Green Paige

What exactly is eco-style?  Susie Matson, professional organizer and owner of Savvy Spaces, defines eco-style as natural, affordable and realistic.

   

For me, the basis of eco-style is redesign-using a combination of natural elements with items that you already have to make your home more beautiful, comfortable and functional.

In this era of green washing and high-end design, we have come to expect a high price tag attached to anything associated with the terms green, sustainable or ecological.  “Not so,” claims Susie.  Even though she doesn’t market herself as an eco-organizer, Susie has always had a passion for reusing and repurposing.

   

When my husband and I first started dating, I didn’t tell him that I did most of my shopping at thrift stores and flea markets.  One day, I had my head down in a bin at the Salvation Army when I looked up and spotted him on the other side of the store sorting through his own pile of stuff.  Our eyes met and we both realized that we had met our match.

When redesigning your home, Susie recommends starting with one room at a time.

   

When I am decorating a room, I like to take time to sit in that space, be still, clear my mind and feel the energy of the room.  It helps me define what’s missing and what needs editing.

Ask yourself if it’s too dark or too heavy on one side?  Are there too many plants or not enough plants?  Does the room get enough light? What is the purpose of this room going to be?  Susie believes that these questions will help give you direction.

I feel that your home should restore, rejuvenate and energize you.  When you walk in the door, you should feel that it’s good to be here. 

Susie’s eight quick tips for redesigning your home with eco-style:

1. Get Inspired - Find an inspiration item that will help you visualize a theme for your redesign.  Susie suggests choosing something that will work well with the purpose of the room.  For example, a vintage postcard from Hawaii could be the inspiration for a bathroom redesign.
2. Shop Your Home - Most of us tend to scatter the things we love throughout our living space.  By shopping our home and gathering together items that would work well with our theme, we can actually create a fresh look for that space.  Susie recommends choosing items based on texture and color.
3. Repurpose - Visualize Aunt Martha’s old, blue suitcase as a table top for a nightstand.  Don’t be afraid to break the rules and use a bedroom dresser as a buffet table or mix things up a bit by displaying antique gardening tools in the kitchen. By using things that you have collected throughout the years, you make a statement about you and your family.
4. Find Your Soul Color - Susie advises decorating a room with colors that restore you.  “I have this theory that we all have our own soul color.  I tend to love Earth tones but the color that restores me is green,” says Susie.  She suggests using furniture or carpet with neutral colors.  You can always change out pillows or art work to give your room punch.
5. Stylize - Decorate your home in ways that really suit you, that speak to you. “When you come in to my house, although I love rocks, you won’t find a granite countertop anywhere,” admits Susie.  ”It’s not my style.  That’s not to say they’re not stylish but it’s not what my style is really about.”  If you need help defining your style, visit HGTV  and search for style quiz.
6. Keep It Natural - Susie suggests using natural elements like wood, stone and shells to create your eco-style.  “I try to keep plastics and appliances put away because they make a room feel cold.”  Natural decorations bring the outdoors in and make you feel close to the Earth.  “I have this bowl in my living room that I change out all year long.  I put sand in it with seashells, pinecones, Christmas balls, or seed pods.  It’s an interactive accessory.”
7. Trade - Exchange things with other people.  Susie explains, “I have friends that I am so close to that we know each other’s styles.  If I have something they could use in their home redesign, I happily give it to them knowing that it will be loved and reused.” 
8. Reuse - When you do buy things for your home, buy used.  Buy things that speak to you and your own personal style.  Don’t buy what’s trendy and decorate for trend appeal.  Trends are short lived and don’t perpetuate reuse.

As a professional organizer and amateur treasure hunter, Susie Matson has spent her life saving money and the environment.

I know some people think that they can’t afford to live a more sustainable, environmentally friendly lifestyle because green products and services are just too expensive.  That tells me that they are working with the wrong definition of green.

For more redesigning tips, contact Susie Matson of Savvy Spaces.

