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As 2011 draws to a close and 2012 begins, let’s reflect on our personal green report cards. Have you been mostly naughty? Mostly nice? Do you deserve a green lump of coal or has your eco-lifestyle been merry and bright? If you think you could incorporate more eco-aware principles into 2012, here are some easy ones to start with – or  some key ones to keep.

Watch Your Waste

Much of being green is monitoring what you’re using. Are you wasting lights when you’re home by leaving lights burning? Do you leave the water running when brushing your teeth? What about travel? Are you aware of carbon credits?

Reuse: Avoid the plastic bags at the supermarket and shop with reusable bags. If you’re going to reuse the plastic or paper bags, that’s one thing, but choose to use them sparingly. Once you have enough for household garbage, go back to using reusable shopping bags.

Pick One To Start With

My main green lesson learned in the last six months was to fully read all the labels on hygiene products. I no longer purchase mainstream shampoos or body washes because I don’t want to spend money on products that contain toxic products. The main ingredients that I avoid are sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or sodium laureth sulfate (both of which can be toxic to skin and eyes), paraben-based products (often found to be cancer-causing), and diethanolomine, (DEA) which has been linked to hormone issues and cancer-causing nitrates.

Ring in the New Year With Recycling

Yes, I know it sounds simple, but the basics are powerful. I’m surprised how many paper goods and aluminum cans never make their way to the recycle bin. Even people who know better have been known to toss cans away or use more paper than needed. Take stock. If you’re in the car, keep a trash bag handy to put waste in when you’re on the road. What if your neighborhood doesn’t recycle? Sad, but true – some don’t. Make sure that you collect your recyclable items and at week’s end, take them to a recycling bin near you.

Photo by Passion Leica

By Marissa Cohen

In order to create a green Thanksgiving, focus on the three R’s of ecofriendly living: reduce, reuse, recycle. How can you reduce what you use? How can you use what you already have to decorate for an exciting Thanksgiving feast?

Consumption

Only buy what you think you’ll use or go with the time-honored tradition of sending guests home with leftovers. Make sure that you take the time to sort and recycle packaging. If guests will be drinking from cans and bottles, make sure that glass and aluminum are all placed in a clearly-marked recycling bin. Use cloth napkins as opposed to paper.

Tablecloths

The golden rule of tablecloths: if it’s cloth, wash it in a full load and if it’s paper, recycle it. Being green is not only about making smart, ecofriendly choices such as using organic fabrics. It’s also about reusing what you already have. Perhaps there’s an old bedsheet (in warm winter tones) that could easily transform into a simple tablecloth?

Decorations

Consider going simple with homemade decorations. Find inexpensive candles or decorate with construction paper. If you’ve got kids, let them take charge of the decorating committee.

Food

If you’re a meat eater, go for a turkey that’s as green as possible – that is to say, organic and raised without hormones. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, try a selection of roasted veggies or grains. Several natural food stores have a great selection of meat substitutes that are perfect for Thanksgiving, such as loafs made from nuts or tofu.

Cans

Try to go with organic canned foods, and if you must use canned goods, just  stay aware of what you’re buying. A recent article found that a scary number of canned foods that we’d usually use in Thanksgiving dinner contain the dreaded BPA chemical. The answer? Avoid cans this year and focus on providing fresh foods wherever possible.

Photo by Andy Ciordia

By Marissa Cohen

Recently, we looked at books that would be perfect to put inside your backpack (or download to your Kindle) when going on an eco-friendly vacation. But what about books to help you get organized before you fly the friendly skies or hit the road? Try these informative, fun books to prepare for your green getaway.

The Eco Travel Guide

Written by Alastair Fuad-Luke, a senior lecturer for sustainability topics at University College in the U.K., this 2010 book presents a nice overview of the much-changed travel industry and provides details and suggestions about how to shrink our footprint, whether during our everyday commute or on a major vacation. Also nice is Fuad-Luke’s attention to five different kinds of green vacations, from “chic” to more adventurous.

Clean Breaks

I’m a big believer in armchair travel and dreaming about all the places I one day hope to experience. Clean Breaks is perfect for engaging your green travel imagination by exploring hundreds of international and eco-friendly, off-the-beaten-trail, adventures. Richard Hammond, Green Travel Correspondent for The Guardian, and former editor of “The Ecologist” join forces on this inspiring and globetrotting collection. 

Eco-Chic

Many steps up from camping in the woods, this eco-guide gets you out of the tents and into some serious pampering. Swanky spas, luxurious restaurants and eco-friendly resorts and hotels make up this 2010 book by Pascal Lanquillon, Tan Mei Zee, and Kate O’Brian. Carbon footprint reduction and other environmental issues are also discussed.

