Giveaway Results: Earth Day Celebration Prize Pack (Valued at over $130)

We have already gotten rid of the “disposables” in our household and now we are working hard on using reusable shopping bags for everything.

I recently made nylon garbage bags to replace plastic ones for carrying out the trash. They were simple to make–just 3 seams and a drawstring– and they work great since they are waterproof. We simply carry out the trash when it needs it, toss it in the laundry, and put in a clean bag.

This is very creative, but I have noticed lately how many lights are left on in rooms when we are not in that room. We will work at being better at turning off lights.

Also, even though I have load settings on my washer, it still takes electricty to run that load. I am going to try to wait until I have a large load to wash before I wash.

pscole3467 at gmail dot com

I’ve always bought bottled water for convenience sake, but now I’m making my own using filtered water from a pitcher & our own reuseable bottles; making this act a conscious one, I find I’m drinking MORE water, too!

I have already done quite a bit to reduce and reuse. Working from home keeps my driving down to a minimum. I no longer buy plastic water bottles. I’ll be planting my organic veggie garden soon. I have not moved to safer cleaning products though, so I think this is where my efforts need to focus. Our cleaning lady is using vinegar now to clean all the windows (yes, she does windows)so I will follow her lead and clean out the old cleaning products. debors (@) gmail (dot)com

We are going for cloth diapers. Wish me luck!!! I wanted to try them with my second child, but my husband flat out refused. For some reason he’s agreed this time. So in seven weeks when the baby comes, we’ll be using cloth for the first time. I’m excited and scared all at the once!!!!

We’re planning to grow our own fruit and veggies this summer and can/freeze for winter. Green and budget friendly!

Kimba

Right now I’m trying to get away from chemical based household cleaners and start using green alternatives like vinegar and baking soda. The hardest part is convincing hubby.

I’m also working on eliminating disposables. I refuse to buy any more paper towels or napkins. Instead we are using dish cloths for wiping up and cloth napkins when we eat. Now I’m working on eliminating plastic food storage bags. It’s a slow process, but I do feel like we’re making progress.

Every year in March, we put up green decorations around the house, put green food coloring in our meals and one year i even wore a goofy leprechaun hat

Our Sunday afternoon tradition is to drive down to the local airfield where they have a large recycling station. We recycle all our recyclables, and then drive around so our kids can look at all the planes. Ideally I would like to build our own solar array to complement our household electricity usage.

I’m glad you started this because I have been researching homemade housecleaners. I want to create my own handy cleaners to wipe down the house. I also have considered wrangling my friends over and having us all create them together!

I am useing earth friendly cleaners like baking soda these days.

I’m going to start taking advantage of my city’s new curbside compost pickup!

Will someone show up on my door if I admit I haven’t gone green with household cleaners. I would love this, but it’s hard to pass up free cleaners with coupons. I have switched to cloth napkins…that’s good thing.

These products look awesome! I use cloth napkins already and am trying to use greener toilet paper and paper towels.

Eventually I would like to elimate all of the gladware that I use and use only glass to store leftovers in.

I am also refusing to buy anything but all natural baby products for my son.

Finally, when I go grocery shopping I try to remember my tote bags. I’d like to remember this for the other stores that I frequent, not just the grocery store.

What a wonderful pack!:)

We do a lot of green things because my mom did and it’s cheaper;). Like cleaning with vinegar and baking soda or using cloth napkins.

One thing that I can change is to give up paper towels. I only use them for stuff like cleaning the bathroom and cleaning up after the cats but I could find something else to use.

I’m getting my own place May 1st. We plan on recycling, using energy bulbs, replacing the facets with water saving ones, and growing organic veggies.

We no longer use paper towels. YOu’ll only find reusable cloth napkins in our house and I love not having to buy paper anymore! You never run out of cloth napkins.

Meg
onourwayonline.com

My household recycles everything we can think of-uses the new energy light bulbs- uses reuseable bags instead of plastic-one thing we need to completely change and start doing is using enviornmential cleaning supplies.

As to the post above by Kimba, we use small hand towels for napkins and also use them instead of paper towels-the hand towels are the perfect size.

We’re ditching paper napkins and trying cute vintage cloth napkins instead. I will keep a basket of them right where the paper napkins used to sit.

I’m desperately trying to get my family to be better about turning off lights, but for me personally…..I would have to say completely converting to reusable shopping bags.

I am intent on starting to compost. I feel so bad junking the kitchen scraps.

We are moving to a house and starting a compost pile this summer.

We are just beginning to use the reusable bags for grocery shopping. I am also trying to do more recycling, but am having trouble convincing my husband as we have to drive to drop it off since our town doesn’t have a recycling program.

We already use CFLs and recycle plastic shopping bags, cardboard, and magazines, and use a vinegar and water mixture to clean our bath tubs and showers–I would like to start using less harsh products to do my laundry and other household cleaning too–guess I will start searching the Internet for recipes on how to make my own safer cleaners!

Now that it’s warm out again, I’m going to get a 2nd clothes line so that I can fit an entire load of laundry out on the line!

I rely heavily on disposables (mostly paper towels and bathroom cleaning wipes). I plan on reducing the amount of disposables we go through. I won’t completely eliminate them, because I don’t think that’s something I could stick with just yet. But I plan on being more conscious about when and why I use them.

We also plan on planting a garden this year and if it produces enough, canning/freezing to help during winter months.

We did the basic – replacing our light bulbs with the “green” ones – but I need to be more aware (and make the kids more aware) of turning them off when they’re not in use.

The final thing is turning down (or up) the thermostat. I’ve found that if I do it gradually, no one notices the difference of a few degrees. And not only does this one help in a “green” way, but it also helps the pocketbook!

My family and I have stopped using the dryer as much as possible and have started hanging up clothes to dry. We also have had a blast seeing who can come up with the best project with our recycling.

We have started a garden so we can grow some of our own produce.

One habit we have changed is eliminating the use of paper/styrofoam plates. It’s a little more of a hassle since we don’t have a dishwasher, but I feel better about not throwing out so much waste. Or maybe I don’t mind because my husband does the dishes! LOL I have also begun using only natural cleaning products. I feel much better about this, too, being that my son is safer around the things I clean by not being covered in harsh chemicals. It’s amazing that we can have a clean and healthy home!

Our next goal is to wean ourselves off of the use of paper towels. This one will be super difficult for me, since I do all the cleaning. If I can find enough ratty towels or shirts around the house, I think I’ll be ok. : )

We are drinking more filtered water instead of bottled; I use reusable bags at the grocery; we changed a lot of our lightbulbs to CFL; we recycle every thing we can; I have been using ‘greener’ cleaners…and we are going to grow some tomatoes and lettuce this year-hopefully we can keep the deer from eating them! Thanks!

Yes, I just re-read the question you asked to enter this, and I told you everything I have ALREADY done above- so I guess the only NEW thing I will be doing is (trying) to grow the veggies! and of course keeping up with everything we already do! thanks!

I’m really trying to get away from paper towels but it’s such a big step! Right now I think “green” towels would be a small step in the right direction.

Regardless, win this package or no, I have to start using my tap water for drinking. Not just to be green but to stop wasting money. I even have a filter on the water lines in the basement, but I rent. I’ve got no clue how to get it working, change the filter, etc. A water pitcher would give me NO more excuses.

Not too creative, but I cloth diaper my daughter and make my own “green” laundry detergent (for all of our laundry)so that there is less chemicals in our town’s water.

I decided a few years ago to go all green with all cleaning products so there is no harsh chemical residues or sprays that can harm my dog, my kids, or myself.

I’d love to win this contest! I am trying to develop the habit of using cleaning cloths/rags instead of the disposable “cleaning wipes.” I’m also using up (and not buying more of) the regular household cleaners in favor of more natural stuff (vinegar, baking soda, etc.)

I’ve changed to cloth bags for shopping and CFLs at home.

We are going to stop using bottle water. I am also trying to use reusable bags.

I am making a better effort to reduce the use of paper and use recycled paper products. I recycle all newspapers and magazines and started buying recycled paper towels. Another great use for old t-shirts too, as we use my boyfriends “holey” shirts as rags to save on buying and using paper towels.

Denise

dneese26@hotmail.com

I really want to change all of our cleaning products to more natural and earth-friendly options. I think this would be a gret way to give my family a fresh start.

I started using all natural cleaning products to clean my home. I will try to use reusable bags at the grocery (if I manage not to forget them in the car).

This spring I’m making more of my own homemade cleaners. I’m also gritting my teeth and letting the kids use the cloth napkins. They feel so adult! After many years of failed container vegetable gardens we are going to reopen a portion of my mother’s lawn to vegetables and grow them together.

I have started making all of my cleaners and we are working on not using paper products like napkins and paper towels. We also bought a bunch of water bottles that we can just refill with tap water.

I’m going to try to make a compost pile out of the parts of vegetables we don’t use. This way we’ll have great dirt for next year. We also plan to change our lightbulbs to more energy efficient bulbs!

We already planted our seeds for our organic garden (growing on the kitchen table). Trying to convince my husband to give up paper towel and napkins. I bring my own totes to the grocery store and we recycle/re-use as much as we can. We replaced our shower head and light bulbs with more energy efficient ones. Thanks for the chance and this looks like a GREAT giveaway!

I am most proud that my 2 year old son knows what goes in the garbage (green can) and what goes in the recycling (blue can)!

We have been really making an effort to use reusable grocery bags for every trip to the supermarket or any other retailer. I must have the largest collection of these in my city…I have some from every store, even dept. stores (I feel guilty taking in Kroger bags to Meijer and vice/versa). We have recently taken a long vacation, and I now have reusable bags from Colonial Williamsburg, Gettysburg, the Smithsonian, Assateague Island, and Trader Joes! thank-you for the opprotunity to win this fabulous prize. I enjoy reading your posts everyday!

I plan to buy a CSA share from a local, non-profit farm. The farm uses natural growing practices (no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers) and donates all of its profits to local charities. Good for the Earth and the community.