I don’t have the time to make my own cleaning products!  That was always my argument.  After all, it’s easier to pick up a package of sparkling blue tablets that will shine my toilet so brilliantly I will be able to see my face reflected in the bowl. Who doesn’t want house cleaning to be less time consuming?  What we don’t want is to sacrifice our family’s health and safety to do it.

If you read the labels of your favorite cleaning products as I did, you will discover that some of these brightly packaged solvents are manufactured using petroleum products, phosphates/EDTA and chlorine bleach which are harmful to the environment.  They can also contain phthalates that have been linked to cancer and disease of the reproductive system. Cleansers with antibacterials such as triclosan and benzalkonium chloride can contribute to an increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria, resulting in illnesses that are more difficult to treat. What can we do?

Make our own cleaning products.  Here’s how:

1. Cleaning Caddy -  Begin with a wire cleaning caddy or make one out of a basket or a box.  Fill it with your cleaning essentials including an all-purpose cleaner, soft scrub cleanser, window wash, furniture polish, a multi-purpose scrub brush, natural cellulose sponges, a turkey feather duster and cotton cleaning rags.
2. All-Purpose Cleaner - The first item you will need to add to your caddy is an all-purpose cleaner.  There are numerous recipes out there for natural all-purpose cleaners but my favorite features grapefruit seed extract which is a natural disinfectant.  Start with a 32-oz. spray bottle.  Fill it three-quarters full of water and add two tablespoons of a natural dish soap like Seventh Generation.  Mix 20 drops of grapefruit seed extract into the solution with 5-10 drops of lemon juice.  This cleaner is safe to use on every surface including walls and floors.
3. Soft Scrub Cleanser - Next, you will need a soft scrub cleanser for soap scum in tubs and stains on counter tops.  Mix 1/4 cup baking soda with a small amount of natural liquid soap until it forms the consistency of frosting.  Store in a bottle or make it fresh whenever you need it.
4. Disinfectant - For those diaper pail, garbage can and litter box jobs where only a disinfectant will do, use Tea Tree oil.  It has natural antibacterial properties.  To one gallon of hot water, mix ½ cup of Borax and a couple of drops of Tea Tree oil.  Let the concoction steep for 10 minutes and then pour into a spray bottle.
5. Window Wash - For a simple but effective window wash solution, use the same recipe our grandmothers have sworn by for years.  With 2 cups of warm water, combine 3 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon of a natural liquid soap. Wash windows with a soft, cotton rag.
6. Furniture Polish - No cleaning caddy would be complete without wood furniture polish.  Mix 1/4 cup of olive oil with 1/8 cup of lemon juice.  Mix together and apply to wood furniture in a thin coat.  Rub well with a soft, cotton cloth.

 Green Cleaning Tips:

• Use mops with a washable mop head cover and vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters. 
• Avoid disposable cleaning products.
• Don’t forget to recycle and properly dispose of harmful cleaning chemicals.

Still not convinced to make your own cleaning products?  Contact a green cleaning company like All Star Cleaning Services. They offer pre-mixed kits, instruction and monthly refill programs.  To locate a eco-friendly cleaning company near you, visit Green America’s National Green Pages.

It’s election year and we are all thinking, talking and worrying about who the next president of the United States will be.  Before you step up to the ballot box, know where the candidates stand on environmental issues.  Here are some resources to help you make an informed decision on election day.

• The Daily Green - Check out their Green Your Vote 2008  page.  Read about Senators’ Barack Obama and John McCain’s energy plans.  Send your friends and family a  Green Your Vote E-Card to remind them to research the candidates’ stand on environmental issue and to vote green.  Take the Presidential Candidate Quiz and find out which candidate thinks like you when it comes to energy and environmental policies.

• Grist:  Environmental News and Commentary - Check out their How Green Is Your Candidate  page with information about and interviews with Ralph Nader, Barack Obama, Joe Biden and John McCain.

