A few months ago I watched the documentary Tapped, a film that examines how the entire bottled water industry works and discloses the major role it has played in the depletion of our environment, the increase of pollution and our reliance on oil. It also spotlights the industry’s less-than-ethical business practices and how these practices have affected the health of countless people. I think we can all say we know at least the basics of why it is important to think green and to be less wasteful in our every day lives, we have been seeing the statistics and hearing about the harm waste causes for years now. Reading this information and being told that we should go green is one thing, but when you see the entire industry laid out in front of you from manufacturing plant-to-landfill and the compounded effects, it is extraordinarily powerful.

Everyone relies on water to stay alive and we all want to make sure we’re drinking the cleanest, safest water available to us. That fact in itself is what drives a lot of people to purchase bottled water as much as they do, often believing that it is the purest water that they can get. There are other options; other options that don’t have such a negative impact on the environment.

The Hydros Bottle is one of those options, and it is a really awesome creation. This bottle has a built-in, Hydros Fast Flow Filter that reduces chlorine, chloramine and particulates from tap water much faster than pitcher water filters. It ensures that any tap water you pour into the cap will fill the bottle with only pure, filtered water. You can then take your bottle with you on the go, filling that need for convenience that we all have when we’re running out the door to the gym, going out jogging, or while running errands.

I especially love that the Hydros Bottle is super durable and therefore able to withstand tumbles and repeated falls. What can I say, I am not always the most graceful person. It is constructed from Tritan Plastic which is a tough material and it is also heat and chemical resistant, so feel free to pop it in the top rack of your dishwasher without worrying it is going to be ruined by the time to the cycle is finished. It is also manufactured without BPA or phthalates, which is not something that the companies who manufacture bottled water can say about their disposable bottles.

I absolutely love companies that have an impact on the bigger picture, striving to create fundamental, lasting change in the world, and that is exactly what Hydros is doing. Operation Hydros is the fight against the global water crisis. Out of every Hydros Bottle sold, $1 is donated to an environmentally sustainable water infrastructure project. Hydros recently partnered with Engineers Without Borders in order to deliver fresh water to people within the Cameroonian village of Gundom where two thousand gallons of fresh water is delivered to people who desperately need it.

There is a much steeper cost to bottled water than the price tag you see listed below it at the store. Help make a difference by filtering your own tap water and carrying around your own, reusable water bottle. Not to mention, the Hydros Bottles look really cool and they come in a variety of colors. Can you say that much about your disposable plastic water bottle?

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This year, when it’s time for cleanup, instead of throwing all of the paper remains in a trash bag, recycle what is salvageable and store it away for the years to come. It’s not only the eco-conscious thing to do, but you’ll also save money in the process.

Gift wrap can cost an average of $2 per present and even more if you’re wrapping your gifts in boxes and bags and decorating with assorted holiday ribbons. Keep that money in your pocket by saving nice wrapping paper and ribbons; you can even iron the creases out of the paper to return it to its original flatness. You can also cut ripped paper from larger gifts down to size for wrapping smaller gifts.

If you don’t have the storage space to keep all of your holiday boxes and bags, try listing them on Craigslist or your local FreeCycle group for someone else to use. If no one grabs up your free wrapping goodies, you can also recycle these items, as long as they are not laminated, metallic, or have a bunch of tape stuck to them. Unfortunately, ribbon is not recyclable, so be sure to have a small box set aside to store your old ribbon for reuse.

Happy gift wrapping, recycling, and reusing!

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This giveaway is now closed.

We hear a whole lot from companies about going green, the importance of helping the environment and giving back to the communities around us, but few companies go as far and beyond to reduce, reuse, recycle and sustain than Tom’s of Maine. For over 40 years, Tom’s of Maine has been committed to supporting people, communities and the planet by donating 10% of their pre-tax profits to charitable organizations that support the environment, human needs, the arts and education. They also encourage their employees to use 5% of their paid time (12 days) volunteering at nonprofit organizations they personally believe in.

We have been very fortunate to be given the opportunity to try two new products from Tom’s of Maine–their Wicked Fresh! Long-Lasting Fresh Breath Toothpaste and Wicked Fresh! Mouthwash. Both products are cruelty-free as Tom’s of Maine does not test their products on animals or use products from animals. There are no artificial colors, flavors, fragrances, or preservatives in these (or any) Tom’s of Maine products, and they are also committed to sustainable business practices and strive to maximize recycled content and recyclability of their packaging. Also, something I find to be super awesome, is that you can see every ingredient used in their products, its purpose, and its source by visiting their website.