Image from Amazon.com

By Marissa Cohen

It’s officially here! Summer is out and fall is in. Say goodbye to the summer and greet the fall this Labor Day weekend. If you’re like me, you’re wondering how you can incorporate green and clean principals into your Labor Day celebration.

Staying Home?

Even though we know that it is easy to stay green while on the road or in the air, staying home or close to home during Labor Day weekend – or other high-traffic holidays – can contribute to a vacation that’s truly green because you’ll be spending less money and using less gas. However, if you’re going to hit the road for Labor Day, be sure to look into websites that offset vacations such as Terrapass.

Cookouts

Eco-friendly Labor Day cookouts can be a great time to go green. Make sure that your plates and cups are either recyclable or reusable. Serving beer, soda, or wine? Eating off disposable flatware? Get a few separate containers – one for glass bottles, one for aluminum cans, one for flatware – in order to encourage your pals to recycle during the party.

Gas grills are the way to go since they don’t leave behind as much waste as charcoal grills. Several organic stores sell eco-friendly coal. Make an effort to avoid conventional briquettes and go with either natural, hardwood charcoal
or check this list of eco-happy charcoal products.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo by Ilovebutter

Now that you have some green cleaning car tips, it’s also important to know how to give your car eco-friendly love. There’s plenty we can do to conserve resources while still having a great family road trip.

Don’t Let the Car Sit

It’s typical of any family vacation. One of the kids forgets something and runs back to the house to get it. Maybe your son forgot a favorite magazine or your husband forgot his eco-friendly phone charger. They jump out of the car to go get it – and the car is still running. In order to reduce the amount of carbon emissions caused by this, turn off the car when someone goes on a pre-vacation dash back into the house.

Pile ‘em In

While cars overstuffed with relatives is truly the stuff of hilarious vacation stories, there’s an up side to cramming yourself into a car with Great-Aunt Edna and Cousin Charley – you’ll use less carbon emissions and the decision to carpool is kinder on the environment.

Clean it Out

Believe it or not, all that accumulated car trash from the week can add weight to your car, making it use more fuel and release more carbon emissions into the air. Want to save some gas? Toss the car trash. Keep a bag for compost (food scraps) in the car so that your fruit and veggie peels can be used to help a garden grow. Also consider keeping a bag just for recycling and empty it into a recycle bin.

Check the Tires

Car experts advise that you check your tire pressure once a week to make sure that tires are inflated properly. The more deflated your tires are, the more gas you’ll use. If your tires don’t have the right pressure, your car’s fuel consumption can feel the impact.

Offset the Trip

Check carbon offsetting sites like Terrapass in order to find ways to offset the cost of your car trips. The environment will thank you!

Photo by Wetwebwork

by Marissa Cohen

Vacation day is here and you’re ready to leave. Your bamboo, eco-friendly bags are packed and you’ve got your solar chargers. You’re ready to go! But what about the house? When preparing for a small getaway, there are things you can do to greatly reduce your carbon footprint, even when you’re not home.

Pull the Plug

If you’re going to be home anyway, unplug electronics. Make sure to unplug chargers, night-lights, or lamps. Also, don’t forget to hit the kitchen and unplug everything from toasters to the microwave. It’s also important to unplug the entertainment gadgets – computers, printers, tvs and DVD players should all be unplugged.

Turn off the Air Conditioner

If you’re going to be away for a significant amount of time, turn off the A/C unit (unless of course, dogs or cats are going to be home alone) and turn off all the fans. That will help save a ton of energy. After all, there’s no reason to heat or cool an empty house.

Cleaning

If you’re going to clean house before you leave town, consider cleaning with eco-friendly supplies. Why? For the simple reason that once the house is sealed, there won’t be any toxic chemicals in the house.

Switch to Electronic Bills

This might be a good time to switch from paper bills (less mail while you’re away) to electronic bills sent right to you email address. You’ll have less paper to worry about in your mailbox while you’re on vacation.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo by functoruser

Green cleaning is a new concept for me. I’ve never done this before and I’ll be the first to admit it. I used to think that green cleaning was only something to try if you were nowhere near civilization or had accidentally fallen through time to 19th century Oklahoma. It turns out that I can appreciate green cleaning without falling through a time rip and over the last several weeks, I’ve read dozens of statistics that unanimously support going green. I’ve slowly made the transition from non-green cleansers to green, store-bought cleansers.
Lately, though, I’ve become inspired to step up my green, so to speak, and use household items instead of green cleaning products.

While I remember mom mopping the floors with a mixture of vinegar and water, it’s only recently that I’ve begun my foray into the great adventures of cleaning green. So far, I’ve accumulated an interesting list of kitchen essentials – right from my own kitchen – and so far, they are working nontoxic wonders.