• Mother Earth News - Their article, “Where Do The Presidential Candidates Stand on Environmental Issues,” includes the League of Conservation Voters  Ratings.  See how each candidate rates.

I just become an aunt  - for the first time.  My daughter is thrilled to have a new baby cousin and the rest of us are excited to have baby Adam in our lives.

When you learn that a new baby is on the way, there are so many things to do and think about.  Setting up a nursery might be far down on your priority list but creating a healthy, natural environment for your child to thrive in could be the most important thing you do.  Here are five tips to help you get started.

• Tip 1: Pick low VOC paints.  If your nursery is a blank palette, decorate it with paints that have no or low VOCs - volatile organic compounds.  Solvents that most conventional paint manufacturers use to improve resilience and make their paints more functional are VOCs.  These compounds produce a breathable gas that diminishes air quality and can be hazardous to your baby’s health.  Ask for paint that has a VOC content of less than 50 grams per liter for flat sheen or 150 grams per liter for non-flat sheen.  For our youngest daughter’s nursery, we are using Freshaire Choice.  Read my post Good Paint Hunting for non-VOC paint comparisons and a review of Freshaire Choice.

• Step 2: Choose healthy flooring.  Your baby might be a tiny, cooing bundle of love right now but in the time it takes to blink an eye, your little Speed Racer will be zooming around the nursery on chubby hands and knees.  Make his or her launching pad a healthy one.  The Healthy Flooring Network recommends natural linoleum, cork, sustainably forested hardwood or bamboo flooring that is treated with non-toxic sealers.  Carpets made with recycled materials or natural fibers like wool, cotton, sisal, sea grass, jute or hemp are a better choice than synthetic carpets that can off-gas a VOC called 4-phenylcyclohexene (4-PCH), a byproduct of a latex binder used to secure tufted fibers to carpet backing.  VOCs are released over time and can continue long after that new carpet smell has faded. For more information, visit the Healthy Flooring Network and The Carpet and Rug Institute’s  indoor air quality testing program. 

• Step 3: Select solid wood furnishings.  Pass by the canopied cribs with the mega-mobiles and the reclining rockers with heated seats and cup holders.  Choose furniture that is simple, natural and solid.  Most cribs on the market are made with engineered wood which is manufactured by binding together the strands, particles, fibers or veeners of wood with formaldehyde adhesives to form composite materials.  These adhesives that are holding your baby’s crib together can off-gas formaldehyde.  When shopping for a crib or other furniture for your nursery, choose solid, sustainably harvested wood that has a natural oil or wax finish.  Furnish your crib with an organic cotton or wool mattress and bedding that is free from petroleum derived chemicals used in fire and stain retardants.  Visit the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website for crib safety guidelines.  For organic bedding options, check out  The Natural Sleep Store or let your mouse do the walking through Co-Op America’s National Green Pages. 

• Step 4: Research your diaper choices.  The debate between cloth diapers and disposables has raged since 1947 when Valerie Hunter Gordon developed the first two piece disposable diaper in England.  Now days, parents have a third option to the diaper dilemma, g-Diapers.  These hybrid diapers have a cotton diaper wrap on the outside, snap-in liners made of polyurethane coated nylon and a flushable insert created from soft, fluffed wood pulp that comes from sustainably managed forests.  To absorb wetness, they use a poly-acrylate gel in their inserts which the people at gdiaper.com claim has been proven safe in over 400 studies.  It is the same substance that the FDA removed from tampons in the mid-1980s because of its link to toxic shock syndrome.  Whether you choose to stock your nursery with g-Diapers; cotton, hemp or unbleached paper diapers or go diaper free; do your research and make the healthiest choice for your baby.  For more cloth diaper info, visit  The Real Diaper Association.  For diaper comparisons and reviews, check out TreeHugger and type in diapers. 