To put it pretty bluntly, I am an awesome candidate to try oral care products. I have very sensitive oral hygiene needs and a fair amount of products I have used in the past have proven to be way too abrasive to use as directed. My family has a very long history of unfortunate dental problems and I have always had a tremendous amount of problems with my teeth, which has lead me to having Chronic Periodontitis, an inflammatory disease that affects the tissues that surround and support the teeth. This disease includes having frequent abscesses so to put it mildly, it can become extremely painful; not to mention, it makes your teeth and gums incredibly sensitive. Most toothpastes and mouthwashes contain chemicals and alcohol that feel as if your mouth is burning; this feeling is almost pleasant for most people, something that makes them sure that their mouth is clean and that their products are working. For someone with a chronic oral inflammatory disease however, this can feel like self-induced torture that can very well lead to jumping up and down in front of the bathroom sink with the toothbrush hanging out of your mouth yelling, “Why did I just do that and why is this toothpaste trying to kill me!?”

So I tried Tom’s of Maine’s Wicked Fresh! products.

 I received the Tom’s of Maine Long-Lasting Fresh Breath Toothpaste in cool peppermint and the Wicked Fresh! Mouthwash in cool mountain mint flavor. Both of the products taste pleasant, cool and refreshing and neither are as abrasive as any other products I have personally used. They were both comfortable and easy for me to use, considering the sensitivity issues I have with most products. Powerful natural flavor oils and a patent-pending botanical extract are used to provide long-lasting fresh breath and both of the products succeed in doing just that. The Wicked Fresh! Mouthwash is a little more abrasive than the toothpaste, but it does not come close to comparing to the sensations I have felt from the other three mouthwashes hanging out on my bathroom sink. Yes, three; what can I say, I’m extremely picky.

I’ve been using the Wicked Fresh! products four times a day for a little over a week now and honestly, I’ll be buying them again and again from now on. They are the most comfortable and effective oral hygiene products I have been fortunate enough to be introduced to and they greatly succeed in what they claim to do–give you fresh breath and a clean mouth without the burn.

Tom’s of Maine Wicked Fresh! Giveaways

As I mentioned earlier in this post, Tom’s of Maine is all about giving back and they are doing it in a pretty big, awesome way to celebrate their Wicked Fresh! products. By visiting their That’s Wicked Fresh contest page and tweeting a personal Wicked Fresh! moment, experience, or discovery, you could win a $500 Target gift card and other Wicked Fresh! prizes!

Tom’s of Maine has also given Woman Tribune the opportunity to host our own Wicked Fresh! giveaway! One lucky Woman Tribune reader will win a $50 or $100 Target gift card.

Required Entry

To win a $50 or $100 Target gift card, all you have to do is leave a comment telling us about your most memorable Wicked Fresh! moment.

Extra Entries

Leave a comment for each additional entry.

• Follow @TomsofMaine on Twitter
• “Like” Tom’s of Maine on Facebook

This giveaway ends Monday, December 20th at 11:59pm ET. This giveaway is open to all U.S. residents over the age of 18 at the time of entry. The winner will be chosen via random.org and contacted by email; they then have 48 hours (2 days) to respond to that email or another winner will be chosen.

Good luck!

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Disposable products like water bottles, coffee cups and food containers have become staples in the every day lives of families everywhere. Unfortunately, something that may seem super convenient, like walking into a store and purchasing a bottle of water, getting a cup of coffee at your local cafe, or ordering take out, has a pretty negative impact on your finances, not to mention the environment.

In recent years we’ve heard a lot of talk about the importance of living a little greener and we’ve seen a lot of families take the initiative to reduce, reuse and recycle when they can, but there’s still a lot more that we can collectively be doing every day to minimize the amount of waste we produce. Aladdin, creators of reusable and portable travel coffee mugs, water bottles and food containers, have created an awesome way to inspire more people to do away with their frequently used disposable products with the Do The Reuse Challenge.