Vinegar

Vinegar is my first big staple. Since reading and researching several vinegar-loving sites in the last few weeks, I’ve learned that not only does vinegar clean my countertops, but also the acid can get rid of all kinds of bacteria and germs. An added bonus is that, like most people, I’m sensitive to the harsh smell of cleanser, but white distilled vinegar smells sweet and clean.

Baking Soda

Another die-hard, green staple is baking soda. (I also remember my mother keeping a small box of baking soda by her sink. She’d brush her teeth with regular paste and then clean her teeth again with the baking soda). Baking soda is not only a great tooth cleanser, but it’s also good for cleaning tarnished silver by mixing together three parts baking soda and one part water. I rubbed the mixture onto the silver and then rinsed with warm water – it looked like new.

My kitchen is slowly starting to transform into a very, very different place than it was two months ago. The greener my kitchen becomes, the less money I am spending, the healthier I feel, and the more I’m doing for the environment.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo by panyvinito

Nothing says summer vacation like carefully packing for some much needed rest. After purchasing your airplane tickets and checking the TSA regulations, what’s left? Make sure that you’re staying green, even in the friendly skies, with these easy to follow tips.

Fly Nonstop

If possible, choose a direct flight instead of one with a lot of layovers or stops along the way. Why? A direct flight burns a lot less gas than a trip with many flights involved.

Water

Staying hydrated, especially on planes, is always important. However, remember that you can’t bring the plastic water bottle on the plane with you, so may as well pack your own refillable water bottle. Looking to find one suitable for green travel? Try the Klean Kanteen water bottle or other kinds of water bottles that are also toxin and BPA free.

Travel Light

Packing light is a great way to make your vacation green. For one thing, if you just bring a carry-on or small backpack, you’ll save in baggage fees. Plus, the less baggage a flight carries, the less fuel it burns and the less carbon dioxide that plane will use.  So in order to fly green, only pack what you really need and choose lightweight fabrics (perhaps made of green materials like hemp or bamboo).

By Marissa Cohen

Photo by aMichiganMom

It’s summer and for most of us, that means packing the kids and family into the station wagon for a trip. But be careful. According to the Society of Concerned Scientists in their Green Travel report, commuting for an entire year can have less of a carbon footprint than one vacation.

Watch the Gas

Skip the crowded freeways and increasing gas prices and hit the trains, which feature low carbon emissions. Amtrak offers inexpensive travel, especially during the summer months. However, if you decide to travel by car, make sure that you avoid congested areas in order to avoid rush hour.

The Numbers Game

A solo traveler or a couple? You may want to consider keeping the car parked in the garage and using an alternate method of travel in order to reduce your carbon footprint. However, the more people you pack into the car? The more the carbon footprint shrinks, same as with carpooling.

B.Y.O.W.

That’s bring your own water bottles. Instead of purchasing waste-creating water bottles, stick to refillable ones for easy – and green – hydration on the road. Try for glass or stainless steel ones.

No Rental

Once at your destination, consider skipping the rental car and experience getting around like a local. You’d be advised to arm yourself with maps ahead of time, but many cities offer public transportation as an alternative to car travel.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo by nannetteturner

Did you ever take the time to read the warning labels on the backs of most household cleansers? Most basic cleaning products (with the exception of environmentally friendly lines) are chock full of dangerous toxins. However, using natural and non-toxic methods can get your house clean while protecting your health and respecting the environment.

Lemon

Due to the acid in the citrus, lemon is a natural stain remover. It’s also a fantastic natural cleanser and  green bleach.

Another great thing about lemons? They can be used to remove stains from everything from pots to clothing, just sprinkle some juice directly on the stain. (Rust, mildew stains or tarnish can all be removed from clothing or kitchenware by mixing lemon juice with some salt.) Make sure to wash fabric right after the lemon treatment, though.

Vinegar

Vinegar is harmless, non-toxic, and a fantastic, multi-purpose cleanser. It’s non-pollutant and non-toxic – as green as can be! I can speak from personal experience – this one has become a favorite in my kitchen. Vinegar and water mixed together (the more vinegar, the stronger the “cleanser” will be) becomes a great kitchen spray. It’s perfect for cleaning kitchen or bathroom countertops.To clean the green way, get to know the many uses for vinegar. Use vinegar to clean windows by mixing ½ cup of it to every gallon of water and pouring inside a spray bottle. To get vinegary-fresh tile floors, mop with the same vinegar-and-water mixture.  Brian Clark Howard mentions that vinegar is a great way to remove bacteria and other residues from fresh fruit and veggies, too. Much better than those expensive produce cleansers from the supermarket!

by Marissa Cohen

Photo by Golf Bravo1