political landscape and offer tips for Tax Credits, Rebates, Incentives, and even reduced utility charges for using various green systems (like a heat pump, low-flow toilet, etc.).

And MUCH more. There’s a ton of cool green news, tips, and ideas at Green & Save, including a handy green home business directory, an ask the expert section, and community forums.

If you’ve got some spare cash marked for greening your pad, or just want to learn more about green homes in general, visit Green & Save.

[image via stock.xchng]

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Best Home Recycling Bins – Recycling Bins to Drool Over

Jennifer — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 22:32:06 +0000

I’ve been wanting to do a post on better looking recycling bins for a while now. However, there’s not much coolness out there in the recycling bin market. There’s some decent recycling bins, but nothing that was making me drool. However, I got lucky this last week, and found some really nice and stylish bins for the home.

Why bother with nice looking recycling bins?:

You can use anything for a recycling bin – an old box, an ugly bin from your local recycling company, even just a bag on the floor. However, it’s worth the money in my opinion to find some attractive bins. If you have attractive bins you can keep them out in public. Recycling bins that are tucked away in your garage or on the porch are far less likely to be used to their maximum potential. Families who work recycling into their home decor scheme are just more likely to recycle. These bins may cost more in the short run, but in the long run they’ll last and last, and you’ll feel really happy using them.

PLUS you may be able to convert non-recycling friends once they see your pretty bins. I think that the bulk of icky looking recycling bins give recycling a bad name. This year, if you can, pick up a more attractive system. Ideas below.

The best recycling bins for your home:

Simplehuman is my new obsession, mainly because they’re rocking the recycling bin market. Seriously they have some of the best looking bins I’ve ever seen. Like this fingerprint-proof rectangular recycler below. If you lined two of these up, you’d have enough space for recycling categories and trash.

Other recycling bin goodies from Superhuman include the ultra hip and modern front load recycler bins and the pullout recycler- good for if you’re short on space (these work under the counter).

From OXO are these cool Good Grips bins – really they’re garbage bins, but they come in 8-10 gal sizes, and are so fresh and retro you just have to love them. I think these would make great recycling bins. The yellow is my fave.

45 Litre 3 Compartment Stainless Steel Recycle Bin from Trashcans Unlimited.

Witt Industries Metal 24 Gallon Geocube 24GC0 Recycling Waste Receptacle – meant for commercial use, but since they come in singles and you choose the decal and color, these could easily be adpated to home use. I like the whole mod cube look going on with these. Also from Trashcans Unlimited.

Lastly from Trashcans Unlimited, some neat Wood Solid Pine Trash Bins – different and kind of cool if you’ve got the right decor.

Recycling Bags – Set of 4 – these used to be one of my favorite sets. I like the stainless steel look better right now, but these are less expensive and still not bad to look at if you want a bag option. From Design Within Reach.

If you’re looking for a fun vs. pretty bin, check out how bored people and or soccer players recycle. If you’re looking for info on how to recycle better and limit your trash read the Weekly Green Home Audit Round-Up: Trash Control.

Which bins are your favorite? I really adore those little retro numbers.

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Book Review: The Carbon Free Home

Jennifer — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:38 +0000

At Offbeat Homes I just reviewed a pretty cool book. If you’re looking to go green at home, it’s a perfect read for you. However, since I’m not interested in re-writing the entire review post here, you’ll have to shoot over to Offbeat to learn more.

It’s worth the click though – it’s a stellar book. In fact, I’ll even give you click choices; click the link or book image to whisk off to the book review.

Book Review: The Carbon-Free Home: 36 Remodeling Projects to Help Kick the Fossil -Fuel Habit

Click here to learn about all the current contests, themes, and green challenges going on at Tree Hugging Family in September 2008

[image via Chelsea Green]

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Green Kid Site Spotlight: Children of the Earth

Jennifer — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 23:00:00 +0000

Children of the Earth is a great family friendly, kid heavy, green focused website. There’s plenty to see and do, tons of activities, book rec commendations, eco-ideas submitted by kids, an eco-gallery of art by kids, a green home section, and lots more.

You could play around here for a good long while before running out of activities or ideas. Gather your kids and pay them a visit.