Do The Reuse Challenge asks people everywhere to make a commitment to give up their disposable paper cups, water bottles and/or food containers for 30 days. A whole month of giving up one or all of these disposable products may seem like a bit much, especially if you have a routine where you stop at the same cafe every day for your morning cup of coffee or order from the same restaurant every day for your lunch break, but it’s such a small amount of time and it will make a significant impact on your wallet and the environment, which is a win/win all around.

The impact just one person can make by reusing is beyond substantial; I was beyond surprised by the statistics I read about how much really goes in to these disposable products and how much we, as an entire country, use them. In the United States, 50 billion disposable water bottles are consumed per year; that’s 137,000 every single day that are clogging up landfills. When you purchase your morning coffee from a cafe every day it will cost about $636, but if you brew your own at home, it will only wind up costing you about $165 a year; that is such a tremendous savings alone!

What I like most about Aladdin’s Do The Reuse Challenge is that there are nine families who have agreed to take this challenge head-on and also blog all about their experience, the impact they’re having on the environment, how much money they’re saving and how their lives are changing overall. These are just regular, every day people who have signed on to make an impact in the world and for their families and I really like how Aladdin is making it their mission to spread the word and also prove through these people that the importance of recycling and sustaining isn’t just liberal propaganda.

I drink a ton of coffee and really love being able to bring it with me when I have to run out instead of picking up a coffee at a local cafe or chain coffee shop where I’ll be left with a disposable paper cup. For over a year now I have had but one good reusable travel coffee mug and it was getting pretty worn out, so you can just imagine my excitement when I was sent the Transform Recycled & Recyclable travel coffee mug from Aladdin.

This travel coffee mug is made from recycled plastics–97% recycled food grade polypropylene containing 25% post consumer content–and it is also recyclable wherever plastic is collected. The mug is super high quality, soft and really stylish. It’s green and I love the color green, so that gave me a little thrill and the clasp on the top makes it so you can completely close the mug so if you’re driving with it, you can put it safely in the car cup and not have to worry about anything spilling out of it. On the side of the Transform travel coffee mug is the text and logo from the Do the Reuse Challenge, but it isn’t totally obstructive; it’s done stylishly and with just enough of a ‘I have a message to spread’ attitude. At $9.99 I don’t see how you cannot want one of these mugs; in fact, I have seen many places sell travel coffee mugs that aren’t as high quality as this for a much higher price.

Will you take Aladdin up on their challenge to ditch your disposables for 30 days (or more)? Check out the Do The Reuse Challenge and sign up for the challenge you think could benefit your family the most. Also, check out Aladdin on Facebook to stay up to date with eco-consciousness in the news around the country, as well as how people are being impacted by this challenge. If you’re thinking about hopping on board with this challenge, you may also want to check out Aladdin’s selection of reusable food containers, travel mugs, water bottles and more. Not only are they reusable, they’re also really stylish!

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Right before Earth Day, I gave you a heads up about Cascadian Farm and their commitment to help families implement eco-friendly tips into their every day lifestyles. To make it a fun, easy and interactive experience, they have set up a Facebook application, Live Green Together.

Live Green Together is not only inspiring people to green their lifestyles; they have also pledged to donate $1 for every person that signs their Live Green Together pledge to the Organic Farming Research Foundation. They will be donating $20,000 to the Organic Farming Research Foundation minimum and with your pledges, you can shoot that amount right up to $40,000. Cascadian Farm is leaving pledges open until May 31st, 2010, so go sign your own eco-living pledge now!

To help spread the word about this awesome initiative to create a cycle of positive change towards a more sustainable future, I was given the opportunity to try out some Cascadian Farm products, thanks to MyBlogSpark.

I was able to try two boxes of Cascadian Farm cereal–Fruitful O’s and Cinnamon Crunch, two boxes of granola–oats and honey and dark chocolate almond, and two boxes of chewy granola bars–chocolate chip and dark chocolate almond. Also inside the package was a handy reusable green tote bag that was able to fit all of the Cascadian Farm products, as well as other bags of cereal and miscellaneous junk food inside it.

When you live in an apartment, you soon realize how valuable tote bags can be. They can be hung up in a pantry or kitchen closet to keep clutter out of your extremely cramped kitchen space, which is what I love using them for. They can also be taken with you out on errands, used to store small snack items and toys for your children and you can also fill them up with snacks, sunblock and other beach items for a day out at the beach or to your local public pool. Of course, you can also take them grocery shopping to store produce or if you’re just picking up a few things so you don’t waste plastic or paper grocery bags.

