Earth Day 2010

There are so many pollutants in our environment today.  A big problem is plastic bag pollution. I know that it’s a big problem in my parent’s neighborhood, because they complain about a different bag in their yard every other day!

One  thing that you can do to make a difference on this Earth Day is to use reusable bags if you go shopping today. Don’t think that you aren’t effecting change just because you’re one person; every little bit helps!

Check out this creative video telling a story of plastic bag pollution. Granted, it’s for the San Francisco Bay and not Collierville, but I think it gets the point across regardless.

What are you doing to help our planet?

Get Spotless Windows w/Green Ingredients!

I hate doing windows. I know that’s bad, but I really do. I can never get them entirely clean without having a couple of streaks left behind. Luckily for me, and anyone one else out there who has problems with windows as well, I found an article that uses green ingredients to clean windows. This way, your windows get clean, and you’re helping the environment as well.

So what do you need to use? It’s simple. With just a scrub of white vinegar, newspaper, and elbow grease, your windows will be crystal clear in no time. Just mix 2 tablespoons of white vinegar with a gallon of water, and put your new concoction into a used spray bottle. Spray a little on your window, and wipe clean with a newspaper, not paper towels.

If you run out of vinegar, or don’t like the smell, you can also substitute straight lemon juice or club soda (don’t dilute either in water), and rub with newspaper.

I hope this helps! I plan on using this technique the next time I see a little grime on my windows!

Do you have any Go-Green tips?

Save money when showering

With Earth Day approaching, we’d like to think of April as Earth/Environmental Awareness month. Plant a tree, recycle, turn off lights when you’re not using them, change the light bulbs in your homes to more energy efficient ones. You can even change the way you shower and save cash, and preserve our water reserves.

How? Get a low-pressure shower head. A typical shower uses 25 gallons of water at a time. The EPA reports that the average American uses 100 gallons a day. When I sit down to think about it, I know that we use a lot of water, but I didn’t know that it was that much.

When using a low-pressure shower head, the percentage of water saved is about 50-70%. Using these shower heads is a double plus, because this way, you’re even saving energy on heating water. If you let your faucet run for five minutes, it uses as much energy as it takes to keep a 60-watt light bulb lit for 14 hours, the EPA says.

Don’t worry about coming out of the pocket too much for these shower heads; they’ll probably run you about $8 a piece. Some even come with a pause button, so you can take a break from the water flow to lather up. Now that’s a handy feature.

Let’s go green MSF!

What are you doing to conserve energy and protect the planet?

Reference: Save Money Each Time You Shower

The Great American Cleanup

The Great American Cleanup was a huge success last year with over 3 million volunteers and 64 million pounds of litter and debris removed from parks, trail ways, and waterways.

The Cleanup lasted three months and volunteers gave 5.2 million hours to the cause.

There is always this year to be a volunteer, but don’t wait until then to start cleaning up.  When you go for a walk take a bag with you and pickup trash as you go.  Organize a community clean up day.  You like to come home to a clean community, right?

Can you start your community clean up today?

More here.