If you ive in San Francisco the answer would be yes, we should and we will fine someone $500 for not recycling. According to the Times’ Green Inc., “A new mandatory recycling and composting law is poised for approval.” The ordinance, soon to be reviewed by the city’s Board of Supervisors, is going to require that residential and commercial building owners sign up for recycling and composting services or pay up to a $500 fine. Additionally, the ordinance covers punishment for anyone who puts recyclable or compostable material in landfill-bound bins.

San Francisco already covets the highest recycling rate in the …read more

Here at Tree Hugging Family, I’ve shown a fair share of green videos. I thought I’d collect some of my faves, and re-post them, in case you missed some.
First – a round-up for the kiddos…
This first video is hands down my most favorite recycling video for kids, by kids (ok older teens) of all time. These kids are so flipping funny and so on target with the music and how the video was cut. I laugh every single time I watch it.

What tofu does when you walk away… I love this video – it’s pretty silly. My son liked it, …read more

This product seems to:

The SamePaperPlayAgain recycling bin from the folks at FeelAddicted adds some kick to the recycling experience. Literally.

Use it at home or the office to spice things up. I suggest a contest, maybe with office supply prizes. At home I bet the kids would love this too.
Visit FeelAddicted to learn more.
[images via FeelAddicted]

During the holiday season, many folks acquire new electronics as gift, or go shopping for new because the sales are good right now. If this is you, make sure you take steps to green your electronic situation. e-waste is a hard thing to recycle so adding more into the flow, may not be your best option.
Think carefully about upgrades: Do you really need to upgrade to a bigger, newer, more flashy version? Flashy new stuff is overrated, especially if your old equipment works well. If you think you need more space, say on an iPod, you may not. Don’t tell …read more

It seems easy enough to get recyclables into the recycling bins, but kids can get confused. I know this for a fact, because my son has asked me at least 5,639 times, “Which container does (holds up an item) this go in?”
One small step that can make this easier for your kids is to add pictures to the bins. Yeah, some bins have pictures, but they’re not all that great. Use your digital camera to take photos of typical items you recycle at home, and tape them onto the correct bins. Another idea is to have your child draw pictures …read more

Yesterday we looked at two recycling terms you need to know in order to make your recycling efforts matter. Today, two more.
We used to be able to look at a container, note the recycle logo and feel happy. Now there are some terms thrown in that might throw you.
Pre-consumer: When a package says “Pre-consumer” it’s referring to the actual waste made during a manufacturing process. This means no-one used the item ever, but it was recycled into something new. This is not the best situation because it creates energy waste that benefited no one. Such as the thick Sunday …read more

We talk a lot about recycling here, and I realized that we often just toss terms around. Here’s a quick primer to get your recycling know-how up to speed.
Recycling:  We all know what recycling is… or do we? When it comes right down to it, recycling means we collect materials that CAN actually be used again. A material must be able to be turned back into raw material and then into something new, or there’s no point in even trying to recycle an object.
Juice lids are one example. We can toss them in a recycle bin, but they can’t be …read more

The Earth Day Groceries Project is a great way to get kids involved in spreading the word about Earth Day.
How it works:

Gather up some kiddos – the more the better. Many schools participate each year from elementary to middle schools, but homeschoolers, church groups, day care centers, 4H clubs, girl scouts, playgroups or neighborhoods could as well. Basically, if you have a pack of kids, you’re good to go.
Head to your local grocery store and ask the store manager for enough paper bags so that each child gets one.
Kids decorate the bags with Earth Day messages about reuse, wildlife, energy …read more

So, it’s a typical Monday night, Cedar’s been settling down, so I’m blogging away. I thought Cedar had totally settled when I hear a scream of complete insanity coming from the bathroom, “MOM! Hurry…” and when I can’t make it there in 3 seconds flat, “MOM! NOW”
On the way to the bathroom I’m thinking did Cedar fall, crack his head, break the toilet? He usually calls me, “mama” – “mom” when there’s trouble. Uh oh. No good thoughts are in my head, that’s for sure.
I run into the bathroom and Cedar is standing smack in the middle of the room; …read more

Today the blog we’re featuring is actually one of mine – Declutter It. It’s all about organizing, but as you might expect, I tend to toss in green issues when I can. Actually green living and organizing often go hand in hand. For example, to me, simplifying is a major aspect of green living and at Declutter It we recently discussed How To Start Getting Rid of Stuff. This is a topic many have issues with, but once you try to minimize, it can help you organize and help the planet at the same time.
Other notable green Declutter It posts:
A …read more