No, I like baskets because they’re a pretty way to store junk you don’t exactly know what to do with.

As I’ve told you before, my home is more chaos than order.  And as a working mom, there are many piles of things I had meant to do something with but just never got around to it.  The bigger baskets are wonderful to keep in each room so you can throw things in them for years at a time and then forget you even owned these items.  So my goal this past month was to purge the junk and find as many ways to repurpose it as possible so as not to have it all end up in a landfill. 

There is a basket on my dining room floor that originally was meant to hold decorative cloth napkins so that you could see the pretty colors even when the table wasn’t set.  Last week I put the basket up on the table to see what was in it now.  Here’s what I found:

3 DVD’s (two of which had no cases)

14 pens

6 pencils

1 Tiger Beat magazine from 2007

1 yo-yo

1 unwrapped Tootsie Roll (at least I hope that’s what it was)

1 deck of cards minus the king of spades.

Oh, and at the bottom, the unseen, dust covered, cloth napkins.

Unload any of the dozens of baskets in my house and you’ll find a multitude of carnival prizes, birthday goodie bag treats, missing puzzle pieces, and unfinished crafts.  Most of it, just junk. 

My husband, bless his heart, suggested having a garage sale.  I can’t think of a darker place in hell to be than sitting in my garage taking the time to dust off and mark a bud vase for 25 cents that no one will buy because they have 18 of them sitting in their own baskets around their own house.  Nope, for me garage sales are a lot of work for very little pay off.  But hey, if it works for you?  Have at it!

Here’s how I tackled the Gang Green junk monster.  First step is to send the kids with my hubby to the pool for the day so they don’t know I’m ridding them of the burden of Happy Meal toys they never played with in the first place. 

Next I grabbed all the grocery bags from my own personal plastic vortex in my laundry room which is one big shopping bag stuffed full of hundreds of small bags.  The Kroger bags were for paper recycling.  That included the 51 card deck I found and the 3 Christmas cards left in the box, and puzzles with missing pieces, et cetera. 

The Wal-Mart bags were for the Salvation Army donations.  Home dec items I never put up.  Picture frames I didn’t fill.  One ceramic goose (don’t ask). 

The Target bags were for all the small toys that were never that loved.  This would make a sad Disney/Pixar movie but honestly, it’s them or me. Broken went in the trash.  Then, I filled up my sink with soap and hot water and soaked all the usable toys so I wouldn’t stay awake at night wondering if germs from the last bout of bronchitis ended up on a Slinky somewhere. 

Then it was time for distribution.  The seven Kroger bags went into my own recycling bin.  Then I headed for the Salvation Army drop-off with 5 Wal-Mart bags.  Don’t forget the receipt for tax time!  Then I stopped at my dentist office and donated a bag of toys for the “Treasure Chest”.  Next, I headed to the doctor’s office with more treasures for the waiting room.  Then I took the rest to the elementary school where teachers give them as rewards.  

When I returned home, there was a big “Yay Me!” welling up inside of me and since everyone was still at the pool I high-fived the dog.  He wasn’t nearly as excited as I was.  But with the junk purged I had a new lease on life so I rearranged the living room furniture just for fun.  When I moved the couch, I looked down to find the king of spades looking up at me.  So I threw him in the nearest basket.  Don’t worry, I’ll get to him soon.

1.  Make official looking “Energy Patrol” badges for your children and entrust them with the task of ensuring that lights are off, doors are closed and, for older kids, unused electronics unplugged. Create a weekly incentives chart with rewards such as special time spent together, healthy treats or small, green treasures or components for an eco-game, such as Xeko. (Your prize? An energy savings of hundreds of dollars a year.)

2.  Send Celebrate Green!’s new Happy Earth Day e-cards to a half dozen friends. Don’t forget one as a “high five” for your local organic farmer!

3.  Snap a funny, stunning or inspiring photo or video and submit to the EPA’s Earth Day and Video Project.

4.  Conjure your inner-plumber and fix a leaky faucet. It’s not as hard as you think and doing so can save up to 100 gallons a week.

