Winner Winner Chicken Dinner & some poesy

A delayed shout out to my  friend Cynthia over at Running With Letters who won my GO GREEN GIVEAWAY yesterday! Please visit and follow her. She wrote a really entertaining post yesterday about "Olfactory Experiences" with her Christmas potpourri! I had quite a chuckle at her expense. Anywhoo, Cynthia is going to be the proud owner of a set of 6 reusable produce bags and a coffee coozie! What is even more interesting is that I won one of Cynthia's giveaways last month. I love helping spread the bloggy love! See? What goes around comes around!

Now, onto my poesy:

The twins are now officially four years old--
And although outside the weather is oh so cold,
We must schlep to Costco today to get the party goodies and cake
Because I am a bad mom and I simply refuse to bake.

We're having pizza tonight for dinner
Which must make me a real sinner...
Because Hanukkah begins tonight
So pepperoni we'll have & candles we'll light!

Normally Hanukkah's first night is nicer but I'm in a daze
Since it coincides with the girls' birthday craze.
I'm determined to make their party nice
Even if it means killing myself once or twice.

So latkes, blintzes, and brisket will have to wait--
For tomorrow morning we have a hot date
With the glorious Funky Mama of Kansas City fame!
All the kids love her, can't you tell by her name?

Check out her song called "Grandma's House" and listen a bit
Call your kids over to hear, it's one of her greatest hits!
My girls are beyond excited and we are too.
If we can just get through the long list of to-dos!

My third GO GREEN GIVEAWAY begins NOW ---Third time's a charm, right?!!?

I had a brief mental lapse and forgot to announce that BunkieBott over at Adventures of a Poor Shopaholic won my 2nd GO GREEN GIVEAWAY! Congratulations & your reusable tote is in the mail on its way to you.

This means it's time to begin my 3rd and final GO GREEN GIVEAWAY. It may not be my final giveaway ever, but it's the last one for now.

Here's what you're going to win:

This super cute blue coffee coozie thingie! It protects your hands as you once again succumb to that caffeine addiction enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee on the go. Courtesy of Coffee Girls here in KC! It goes without saying you should be bringing your own mug by now, but if you don't, at least you can skip the paper sleeve part.

You will also win this set of six reusbale produce bags courtesy of Etsy (2 bags in each size):

These bags are white with pink ribbon. They come with a pink floral storage bag:

This giveaway will end  at 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, 12/10/09. So you have a full week for this one. Here's how to enter:

1.) Follow me here on Blogger - 1 entry
2.) Follow me on Twitter (@erinlynn76) - 1 entry
3.) Write about this giveaway on your own blog with a link to this post here (please email me and make sure I see the post! erinlynn76@aol.com) - 5 entries
4.) Tweet about this giveaway with a link to this post  - 5 entries (please send me a link to your tweet or at least put my Twitter username in your tweet so I can see it---people who may have entered the last giveaway this way---I never saw your tweets!). You can tweet about this giveaway once per day.
5.) Write your own GO GREEN blog post and tell us about everything you do that helps our planet. And link up to me here, too - 10 entries

Thanks for playing & good luck!

Be GreenER...a few more ideas floating around in my cluttered brain

I recently posted about big ways to go green and told you to stay tuned for more. If you haven't jumped on my GO GREEN GIVEAWAY Bandwagon, there's still time. Giveaway # 2 is in progress, go here to check it out and learn how to enter. Hurry though, because it ends at 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 1st!

I've been thinking of other ways to get you to go green. Here they are in no particular order.

1.) First, try cloth napkins at meals. We stopped using paper towels and napkins some time ago. Pier One and Crate & Barrel have nice ones for adults, and for the kids, I did a search on Etsy for something cute & fun. Try these or even these. All I did was go to http://www.etsy.com/ and do a search for "kids cloth napkins." There are TONS to choose from. I just bought these for the girls, as their birthday is approaching and they are addicted to Olivia.


2.) Think about new uses for old things. For example, I save a lot of our old cottage cheese, margarine, and sour cream containers. I run them through the dishwasher. I use them for storing leftovers. I give them to the girls for use in their play kitchen. I use them for organizing small things like paper clips, rubber bands, and even the girls' barrettes. I use them as portable containers for water for the dog when we're at the park or on the go, etc.



