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Easter was on April 8th. It’s time for Peter Cottontail to hop away down the bunny trail, which means that it’s time for us to figure out what to do with all the fake grass, baskets, and all the other colorful Easter goodies. If you were one of the people who purchased the millions of Easter baskets or artificial grass that leave store shelves every year, here’s what to do with them.

Round Up the Rabbits

Large and small, stuffed or chocolate – in the aftermath of Easter, bunnies are everywhere… like a post-holiday Watership Down. If you’re sick of small and fluffy (or if the little ones are bunnied out), round up the rabbits for an impromptu trip with the baskets – and donate them to a thrift store or charity.

Have a Swap

Have a post-Easter swap party and collect all the bunnies, baskets, leftover candy, and other goodies to trade with friends.

Chocolates

Consumers purchase an amazing 90 million chocolate bunnies per Easter. Organic chocolate is the way to go, but if somehow you still have leftover chocolate, bring it to work instead of throwing it out.

Baskets

Thrift stores love baskets, even Easter ones, so round up your slightly used Easter baskets and drop them off at your nearest Goodwill or children’s hospital.

The Problem of the Fake Grass

Fake grass from Easter baskets can be easily found at any drug store or dollar store in America. Instead of fake grass, next year try shredding paper for the Easter “grass”. That way, the whole thing can be recycled at the end of the holiday. If you’d rather stay away from paper for Easter, wadding up a pastel tee shirt is a great idea, so it can be reused – and cleaned – year after year. But what if you’re already sitting on an unfortunate mound of fake grass? Well, save it with your stamps and boxes, and use it to cushion the next present you buy. Moving or packing? Use some of the fake grass to provide padding for breakables or keep it handy for some arts and crafts projects at local schools.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By Barking Cats

Is your green hotel really green? Or is your hotel merely trying to dip into the pond of eco-travel? Here are some tips to separate the truly eco-friendly from the environmental pretenders.

Local Staff

A good sign of an eco-friendly lodging is to find out if the people employed by the hotel are locals. Are the tour guides and trail leaders ‘locally grown’? This is a key way for green hotels to give back. A good eco-friendly hotel should make the most of community involvement. Does the staff seem knowledgeable about the eco-friendly policies of their establishment?

Water

Several hotels give you the option to reuse towels and thus, conserve laundry (and valuable energy and water). When searching for a green hotel, be sure to find out more about their water conservation policies. Are there water saving devices such as water sensors or lo-flow shower heads installed in the bathrooms? Does the hotel kitchen use similar devices? Of course, make sure that you’re also staying aware of how much water you’re using, but make sure that the eco-friendly hotel supports your water-lovin’ efforts.

Recycling

Most hotels and business establishments recycle these days. Still, dig a little deeper and get curious. What kind of recycling does your green hotel do? Do they recycle paper or aluminum? Does the hotel or lodging participate in a carbon offset program?

Food

One of the best things about vacation is the food. However, make sure that the hotel you’re considering uses either organic or locally grown produce whenever possible.

By Marissa Cohen

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

“I’m going to go clean the car,” my father said.

My cousins and I nodded at him and then exchanged worried glances. The family trip was just around the corner and we were all hoping to avoid a scene out of National Lampoon’s Vacation. In order to do that, dad had to clean the car before taking it on the road so that the kids wouldn’t throw random pieces of trash at each other. There was nothing green about me back then except the color of my face as I watched dad uproot part of someone’s ancient candy bar from the back seat. Still, in order to keep your car green and clean when preparing for a big vacation, follow these eco-friendly car-cleaning tips.

Careful with Cleanser

In order to avoid volatile organic compounds, avoid cleaning your windows with smelly, toxic, headache-causing cleansers and stick to natural cleansers, such as mixtures of vinegar and water. No more headaches and you’ll be able to see through squeaky-clean windows.

The Right Kind of Cleanser

Dr. Bronners’ Sal Suds  is fantastic for washing cars – and it’s also a great, all-purpose cleanser made from a plant base. Even better? Sal Suds is cruelty-free and biodegradable.  Friends of mine who live on the beach swear by Dr. Bronners’ Sal Suds because they can make a spray to clean the car’s insides as well. You can use this cleanser for dish washing and house cleaning as well.

Wipe Windows With Newspaper

Use old newspapers or junk mail to wipe down windows. Why? Newsprint doesn’t leave streaks and you won’t waste countless paper towels cleaning the glass.

Change the Filter

To avoid dust mites and potential mold spores, change out the air filter in your car. You’ll be able to do this in most cars manufactured in the last ten years.