Our summer project is to grow our own tomatoes and peppers. It will be nice to have fresh home grown veggies!

We have cut back on the paper towel usage. I am using cloth towels to clean up. We are also using cloth napkins more often.

We are trying to switch to water bottles for our take-along drinks and I also want to give a try to composting this spring.

Our new habit will be to recycle ALL of our recyclables. We’re currently at about 80%, but some things are ending up in the garbage instead of the recycle bin.

I’ve purchased a second, smaller trash bin and stenciled a recycle symbol on it. This will be kept next to the trash bin so that odd envelopes, small bits of card boards, etc. will be tossed there instead.

We’re going to start composting. I’m excited to have less trash, and make my own fertilizer for my garden.

When we bought our house late last year during our military relocation. We replaced all of our light bulbs in the house with either CFL’s or led (if CFL’s were not avail in that size) we kicked the bottle water habit and instead bought a fridge with filtered water and fill our own reusable Eco friendly bottles, use a reusable coffee filter and add our coffee grounds to the garden, plus we love the reusable shopping totes.

We are getting our kids involved in recycling. The kids have decorated a box for each category. It’s their job to separate the items. Also, one day a week we have some craft time. We look through the recycled items and see what kids of things we can make. We’ve made mobiles, creatures and instruments. To kick it up we are planning some neighborhood clean up walks when it warms up. We will take our litter bug box and collect trash along our bike path. I love the ownership of the earth that my daughter feels. She thinks it’s her job to help take care of it. What a great next generation we have!
~haleyj99@yahoo.com

Potty training my son, so we can stop using all those diapers.

We’ve done a lot in our house already – reusable grocery bags, recycling papers and plastics, even a hybrid car…but you know, I hadn’t even considered going green w/ cleaning products! I’m going to look into Greenworks – and while I’m at it…get some of that Tide Coldwater too. We use Tide all the time, so this product should be right up our alley.

We’re trying to use fewer disposable items and are using cloth shopping and sandwich bags.

We are using up the last of the store-bought cleaning supplies, and moving into baking powder and vinegar based as much as possible! Thank you!

I am working on using more reusable items and less disposables.

I will buy more absorbent kitchen towels so we use fewer paper towels. I still like paper towels with a disinfectant spray for cleaning yucky messes like raw meat drips. Thanks for the giveaway!

I am trying to be better about taking my resuable bags with me to the grocery store every time I go, even if I stop for just a few things.
Also, I like the idea of using cloth napkins more. I think I’m going to try that.

Just a tip, I saw my paper towels in half with a serrated edged knife. They stretch a lot farther and sometimes I just HAVE to use one! I plan on researching more solutions like that and expanding our composting! (Its been hard getting the WHOLE FAMILY on board!)
econome.info

This is horribly unoriginal, but I am working on using reusable totes when I shop rather than having my groceries bagged in new plastic bags.

We are trying to garden pesticide free and getting my husband to recycle…I’m good at it..but the dh not so much!

I will start walking more to run errands. Especially as the weather improves. I could use the exercise too!

We have been using the “green” multi-purpose cleaner from Seventh Generation and have been very impressed. We also need to cut out the bottled water…That Brita pitcher looks like just the trick!
sblilly14(@)yahoo(.)com

We’re already chemical free (for cleaning) and adjusted to the reusable shopping bags, but just today, I bought a reusable water bottle. I’m so addicted to bottled water and didn’t even think about the packaging until the other day. So I made the switch, $4.00 whole whoppin dollars. Not a bad price to pay considering I spend $10.00 a flat for those bottles of water. Yeah me! I can almost hear Mama Earth give a little sign of relief.

I have been using “green” cleaners for years. The thing I am having trouble with is saying goodbye to paper products. That is my goal for Earth day this year. Well, atlease to cut back.

We plan on making the Stone House as Eco friendly as possible using energy saving appliances, lighting, and water storage and heating systems.

We are trying to compost! This should be an excellent way to reduce trash, I’m excited about it!

We use cloth bags at the grocery store…not a huge step, but it does add up.

I’m planning to switch to 100% steam cleaning this Earth Day (just one reason why the Bissell Little Green would be a fantastic prize). I have already purchased a Bissell steam mop for my hard floors, am getting a Shark steam cleaner for my anniversary next week, and the Biseell Little Green would complete the package. With these three items – I’ll have no need for any household cleaners (other than my homemade versions) , floor cleaners, or anything else. This will not only save my family $100’s of dollars this year but will also lower our carbon footprint and have a positive impact on the environment. My reason for the switch? I’m due with my 3rd anyday and will soon have 3 toddlers crawling, climbing, and running through the house. Steam cleaning is my way of ensuring they grow up in a clean, green environment.

Crossing my fingers,
Stacy

We have recently started using cloth diapers for my son. I recently decided to not buy any more paper towels. I was tired of buying them. I couldn’t hardly find them on sale or coupons for them. I’d love to start using my eco friendly cleanikng products! Thanks for the chance!

We installed a light switch sensor in the garage (an area where the lights were left on accidentally often). The sensor comes on when we enter, and shuts off after 45 seconds after we leave. LOVE IT!

I’m working on using more reusable totes instead of paper or plastic bags. I’m also looking to stop those vampire electronics items from sucking up too much electricity.

Oh… and I have to say: Little Green Bissell is the BEST! We call it “the super sucker” in our house… and after three kids and a dog, have just about worn ours out!

Thanks for a great giveaway!

I am working to learn when to open and close windows and curtains in our new home so that I don’t have to run the heat or the AC as much! Also, when we run water for a sink of dishes it takes a long time to get hot water, a gallon and a half sometimes! So I am collecting that in a large jug and using it to water my fruit trees.

We have started using reuseable swiffer covers, so no more one time use ones.

With an almost crawling baby, going green in my cleaning products is good for the earth and my family. Instead of using floor cleaner, I’m going to try using a combination of vinegar and baking soda. I’ve heard it works great for everything from cleaning kitchen floors to drip pans from the oven. And it won’t endanger my little one.

We are cutting back on the bottled water and using washable bottles. We have also cancelled the paper and read online now.

I recently started drinking a lot more water and using a Brita filter- but having one of my own would be so useful for college!

There are several habits I am working on right now! The first is to replace our outdoor light (which will stay on all day if we are coming home after dark) with a motion detecting light fixture and energy efficient bulb. I am also trying to use more cloth towels rather than paper towels to clean up spills. Currently, I still have half a roll of festive Christmas paper towels .

changing from paper towels to rags.. this is a hrd one as i dont have a washer. But I have slowly started and rinse and wash the rags immediately by hand.

cathy b

We are avoiding using the disposable items in our house that we have grown acustomed to. Specifically paper plates, plastic forks, and plastic cups!

We are currently changing out all of our light bulbs to cfls. We are almost done!

We change all our light bulbs to CFL’s. I always carry one of those reusable bags,and do not use plastic.

I set up a recycling bin in my trash compactor (that way it is easily accessible but out of the way). I air-dry my laundry. I use reusable cloths instead of paper towels. There are still so many things I could be doing, though! *Sigh.*

We have been doing pretty well at Greening our cleaning products, but I could still stand to change a few more over. Also, we recently switched over all of our body soaps and shampoos to green products.

I want to start using cloth napkins. I’ve already started using baby wash cloths for my boys in the kitchen, but I think my husband and I should use cloth napkins as well. Thanks for the opportunity to win!!

I’m going to stop using paper towels and use cloth instead!

Well, I always recycle, I put my laptop to sleep when I’m not using it, I turn off the lights everytime I leave a roo; I disconnect electronics that I’m not using, and only connect them when I will. What I will start doing is turning off the water while I brush my teeth, get rid of the habit of wasting paper towels for every little thing, and ether air dry my hands or use a towel, and I started recycling my ink cartridges by sending them back to the manufacturer, and instead of wasting a bag with a whole in the bototm, I tape it were it has holes. Also, for a whlie I refilled my waterbottles instead of buying bottled water.

We recycle papers, air-dry our laundry, use canvas totes for grocery shopping, never use paper towels, but kitchen rags instead. What I would like to do also is to use some natural product for furniture cleaning and polishing and be done with Endust and Pledge.

I bring a glass to work for water instead of using their cups. I also have been taking reusable bags to the store.

I have been buying natural or ‘green’ cleaners for the house, especially good for kids and pets.

As the weather gets warmer I will be biking to and from work each day. I’m about 2 miles away and it only takes 15 minutes. This will help the environment, save money on gas, AND help me lose those 10 pounds that are just lingering around my mid section!

We don’t use bottled water. We are trying to go to the “green” light bulbs. We are getting ready to start a garden. The next step is to elimate the use of plastic bags and start a composte bin.

wendyb@mst.edu

We don’t use large trash cans, but bathroom size ones so that we can use the grocery bags for trash bags instead of buying plastic trash bags. I’m horrible at remembering to take my cloth bags to the store, so I figured this was a good way for me to go green. We also pull the blinds up on the windows instead of turning on the lights during the day. What I want to start doing is make cloth napkins, like many others have said, and replace all our light bulbs.

I want to get rid of plastics and only store in glass. I already scour the sinks with baking soda only!

Turning off the water while brushing my teeth and taking shorter showers

In the last few summers, we got in the habit of using lots of disposable water bottles. I am making the effort to switch to reusable bottles.

We are being more conscious about unplugging any appliance when it is not in use.

We’ve been using refillable water bottles and are starting a vegetable garden. I’m starting to collect free tote bags to use at the store, just got to figure a way to remember to bring them:)

I started using vinegar in the rinse agent dispenser of my dishwasher instead of Jet Dry. Vinegar is a natural antibacterial, eliminates the spots on the dishes and helps to keep the dishwasher sparkly. Who wants a chemical coating on their dishes, anyway?

I am an Art teacher and I bring all my thin cardboard cereal boxes, cracker boxes, oatmeal boxes, cardboard, plastic bags, and newspaper to be used in making art projects. My students recently competed in a recycled art contest and did very well. We use alot of trash to make really great art.

I have been teaching my young children the value of our planet and what it means to be green, they think it’s fun to recycle!!!