• Step 5: Buy BPA-free bottles.  The best choice for nursing your baby is breast feeding.  If that is not an option, choose to supply your nursery with BPA-free baby bottles.  Until recently, almost all plastic baby bottles on the market were produced from #7 polycarbonate which is made with bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical invented in the 1930s as a synthetic estrogen.  BPA is a hormone disruptor which simulates the action of estrogen when tested in human breast cancer studies and can leach into food as the product ages.  Whole Foods Market claims that they are staying on top of the latest academic research regarding substances like BPA.  In January of 2006, they stopped selling baby bottles and sippy cups made from polycarbonate plastic because of the emerging scientific evidence on their risk.  They now carry Born Free brand bottles that are free from BPA.  Glass bottles are also making a comeback with the addition of non-toxic nipples and a silicone sheath that slips over the bottle to help prevent breakage.  For a product report on baby bottles, visit The Green Guide or search NatureMom’s Blog for BPA-free and glass baby bottle reviews from parents.  

For more ideas on how to create a healthy and natural nursery for your baby, visit The Green Home Guide  and search for nursery.    

Let’s face it - our economy is changing, our priorities are changing, our world is changing.  Our family is putting more thought into what we purchase and the impact those purchases will have on the planet.  Because of this paradigm shift in our own household not to mention the larger community in which we live, my husband and I have begun to investigate socially responsible investing.

Unlike most people who would simply look up the definition of socially responsible investing or SRI, I chose to seek out my answers in the blogosphere.  I contacted the Millionaire Mommy Next Door in order to find out just what SRI is and why this broad-based approach to investing now encompasses an estimated $2.71 trillion out of $25.1 trillion in the U.S. investment marketplace.  

Jen or MMND, as she is known to her readers, is the author of the highly successful, personal finance blog Millionaire Mommy Next Door.  She shares her story of how she went from free lunch kid to financially free by the age of 40 with an audience of over 3,000 daily subscribers and 50,000 page views a month.  She has been featured on MSN Money, US News and World Report and appeared on the Montel Williams Show during The Modern Girl’s Guide To Success episode last December.

Interview with the Millionaire Mommy Next Door

What is your definition of SRI?

MMND - “I define SRI as an investment strategy that allows the investor to consider both the return on his or her investment and the investment’s impact on society. The socially responsible investor seeks out and invests in companies that help foster a better world such as those that promote healthy communities, clean environments and economic equality. They use shareholder activism to promote positive change in business practices. Conversely, they keep money out of companies that pollute, manufacture weapons or perform tests on animals.”

How many SRI funds are there?

MMND - “I am delighted to find that the number of SRI funds is rising quickly.  There were 55 SRI funds in 1995. By 2007, the number had grown to 260. These SRI funds represent a wide variety of categories and types of products including domestic and international equities, bonds and ETFs (exchange traded funds.) This makes it possible to diversify one’s portfolio using 100% SRI funds, according to individual needs.”

How well do socially responsible funds perform?

MMND - “Screening based on specific corporate policies naturally reduces the pool of acceptable businesses to invest in. Consequently, an SRI mutual fund’s policy could cause it to make or avoid investments that could result in underperforming as compared to similar funds that do not screen for specific SRI issues. However, several academic studies have shown that SRI mutual funds perform competitively with non-SRI funds over time. The case could be made that businesses that comprehend the importance of sustainability today are strategically positioned to profit in the future.”

Is green investing the same as socially responsible investing?

MMND - “You may hear terms like mission investing, responsible investing, double or triple bottom line investing and ethical investing used interchangeably with socially responsible investing. Green investing is a narrower focus within a special category of SRI. Personal definitions of green investing vary as do the terms used to describe this strategy which include eco-investing and sustainable investing.” 

What is your definition of green investing?

MMND - “A broad definition of green investing would be investing in stocks of companies with environmentally-friendly practices and cleaner ways of extracting and producing energy. There are really two types of green investing-mutual funds that invest in companies that provide green solutions and funds that invest in companies that use environmentally conscious business practices.”

