©iStockphoto.com - David H. Lewis

If you are a book lover like me, chances are that your book collection is out of control. I have three bookshelves in my house filled to double capacity, a car-sized stack of cardboard boxes in storage in my poor mother’s basement, and an addiction to used book sales that even the best support group (Bookworms Anonymous?) wouldn’t be able to shake. Most of the time, I’m fine with this state of things. After all, there is always a book or 30 to keep me company in the bathtub, and frankly, I like having millions of words worth of knowledge and entertainment just a few steps away.

Last year, though, I began the process of going green, and really took to heart the concept of treading more lightly on the earth. Facing a big move to a new place, I began recycling or freecycling all my unnecessary possessions, and found that not only did I get a cleaner house for my trouble, I got a lighter conscience, too. Soon it became apparent to me that, if others could get good use out of my old DVD/VCR combo, why couldn’t they get good use out of my old books, too? So I searched around on the internet for the best ways to contribute to a sustainable world when buying, selling, and trading old books. (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - Raffaelo

Consider an average American family: two adults, commuting 20-30 miles each per day in separate cars with average fuel efficiency, driving an additional 5,500 miles running errands and taking their child to basketball games and piano practice. The family takes one vacation trip per year, flying to visit friends and grandparents 1,450 miles away. Can you guess how much CO₂ their house and cars produce? Around 60,000 pounds, or 10 tons for each family member! Isn’t it too much??!!

Today the world is in greater need to shift from electricity-gulping ignorance to power-sipping sophisticated practices. The high-voltage diet can be chopped if people think more about their energy usage at their homes,offices, institutes etc. The time has come when we must cut our electricity consumption and, therefore, its production and our dependency on the electricity grid.

Switching to power saving practices will not only cut homeowners’ heavy electric bills but also save the energy. This will further reduce the pollution, greenhouse gases and global warming. (continue reading…)

©iStockPhoto.com - Ever

I’m one of those people who genuinely believes that cards should be personally handwritten and addressed and that there’s no substitution for the small bit of consideration that it takes to perform this task for someone else. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I feel that in the often impersonal hustle of our modern lives it’s especially important to put that personal touch on our interactions with friends and family. I have fountain pens, gloriously colored and scented inks, a wall full of rubber stamps, and even cards that I’ve made myself for this purpose.

Before you want to shoot me, you need to know this: I have not managed to send out one single card in over five years now. There were even a few sympathy cards I should have sent out. I had good intentions; one year I thought I’d be really organized and buy the whole year’s worth of cards and stamp and address them ahead of time and keep them in a nice binder. Great idea. Then I misplaced the binder. Everything went downhill from there.  So when a friend of mine told me she was becoming a representative for an online card company that will address and mail cards for you, it occurred to me that perhaps this was a very, very good idea. (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - Patryk Galka

It’s time to deunk the myth that greening your lifestyle is expensive. This idea comes from inflated ideas and propaganda aimed at maintaining the toxic status quo. In truth, green alternatives can be costly if you don’t know where to shop or what to buy. Many designer labels (and price tags!) carry “eco” statements. But there are really great green deals out there. Some green products are cheaper in the long run while some are cheaper up front. (continue reading…)