We are going to quite using bottled water and are using refillable water bottles.

My husband read an article about the amount of energy wasted by keeping appliances plugged in. I never knew that even when you’re not using them, appliances suck energy while being plugged in. Now we all unplug after use.

I haven’t switched to green laundry detergents yet, but that’s my new goal. Thanks for the giveaway~

We’ve already done a lot of things to green our house but one thing that I need to work on is breaking the “papergoods” habit. We’re still buying tissues instead of using cloth ones, we’re still buying the “nasty” garbage bags, etc. Those are the next 2 things on my list to “green”

I am very intrigued to stop using paper towels and use cloth towels instead.

I will get some recycling boxes from the town and sort my trash…
momconnection@yahoo.com

Over the past 2 years I’ve slowly been implementing ways to be green in our home. Beginning with recycling, to a compost barrell, canvas bags at the store, keeping the A/C at 78 (which is hard to do in the summer in East Texas) There are a few other small things we’ve done, but my major goal ahead of me is convincing my husband to go green with the lawn mower and weedeater. Both are at least 8 years old and needing minor repairs (so hubby claims). Fingers crossed I’ll convince him to electric.

I too have a love for Bissell, what help they are to my family and our clean floors!! I hope to have the little guy someday soon….it looks like it would be perfect for the car and tough stains…

I am trying to unplug things when not in use: the treadmill, toaster, coffee maker, dehumidifier, humidifier–every day I find something new that doesn’t need to be plugged in all the time. (The only drawback is in know just how infrequently the treadmill is really being used )

We’ve started using green cleaners for the kitchen and bathrooms.

I just purchased some “chicco” bags and will start to use those for not only my grocery shopping, but also any other shopping.

Being green is important in our house. We recycle, try to use cloth instead of paper napkins, use cloth diapers on the kids, and try to use baking soda and vinegar for most of our cleaning.

I think it is awesome you are doing this! Thanks!

use the biodegradable flower pots instead of the plastic ones.

We are growing a garden this year & are composting . We also have changed out all our lightbulbs.

We’re a green-living family already, however there’s always room to improve. I have a paper towel habit that I desperately need to kick. I have invested in bamboo kitchen cloths that I’m hoping will reduce the paper towel usage and waste altogether.

I’ve been doing a lot of research lately, and didn’t realize there is so many things we can do to go “Green”.

So, one thing I’ve been putting together is, our “Take Out” is “Take In”. Going out to eat can be costly, using gas in our vehicle, and having a lot of waist. Depends where you go, the diner may provide a plastic cup for kids or plastic ware and etc. Plus, I’ve notice diners can provide to much food on your plate and you just can’t eat it all.

Anyway, I’ve been looking for popular restaurant copycat recipes, so instead of going out to our favorite restaurant, we’re going to have it at home. This is cheaper then going out, saves gas, and I only make enough for the family so there is no waist. Plus all served on glass plates, using silverware and drinks are in our glass cups. No more trash.

I started using tote bags while shopping opposed to getting plastics and I got my office to turn off the ceiling lights (we have a wall of all windows so it’s pretty bright in there anyways) to save energy

I’m going to start a compost pile.

My husband and I have started unplugging any appliances we aren’t using. It has made a significant difference in our electric bill.

What our water useage

We are going to try to switch to cloth napkins, and have already reduced our use of bottled water.

We have started to conserve our water use. We have changed all the lightbulbs in the house also. Thanks for the great giveaway.

I need to be more consistent with turning off the surge protectors my electronics are plugged into when they are turned off.

I am going to go green by using environmentally friendly cleaning products and by recycling more.

taking totes at so many places like library, trader joes, on other small trips. We do more recycling. use less paper/plastic disposable plates/napkins etc.

I am using ultra concentrated detergents to cut down on the size of petroleum based plastic containers.

We are reducing our use of chemical cleaners.

We recycle and reuse. It’s so important to teach our children to follow our good example by being good stewards of the Earth.

Please add to my above comment, I hit send accidentally and I wasn’t finished typing. One habit I am changing is all my lightbulbs are going Green. It cost me a bit to buy the bulbs, but I think it’ll pay off once we get the first electric bill.

We are starting a compost pile. This not only eliminates trash it gives us nourishing soil for our garden.

We are going to install a programmable thermostat that will allow us to set different temperatures for different times. That way, in case we forget to turn the temp down at night, it will automatically do it for us.

i recycle everything and anything i can! and i return bottles

My husband just put up a clothesline for me. After I walk to pick the kids up from school, instead of driving, we will pick up the clothespins and hang out our first load of laundry.

We no longer use our dryer! Even though we have a tiny house with no backyard, I have recently stopped using our dryer. We hang all our clothes on hangers on our shower rod. If I do a load in the morning and get them hung up, they are usually dry by that evening for me to put away. It has actually made laundry much easier for me! I don’t have to stay home all day feeding the machine, I just hang it up and I’m done! Then after I put my kids to bed, I fold that one load and put it away- it only takes about 10 minutes. It’s been great!

We are getting a solar grill for the outside area to get down on our oven use!

I have stopped buying plastic bottles and have one I just refill. I also have been unplugging things and making sure more lights are turned off.

My kids have laughed at me for years when I would wash out plastic baggies and reuse them. Who’s laughing now? I am starting a compost pile this spring to further reduce waste and feed my garden.

Save energy by changing 2 flourescent energy effecient light bulbs

I do a lot of recycling. I use only cold water for laundry, and every day I try new ways of saving energy.

I just recently started recycling the newspapers. We have also changed all the lightbulbs in our house to energy efficient!

My hubby feels like it isn’t clean unless you use stinky cleaner. I’m trying to use simply water to clean a lot of things or adding a little vinegar or baking soda to clean things like the floors, counters, stove top, bath tubs, and such. I’ve got 5 kids, including a 12 month old who still sticks everything in her mouth. I don’t want chemicals everywhere she steps.

I could go on and on about what my family does to better the planet. We have been recycling as much as we can possibly do in our city for years. We use Brita filters and reusable shopping bags. My husband and I are fortunate enough to work close to home so we either walk or bike to work. We take our kids to the park and make a game out of picking up the trash and keeping it clean. And we take full advantage of local farmers markets. My kids really enjoy doing these things.

Our family is going to recycle more and try to get the rest of our family to do the same.

I will stop buying stuff that I don’t need, and reuse the items that I already have. If thousands of other people make the same decision, then our landfills will be less full, and retailers will be forced to lower production and prices.
Alicia Webster
5webs@comcast.net

After reading alot about Earth Day, I have decided to use shopping totes everytime.

My name is Jenny and my best friend and I are looking for was to keep both our homes clean after our 7 kids whail still teaching them how to live green and repect the enviorment

I am slowly replacing my chemical cleaners with natural and homemade alternatives.

We have started using reusable shopping bags and bought some micro fiber cloths for cleaning.

we have switched to all green light bulbs and are also growing our own veggies this year!

It does take time when you are so used to doing things a certain way. But we try to turn off lights when not in use. Turm off water when brushing teeth. Making sure we recycle what is needed to be recycled.
One i find my kids need to try to do is when looking in fridge not to take so long all that cold air is going out of the fridge.
CLOSE THE FRIDGE.
:)

I started making my own soap and I switched all the light balbs over to energy efficiante ones. I also walk a mile to the bus stop and keep my car in the garage.

I need to cancel my chemical lawn care service for this year.

we recycles 70% of our consumer waste

Using my own cup at the coffee store:
it uses less paper,
to let the trees grow more!

We are working hard to only use reuseable bags at the stores and to stop buying bottled water. Thanks.

kport207 at gmail dot com

I will consistantly use recycled shopping bags every time.

We already have separate recycle, garbage & cans/bottles containers in the kitchen. The new thing I want to add is using the recycle bags from the grocery store. This is a fairly easy one for me as I am allergic to the paper & plastic grocery bags already (they leave horrible welts on my arms). So that is my next green step. Good for me, good for the environment.

Working on training the kids to turn off lights.Stopped buying bottled water and got a filter instead.Been recycling for years.

changing light bulbs to cfl and using the reusable shopping bags!

I am becoming more aware of when I leave the tv or lights on when I leave a room so I make sure they are shut off when not using them and conserving water while I am brushing my teeth is another way I am trying to help the environment more

I will be taking reusable water bottles instead of plastic ones!

My kids bring bottled water to school each day and this past weekend, I purchased pba free bottles for them. We will now be refilling the bottles with tap water for our kids to bring to school, instead of them using disposable bottles. This was my 8 year old sons idea to do this and I’m really proud that he thought of this.
Thanks so much.

we recycle all plastic bags and cans

I’ve recently been trying to cut down on the use of paper towels. I use dish towels and sponges and the wash them.

I recently got reusable grocery bags which is a good start and have been using energy efficient bulbs. Next I’m hoping to get reusable water bottles and cleaning chemicals that are not so harsh on the environment. I plan on trying to purchase items with less packaging.

I will FINALLY change to reusable totes instead of plastic bags!!

I am converting all of our bulbs over to Flourescent bulbs. I am also trying to train my wonderful husband to try and turn off lights when he leaves a room and to run appliances during non-peak hours.

I am trying to limit my shower time and the amount of baths I take. I swap my shower 3-4 times a week for hot baths because they’re so relaxing but I’m trying to switch to taking just quick showers everday to conserve water.

I am going to try to conserve water more. I willtry to remember to turn off the water when I am washing dishes and have to turn away for something. I have already started giving the water left in my families drinking glasses to my plants.

We have already switched to washing clothes in only cold water, changed all our light bulbs to CFL bulbs and only use canvas bags when shopping. We are now looking into wood stoves for heat and switching over to a system that heats the house with used cooking oil.
iheartsweeping@aol.com

We are trying to go green with household cleaners as much as possible. It’s easy!

its kinda sad, but I never thought of disposing of the disposables, thats our next stop.

I cut down on disposable products, like paper towels and paper towels. I now use cloth towels to clean and wash dishes.

i’m going to use energy saver feature on my air conditioner this summer instead of letting it run constantly.

