Eco-Kids - Creative Play the Natural Way

For all you parents (grandparents, aunts and uncles), here’s a website that might interest you – eco-kids. 

 

From the site “eco-kids^® is a line of art supplies that gives children the tools to create using non-toxic, natural ingredients and environmentally friendly packaging.  All products made in the USA.

 

eco-kids^® about us

 

Meet Cammie, Kip & their kids Jack, Maggie and Gus. They are eco-kids^® — a family run business that produces all natural art supplies. It began simply, as all good things do, with the molding dough recipe Cammie's mom made for her as a child. After incorporating natural ingredients into the recipe, the dough was transformed into eco-dough^™, rich in color, soft in texture, with a delicate aroma like no other. In 2008 Cammie and Kip began selling it at farmers markets. From there, eco-kids^® evolved.

This family business lives by their mantra — creative play the natural way^™. Products are developed with this belief in mind. From using non-toxic, natural ingredients to the unique packaging, eco-kids^® works with environmentally friendly companies from around the United States to bring you fresh ideas in the world of art supplies.

The kids test and ensure the art supplies are fun to play with — after all, that's what it's all about.

 

 

 

And for the upcoming Easter Holiday - eco-egg coloring kit™ ($14):  Sticking to the basics is natural for us. eco-eggs coloring kit™ is an original in the market of made in the USA natural egg coloring kits. Comes with 3 primary color powder packs and a color chart to create 6 custom colors, a crayon for texturing your eggs and a custom egg dipper made right here in Maine. Under the exterior wrap you’ll find our exclusive creature cut outs to dress up your eggs. Please visit fun stuff on our website for printable activity sheets, more creature cutouts and how-to videos. Made with natural and organic fruit, plant and vegetable extracts from annatto seed, curcumin, purple sweet potato and red cabbage. Includes color chart and instructions.  Please visit fun stuff on our website for printable activity sheets, eco-eggs creature cutouts and how-to videos.  3 natural dyes (orange, blue and purple), a color chart for creating 6 colors

 

Please let me know of any sites that you might now about – Gdempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

 

 

 

 

greenplanet festival - Fort Lauderdale - February 28, 2015 @ Broward County Convention Center

I don't know anything more about this than what I'm posting.  There is a charge to attend and you can purchase tickets online.  --Gene

 

Sustainability and Green Living Festival here in Ft. Lauderdale, FL! 

At Green Planet Festival™, there is something for everyone interested in pursuing a more sustainable and healthful life. Experience a variety of products from food, fashion and health, to energy, construction and design. Enjoy vegan and vegetarian cooking demos, educational activities for kids and families, innovative speakers, live music and entertainment. Shop in our unique community of eco-friendly businesses - everything from all-natural body care products and organic clothing to vegan and vegetarian munchies based on organic, non-GMO or local, artisanal foods. Bring the family for a day filled with everything from eco-friendly shopping to a fashion show featuring organic apparel. Get inspired as you listen to visionary speakers; learn vegan and vegetarian recipes at a cooking demo; try out fresh fitness moves; and of course, savor the flavor of organic, non-GMO, artisanal foods.

 

 

Education

What if you found out that the company that makes your favorite t-shirt does a lot more than just make clothes? At Green Planet, we're here to help you find companies that care about progress, not just profit. Advertisements are constantly boasting "green" this and "green" that, but we're not into buzzwords. We're into change. We believe that an educated consumer makes for a smart economy. We'll help you discover some of the most innovative products on the market, the people behind them, and the great work they do.

Choice

Our festival is different. We're not here to offer some cookie-cutter plan for a sustainable lifestyle. We don't tell you what to buy- we put everything in front of you and allow you to make that decision on your own. Our festival is the first of its kind, featuring large national brands as well as local businesses in your area. We're here to level the playing field between the big guys and the little guys to give you an accurate snapshot of what's available in your own city. When you support these companies, you're investing in a better tomorrow.