What is the difference between green solution funds and environmentally conscious funds?

MMND - “Some green funds screen out businesses based on environmental concerns, others actively look for and invest in alternative/green companies. For instance, some corporations that don’t provide green services or manufacture green products can still be called green by their fund manager because the manager believes these corporations use environmentally conscious business practices.“

“There are some green funds that are considered purer than others because they invest in areas like environmental services, green building, green transportation, water management, etc. Many of these green solution funds tend to invest in small, specialized companies so the ups and downs are bigger with more volatility. This also causes the fund’s expense ratios to be higher and many carry sales loads. But again, the future seems bright for environmentally progressive companies so the long-term performance could be rewarding.”

Can you give some examples of green funds?

MMND - “To locate examples of both types of green funds, visit The Social Investment Forum . Then read the prospectus provided by the individual mutual fund’s management company to determine whether it fits your needs or not.” 

Where can people find more information about SRI?

MMND - “Download the free guide, ‘Investing in Socially Responsible Mutual Funds.’  This 20-page guide outlines the information you need to help you get started investing in socially responsible mutual funds.  I also recommend Co-op America’s Financial Planning Handbook .”   

Do you have a last word of advice for potential investors?

MMND - “Investing requires knowledge of investment options, the market and available resources.  Consult a professional financial planner before deciding on an investment strategy or changing your investment behavior.”           This article also appears in the August 2008 edition of  Rocky Mountain Parent Magazine. 

Free-range or barn raised?  Locally produced or imported? Organic or conventionally grown?  These days, going to the grocery store is like taking the SATs-otherwise known as the Shopping Aptitude Test.  With so many decisions to make, how do we know we are making the right choices?  The simple answer is you don’t, unless you have done your homework. For those of you who haven’t studied, it’s time to grab your #2 pencils.  I am going to lead you on a short course through the world of healthy, authentic food.

• Part I: Organic?   You walk into a grocery store and see a beautiful, perfectly round, red tomato on display next to a smaller, organically grown tomato that looks a little like Abraham Lincoln’s profile.  What do you do?

1. Not knowing what the term organic really means, you throw up your hands in defeat and wander off towards the frozen foods section in search of a pint of Chunky Monkey.
2. Buy the organic tomato because even though it looks like something grown on Mars, it has the Earthy aroma of a tomato.
3. Buy the beautiful, conventionally grown tomato because it’s cheaper.

If you answered 1., it’s time to put the Chunky Monkey down and visit the USDA National Organic Program (NOP).  They define organic as a food that has been produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations.

According to the NOP, organic food should be produced without using pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge, bioengineering or ionizing radiation.  Organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products must come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.  Cloning animals or using their products would also be considered inconsistent with organic practices.  In order for a food to be labeled organic, a Government-approved certifier must inspect the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards.  Companies that handle or process organic food must be certified, too.  What exactly does this mean to you and how does it help you choose which tomato to buy?

For those of you who answered 2., it means a healthier tomato.  The Organic Trade Association (OTA)  believes that there is mounting evidence that organically grown fruits, vegetables and grains may offer more of some nutrients including vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorus with less exposure to nitrates and pesticide residues, than their counterparts grown using synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.

It just makes sense that foods that foods grown without pesticide residue are healthier for you.  Organic farmers are prohibited from using synthetic chemicals but conventional farmers can use around 200 approved synthetic chemicals-fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides.

Pesticides on foods pose even more of a danger to young children.  Because they are growing, they consume more food per pound of body weight than adults which means higher exposure to pesticide residues.  Since many modern pesticides are neurotoxins designed to kill bugs by interfering with their nervous systems, even low levels could be potentially dangerous in children whose brains are developing.

