Saturday, March 2, 2013
Twenty-five surprising things you can recycle, and 10 things you should avoid tossing in the recycling bin.
It’s fair to say that a majority of people in this country recycle in some capacity in 2013. While there is still no national law mandating recycling, a majority of state and local governments have introduced recycling programs around the country since Woodbury, NJ, became the first municipality in the United States to establish a mandated program back in the early 1970s. While required recycling is a relatively new concept, recycling really is nothing new. People have been recycling in one way or another for thousands of years. In this country, recycling started on a large scale during World War II, when 20,000 salvage committees and 400,000 volunteers salvaged tin, rubber, aluminum, and other scraps to help the military in the war …
Saturday, February 16, 2013
With a little help, you can use the next five weeks to get your home and garden into shape for spring.
Inspired by this warm snap in the weather, I took to the great outdoors on Thursday. I cleaned up the backyard, a wreck from its winter slumber. Where the little dusting of snow we had gotten was melting, little puddles of mud were forming all around the yard. The kids were outside breathing in the fresh air and naturally, playing in the mud. While the temperatures are supposed to plummet again after this little spring-like break, before we know it, spring will be here for real. There’s just shy of five weeks until spring begins. While the weather may not yet be conducive to planting your garden or mowing the lawn, there are many things you can do right now to gear up for a “green” spring. You can tackle this list by doing one thing each …
Monday, February 4, 2013
Why some classic Valentine's Day gifts are less then perfect when it comes to protecting the environment.
It’s true that flowers and candy top the list of traditional Valentine’s Day gifts. I’ve also heard it said that nothing makes quite as big of an impact as a beautiful piece of jewelry. We’ve all seen countless advertisements on television, especially this time of year. Ads encouraging us to say “I love you” with flowers. Shiny baubles adorn beautiful, smiling models on the television and in magazines, showing us how happy we can make someone special with just the right piece of perfect jewelry. Have you ever stopped for a moment to consider where the flowers and jewelry you are buying coming from? Have you considered what impact their growth, manufacturing, and transport have on the environment? Cut flowers for example, a Valentine’s …
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Participate in one of Gloucester Township's planned MLK Day service activities or create your own.
As you may have heard, Gloucester Township will soon be hosting its second annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, headed up by Gloucester Township Council Vice President Orlando Mercado. The day of service will be held this Monday, Jan. 21, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Here is a list of the planned service projects, according to Gloucester Township's official website: St.Vincent de Paul Society (Food Bank at St. Agnes Church) – Organization, inventory and collection of donations Gloucester Township Senior Campus I – Zumba with the seniors Camden County Animal Shelter – Assist in the care of sheltered animals Cards for Soldiers – Create cards of hope and thanks to send to our brave men and women PB & J Sandwiches for the Cathedral …
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Starting off the new year by answering the 'Going Green' questions I get most often.
It's a new year! Time for a whole new set of green tips and ideas for 2013. People are forever asking me questions about "going green," and for more specific information about several of the topics that I write about. I always welcome and encourage emails posing questions and ideas for future columns. A question I received over the holidays about recycling programs got me thinking: What are the most frequently asked questions about going green? After a little research, I found that, according to Ask.com, the following are some of the most-asked questions pertaining to going green. I decided to take a few of the top user-generated questions and answer them here for you. Why Should I Recycle? There are many advantages to recycling. …
Saturday, December 22, 2012
The best of this year's 'Going Green' tips.
During the course of the year, I've covered many aspects of how you can be more eco-friendly in your daily life. I've talked to you about super simple changes you can make, and I've talked about things that might mean stepping a little outside of your comfort zone. But, I've done it all because I wanted to show you that you can save money, conserve energy, create less waste and reduce the impact that you have on your environment, without having to dramatically overhaul your life. Here are some of our favorite "Going Green" columns from 2012. Way back in March we talked about donating clothing items that that no longer fit, no longer get worn or were just taking up space. Charitable donations are still one of my favorite tips of the year. …
Saturday, December 8, 2012
A round-up of the best, kid-tested, mom approved, do-it-yourself crafts, decorations and gifts for this holiday season.
The holidays are a time of joy, a time of cheer, and, yes, a time for spending lots and lots of money and creating lots of waste. Here's the thing—you don't have to forgo all of your good green intentions just because the holiday season has arrived. There are plenty of ways that you can get crafty and reduce, reuse, recycle and repurpose all winter long. Whether your goal is to save money, cut back on waste or just get your creative juices flowing, I've compiled a list of my absolute favorite holiday DIYs. Whatever your goal, there is something here for everyone. From super easy crafts for the kids, to inexpensive, simple, do-it-yourself holiday gift ideas, these easy holiday tutorials are not to be missed. There’s something here to help…
Saturday, November 24, 2012
How natural ingredients can help ease your aching tummy after holiday overindulgence.
“I can’t believe I ate the whole thing.” It’s been the catch phrase of commercials, and the punch line of jokes, but the phrase holds true, especially at this time of year. With Thanksgiving just behind us, and a whole host of holidays and celebrations on the horizon, now might be the perfect time to offer up some good old-fashioned, all-natural remedies for what ails you. For the tummy troubles that can often follow hearty holiday meals, we’ve got seven tried-and-true, all-natural remedies to keep you feeling fit as a fiddle into the new year. Ginger Remember when you were a kid and your mom would give you ginger ale when you had a belly ache? Well, turns out, mom was right—sort of. Ginger has long been tauted for its health benefits. …
Saturday, November 17, 2012
How you can make a greener Turkey Day feast this year.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner. With all of the food, preparations, packaging and waste, it's easy to see how bad this holiday can be for the environment. So, if you are looking for ways to make the holiday feast a little greener this year, look no further. Here are some tips for a more eco-friendly Turkey Day meal. Forgo the turkey. The most obvious eco-solution is to not buy a turkey at all, and just have a complete vegan or vegetarian meal. But for some, the day just wouldn't be the same without the traditional Thanksgiving symbol of the turkey. The news has been filled in recent years with talk of the environmental impact of eating meat, but if your family, like mine, still enjoys a good Thanksgiving Day bird, you might need to…
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Forget the orange and black, go green with these easy last-minute Halloween costumes.
If you're still scrambling to find a Halloween costume, time is running out. And while orange and black may be the traditional colors of Halloween, this year green is the way to go when it comes to costumes. Here are a few ideas for fun, last-minute costumes that are eco-friendly and wallet-friendly, too. Always start with items you have around the house. A plain white bedsheet and a pair of scissors are all you need for the Halloween classic ghost costume. Too generic? Check out the kid's room. If your child is involved in a sport or activity such as football or cheerleading, their uniform can double as a Halloween costume. If that's not enough of a stretch for them, a little makeup can help you along. You can turn them into a "zombie" …
Tara Feeley
7:04 pm on Monday, March 4, 2013
yea charles you are exactly right. stand in line and get your obama phone and CFL's. more ›