Three Steps for Making a Recycled Blanket

Recycling Clothes and/ or Fabric to Make a Comfortable Blanket

This upcoming winter is a great time to experiment with green ways to stay warm.

One green craft this time of year could be to make a recycled blanket or quilt out of materials already available around the house.  In order to create a blanket or quilt, three methods include:

1) Pick the Fabrics: Choose a surplus fabric around the home that can be used as the centerpiece for the new blanket or quilt.  Options could range from college tee shirts, old sweaters, or worn-out jeans for the top of the blanket and another, sturdy, fabric, such as older blankets or fleeces, for the base.

Five Easy Ways to Have a Green Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Is Only Two Days Away

Though it can be a challenge, the holidays can be a good time to practice several GreenLiving skills and lifestyle choices.  Several ways to stay "green" during Thanksgiving include:

1) Manage food waste: A big component in many Thanksgiving celebrations is a meal shared by family and/ or friends.  If hosting this year, try to set up a buffet style meal so that everyone can get the portion of food they would like, instead of being served too much (or too little!) and wasting excess food.  If attending a Thanksgiving celebration: try to wait between courses before getting more food, to avoid getting too much and wasting excess.

2) Compost when possible: After the Thanksgiving meal, some of the food scraps can be composted.  Remember: avoid dairy products and bones, but any organic material such as shells, vegetables, and fruits can be put in the compost bin.  Learn more about composting here.

America Recycles Day 2016: Facts and Tips

A "Keep America Beautiful" Initiative

Today, November 15, is a green holiday: America Recycles Day, a day to take a pledge to recycle more and become more environmentally focused.

There are several ways to celebrate and honor America Recycles Day, including:

Attend an Event: More than 2,000 recycling themed events are taking place this year for America Recycles Day.  Visit the interactive map on the website to filter events by state, city, and/ or zipcode.

Take the Official Pledge: According to the America Recycles Day website, the national recycling rate has steadily increased throughout the past 30 years.  Currently, approximately 34 percent of individuals in America recycles.  Take the #BeRecycled pledge to commit to recycling.

Four Budget-Friendly GreenLiving Ideas

Live Green With Less Financial Worry

Want to live a green life but are concerned about the financial impact?  This is a common concern, especially around the holidays!  However, there are plenty of ways to live a green lifestyle and stay on a budget.  Several ideas include:

1) Clean green: Many people don't realize that their home can look immaculately clean by using natural products that already sit in a pantry shelf rather than buying cleaners in a store.  Not only are cleaners expensive, but they often are damaging to the air and water.  Here are some great natural products:

• White Wine Vinegar: vinegar is excellent for cleaning stains, especially on fabrics!
• Baking soda: baking soda is great at removing dirt and stains.  Did you know it is also good to mix baking soda with toothpaste to get a sparkling, white smile?
• Lemon and orange peels: instead of throwing fruit peels away, they are excellent to scrub dirt and grime from pots and pans.

Grady's GreenLiving Tips recently ran a series on a "green clean": view the posts here.

2) Unplug extra appliances: A previous GreenLiving blog discussed energy vampires , which is an occurrence where energy is drained from leaving plugs in outlets, even when the appliance is not in use.  One of the easiest ways to live a green life and save money on the electric bill is to remove plugs from outlets prior to leaving the house.  Chargers, coffeemakers, lamps: many appliances do not need to be plugged in when leaving the home.

Compost 101: Facts and Advice

Several Tips on How To Compost

Want to find a creative way to eliminate food waste?  Composting is a green method to dispose of some, but not all, excess food and natural waste.

What are methods to successfully compost?  Read a few tips below:

1) Create a compost bin: Composting only works if it becomes part of the daily routine.  Much like a recycling bin or trash can, select a container that can be identified as the "compost bin".  Ensure it is a portable container and has drainage/ ventilation holes or can be altered to create drainage and ventilation (such as a plastic container).

2) Decide on a location: Will the bin be placed inside or outside?  A compost bin needs biodegraders to break down the products placed inside into compost.  This could be earthworms, or bacteria, or fungus: depending on the climate and environment.