I was completely blown away by the taste, quality and health factors contained in Cascadian Farm products. Sadly, Fruitful O’s cereal did not go over too well with anyone in our family, but they more than made up for it in every other product I was able to try.

The Cinnamon Crunch cereal tasted exactly like the non-organic version of the cereal I remember from as far back as childhood. In fact, I couldn’t believe how similar it tasted.

I have always been a big granola fan, so being given the opportunity to try Cascadian Farm brand granola was a huge treat, especially considering how much I loved it. The oats and honey granola was very plain, but not so plain that it didn’t have a taste. It was sweet and you could taste honey in every bite of it. It would make a fantastic yogurt granola for breakfast, lunch or a small snack at any time of the day. But what’s my favorite?

I went absolutely crazy about the dark chocolate almond granola. This granola is absolutely amazing. At first I just tried it straight out of the box, which gave me a great snack and for the next few days, I woke up each morning and ate it for breakfast in a bowl with some milk. Either way, it is delicious and if you like granola, you need to try it. I loved it so much that I boasted about it on Twitter while eating it and even asked Cascadian Farm to marry me. And no, I do not think I was overreacting or exaggerating one bit, thank you!

The chewy granola bars were also a great big hit in our house and I would have taken a proper picture of those as well, but they ended up disappearing astonishingly fast. Needless to say, Cascadian Farm went over big in our household and in just a few days, everything was eaten up and for the record, we plan on buying Cascadian Farm products in the future–a lot.

Sick of hearing me talk about how awesome Cascadian Farm cereal, granola and chewy granola bars are? Okay, how about I give you a chance to win all of the products I’ve been talking about? Yeah, I thought you may like that!

Cascadian Farms Live Green Together Giveaway

This awesome prize pack of Cascadian Farm goodies includes one box of Fruitful O’s cereal, Cinnamon Crunch cereal, oats and honey granola, dark chocolate almond granola, dark chocolate almond chewy granola bars, chocolate chip chewy granola bars and a handy reusable green tote bag!

To win the Cascadian Farm Live Green Together prize pack, all you have to do is leave a comment telling us what eco-friendly tip you are implementing into your lifestyle. [REQUIRED]

Additional Entries: [Leave a separate comment for each additional entry.]

• Go to Cascadian Farm’s Live Green Together Facebook app and make an eco-living pledge. Leave a comment telling us what eco-living pledge you made.
• Become a fan of Cascadian Farm on Facebook
• Subscribe to Woman Tribune
• Follow Woman Tribune on Twitter
• Become a fan of Woman Tribune on Facebook
• Tweet about this giveaway. Feel free to use the following tweet or write your own. [Can be done once per day.]
  

  Win a Cascadian Farm prize pack full of goodies from @WomanTribune: http://tinyurl.com/29l7to4 ends 5/10

• Blog about this giveaway with a link to this giveaway post and the Cascadian Farm Live Green Together Facebook app.

This giveaway ends Monday, May 10th at 11:59PM EST. This giveaway is open to all US residents over the age of 18. The winner will be contacted by email and has 48 hours (2 days) to respond with their mailing address. If I don’t hear back from the winner within that time, another winner will be picked.

Full Contest Disclaimer

Disclosure: I was given the opportunity to spread the word about Cascadian Farm’s Live Green Together initiative from MyBlogSpark. For this post, the factual information, prize pack and giveaway have all been provided by Cascadian Farm through MyBlogSpark. All opinions throughout this post are 100% mine.

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I found out about a really great thing Cascadian Farm is doing through MyBlogSpark. They have created a Facebook application for people to make a pledge to implement eco-friendly tips into their every day lifestyles. From now until May 31st, 2010, for every pledge you make their Facebook application, Cascadian Farm will donate $1 to the Organic Farming Research Foundation, with a minimum of $20,000 and a maximum donation of $40,000.

Because everyone’s lifestyles are different, Cascadian Farm has included several different eco-friendly tips and many of them apply to pretty much anyone and know that your pledge will benefit a truly worthwhile cause that will help to create a cycle of positive change towards a more sustainable future, not just for your generation, but for your children’s, grandchildren’s and so on.

Some of the eco-friendly tips include simply slowing down while driving on a highway from 75mph to 55mph, which can improve your fuel economy by 15%, practicing efficient food planning by checking your fridge before going grocery shopping, since more than 25% of prepared food is thrown away in the US and unplugging your electronics when you aren’t using them.

