It’s time to start thinking about things that usually go into the trash and what their next “use” could be. Here’s a list of five common household trash items and what you can do with them rather than throwing them out!
1. Toilet paper and Paper Towel Rolls – donate empty rolls to daycare centers and schools in your area. Call around, chances are, one in your area is looking for some to use in a craft project.
2. Corks – don’t toss these! These are also a great craft item. Trivets can be made easily with just a few or if you are quite the wine connoisseur, you can grind them in a food processor and use them as mulch or sell them whole on ebay to someone else that wants to craft with them!
3. Tissue Boxes – the rectangular size makes a great guitar for a young rockstar and the tall square ones make good plastic bag dispensers. Both sizes make excellent “building blocks” for toddlers.
4. Empty squeeze bottles – wash and deodorize with baking soda then use as water squirt toys in the summer, or fill with icing and decorate baked goods.
5. Used envelopes – can be cut open and used as scrap paper for grocery lists.

Till tomorrow…live green!

~Jennifer

If you are looking for a last-minute idea for a “green” vacation this summer or just want to plan ahead for next, try to incorporate one or more of the following ideas. Remember, “take only pictures and leave only footprints”!

1. Go whale watching – This relaxing opportunity is available in a lot of oceanic areas but the place to view is Samana in the Dominican Republic. The season starts mid-January and last through March.

2. Set sail – Sailing is one of the most eco-friendly ways to travel. Use the wind to take you on a relaxing ride on the water.

3. Giddy-up – Horseback riding is available in just about every tourist destination and can get you out into the local environment and using some core muscles you didn’t know you had!

4. Snorkeling - Best done in clear, shallow water, there are places around the world that you will definitely not want to miss! Try snorkeling “The Rift” in Iceland or with the turtles in beautiful Bonaire in the Caribbean. Remember to use only sunscreen that is eco-friendly!

5. Give something back – Lending a hand in a foreign place may seem a little out of sorts for a vacation but you may just discover a “new” way to enjoy life! The feeling you get from giving is tremendous and the impact you have can last a lifetime. One great place to visit for this type of trip is Guludo Beach Lodge in Mozambique. Here you may find yourself helping to build a school, teaching others to fish responsibly, or surveying local coral reefs. Plus, the dollars you spend there go into an economy that can really use it!

Till next week….live green!

~Jennifer

With the passing of St. Patrick’s Day this week, a lot of green beer was consumed…both organic and inorganic. However, beer is consumed year-round so why not try some organic beer, you just may find a new favorite!

1. New Belgium’s Mothership Wit – Besides being a fabulous USDA certified organic beer, this company gives their employees a bicycle for their one-year anniversary!

2. Eel River’s Raven’s Eye Imperial Stout - This was America’s first certified organic brewery! If you like dark beers, give this Russian Stout a try.

3. Butte Creek’s Pilsner– is brewed locally here in Chico, CA!

4. Lakefront’s Organic E.S.B. Ale – Milwaukee’s contribution to the eco-friendly beer market!

5. Pinkus-Muller’s Jubilate Dark Lager – What beer list would be complete without a German brewery on it? This deep amber-brown lager makes an excellent pairing with sauerkraut and bratwurst or any other traditional German fare for that matter!

Till next week…live green!

~Jennifer

On the topic of greening your office this week, the most important and one that will make the most difference is to lessen your paper consumption. Here are 5 ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle your office paper!

1. Reuse – the backs of paper that you don’t need anymore for office notes or printed copy that you don’t have to have a blank back on.

2. Reduce – If you don’t have to have a hard copy, email or convert to a PDF document using Adobe Acrobat and save information on your computer rather than in your filing cabinet.

3. Recycle – Any paper that has been used on both sides, toss in the recycle bin!

4. Reuse – you can reuse shredded paper as packing material, shredded newsprint can be used as kitty litter! Just introduce your kitty to it gradually by mixing with clay for a few weeks before going cold turkey.

5. Recycle – Always buy recycled content paper. I picked up a package of resume paper with some really nice feel to it that contained 30% post-consumer fibers!

Till next week…live green!

~Jennifer

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This week has been all about improving the quality of the air we breathe. Here are five simple ways to do that inside your home!

1. Have your ducts cleaned – Getting your air ducts cleaned can improve air quality by as much as 53%. How often to do that depends on the factors in your home, one way to tell they need to be cleaned is if you can see dust particles floating in the sunlight, another indicator is waking up congested every morning from breathing dust all night long.

2. Plants – not only do they provide beauty, but they also recycle the air by using carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen back into the air. Make sure to dust your plant leaves regularly with a simple vinegar water solution.

3. Open your Windows – Let in the fresh air from outside! Even in the city, the outside air is cleaner than you may think and you’ll be diluting the inside pollutants that much more.

4. Vacuum regularly – Even if your carpets don’t “look” dirty, chances are, they are hiding millions of dead skin cells, dust mites, and dirt. If your vacuum has a Hepa filter… even better! My choice of vacuum is Dyson’s DC 25.

5. Ban smoking and restrict pets – no brainers here but keeping pets out of bedrooms will help cut down on the pollutants you breathe.

Still need a gift for your green honey this V-Day? Check out these five fabulous organic, yet romantic gifts!

