Simple Ways To Be Green

What Can I do To Make A Difference in The World

2009-02-18T01:07:00.000-08:00

Look deep within yourself and ask yourself this question.

What can I do to make a difference in the world?

Are you willing to make a commitment to do something that will have an impact on the future of our world?

Well.. I'm here to tell you that this starts with you. You have to make that commitment. To become a better you. To live your life to your fullest potential. To stop making excuses and start taking responsibility.

I truly believe that we all have something to give. That unique gift of ourselves to give freely to others, many of whom have yet to embrace this higher consciousness way of living.

"Only by giving are you able to receive more than you already have."
~ Jim Rohn

My passion is to help others see this enlightened way of life. To empower them to take action and start living their life - on purpose!

I am passionate about sharing and educating others on simple ways to live healthy, eco-conscious, vibrant, self-empowered lifestyles. In my work I help individuals and small businesses learn how they can incorporate simple ways to be green into their business practices and how to implement online marketing strategies and get started in the world of social media marketing.

I love sharing the knowledge I've learned. To inspire and help others be successful.

I choose to do this because I stood up and said, "I want to know that I made a difference in the world". I will help others and know that my life has purpose.

When all is said and done, I will know that I've contributed my part.

I've made a difference in protecting and preserving our natural resources. That I've raised healthy, self-empowered children. And that my children, their children, their children's children.... will be able to enjoy all the beauty our planet earth has to offer.

That I've encouraged and inspired my family, friends, communities to live healthy, toxic free, personally successful lives.

I am a true believer that we must be active participants in this game of life. We control our destinies.

So I ask... "what destiny do you want for yourself"?

There are so many ways we can contribute to this world. I hope I have inspired, encouraged and empowered (yes I love this word) you all to start being an active participant in life. To find your own unique way of giving back.

Open your minds, open your hearts, start taking action & don't look back!

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you have imagined."
~Henry David Thoreau

Live your Life on Purpose!
~Debbie

Awesome Site I Found for EarthDay Celebrators!

2009-02-09T21:18:00.001-08:00

Awesome community site I found for those of us who share an interest in doing something to celebrate Earth Day. Come Join Me there!

Simple, Low Stress New Year's Green Resolutions

2009-01-04T01:21:00.000-08:00

Looking for simple, low-stress resolutions for the New Year? Think Green.

What simple, easy eco-friendly resolution can you implement this year that will make a difference in not only your home, but your community and our global environment?

Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Reuse

Water - If you’re a person who feels that drinking water comes in a bottle, not from your tap, what do you do to be green? We all know that buying cases of bottled water is far from being eco-conscious.

And having a Brita filters on your facet, yes it’s one way to be more eco-friendly. But what about the cost, not to mention the waste of filters? Still doesn’t add up to being cost effective or eco-friendly?

What about getting a 3 or 5 gallon water bottle?

You can easily fill it up at your local grocery store or water depot. My family goes through 3, 5-gallon bottles every 10-12 days. We spend about $24 a month for purified water.

That’s no chemicals, no pollutants, just pure clean water, plus…no waste!

Of course, don’t forget to invest in a favorite water bottle to take with you while on the go. And, definitely let your kids pick their own bottles. That makes it more special to them.

Reusing the same bottles is a simple, easy & low stress resolution.

Reduce

Energy - Rechargeable & Solar Energy Batteries.

How many gadgets can you think of, that you and your family use every day that uses batteries? Razors, toothbrushes, cordless phones, MP3 players, controllers for Wii, cameras, flashlights, and… That list goes on and on.

My family of 5 could go through a 24 pack of AA batteries in just a few days. Now think how much you spend at Costco buying batteries in bulk – to save money.

Wouldn’t that money be better spent on a charging base and a bulk pack of rechargeable batteries? And before you say, you’ve tried rechargeables and they lose their effectiveness after a while, there’s something new to fix that. Read this for some helpful tips.

Or, what about solar powered batteries? Has anyone tried these?

So next time you run out of batteries, invest in rechargeables. Saves money, time & reduces waste.

Recycle

Clutter - The holidays are over; we now have new items we need to find room for in our homes.

Time to clean out the clutter. How many items do you have around your home that you’re not using, collecting dust, that are gently barely worn or practically new condition.

De-clutter and simplify your home. Believe me, the idea that less is more is such a stress releasing, freeing sensation.

Now what do you do with all that extra stuff?