Click here to learn about all the current contests, themes, and green challenges going on at Tree Hugging Family in June 2008

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Ten Easy Eco Kitchen Changes You Can Make

Jennifer — Sat, 24 May 2008 05:00:41 +0000

Instead of foil – go without and wash your cookie sheet or pan.
Instead of paper muffin cups – use Silicone Baking Cups.
Instead of packing snacks and sandwiches in plastic baggies – try small containers with lids or these.
Instead of polyurethane laden sponges – use a washcloth or a greener sponge option.
Instead of spraying your kitchen counters with chemicals – don’t. Bonus point for not using paper towels.
Instead of keeping your coffee pot on – transfer hot coffee to a large thermos.
Instead of individual packaging i.e mini cereal and applesauce cups – buy the biggest package possible that your family can use up.
Instead of boxes and jars – buy bulk when possible (use your own containers). Try with items like raisins, spices, chocolate chips, and sugar.
Instead of an empty freezer – fill it up to conserve energy and make items colder.
Instead of boiling soup and steaming veggies on the stove top – use your microwave if you’ve got one.

Click here to learn about all the current contests, themes, and green challenges going on at Tree Hugging Family in May 2008

[Image via stock.xchng]

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Around the Web with Peggy & Jennifer

Jennifer — Thu, 22 May 2008 20:15:05 +0000

So, it’s been awhile since we did one of these round-ups. We’re due. Here’s the green we’ve been writing elsewhere that may interest Tree Hugging Family Readers.

Building, buying, or remodeling your own green home:

Home & Living:

Architecture:

Baby:

Eco friendly baby shirts
Easy ways to go green with your baby
Organic baby clothing
Sweet organic baby tees
Happy summer organic baby finds
Cutest baby babble story ever – note that this is not so green, or even really useful for human parents, but it’s so darn cute I keep spreading it around. Sorry.

Work related:

Miscellaneous stuff:

Click here to learn about all the current contests, themes, and green challenges going on at Tree Hugging Family in May 2008

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One Small Step: Solve One Green Sin (At Least Partially)

Jennifer — Mon, 12 May 2008 08:00:35 +0000

One of our green sins in the poll has taken a strong lead…

That’s right, clearly the sin of, “I leave unused appliances and chargers plugged in all day” is something many of us do. All appliances from your chargers to your lamp suck up energy even when they’re turned off, so long as they’re plugged in.

I don’t unplug everything. The things I don’t unplug include the TV, because it’s got some funky, “If you unplug me you’ll have to reprogram me” deal going on, and I’m not TV savvy enough to figure out why. I also don’t unplug my computer. I turn it off of course, when I’m not on it – when is that again? But I don’t unplug it.

I actually only own three appliances; my beloved coffee pot, the toaster, and blender, and then two chargers. We don’t even have alarm clocks, and we only own two lamps, so it’s easy for me to remember to unplug everything. Oh, wait we have a popcorn popper too, but that’s almost never plugged in.

If you don’t live all crazy sparse like me, and you own appliances and many chargers, I’ve got a tip that might help you to remember to unplug them.

Steps:

Choose 3 appliances for the week. Why three? It’s an easy start. Also, if I can unplug three so can you.
Grab one of the following: Duct tape, clear tape AND recycled colored paper, or colored sticky notes. Why you should not have sticky notes is a whole other green issue, but I’ll let it slide for the sake of this small step.
Grab a thick black marker.
Wrap a piece of duct tape around the cord of each appliance (where you can see it please). Close to the appliance, not the wall, is a good bet.
Write PLEASE UNPLUG ME! on the tape with your marker.

If you’re using clear tape and paper or stickies, do the same.

Visual cues work for all sorts of things; they’ll work for this. Really. When I’m stressed I’ve been known to write “Chill out” on my hand in ink, and it never fails. Visual cues rock.

Give it a try and let me know how it works for you. This is a pretty big sin, in that a bunch of us do it, so I’m sure you’ll be seeing more posts on getting unplugged before the month is over.

Click here to learn about all the current contests, themes, and green challenges going on at Tree Hugging Family in May 2008

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Free Green Home Poster

Jennifer — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:58:14 +0000

This poster from the Seattle Times is super slick – and free in pdf form. According to 100 Things (among other places), “The average two-person household unleashes about 20 tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases every year.” So the real question is how can you live without this poster? It’s modish, attractive, and has dozens of helpful reminders about the things you can do to keep your home green and your family and planet healthy.

Download the poster.

Via 100 Things.

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