Lose the Pinecone-Scented Air Freshener

At some point, we’ve all had one of those air fresheners that dangled from the rear-view mirror. A friend of mine once had a Yoda air freshener that smelled of mint. As Yoda himself might say “Get an air freshener and breathe in toxic chemicals, you will.” Avoid air fresheners, especially on long car trips, or if you’re really feeling creative, make your own. Now that’s wisdom.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo by J Wynia

September is almost here, which means it’s almost time for Womenfest (September 6-11), one of the hottest events for lesbian and bisexual women in South Florida for the last twenty years.

Go Green

The lesbian-owned and operated Venus Charters offers daily eco-friendly dolphin-watching trips, snorkeling, fishing and much more, including at-sea unions. Established in 1997 by Captain Karen Lukins (and joined by Captain Debra Butler) Venus Charters is also a pet-friendly service.

 Go Watch

On Thursday, September 8^th, at Tropic Cinema, check out the premier of Jan’s Coming Out , a feature film about one woman’s coming out journey, featuring interviews from Meredith Baxter, Cathy DeBuono, Dana Goldberg, Vickie Shaw, Julie Goldman, and musician Jennifer Coroday. On Friday, September 9^th at 7:30 pm, check out Curiously Strong Comedy with comedians Julie Goldman, Gloria Bigelow, and Jackie Monahan for an evening of hilarious standup. Goldman starred on LOGO’s “The Big Gay Sketch Show.”

Go Play

Womenfest offers a whole host of activities, including a golf tournament, pool parties, face (and body) painting. There’s also the Sunset Watersports Tea Dance and Dinner Cruise featuring music by Sister Funk on Friday the 9^th, and huge variety of music all fest long, including dance parties, a trolley tour and more.

by Marissa Cohen

Womenfest Website – Key West 2011

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

When I was a kid, I remember the little boxes of yellow baking soda that my mother used to keep in the fridge. The paper flap on the top was always open and if you weren’t careful, you could easily spill the whole thing over when you were pulling out the morning’s juice. That little baking soda box (as long as its tucked away in the back of the fridge) is great for taking away odors. But it’s also good for everything from cleaning your teeth to creating all-natural body scrubs.

Baking Soda Bathroom: By brushing your teeth with baking soda, you can effectively clean your teeth, either by dipping your toothbrush into a baking soda/hydrogen peroxide solution or just add some baking soda to your usual toothpaste for an extra kick. Want to experiment with mouthwash? Mix some warm water with a few teaspoons of baking soda and use it to rinse out your mouth for a fast, fresh feeling. Want to clean your oral care appliances? Leave dentures, mouth guards, or other dental products to soak overnight in a solution of two teaspoons baking soda in a cup of warm water.

Baking Soda Spa: If you want to avoid fragrance-heavy and nongreen beauty products, use baking soda as a facial exfoliate. Find the water-to-baking soda ratio that works for you and scrub it on your face or skin, then wash away with warm water. Experiment with essential oils to give it a scent.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo by RowdyKittens

I never thought my bathroom would start to have a green transformation, but it has. There’s a drying rack (also known as a clothes horse) sitting next to my tub. It’s right there, in front of the bathtub and the sink. As household items go, it looks cozy, quant, and helpful. I  feel like I’ve somehow traveled back to the days of Little House on the Prairie. I don’t mind it.

Upon learning that I could save hundreds of pounds of carbon dioxide emissions every year by drying my clothes on a drying rack or clothesline, I’ve set myself a challenge, namely to rack-dry as much as possible over the next month and then see if there’s a drop in my bill.

When I went shopping for my drying rack, I chose one that was tall (about 3 ½ feet) rather than some of the wider, shorter choices available, for the greatest space economy. Also, out of the several available at my local household goods store, pick the one that’s the most sturdy if you want to try larger items of clothing on it.

I haven’t stopped using a dryer for the larger things but so far, I’ve been hand washing small items like socks, underwear, or tee shirts – things that I can safely experiment with to see if they become wrinkly. Even if they do, it’s easy enough to get some steam going and watch the clothes slowly let go of the wrinkles. I’ve found it’s also a good idea to move the dryer rack outside into direct sunlight if I want to keep white fabrics looking bright. I’ve noticed, though, that, even in the brief time that I’ve been experimenting with drying racks, that colored clothing can lose their brightness if dried outside, so turning them inside out is a good idea. That’s another thing I’ve noticed about rack-drying your clothes. It forces you to slow down.

So far, we’re right on track. We may not know if we’re saving money yet, but we’re definitely helping the environment – and taking time to smell the roses as well.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo by storebukkebruse

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

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