5.  Stop the forty-one pounds of junk mail you receive each year by joining MailStopper. (Since this action takes just a few minutes, how about canceling subscriptions to catalogs, newspapers or magazines as well?)

6.  E-cycle your old bunny-eared television set and other obsolete electronics and keep heavy metals out of our groundwater and soil.

7.  Talk to the PTA or principal at your children’s school about instituting a waste-free lunch program and say “adieu” to the 18,760 pounds of lunch waste your school is likely contributing to landfills each year. (If every student in America adopted a waste-free lunch, approximately 3.5 billion – that’s billion – pounds of trash would be diverted from landfills.)

8.  Take a navy shower. You’ll use about 3 gallons of water as opposed to the 60 you normally do.

9.  Pick up after your pet. Animal waste may account for up to 25% of the bacteria in our water so if you can flush it, do, if not, secure in a bag and include in your trash.

10.  Take the HGTV/Change the World Earth Day Quiz to find out how green your family is and what steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint -every day.

The Easter Bunny is on his way with baskets full of goodies…

But this year there’s a twist: Mr. Bunny is thinking green. We’d like to say that his change in heart was due to our little “chat” but in all likelihood, he’s been reading the papers, surfing the internet and hearing all the buzz – green is the way to go. (To be fair, Mr. Bunny has always been a fan of organics since conventionally grown carrots don’t seem to taste quite as yummy, so thinking green wasn’t such a leap – er, hop.)

Be on the lookout for the following eco-makeovers this holiday (thanks Easter Bunny!):

Baskets

·        Reused from last year, borrowed or found used at thrift shops or garage sales

·        Handmade from scraps of fabric, would-be trash or by crocheting with a free pattern found here

·        Thinking outside the conventional basket by using purses, hats, flower pots or anything that can pass as a container

·        If purchased new, make it Fair Trade

Grass

·        No plastic grass unless it is reused from last year

·        Think alternatives in grassy shades of green such as mohair fleece, wool yarn, shredded recycled or tree-free paper, play cloths or strips of fabric scraps. Or grow your own wheatgrass before the big day (and include it in a smoothie after!).

·        Most fabulously unexpected grass alternative? Strips of nori (seaweed). Toss into a soup or compost after use.

Fake eggs

·        No plastic eggs unless acquired used or used every year

·        Hide the treats and treasures themselves – sans eggs

·        Use paper eggs, or crochet your own

For all of the above – save everything for use next year, or find ways to use and re-use (i.e. baskets for storing toys, wool fleece “grass” and plastic eggs for craft projects, etc.) For more on green baskets and grass, click here.

Treats & treasures

Seek out healthy, earth-friendly and ethically sourced items whenever possible. If cost is a factor, think quality over quantity. (One year Corey’s Easter Bunny hid one giant organic, fair trade Easter egg for both of her girls to find. They had a blast hunting for it together and breaking it into equitable parts.)

And choose locally-made products in reduced and eco-wise packaging.

Remember that goodies don’t have to be “things.” Handmade coupons for experiences children enjoy, such as spending time with you at a park, zoo or elsewhere, make great gifts. For older kids, “Bunny Money” might be used to let them choose which activity they’d prefer. 

(For a list of Corey and Lynn’s favorite, kid and bunny-approved treats and treasures, click here, here, and here – sorry, we have a lot to say!)

Eggs

If you don’t own your own chickens or know someone who does, look for eco eggs: organic, free-range.

Color eggs with ready-made food-based dyes or dye made at home from:

·        Grape juice (purple)

·        Onion skins (yellow)

·        Spinach (green)

·        Blueberries (blue)

·        Beets (red)

For more eco egg ideas click here.

For a complete list of dye-worthy foods and egg-dyeing directions, check out our book, Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family.

You are invited to:  An Earth Hour Celebration

What: An election between Earth & global warming

Where: Planet Earth

When: Saturday, March 28, 8:30-9:30pm (all time zones)

Who: 1 Billion people

****

Details: Earth Hour is the world’s first global election, between Earth and global warming.

For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming.

Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you’re from, but instead, what planet you’re from. VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet.

We all have a vote, and every single vote counts. Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations.