We recently switched to reusable grocery bags (I always hated the plastic ones anyway). At first it was hard to remember them on shopping trips but we’re getting the hang of it. We also plan on TRYING to grow some of our own vegetables (didn’t have much luck last year). And I want to start using less ziploc baggies and try to use other storage/snack containers whenever possible. After we get these things down then we’ll try to move on to some other ways to be green. One step at a time.

My goal right now is composting kitchen scraps and growing a garden.

I’m not sure how green this is but
I’ve decided recently to keep empty toilet paper rolls and use them for an art project

I use quite a bit of baking soda and vinegar to clean.

Great giveaway! We are going to increase the size of our garden and try to freeze a lot of vegetables for use over the winter

We replaced all of our light bulbs, started using reusable shopping bags, and stopped buying bottled water.

My Sunday School class came up with such a great idea…We made mesh bags for our groceries and then made mesh trash bags and trash can liners. All these were made with eco-friendly fabrics, and recycled fabrics.

I’m trying to remember to take reusable bags with me to the grocery store.

I personally re-use my plastic water bottle instead of buying bottled water. My husband and children do the same. If everyone did what we are doing just imagine the space we could save in the land fills. Also, we use a compost bin for our garbage, then use the compost for our landscaping/fertilizer. Everyone keep up the ggod work.

Thanks for the giveaway…We have “smart” power strips installed throughout the house that turn off all our electronic devices completely when they are not in use; they do not draw any electricity (after 15 minutes) when no one is in the room.

We are stopping the running water while brushing teeth. Kids are learning how to conserve!

I will use the clothesline to dry my clothes in the summertime.

I just started potty traing my daughter so no more diapers for her .I just started using cloth diapers for my little guy .We no longer use plastic bags when shopping we are using the one with handles now that you purchase ,we just started recyling any thing that will help the earth we are going to give it a try so wish us luck

i’ll use canvas totes for all shopping. mverno@roadrunner.com

I’m unplugging electronics and small appliances when not in use. I grew up with vinegar and baking soda used as household cleaning staples, so that’s an easy one for me. I’ll admit I still have a couple of favorite detergents I can’t let go…

I am trying to reduce my dependence on paper towels. My firt step is to only buy recycled paper towels as I wean myself off of using them.

We’ve done alot already – we’re going to get rid of paper towels this year and go back to cloth towels

It has been three years since I had a store clerk ask me if I wanted plastic on paper. I have been bringing my own bags that long. I buy only green products when it comes to laundry detergents, dish washing detergents, fabric softeners and paper products.

Thank you for having this contest.

Frances

We already recycle, reuse, drip dry clothing, don’t use paper towels or napkins, have CFLs, turn off things when they’re not in use and turn off water when we’re not using it (even in the soap/shower phase–yeah CA!), but I need to work on not taking so many trips out of the house in the car. I go stir crazy and don’t know what to do with the kids, so we drive somewhere. We need to get walking!

We recycle, use CFLs, and use canvas bags at the grocery store. I’ve also been unplugging appliances we seldom use.

Only washing in cold water and no longer cooking dead animal parts.

onsite recycling for the apartment house

no lights after 7 pm.

brought reusable cups to work instead of paper

Since I always carry water with me I have started refilling the bottles instead of buying more bottled water

In addition to the no bottled water, reusable bags, lights off, appliances unplugged, I’m starting to send my teenagers to the shower with a timer so they will use less water.

We’ve stopped the use of disposables such as paper towels, at the moment we’re working on switching to more natural cleaning products.

we are dechemicalizing- if thats the word- switching over slowly

I will STOP using paper towels – Its horrible how many I use when I could be using a cloth towel. I have been meaning to do this, but if I win I will truly start.

One thing I would change is to not use plastic bags at the grocery store any longer/bring mine own.

No more bottled water in our house. Plastic of all kinds will be eliminated, if possible.

I need this little green machine my kids are so messy

Simple, I am getting rid of my husband…he refuses to recycle, leaves every electrical device we own running 24/7, will not eat left-overs nor will he use environmentally friendly products! He is definitely a bane to our Mother Earth.

Ok, seriously, I use cloth bags when I shop, I recycle avidly, I have switched to vinegar and other environmentally friendly cleaning products…I do, and plan to increase my efforts, many things to preserve our evironment, it has become natural to do so.

Thank you.

I recycle, use energy efficient bulbs. I am trying to but/use less stuff.

I’ve stopped buying bottled water and now fill a few of those 5-gallon bottles at a time using a water vendor. It’s a little more hassle, but reduces the amount of plastic my family threw away by tons!

Our landlady (God bless her) has promised to let me have a few rows in her garden this year! I am so excited! Not only will I decrease my carbon footprint, but I’ll have (I hope?) big yummy tomatoes, the kind not found in stores.

help

I’m trying to get rid of chemicals in my home and this would definitely help.

We will ride our bikes instead of driving.

I’m exchanging all our lights to energy saving bulbs.

I drive less and recycle more.
I need to start using green products to clean with. Better for the environment and they do just as good a job.

Hang drying clothes instead of using electricity to run the dryer

I try to use the canvas tote bags when shopping and I’m recycling more.

I’d love to start recycling more.

I’ve already done several things, i.e., changing light bulbs to energy efficient ones, increasing attic insulation by 8″, etc. My next step will be using homemade cleaners. I will start with a vinegar/water solution for pet mishaps on the carpet/rugs.

I have been pretty faithful about keeping a New Year’s resolution of using reusable bags for shopping trips. Working to teach my daughter to shut off lights and close the refrigerator door. I also try to combine errands with commuting trips to avoid extra driving. This summer, we’ll grow some sunflowers for a bee-counting project.

In honor of Earth Day, I bought 3 BPA-free water bottles today so that my kids and I will stop buying and using the disposable water bottles and quit filling our landfills with the waste from those bottles. We are also ramping up our usage of “green” household cleaners. Thanks for the giveaway!

I will stop using bottled water (hopefully I’ll win the filter) and use all cfl lightbulbs. I’ve been recycling and turning off lights for a long time, This is a great contest. Thanks for the chance to win.

We will start turning off the water while we are brushing our teeth. Thanks!

Using earth friendly detergent and stopped buying bottled water

I carry a reusable shopping bag in my purse when I go shopping, I recycle labels from cans and frozen foods into different crafts with my grandson, I stopped buying paper towels and I now use ec0 – friendly multi use cloths, we are making a compost for my garden that will use our food scrps and I am trying to learn about going Green all of the time.

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

We already do a lot. We recyle, wash in cold, new lightbulbs, turn off lights, time showers, rarely turn on heat, use cloth bags.

I think what I’m going to work on, is using vinegar and baking soda as cleaning products and also, I’m going to ask the grocery store to keep their packaging, especially that found on meat, fish etc. I don’t need that styrafoam at my place and I find that they use way too much! (They may not like me when I do this, but I’ll be brave and persistant!!) lol

Thanks for the great giveaway!

(in Canada)

We are cleaning more with baking soda. We have changed over to the curly light bulbs.

We have been using flourescnt light bulbs for over 10 years now.

I switched all my bulbs to CFL’s, I try not to use any thing plastic, I bike to work as much as I can, and I recycle every thing that I can.

I have a Britta water filter/pitcher, but mine is round, I like the shape of this one, it will fit a lot better in the fridge.

I am buying less bottled water and using refillable bottles. I have the kind with an frozen ice insert. Keeps it cold for the kiddy too.
Thanks!
Alyzabeth’s Mommy for Seven Motnhs

We do quite a bit of things from growing our own organic veggies, trying to use rainwater, to drying our clothes in the sun in the summer. I am pretty good about turning off lights (the kids have some work to do), but now I’m trying to turn off some other electronics, like the computer and even the printer. I heard that just keeping appliance plugged in wastes a great deal of energy – energy vampires is what they called them.

Well I’ve already switched to using the green cloth bags when I grocery shop. The next thing I plan on doing is making my own laundry detergent and fabric softner. I’ve been saving up the plastic bottles to refill them with the stuff I make.

We use CFL bulbs, we wash clothes with cold water, we hang them outside to dry

I use more cloth kitchen towels than paper towels – but they are sure getting stained from so much use!!

I’m going to start taking my own reusable bags to the grocery store.

Using more organic products

I will buy paper yard waste sacks instead of the plastic bags we have been using.

going to start going to the farmers market this year

I’m going to get a cart, and start walking to the grocery store

i am going to be pot gardening- growing food in pots-i already recycle/use totes for shopping/paper bags for lawn clean up

We’re not buying paper towels anymore. Instead, we are using cotton rags that we throw in with the laundry.

We have switched to green cleaners around the house.

I always just buy bottled water because it’s easy…but I ould love to start keeping a pitcher of filtered water in the fridge…less plastic bottles!

wow, great contest

Taking my own reusable bags to stores.

I am going to switch to ‘green’ household cleaning products, products made from plants with no chemicals in them! Thank you for the contest!

Recycle all we can

tap water,
plastic bottles,
dull, plastic you
brita pitcher
purified water
glowing you

We are planning on stopping using chemical based household cleaners.

Thanks!

Go green & clean!

We are currently phasing out all of our toxic household cleaners and replacing them with green products.

We went through a ton of plastic water bottles last summer, so this year we are buying a bottle for each family member and refilling. Thanks for the chance to win-great prizes!

I will replace all our purchased bottles of water with reusable water bottles, I will turn off lights when they are not in use and purchase energy saver bulbs for every socket in my house.

Thank you for the great giveaway!

JH33194(underscore)2002(at)yahoo.com

No more bottled water- unless it’s in our own reusable bottles.

No more paper plates or styrofoam cups

I love to reuse and re decorate those plastic bottles, trays and tubs from bakery products, milk, juice, yogurt, and cheese. Some I use as starter containers for my garden seeds. Others get cut up painted, and/or glittered. I use them for holiday decorations, package decorations or just general home decor.

