Organizing Gardening Stuff

August 8, 2011 by Julie Seibert  
Filed under Blog

Set up an area inside or outside and make a home for all of your gardening supplies.

Shelf. Consider a galvanized steel shelf on the back of the house or the side of the shed to store extra pots. Spray it with Rust-Oleum and it can
stay outside year round

Potting Bench to hang tools & twine.

Repurpose Bushel Baskets to carry your produce or weeds.

Repurpose pots & store soil & fertilizer for easier to use portions.

Galvanized metal buckets can be used to store bird seeds so the squirrels don’t get in!

A site to check out:

http://www.eco-gardening.com/

The Joy of Sacks

June 16, 2011 by Julie Seibert  
Filed under Blog

Just in time for Summer camp!

It is estimated that Americans use more than 20 million plastic sandwich bags–DAILY!  Three smart moms created LunchSkins, bright, reusable dishwasher-safe sandwich and snack sacks.  Save yourself money by investing in these bright sacks.

Help keep yourself organized by coordinating colors with your BPA free water bottle and for each child.

Check out here:

http://www.lunchskins.com/home.php

Eco-Organizing your Paper! Part 2

April 28, 2011 by Julie Seibert  
Filed under Blog

Of the 42 percent of the world’s industrial wood harvest going to paper. Industrialized nations, with 20 percent of the world’s population, consume 87 percent of the world’s printing and writing papers. Global production in the pulp, paper and publishing sector is expected to increase by 77% from 1995 to 2020.

By going green with your paper you can make a difference.  Here are easy peasy tips:

If you are buying paper, remember to look for  post-consumer recycled content, which avoids cutting down any new trees, and “closes the recycling loop.”

A recent study estimates that Americans could prevent the logging of over 16 million trees annually if everyone switched from paper bills to Internet banking.  Most institutions provide E statements for 401 K and credit cards can provide paperless statements.

Buy recycled filing products. Most stores offer recycled products with non recycle materials.  The more demand that is created for recycled products will help bring prices down.

All FreedomFiler label kits are currently manufactured in the USA and are printed without using any plastic components.  The packaging is streamlined to remove all extraneous printed materials to use as little paper as possible.  The company is also green in many ways. Find out more at https://freedomfiler.com/AffiliateClickThrough.cfm?cid=9749

Think before you print!!

Print on both sides.

Keep a box to place paper with one used side at your desk. Flip and use the other side for scratch paper.

The Other 2 New R’s

April 14, 2011 by Julie Seibert  
Filed under Blog

  • Recycling and composting rates recovered 32.1 percent of MSW or 79 million tons. But this figure, you will recall, does not include hazardous, industrial, and construction waste. 32.1 percent is higher than before but still way too low.
  • Approximately 8,550 curbside recycling programs existed in 2005 throughout the United States, a lower figure than the 8,875 programs that existed in 2003
The other 2 R’s of Eco-Organizing:

•Repurpose. Find creative ways to use what you have.  Wine box can house ornaments (instead of buying a plastic container made specifically for ornaments!) ; a cake stand can be used to hold all your “get out the door quickly” essentials; a tissue box can hold plastic bags, etc.
•Recycle: Recycling isn’t mandatory in Raleigh or in NC.  Do your part, but encourage the legislature to pass laws.  There is a program that offers incentives to people who recycle in form of gift cards. I sent in asking them to add Raleigh to the list.   https://www.recyclebank.com/

Know your recycling guidelines!  Consider setting up an organized recycling center in your home or business to make it as easy as possible to recycle.

Are you able to make a difference today? Remember every little bit counts!


Save $$$ on Home Improvement Projects

March 14, 2011 by Julie Seibert  
Filed under Blog

Spring is around the corner and a good time to schedule those home improvement.

Habitat for Humanity ReStores are a great resource of materials ranging from cabinetry, lighting, hardware. I have heard stories of some amazing finds!

You can also receive a tax write off for donated items.  Call the store or check out the website for guidelines.

Saving money & resources is a win win for everyone!

http://www.habitat.org/env/restores.aspx?tgs=MTAvNS8yMDEwIDI6MjY6MTggUE0%3d

Sip Smart

March 10, 2011 by Julie Seibert  
Filed under Blog

  • Americans buy an estimated 29.8 billion plastic water bottles every year.
  • Nearly eight out of every 10 bottles will end up in a landfill.
  • It is estimated that the production of plastics accounts for 4 percent of the energy consumption in the U.S.

By making a simple switch to a BPA-free bottle will save you money & be better for the earth.  You can buy one for each family member in his or her favorite color.  (I recommend coordinating backpacks, school supplies, bath towels, toothbrushes, etc. for children).

http://www.waterbobble.com/

http://www.evergreencanteen.com/Brands/CamelBak

http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/

Commitment Phobe? No problem!

March 7, 2011 by Julie Seibert  
Filed under Blog

Need a pair of skis for a weekend trip or an entertainment system for a party? Instead of buying….

Check out a low-commitment version of EBay:  www.zilok.com

Hunka Hunka Burning Junk

March 3, 2011 by Julie Seibert  
Filed under Blog

Handsome men hauling your junk away–for free!

Dedicated to bettering our environment, Garage Brothers find new homes for our client’s unwanted items. Whether it be through sales, recycling, or donations to various charities, they do whatever possible to ensure that as little as possible is added to our landfills.

http://www.freegaragecleaning.com/


Leftover Holiday Wrapping Paper?

January 17, 2011 by Julie Seibert  
Filed under Blog

Of course, you can always use the paper next year, but if you are looking for some ways to be creative and help get organized here are some suggestions:

shred and use as packaging material;

wrap around recycled tin cans to store pens, pencils and scissors;

make a bookmark;

create decorative box labels and color code by subject;

use in a frame and hang it for a graphic touch;

protect your books;

construct napkin rings by cutting strips and wrapping around flatware for your next dinner party;

compose a card;

save it by ironing on low and rolling it back on the tube to reuse next year!

What other creative ideas do you have?  Remember to try and make being green fun.  Don’t think of it as a chore, but rather a way to be creativity and stretch your imagination while doing good for the planet.


Organzing Your Wrapping/Green Ideas

December 20, 2010 by Julie Seibert  
Filed under Blog

Still need to wrap?  Here are some suggestions:

Instead of getting all different kinds of wrapping paper for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, etc. consider getting butcher block paper that you can dress up with bows, artwork, etc.;

create  your  signature color (purple should stand out at every event!): or simply choose three colors such as silver, white and red that you can mix and match for the occasion.

When wrapping gifts consider assigning one color for each group of people to make mix ups less likely and easier for you to organize.  Immediate family could be white; co-workers could be red; cousins silver, etc.

Some eco-friendly options instead of wrapping paper include: using newspaper (foreign & comics are good choices); old maps; reusing paper from last year (simply set an iron on low and smooth); leftover fabric; old calendars, catalogs, magazines; jars and other resusable items such as a cake pan.  Have fun getting creative!

Look for non-paper  (http://www.islandnet.com/~ecodette/ecosource.htm)  and high post consumer content ( http://www.endoprint.com/wrapping-paper-s/3.htm&click=16 and   http://www.greenraising.com/Recycled-Gift-Wrap-C12.aspx ) as this closes the loop. Also check out reusable wrapsacks:  http://wrapsacks.com/

Remember to reuse bows; my mother has been doing this since I was a child and they last several gifts.  I also like to use the clear containers curtains come in to keep ribbons.

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