Co-Creation

Implementing sustainable living on a large scale is not an easy task. It's going to require unity amongst individuals, businesses, and organizations. We're here to be the spark for that change. Our mission is to empower consumers like you to do your part and work towards this common goal. Green Planet Festival will forge valuable relationships across a variety of industries, creating a brand new opportunity for collaboration and growth within the green sector. It's now your time to show the rest of the world what sustainability means to you.

 

http://greenplanetfestival.com/index.php

   

 

 

 

Getting nowhere fast: How having more stuff is eating up all the gains from being more efficient

Our homes are way more efficient than they used to be, but we're using more energy per capita.

By: Lloyd Alter

Fri, Feb 13, 2015

 

Our houses are better (but bigger), and we keep burning more energy. (Graphic: U.S. Energy Information Administration)

 

It’s really quite remarkable, how much more energy-efficient everything is these days. Our houses are built to higher standards; our fridges use a fraction of the power they used to, our cars get better mileage — yet we are using more energy per capita than we ever have. 

 

I am loath to bring up good old Stanley Jevons here. His theory, also known as the rebound effect, was that if things become more efficient, we use more of them. Even as our houses get more efficient, they get bigger and we fill them with more stuff, pretty much negating the efficiency gains. A few years back the Jevons Paradox became the darling of climate skeptics and others who wanted to kill the drive towards greater efficiency, so I am on dangerous ground here. However it just keeps coming up again and I fear they might be right. Amory Lovins argued against the point years ago using the fridge as an example:

After all, there is a maximum size to the refrigerator you can easily put in a kitchen and a limit to the number of refrigerators you need in your house. In short, improvements in efficiency have greatly outpaced our need for more and larger fridges.

And we know what happened there — fridges just got bigger and bigger.

 

Mmmm. Pie charts. (Graphic: Energy Information Administration)

 

Have a look at these pie charts from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Between 1993 and 2009, our heating and cooling used up less of our power, while our appliances, electronics and lighting went up from 24 percent to 34.6 percent of our overall consumption, and the total amount of energy used in a home went up. Flat screen TVs are more efficient than the old ones, but they got BIG. In fact, everything got big. The EIA notes the results of its recent survey:

Data show that newer homes were more likely than older homes to have dishwashers, clothes washers, clothes dryers, and two or more refrigerators. Newer homes, with their larger square footage, have more computers, TVs, and TV peripherals such as digital video recorders (DVRs) and video game systems. In total, newer homes consumed about 18% more energy on average in 2009 for appliances, electronics, and lighting than older homes.

 

Stuff — more and more stuff. (Photo: Energy Information Administration)

 

Then, as Matt Power of Green Builder Media points out, we keep adding gadget after gadget, most of which are sucking power in standby mode. We buy wireless WiFi speakers instead of wiring them into a stereo that has a power switch. We buy cordless phones that are plugged into the wall as well as the phone outlet, TVs that most people don’t even realize have an on/off switch because they use the remote, computers that we leave on because booting up takes so long. Just at my desk right now I have nine devices running or charging, and I consider myself a minimalist about electronics.

 

And with the new Internet of Things and smart houses, it's just going to get worse. Every one of these little smart plugs is drawing electricity to keep that little receiver going so that it can listen for your instructions. It’s fascinating that so many of these new smart technologies are marketed as money and energy savers, yet they are all little energy sucks on their own. And it all adds up. 

 

I see Stanley Jevons everywhere these days, even in the mens’ room, where there are now LED TVs serving ads over the urinals. There are LED-encrusted wallpapers and even snowsuits. LEDs are consuming milliamps in ways that nobody ever expected. As the data show, we manage to just keep using more energy to power more stuff in ways we just can’t even imagine.

 

It is a difficult subject for all of us promoting energy-efficiency; you start to ask yourself, what’s the point? All of the savings are lost to house size, air conditioning and gadgets. 