We have really taken a look at different ways to recycle everything, we recently took a broken table and made a window perch for the cat. We try to use every scrap of anything we have before we discard it. I’d love to win this prize, It would help be more green. Thanks for the chance

The habit I will change is to remember to unplug all the items we are not using.
smchester at gmail dot com

We unplug computer, appliances and t.v. when they are not in use.

We will work at being better at turning off lights. thanks for the giveaway

I am unplugging some of my appliances at night.

Since I have already done many things to increase my ‘green-a-bility’, I think the next thing will be to get a new power strip. One that will keep the DVR on while shutting off everything else. Although I have been turning off the vampire electronics, every once in awhile I want to record something when the machines would otherwise be off, so I end up leaving all of them on to do so.

We recycle, we use cloth bags, we are paperless, and we ride bikes or drive a hybrid.

I fixed all my leaky faucets. No more waste!

I so badly want a little green cleaner!

recycle more

We scrap our household metal.

I don’t buy plastic water bottles and use my cloth bags at the grocery (most of the time). If I could get my hubby to use cloth napkins, that would be an accomplishment worthy of something special.

Well, I already use many natural cleaning products, have switched to CFL’s and use reusable bags for shopping. Now I am trying to get rid of the plastic storage containers in my house and upgrade to food grade heavy duty stainless steal or glass storage. I think it will be safer for my family, especially my kids.

I’m trying to go greener, already use my own bags at the grocers and realize this should be carried over to other stores, like clothing, shoes, etc. (just designate bags for non food items).

i will wash my clothes in cold water

I got a pitcher so that everyone would stop buying so many water bottles!

I am getting rid of my plastic shower curtain and replacing with a natural fabric like cotton.

I now only use reusable totes for grocery shopping. And I can pack so much into them that I need less bags. It’s great.

We are starting to compost here. We are putting in a home orchard so composting is a huge Plus for us.

We installed a rain barrel this year for watering of potted plants. The kids are excited to start using it!

We use dryer balls to soften fabrics naturally without the need for fabric softener. They will reduce static cling and leave your clothes feeling soft without the use of harmful chemicals.

we use cloth shopping bags, i only have a few (7) im trying to get more!!

I noticed a real difference when we started turning off the computer all the time.

we keep lights off and turn off that running water when not needed

I will carrya reusable water bottle(way more eco-savvy than disposable plastis models).

We have a new shower head – it warms the water up and then stops the flow until you’re ready to start the shower. Less water waste!

Great prizes! We’re going to put up a clothesline soon to decrease our use of the electric dryer.

We are really trying-adding something new every month. We use the great light bulbs, reusable bags and we are hanging half of our laundry out to dry!

Composting using clothes instead intead of paper towels using a water filter instead of bottle water

I’d love to try the filter…we’ve just started composting

We plan to walk more once the kids are out of school. It’ll be great excersize and it’ll be great for the environment.

Actually,I wanted ideas from the family on how to go green, and to see what knowledge they had on this way of living and also what they were willing to commit too. I put 2 dry eraser boards up; 1 for suggestions from family members on going green and the # 2 board for things each family saw that was non green that our household was doing. It has been quite amazing what the children are noticing and offering to give up. The cutest thing was…My 6 year old son put on the non green board that His nite light was non green and that He was willing to sleep in the dark.

We’ve replaced 8 lights with CFL bulbs and give them priority use. Please accept my entry. Thank you.

My Husband has a business where he ships out things that has to be packed for protection(styrofoam chips and air filled plastic) is what he normally used. But, we started noticing just how much paper was being shredded;sometimes the recycle bin was nothing but shredded paper.So we started saving the small plastic bags that parts come in filling them with the shredded paper and WHAALA… we have packing protection.He even got a phone call from a customer asking where to buy the recycled shredded packing and if it was cheaper to use!

I plan to switch to as many green products as I can.

I use tote bags when I go grocery shopping and we changed all of our light bulbs to those GE energy saving ones. I recycle all of my magazines, and I get at ton of them, by donating them to my doctors office or dentist, depends on who I’m seeing that month.
Thanks for the great giveaway and Happy Earth Day. Do your part to help save our planet and recycle!!

I am getting a clothesline to hang most of my laundry outside and cut back on my use of the dryer.

A habit I would like to break is leaving my outside light on at night. I am always scared of someone breaking in my place that I leave the outside light on so I can see who is outside before I go to the door. I should put in a motion light.

I changed my light bulbs and use cloths bags.

I use reusable totes when I shop and we are switching over to CFL bulbs. Thanks for the great giveaway!

We are saving all of our plastic lids, paper rolls, soda lids, boxes etc. for our kids arts and crafts projects and for school projects!

I have stopped using bleach and have started using Method cleaners and I am no longer running small loads of laundry, but am waiting until I have large loads to cut down on the amount of electricity and water I use.

We just put up a clothesline to use the dryer less. I’m trying to remember to put my grocery tote bags BACK in the car after use to stop bringing any plastic bags home. I want to start composting food scraps, grass cuttings, etc. for our organic fruit and vegetable garden. Lots to do to save the planet!! Let’s do it! I enjoyed reading all the great suggestions above. Thanks for setting this giveaway up this way – we all learn!

Looks great. We have been gradually replacing things like Paper towels and Toilet paper with enviro-friendly versions. Thanks for the chance.
mogrill@comcast.net

We are no longer buying paper plates and plastic utensils. I am decreasing my many magazine subscriptions and sharing the ones I get with my mom and sister. We are growing our own vegetables – pesticide free, and investing in a compost bin.

use tote bags when I go grocery shopping and we changed all of our light bulbs to energy saving ones.

We hang our laundry outside when it’s nice (we live in a warmer climate so we can do this for much of the year)-we are trying to be better at turning out the lights in rooms we are not in. Thank you!

I am trying very hard to remember to bring in my reusable bags when I shop. I kept them in the trunk but moved them to the back seat and I remember them more.

I will try to only use reusable grocery and lunch bags as well as try to use more natural cleaners around my home. Thanks for the chance.

We are trying to not leave lights on and reduce how much electricity we use.

wow! ty 4 sponsoring this awesome giveaway and 4 the entry:) I’ve been making our own laundry soap,cleaning products and we recycle what we can:)

We are in the process of renovating our kitchen to be green. Complete with recycling center, energy star efficient appliances, composting, and only using products in our home and lives that are good for our planet. Blessings

We are recycling everything!:) and we never used to do so:(

I would like to stop using paper plates!

I will buy those energy efficient lights

we have already changed our bulbs to the new ones, and we are going to start a compost pile in our backyard. thanks

We switched to cloth diapers. It actually not too bad. Its just a little extra work.

I need to ditch the plastic bottles

i will switch to cfl bulbs and try out tide coldwater detergent.

I’m saving up to buy a bike!

We’ve been buying cleaning products that are earth-friendly.

Trying to clean with more natural cleaning products…like vinegar.

I’ve been buying natural cleaners

use more earth friendly products

I’m beginning to act like my mother, and do things I used to mock her for – the newest one is washing out ziplock bags for reuse.

Continue and improve my food sourcing of local and sustainable foods and lower-on-food-chain products like sardines and smelt. What is the delta in carbon footprint between a sixpack of import vs. a local microbrew from international refrigerated transport? Various personal decisions matter and should become second nature, but directing effort up the “food chain” by getting your workplace to be greener, your local businesses, and your local government will multiply gain greatly. A few minutes embarrassing your big box store bagger about the lack of need for a plastic bag to package your plastic (green) detergent bottle may mean many fewer similar baggings for less vocal people coming after you.

we have a filter for our water to save money

I will try to cut down my use of disposables such as paper towels and paper napkins and plan to start using reusable items.

Using a refillable water bottle for the day instead of bottled water. Reduces my out of pocket costs and is better for the environment! Thanks for the give-a-way!

Having grown up in a frugal household, I alreay live pretty green already. Green before it had a name, before it was trendy and before it was necessary due to economic crisis, so we only have one thing left, and it’s the one that will probably take the longest but we are working on replacing appliances and making them all the top of the energy star compliance ratings.

I want to make sure to reuse every single plastic shopping bag–no throwing them away anymore. I also want to try to keep all my reusable totes in the car so I don’t forget to use them

We are trying to use green household cleaners. Also – we cut our showers down to a few minutes.

I already recycle, have the green bulbs, & use cold water to wash my clothes, but I’m trying to get more green cleaners and to use the tote bags instead of plastic ones.

I want to break leaving my computer on when I’m not using it. Only takes a second to turn it off, but I rarely do.

I’m going to start taking shorter showers, I’ll keep a timer and make sure it is 7 min or less, I really don’t need longer.

We are planning on doing a veggie garden! Well, at LEAST potted tomatoes. We love tomatoes.

this prize is just to cool

I quit using paper plates and paper towels

The one thing I will change is to unplug appliances and other things we are not using to save energy.

I was Green before Green was cool. I hang laundry out, turn out lights, drive compact car, recycle, use energy bulbs, and I always look for and purchase energy star label products.

I’m looking at Solar cooking and tried one dish so far. I’m currently doing research and plan to bake bread and try a few other meals (all cooked outside with energy from the sun!). It actually excites me to experiment with this!!!

recycling paper, plastic,metals and clothing. growing a vegtable garden. composting.

I have vowed to turn off the water while brushing my teeth! After I realized I could save thousands of gallons of water in a year by doing this, it was a no-brainer. Thanks!

We will stop wasting food! We will be way more creative with leftovers, bread ends, etc., and try to calculate how LITTLE we can actually throw away.

i will start timing my showers (i take WAY to long of showers!!)

autumn398 (at) yahoo.com

i’m going to get one of those washing machine balls

We don’t have a garbage disposal so we’ve had to throw our garbage in with our trash. You’d think that wouldn’t be “ungreen” but I’ve learned that biodegradable trash doesn’t degrade very quickly in a landfill, so it takes up room. We’re implementing a compost system so that we can not only contribute less to the landfill, we can help amend our soil without chemicals.

Recycle everything you can, shut off everything you don’t use, and don’t waste money on things you don’t need.