The not-for-profit  Environmental Working Group (EWG)  has developed a ranking system based on the results of nearly 43,000 tests for pesticides on produce collected by the USDA and the Food and Drug Administration between 2000 and 2005.  Their list, The Dirty Dozen, catalogs the most contaminated fruits and vegetables.  It includes:

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Bell peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Pears
9. Imported grapes
10. Spinach
11. Lettuce
12. Potatoes.

For the people who answered 3. to the tomato question, you are part of an increasing minority.  The organic industry is growing by an average of 20 percent each year.  Most people are willing to pay more for organic food because they believe it’s a healthier way to eat.  Rising fuel prices are one reason organic food is more expensive than conventional food products.  Tighter government regulations, lower crop yields and more expensive farming practices also contribute to higher prices.  Because organic farmers do not use herbicides or pesticides, they must rely on labor intensive practices to control weeds and pests.  The good news is that organic foods are becoming more mainstream, therefore more affordable.  If you shop around, in some cases you might find organic items less expensive than conventionally produced food.    

• Part II: Localvores?  Choose the answer that best describes the term localvores.

1. Legendary, dragon-like creatures that eat local villagers.
2. People who eat food that meets the Authentic Food Standards.
3. People who eat food produced within a certain radius of their home.
4. Both (2.) and (3.)

If you answered 4., you are correct.  Because formal USDA certification can be expensive and complicated for small, independent farms, alternative organic standards are emerging.  The Authentic Food Standard, proposed by author and organic farmer Eliot Coleman, includes criteria that are incompatible with current agribusiness.  He proposes that fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs and meat products be produced within a 50-mile radius of the place of their final sale and that grains, beans, nuts, and potatoes be produced within a 300-mile radius.  ”Localvores” feel that  locally grown, seasonal food can be brought to market more quickly than food that has to be transported long distances.  Therefore, it is fresher, better tasting and more nutritious.

Our family has found that eating locally produced food and eating organic compliment each other.  For us, it’s all about eating the healthiest foods you can to be the healthiest person you can be.  It’s also about making healthy choices for a healthy planet.  The amount of money most families spend on food is enormous.  If we divert that money from buying conventionally grown food that is being shipping hundreds or thousand of miles to locally grown food, we can make big changes for our planet.

• Part III. All of the above 

The debate over organic versus conventionally produced food has waged for years with proponents saying that organic farming protects the environment and critics saying it has little effect.  Organic advocates say pesticides can cause numerous health problems including cancers, neurological disorders, immune system weakening, autoimmune disorders, asthma, allergies, infertility, miscarriage, learning disabilities, mental retardation, hyperactivity and attention deficit disorders.  Critics say there is little evidence that organic is healthier than conventionally grown food.

I think we can all agree that the authentic food movement has been gaining momentum for some time as people discover that the best tasting, most sustainable and healthiest choices for their family are foods that are fresh, seasonal and organic or locally grown.  While localvores are drawing inspiration from the 100-Mile Diet or from books like “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life” by Barbara Kingsolver, others are following their consumer consciences to farmers’ markets, CSAs and natural food stores.   Do your homework and educate yourself about your food choices before you head to the market so that the next time you are faced with the shopping aptitude test, you will pass with flying colors.

We recycle, drive a Prius and use canvas bags when we do our shopping but to be honest, I was not sure where my family would stand on a world-wide “green” scale.   Thanks to the National Geographic Society’s Greendex, now we know.   

The National Geographic/GlobeScan “Consumer Greendex,” is a scientifically derived, sustainable consumption index of actual consumer behavior and material lifestyles across 14 countries.  National Geographic created the Greendex because they wanted to give people a better idea of how consumers in different countries are taking action to preserve our planet.

Visit the National Geographic site and click on the Greendex Calculator.  Answer the series of questions they ask and calculate your score.  You might be surprised.

When I took the Greendex survey, I scored 50 which put me in league with Spain who is ranked 10th out of 14 countries. Their positive transportation habits balanced by their less-sustainable high consumption of fish/seafood and meat landed them in the second to lowest spot on the scale. 