3.) Be energy efficient: in the summer, keep your blinds and curtains closed to block out the sun & heat of day, and therefore keep your home cooler without using as much AC. In the winter, do the opposite to help warm your home. Use your ceiling fans to circulate air. Consider lowering your thermostat and piling on some sweaters and an extra blanket in the winter. Turn off the lights & tv when you leave a room. And realize that just because something isn't on doesn't mean you're conserving energy. I regularly unplug things like the toaster oven, the coffee maker, the girls' nightlight, my hair dryer, cell phone charger, etc. If it is plugged in, it is sucking up energy!



4.) Recycle/reuse old gift bags, tissue paper, & bows. Use the Comics to wrap gifts if you must. Or just tie some pretty ribbon around it and call it a day. When you're making purchases, say "No thanks" when the store employee automatically tries to wrap your purchases in tissue paper. And by now you'd better have your own bags to put all your groceries, gifts & goodies into! If not, enter my Go Green Giveaway # 2 here!



5.) Did you know your dryer is more energy efficient when it's already warm from use? In other words, it's better for the planet (and your bills!) if you dry several loads of laundry in a row rather than spreading the love throughout the week.



6.) Wash all of your clothes on cold water. Period. Not only is it better for the environment and your utility bill, but it's better for your clothes---less fading and color loss, less shrinkage!



7.) Opt for environmentally-friendly detergents, soaps, and cleansers. I've mentioned before that I really love Mrs. Meyers products (Geranium scent is my favorite, especially in her soy candles) as well as Method products. Seventh Generation is also good.** Mrs. Meyers is offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders placed on 11/30/09! What a great time to try some out!**

8.) Go to www.catalogchoice.org and register for a FREE account to stop all your junk mail. Then you can enter all the catalogs you don't want to receive (STOP them all, you can shop on-line and save some trees!). It will take a little time to enter everything (enter them as you receive them, that is the best way---it is quickest and easiest when you have the key codes & customer numbers handy on the back of your catalogs) and it will take a few weeks for the catalog companies to get the message and stop sending, but once it stops, WOW! Such a reduction in junk mail!

Now go forth and BE GREEN! Remember: baby steps at first. Do what you can a little bit at a time. If you set out to do it all at once, you're setting yourself up for failure. No one is perfect. Not even me. Hee hee! Everything you manage to do goes a long way, everything counts. Mother Earth will love you for it!

Erin's Go Green Giveaway # 2 begins now!

Good morning, dear readers! Hope you are not wrestling with a turkey hangover. We are having a lovely morning because Daddy doesn't have to go to work today, so it will be a nice family day here.

Anyway, on to the good stuff (and I don't mean leftover pumpkin pie!). But first I must add that if you've previously won a Go Green Giveaway (that would be you, Mary Jane), you can't win another one. I'm so sorry to be a party pooper, but I want to give other peeps a chance to be winners! And of course I want to spread the green around.

Up for grabs today is my very favorite reusable shopping tote. It speaks when you'd rather not. It is great for groceries, trips to Target, or even shopping at the mall. It is large (15" tall x 15 1/2" wide) and reads "Paper or Plastic? NEITHER" and then in smaller print, "I'm using my recycled shopping bag, thank you." It is woven from 95% post-consumer material, and 1% of sales from the bags support global environmental initiatives. And God help me, I still can't remember how to flip my photos the right way and no one has reminded me. Sheesh! (5 extra points for you if you tell me how to do this--email me or leave it in the comments!)

To enter:

1.) follow my blog - 1 entry

2.) follow me on Twitter (@erinlynn76) - 1 entry

3.) Blog about this giveaway with a link to my post - 5 entries

4.) Tweet about this giveaway with a link to my post - 5 entries

5.) Write your own GO GREEN post on your blog, listing all the ways you are environmentally conscious at home. - 5 entries

**You can tweet about this contest once daily, so that is a way to scoop up more entries if you are a Twitter user.**

This giveaway begins NOW and will end promptly at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, December 1st. Thank you so much for entering and for helping me protect our planet! Your support means more than you know!

My First Go Green Giveway Winner Is......

Drumroll, please......


Mary Jane at Life Interrupted !!!

Thank you everyone for entering & for being so enthusiastic. And if you didn't win, please don't despair. Just stay tuned for the next round!