I am changing my cooking routine by buying all produce at my local organic farmers’ market.

I will change my habit of throwing plastic in the garbage and make sure I put my plastic in the recycle bin. THank you

To shut up the monitor of the PC when breaking off.

We’re taking shoes off as soon as we walk in the door which cuts down on dirt in the house which hopefully cuts down on how often we run the vaccuum. Also, I’m proud to say my 4 year old now remembers to turn off the water while she brushes!

We’ve always washed clothes in cold water, and DS has made a clothes line by stringing line between several trees – so I can now hang out a majority of our wash.

I always carry my cloth bagsto the store + keep them in my car -
To encourage my friends to do the same I have sewn strong reusable bags out of jeans + put their birthday + christmas gifts inside them;)that way they get a gift and a great reusable bag to carry their shopping

I’m going to try to catch my dishwasher before it goes to the drying cycle. My dishwasher never dries my dishes very well anyway, so it will use less electricity.

we switched to cloth napkins to save paper

i will recycle more containers.

I always use canvas totes for groceries, recycle paper, donate those plastic fruit cups to my daughters school to use as paint cups, the rest I give to our zoo and library, we just had an e-waste recycling event and we recycled a few plug in items, etc.

I would love to WIN this! Please enter me & thanks for the great giveaway =)

clemensrhonda@hotmail.com

To Green our home, we have two charts in the downstairs family room; one for the 16-yr. old, and one for the 1-yr. old. They have agreed to add one thing a week to the chart, to help live greener at home. It was an idea my 10-year old daughter’s teacher came up with, and students are encouraged to share their goals and accomplishments with the classroom. My 16-yr. old is doing it to humor his little sister, but in the mean time, he’s learning a valuable lesson as well, and everyone is better off.

I will use Freecycle more to get rid of usuable unwanted items so they don’t end up in the landfill.

I am buying a water filtration system (unless I win the one in this package!) and giving up bottled water. We go through at least 2 cases a week and that’s a lot of unnecessary trash going to our local landfill.

We’re working on recycling more. We already recycle what they pick up in the bins every week (cans & plastic bottles), but we’re making an effort to recycle what we actually have to take to the recycling center (paper products, certain plastics, etc.).

i’m going to start air drying my clothes instead of using the dryer and i’m trying to stop using paper towels

We are going to start using filtered water instead of the bottles.

My husband is helping to collect items for a consignment shop where the profits go to help families with AIDS. We throw away less and help others at the same time. We are working on having other families do the same.

This goes along with our regular recycling, CFL bulbs, and reusing all that we can.

I use chemical free products for cleaning. I also use reusable totes for grocery shopping and I recycle as much as possible.

Working very hard at remembering my own bags on grocery day, planting a vegetable garden and if I win this packet not buying bottled water

I use WAY too many paper towels and am planning on buying some rags that I can use instead. That way they can be washed and reused and I won’t be adding more garbage to the world.

I have been working on going green for awhile and love that so many people are joining in!! We dont use any disposables, we have all HE appliances, including solar panels to heat our pool and a ready heat system in stead of the old water heaters! We recycle EVERYTHING and compost the rest. We also give away all our “yard sale” items to people who need them 2 x each year-in an effort to create less garbage. We re-use everyhting we can for other uses (like newspaper for weed blocker) and are looking into getting more efficient cars. Im always looking for ways to do our part and would love this giveaway! Thanks!

We only use reusuable bags at the grocery store – boy what a difference that makes – probably saves 6-8 bags a week. We also plant our own garden every summer.

We use reusable shopping bags, energy efficient light bulbs, rechargeable batteries, only do laundry when we have a full load…every little bit helps!

I work at a non-profit organization and we have several youth programs, so I no longer throw away my daily newspaper,plastic, juice bottles, egg cartons, Toilet paper & paper towel rolls. I bring them to work where do arts & crafts projects with the kids and teach how to turn “trash” into art.

Just moved. The town has a location for all recyclables and I have already started separating and taking over all my trash.

We live 15 miles out of town, so I will stop running errands until I have at least three saved up.

I have been trying to use more environmentally safe cleaning products in my home.

I will bring my re-usable totes to package groceries in.

Thanks for the giveaway!

We are composting

We are committed to breaking the bottled water habit.

using to much water to riese dishes

I am trying to only use vinegar to clean everything and if I could afford, I would love to use the Clorox Green Works products which have to smell better than vinegar. I also started recycling. And most people say my house looks like a cave because I never turn the lights on unless I absolutely have to.

We have installed a programmble thermostat and are switching to the new light bilbs. I am interested in E-cloths for cleaning.

I cut back on using so many paper towels in my home by drying my hands on a wash cloth. I also don’t shop as much, which definitely cuts back on consuming products/energy (it’s also pretty nice on the pocket book, too).

I’ve got all the members of my family starting to compost all our kitchen scraps and garden waste. Not only does it cut down on our garbage, but it makes the best fertilizer for our garden! Thanks for the giveaway.

Recycling more,use less energy (exp:stop using our dryer,just hang them) and trying to use less plastic bags.

shut off all electrical appliances if nobody’s in the room, walk more, get more cfl’s

One thing I will do is this. We already recycle a lot, but I hate to admit it, not everything. I would have to say that I don’t like to rinse out things that are gross…hee hee…so I just throw jars and cans away. But I pledge that I will recycle all jars and cans from now on! THANKS!

Awesome! This is a great prize!

Sorry, forgot my tip! We recycle most everything now and only run errands once a week.

One thing we are doing is joining a local grocery co-op that buys locally grown produce, organic when possible.

I’m installing power strips in convenient places so I don’t have to crawl around on the floor to unplug things, and I’ve made a good start on making a routine of the nightly disconnect and turn off.

Things we do to help our planet:
- grow our own veggies/fruit
- dry clothes outside whenever possible
- my kids collect recyclable cans, turn them in for cash, and use the money to buy things they want
- make our own baby food
- reusable grocery store totes
- motorless lawn trimmer, the one you just push. Luckily, our yard isnt that big, the trimmers work fast, and its a great workout.
- Brita pitcher water filter
There are many more things we do to help.

I am learning to compost and am planting vegetables his year for the first time in many years. We recycle regularly.

I am reusing plastic grocery bags to pack lunch and do this over and over with the same bag. The others, I give back to the grocery store

We have changed all the cleaners we use and put in the good light bulbs. We learned to recycle more and that a lot of stuff can be recycled.We changed alittle at a time and their is so much more we can. Thanks for this great giveaway.
tishajean@charter.net

My family and I are moving into our first house (with a yard!) so we are starting a compost heap to reduce waste and encourage healthy plant growth!

i take my own bags when i go shopping

We have decided to drink only filtered tap water, and no longer used wasteful bottled water.

Over the past year, we’ve gotten rid of paper towels & paper napkins, switched to all reusable shopping bags, biked on errands, bought a new garbage can specifically for recyclables (just dump, wash out every 2-3 weeks). I also almost exclusively line dry (well, it’s wet out, so it’s rack dry!), except for socks and underwear. Next on the list: replacing light bulbs & buying a shower timer for the kids!

I am starting to purchase “made from 100% recycled materials” products- because what good is recycling if we don’t use those products? Thanks.

I’ll to to use my motorless push mower every time this year, instead of the electric weed eater. I sold my gas mower- never could get it started anyway.

We are growing a small garden and buying some of our meat from a local farmer.

I try to wash my clothes in cold water.

We already do a lot of things, the next thing will be to stop buying bottled water, so this Brita pitcher would help a lot!

One habit I would change to be more green. Use less water. Don’t let it run when I’m brushing my teeth and don’t have it blasting away while I’m waiting for it to warm up.

We recycle as much household stuff we can. I use cloth bags at stores and have given up using paper plates.

We will recycle everything possible.

I have a bad habit of drinking a bottle or two of water a day. I know I shouldn’t buy plastic bottles, but the water where I live is full of sediment and tastes awful! I’ve resolved to buy a SIGG bottle and fill it with water from a Brita pitcher!

WE USE RECYCLE BAGS AND WE RECYCLE CANS.

We recycle all of our aluminum cans.

I am using green cleaner. I received the Nature’s source package from bzz agent and really like the natural cleaners.

We buy bottles that are reusable to fill with filtered water from the tap and also upgraded our 60s model heater to and energy star rated one.

Using cloth napkins instead of paper towels!

we no longer use bottled water which is hard to get adjusted to , but its worth it

I am turning off the electronics. I used to just let them go into sleep mode.

use my childrens old school papers as note pads by the phone.

I’m not as green as my roommate so I would have to say I’ll try and use less water.

We do have a small container garden and recycle as much as we can. We also use the new light bulbs, when our utility company was sponsoring a discount, my roommate stocked up.

Also, in the winter we had our thermostat set at 55 except for a few hours in the evening. In the summer we keep it at 85 except for a few hours before bedtime.

We’re making the switch to the “good” light bulbs, and using canvas bags for shopping trips.

One habit I will change will be to unplug electrical items when I’m not using them, even if it means resetting clocks all the time, doh!

I will be using our air conditioning less this summer by turning the thermostat up a bit more than usual.

We already recycle and have begun to use chemical free cleaners around the house and are planning to stop using disposable items such as paper plates, plastic baggies, etc and use reusable items instead.

One habit I am changing is unplugging things that are not in use, like chargers and night lights.

We planted a garden this year since we finally have a house of our own and we have been making a trip to the recycling center once a week

One of our household routines is mowing our lawn! We have a huge yard so my husband and I take turns doing it! This is a green step that will help the environment. It is something new that we are not already doing so I thought I would share what we plan to do this year when we are maintaining our lawn. This is a tip I found online while doing some research on greening up our act. We are going to raise the cutting height of our lawnmower during the hot summer months to keep grass roots shaded and cooler. This will reduce weed growth, browning and the need for watering.
I learned that when you mow, start to “grasscycle” by leaving grass clippings on your lawn instead of bagging them or use a mulching mower. The clippings will return nutrients to the soil instead of taking up space in landfills.
These 2 small changes to our yard maintenance can make a fine contribution to helping the environment we live on and around. It is so easy to do, and takes virtually no effort on our part, so why not just do it, right?!