 

It’s one of the reasons for promoting the whole minimalist, live-with-less movement; we're going to need a real cultural change if we're going to make any real difference in our consumption of energy and our resultant carbon footprint. Martin Holladay of Green Building Advisor, discussing the same issue a few years ago, suggested this:

I'm calling for the voluntary adoption of a simpler lifestyle: one with less work, fewer possessions, and more leisure time. A graceful transition to such a lifestyle would be the greatest possible gift to our children and grandchildren.

At the time I thought he was dreaming; now I think he was right.

 

And to make you feel better after this totally depressing post, here's a great video of a totally wasteful and pointless but very beautiful LED-encrusted snowsuit.

 

https://vimeo.com/108679294 AFTERGLOW - Lightsuit Segment from Sweetgrass Productions on Vimeo

Read more: http://www.mnn.com/your-home/remodeling-design/stories/getting-nowhere-fast-how-having-more-stuff-is-eating-up-all-the#ixzz3S0Rxxysv

 

 

 

 

Top Green New Year's Eve Party Tips

 

 

1. Beat the crowds
   There's a certain excitement to being out in a group on New Year's Eve, but if you stay home and host your own ring-in-the-new shindig, you'll save transportation emissions--and, of course, money. You'll also be able to better control the environmental impact of your night, from sending out email invitations to preventing the food and paper waste that comes from bars and restaurants. (Oh, and you can let your friends crash so no one has to drive.) Even the Times Square ball is a little greener since switching to LED bulbs in 2006--isn't it time you were, too?

 

2. Choose glass over paper
   Once you've decided to have everyone over for the big event, you'll have to find a way keep them all fed and hydrated--without ending up with a pile of wasted plastic cups. Look for brands made from recycled paper--like those from Treecycle who makes biodegradable dishes and cups from sugarcane fiber--and make sure you compost those after the party. Even better, if you don't own enough china and glassware for all your friends, rent some: they look nicer, they're reusable, and you still won't wake up to a sink full of dishes. Check Rental HG to find a rental location in your area.

 

3. Satisfy the appetites
   Your guests will need some food to counteract the effects of all those drinks. Keep it simple with a spread of easy appetizers, homemade salsa or hummus, and fresh fruit and vegetable trays-with organic ingredients grown as close to you as possible (preferably from within 100 miles can help you track down a farmers market or community supported agriculture program in your hometown or, if you live in parts of the world where markets close for the winter, you can order online from Local Harvest's vendors--you can buy some carbon offsets to balance out the shipping expenditure. And you don't have to spend your entire year-end bonus, either--your party can be festive and fun without breaking the bank.

 

4. Pour some green drinks
   Get your guests in the party spirit with a bar well-stocked with eco-friendly cocktails--whether it's organic vodka mixed with juice from your local orchard; beer from the brewery one town over; or biodynamic wine. Or make your own: Our How to Go Green: Cocktails guide offers recipes for easy DIY gin and ginger ale, plus specialty drinks like a Lemon Drop or a Rusty Nail, which tastes way better than it sounds, we promise.

 

5. Decorate responsibly
   This is the year you can finally forego those plastic 2009 glasses, the cheesy top hats, the disposable noisemakers, the paper streamers. Try making your own decorations out of recyclable materials, from soda can lanterns to plastic bottle snowflakes; for a more elegant look, put together centerpieces and place settings that are stylish and eco-friendly. Skip the throw-away noisemakers and replace them with nutshells in a can or cardboard tube, or with dried beans rattling around inside two stapled-together paper plates.

 

6. Toast with organic bubbly
   Champagne has long been the drink of special occasions, whether anniversaries, wedding receptions, or job promotions. Raise your glass to '08 with champagne and sparkling wine made from organic grapes and without synthetic additions-then make sure to recycle (or reuse!) your bottles and send your corks off for reuse in Design Within Reach's chair design contest or for recycling through Korks 4 Kids.

