This is a great resource, for families with kids because it’s a scavenger hunt, but I especially like page six with “recipes” for natural cleaning supplies. No more chemicals that make you cough and sneeze, or kick off an asthma attack. No more worrying about how to discard those chemicals.

While these are not safe for eating or drinking, they are much safer than the cleaners we buy. Check it out! www.epa.gov/OGWDW/kids/wsb/pdfs/682.pdf

Have you tried Craig’s List? The “mother ship” of all garage sales where my junk becomes someone else’s treasure! It’s a great way to reuse!

Of the reduce, reuse, recycle mantra, I think I like reuse the best. When we reuse we are in a sense recycling and we certainly reduce our waste. Craig’s List lets us reuse others’ things.

Here are a few more reuse tips:

I’m sure you can think of more. The last one is fashionable now. Not so a few years back, when I was ahead of my time. So the cotton mesh bags I requested the family give me for a giftback then, I use proudly now after driving them around in my vehicle’s trunk for years.

Add other ways to reuse as comments to this blog and I’ll post them.

Source: http://www.epa.gov/epahome/home.htm

Check out the Green Office Web site for school supply packages with green products customized by grade. I know every school and every teacher seems to have their own special supply lists, but these packages have the basics your student needs. There’s even a teacher kit. I’m not a teacher (yet) but I want to get that one since a I am a writer and writers need paper, pens, etc. I might as well reduce my carbon footprint since I’m buying them and using them anyway. For $49.99 I get:

Green Teacher Kit
This kit contains eco-friendly and non-toxic school supplies including:

• 1 – Envirotech™ 100% Recycled Wirebound Notebook
• 1 – Aurora Products Elements Eco-Friendly Round Ring Binder, 2″ Capacity, White
• 1 – Aurora Products Elements Eco-Friendly Round Ring Binder, 3″ Capacity, White
• 1 – Economy Tab Dividers, Buff, 5-Tab Set, 36 Sets/Box
• 1 – Fluff Out® Recycled White Facial Tissue in Six-Pack, 100/Box, 6 Boxes/Pack
• 1 – Earth Write® Pencil (12-pack)
• 1 – Jimnie® Clip Retractable Ballpoint Pens, 1.0mm, Clear Barrel, Red Ink
• 1 – LH-Refills for Jimnie® Ballpoint Pens, Medium Point, Red, 3/Pack
• 1 – EXPO® Chisel Tip Markers with Eraser and Grip, 12-Color Set, Chisel Tip

The K-2nd grade kit is $16.99, grades 3-5 is $24.99 and grades 6-12 is $29.99. We all probably spend close to that anyway for all those chemical-filled products. Less chemicals are better for each of us as people, young and old, and better for the environment.

You can shop on the site for individual products, too, if the packages don’t interest you. And look for other household products, office supplies and even furniture while you’re there. www.thegreenoffice.com

I read this tip recently, and while I’m not sure it’s right for my life, it may be for those of you who garden or have lots of house plants.

We all know how much water goes down the drain while we wait for the water to heat up for our shower, right? Try putting a bucket in the shower to catch that water while you wait.

You can use that water for your plants, inside and out. For that matter, it’s clean water. If you keep your bucket clean, you could transfer the water to a pitcher in your frig and have cool H20 ready and waiting for the family and guests.

I love coffee–hot, fresh coffee. And I love my mocha lattes. I can justify splurging on them because it’s about the only way I drink milk. Lots of my hard earned cash helped you grow, Starbucks.

Now you’re closing 600 stores! You couldn’t rake in money fast enough a year or so ago, and now when times are a little tough, you’re adding to the problem. Not to mention the lack of “green” by abandoning buildings that in many instances you built new.

In the process of all your growth, you ran “mom & pops” out of business across the country. So while I’m disappointed in you, I can’t even say I’ll never buy another Starbucks. You’re the only gig I’ve got close by, right on the way to work. Just the way your business model was designed.

Rethink your decision. Limit hours. Cut back menu items in those places. Do anything but put more people out of work and add more wasted building space to our landscape.