VOTE EARTH by simply switching off your lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour.

YOUR LIGHT SWITCH IS YOUR VOTE.
 

Activities:

Attend a local Earth Hour event or organize your own by throwing an Earth Hour street party with your neighbors

Gather family & friends for a night picnic in your local park and look at the stars

Enjoy a family dinner by candlelight

Organize a treasure hunt in the dark

Take the dog for a night walk

Have a candle-lit bath

Sit in the dark and share stories

Organize a family night playing board games

Share a romantic night in with your loved one

Play flashlight tag

Please RSVP by adding/posting a comment here and signing up on the Earth Hour website.

How will Lynn and Corey celebrate Earth Hour?  We’ll be in Portland, OR getting some early shut-eye in preparation for our next day’s “playshop” at the Better Living Expo.  Not too exciting for the green celebration divas, we know, but then again, ‘aint sleep worth celebrating, too?

Here’s how the conversation went at the dinner table last month…

“Okay, I have our first “Green Challenge” for my blog.”

“What blog?” says my daughter.

“You know, the blog I told you I was writing for HGTV’s Change the World?”

“I don’t remember you telling us about a blog” says my son.

“It was just last night.”

…silence… then not silence….

“What am I hearing in the other room?” I asked.

My son “The TV”. 

“Let’s start there shall we?”  (My family is not short on irony)

“Anyway… we’re going to be better about turning off lights, not leaving the curling iron plugged in, not leaving the tv on and see if we can lower the electric bill.” 

After a few eye rolls I had what I thought was the team spirit.  My husband’s task was to change out the old money-sucking lightbulbs to CFL’s, the squiggly-more-expensive-but-less-in-the-long-run-bulbs. 

That weekend, the bulbs were replaced.  And I began a campaign of interrogation just this side of the Spanish Inquisition.  When someone entered the room, I would ask.  “Where were you?  Did you turn the lights off?  Did you make sure the fridge was closed?  Is that a radio I hear?  Did you shut down the computer?”

Soon my test subjects became conditioned to my badgering and I was only able to eke out half of a question before their response. 

“Did you turn off…”

“Yessss” (more eye rolling)

Then it was  “Did you t-…”

And soon  “Di-…”

And then just a raised eyebrow would do the trick.  By George, I think they’ve got it!  I had them trained!  I was General Patton in front of the American Flag and these were my frightened soldiers heading for the front lines to do battle with the electric bill.  Did we win, you ask? 

We saved 38 dollars!!  God Bless America!

Last night after opening the mail, I gloriously carried the electric bill into the living room for all to celebrate.  This was a moment to cherish until my husband asked “Did you leave the light on in the kitchen?”

We made this whimsical “card” out of an old pair of scratched reading glasses. (The glasses slide into the recycled paper “case.”) We’ve also made cards out of mint tins, lids, boxes and more. What do you usually throw away that might be re-purposed? Your love will love your creativity and effort.

Why do we love chocolate? Let us count the ways… the luscious taste, the aphrodisiac affect, the health benefit. But the conventional chocolate industry has some dirty little secrets you can learn more about here. Look for organic, Fair Trade, and bird-friendly options available in all shapes, flavors and price ranges. (For a limited time when you purchase a copy of our book, Celebrate Green! you can add a box of Sjaak’s organic, Fair Trade chocolate at no cost except for shipping! Click here for details.)

Ah, roses. The quintessential symbol of blooming love. To keep your symbol green this year, look for organic or VeraFlora Certified and Fair Trade options. Choosing an eco-bouquet is a gift to the Earth and to the farmers who grow and prepare the flowers because conventional flowers, such as roses, may be doused with up to 1,000 times more chemicals than conventionally grown food. Look for florists selling locally grown flowers or contact Organic Bouquet.

If you’re thinking of giving the gift of glam, consider artisan made jewelry that is hip and eco-friendly. We love Smart Glass (in photo) made from re-purposed glass and Green Karat’s responsibly indulgent jewelry made from recycled metals and gems.

Pamper your partner and the planet with sustainable luxuries for the body. Vintage Body Spa makes organic and Fair Trade confections for the skin, so eco-yummy you’ll want to eat it. We especially love their line of chocolate body polish (pictured) and shea butter lotion.

