Watering your yard

To save water when you water your yard, try a couple of these tips:

1. Check the weather forecast before automatically watering your lawn. It could rain that day.

2. Never water with a sprinkler on a windy day, as the wind will carry away much of the water before it hits the ground.

3. Adjust sprinkler heads and water flow to avoid watering unnecessary objects such as walkways or rocks.

4. Water your yard/garden early in the morning or late at night when it is cooler to avoid excessive evaporation.

5. Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation in gardens. They provide deep, accurate watering that will encourage strong root growth.

And here is a fun tip to try:

Wash your car on the lawn! As long as you sparingly use eco-friendly, biodegradable soap, it is safe to do on your lawn.

"The reward of a thing well done is to have done it."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

source: "It's Easy Being Green" by Crissy Trask

SocialVibe

Most of us today have become very internet-savvy with all the new websites enabling us to become connected with others such as Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, ect. Well here is another website to add to your list: SocialVibe.

What makes SocialVibe different? You can help change the world by earning money for charities. No cash need be surrendered from your wallet- instead, SocialVibe uses a point system to allocate the money to different charities. So what does that mean for you? It's free!! And also quick and easy to sign-up.

Once you are a registered user, you can pick the cause of your choice and a couple sponsors (that may also come with free perks for you!). Some of the most popular causes include Truth, To Write Love on Her Arms, Stand Up for Cancer, charity:water, and PETA2 just to name a few. You can also change your cause or sponsor whenever you like.

To earn points, get other people to join, answer their daily questions, or many other ways including posting your personal badge to your website.

Here's a look at my badges:

To sign-up, click the pink tab on one of the badges that says "Join Now" or visit http://www.socialvibe.com!

So check out SocialVibe if you want to make a difference in an easy way!

source: http://www.socialvibe.com

The Whaleman Foundation

The Whaleman Foundation is an oceanic research, conservation, and production organization dedicated to preserving and protecting dolphins and whales and their ocean habitat. Fortunately, there is an easy way to get involved with The Whaleman Foundation that celebrity Hayden Panettiere continues to strongly support.

Sign their petition! The goal is to stop commercial whaling and Japanese coastal dolphin drive hunts. Fan of Whale Wars? Then check out The Whaleman Foundation! For more information visit this website:

http://www.socialvibe.com/whaleman?r=241902&rs=spread_35

If you choose to sign the petition, you will need to enter your email address for verification. Don't worry, you will NOT be sent any junk mail.

Oven Cooking

To save energy while cooking with your oven, turn it off 10 minutes before your food is done cooking. The remaining heat will still cook your food without using extra electricity.

And if you need to cook something small in your oven, use a toaster oven instead. It will use a third to half as much energy as a regular oven.

source: "It's Easy Being Green" by Crissy Trask

Buy products in concentrate

When available, buy products in concentrate such as cleaning supplies and laundry detergent. You'll use less, making your cost per use much lower than it would be with a non-concentrated brand. And, you will be consuming less packaging and resources needed to transport your products.

"Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow" -Plato

source: "It's Easy Being Green" by Crissy Trask

The new wrapping paper

When you're giving a gift to someone, make the packaging more creative and save paper!

Instead of buying new wrapping paper, find materials around your house to wrap things in- it will also make the gift more personal.

Some ideas for alternative wrapping paper:

newspaper

wallpaper scraps

old sheet music

old posters

old maps

pages from magazines or catalogs

scraps of fabric

scarves and pillowcases

So get creative and have fun!

Body wash vs. Bar soap

Which one is more environmentally friendly? Answer: Bar soap

Bar soap often comes wrapped in paper product instead of plastic bottles that may never end up being recycled. When using bar soap, a lot less of it gets washed down the drain as opposed to body wash. The ingredients in soap are also more environmentally-friendly as they are more likely to be pure less-processed such as spices, herbs, oatmeal and the oils are more likely to be essential oils. Body wash contains additives that are highly processed, even on the more expensive end.

A bar of soap also looks more attractive in your home and its scent is more accessible to be smelled. But going for a bar of soap does not mean you have to buy the cheap ones that dry out your skin (as many cheap brands of body wash do because they are detergent based). Buy a bar that you can enjoy its thick, luxurious lather and also feel good about saving plastic material!

So next time it is time to refill your shower necessities, go for the bar soap!

sources: http://www.helium.com/items/1414562-what-is-the-difference-between-body-wash-and-soap

JUST DO IT

"There is something fundamentally wrong with treating the earth as if it were a business in liquidation." -Herman Daly

Well put, Herman, well put. Obviously going green is a trending topic in our world today and people are probably tired of hearing about it. But let's face it, it's a problem that we cannot erase easily. So we have to at least try.

Going green and contributing to our earth does not mean you have to make sacrifices, just improvements. You may also be thinking, "I am one person, what difference do I make in the world?" Well, if you don't take initiative, then who will?

I will be posting quick, easy ways to go green as well as facts about our earth. Whether you decide to try them, forward them, or laugh at them...well, your decision ;)