One Million 'Going Green' Tips

2009-11-21T23:52:00.000-08:00

44. Use reusable cloth gift bags or artfully tied cloth remnants instead of disposable paper gift wrap. --Submitted by Michael at Wrapsacks.com

2009-11-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

43. Refill empty ink cartridges. Check out your local office supply store or website for a refill kit. Be sure to read and follow the directions carefully or you could end up with a real mess!

2009-11-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

42. Add ½ cup of baking soda to the rinse cycle of your washing machine, it will act as a natural fabric softener

2009-11-10T10:00:00.000-08:00

41. Instead of shaving creams, foams or gels...spread on olive oil and shave as usual.

2009-11-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

40. Meat Tenderizer...Dilute the juice of 1 lemon in ¼ cup of water, pour over beef and let set 1 hour before cooking.

2009-11-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

39. 1 cup of lemon juice in a load of laundry will brighten whites...no need for bleach.

2009-11-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

38. Spray vegetables with 1 part distilled vinegar to 3 parts water, rinse. Eco-friendly way to remove pesticides.

2009-11-06T10:00:00.000-08:00

37. Homemade Mouthwash: Brew up a cup of Black Tea, let cool, swish as you would mouthwash. Germs get killed, you get fresh breath.

2009-11-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

36. Hand Me Down Clothing - don't toss out clothes when your kids grow out of them, hand them down to someone who can still wear them.

2009-11-04T02:28:00.000-08:00

35. Use Glass Baby Bottles instead of plastic. They are less likely to grow bacteria and will last much longer.

2009-11-03T10:00:00.000-08:00

34. Organic Cotton Clothing for Baby - great for baby, great for the environment. It's a win-win!

2009-11-02T10:00:00.000-08:00

33. Donate to Charity...shoes, clothes, small appliances, anything you don't need that someone else can get some use out of.

2009-11-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

32. Sell things you aren't using any more on line (eBay, Craig's List, OnlineAuction, Amazon, etc.)

2009-10-31T10:00:00.000-07:00

31. Remove dead skin naturally with 1 tablespoon of salt in 2 tablespoons of olive oil massaged into dry patches (elbows and knees), rinse with warm water.

2009-10-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

30. Place things baby has outgrown or doesn't need anymore in a consignment shop.

2009-10-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

29. Recycle Ink Jet Cartridges. Many office supply stores have a drop box to recycle, and some cartridge companies will provide postage paid envelopes to ship back empty cartridges for recycling.

2009-10-28T02:30:00.000-07:00

28. Repair Summer Sun Hair...Warm ½ cup olive oil in the microwave for 30 seconds, massage into hair, put on a shower cap, wrap in a towel. After 30 to 45 minutes shampoo as usual.

2009-10-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

27. Boil the peel from 1 lemon in 4 cups of water, strain, cool. Spray houseplants as needed to repel insects.

2009-10-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

26. Combine 1 part lemon juice to 2 parts of olive oil in spray bottle, squirt onto wood furniture, let set for a minute or two and polish with soft cloth. Clean & Shiny

2009-10-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

25. Use a dryer ball to reduce drying time by 25%

2009-10-24T10:00:00.000-07:00

24. Unplug appliances when not in use. While this may not always be practical, it is easy enough to unplug and plug in toasters, coffee makers, hair blowers, curling irons, can openers, fans, window air conditioning units, etc.

2009-10-23T10:00:00.001-07:00

23. Minimize the items in your house and garage by having a garage sale.

2009-10-22T10:00:00.001-07:00

22. Dry sheets and towels on a clothesline.

2009-10-21T10:00:00.001-07:00

21. Buy locally grown fruits and vegetables.

2009-10-20T10:00:00.001-07:00

20. Cut off the buttons from unusable clothing for craft projects.

2009-10-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

19. Apply an iron on applique over a stain on clothing. Click here for instructions.

2009-10-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

18. Use cloth nursing pads instead of disposable pads. Click here for instructions to make your own.

2009-10-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

17. Save the zippers from unusable clothing for a project later.

2009-10-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

16. Change just 1 or 2 incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs as your budget permits.

2009-08-06T02:32:00.000-07:00

15. Make a tote bag out of an old pair of jeans or cargo pants.

2009-08-05T03:43:00.000-07:00

14. Use Olive Oil as baby lotion...natural and un-perfumed - works great for adults too!

2009-07-18T02:23:00.000-07:00

13. Use stainless steel water bottles instead of plastic, refill with filtered water.

2009-07-18T02:22:00.000-07:00

12. Bring your own bags to the grocery store - check out the plastic bag counter in our sidebar.

2009-07-18T02:21:00.003-07:00

11. Sharpen disposable razors with the Razor Saver (The Sustainable Village) and help decrease the 2 billion disposable razors that end up in landfills annually.

2009-07-18T02:21:00.001-07:00

10. Remove mineral buildup on faucets and shower heads by soaking a cloth with white vinegar and laying of the area overnight.

2009-07-18T02:20:00.002-07:00

9. Wash shower doors and tracks, ceramic tile, linoleum floors squeaky clean with a solution of 1 part white vinegar to 4 parts water.

2009-07-18T02:20:00.001-07:00

8. Apply baking soda with a powder puff to underarms to control body odor.

2009-07-18T02:19:00.000-07:00

7. Stinky shoes? Grab a couple of mismatched socks, put 1/4 to 1/2 cup of baking soda in each and shove into the shoes overnight.

2009-07-18T02:16:00.001-07:00

6. Polish chrome with a baking soda and water paste. Apply to chrome, let dry, then buff.

2009-07-18T02:14:00.000-07:00

5. Stinky, damp laundry? Add 1/2 cup baking soda to the wash load to remove odors.

2009-07-18T02:11:00.000-07:00

4. Use salt and lemon juice to scrub mold and mildew off bathroom tiles and shower doors.

2009-07-18T02:10:00.000-07:00

3. Fill your coffee maker with 4 cups of water and 1/4 cup of salt. Run as though you were making a pot of coffee. Clean and fresh.

2009-07-18T01:51:00.000-07:00

2. To remove mildew stains on cloth scrub the area with salt and lemon juice, set outside in the sun for a couple of hours then launder as usual.

2009-07-18T01:45:00.000-07:00

1. Clean your cutting board with a damp cloth that has been dipped in salt to inhibit bacteria growth.

Leave Your Tips Here

2009-07-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

Leave your tips in the comments and we'll add them to the list. Be part of the solution!

Remember, it's not just knowing these tips, it's using them that will make a difference.