 

7. Pucker up
   What's New Year's Eve without someone to kiss at midnight? Keep your lips soft with all-natural lip balm, like those from Revolution Organics or J.R. Watkins, and banish bad breath with organic breath mints from St. Claire's. Still single? No problem. Dating sites like Green Passions, Green Romance, and Planet Earth Singles will have you watching the ball drop with a fellow treehugger in no time.

 

8. Cure the hangover
   No matter how much fun you had the night before, spending all of January 1 feeling like death on toast is no way to start the new year. Start the detox with a blend of organic herbs and seasonings, like those in Lotus Root Cooler or Ginseng Licorice Tea. Drink plenty of water--but not from disposable bottles--and fight headaches with thyme or peppermint tea. Tea alone won't help your body recover from last night; fill up on organic, free-range eggs, too, since they contain plenty of cysteine, which breaks down toxins in the liver. Other hangover helpers include bananas (for their potassium) and fruit juices (for their energy-boosting natural sugars and vitamins). Don't depend on coffee, burnt toast, or more alcohol--none of these will help your body replenish its stores. Fried food, while delicious, is better as a hangover preventative--it slows down the rate of alcohol absorption.

 

9. Help keep food tradition alive (with a green twist)
   Different cultures and regions each have their own version of a lucky New Year's Day meal--black-eyed peas in the South, pork and sauerkraut for the Pennsylvania Dutch, 12 grapes eaten at the stroke of midnight in Spain. Other favorable foods include cooked greens, legumes, fish, and pastries or cakes. No matter which meal you choose, support local farmers and markets when you shop for ingredients, and choose free-range meat, organic fruit, and other natural supplies whenever you can.

 

10. Make some resolutions
    Many of the same resolutions we make year after year--lose weight, eat healthy, stop smoking, get organized--aren't just good for you: they're also good for the environment. Read on for foolproof ways to do the Earth some good while (finally) sticking to your new plans.

Where to Get Green New Year's Party Supplies

Party supplies
Treecycle
Eco Products
Rental HQ
Green drinks
Organic Champagne
Organic Wine
Green food
Local Harvest
Eco Lips
St. Claire's Organic Mints

http://www.treehugger.com/htgg/how-to-go-green-new-years.html 

 

 

 

10 ways to give without buying stuff

Thoughtful gifts can be experiences, time or even a special after-holiday treat.

Cuttings from a plant can be a great, no-cost gift. (Photo: Madlen/Shutterstock)

 

Unless you've gotten serious about the Minimalism movement, chances are that you have way more stuff than you are able to use — and so does almost everyone you know. So this time of year can be tough; you want to show your friends and family that you are thinking of them, and it feels good to give, but it's not like anyone needs another tie, decorative box or holiday sweater (ugly or not).

 

So here are some easy ways to give gifts that are unique, interesting, potentially low-cost and most of all, enjoyable. Hopefully with this approach, you won't be anything adding to the landfill or the Goodwill pile. 

 

 

1. Make handmade treats for later.

Think of food that lasts, because nobody wants to eat much over the next couple of weeks. But they certainly will be hungry again come January. Think jellies and jams for brunch-lovers, energy bars for your workout-obsessed buddy, or homemade chocolates for dessert nuts. And then make it yourself, and create some interesting wrapping paper from recycled materials. 

 

2. Check out The Buy Nothing Project.

The organization's premise is that we all have stuff to give and stuff we need. The organization is community-based, and works using Facebook as a hub where people are only allowed to join if they live within the area where the group operates. One family found everything they wanted for a kids' birthday party, so it seems like holiday gifts might be a possibility. But remember, this group is about giving too, so clear out your cupboards and post things you don't need or use.

 

3. Give herbs and plants.

This is an inexpensive way to give a holiday gift that will keep giving, literally, through the winter, spring and beyond as it grows. It's an inexpensive present that will not only add a bit of green for a prettier indoor atmosphere, but will also clean the air as it grows and could provide food or flavor. Too late to grow your own gifts and really strapped for cash? Find any container that can hold soil and simply buy some seeds and plant them and give the gift of life to come. Sunflowers, dill or parsley would all be a welcome midwinter sight, even if its just the promise of green things to come in the spring. 