We are going to recycle all our plastics and glass. We also recently purchased new energy efficient toilets.

We just bought reusable water bottle containers from Costco for the whole family and reducing our plastic bottle usage!

I already have two reuseable grocery bags but I will be making a couple more, of my own design, so that I am never tempted to use those awful plastic thin bags again. I am also buying more green cleaners, much healthier and nicer smelling.

One thing I am changing to become more “green” is I am using reusable bags at the store instead of plastic bags. Also, I am trying to cut down more on my usage of water bottles. I am stocking up on stainless steel bottles so I can completely cut using the water bottles.

My husband and I already have our garden tilted for our vegetables. I have put out onion sets, and planted a lettuce bed. I have switched all my light bulbs out to the energy saving ones. I make a list of things I need to do on the week-ends for that week, if at all possible I plan a day to do all my errands while I am out. I will be planting tomatoe plants, green beans, corn, melons, cucumbers, peppers. squash and the list goes on, until we run out of space.

We have started composting. Thanks.

JeansandTs@hotmail.com
I am sorting the trash before bagging it to make sure we recycle everything we can. A daily once over helps.

I have a habit of constantly reaching for the paper towels for every little spill or wipe job. I will try to use dish towels or one of my hand crocheted cloths

I’m going to try to be very good about using my reusable grocery bags.

I am reusing bags, and trying to keep only the lights on that we are using. =)

I am going to start drying some of our laundry outside.

We are using Green Works cleaners for the house.

txhottie_86 at yahoo dot com

I do not buy bottled water and i quit using paper towels and napkins.

Me, me, me! I have that minivan!

I am going to give in to my husbands request to use our own shopping bags instead of the plastic! Thanks!

I am going to start using filtered water instead of buying plastic water bottles.

ferriza2(at)yahoo(dot)com

I want to try and stop using paper towels, so I plan to buy some washable towels for the kitchen.

We recycle everything that we can each week!

We just started a garden, with our favorite veggies and herbs. I would like to switch to canvas bags for the grocery store too. Thanks for the giveaway!

My husband wants to build a greenhouse in the backyard – that’s what we want to do as a family. As a community, we are using our shared garden (shared between all tenants of our landlady – all of the houses). We recycle all of our cardboard boxes to use in the garden. Not sure exactly what they’re doing but we are conscientious about making sure we give it to the main gardeners – they will put the dirt the boxes I guess.

My one family rule is respect – this isn’t a change but something ongoing. Respect yourself, don’t do anything to harm yourself intentionally physically, mentally or emotionally, respect others, don’t do anything intentionally to harm other physically, mentally or emotionally (keeping in mind that we need to think of repercussions of actions or inactions as sometimes we may not intend to harm but do ) and respect our environment – our physical and our greater home; earth – don’t do anything to harm her physically, mentallyl or emotionally.

I am making an effort to recycle everything possible. It makes it more difficult because we do not have recycling bins at our condos, but it is worth the effort.

Recycle more

We are in the process of purchasing more reusable grocery bags to eliminate the use of plastic bags.
Also, we are planning to put all new energy efficient light bulbs throughout the house.

We’ve changed a lot to be more green and the next change we plan is to convert all of our cleaning products over to natural alternatives. So far we’ve switched over the dish soap, and we’ll switch the others over as we use them up.

I think individual or even family efforts are encouraging and a positive step, but unless we take a more collective effort to ‘include legislation into the green equation’ I’m not getting a warm fuzzy about the eventual outcome. A prime example to consider… if not for legislation do we really believe automakers would voluntarily raise vehicle fuel economy – gas-guzzlers in particular like the highly-profitable SUV’s? I believe contacting our local and state representatives to inquire what THEY are doing for our environment is another needed and potentially vital step!

mcj4tlj@comcast.net

We try to recycle what we can and we use alot less paper plates, etc.

We will do more recycling.

mercsmercado at yahoo dot com

One habit I have changed is using mulch in my gardens – I bought mulch made out of recycled tires, and it looks just as nice!

Planning on canning again this year, growing our own vegies (with luck) and dehydrating- for sure!

We drink a lot of bottled water. I want to get one of these pitchers, that would help. We are trying not to use disposable plates and cups as much.

I am changing over to green cleaning products.

braaisjo at gmail dot com

I am refilling water bottles and using reusable grocery bags

I have been cleaning with a vinegar and water mixture, rather than harsh cleaners. I have also been cleaning with regular washcloths rather than use a bunch of paper towels.

We dry out clothes out on a clothesline. We made a really big one so that we’re not tempted to use the dryer.

We are using reuseable bags and cups. I have also been using cold water on my laundry to save energy.

Im going to swithc over to green cleaning products!!

Our tap water tastes terrible – we have been buying plastic jugs of water at the store to drink instead. Now we are cutting back on that by flavoring the water (such as making ice tea) and we are installing a Brita filter at the faucet! A green decision that helps us save the other kind of green ($$$) as well!

With the economy like it is I have been cleaning my house and donating good unused clothing and household items to the Appalachian Helping Hands clothes closet to help those in need! Thanks! senekers@comcast.net

We take our own reuseable bags to the grocery store.

I will be starting to compost.I hate the idea that I am just throwing food scraps away when I could be using them in my garden.Thanks!

In an effort to reduce A/C usage, I will make a strong effort to keep blinds and drapes closed during the hot parts of the day this summer.

Wash more in cold water. Use washable rags instead of disposable. Begin to use greener cleaning supplies.

I’m recycling glass, paper, plastic, clothes

We are planted a vegetable garden. We have all kinds of veggies this year.

I’m ‘greenerating’ my house as much as possible this year. I’m using reusable shopping bags, catching my dishwasher before it goes to the dry cycle, hanging my clothes up to dry and starting a compost heap!

One habit we will change to green one of our household routines is using cold water in our wash

i recycle cans
also planted a vegie garden yummm

We already re-use, recycle abd bring our own bags to the supermarket. Now, our gas lawn mower has died, so we have decided to mow our lawn (it’s small) with a push mower.
Thanks for this offer.

We plan to change out all our light bulbs to the energy saver ones.

besides recycling our paper,plastic,cand and glass we compost alot.we stopped buying disposable water bottles for the kids lunches and are using our britta water filter pitcher to refill camelbak water bottles instead.our britta pitcher just broke the other day (the flip top lid) and we do need to replace it soon.

I will start posting things to Craigslist that I no longer have a need for, instead of keeping in case I might run across a need, or instead of disposing.

I’ve already started replacing the light bulbs with cfls.

i allready promised myself, that i will not leave the water running as i do the dishes.
i stopped using a dishwasher years ago, but i fell into the bad habit of ruinning the water, so to conserve water, i will not do it anymore.

We’ve already done quite a few things, we’ve cut out garbage in less than half with recycling. I’m going to get a water filter and no more bottled water. Thank you for the great giveaway!

My huge contribution that I do that feels like my family is being very cautious of the environment and being green is not only recycling but we make sure that we are wasteful with water & energy. Thanks for a great giveaway

One of the things I’m trying hard to do is remember to bring re-usable shopping totes to the grocery store with me.

I want to start remembering to bring tote bags to the grocery store. Thank you

We’re teaching our children about being green, and in the process we’re changing tons of things around the house, all because we’re trying to instruct our kids.

I am planting a garden so we can eat out own orgainic fruits and veggies

I am trying to do only 2 loads of laundry using hot water a month. Also, trying to line dry towels & sheets.~thanks

We recycle all glass and plastic. We also use cloth bags for groceries etc. Planning on putting out a garden as well.

sweeps4us(at)gmail(dot)com

Maybe not the most creative but I want to plant a BIG garden this year! I also want to use more “green” cleaning products!
Thanks

Instead of using bleach in the sink I use a green product to wipe the sink counters and table

CFL lights. Solar outdoor lighting. Programmable thermostat. Reusable grocery bags

The one habit I will change to green one of my household routines is to shut of the water when I am not using it (like while brushing my teeth or washing the dishes)

I’m using tree nuts for laundry instead of regular detergent. Also I’m using baking soda and vinegar for much of the house cleaning. Thanks for the awesome giveaway!

I have been turning off the water while brushing my teeth, I use cold water most of the time to wash my clothing and I hang stuff over doors to dry that are big such as comforters,sheets, etc.-I have been doing that for years.

The biggest change I’ve made is to use my cloth bags when I go grocery shopping. No more plastic. We’re also buying less bottled water and have been searching the web for nice glass or stainless steel bottles. I drink more water from bottles than when I use a glass.

We do curb side weekly recycling, I no longer rinse dishes, I scrape and just put on wash in our dishwasher, The daily left over drinking water from our dog instead of throwing down drain I water the plants.

Thank you for the chance to win

camper223[at]live[dot]com

Wow! Wot a prize I do a lot of “green” things already, except the following: composting and growing my own garden veggies and flowers. I hope to change this and start by getting a job at a greenhouse so I can learn about growing plants and composting waste as I go! Thanks for the entry!

Our family has really gotten into recycling. Every day we seem to find something new to recycle that we never used to throw in the recycle bin.

We’re using more CFL bulbs, recycling more, and trying to use more Earth-friendly products. I would really like to build a large hamster-wheel for my cats, so they get more exercise, and hook it up to some sort of power-generating system, but I don’t know how to do that. If some enterprising engineer would build one, I’d install it in a heartbeat!

we whill hang dry our clothes

Instead of purchasing bottled water, I filter my own and “bottle it” in reusable water bottles. I also keep a gallon (washed milk jug) of filtered water in the fridge. I find my family is better hydrated. I hate when my kids run the tap water until it is cold enough to drink. So keeping cold water in the fridge reduces both our water (the stuff that was running down the drain, grrrrrrr.) and electricity consumption.

no more cleaners that aren’t green

Besides growing our herbs and veggies and some fruit trees, I am trying to make more of our foods such as keifer. When I make keifer I can cut out plastic containers yogurt and keifer come in and use ceramic bowls to store it in. I also make my own broths and that cuts out plastic or paper containers and I again store it in glass. Everything I can make from scratch I am doing more and more. We also are raising chickens and ducks to use thier eggs and use bowls to store the eggs instead of buying them in cartons. The chickens and ducks also use any leftover foods we have so there is no waste. I use cloth instead of paper towels and also vinegar and baking soda to clean.