P.S. I may be calling the Butterball Hotline today, that is, if I'm not at the vet with my dog who ingested some plastic shit yesterday. If you are having turkey terrors, please call 1-800-BUTTERBALL or email talkline@butterball.com

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Erin's Go Green Giveaway # 1 starts NOW!

I'm back & here's the lowdown. And thank you all for your input!!

Go back to my last post about the giveaway and see which prize(s) you want.

The first Go Green Giveaway begins NOW and the winner will receive the set of three large green produce bags (the ones with the little owl on the corner of each one) and the set of two snack taxis. This is all for Go Green Giveaway # 1.

Here's how to enter:

1.) follow my blog - 1 entry (and yes, you also get one if you already follow me)

2.) follow me on Twitter (@erinlynn76) - 1 entry

3.) Blog about this giveaway with a link to my post on all the goodies - 5 entries (please send me your link!)

4.) Tweet about this giveaway with a link to my post on all the goodies - 5 entries (please send me your link!)

5.) Do your own GREEN blog post and show us what you do to keep our Earth healthy - 5 entries (please send me your link!)

For each entry I receive, I will write your name on a piece of paper and put it in a bowl. So the more entries you have, the better your chances of winning are. The giveaway will end at 7:00 a.m. Wednesday morning and I'll announce the winner sometime that day and hopefully ship your prizes out the day after Thanksgiving. How does this all sound? If something is screwy here, please email me and let me know. This is my first giveaway, so....cut me a little slack!

Let the games begin. Good luck! Thanks for playing!

Fun on a Friday --- My First Giveaway (and it's GREEN!)

Yes folks, you read right.

The Mother Load is officially hosting her FIRST EVER giveaway!

And get excited, because it's not just any old giveaway. It's a GREEN Giveaway. As you know, I'm passionate about my Mother Earth. And I want to encourage other people to be more eco-conscious, too. So here's a sneak peek at what the lucky winner(s) will receive:


A set of three GREEN owl produce bags. All large size. These are reusable, people! No more plastic bags for your apples, pears, or potatoes! There is a small owl in the top left corner of each bag, close up below (but photographer I am not). From Etsy.

Below are a set of two Snack Taxis. Oprah featured these on her Earth Day show. We love ours and use them often (and will use them even more once the girls are in school full time). They are great for toting snacks in the car. I loathe Ziploc bags, and this helps us cut down on them some. They are machine washable (cold water, gentle cycle, air dry). Velcro closure.

These are a set of plain white produce bags in three sizes, small, medium, and large. They have pink ribbon to cinch them closed. From Etsy. You get one set with one bag in each size.

This is a storage bag for all of your produce bags. Pretty pink print (because you know how I love my pink!) .This will come with the pink & white produce bags ONLY.

(This is what you will do with your fruit. Load it up and cinch the top closed w/ the ribbon). Be sure to use them often, keep them in your car, and tell everyone ALL about them--cashiers at checkout, other customers, friends, family, etc. ETSY, baby, ETSY!

Finally, a regular reusable shopping bag---for groceries and/or other shopping needs. Nice and large. I have one just like it. It's my favorite because it allows me to use my "voice" about being green without actually saying anything to people. It reads, "Paper or plastic? NEITHER!" Yeah, Baby! (p.s. someone please remind me how to turn my pics around the right way, thanks)

Finally, if you are a coffee drinker (I am not, but Hubby is), you should be bringing your own cup or mug. If you are not doing that, at least consider this reusable/cloth sleeve to keep your hands from burning. I bought this one from Coffee Girls. Love love love! It is soft and small and you could easily stash it somewhere in between uses.

So since this is my first giveaway, I'm not very organized about it. I do think it's too many things to have in a single giveaway. I was thinking of separating some of the items?? Please give me your opinions. I could do one giveaway every few days until it's all gone.

For entries, I will ask you to become a follower, follow me on Twitter, blog and Tweet about this giveaway with links to the giveaway post, and for even more points, do your own green post (and link back to me here).

The official giveaway will begin once you guys can give me some feedback as far as how to divvy up these things (i.e. I know some people may already have some of these things, or want some of it but not all of it). Or am I making it too complicated? Those of you with any experience in this, I'm looking for your guidance! Thanks in advance!

Wordless Wednesday

This is a project I've been working on solo for a while, and just recently launched at our temple. You read about it recently in this post here. The girls came to help me set up the basket and my posters & signage. They posed so I could submit photos to The Jewish Chronicle. Hoping to get more people on board. If you still haven't done so, please check out Terracycle and find out how to begin your own brigade! It's fun to be green! You'll get extra brownie points for involving your kiddos and teaching them about being kind to our planet and recycling.