 

4. Make a mixtape.

I don't actually mean a cassette tape — although some cars still have tape decks, so you could, I suppose. But you could create a Spotify playlist to share with friends, or even better, mix a set of songs just for them. It's fun to make mixes too, so you'd be giving yourself a gift of sorts in the process of creating one for your friends. 

 

5. Clean someone's home.

Ideally, you would do this before or right after the actual holiday, because that's when most people need a hand keeping their places neat and tidy. You could arrange this as a surprise (imagine them coming home to a sparkling clean house and a nice note that says: "Happy holidays! My gift to you this year is a clean and cozy home") or give them a nice card that presents the gift in a written format. 

 

 

6. Offer baby-sitting or pet-sitting.

Like housecleaning, this is a great present that gives the gift of time yet doesn't cost you a thing.

 

7. Make a week's worth of dinners.

Most people don't like to cook, but they want to eat healthfully. And even for those who like to cook, by the end of a long workday, it's just not in the cards. Being tired and hungry while cooking is a tall order. So making a week's worth of dinners — thick hearty soups, chilis, and maybe a frozen entree or two — can mean the difference between a good meal and another night of popcorn and wine. And what a gift that is for a busy person!

 

8. Give the gift of donating money.

There are a number of organizations that facilitate getting money to nonprofits for gift givers, but a great clearinghouse for all sorts of great charities is Just Give. You just choose a gift amount, then the person you donate to can give the money to an organization they love. That way they get to be in on the fun of giving money away without the cost! Cool gift. Just Give will print up and mail the cards for you, or you can hand them out yourself. 

 

9. Buy a pre-paid gas card.

If they drive a car, they're going to need gas, and nobody enjoys spending their money on that. Instead of giving a gift card to a store, give a gas card, which frees that person up to pay off bills, or buy something else with the money they're not spending on gas. 

 

10. Buy a gift certificate to a restaurant, ball game, concert or spa.

Services like these are the ones people cut when they are scrimping and saving, and enjoying an experience, even some months in the future, will make them remember you when they are having a great time. What a great gift to give.   

Read more: http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/responsible-living/blogs/10-ways-to-give-without-buying-stuff#ixzz3MHEEDLky

 

 

 

How to have a 'green' Christmas

 

A little reminder on Cyber Monday! - Gene

 

During the season of celebration we need to show extra care for the environment.  Christmas doesn't have to be a burden on the environment. With a little effort and imagination, we can reduce the environmental impact of the holiday season.  Here are some ideas to help celebrate the season while caring for the earth.

 

Buy Less

Some holiday gifts fill a practical need and need to be bought new. But many gifts are really gestures of thoughtfulness. You can give more while spending less.

• Not all gifts have to be store-bought.
You can give more while spending less by giving gifts that are personal and unique. While young children may favor the bright, shiny store-bought item, moat adults appreciate anything that shows thoughtfulness. Here's a page with some great ideas for meaningful holiday gifts that aren't found on store shelves: Tips for sustainable giving
• Simplify the 'gift-go-round'.

Feeling overwhelmed by a gift list that's just too long? Here's an idea to help shorten your list and simplify the family gift-giving ritual. We tried this in our own family last year and it was appreciated by all.

Before the holiday season begins (Thanksgiving is a good time because the extended family is often together), put the names of all adult family members on separate slips of paper and put the slips in a hat. Take turns picking one name per adult - the name you pick is your gift recipient. Keep your chosen pick a secret, to help maintain an element of surprise.

Your gift list for the adults in your family has just been shortened to one! You can now focus on a special gift for the person whose name you picked, without the dificulty and expense of finding just the right gift for everyone.

If the family's not together on Thanksgiving, ask Grandma or someone else in the family to pick the names from the hat for everyone, by proxy. It works just as well. An agreed on spending limit will also help everyone from feeling they have to go overboard with a fabulous gift for the person whose name they chose.