We’ve been recycling. I wash laundry in cold water and line dry a lot of the loads. This has been perfect weather for it. We planted a vegetable garden.

Green My House….
I’ll Use The Electricity I Pay For, Using The Bulbs Of My choice(NOT CFL’s by the way) To Light My House When I want Too. I’ll Water My Lawn And Do My Laundry When I Choose. I’ll Set My AC To What I Want, When I Want As Long As I Can Pay For It. I’ll Not Be Using A Government Sponsored “Cooling Center”. I’ll Use Oil And Gasoline When And How I Want, In Any Vehicle I Choose In Any Color I Want. I’ll Go Back To Paper Bags By choice…It Is My choice After All…. You “Greenies” Seem To Think That Its Yours To Make For Me.
I Hope To Win This Contest Though…..Unless Its rigged.

We are not going to pre-rinse our dishes, and Im going to try and make some cleaning supplies. Thanks

I try to take shorter showers but I have no idea how to manage it. We also recycle more than we throw out, use reusable water bottles, keep lights off as much as possible and use reusable grocery bags. Thanks!

I will start hanging more clothes .

I recycle cans and bottles, and I hope to use a water filter, so I don’t have to buy bottled water anymore.

I have reduced buying paper towels and plates. One thing I have to do is remember to take back a gazillion shopping bags back to the grocery store!

For Earth Day I got a compost bin –and a water catcher—collects water for your plants. I planted a ton of vegetables and this summer I hope to have a huge harvest.

I don’t know creative this is but I haven’t thrown out my old towels in forever. I cut them up and used them as cleaning rags. I also like to feed the birds old bread outside my house if i know i’m not going to eat it. It’s tough times for them too and helping nature well is green. thank you.

I will try to do a garden every year as well as making sure lights get shut off if not in use

well, one thing we are doing is trying to re-use anything that is seemingly disposable that would not otherwise create any health issues if re-used. just an example – we save and reuse our plastic plates, cups and silverware when we have a big family gatherings. its all sturdy enough to clean and re-use so we just do that. thanks! (freaaa@gmail.com)

For entertainment, instead of watching TV or listening to the radio for a couple hours a day, we invite friends over and play music acoustically with an acoustic guitar and saxophone and even sing too!

I’m trying to decrease my reliance on papertowels by using more rags.

a little step is that i will unplug the microwave after using

We’ve been working our way green for a couple years; this years big change is the garden and compost bin We’ve always gardened on a very small scale but this year we’re putting in a larger plot and attempting to skip the chemicals on the food and lawn.

this is a great earth day offering!
i love the bissell stick and the brita water jug!!
thank you!

I will stop using plastic bags at the grocery store and bring reusable bags with me.

madamerkf at aol dot com

Well, this isn’t very creative, but I’m in the process of switching my household cleaners to “green” cleaners.I gave myself bleach poisoning a little while ago from cleaning the bathroom with the door closed and I thought … there must be a better way to do this. (duh.)

In my MOPS group we recently discussed green cleaning products. I want to start making my own cleaning products using household items such as vinegar and lemon to avoid harmful chemicals around my family. We learned adding essential oils can make your cleaning products smell great as well!

i guess if every one does just a little bit it equals to a lot – I’ve been recyling what I can and trying to keep lights off when i’m not in a room and i’ve been filling the dishwasher completely before running a load.

I have recently been trying to use natural products like vinegar or baking soda when cleaning instead of using harsh chemical cleaners that are bad for the environment (and bad for humans!). It is much nice not breathing in bleach or ammonia.

I plan to use cold water to wash laundry.

I am finally plastic free and using all totes! Yeah! I love them. I also have a water saving shower head and reuse plastic water bottles. I am switching to natural cleaners. Since I have COPD my lungs are much happier with air that isn’t full of chemicals! Thanks!
hondaray6 at hotmail dot com

I am changing the light bulbs I use, and unplugging all unused appliances.

I recycle everything I possibly can, turn off all lights, unplug appliances not in use, and keep the a/c as high as I can stand it.

We’re going to have a garden for the first time this year, so I am going to start the very beginnings of compost – I can’t go all out this year, but I can start saving my veggie peels to go toss into the corner and make the garden soil richer!!

We have changed the lightbulbs to CFL’s as they blow out.

Most recently, I have begun using the reuseable shopping bags when going to any store (target, walmart, grocery, even drug store). It’s easier if you make sure to put them right back into the car after you take the stuff out of them!

We stopped buying bottled water and have been using reusable bottles, thanks

We have switched to walking most of the places we need to go whenever possible! The grocery store is one that we love to go to as a family and we bring our cloth bags with us too, or just throw things under the stroller. We also use cloth diapers.

I will try to use less paper towel & only buy more of the environmentally friendly ones. I already recycle daily & turn off all unused lights & appliances.

I have already stopped using plastic bags and we don’t purchase bottled water. One thing I would like to start doing is taking shorter showers and doing my wash with cold water!
Thanks for the giveaway!

we will try to recycle more

I have started composting

I think we could work on really recycling every single item that can be recycled. Sometimes I throw something in the trash because I don’t feel like washing it for the recycling bin.

no pullups, reusable instead…

I already make my own dry laundry detergent (grated soap, borax, baking soda, and washing soda). We have starts of vegetables in our greenhouse waiting to go out in the garden when it’s warm enough (please soon!). We are switching to CFL lightbulbs as old ones burn out. We are fixing things instead of throwing them out and buying new. This has been the most fun. I also make “locker hooked” rugs by using cut up sheets I purchase at Goodwill. Thanks for reading my comment. This must take you a long time to do!

I will stop using the heated dry setting on my dishwasher and I will let them air dry.

Recycling is on the top of our list. Also, taking advantage of delayed run times for appliances like the dishwasher and washing machine and having them run overnight.

We’ve taken a few steps, but the one with perhaps the biggest impact has been composting. With a toddler who likes to change his mind about what he wants to eat, we’ll often have wasted food. Instead of throwing it away, we take it to our homemade compost bin outside, where it becomes nutrient-rich dirt for our garden. Never thought I’d be one of “those people” with a compost bin, but here we are!

This is such an exciting giveaway! And the Bissell is the ultimate! Would just LOVE to have this for my rugs!

I save my plastic grocery bags and use them to crochet reusable shopping totes and water bottle holders.

I compost all kitchen scraps and use reuseable shopping bags. I also am planting a garden and got egg laying chickens!

We’ve stopped buying bottled water and now use safe water bottles filled with filtered water.

I am going to start washing my dishes by hand instead of in the dishwasher.

I will be using washcloths more often instead of paper towels.

I refuse to eat in fast food places that use a lot of extra packaging. I did notice that a lot of places are cutting back on some of the waste but they could still cut back a little more. I cook a lot at home so that I can avoid food additives that are in prepared and take out foods.

I bought all those oddball things on the oprah site to make your own cleaners. As soon as I have an empty spray bottle, I’m going to start making my own green cleaners and using those instead of the commercial ones.

I also have a strict new reusable bag policy: if I forget to bring my bags into the store, either I can’t buy anything, I have to carry the stuff out in my arms, or I need to go back to the car to get my bags. Sooner or later, it’s going to get annoying enough that I’ll remember to bring them when I leave for the store the first time.

We currently do quite a bit, recycle, support a CSA, use CFL bulbs, wash in cold water. I would like to start composting to further reduce waste going into landfills.

I’am keeping paperbags to throw all my recyling items in. I end up filling one a day.

I have been using my rain barrel a lot more for watering

jason@allworldautomotive.com

I plan to get a clothes line and stop using my dryer! Thanks so much for the opportunity!

We have already gotten rid of the “disposables” in our household and now we are working hard on using reusable shopping bags for everything.

i want to recycle more sometimes my family can get kinda lazy

I recycle as much as possible. We prefer to freecycle or donate unwanted but still usable items. We garden (not a lot because of lack of space) and we switched to CFL bulbs.

I am now shopping (only when I *need* to) more often at thrift stores and garage sales. Buying used items is green because it saves the energy and raw materials that would be used in making new ones. My current Britta pitcher is also quite old and I’d like to have their new & improved version. Thanks for the contest.

We have a garden and we composte and if I catch the kids not in their rooms with the lights on-they get one warning to shut it off and then they have to pay me a dollar.

We use CFL bulbs now

I drinks lots of fluids of all kinds, and i will make an honest effort to never let those bottles go un-recycled!

I was taught to recyle while still a youth, and was shown by my grandmother how to compost trimmings from veggies and fruit that we used for meal preparation. She also taught us to turn out the lights in rooms as we leave.

We are definitely recycling more, not using little water bottles – we bought PABA free bottles to reuse and trying to get away from all of those plastic bags with the reusable grocery sacks.

We no longer use the little disposable bathroom cups, instead we each have a designated cup to use.

I use the new lightbulbs, take reusable shopping bags, I love bamboo fabric, use PUR water filter and use a safe waterbottle rather than using bottled water and soda.

We are covering our window in foil to keep the trailor cooler, we turn off the ater heat when not in use & I am going to change all the light bulbs to the new green flouresent ones.

We carry our own water bottles so we no longer have to purchase bottled water.

Not sure if this is still open to entries, but I’ll give you my thoughts nonetheless:
I will try, with the help of my earth-conscious kinder, to plant an organic garden. My thumbs: they’re black, and there really isn’t hope for them…but perhaps I can piggy-back on my kinder’s ability to grow things.

I am going to try to use natural products for cleaning my house as much as I can

Rigth know we are working on turning off lights and electronics when not in use.

Reusing the ziploc plastic baggies whenever they can be washed out.