I always start with the Goodwill, Saint Vincent de Paul, or Hospice. Yes, I know what you’re going to say. These agencies don’t accept many of your good quality items.

So what about donating to the Battered Women’s Shelter, Children’s Crisis Center, or Cancer Society? Many of these places if you call them will practically pick up your items on your doorstep, how convenient is that!

Remember, everything you donate to these charities is always tax deductible.

OK, so let’s say you still have stuff you don’t want. Try placing them on your curb & putting up a FREE sign on it. This works especially well for large items like furniture, desks, etc.

Now if your home owners association doesn’t allow this, try posting your items through the Freecycle network. Look up your local area and join your group. This is an awesome community network, a nonprofit movement of people who are giving and getting stuff for free in their own towns.

Recycling your items by sharing it with another keeps it out of our landfills and makes for a cleaner, happier world all around.

I encourage everyone to share your ideas on other simple ways to be green in our everyday lives.

Happy New Year to All.

2008-12-18T17:24:00.001-08:00

finally setup Ping acct. Looking 4wd 2B organized & more time efficient. Daughter's home so it's time 4 xmas baking!

5 Simple Ways to Be Green for the Holidays

2008-12-16T17:07:00.000-08:00

As we enjoy the holiday season, here’s five simple & creative ways to be green for the holidays without breaking the bank.

1. Give Holiday cards a New Life

Recycle Reduce Reuse – the 3R’s of Green Living. Recycle your old or even newly received holiday cards for gift tags & gift bags. Easy to do, using inexpensive craft scissors, cut a fancy edge around the card, punch a hole, thread a piece of string through & attach to the gift.

OR - cut a fancy edge around the card, glue it to a recycled paper bag, get creative & decorate the bag with some glitter glue & attach another recycled gift tag to it. (This a fun activity to do with children. Something my family has done for many years.)

2. Get Creative with Holiday Gift Wrapping

Reduce the amount of holiday paper by wrapping gifts in scrap pieces of fabric. Or better yet, wrap up GREEN spa & bath product gifts with a festive holiday towel, which becomes an added bonus to the gift.

For kitchen gift ideas, include some green cleaners, green organic dish cloths & again wrap it all up in a GREEN holiday dish towel or GREEN shopping bag, like the Onya bag & tie it off with a recycled gift tag.

3. Light Up Your Holidays for Less

Check out the new green Energy Star rated holiday lights. Indoor or Outdoor - they offer at approx. 90% less energy than your old lights. And not only do they save energy, they save you money in both energy and in start-up costs as they are priced less than the other standard holiday lights.

4. Green Up your Holiday Parties

Reduce the amount of paper waste by using washable, reusable acrylic glasses & dinnerware. Being acrylic they’re tough, won’t break if dropped, , looks festive & not much more expensive than paper products & you can reuse again next year.

5. Green Gift Ideas under $20

A few simple gift and stocking stuffer ideas I stumbled on that won’t break your budget.

Cargo Cosmetics new line PlantLove™ exclusively at Sephora offer an eco-friendly line of natural cosmetics, including 20 new glossy lipsticks with colors inspired by celebrities. Even the packaging is eco-friendly.
Check out the complete line for other gift ideas.

Bedol's Eco-Friendly Water-Powered Clock. A small desktop clock that runs on water, and even saves times when you need to refill. Just a little water, a touch of salt, and this low-maintenance digital clock is good to go.
Get one at Amazon for 19.99 or direct from Bedol online store for $16.

Solar powered chargers for your IPOD, digital cameras, IPHONE, even hand held gaming devices. Target stores & other retailers offer a variety to choose from.
(NOTE: Target lists this item onlie at 29.99, depending on the item & retailer, some may be more expensive.)

Children’s toys. Many are made from recycled plastics, paper & recycled post consumer waste. Amazon offers this item Don’t forget the rechargeable batteries.

Onya Bags – Have you heard of these! The most convenient & simplest way to always be prepared for shopping that I’ve seen.. A ‘green’ bag that looks great & is small enough to be carried on your keychain or belt loop. Folds into itself, strong enough to carry up to 9 bottles of wine. Check out the video for more info. http://tinyurl.com/59goaf
(Thanks goes to my friend Heather for sharing the info on this awesome green idea with me.)

Comments & suggestions are welcome on more ways on how to be green during the holidays.

I hope these ideas have inspired you to enjoy a more eco-conscious holiday this year.

Debbie Zachry
Founder, Simple Ways To Be Green