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More tips coming really soon!
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What have you done today to preserve Mother Earth?
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WHAT CAN I DO AT HOME?
Reduce waste
Purchase the right amounts to minimize food waste and the amount of plastic packaging.
Recycle
It's easier than you think! Find out what type of recycling your community offers and act accordingly.
- Dual Stream Recycling: You are asked to sort containers in one curbside bin and papers (newspaper, magazines, direct mail, etc.) in another. Usually the two bins are color-coded (i.e. blue for paper, green for containers, etc.) Both bins are set out on the curb on pick-up day.
- Single Stream Recycling: Allows all materials to be commingled in a wheeled, lidded cart (65 or 94 gallon) so you don't have to separate papers from plastics and glass.
 Conserve water
Turn off the water when brushing teeth for example. Take shorter showers and wait for full loads when doing laundry as opposed to just washing a few items at a time. Same goes for the dishwasher!
Conserve energy
Turn off fans, TVs, radios and other electronics when not using them and when you leave home.
In winter, set your heater a couple of degrees lower, and in summer a couple of degrees higher. Turn off your water heater -- it takes just an hour to heat up and it does not need to be on the whole day! Air dry your dishes and use cold water cycles for both dishes and clothes.
Replace incandescent bulbs with CFL (Compact fluorescent light) bulbs -- they last up to 10 times longer and consume 30 to 50% less electricity.
Buy Energy Star labeled appliances.
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Cleaning your dryer's lint filter can slash its energy usage by as much as 30%!
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GLOBAL WARMING
Global warming is when the earth's surface heats up producing a change in global temperatures. It is produced by the greenhouse effect. Higher temperatures have very dangerous consequences like massive drought, spread of disease, floods, lost ecosystems and extinction of species. Global warming's effects have already begun.
The average surface temperature of earth has increased more than 1 degree Fahrenheit since 1900 and in the last 30 years, the rate of warming equals the one from the whole last century! In other words, it just took us 30 years to warm this planet as much as other generations did in 100 years. The 21st century could see temperatures rise 3 to 8 degrees.
 GREENHOUSE EFFECT
The greenhouse effect is a natural process in which certain gases in the atmosphere (water vapor, methane, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide) let the sun rays in but not completely out, trapping energy from the sun that warms up the earth. This energy reaches the surface of the earth and some is absorbed by it and at least 30% is released back through the atmosphere.
This is actually a benefitial process for us because without these gases, heat would escape back into space and the planet's average temperature would be at least 54 degrees F colder than it is right now. The problem is that with the industrial revolution, humans are producing too many gases and way too fast, so the thicker the cloud, the less heat can escape and the warmer the planet gets! Cars, factories, cattle, planes, deforestation and overpopulation contribute to this problem.
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Eat Lower on the Food Chain
By TDG Community
 The animal industry consumes massive amounts of resources and produces massive amounts of waste. Cows excrete tons of methane, a greenhouse gas. Runoff from factory farms finds its way into waterways.
The animal industry also uses massive amounts of water and land. Roughly 70 percent of the grains grown in the United States go to feed animals, who eventually become food. This takes up much of the arable land that could be used to feed people directly. It takes ten times the fossil fuels to produce a calorie of animal food as it does to produce plant food.
The United Nations determined that animal agriculture contributes more to global warming than all transportation sources combined. And the U.S. EPA determined that animal waste causes more pollution than other industrial resources.
How to mitigate this? Reduce (or preferably eliminate) your consumption of animal foods.
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Recycle Your Cell Phone
 When you are finished with your cell phone, make sure it gets disposed of properly.
The average lifespan for a cell phone is a brief 18 months, and currently, only 1% are recycled. On average, 130 million are retired annually in the U.S. alone.
Yet almost all cell phones contain enough lead to qualify as hazardous waste under federal regulations. And even lead-free phones are considered hazardous under California regulations because of the high amounts of copper, nickel, antimony and zinc that leach into landfills.
So do something good for the environment and recycle your old phone.
Here are 4 places that accept them (and will make a contribution to charity):
cellphonesforsoldiers.com
Wirelessrecycling
Collectivegood
Eco-cell
Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/going-green/tips/1062#ixzz0h2FA88Tf
REUSE- REDUCE -RECYCLE
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20 Things You Can Use Twice Before Tossing
- Dry Cleaning Bags:
Use to pack suits, dresses and fine clothing when traveling, this will help protect it from wrinkles when packing. When storing the bags make sure to keep them safely out of reach of children, they really are that dangerous.
- Butter Wrappers:
Once you’ve removed a block of butter from its wrapping, place the wrapping in a plastic container or bag and refrigerate. Use it to grease baking pans.
- Business Cards:
Use the other side to label storage boxes and tubs and tape to the outside of the lid or side so you can see at a glance what the container is holding.
- Used Envelopes:
These make excellent lists for groceries, To Do lists, bookmarks and labels.
- Cardboard Egg Cartons:
You can use these to make homemade firestarters.
- Tissue Boxes:
Once they’re empty you can use these as a plastic bag dispenser, just fill with grocery bags and you’ll be able to neatly pull out one at a time.
- Plastic Grocery Bags:
Use as garbage pail liners, paint tray covers, packing material.
- Plastic Bread Clips:
Save a few of the square plastic clips that keep bread bags closed to use as tiny scrapers. They come in handy to remove labels, price tags, and even do a good job scratching lottery tickets.
- Newspaper:
Line kitty litter boxes for easy cleanup (top with kitty litter), protect work surfaces from crafts & interior paint jobs, giftwrap, use as packing material when moving or shipping.
- Plastic Strawberry Baskets:
Use as a homemade bubble machine, hold small packets in the pantry.
- Cleaner Spray Bottles:
Clean thoroughly and use to hold your homemade cleaners, use to spray plants…very important to clean thoroughly first.
- Mesh From Veggie Bags:
If you buy veggies that are bagged in nylon mesh, you can use that mesh for various cleaning jobs around the house and yard. Just wad up the bag and use it as a scrubber.
- Styrofoam Food Trays:
Clean thoroughly, wrap in foil then use as trays for giving gifts of baking.
- Pantyhose:
Use in the garden to tie plants to stakes, make shower spa bags plus there are 20 ideas found here.
- Paper Towel Cardboard Rolls:
Use to wrap extension cords, Christmas lights (keep untangled).
- Citrus Peels:
Use to make your own homemade citrus cleaners, candy peels to use in baking or freeze the peels to use for zest in recipes as needed, Save your peels from citrus fruits like lemons and oranges. You can toss them in the fire place when you have a fire going to give the room a nice, fresh smell.
- Packing Foam Peanuts:
Save them and reuse when packing breakables, storing Christmas decorations or sending gifts in the mail
- Brown Paper Bags:
Once used, twist into small rolls and use as fire starters.
- Laundry Bottle Caps & Scoops:
Wash thoroughly and use as sandbox, pool, bathtub toys or pet food scoopers (for dried food).
- Cereal Liner Bags:
Clean and use for stacking meat patties before freezing, store bread crusts, cover food in the microwave.
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