If you aren’t sure what a green audit means you’ll want to read Green Audit 101.

This week’s green audit focus will be on your…. Trash. Woo hoo, trash. Did you know you can run a green audit on your trash? Well, you can. It’s not pretty, but it sure is useful.  Also, this is an audit the kids might enjoy.

How to run a basic trash audit:

A trash audit is pretty simple. This week you’re going to need to take a look at your trash. There are two ways to go about this.

1. Write a big old note to yourself (and the family). The note should say, “STOP! Before you throw that ________ out, jot down what it is.” Of course the second part of this option is to have a notepad (recycled if possible) next to the trash can. Before you throw something away write down what it is.
2. You second option is to skip the above option all together, wait for the end of the week, get a pair of gloves, and sort through the trash.

I don’t know about you, but I like option one better.

The point of this audit is to see what you and your family is tossing each week and to see if any of it can be recycled. Believe me, something, you’re tossing can be recycled. There’s even stuff I can work on this week.  To be really useful, you should do this for all the garbage cans in your home. However, being the understanding blogger that I am, and also being a believer of small steps, let’s just focus on our kitchen garbage can this week.

Look for a new tip, daily, Mon-Fri that relates to this trash audit. Hopefully, we can get more of your trash recycled, and less of it in that outside bin.

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Here are some of the small green steps you can try with your family this year:

Use Cloth Napkins

Remove Plastic Beverage Lids

Smart Paint Disposal

Refillable Liquid Hand Soap

Silicone Baking Cups

Ditch the Air Fresheners

We also do a fair amount of tree hugging around here. So far, we’ve hugged many different trees:

• Cedar
• Heirloom Peach Tree
• Almond
• Autumn Trees
• Lemon
• The Pumpkin Tree
• Binary Tree
• The Chocolate Tree
• Sugar Maple
• Edible Tree
• Douglas Fir
• Red Flowering Dogwood

Wow. That’s a lot of tree love. Anyone else notice how many food-minded trees I hug? I must like snacks.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Seriously though, it’s a new year and some of you may be considering a new car purchase. When you go looking at cars, color choices, do matter to the green factor of your purchase decision.

Color comes down to where you live. Example, if you live in a warmer climate choose a light colored car. This goes for exterior and interior color. Dark colors absorb heat and hold it, while light colors reflect the light and thus the heat. Light car color in a warm climate = less air conditioning = less gas. The equation works the same even if it’s super cold in winter because heat (in a highly simplified sense) comes from your car engine, not directly as a result of gas use. The heat is already there no matter if you use it or not. So, for example, New Mexico is a great place to buy a light colored car. Believe me.

Also for hot climates consider cloth upholstery over plastic or leather (don’t consider leather period please — we don’t need animals dieing for cars). Cloth seat covers heat up much slower than plastic.

In super cold-often climates go the opposite way. Choose a dark colored car to stay warm longer.

Before you buy a new car: I also suggest that you head on over to Eco Friendly Driver where the always delightful Hilary shares her eco-car and eco-driving knowledge daily. Wait, that was two small steps. Consider it a bonus.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

1. Get rid of more stuff: Here’s the thing; I don’t have that much stuff because I never wanted clutter taking me over in the first place. Yet somehow (I semi-blame the boy of mine) our house has more than we need. One day I’d like to pack up and travel the country with Cedar in a travel trailer/rv / airstream of some sort. Too much stuff is going to put a damper on this. The biggest problems by far at my home concerning stuff are books, toys, and art supplies. It almost kills me to give books away so it’ll be tough but that’s my goal.

2. Be present: Maybe this doesn’t sound too green but it is family related so it’s a good resolution to note at this blog. I’ve been thinking a lot about where my mind is when I’m with my son and it’s not always fully on him. I’m going to regret this later. I’m going to change it now. The best thing we can do for our world is raise smart, happy, children who value time over money, peace over disruption, and kindness over wants. The only way to achieve this is to be present in the lives of those close to us. Going about time spent in a half-cocked way won’t cut it.

3. Cut down on food packaging: I used to be really good at this. Lately work has been crazy busy and I’ve been bad. It’s easy sometimes to buy quick-to-make food — which often comes with more packaging. I won’t put less packaging ahead of Cedar time so this one will be hard. I’m going to have to make a cooking plan of some sort I think.

So, these are my three major resolutions. Maybe my only three that are not work-related. I don’t think we should have too many resolutions though. Small steps remember. Everything counts.

What are you thinking about goal wise for 2008?

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

I’m going to assume you recycle your plastic bottles (correct). The deal is that lids are not a disposable part of that bottle of water or cranberry juice you purchase.

At one recycling plant I used to frequent in New Mexico, one of the workers told me that if they find a bottle with a lid they toss it in the garbage. Great recycling plant huh. I’ve heard other green folks mention this problem with their town’s recycling centers. One flick of your wrist to toss the cap before you recycle will save a lot of plastic bottles from being trashed.

Turn your one small step into a larger, smarter eco-step:

Don’t buy beverages with lids at all. This is a much larger step for another post; but I will say that all those tiny lids add up. You can buy frozen juice in recyclable containers and save on lids; you can buy drinks in aluminum cans which are recyclable, you can use tap water and refill a hip refillable water bottle.

But for now try the small step of not tossing bottles with lids into the recycling. Already only about 12% of water bottles in the U.S. are recycled — don’t let your bottle add to that trash for one little lid.

Here’s a fascinating story, with video and slides, about one fellow who used two plastic water bottle for four years.

Don’t forget, all your small steps add up to a healthy happy planet.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family