Up On My Soap Box...And a Challenge.

I realized it's been a while since I nagged you appropriately about your "greenness," as it were. So pardon me while I hop up on my soap box for just a minute.

One if my single biggest pet peeves is plastic shopping bags. Please don't use them. BRING YOUR OWN BAGS! Yes, folks, BYOB isn't just about the booze---it's about the unfortunate situation our poor planet has found itself in.

So many stores sell their own reusable bags now, and at such cheap prices, you have no excuse.

Therefore, I hereby challenge you to:

1.) Get your own set of reusable bags. Store them in your car, stash one or two in your purse, briefcase, gym bag, diaper bag, etc. My favorite for my purse is this one by Flip & Tumble because it balls up really small, but also holds a ton of stuff. If I keep one in my purse, it saves me from having to run back out to my car in case I forget my regular bags.

2.) Promise yourself that if you're in the check-out line and you've left your bags in the car that you will: (a) run back out to your car even if everyone gives you the Evil Eye; or (b) buy another few reusable bags from wherever you are--if available; or (c) ask for paper bags (which aren't innocent, either, but at least they are biodegradable); and (d) grovel at my feet and beg for mercy. If you only have a few things, see if you can just carry them out or stuff them in your purse. I have never understood people who walk away with a can of shaving cream or a single loaf of bread in a plastic bag. Seriously stupid. Seriously wasteful, ignorant, and lazy.**It should go without saying that these bags are not just for your groceries. Take them to Target. Take them to the mall. Use them for all of your shopping!

3.) Earn extra brownie points by going to http://www.etsy.com/ and doing a search for "reusable produce bags." These are some of the ones I really like.

4.) Stop buying and drinking things that come in plastic bottles---water, soft drinks, sports drinks, etc. Invest in a Brita or a Pur filter for your water, because bottled water is the worst offense ever. If you insist upon drinking things in plastic, at least reevaluate how frequently you're drinking/buying them. Reduce where you can.

These are very simple, but very effective ways to go green. I suggest starting small and doing things gradually so you don't feel completely overwhelmed. If you already do these and/or you're ready to move forward, think about:

1.) Recycling. Yes, I'm referring to those blue bins you leave at the curb. Check with your local recycling company to make sure you have a comprehensive list of what you can and can't recycle at the curb. Make sure you realize that you can recycle the cardboard rolls in the middle of your paper towels & toilet paper. And empty cereal boxes. Empty Kleenex boxes. Newspapers. Other paper. Cans. Plastic bottles. You know the drill!

2.) Check out http://www.terracycle.net/ for ways to recycle commonplace things like kids' juice pouches, chip bags, cookie bags, yogurt cups, and much more. Terracycle takes your trash and turns it into cash for the charity/school of your choice. I have started up a Juice Pouch Brigade for my temple. Terracycle takes these items and uses them to make cool things like tote bags, back packs, lunch kits, and much much more. Either contribute to a brigade elsewhere or consider starting up one of your own!

3.) Think of new uses for old things. Instead of putting it in the trash, can someone else use it? Can you donate it, list it on EBay or Craig's List? Can you give it a second life? Really think each time you put something in your trash can.

4.) Use fewer paper towels. I despise paper towels. Yes, they are sometimes a necessary evil, but more often than not you can get by with some sponges, rags, towels, etc. I used to take a piece of fruit, rinse it, then lay it on a paper towel to cut it up for the kids' breakfast. Now I rinse it and cut it right onto their plates instead. So many habits are so ingrained in us that they're automatic and we don't even think before we do it. Use your brain. Start to think.

If you are laughing at this or thinking I'm a raving mad green lunatic, please promptly educate yourself about the floating landfill in our Pacific Ocean that is chock full of plastic bags and lots of other fun things we humans use.

Remember when I asked you to think? Think next time you throw out those plastic rings that hold your 6-pack of Cokes together. Next time, take a moment to get your scissors out and snip all the rings/compartments. Otherwise defenseless creatures such as this poor turtle suffer immeasurably. Go here to see/read more about how our plastic affects wildlife (not just our planet).

