Here is a great Green idea from TheSmallObject.com… a reusable sandwich wrap.  This is relatively simple to make and it eliminates the need for non-reusable wraps and sandwich bags.  Plus, it doubles as a place mat!  Small Object founder Sarah Neuburger created a tutorial on her site after she found the Wrap-N-Mat but was unhappy with the fabric choices.  Check out her site to view the tutorial. 

On an unrelated note while your at The Small Object take a look at the About section and read about Sarah.  Creative, insightful and witty she echoes an idea we believe…

Tiny, small things are possible that can make big, giant things happen. Little folks sleeping in our floorboards and mice wearing tuxedos. It can happen. I am most certain.

We believe that mice wearing tuxedos can make a big impact… and more importantly, small actions can add up to make a big difference!

Now this is recycling that your cat can get into!  I think my cat would need a wide screen.  Unfortunately this Etsy seller is sold out but this is a great way to presuppose old non-functioning things around the house and maybe will inspire some other creative home recycling ideas.  If you have a project you’d like to share, give us a shout through the Contact Us page.

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Reusable shopping bags are getting used more and more, but what about the other plastic bags we use.  I used zip lock bag the other day to hold some popcorn.  When I was done with the popcorn the bag was virtually brand new and it seemed silly to throw it away.  I just put the bag back in my bag drawer crumbs intact, but even if I had put something messy in the bag I could just wash it out.  That’s where this cool plastic bag drying rack comes in handy.  The one on the left is available from GAIAM for $20.  The one on the right I made with with stuff I found around my house in less than three minutes and the one on the bottom I made with stuff from my kitchen in less than 20 seconds.  

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Upgrade

What mother doesn’t love gift baskets? And what mother doesn’t love it when you put a little time into the gift? Try putting together your own eco-friendly gift basket. Start by getting a cool fair trade and recycled basket from Original Good. Now fill it with fun Green gifts! Here’s a few ideas…

Flip & Tumble Bag $12	Tree Free Journal $13	Organic Lotion $3+
Handmade Necklace	Solio Charger $99	Eco Chocolate $5
Beeswax Candles $6+	Organic Sauce $6+	A Going Green Book

A couple days ago we wrote about Mottainai Furoshiki, the use of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth as a sustainable alternative to disposable bags, wrapping paper, you name it…  We loved this idea so much we started using it right away.  We made this video to show how easy and fun it is…

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Here are a few changes you can make to your daily routine that will help lessen your impact on the environment…  

1.  Use a reusable coffee mug.  According to SustainabilityIsSexy.com Americans use roughly 16 billion paper cups every year.  1.9 billion are from Starbucks alone!  By bringing your own mug you can greatly reduce that number, plus most coffee shops offer discounts when you use your own mug, Cha-ching!  You can learn more about coffee cup waste and the movement to reusable mugs at SustainabilityIsSexy.com.

2.  Take a shorter shower.  Unless you specifically buy a low flow shower head, you shower head could be using anywhere from 7 Gallons per minute (for an old school nozzle) to 2.5 GPM (newer heads).  Even if you are on the more efficient 2.5 GPM side you can save a considerable amount of water by cutting down your shower time.  If you cut your showers from 10 minutes to 5 minutes everyday that is a savings of over 4,500 gallons of water a year.

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Going Green does not have to be intimidating and it doesn’t have to be expensive.  In fact, Going Green can save you a lot of money.  Here are 5 easy things you can do this weekend to greatly reduce you impact on the environment, and reduce the impact on your wallet…

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Here are 5 things you can do today that won’t cost you a dime and will make mother nature smile:

1. Turn your thermostat down one degree in the winter and up one degree in the summer. If everyone made this small unnoticeable change, the impact would be huge!
2. Reduce paper waste, & wasting your time by saying no to junk mail. Go to www.dmaconsumers.org to sign up for the DMA’s Mail Preference Service and choosing not to receive mailers from their members. This won’t eliminate all junk mail but it’ll make a big dent.
3. Unplug idle appliances and electronic devices like cell phone chargers, gaming consoles, microwaves… This will cut down on Vampire Energy usage and save you money.
4. Say no to excessive packaging by choose products that package with less. This will reduce the amount of waste you create and impact the decisions businesses make. They like to make money, and if enough people stop buying products that use wasteful packaging practices they will change.
5. Do full loads of laundry and wash with cold water. Our washers and dryers use a considerable amount of energy and water. By waiting until you have a full load you consolidate your washes and reduce the overall amount of water & energy used. Washing in cold water also reduces the amount of energy used in each wash.

If you are reading this I don’t have to tell you that computers have become a huge part of everyday life.  They enrich our lives allowing us to stay up to date on current events, share ideas, stay in touch with loved ones… for some they have become indispensable.  So since they are here to stay, let’s make sure they play nice with mother nature.  Here are 5 easy ways you can Green your computer…

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Update 4/22/08: Check out our Mottainai Furoshiki Video

Yuriko Koike, Japan’s Minister of the Environment, unveiled what she calls “Mottainai Furoshiki” at the Senior Officials Meeting on the 3R Initiative held in Tokyo.  Furoshiki (furoshiki) are a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloths that were frequently used to transport clothes, gifts, or other goods.  Mottainai  comes from the Buddhist term meaning “to indicate regret at the waste or misuse of something sacred or highly respected”.

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