Not only will a great deal of the eco-friendly tip pledges create positive change we need, as human beings on this planet; they will also save you a pretty penny on your monthly bills which I think we can all agree is pretty positive change our bank accounts need!

Head on over to the Cascadian Farm Facebook application and pledge to implement some eco-friendly tips into your own lifestyle and be a driving force in sustaining our planet and feel good in knowing that you are doing something positive and amazing this Earth Day!

Disclosure: I was given the opportunity to spread the word about Cascadian Farm from MyBlogSpark. For this post, I received the factual information on the Cascadian Farm Facebook application and their commitment to helping people implement eco-friendly tips into their own lifestyles while donating to the Organic Farming Research Foundation. All opinions throughout this post are 100% mine.

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As a child, I was horribly allergic to a number of laundry detergents. Every laundry detergent my parents would switch to would end up causing the same reaction with my skin–I would break out in horrendous rashes that would itch like crazy so I’d of course scratch, being a child who didn’t know better, which would then result in more irritation and even bleeding and scarring. It was not a pretty picture in the least. Coming from a family who all have their own skin issues, it wasn’t really a surprise to find out that I had (and still have) very sensitive skin and cannot come into contact with most conventional laundry detergents.

Back in the day, you couldn’t find eco detergents; they just weren’t readily available, but luckily, enough people have hopped on the green wagon for companies to pay attention and to start offering more eco detergent options.

Every year in the US alone, more than 25,000 children have accidents involving chlorine bleach and the fragrances and ammonia in conventional detergents trigger allergies, asthma and severely irritate sensitive skin, just like mine! Eco detergents, of course, also help out our environments. Typical laundry detergents contain phosphates and they usually end up in our rives and lakes, causing harm to aquatic life which is really sad and unnecessary.

Try These Eco Detergents:

Method Baby Laundry Detergent: Coconut oil-based, biodegradable soap; triple concentrate means you need less. — $12.99/32 loads

Maggie’s Soap Nuts: Made from dried fruit nuts of the Chinese Soapberry tree; biodegradable, hypoallergenic; natural fabric softener. — $9.99/36 loads

Seventh Generation 2x Liquid Laundry Detergent: Concentrated and biodegradable liquid; Kosher certified; not tested on animals; available in Blue Eucalyptus & Lavender, White Flower & Bergamot Citrus and Free & Clear (unscented). — $30/pack of two 50oz bottles

Mrs. Meyers’ Clean Day Baby Blossom Dryer Sheets: Vegetable-based softener, biodegradable paper sheets — $12/80 sheets

Try This Eco Laundry Tip:

Instead of fabric softener, use half a cup of baking soda or white vinegar in the rinse cycle. You can also use a half a cup of baking soda (plus detergent) in the wash to brighten and whiten your clothes; works especially well for all those really old and ratty t-shirts and night shirts you refuse to throw away; this way you can give them some new life.

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Organic sugar has many benefits:

• Organic sugar doesn’t have any harsh side effects on the planet. A potent herbicide commonly used on sugarcane crops is Paraquat. While it is still legal for restricted use in the United States, it has been banned by the European Union since 2007.

• Organic sugar contains no harsh chemicals; for instance, it is completely free of ingredients like sucralose, which is made with chlorine and has been linked to digestive issues.

• Organic sugar is less processed than conventional sugar and it retains more moisture and molasses for a nice caramel-like taste.

Great organic-conscious companies you can trust:

• Wholesome Sweeteners organic sugar

• Domino organic sugar

• Zsweet all natural, zero calorie sweetener

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So while most pest control services are still turning a blind eye to going green, there is one company that has the same go-green mindset as you and your family and use that mindset for their pest control. They are available in many locations where their services are needed most.

Alpha Ecological cares about the environment and they care about the products that they use in your home, workplace and other areas where their services are needed. For more than 20 years, they been ridding pests from areas where you don’t want to see them and they are using a more sophisticated and scientific approach than other, traditional exterminators; they take advantage of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). They use green pest control solutions to eliminate pests and also reduce your exposure to pest control products; they correct conducive conditions, mechanical or pesticide-free items such as traps and general pest-proofing materials such as screens, caulking and door sweeps.