The sad news:  Consumers in the United States rank 14th out of 14 countries on the Greendex, scoring last on three out of four of its component measures: transportation, housing and consumption of goods - and near the bottom on food.  For more information on the US Consumers’ Greendex  and to calculate your own green score, visit the National Geographic Society’s  Greendex. 

If your family is anything like mine, no matter how frugal or sustainable you try to be over the winter months, when it comes time to do your spring cleaning you always end up with more stuff than you really need. This spring,our family has resolved to clean out our closets and storage bins and G.O. G.R.E.E.N. which is my acronym for Gather, Organize, Give Away, Recycle, Exchange, Employ and Network.

• Gather and Organize-

1. Break down the sorting process into manageable stages. Organizing your stuff is a process that takes time. When you begin to sort through your stuff, you realize that you are actually sorting through your life.

2. Start in one section of your home and set a time limit for yourself.  For example, give yourself one hour to gather and sort items from your bedroom closet.

3. Use four cardboard boxes labeled “give away”, “recycle”, “exchange” and “keep.”

4. Before you begin, ask yourself the following questions:

                                           A. Have I used this item within a year? 

                                           B. Is this an item that can be borrowed from my family or friends? 

                                           C. Does this item make me happy?

Don’t hang on to something if you don’t have a purpose for it.  The energy you invest in decluttering will repay you over and over again by allowing you to nurture your soul with meaningful things like time spent with family and friends rather than things purchased from a store.

• Give Away-

Once the sorting process is completed, look for new homes for your stuff beginning with your “give away” box.  Several options are available for giving away or donating your possessions including Freecycle which is an exchange system that allows members to post items, via the Internet, that they would like to give away.  Thrift stores and charitable organizations are also great options.  

• Recycle and Repurpose-

Once your “give away” box is empty, move on to the container marked “recycle.” Visit your city’s recycling page for listings of places to recycle, donate and resell your items.

If you would like to try your hand at repurposing your items, start thinking about your stuff in a different way.  Don’t pick up an object and think this is a vase and that’s all it’s good for.  Instead, pick up an object and rethink it’s purpose.  A vase could also be used for storing paintbrushes. When you need an item, shop inside your home before you hit the stores.  Be thoughtful about the purchases you make and cautious about disposal methods. You have already paid the ecological manufacturing price for the items you own so  go ahead and reuse them.

• Exchange or Sell-

1. If you aren’t sure what to do with the items in the box labeled “exchange,” try using the age old system of bartering. Bartering allows you to trade an item that you no longer use for an item or service you need.  For example, you can exchange a piece of hand-crafted pottery for child care.  Before you enter into an exchange, get an agreement in writing that agrees upon the value of items or services received and don’t forget to report taxable income for that value. Bartering groups vary from specialty listservs to general Internet bartering services that advertise free exchange.

2. If you decide to sell your items, think about listing them on the Internet with eBay or Craig’s List .  You can also have a garage sale, list your items in the local newspaper want ads or put your items on consignment at a resale shop.

• Employ-

I recommend sorting through your last box, labeled “keep,” a second time. When you decide to keep an item, make sure that it is something you employ regularly or has aesthetic value. Your stuff takes on value only when it is used. Unused stuff is clutter. The more you use an item, the more value it has.  Some things may not seem to have utilitarian value but do add beauty to your life therefore they are nurturing your senses and your soul.

• Network-

1. Once you are organized, become a conscious consumer. Avoid purchasing single purpose items that you use infrequently.

2. Look to your friends and family to borrow an item when you need it.

3. Set up a sharing network.  For example, you might have an electric lawn mower that you could lend your brother every summer in exchange for his tree trimmer or a snow blower that you could share with your neighbors while you utilize their extension ladder.  The possibilities are endless once you G.O. G.R.E.E.N. 

This post is an excerpt from my article “Resolve To G.O. G.R.E.E.N.” which appeared in Rocky Mountain Parent Magazine.