Green Goes Simple: Family Footprints

Getting Wise(r) About Waste

By Amy Levin-Epstein for Green Goes Simple

You already know to carry around a reusable tote. They’re not only better for the earth, but also cuter to carry! But there are so many other small changes that can make a big difference in the amount of waste we create. Here, green lifestyle expert Sara Snow, author of Sara Snow’s Fresh Living: The Essential Room-by-room Guide to a Greener, Healthier Family and Home, shares her five best tips for adhering to the adage “Waste not, want not.”

Use Reusable Pouches

Plastic baggies are super-convenient — and super-wasteful. But cute reusable baggies (such as Posh Pouches) are the equivalent of lunch bags for your leftovers. You buy them once and use them over and over.

“These are fully lined in a BPA-, lead- and phthalate-free lining that allows you to wash out PB&J spills, with a strong Velcro closure that will keep even the crumbliest cookies in place,” says Snow. “Use them for snacks, lunches — even makeup and art or craft supplies.”

Buy in Bulk

Plastic, metal and paper packaging is a huge contributor to household waste. “Instead of buying another box of cereal, simply fill a reusable bag with the cereal of your choice from a bulk bin and slip that back into the original box,” suggests Snow. “You can do the same for pasta, beans, rice, crackers, dried fruit, nuts, olive oil, vinegar and many other items.” Bonus: You’ll likely spend less money in the process!

Recharge Your Batteries

Nope, we’re not talking about a day at the spa. Bottom line? Stop buying disposable batteries. “Batteries are a tricky little trash number because they’re tough to recycle and not supposed to be tossed with your regular trash,” says Snow. “A simple way to solve the dilemma is to invest in reusable, rechargeable batteries.”

Go E for Everything

Paper bills, bank statements, greeting cards, business cards, magazines, newspapers, letters — oh my! If it seems like you’re perpetually recycling or throwing out paper, go paper-free, suggests Snow. With computers — and maybe tablets or smartphones — at your fingertips, sending your paperwork through cyberspace has never been easier or safer.

Share Your Treasure

Ever heard the expression, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”? Make sure you’re sharing the wealth. “The next time you clean out your basement or attic, think twice before you declare something garbage; it takes just a little effort to drop those bags at Goodwill instead of in your garbage can,” says Snow. “If you live in a neighborhood, try leaving it at the end of your driveway for a day or two. Most things will disappear overnight, off to a good home where someone has the skills and time to fix that broken wheel, mend the tear or replace the electronics.”

Amy Levin-Epstein is a freelance writer who’s been published in magazines like Glamour, Self and Prevention, on websites like AOL, Babble and Details.com and in newspapers like the New York Post and the Boston Globe. You can read more of her writing at AmyLevinEpstein.com. Her articles have previously appeared on Green Goes Simple.

Green Goes Simple: Family Footprints

Favorite Fall Family Activities

By Marisa Belger for Green Goes Simple

This autumn, make a commitment to have more fun — family fun. Fall is the ideal season for outdoor family frolicking. Emily Anderson — author of Eco-chic Home: Rethink, Reuse & Remake Your Way to Sustainable Style, blogger at Good With Style and mother of two — suggests you try these easy autumn activities for kids and adults. Turn off the TV, throw on a sweater and experience the bounty of the season!

Become a Leaf Detective
“Fall foliage is a perfect way to experience the earth’s natural state,” says Anderson. “Head to the park and enjoy the changing colors of the leaves.” Gather leaves of different shapes and colors, and then learn more about them when you get home by checking out LeafSnap, an online app created by the University of Maryland, Columbia University, the Smithsonian Institution and FindingSpecies.org.

Pick Your Own Harvest
Head to a local farm and pick your own apples, squash or pumpkins. Once you unload your bounty at home, Anderson recommends making an easy recipe together, such as butternut squash soup or applesauce. “Spending time on a local farm is a great way to support agriculture and to teach your kids about where food really comes from,” she says. Check out PickYourOwn.org for farms near you.

Eat Seasonally

The change of seasons is a perfect time to teach your kids about eating food that’s seasonal. Check out your local farmers market for the best of in-season produce that’s been grown nearby. “Eating locally grown food is good for the planet and can be a lot more affordable than the alternative,” says Anderson. “In-season items to look for are sweet potatoes, artichokes, arugula, beets, broccoli, carrots, cranberries, eggplant, kale, leeks and zucchini.” Visit LocalHarvest.org to find farms in your area and check out FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org for fall recipes you can make with what you find.

Go Slow
Consider hosting a fall-themed dinner party that features nothing but local and in-season food. It’s a great chance to bring friends and family together and to teach your kids about cooking with seasonal foods. If you’re not up for hosting, Anderson recommends checking out Slow Food USA, a sustainable and local food nonprofit that hosts local events around the country.