Alpha Ecological most definitely stands on their own when it comes to effectively integrating IPM into the lives of their customers and provide their customers with the highest level of service quality and care. Their services are available in several locations, including:

• Portland, Oregon
• Medford, Oregon
• Eugene, Oregon
• Bend, Oregon
• Salem, Oregon
• Seattle, Washington
• Tacoma, Washington
• Vancouver, Washington
• Olympia, Washington
• Boise, Idaho
• Denver, Colorado
• Phoenix, Arizona
• Tucson, Arizona
• Dallas, Texas

So what’s bugging you? If you come across a pest that you don’t know of or can’t identify, Alpha Ecological’s website contains a full pest library to help you identify the exact pest that is bugging you and your family.

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Organic juice boxes do a children’s body good, just a six ounce organic juice box equals one daily serving of fruit for kids from one to six years old. Organic juice boxes are definitely much better than conventional fakes that are often marketed to you and your kids, so it’s definitely worth looking into them! Juice boxes are also 100% recyclable, so don’t forget to recycle!

There are a lot of organic juice boxes to choose from, but two brands to get you started are R.W. Knudsen and Apple & Eve.

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There are ten easy steps we can take to make our planet a little healthier.

Education
We all know that knowledge is power and when you have all of the facts about what poor shape Mother Nature is in and the threat global warming has over all of us, you have a deeper understanding of what you need to do in order to do your part to help.

Create Awareness
Now that you have spent some time (or a lot of time) researching the facts of global warming, energy consumption, pollution, and everything else that has had an impact on the planet, it is time to spread the knowledge you’ve acquired. Tell friends, family members, and even complete strangers about what you know to be the truth about this global epidemic and they will follow suit with their concern and spread the word.

Recycle
Recycling is one of the best (and easiest) ways to do your part in helping the planet. Recycling reduces the amount of garbage that winds up in landfills, reduces carbon emissions by reducing manufacturing and transportation emissions and allows our planet’s natural resources to be more evenly distributed among everyone in the world.

Politics are Key
We need our government to get behind going green. By getting involved in politics, you can see first hand who the people working for you are and if they share your sentiments about going green. It is very important to vote; vote for politicians who share the same values as you do and don’t be fooled–Voting is important and every vote counts. Voting is what we have to make our voices heard and by voting, you are screaming from the rooftops that you care about the green movement and it is a requirement for our elected officials to feel the same way.

Get Your Bicycle Out
Carbon emissions from vehicles are one of the leading causes of global warming. By driving less, you are not only helping the environment, but it also saves you money and improves your health because if you are not driving a vehicle, you can try walking, bicycling, using public transportation, and carpooling.

Turn Off & Unplug Your Appliances
When your appliances, such as your lights, computers, televisions, toasters, microwaves, coffee pots, etc. are not in use, turn them off and unplug them. When your appliances are left on and plugged in, they are still emitting electricity which also makes your electric bill skyrocket.

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Electrolux and eco-mom Kelly Ripa have teamed up to introduce an eco-friendly front-load washer and dryer in a new, limited edition shade just in time for Earth day, inspired by the great outdoors and Kelly Ripa herself–”Kelly Green.”

In celebration of Earth day, Electrolux is not only rolling out this new shade, but they have also kicked off their virtual flower garden campaign to drive awareness and raise funds for Global Green USA. Go to electroluxappliances.com and plant a virtual flower for a friend; for every flower that is planed, Electrolux will donate $1 to Global Green USA to support their green school initiatives across the country. Not only will you be helping Electrolux help Global Green USA, but for every person who plans a virtual flower will also be automatically entered for a chance to win a new eco-friendly Kelly Green front-load washer and dryer!

Mom Central is also running a giveaway, giving members of their community the chance to win a Kelly Green washer and dryer. To win the Electrolux washer and dryer from Mom Central, visit their website, tell them what flower you planed on Electrolux’s website, and share one of your own laundry tips for saving time and energy. Mom Central will pick one lucky winner in a random drawing from all entries received.

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Another great way to cut back on the amount of waste that ends up in our landfills and not only that, but also help a great amount of people in need is to donate your old glasses. Your old, out of date, mildly misshapen frames can be donated to people who can’t afford or who would otherwise not be able to see their best—Because of you and your donations, you will be giving people the gift of sight.

You can donate your old glasses at most local eye facilities–Drop off old prescription or nonprescription glasses at your local Lions Club, LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Sears, Target, or BJ’s Optical store. You can also mail in your old glasses.