 

Buy Smart - think 'green'

• look for locally made gifts

Many gifts in today's marketplace come from halfway around the world, and the impact of transportation contributes significantly to greenhouse emissions and global warming. Local craft fairs and artisan shops are a good source for gifts that come without the added costs of transportation. And gifts made locally often have a story which goes with the gift, since the artisan and the origin of the gift are known.

• choose gifts made from recycled sources

Many individuals and small businesses have developed great products using recycled materials. Supporting these businesses helps reduce the waste stream while promoting the concept of making best use of available materials. Here are some examples for you to consider: Gifts from recycled materials

• give 'battery-free' gifts

According to the EPA, about 40% of all battery sales occur during the holiday season. Discarded batteries are an environmental hazard. Even rechargeable batteries find their way into the waste stream eventually. Here are a few examples of gifts that have less of an impact on the environment: Naturally-powered toys

• avoid children's toys that promote violence

There is too much violence in the world, and the new wave of video games for children is disturbing. Remember the theme of Christmas is "Peace on Earth". There are many toys and games that are fun, and nurture childrens creativity and sense of active play. Here are some examples: Educational toys and games

• 're-gifting' is OK

There's much discussion these days about the etiquette behind the trend to 're-gift', that is, to pass on a gift you received but do not need. What's to discuss? Re-gifting makes perfect sense. If you receive something you really don't need, look for ways you can reuse this gift by passing it on to someone who can use it. Of course, re-gifting needs to be done with care so as not to offend the original giver, but keeping a gift you don't need is wasteful.

 

Connect with Nature

Christmas is a time for giving, and a time for family. What a great opportunity to start a family tradition of giving back to the earth and instilling the values of sustainable living to your children, friends and community. Start an annual, earth-friendly Christmas family tradition! It will also get you outdoors for a few hours to build an appetite for the big dinner.

 

·         Annual Christmas Day Bird Count

Take your binoculars, a field guide to local birds, a small pad or journal for each participant and walk a course through your neighborhood, local park or countryside. Try to identify and count every bird you see, and make a note of it in your journal. At the end of the hike, list the species seen and number of birds per species. There's always a surprising discovery, and the activity highlights the presence and value of our feathered friends.

Compare the results from former years and you'll become experts on your local bird population and migration habits. This is a great family activity because even the youngest eyes are just as good at spotting the birds and contributing to the event.

·        Family nature hike

A peaceful walk through nature on Christmas day will be remembered and valued more than the score of the football game. Plan your walk before the holiday meal while everyone still has lots of energy. The walk will also pique appetites and provide a shared topic for conversation during mealtime.

·          Nature restoration activity

Planting a small tree together symbolizes the value of nature and offsets the 'taking' of the Christmas tree. An hour spent cleaning up or enhancing a natural area also enriches the giver and acknowledges nature as the source of our well-being.

·          Decorate a tree for the birds

Place seed bells, suet, pine cones with peanut butter and seed trays on any tree in your yard, preferably a tree in the open where cats can be seen easily by the birds. You’ll attract a wide variety of birds, use varied seed types such as black oil sunflower seed, wild bird mixed seed and nyger seed bells. This is a great activity for kids, and offers an important food source for birds during the winter.

 

Lower the impact of holiday lighting

• Reduce the size of outdoor lighting displays

A smaller presentation of lights can still be attractive, and more appropriate in the 'season of giving'. Saving electricity is also a way of giving, since conserving resources benefits everyone.

• Use LED lights for house and Christmas tree lighting

LED (Light Emitting Diode) holiday lights use up to 95% less energy than larger, traditional holiday bulbs and last up to 100,000 hours when used indoors. LED holiday lights use .04 watts per bulb, 10 times less than mini bulbs and 100 times less than traditional holiday bulbs. Over a 30-day period, lighting 500 traditional holiday lights will cost you about $18.00 while the same number of LED lights costs only $0.19. As an added bonus, if one of the LED lights burns out the rest of the strand will stay lit.