When giving the gift of wine, look for locally produced organic or biodynamic wine with sustainable real cork stoppers. We’re fans of Cooper Hill and Badger Mountain. Where to buy? Check your local grocery or even big box store or better yet buy direct from a winery near you. (Here’s an idea, how about taking your sweetheart on a V-Day tour.)

Celebrate your love this V-Day with a gift basket filled with ethically sourced, all natural, organic and chemical-free romantic goodies such as Good Clean Love’s oils and body butters, Earth Erotic’s phthalate-free “toys,” a 100% beeswax candle from Big Dipper Wax Works, and a DIY booklet filled with coupons redeemable for a massage, a movie, a love letter, and a dinner for two.

No matter what gift you’re giving, if you’d normally consider wrapping it, don’t. Instead, make your gifts fashionably fun by dressing them up in fabrics such as the one pictured above by Bobo, or make your own from fabric remnants or silk or cotton scarves. Or do away with wrapping all together and hide your gift/ gifts (adults love a good treasure hunt, too!) or wrap your gift in what your love really wants – you.

Several studies have shown that philanthropy creates a chemical reaction in the brain similar to food, drugs and sex. So, if you want to create that warm-a-heart glow this V-day it could be as simple as making a charitable contribution or donating your time to a worthy cause (something you can do along side your love). Consider non-profits that are in line with your partner’s values and passions. Go to Just Give for ideas on where to start.

Want more ideas on how to celebrate green? Visit Lynn & Corey at www.CelebrateGreen.NET

This year we combined her party with a classmate’s; a two-for-one deal that the birthday girls, the guests and, of course, their parents were thrilled about.

I’m guessing Mother Earth would have been happy with our decision as well. One party (instead of two), means half the food, half the waste, half the travel time for guests, and half the décor – or in our case, almost no décor.

I know it might sound crazy – even a little shameful – but this year, we didn’t decorate the house at all (except for the birthday ring described below). And guess what? No one seemed to notice or even care.

Luckily, the other birthday girl’s mom was fully on board with an uber-simple affair, so the entire party followed the minimalist/old-fashioned recipe: let the kids run around, play a few games, sing “Happy Birthday,” and enjoy a treat or two.

Whether you’re looking to host a simply green party because of the economy, your hectic lifestyle or to bring more meaning to the occasion, here are a few ideas:

§         Games/ activities: We borrowed a giant, handmade, reusable “Pin the Tail on the Kitty,” game from a friend. This was a huge hit. Make your own from foam board, scraps of fabric, push pins and leftover ribbon. Use it year-after-year and you’ve got yourself a sweet tradition.

Tip: Use sheets of 100% beeswax to roll candles for the birthday ring centerpiece or cake. Children love this quiet activity and will be excited to contribute to an important aspect of the celebration.

§         Décor: We placed a colorful “birthday ring” in the center of the table. The ring, made out of wood, held eight newly-created candles and eight wooden “ornaments” that the birthday girls chose. Inside the circle, we added another candle (one to grow on) and some treasures that represented the girls’ previous year. When it was time to sing “Happy Birthday,” we used the birthday ring in addition to the cupcakes (see below).

Tip: Collect framed photos of the birthday child from birth to the present, and place around the room. Put away other photos so that only pictures of the birthday child are on display. Guests will be tickled to see the images (and hear the stories) and you’ll hear lots of “Oohs,” and “How cute’s.”

Food:  We offered a spread of organic, easy-to prepare finger foods such as air popped popcorn, veggie slices, fruit, and “donut holes” made with dates and coconuts. (We also chose foods that were less likely to be allergenic so that even guests with food allergies and sensitivities could enjoy). In lieu of a cake, we made birthday cupcakes using a gluten-free recipe, which all the kids seemed to enjoy (as was evidenced by the lack of leftovers). All crumbs, cupcake papers and other food/paper waste went into our compost bin.