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In some places, throwing out your mattress is illegal requiring people to donate their mattresses where recyclers can separate the fiber, foam, steel, and wood for remanufacturing and can make new mattresses.

There are a few options for you if you’re looking to get rid of a mattress. You can either donate it to either a crisis center, halfway house, Craig’s List or Freecycle. Make sure you clean your mattress before donating it! For instructions on how to properly clean a mattress, check out Instructables.

To recycle your old mattress, go to Earth 911, type in “mattress” in the start recycling “what do you have?” field and your zip code in the “where are you?” field for a recycling drop off sight near you.

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Produce, as many may know, contains a great deal of pesticides if not grown organically and more than 80% of the most common pesticides are potentially carcinogenic, meaning that they contain an agent directly involved in the promotion of cancer or in the increase of its propagation. Scary, right? I know! Luckily, the Environmental Working Group has put together a downloadable wallet guide containing the worst and best produce, in terms of pesticide levels.

For your immediate attention, here is a list of the top 10 produce you should most definitely be buying organic, every time.

1. Peaches – pesticide load: 100
2. Apples – pesticide load: 96
3. Bell Peppers – pesticide load: 86
4. Celery – pesticide load: 85
5. Nectarines – pesticide load: 84
6. Strawberries – pesticide load: 83
7. Cherries – pesticide load: 75
8. Lettuce – pesticide load: 69
9. Grapes (imported) – pesticide load: 68
10. Pears – pesticide load: 65

But can’t you just wash or peel your produce to get rid of pesticides?

While you may think that washing or peeling your produce can effectively remove pesticides from your food, the truth is that while these tactics may reduce levels of some pesticides, it does not eliminate them. The best option is to eat a varied diet, wash all produce, and choose organic when possible to reduce exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.

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This challenge focuses on every day items that we use and then mindlessly throw in the garbage. Every week when we take out or garbage, it is picked up by the garbage truck and hauled off to a landfill or whatever method your community uses to get rid of its population’s trash. As we all are aware of, the Earth needs our help as global warming is upon us and our Earth is suffocating, shriveling up and dying at rapid speeds. It will continue to do this is we, the people of this planet, do not make conscious efforts each and every day to reduce the amount of waste we put out there.

Think of the every day items you use that you could easily do away with and start using the reusable alternatives. You could ditch your paper napkins and towels to cloth napkins and towels, tissues to handkerchiefs, disposable water bottles (think of how much bottled water a household or person can go through) for reusable bottles or cups with lids; on that same note, you can reuse the same water bottle, thus eliminating the amount of your waste long-term. You could also ditch your plastic sandwich bags and paper bags for reusable containers and bags. If you’re using disposable diapers you could switch to cloth diapers; a lot of different companies have started making excellent cloth diapers.

Another great reusable alternative women should seek out are reusable menstrual products. I have personally done away with disposable pads and tampons and started using reusable products. The reason for this is because I have had minor kidney infections that have caused frequent urinary tract and yeast infections. All the women out there know that this is not fun! After doing some research on minor things I should be doing to keep my reproductive organs the healthiest they can be I found some very troubling information about disposable menstrual products. Standard pads and tampons (made by men, I should point out) contain synthetic fibers and bleach, both of which can cause infections. I then did some research on reusable alternatives and found quite a few great alternatives. For women who use pads, I could not recommend Lunapads enough. I have been using their pads for about a year now and couldn’t be happier. They are made with fleece and cotton, they use cute fabrics so even while you have your period you can feel cute and match your outfit with your pad and they are oh so comfortable. Just a simple machine wash (or hand wash, I hand wash mine and have found it to be a great way to bond with my body during my menstrual cycle and further understand the functions of my body) and an air dry and they’re ready to go again! Lunapads also makes the Diva Cup, a reusable tampon alternative. Other pad and tampon alternatives you could check out are The Keeper and The Moon Cup, Glad Rags, Pretty Pads and New Moon Pads.

So what disposables do you think you could live without for the next two months? Have you already eliminated disposables from your household? Tell us about them!

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Their eco-friendly packaging will not only cut back on resources and materials used to package milk, but more milk–9% more, in fact or 384 more jugs of milk per truck, will be able to be accommodated in shipping, cutting back on fuel used in trucks to drive the milk to its destination. Sam’s Club, and any other store that begins stocking these jugs of milk, can also fit more milk into the cooler with a casing that is more compact.