This is just how we roll (and you should, too)

This is me unloading groceries. Please note:
(a) the reusable grocery bags with inspirational words;
(b) the just-as-reusable PRODUCE bags (woot, woot!) that my onions and broccoli are in;
(c) my milk from the local Shatto dairy that comes in a reusable glass bottle that I return to the grocery store afterwards; and most importantly
(d) my bananas, WHICH DO NOT REQUIRE ANY PRODUCE BAG AT ALL.

PSA du jour: Since we do not eat banana peels and bananas come in a convenient bunch you can simply carry, YOU DO NOT NEED TO WASTE A BAG ON THEM! The pure idiocy astounds me sometimes. I can't comprehend why anyone would bag their bananas. Can someone please enlighten me?

I just can't help it. Melanie (The Reluctant Housewife) has been telling me that in Canada, customers are charged 5 cents per plastic bag they require at checkout. Personally I think it should be more! But apparently this small amount has motivated almost everyone to begin bringing their own bags shopping. Why can't American stores begin to do the same? We need a swift kick in our lazy ass so we can start doing something right. It may seem like such a small thing, but if everyone did it, the impact would be HUGE.

It burns me up when I am schlepping my kids and my shopping bags, purse, etc. in the pouring rain and as I'm entering the store there are people coming out with tons of plastic bags or even one plastic bag that appears to have just one or two small items in it. It's lazy, it's wasteful, and quite frankly it's just plain sad.

I know we can't do it all, and I'm certainly not perfect. But BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) should become commonplace and mandatory here and everywhere. It's the least we can do. What do you think about this?

corny, but cute

I've drawn up a flier and tomorrow I'm going to make mass copies and then walk the neighborhood and leave them in mailboxes. The text of the flier will read:

Have you seen the latest way to go GREEN?
Terracycle is the name
Recycling juice pouches is its game.
Kool-Aid, Honest Kids, Capri Sun--
They'll take most any one.
Drink 'em up, toss the straw.
Tell everyone & your Grandmaw!
Save your empties for me
and I'll pick them up---so easy!
This is the simplest way I've seen
To quench your thirst and still go GREEN!

At the bottom I'll highlight the URL (www.terracycle.net) and list my phone number and email address so people can contact me or ask questions about it. In order for this project to really work/make a difference, I just need to reach more people. So for now, this is how I'm doing it. I hope I get even just 5 more people to save their pouches. Every little bit helps. I've already saved nearly 600 pouches from landfills with my friends' help, but....I want to do more.

I might also put some fliers up at local establishments that might let me---TCBY, Starbucks, etc.? Will keep you posted.

Evidence of Terracycle hard at work!

Look what I found at my local Target this morning! I was sad because they don't have any of the Capri Sun tote bags, but maybe soon? Maybe these are a sign of things to come? If you look on the Terracycle site under their Products tab, you can view things they make with what we send them for recycling....but I have yet to find any of it in stores or be able to buy on-line. I found these awesome pencil cases for $1 each today! It makes me so excited to see our trash finding a new life/home other than a landfill somewhere. Hooray!

Green tips

I thought I'd take a few minutes to list the green things I've been doing lately...I've done this before, and some things are still works in progress, but....if I post stuff every so often and one new person happens to glance at my blog and get a new idea, then it's a success!