• Outdoor Mini-lights will also save energy

A 100-light string uses only 40 watts. If you're buying a new set of lights, compare based on equal 'lighted lengths'. Some higher priced brands have 100 mini-lights for only 8 1/2 feet of length, while some 100 mini-light strings cover up to 40 feet in length. For the most efficient outdoor holiday lighting, consider the new solar LED strings now available.

• Turn tree lights and outdoor house decorative lighting at bedtime

It's simply a waste of energy to leave the holiday lights on at night after everyone's gone to sleep.

 

Choose a live tree

Although plastic Christmas trees are reusable from year to year, real trees are the more sustainable choice. Plastic trees are made of petroleum products (PVC), and use up resources in both the manufacture and shipping. While artificial trees theoretically last forever, research shows that they are typically discarded when repeated use makes them less attractive. Discarded artificial trees are then sent to landfills, where their plastic content makes them last forever.

Live trees, on the other hand, are a renewable resource grown on tree farms, that are replanted regularly. They contribute to air quality while growing, and almost ninety percent are recycled into mulch. Live trees are usually locally grown and sold, saving both transportation costs and added air pollution. Live trees also smell like Christmas! When buying a live tree, consider:

 

• live potted trees can be used for years

If you buy a small tree in a large pot, you may be able to reuse the tree for 2- 3 years without having to plant or re-pot the tree.

• re-pot the tree for longer use

If your tree becomes root-bound, you can replant it in a larger pot for several years' extended use.

• replant the tree when it becomes too large for your holiday tree

If you have the space, of course, replanting the tree outdoors is an option. Be sure to anticipate the full-grown size of the tree, and avoid planting near foundations or underground services.

• chip and mulch the tree

Many communities now have free chipping services for trees. This is useful since the chips are used as mulch for municipal landscaping or sold at low cost to gardeners. This chipped material makes an excellent mulch for your shrub beds and garden pathways.

 

Alternatives to Wrapping Paper

 Half of the paper America consumes each year is used to wrap and decorate consumer products. (Source: The Recycler's Handbook, 1990)

 

In the US, the annual trash from gift wrap and shopping bags totals over 4 million tons. In Canada, the annual waste from gift wrap and shopping bags equals about 545,00 tons. If everyone wrapped just three gifts in reused paper or fabric gift bags, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 hockey rinks.

 

• Use environmentally friendly wrapping paper

Choose wrapping paper made using fibers such as hemp or paper using recycled content

• Avoid buying glossy foil or metallic wrapping paper

You can do a beautifully wrapping job for your gifts without having to use metallic wrapping paper. This kind of 'paper' is difficult to recycle and it has no value for use as mulch since there are heavy metals used in the foil paper. Foil gift wrap is also harder to reuse, since it wrinkles and creases easily when the gift is being unwrapped.

• Reuse gift wrap where possible

Large wrapped presents usually have large enough uncreased sections to be reused for wrapping smaller gifts. If you open large gift packages with care, the paper can be set aside for re-use for other gift-giving occasions. Fancy ribbons and bows, of course, can be stored in a box till next year when you'll appreciate having them around and not having to buyr new ones.

• Use tape sparingly, or not at all

If you're going to use ribbon to finish off your wrapping, you may not need to use tape. By not using tape, more of the wrapping paper can be reclaimed, and it's easier for the recipient to save the wrapping for reuse.

• Choose alternatives to commercial gift wrap

There are many options which are cost-free, attractive solutions. Gift bags can be made using fabric scraps, or wrapping can be made using comic strips from the paper, old calendars, maps, posters and more. For more ideas, visit our page: Gift-wrapping Alternatives

 

Reuse/Recycle

Each year, 50 million Christmas trees are purchased in the U.S. Of those, about 30 million go to the landfill. And added to this is the carbon cost in transporting all these trees to the landfill. Much of the environmental costs associated with the holidays can be reduced by simple awareness and some pre-planning.