Tip: Try reusable tableware instead of disposable items. If you’re worried that young guests will break your dishes, or if you don’t have enough to go around, consider Preserve products, made from 100% recycled, reusable, recyclable plastic. Just toss into the dishwasher and save for the next shindig.

§         Gifts: Our e-vite stated, “The gift is your presence. Handmade cards only, please.”  Since both of our birthday girls were receiving gifts from family (presented at a different time), we felt a meaning over things focus was the perfect addition to our simple, green party. And what did our birthday girls think? They loved the cards and drawings their friends made and recognized the effort and thoughtfulness involved.

Tip: If gifts are brought to your party, ask people to bring them unwrapped. Then, make gift giving an activity by asking guests to hide their gifts while the birthday child closes her eyes. On the count of three, let the treasure hunt begin! No gift wrap means no trees were used and no waste. Seeking adds to the fun and great memories anyway.

Want more ways to celebrate green? Visit Corey and Lynn at www.CelebrateGreen.net.

Okay, you’re not buying this are you? 

If I really had to describe life in my home in two words or less it would be “lovable chaos”.  I have a husband with a home-based business, a 14 year old girl, an 8 year old boy, a large dog, and what seems like an even larger cat. 

I am big on preservation and living green.  I love this earth and don’t want to leave a big ugly footprint.  However, the difficulty of leading that kind of life increases proportionally with the amount of living creatures in your home.  So I would say I’m not earning too many green points compared to others. 

Each day doors are left ajar, lights are left on, TV’s are left blaring, someone stands staring into the fridge for minutes at a time, my daughter takes 30 minute showers, and I sometimes dry a laundry load twice to fluff it up because I had left it in there so long.

My goal this year is to make my home and my family more earth friendly.  This blog will be my witness and confession to the progress I am making as a working mother with her hands overly full who’s trying to “go green”.

For the record, I do have one can for garbage and one can for recycling.  That’s about as “earth-conscious” as it gets in my house.  However, I once considered switching to cloth napkins.  But when the paper napkin package got down to three left, I panicked and drove my SUV to the store for more.  Does that count?   

One of the best ways we can honor someone is to do something important in their name.  Celebrate Martin Luther King Day (January 19), by learning about solutions to water access and shortages that affect one-third of the world’s population, including Americans.

A great activity for the holiday is to take a look at some of these solutions, then as a family, devise some of your own.  Maybe you’ll come up with something that can change the lives of millions!  You could also consider making a contribution toward purchasing one of these life-giving gifts, in the name of Martin Luther King.  We think he’d approve.

One very clever idea is The Play Pump® (http://www.playpumps.org/) which brings water from underground powered by kids playing on a merry-go-round!  Not only is the water cleaner than that found in the muddy, polluted, fickle streams of Africa, but children (primarily girls), are saved from walking for miles several times a day, carrying heavy buckets on their heads.

The Q Drum (http://www.qdrum.com) is one of those ideas that seems so obvious, it’s astonishing no one thought of it before.  People in developing countries often must carry water long distances.  The Q Drum is a donut-shaped container that when full, holds more than 13 gallons of water.  A rope is tied through the “hole” and the full container can be pulled over any terrain.

And right here on American soil, clean water is still not a right.  In Hale County, Alabama, one in four homes is not connected to a municipal water supply.  Unable to afford bottled water, many families are forced to use sewer-contaminated water.  It only takes $425 to provide a family with the water meter needed to bring clean water into their home.  Find out more at BuyAMeter.org
 
Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.NET <http://www.CelebrateGreen.NET>

Resident experts on ”green” celebrations and eco-trendy crafting, Lynn and Corey bring an abundance of great information and valuable tips to make your holidays–and every day–fun, rewarding, and earth-friendly. 

More About Lynn and Corey

Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are the mother-daughter co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, filled with simple, affordable, meaning-focused ways to green up any occasion. 

Corey is also a licensed marriage and family therapist and board-certified art therapist specializing in the transition to parenthood.   She is “Mommy” to two girls ages eight and four. 

Lynn was formerly in public relations and corporate communications and for the last three years, was a life coach with clients around the U.S. and Canada.  She is “Abba” to four grandchildren.

For more, visit http://www.celebrategreen.net/