Being green doesn't have to be hard and it doesn't mean you need to go crazy and do it all. If we all just did what we could, no matter how small, to better ourselves and the plant, the world would be a healthier place.
Recycling hasn't been an option here in CA for along time. When the garbage company delivered the separate can's I began recycling more. Before that I use to recycle my bottles and cans to grab a bit of extra cash but when the cans were delivered I had to do a bit more.
This past couple of years, since I moved back to CA and am not working I have been consciously working at being more green and more healthy. I'm not fanatical, I do more than some but less than others. You don't have to do everything I do but maybe you will find something easy you can do to help the world be a better place for us all.
Check out my posts under the label "Be Green" for additional things I do to be green. Below are the things I do now.
Basics everyone should be doing:
- Green garbage can: All yard clippings and green waste
- Brown garbage can: Recyclables (bottles, cans, plastic containers, etc.) San Ramon, CA list
- Toxic materials: Save in a container in the garage and when I get enough I drop them off at the toxic recyclers in Martinez, CA or when my local community has a drop site: Batteries, CFL bulbs, paint, chemicals, etc.
- Heater set at 66 (1 degree cuts fuel by 10%). Heating set to 65 during day and 66 in morning and evenings. (68 is considered good)
- Air Conditioner set at 78 or no air if not too hot. Use ceiling fans instead.
- Turn off all lights, tv when not in room
- Unplugged all things that are not used daily
- 2 new power plugs (computer and TV)
- Line dry my nice clothes (over tub)
- Reuse printer paper. The back is scratch paper or print on the back side. Once used up twice I can then put it in the recycle bin or shred it and put it in the compost pile.
- No more plastic water bottles. Purchase a resuable glass or stainless steel bottle.
- Fabric softeners cut in ½, don’t use on towels
- Make my own All Purpose cleaner and window cleaner– no more toxic chemicals or aerosol cans
- No more grocery bags, purchased resuable bags.
- No more veggie bags, purchased resuable bags.
- Purchased a replaceable blade razor vs disposable
- New Dyson vacuum: No more vacuum bags or belts
- New steamer floor mop (water only), no more harsh chemicals.
- Reduce aerosols cans from home. Still using Pledge but I'm told it comes in a pump and my husband uses Barbasol shave cream.
- Reduce processed or packaged food items (make your own BBQ sauce, taco seasoning, sloppy joe seasoning, breadcrumbs, salad dressing, pasta sauce, jams, relish, citrus zests, hummus, pita chips, spanish rice, granola bars, etc.)
- Make liqueurs (apricot, pear, pear/apple, kahula, bacon vodka, jalapeno vodka, jalapeno tequila and ginger liqueur)
- Installed Carbon monoxide detector to help keep air in home clean
- Purchasing organic foods when ever possible or practical
- Planted first garden in 2010.
- Sun Tea: To use less gas.
- Soda Water: I make my own carbonated water, no more cans or bottles
- Plastics: Don't use plastics with a 3 or 7. Often have a hormone disrupting chemical Bisphenol A.
- Switched to soy candles
- Replaced light bulbs in kitchen with LED bulbs.
- Planted more herbs
- Can: Fruits, pickles, jams, etc.
- Use coconut oil to save legs vs. canned shaving cream. Leaves legs soft and moist. 2013
- Replace light bulbs with CFL bulbs or LED bulbs preferable.
- Expand garden in 2014 (more veggies & fruit trees)
- Can: pasta sauce, etc
- Food Scraps: I have a crock on my counter that I put food scraps and coffee grounds in. I then empty this into my compost bin. I'm not yet good at composting. I forget to water it, I sometimes don't have any green or brown to add but what I have in it allows me to compost my food scraps. It doesn't smell and although I'm not actually creating compost yet maybe in the years to come I'll have a pound or two to add. Fall is a good time to collect those brown leaves for your compost or put them on your garden bed and turn them into the soil when it's time to plant. If you have too many leaves bag them and keep them for the brown needed during the summer months. I can now actually add food scraps to my green bin but for now I'll keep doing what I'm doing since I have the space. For information on composting, click here.
- Put a bucket in the shower to catch water until it warms up
Gift Wrap Ideas:
- Use fabric for ribbon and the reciepient can then reuse it.
- Paper: Use regular wrapping paper, old maps, newspaper funnies or a specific section related to the gift or butcher paper vs foil paper.
- Make the wrap part of the gift by using a scarf, dollar bills taped together,
- Reuse last years cards to make gift tags or to decorate a grocery bag or butcher paper wrapped gifts.
- Recycle all used paper and boxes. You must toss metalic ribbon or paper so don't use it.
- Reuse baskets or boxes.
- Bubble wrap and peanuts: trash or take to a packaging store to see if they will recycle it.
- Decorate paper with crayon or paint. Trim with pinecones, dried flowers, cotton yarn, twine, shoelaces or hair ribbon.
- Community Recycling events: TV's, computers, etc. that can't be donated or tossed. They will provide you a list of what they take.
- Household items or Clothing I no longer want: Donate. I either take it to a local shop or sit it out front for one of the charity truck pick ups that come by.
- Cell Phones: There are origination's like the battered women's shelters that take these. The Environmental Protection Agency's Plug-In to eCycling program
- Printer Ink Cartridges: Empty cartridges can be recycled at Staples (10/month) for $2 rewards or at Office Depot (20/mo) for $3 rewards if you belong to their club.
- Eye Glasses: Lions Clubs will take old or unwanted eyeglasses.
- Mismatched or Single shoes: Amputee Coalition will accept your mismatched and single shoes in good condition.
- Business Suits: Dress For Success will take your unwanted men's and women's business suits to give to those looking for a job.
- Unwanted Furnature: Donation Town will find someone to pick up your unwanted furnature for free.
- Furnature: Habitat will re-sell furniture and appliance to fund Habitat for Humanity housing construction.
- Home or Business Items: Excell Access will accept items from your home or business and give you a tax deductible receipt.
- Drugs: Check your local sheriff or police stations, like San Ramon Police Dept on 2401 Crow Canyon Rd.
Below are some specific items and where you can bring them to be recycled:
Batteries
- Best Buy drop off
- San Ramon public library
- Danville Longs Drugs 650 San Ramon Valley Blvd.
- Danville Music 3 Railroad Ave.
- Radio Shack 4808 San Ramon Valley Blvd.
- Walgreen's 611 San Ramon Valley Blvd.
- San Ramon Longs Drugs 2455 San Ramon Valley Rd.
Computers: Earth911
Printers, Floppy Disks and Other Tech Accessories: Green Disk
Cameras, Cell Phones, Laptops, PDA's: Recycling for Charities
Electronics: My Green Electronics, Electronic Industries Alliance's Consumer Education Initiative
Business Clothing: Dress for Success
Shoes: Nike Reuse-a-Shoe, Soles 4 Souls
Glasses: One Sight
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