Not only does this change benefit the Earth, it will also benefit Sam’s Club customers. Sam’s Club estimates that this new packaging will save their customers between 10 to 20 cents per jug of milk and if you buy milk as often or in large quantities, as many people with children always find themselves doing, the savings of 10 to 20 cents is going to save you quite a bit in the long run; approximately $1 for every 5 jugs of milk you buy.

While I am not a Sam’s Club shopper, I haven’t come across the new milk jug design in order to try it out for myself, but an article on this topic from The New York Times comments on what I first thought upon looking at the new casing–Spillage.

The jugs have no real spout, and their unorthodox shape makes consumers feel like novices at the simple task of pouring a glass of milk.

“I hate it,” said Lisa DeHoff, a cafe owner shopping in a Sam’s Club here.

“It spills everywhere,” said Amy Wise, a homemaker.

“It’s very hard for kids to pour,” said Lee Morris, who was shopping for her grandchildren.

While Sam’s Club new case-less milk may be great for the environment, the consensus seems to be that adults as well as children cannot pour the milk without making a huge mess. Because of this, Sam’s Club is offering–get this–milk pouring classes. Just when you thought you knew it all, a huge grocery chain convinces you that you do not and in fact, the simplest of things, like pouring milk, may require classes. But if you need a class on how to pour milk, how many people are really going to be ecstatic about buying these jugs? If you’re spilling more than you’re getting in your glass or cereal bowl, how much of a savings are you really getting, when every time you go to pour it, you’re wasting a good amount?

I suppose we can all be the judge. If anyone has ever bought these jugs, tell us if they’re more convenient for your household and your wallet or if Sam’s Club landed on a flop, rather than an environmentally friendly way to package standard household items.

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Companies want you to buy organically–Food, bath and body products, laundry detergents and so on, but when I got down to thinking, one place where you should most definitely be letting your eco-friendliness shine is when you’re using your green thumb.

Don’t let your plants and flowers soak up all the green in your garden. Many gardeners don’t realize simply how ironic it is that you’re growing green but you’re not necessarily going green when it comes to most small gardens and one of the most controversial elements when it comes to your garden are the products you are using to help keep your garden beautiful. One of the biggest things that can keep your garden from looking it’s best are weeds and instead of spending an entire day pulling weeds out by hand when you can be tending to the other aspects of your garden, you must find yourself an excellent weed killer.

Weed killers aren’t environmentally friendly; in fact, weed killers use harsh chemicals to kill weeds, but while you may think that they are getting the job done in that department, they are also harming your other plants–And that goes triple if you have a vegetable garden! Luckily, there is now an organic herbicide that is safe to use for you, your pets and children and the environment.

Nature’s Avenger is an all-natural organic herbicide that is completely natural and designed to meet the needs and demands of gardeners, homeowners and Mother Nature.

It has been approved for use in organic production, is fast-acting with visible results in just two hours or even less and it is also highly biodegradable. It is made with natural citrus oil, which means you aren’t dealing with harsh chemicals with harsh chemical smells. With Nature’s Avenger, your sense of smell, braincells and health of pets and children are fully taken care of.

Nature’s Avenger is available is a 24oz pre-mixed, pre-measured, easy to use spray bottle and also in 32oz and 1 gallon concentrates and can be purchased through their website or on Amazon.

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Last year, Earth Hour was an event in Sydney, Australia and had over 2 million participants and had over 2,000 businesses power down their light sources. This year, Earth Hour is making this a global event–No matter where you are located, turn your lights off from 8PM-9PM and help to fight climate change.

“Join people all around the world in showing that you care about our planet and want to play a part in helping to fight climate change. Don’t forget to sign up and let us know you want to join Earth Hour.“

But what will you do for a whole hour without your lights? Crunchy Domestic Goddess has some ideas, including talking with your kids about why all of the lights are turned out and educating them about the Earth and global warming.

What will you be doing with no lights during Earth Hour?

Here are some other ways that you can help the Earth after March 29th:

• Turn off lights when you leave a room.
• Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs.
• Turn off appliances when not in use.
• Unplug your electronics when they are not in use.
• Use less hot water.
• Switch to green power.

What are you doing in your every day life to help fight global warming?

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