Celebrate the Earth...

I have to admit, I am not that *green*.  I try to be, when I think about it, I just don't always think about it.  We have gotten a bit better around here, I think part of it is because the kiddos are aware of it and they remind me.. A LOT.  I also think part of it is because one of my closest, dearest friends, Melissa, is the biggest *greenie* I know!  She is a great inspiration to me when it comes to being green.  


In March, the Girl Scouts were promoting the Earth Hour.  In response to that, Melissa wrote an email to her co-workers encouraging them to help her office be as friendly to the earth as possible.  In honor of Earth Day, she has allowed me to share it here.

Ok everyone please don't allow this list to overwhelm you!  Remember that every little bit helps and even the best tree hugger has to start somewhere! ;)  I am doing this to help promote Earth Hour.  Earth Hour is on March 31st 8:30-9:30pm.  The goal is for EVERYONE to turn off ALL power during this hour.  So I also created this small list of things to do to help the earth stay as green as possible.  This list is just for starters, there are many more things to do to save electricity, trees, water, and money.  Just think how green our earth could be if everyone did something! 

Office Life
Reuse back of papers that cannot be put into shredder
Turn lights off when not in use
Bring your own cups and plates, to avoid the use of Styrofoam that is not recyclable or biodegradable (and saves the clinic$$$)
Turn computers off on Friday evenings to save energy for them being on all weekend
Make sure all fans, heaters, and radios are turned off and unplugged, things that are plugged in still drain electricity (wouldn't recommend unplugging your laptops though)
Print or copy double-sided whenever possible (you can change your printer settings to print on both sides)
Only put materials in the bio-hazard bags or sharps containers that need to be in there, not extra boxes or packaging from expired samples, no paper towels, or diapers
Communicate through email as often as you can to prevent printing notes that will be thrown away

Home Life
Turn off lights and electronics when not in use, don't leave chargers plugged in when not charging they still consume power
Weather proof doors and windows with weather stripping
Recycle, start small then gradually increase the products and amount you recycle, every little bit helps, put the bins close to the trash can as possible
Buy in bulk, less packaging less waste
Use reusable shopping bags
Change air filters to keep units from working harder and raising your electric bill
Use rechargeable batteries, they cost more up front but save money in the long run and decreases the amount of toxic waste sent to the land fills
Wash clothes in cold water, almost 90% of the energy used to wash clothes is used to heat the water
Cancel catalog subscriptions and shop online, much of the paper that catalogs are made from is harvested from old-growth forests
Skip the treadmill and take your walking and jogging outside
Run the dishwasher and washer only when full
Turn water off when brushing your teeth
Turn your hot water heater off when you go on vacation
Use your phone to create lists to save paper

Out and About
Slow down! It will save gas instead of speeding to get there faster
Use cruise control, to prevent constantly changing speeds 
Plan your trip ahead to avoid unnecessary turnarounds and backtracking
Have your car and tires serviced at proper intervals, a healthy car runs better, longer, and uses less fuel
Make lists of all the places you need to stop at to prevent getting back out and using more gas
When at family gatherings write your name on your cup to prevent losing yours and having to get a new one
Choose to buy products that use recycled material and can be recycled
Shop close to home it is good for you local community as well as saves gas, time, and milage on your car

"Waste not the smallest thing created, for grains of sand make mountains, and atomies infinity."  E. Knight