1. I save all plastic bags (and I don't mean plastic grocery bags because I DO NOT USE THOSE EVER), like the bags loaves of bread come in or hamburger bun bags or the bags our newspapers come in. I use these to scoop doggie poop. You could also stash some in your car for on-the-go trash, stinky diaper disposal, wet swim suits, or whatever else.
2. If you haven't done so already (SHAME ON YOU), invest in some reusable shopping/grocery bags. You can get them anywhere nowadays, for as cheap as $1 each at some grocery stores. Then you can be a rock star and go to http://www.etsy.com/ and search for "reusable produce bags." You can get a set of 6 for a few dollars, and there are small and large sizes. These are great because it means when you are buying apples, pears, nectarines, etc., you do not need to use those nasty plastic produce bags at the store in addition to the other plastic grocery bags you may (A-HEM) still be using.
3. I love my Swiffer. I do sometimes use the Swiffer pads, and when I do, I make sure to flip 'em over and use BOTH sides, and that both sides are really grimy before I toss them. Most of the time I am instead strapping on a chamois, rag, or an old t-shirt and using that.
4. I use sponges and rags to clean off my kitchen table and counter tops. Paper towels make me batty. Dan is also often guilty of taking a handful of strawberries, rinsing them, and laying them down on a paper towel to hull and slice them before adding to his cereal. BAD DAN!!! I do it on a cutting board or a regular plate. That's one less paper towel to toss in the trash!
5. I invested in some cheap cloth napkins for everyday use, and even got the girls some of their own (very fun/floral/polka dot ones) from http://www.etsy.com/. This means no paper napkins or paper towels being used at meals to wipe your face.
6. Turn off the tap when you are brushing your teeth. Turn off the shower or at least turn it way down when you are shaving your legs. I also often turn it off when I am shampooing my hair and lathering up with soap.
7. Turn up your thermostat in the summer and turn it down in the winter. Use your ceiling fans and other fans to help cool the house down (I have thyroid issues, so I confess summer is hard on me at times and I am guilty of using my AC more than I'd like to), and in winter throw on a sweater or sweatshirt if you're chilly.
8. Recycle, recycle, recycle. Some people aren't sure what can be recycled, so you should check with your local company to be sure. Things everyone can recycle (but things I likewise see in the trash ALL THE TIME) are: empty cardboard cereal/cracker boxes, empty toilet paper & paper towel rolls, magazines, newspapers, empty milk or juice cartons (yes, the cardboard ones!), soda cans, yogurt containers, water bottles, etc....Mixed paper (like all that junk mail you get!) can also usually be recycled.
9. Stop buying bottled water and invest in a Brita or Pur filter system.
10. Buy local & organic whenever possible.
11. Go to http://www.terracycle.net/ and see if you can register to create your own recycling brigade for various products----I recycle my kids' Capri Sun juice pouches through them.
12. Go to http://www.catalogchoice.org/ and stop all the junk mail/catalogs from coming to your house. Once you register a particular catalog it can take several weeks to actually stop, but it WILL stop. I can't tell you how drastically I've reduced our incoming junk mail this way!!!
13. Turn off the lights as you leave a room. Turn off the tv if you're not watching.
14. Remember that turning something off doesn't always save energy/resources. Unplugging, however, can help a great deal more. I often unplug my computer, my toaster oven, coffee maker, etc....ladies, if you leave your hair dryer, curling iron, and Chi plugged in 24/7, STOP IT NOW!!! It's so easy to just unplug it.
15. Combine/consolidate errands when you can.
16. Teach your children about our planet, its resources, and gently explain the rules to them. I often hear my kids yelling at each other not to waste water!
17. Compost your kitchen scraps. I can't tell you to do this because I'm not doing it myself yet. Dan is balking about having some ugly receptacle in the yard and I'm also not very educated as to what bin would be best for us and where to get it from (a friend of mine recommended http://www.compostbins.com/) ....stay tuned.
18. Wash all your clothes in cold water and dry them on lowest heat setting. This will also help save your clothes, not just the environment!!!! When possible, lay clothing flat to dry.
19. Use soy candles. I like Mrs. Meyers' candles.
20. While I know all green products are not necessarily the greenest, I like Method and Mrs. Meyers brands for most of my cleaning needs. I vowed to create my own cleansers using everyday things like lemon oil, vinegar, water, etc., but I have been too lazy.
21. Remember that every little bit helps. Do whatever you can do.
22. Register for on-line bill paying where payments are automatically deducted from your checking account. This saves you a stamp and also saves paper.
23. Some companies (like Patagonia) will recycle some of their clothing. Other places even accept old tennis shoes. Also consider donating your old clothing and shoes to Goodwill, Vietnam Vets, or any other worthy cause. You can also use your old or hole-y t-shirts as rags to clean with. Use your old towels for cleaning your car inside & out.
24. Run your dishwasher and washing machine only when they are full.
25. Geez, I could go on and on!

braggin'

I just wanted to brag a bit about my latest green effort (that I've blogged about before).

I recently registered with http://www.terracycle.net/ to start my own Juice Pouch Brigade recycling program. Yesterday I received my official "welcome packet" with my shipping supplies. Basically, I collect empty Capri Sun/Kool Aid/Honest Kids juice/drink pouches and ship them to Terracycle for recycling/repurposing. They supply me with UPS mailing envelopes and prepaid postage labels, so I can just send them in whenever I'm ready. Once I've used up all of my envelopes, they'll replenish my supply. I just filled my first envelope with 272 empty drink pouches--woohoo!!!! I am going to drop it off at UPS this afternoon.