 

• Reuse or recycle gift packing materials

Bubble wrap can be stored for reuse, or recycled. Foam packing chips are not as easily recycled; if you don't want to store this material for reuse, take it to a shipping center like Mailboxes. etc, who will accept it for their own use. Cardboard boxes should be opened flat and set out for recycling; storing and reusing these boxes is even better as no additional energy is used in remanufacturing.

• Save any special gift wrap, ribbons and bows

When unwrapping large gifts, save the paper for reuse; it can often be cut down for smaller presents. Creased wrapping can be ironed flat. Ribbons and bows are easy to save and reuse.

• Recycle old electronics

New flat-screen computer monitors, laptops, cameras, cell phones and other electronic items are common holiday gifts. Older models which are being replaced are usually still in working order, however, and should not be discarded to a landfill. Here is information to help recycle these items: Recycling electronic goods

• Christmas trees can be recycled too

Live trees that have been cut are a useful material for composting. Composting requires a carbon source and Christmas trees are just right for municipal operations which use chippers to shred the material. Look for tree drop-off locations in your neighborhood. Artificial trees which are up for replacement can also be recycled. These trees are usually made from twisted metal which is accepted by most recycling centers.

 

 

http://eartheasy.com/give_sustainchristmas.htm

 

 

 

 

 

Buzzwords Decoded: 5 Green Claims That May Be Misleading

Make sure you read the labels if you want to purchase truly environmentally responsible products.

By Lexie Sachs

 

 

As smart shoppers, we’re all aware that the consumer goods industry is full of misleading marketing claims, and the eco-friendly product space is one place to be especially wary. While the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulates these statements (as laid out in its Green Guide), it can be tricky to decipher which labels are true and which don’t mean anything at all.

Here are five common buzzwords you’ll recognize — and tips for when you should be skeptical:

1. Eco-Friendly
When a product is labeled “eco-friendly,” “environmentally friendly,” or “green” without providing an explanation, chances are it’s just a marketing gimmick. These terms can be misleading because they let you assume that the product is good for the environment. Essentially every product will have some type of unwanted effect, but slapping on “eco-friendly” implies that the product has no negative environmental impacts.

Look for super-specific details instead of broad phrases, such as “eco-friendly: product is made from 60% recycled fiber.” The more details given, the better you can understand what the environmental benefits might be.

2. Natural
There is no legal definition for the word “natural” when used on consumer goods. “Natural” suggests the product comes from plants, minerals, and other things found in nature. But by the time most products reach you, the raw materials and ingredients have gone through a series of manufacturing processes and therefore have been synthetically altered.

If you’re curious about natural food products, Whole Foods has a comprehensive list of ingredients that are not accepted at their stores. If you’re looking for natural beauty and cleaning products, they should only contain plant- and mineral-based ingredients that are minimally processed.

3. Recycled
A manufacturer can claim that a product contains recycled content only if the materials would have otherwise ended up as trash (either from a manufacturing process or consumer waste). Unless the entire product and its packaging are both made from 100% recycled content, the FTC requires specification. Look out for details on labels. Is the product or the packaging (or both) made from recycled content? How much of it is recycled?

4. Organic
From organic food to organic cotton and more, chances are you’re seeing this word thrown around a lot. Organic means that crops are grown without genetic modification and without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, and antibiotics. Look out for products with legitimate certifications, such as ones that are USDA or GOTS certified.

Keep in mind — just because a product is grown organically, it does not mean it won’t have harmful environmental impacts at some point in its life.

5. Biodegradable
Most consumers assume that biodegradable means, when the product is discarded, it will decompose into the earth in a reasonable amount of time. However, this is not usually true. Many products with this claim won’t actually degrade in a landfill, and it could actually take hundreds or thousands of years for the product to fully deteriorate. So what should you look for? Products that that give you a specific time frame and degrading condition, such as “biodegradable within two years in compost facility.”

 

Lexie Sachs is a product analyst in the Good Housekeeping Research Institute.

 

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/green-living/green-buzzwords-defined