Decorate Naturally
“Use the bounty of fall to get started on your holiday decorations,” suggests Anderson. Acorns, branches and leaves can all become beautiful festive items with a little paint and imagination. Collect items from your backyard or visit a local park, and this Thanksgiving you’ll have nature’s answer to the ultimate holiday table setting.

Photo Credit: @iStockphoto.com/ericmichaud

Marisa Belger’s work has appeared in Travel + Leisure Family, Natural Health, Prevention and TODAYShow.com, where she wrote a column about eco-friendly living. She was an editor at Lime.com and collaborated with author Josh Dorfman on his bestselling books, The Lazy Environmentalist and The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget.

Green Glossary: Sustainable Manufacturing

By Marisa Belger for Green Goes Simple

Sustainably manufactured goods are products made in a manner that considers the well-being of the environment and its inhabitants. In turn, this helps keep us safe and healthy, today and in the future.

There are several ways a company can produce products sustainably, including:

Creating an Eco-friendly Design
Before a product hits the factory, it can be designed in a way that makes it easy to use, long-lasting and recyclable.

Using Alternative Energy
The use of alternative energy sources, such as wind and solar power, is an essential component of sustainable manufacturing. This energy is then used to power production, transportation and other steps in the manufacturing process.

Conserving Resources
Sustainable manufacturers work to ensure that they use the least possible amount of natural resources — think water, fuel and raw materials — when producing their goods.

Considering a Product’s End-of-life
Eventually, all products wear out. Sustainable manufacturers consider what will happen to the product once it has reached the end of its useful life. They ensure that the product is designed and produced in a way that will allow for easy recycling or reusing.

Marisa Belger’s work has appeared in Travel + Leisure Family, Natural Health, Prevention and TODAYShow.com, where she wrote a column about eco-friendly living. She was an editor at Lime.com and collaborated with author Josh Dorfman on his bestselling books, The Lazy Environmentalist and The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget.

Green Goes Simple: Conservation at Home

Reusing and Recycling 101

By Dana Goeglein for Green Goes Simple

You want to be green, but it’s hard to know the difference between reusing and recycling. Fortunately, it’s not that complicated. Recycling and reusing have the same goal: to keep items out of overflowing landfills. The two tactics just go about it in very different ways.

Recycling involves reprocessing an old item — such as a can, glass or newspaper — and turning it into something new. Recycled paper products may be reprocessed into toilet paper and old tires may become a compound used to resurface roads.

Reusing, on the other hand, means avoiding the reprocessing plant altogether. Old items like containers, bags and appliances can be used again in their current condition for a similar — or completely different — purpose. Takeout containers can be turned into food storage (think: free plastic containers!), and plastic bags can be transformed into waterproof liners for planters or drawers.

“Reusing extends the lifetime of a product, from the time it is purchased to the time it goes to a landfill [or recycling plant],” explains Janine Kubert, director of operations at iReuse, a company that helps businesses and individuals become better reusers.

When you extend the lifetime of a product, you not only reduce the need to buy something new (which takes energy to produce), but you also save on the energy it would take to recycle that product. “Reusing allows us to get the most out of our virgin products and raw materials, and aside from reducing consumption entirely, it is our best resource for waste reduction,” says Kubert.

Whether you’re an avid recycler or new to waste reduction, here are some simple ways to reuse and recycle every day:

Reuse

• Reuse bags, boxes and containers. For example, turn old shoe boxes into storage containers, packaging for gifts or a treasure chest (have kids cut out pictures from magazines and glue them to the outside of the box for a customized container).

• Rather than buying a new product, borrow, rent or share items you use infrequently or for a short period of time.

• When babies and kids outgrow toys, books, cribs, high chairs and strollers, sell or donate the items rather than throw them away.

• Invest in quality, durable products. You may spend more initially, but they’ll last longer, which saves you money over time.

Recycle

• Become a full-circle recycler. Buy products that can be recycled; sort and discard them according to your community’s standards; and finally, purchase products made from post-recycled materials.

• For more information about recyclable materials, check out the EPA’s website: Epa.gov/waste/conserve/rrr/recycle.htm.

Going Above and Beyond
While waste reduction starts at home, communities nationwide are forming around the premise that less is more. Freecycle (Freecycle.org) — started in Tucson, Ariz., before spreading throughout the U.S. — helps people be the best possible reusers. Through the Freecycle network, members are able to donate — or pick up — used products, such as appliances, furniture, toys and bikes.

In need of a reduce, reuse and recycle tutorial? Companies like iReuse (iReuse.com) give personalized consultations to help you reduce waste, donate reusable products and save money.

If you’re not sure about your community’s procedures or standards for reusing and recycling, check your town’s government Web site or ask a neighbor. Through community boards, donation banks and home and school recycling programs, it’s getting even easier to do more to waste less.

Dana Goeglein received a bachelor’s in creative writing from Sarah Lawrence College and a master’s in food studies from New York University. She is a writer, yoga instructor and whole foods educator in New York City, where she strives to help others create harmonious, connected lives.