Green Your Christmas

Want to Green your Christmas this year.  Here are a few ideas I have come across:

• Buy and recycle a real Christmas tree and when your done, you can plant it.
• Use energy efficient lights for your house and tree.
• Recycle last years wrapping paper and bags.
• Use your old Christmas cards, popcorn, pine cones, ribbons & etc., to make homemade decorations for your tree.

Above all, be creative and have fun decorating your home and Christmas tree.  A real tree with homemade decorations can be both environmentally friendly and also make for a very sentimental Christmas for you.

Finding Green Jobs

Looking for a Green Job?  I have listed below ten great top informative websites all about finding a green job.  And don't forget to use your usual job search websites, just type in green jobs as your keywords.

• Yahoo Green
• Greenbiz.com
• Planet Green
• Green Living Tips
• Eco Localizer
• Greenjobs
• Green Jobs Network
• Sustain Lane Green Jobs
• Green Jobs Ready
• Green Jobs - About.com

7 Ways To Green Your Vehicle

1. Keep your car as long as you can.  Fight the urge to trade it in.  Not buying a new car is one of the most environmentally friendly choices you can make.  When you do have to buy a new car, buy a hybrid or at the least a small compact car.
2. Drive the speed limit.  Don't be in such a hurry, drive slower.  This saves on gas!
3. Keep your vehicle maintenance up.  Tune-ups, tires rotated, oil changed, etc.  You can actually save up to .10 a gallon at the gas pump when your car is in tip top shape.
4. Keep the junk out of your trunk.  All that extra weight makes your engine work harder and reduces gas mileage per gallon.
5. Use your cruise control.  Using cruise control increases gas mileage!
6. Use your AC as little as possible and roll down the windows when you can.  Using the AC uses more gas.
7. Combine your errand into one trip.  Run several errands at one time, saving on gas, instead of making several trips out.

10 Ways to Save Green

1. Keep your thermostat set at or below 72 degrees
2. Use CFL Light Bulbs
3. Use an EcoFlo Shower Head
4. Use weather stripping around windows and doors
5. Only use lights when needed & don't forget to turn them off
6. Unplug all appliances when not in use
7. Wash clothes & dishes in cool water
8. Take a cool short shower
9. Use a smart power strip
10. IF you must dry clothes at all, dry them half way, then hang up

Here's a link to another green article you may find very informative and helpful...  10 Ways to Go Green and Save Green

Go Green with your own Back Porch Veggie Garden

Another green idea!   I would love to have just a small vegetable garden, but we rent and the owner wouldn't appreciate us digging up their yard, so I gave up the idea.  But recently, in talking with friends, I realized I can still have my vegetable/herb garden. 

There are two ways.  One way is to have your very own little green garden right at home.  I'm not talking about the kind you plant in the yard, I'm talking about the kind on your back porch.  The kind you can put a few plants and herbs in some pots and a small bed or even do a raised garden bed.  Here's more about having a Simple Raised Bed Garden  Read this guide, How to Start a Back Porch Vegetable Garden or even this one A Vegetable Garden on my Back Porch

It may be a little late in the game this year, but next year I believe I may just start my own little back porch vegetable garden by using pots and some small beds. I hope the ideas above help to get you started on your green garden too!  Happy Gardening!

Cut Down On Waste This Year By Using Reusable Shopping Bags

Make it your goal to cut down on waste this year by using a reusable shopping bag.  With that being said, let me tell you about a few more of my favorite Green things.  Reusable shopping bags, and I own several.  In my opinion, you can't have to many of these.  I don't have a handbag or shoe obsession, I have a reusable shopping bag/tote obsession.  I love a great tote, especially a fantastic green one.  I have a different one, for different stores.  I have one from/for Walmart, Dollar Tree, Kroger and The Fresh Market.  I keep them in a small crate/box in the back of my jeep and simply use whichever reusable bag for what ever store I'm shopping in.  If I don't have one for that particular store, then I use my Dollar Tree versatile green reusable shopping bag.

I have listed below some of my favorite reusable shopping bags that I own and suggest.  All except for the Envitote, but this is on my list of totes to obtain in the near future.  This tote is amazing, it's not only green, but very versatile and multipurpose. 

Envitote

Walmart Reusable Shopping Bags/Totes

Reusable Bags

Dollar Tree