1. Seth Ellis Chocolates – This small chocolatier based in Boulder, Colorado makes beautiful and delicious organic chocolate that will melt the heart of any chocolate lover.

2. Organic Roses – A classic among gifts, the roses from Organic Boutique arrive in eco-friendly packaging and are grown with the least environmental impact.

3. joi organics – For a more intimate gift, try Lafe’s line of organic, personal gels. The Romance Collection is available in four varieties; Naked, Nuance, French Kiss, and Venus.

4. Teddy Bears – Check out this darling organic stuffed bear all dressed in pink! It’s perfect for a new green romance!

5. Charmie Nightie – It’s both eco-friendly and sexy! Who knew that 100% organic cotton could make such a beautiful nightie? It is moi irresistible!

To wrap up the week, I’d like to share with you 5 eco-friendly shower gifts for every green mom-to-be!

1. Cloth Diaper Cake – A beautiful work of art and a great gift too! Make it special by making it yourself from organic cotton diapers, wipes, and other fun finds.

2. Nurturing Life Gift Box– Don’t forget mom! This gift box has all the little things that a new mom doesn’t realize she needs but will be super glad to have on hand!

3. Eco-Friendly Stroller – If it’s a little pricey for you, try to get others to go in on it with you, the mommy-to-be will adore it! Baby Planet makes a few models including a double stroller that are recyclable.

4. Organic bedding – Being that most of a baby’s day is spent sleeping, they’ll get a lot of use out of crib sheets, blankets, bumpers, and mattress pads. Dax Stores has a wonderful selection.

5. Food Mill – The perfect gift for mom’s that love to cook! All those little jars of baby food are nice and convenient but nothing is quite as satisfying as making your own! Don’t forget to include a recipe book!

Till next week…live green,

~Jennifer

Today’s list is compiled of the best places on the internet to research and purchase cloth diapers, disposable eco-friendly diapers, and supplies.

1. Laundry Detergent – This site gives a run-down of the most popular detergents on the market today and rates each one in terms of how well they work for diaper laundry. Oh, I’m happy to say that my choice (Allen’s Naturally) ranks right up at the top!

2. Cloth Diapers – You have many choices here but here a couple of the most popular ones! ! BumGenius makes all-in-one diapers that can be used just like a disposable only you wash instead of toss! Bumpkins offer a variety of styles from AIO to pull-on covers. Happy Heiny’s  are another popular option.

3. Eco-Friendly Disposable Diapers – Natural Babycare, Tendercare, Seventh Generation, and G-Diapers are all much more “green” than traditional disposables. Each has it’s own pros and cons but if a disposable is the way you want to go for childcare or convenience, these are your choices! Oh, and if you flush the poo, you will do the environment an additional favor!

4. Cloth Diaper Sprayer – If you don’t want to swish your dirty diapers around in the toilet, this handy contraption should do the trick! Oh, there are also biodegradable liners that make clean-up easier too!

5. Diaper Rash Salve – Northern Essence makes a wonderful all natural, safe-for-cloth salve in a convenient no-touch tubes (so you don’t get your fingers dirty!) or money-saving tub in both tea tree/lavender scent and unscented versions.

Till next week…live green!

~Jennifer

This week’s Friday five is comprised of five easy-to-grow-yourself foods that will give you the most benefit. Each of these foods are listed among the Environmental Working Group’s “dirty dozen” or foods that if not grown organically, contained the highest number of pesticide residues.

1. Strawberries – There are a lot of “pick-your-own” farms out there, but beware… most of them do use pesticides! Try Mountain Valley Growers for organic strawberry crowns and roots.

2. Bell Peppers – I’ve grown bell peppers for years and find that they are among the easiest plants to grow yourself. Park Seed Company offers certified organic seed packets for less than $2.00!

3. Spinach – Remember a year or two ago when all the spinach was recalled? Don’t let those recalls affect your salads this year! Grow your own with two organic varieties from which to choose at Garden Harvest Supply!

4. Green Beans – This is another crop that my family cannot get enough of! A favorite of mine is the Organic Potomac Pole Snap Bean.

5. Cucumbers – forego all the waxy substance on the cukes this year, grow your own, and benefit from eating the skin along with the cucumber! You can find organic seeds here and grow them up a trellis!

Till next week…live green!

~Jennifer

This week has been all about improving your well being and the Friday 5 continues with that theme. Here are five resources you can use to bring those things closer to you!

1. Online Journal – or a “blog” can be public or private. An excellent site to use is Live Journal and it’s completely free!

2. Computerized Vision Board – Don’t have a lot of magazines on hand to clip from? Try a screensaver from My Master Board. They offer a 2-week free trial and then affordable annual memberships after that.

3. “The Secret” movie – Seek inspiration and gain understanding by watching this movie available for download for only $4.95. DVD’s are also available for purchase on the site. Don’t forget to click on the “Our Gifts for You” link on the site and download 2 free ebooks!

4. Master the Power of your Mind – this free newsletter gives tips, tricks, and inspiration.

5. The Thought Vibration – free ebook available for download explains the Law of Attraction, how and why it works. In addition, you will also learn how to “build” your mind with thoughts and affirmations and how to become “immune” to negativity that inevitably creeps in.

Till tomorrow…live green!

~Jennifer