Every little bit helps. I truly believe this. That is 272 fewer pouches sitting in our landfills.

I was thinking about making some fliers to drop in my neighbors' mailboxes, but I haven't drawn anything up yet. The more I can collect the better. I love being green, and this is a good way to help me feel like I'm making a difference. A big thank you/shout out to my girlfriends who are saving their kids' pouches and passing them along to me!!!!! Now I just need more people to hop on board and help me collect more pouches!

Why Shatto Dairy (and its glass bottle idea) rocks

Many people ask and are excited about our packaging methods. We at Shatto Milk Company have decided to provide our milk primarily in glass bottles. The reasons for this decision are very simple. First, the glass bottle tends to keep milk colder, and colder milk is more desirable. Second, glass bottles are much more environmentally friendly than plastic or paper. Our glass bottles can be washed and reused as many times as they are returned. Thus, recycling and reusing our bottles lowers the amount of material dumped in area landfills on a daily basis. Third, unlike paper cartons or plastic, glass imparts no foreign odor or flavor. Glass is not porous, and does not breathe like plastic and paper. Unlike plastic, glass is not made from petrochemicals (ethylene glycol, polyvinyl chloride, styrene and linear low-density polyethylene). Fourth, glass bottles are most notable in history for containing farm fresh milk from the local family farm and that is exactly what you are getting from us. We want there to be no confusion - our product is different. It is handled with the utmost care and packaged in the best container available, glass.

If you haven't already, go to:
http://www.shattomilk.com/

LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ideas

so i'm having some ideas based on Oprah's Earth Day show from last week....

but also, a couple of awesome links to check out:
http://www.terracycle.net
http://www.to-goware.com

and go to http://www.oprah.com and click on the Green Day coupons tab to find out all sorts of things....

Terracycle is an awesome company that basically takes our trash and turns it into other things. I could register with them and they'll send me boxes/postage to collect things like: Capri Sun/juice drink pouches, chip bags, yogurt containers, etc. etc. and ship them to them for use in their products....rather than throwing them all away and/or recycling at the curb (which we now know those things don't always end up recycled, which is infuriating).

I know there are people who read my blog who aren't registered to comment....but I'm asking you---if I were to do this, to register for this....would you bring me your items to recycle in this way? I've got to start somewhere, even if it's just mine and my closest friends' juice drink pouches. Who knows where it might lead. If you can't comment on my blog, shoot me an email and let me know what you think or if you'd like to do this with me (erinlynn76@aol.com).

and i just bought a set of these for the girls...

http://www.lilypadbaby.com/lilypad_lunchmates.aspx

Dan and I already use cloth napkins at all of our meals, but the girls are always grabbing ours. Now they can have their own fun ones!

Now THIS is da bomb!

http://www.kansascity.com/238/story/1152660.html

Earth Day is tomorrow....

and found some good stuff in today's paper to share:

Why Keep Harping About Plastic Bags?

Because we keep using them. Don't have to. Some countries and cities have banned them or apply a surcharge for using them.

1. Plastic bags are a petroleum product and a waste of a non-renewable resource. Americans use 100 billion bags a year, requiring 12 million barrels of oil.

2. They don't biodegrade. They photodegrade, becoming bits of plastic dust, a contaminant, and even that takes many, many decades.

3. They are rarely recycled (only about 1 percent) and become litter pollution. They sully streams and clog roadside drains. Plastic bags are a top debris item encountered during coastal cleanups.

4. They endanger wildlife, particularly sea life. Animals become entangled in them, get suffocated by them or ingest them. Every square kilometer in the ocean contains an estimated 18,000 pieces of plastic.

What to do:

1. Bring reusable bags to the store (AND NOT JUST TO THE GROCERY STORE--EVERYWHERE!!!). If you only have one or two items, don't use a bag.

2. Choose paper instead? NO WAY! Manufacturing paper bags creates water and air pollution and uses lots of energy.

3. Recycle or reuse your plastic bags.

PSA--soda ring things

Whenever I am getting rid of those plastic rings that hold packs of soft drinks together, I make sure to cut them. If you don't, animals can get themselves stuck inside the rings and in some cases it can be deadly. Our trash winds up everywhere (not just landfills) despite our best efforts, and wildlife can be adversely affected. Here's what to do: