1.  Simplify the day. Celebrate being with those you love. Don’t overdo the cooking – and savor whatever you make. Linger over dessert, play games, watch football or a favorite movie, take a walk. Revive special traditions from the past and create new ones you can turn to next Thanksgiving, and the holiday after that.

2.  Decorate with boughs and berries. There’s no need to buy fancy Thanksgiving decorations. Head out to your yard with a pair of shears and find tree branches, bush stems loaded with berries, flowers whose seed heads have dried on the stem, and flowering grasses to fill tall vases, hollowed out pumpkins, and autumnal baskets.

3. Let there be light. Illuminate your table with candles  of varying heights and widths. Use votives in small glasses or carved sugar pumpkins.

4. Serve locally grown food. Even in colder, northern climates, farmers markets are still selling locally grown greens, potatoes, apples, pears, spices, breads, and cheeses. You’ll find lots of good recipes for salads, side dishes and vegetarian entrees here, as well as heritage turkeys.

5. Offer organic beverages. From apple cider to wine and beer, you have plenty of organic drinks to choose from.

6. Eat all the food you make. Send guests home with leftovers in glass jars rather than wrapped in plastic or aluminum foil. Freeze leftovers in easily re-heatable portions.

7. Use reuseables. Serve your meal on cloth tablecloths and napkins, accompanied by “real” silverware and plates. Worried about cleaning up after a large crowd? Let everyone pitch in – that’s half the fun!

8. Simmer cinnamon. Roasting vegetables and baking pies should infuse your home with delicious holiday aromas. For even more fragrant smells, simmer a few sticks of cinnamon and a few cloves of allspice on the stove. Dab a few drops of pine oil or other favorite fragrance on stones or pinecones that are part of your centerpiece.

9. Turn down the heat. If all your holiday cooking doesn’t heat up your house, your guests will. Turn your thermostat down 3-5 degrees – no one will notice the difference.

10. Recycle and compost. Keep a bin handy for glass, plastic and paper trash you can recycle rather than toss. Make soup from vegetable peelings, leftover meat and bones. Picked-over vegetables can be composted, though remaining meat and bones will need to be thrown away.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The post Top Ten “Green” Thanksgiving Tips appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Why focus on mostly free Mother’s Day gifts?

For starters, none of us needs more stuff, no one needs to spend more money, and goodness knows, the planet doesn’t need more trash (which is what wrapping paper and a lot of trinkets turn into after the holiday is over).

Don’t Miss: Mother’s Day: Shopping Spree or Shopping Shift? 

That said, as a mom, I just love receiving something that’s meaningful, personal, and shows me both THAT my kids care, and WHY.

That’s why I’ve pulled together this list of the 13 Mostly Free Mother’s Day Gifts I’ve received over the years that I’ve particularly loved. Most of them are not only free to give, but free of a trashy environmental impact, too.

13 Mostly Free Mother’s Day Gifts
(that Mom Will Love – and Mother Earth, too!)

1. Your Time – Does your mom love flowers but hate to garden? Spend two hours in the yard with her pulling weeds or sowing seeds. Is there a particular household chore she hates? Do it for her while she eats her breakfast in bed (see #2) or luxuriously reads the Sunday paper. What else can you do to free up time your mother can spend just on her?

2.  A Delicious Meal – This is always a winner. Serve breakfast in bed. Pack a picnic and head out to the park. Arrange for dinner that everyone pitches in to cook (and don’t forget to do the dishes afterwards). Need recipes? Here’s my zucchini frittata for breakfast or brunch, and my favorite kale cranberry salad for lunch or dinner.

3.  Exercise – Join your mom on a walk or a bike ride. If she loves to play tennis, can you either play with her or line up a match for her with a friend? Is there a hike she’s wanted to do but could never find the time for? Maybe she plays pickle ball. Whatever it is, help her do it.

4.  A DIY Massage  – I used to do this for my mother no matter what day it was. I’d just gently take her hand, rub a little lotion on it, and gently massage the fingers, palm and wrist, usually while we were sitting around talking. Convincing her to let me massage her feet was a little more challenging, but I usually won out. Here’s an introduction to gentle massage techniques if you need it.

5.  Family Stories – I’ve never met a mother who doesn’t love to relive her kids’ exploits (good and bad). While you’re at it, share a story or two about a time she did something particularly extraordinary or helpful or kind for you. And if she wants to pull out the family albums for the millionth time, don’t roll your eyes!

6.  A Special Drink – Brew up your mom’s favorite tea, make homemade lemonade or iced tea, blend together a yummy smoothie or shake, or pour her a glass of organic red or white wine.

7.  E-Mail InBox Clean-up – I’m talking about emptying the inbox and getting rid of thousands of old and unnecessary emails. Would someone please do this for me? Helloooo? Hellooooo???

8.  Online Photo Filing – Oh, no, forget my emails. Please do THIS for me and my thousands of photos that are randomly stored somewhere on Google! I already love you to the moon and back, but do this, and I’ll love you to the sun and back.

9.  Car Detailing – Give her car the works inside and out: clean the dashboard, vacuum the seat cushions, wipe off the grimy indoor windows and door handles, and drive through a car wash. May as well gas up the car while you’re at it. By the way, remember to use the same green cleansers on the inside of the car that you use inside your home. Here are some helpful recipes. 

10. Bicycle Servicing – Get her bike ready for the summer. Adjust the gears, clean off the frame, oil the chain. Track down maps to some local bike trails she might not know about, too.

11.  Garden Tool Cleaning and Sharpening – If your mom is like me, she’s usually too tired or too busy to clean her spades and shovels, let alone get them sharpened. You can take them to your local hardware store for sharpening and cleaning, or do it yourself.

11. A Special Photo – I can never have enough photos of me with my children. I love the ones that show me with them when they were babies, next to another photo of me with them as their now-adult selves. Almost any photo works – funny, poignant, surprising. Print out a photo on your computer or at a place like CVS, then hit the local vintage store for the perfect frame. That’s a winner – guaranteed!

12. Books From a Little Free Library – Many neighborhoods, including mine, have sprouted “Little Free Libraries.” They’re weatherproof, enclosed cases where people leave books so others can take them and read them at no cost. They’ve become a smart way to recycle books you no longer need to keep around – and an equally smart way to find gifts for people without needing to lay out any cash.

13. Tickets to An Event or Certificates to Redeem – If you are going to spend some money, buy tickets to an event or performance of some sort. Baseball games, the movies, a concert, a theater performance, choose whatever you think your mom would most enjoy. Ideally, get tickets to something the two of you (or you and your siblings or extended family) can enjoy together. Alternatively, give her a gift certificate for a mani/pedi, facial, or another service designed to pamper her!

By the way, don’t miss our other Mother’s Day posts!

Want to Give Mom Flowers? Choose These.

If You Get Flowers for Mother’s Day, Here’s How to Make Them Last

A Mother’s Day Question: What Do You Have in Common With Your Daughter…and Your Own Mother?

The post 13 Mostly Free Mother’s Day Gifts Mom – And Mother Earth – Will Love! appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Sick of filling your kids’ Easter baskets with candy made from
artificial ingredients, nasty food dyes, and synthetic fragrances? Me, too!

That’s why I’ve tracked down the best organic Easter candy to put in your kids’ baskets this year. Read on for links to organic chocolate bunnies, peanut butter cups, jelly beans, and even DIY marshmallow chicks.

But First:

 Don’t Forget: Use Your Big Green Purse to Make a Difference! Why?

This year, 81 percent of Americans are expected to celebrate the holiday, spending a whopping average of $150 per person. That includes $2.6 billion on candy!!! When you shift your spending to healthier, safer, organic products, you support businesses that are trying to do the right thing for people and the planet. You also create incentives for conventional companies to get the nasty junk out of their products. Need proof?

Jelly Belly Organic Jelly Beans , a conventional company that sells billions of jelly beans made the old fashioned way, responded to demand from consumers like you for organic products by making these organic jelly beans with non-GMO ingredients, including organic orange, peach, strawberry, raspberry and lemon juice!

Buy less candy overall (research shows kids are actually just as happy with a little as with a lot), but when you do shop, spend your money to get better products for yourself and send a message to manufacturers that you want them to do better, too.

NOTE: As much as I advocate shopping locally, you won’t find much organic Easter candy in your local CVS, WalMart, or Target. I’ve provided the links you need to buy online, but remember: order early so your deliveries arrive by April 20, the Saturday before Easter. 

Best Organic Easter Candy

Organic Chocolate Box – Coracao crafts chocolate that’s 100% organic, and contains no cane or refined sugar, no gluten, and no dairy or soy (they use coconut sugar instead). You can customize a box with almond butter cups, salted caramels, truffles, and peppermint patties.

sjaaks Organic “Melk” Chocolate Bunny – This vegan, non-GMO chocolate bunny from Sjaak is one of a variety of organic Easter candy options the company makes. Also check out their caramel eggs and solid eggs.Annie’s Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks – A long-time favorite, these certified organic bunnies contain no artificial flavors, synthetic colors, preservatives, or high-fructose corn syrup. The variety snack packs include four flavors: berry patch, summer strawberry, sunny citrus, and tropical treat.

Organic Jelly Beans from Surf Sweets – These organic, gluten- and nut-free, non-GMO candies are also free of allergens related to dairy, eggs, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish, sesame, and sulfites.They’re also free of artificial sweeteners, corn syrup and artificial colors. But they are still sweet, so keep an eye on that. According to the nutrition facts on the label, a serving size, which contains about 30 pieces, contains 32g of sugar!

Organic Sour Beans (as opposed to sweet jelly beans) – These are organic, gluten-free, non-GMO and contain no dairy or nuts.

Sweet & Sour Bunnies – If your kids like sweet and sour gummy things, they might go for these organic sweet and sour organic bunnies that rely on carrot juice, purple sweet potato juice, and cherry juice, among other fruits and veggies, for color and flavor, along with other organic ingredients.

Organic OCHO Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Eggs – A milk chocolate shell surrounds peanut butter; made in the USA with Fair Trade Chocolate.  Check out the caramel eggs while you’re at it.

Justin’s Organic Peanut Butter Cups – These are delicious and available at Whole Foods and in many food coops. I love the dark chocolate, but you can get them in milk chocolate and white as well. They’re also certified gluten free, kosher, vegan and dairy free! Buy them in a six or 12 pack for the best value.

Want a little something different? These UNREAL dark chocolate crispy quinoa peanut butter cups might be just the thing.

Another option is UNREAL gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO dark chocolate peanut butter cups, made from fair trade cacao, cane sugar and cocoa butter, organic powdered sugar, and sustainably sourced, organic palm oil.

Marshmallow Treats That Aren’t Peeps! – I always hated giving my kids artificially colored marshmallow chicks, though they loved them! I’ve since discovered these healthier DIY recipes from none other than Martha Stewart.

Now you can make your own “peep-like” treats at home. Sprinkle them with sugar or coconut, or dip them in chocolate.

NOTE: Big Green Purse has an affiliate relationship with Amazon, so we might earn a teeny tiny commission if you purchase using our link. Those commissions are too small to affect our editorial opinion, but they do help us bring you the expert content you need to lead the greener life you want. Thanks.

The post Here’s The Best Organic Easter Candy to Put in Your Kids’ Baskets appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Sure, you like saving energy. But you like cozy lights, too, right?! Here are 7 energy-saving holiday lights so warm and twinkly even the Grinch would like them. And so will you!

Energy-Saving Holiday Lights

LED String Lights – Here’s a link to a wide variety of options for energy-saving holiday lights. They’re twinkly, waterproof, warm, and will save money on energy.  These LED solar string lights, called a “Chuzzle Ball,” are waterproof, require no batteries, and look like fairies! I particularly like this twinkle star string. It’s lightweight, easy to store, and easy to array anywhere.

Red Christmas Lights – These Red Christmas Lights come in 33 ft long strands of 100 mini lights. They offer up to 88% energy savings, compared to the standard string lights. They’re super bright, so perfect for decorating outside. They’ll stay lit when a bulb is loose or missing, and are easy to replace with spare extra bulbs and a fuse if a bulb burns out or breaks. They can be connected end-to-end, up to 22 sets, or 2200 lights. UL certified and water proof.

Multi Color LED Indoor/Outdoor Lights – Use these energy-saving holiday lights to decorate trees, outline your home, or otherwise add cheer to your holiday. UL certified and 33 feet long per strand.

Hanukkah LED Lights – Amazon has blue LEDs that aren’t specifically marketed as Hanukkah lights, but they could still work for you. NoveltyLights.com sells plug-in (electric) blue lights that could be a better alternative. If the color is right, give these a try instead of the battery lights. HolidayLights.com has options in bulk.

White Lights – I personally still find these a little white/white in color. But they definitely save energy! Get big ones like these to make a statement, or choose the smaller size. The warm white option might be best.

Star Curtain String Lights – These LEDs include 6 large and 6 smaller LED star ornaments. You can hook them wherever you want: in front of a curtain panel, dangling off a mantle, on the patio, or around the porch. Aren’t they cheerful?

ALOVECO LED String Lights – These waterproof balls of light are perfect for a Christmas tree, New Year’s Party, or any other special event where you could use energy-saving holiday lights (which is pretty much everywhere). They have 8 working modes, such as slow fade, and steady on. They’re also waterproof so you can use them outside.

Enjoy the holidays, and be cozy!

NOTE: Big Green Purse earned a small sponsorship fee for this post and may also make a tiny affiliate commission on sales on Amazon. The fees are too teeny to affect our recommendations or opinions, but they do help us continue to serve you. Thanks.

The post 7 Energy-Saving Holiday Lights Cozy Enough for the Grinch (and You, too!) appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Before you ask “Santa” to bring you a new washing machine, a set of cool wireless speakers, or maybe an updated flat screen tv, pass him (or her) a copy of the ENERGY STAR Holiday Gift Guide.

He – along with you and everyone else shopping for appliances, electronics, and even new holiday lights – can find great gifts that give back by saving you so much energy and money and helping prevent climate change (which is why we’re partnering with ENERGY STAR to let you know about this fabulous guide).

What’s in the ENERGY STAR Holiday Gift Guide?

EPA’s ENERGY STAR team put together the guide to help all shoppers (whether they wear a red suit or not) make the most energy efficient choice in 15 gift categories, including →→→

In each category, the guide describes the benefits of buying the ENERGY STAR certified option in terms of both energy and money saved, as well as the environmental impact.

For example, an ENERGY STAR certified clothes washer will use about 45% less water and 25% less energy compared to models that meet the federal minimum standards.

Top-freezer refrigerators that have earned the ENERGY STAR use less energy than a 60-watt light bulb!

If every clothes washer, dishwasher and refrigerator purchased in the United States this year were ENERGY STAR certified, we would prevent greenhouse gas emissions equal to those from nearly 270,000 cars!

The financial savings are so significant, they amount to a gift all on their own.

The typical household spends about $2,000 a year on energy bills. With ENERGY STAR, you can save about 30%, or about $575.

I’m proof that these choices make a difference. A few years ago I switched to the ENERGY STAR qualified LED light strings similar to those featured in the guide. These qualified light strings use 75% less electricity than conventional incandescent light strings.

As much as I love the energy and money savings, I particularly like that the bulbs are very durable and don’t break the way the little incandescents used to. Plus, ENERGY STAR LED light strings are cool to the touch, which reduces the risk of fire.

The lights are available in a variety of colors, shapes, and lengths. I’m partial to the multi-colored strings, but I noticed that my city’s downtown area has wrapped all the trees in our shopping district with the cool white ones.

Another feature of the ENERGY STAR holiday gift guide is that it makes it easy for shoppers to find rebates when they’re available. All you need to do is click on “FIND REBATES” and plug in your zip code. Whatever rebates are available in your area for the product you’re buying will pop up. (Here’s how I got $200 in rebates when I bought a new ENERGY STAR refrigerator.)

Santa, if you’re shopping for a new set of speakers for me (hint, hint), PLEASE make sure you check out ENERGY STAR’s partner deals. They’ll save you a bundle buying, and me a bundle when I start bingeing on my favorite holiday carols.

You can even download a cute little holiday gift tag to use when you wrap my gift.

Whatever you buy, make sure the product label includes the ENERGY STAR imprimatur. Many manufacturers claim their goods are energy efficient, but only those that have met ENERGY STAR’s standards for quality as well as energy efficiency display the logo.

12 Days of an ENERGY STAR Christmas

Over on Facebook and Twitter, we’ll be featuring one energy-efficient gift category every day for 12 days. Please stop by and wish us a merry Ho Ho Ho!

And if you buy something from the ENERGY STAR holiday gift guide, do let us know.

NOTE: Partners enable us to bring you the expert content you need to live the greener life you want. All editorial opinions remain our own. But of course, we only partner with those whose mission we support 100%! Happy holidays!!

The post Ask Santa to Shop From the ENERGY STAR Holiday Gift Guide This Year appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Ever hear of “Green Monday”?

Evidently, it’s the biggest shopping day in December and the second biggest online holiday shopping day of the year, right after Cyber Monday post-Thanksgiving.

In fact, Green Monday so big, it’s also known as Cyber Monday 2.

Green Monday got its name in 2007, when eBay reported that its busiest day was the second Monday in December.

At the time, when most items were shipped by mail instead of overnight, the second Monday in December was the last time you could purchase something and be guaranteed it would get delivered by Christmas.

People panicked and bought stuff like crazy!

That second Monday was so profitable for retailers and manufacturers that they dubbed it “green” because of all the money they made. In 2016 alone, Green Monday online retail sales amounted to $1.621 BILLION, Statista.com reports.*

These days, retailers promote “Green Monday” as another way to maximize sales. But when I first heard about this year’s December 11 being “Green,” I foolishly thought, “Oh! They’re promoting eco-friendly products on this day. Isn’t that great!”

Of course, that turned out not to be the case at all. Which is why I’m writing this post.

“I think Green Monday SHOULD be about actually being GREEN.”

That means, it SHOULD be about buying less, which is the greenest way to celebrate the holidays.

And, it SHOULD be about buying the greenest version of whatever product or service or present you want to give this holiday season.

Need help figuring out what’s actually eco-friendly?
Use our Green Shopping Guide Principles. 

That’s why I’m going to do my best to take over Green Monday on December 11 and actually make it GREEN.

Help Me Take Over GREEN Monday!

Here’s how:

I’m going to start with suggestions on how to enjoy Christmas without buying anything at all.

That’s the best way to reduce the environmental impact of producing, manufacturing, and shipping stuff, a lot of which people don’t need anyway.

The product recommendations I do make will focus on the greenest, cleanest options available.

If you’re going to be buying things anyway, I want to make it easy for you to buy the most planet- and people-friendly versions available.

I’m also going to try to spread the word.

Could you help me do that? I’d really appreciate it.

Start by sharing this post so more people join in the effort to put the green back in Green Monday.

Then, do your part. If you’re shopping on Green Monday, choose the greenest products and services available.

And please let me know what you’re doing to make GREEN Monday actually green.

NOTES

• Data on Green Monday sales came from Statista.com. 

The post Make “Green Monday” Actually Green appeared first on Big Green Purse.

My favorite gifts to give are those that make a whole bunch of people happy at the same time. I think you’ll like this idea too, which is why I’ve created the Incredible Buy One Give One Holiday Gift Guide.

I love BOGOs! BOGOs are companies that give someone in need a free gift every time one of their items is purchased. Tom’s seems to have started this practice by producing canvas shoes that were sold as two-fers. If I bought a pair of TOMS, TOMS would give a pair for free to someone who was shoeless. Today, a lot of BOGOs offer a wide variety of products. I’ve compiled the best of them into this incredible Buy One Give One Holiday Gift Guide.

Buy One Give One Holiday Gift Guide

TOMS – TOMS shoes has provided over 60 million pairs of shoes to children since 2006, thanks to the many shoe purchases the company has inspired.

You can still shop for shoes, but TOMS now also donates other essentials thanks to the shopping you do with the company. Here are a couple of other reasons why we included TOMS in our Buy One Give One Holiday Gift Guide.

If you buy the company’s sunglasses, TOMS will donate prescription glasses and help fund sight-saving surgery.

If you buy a bag of TOMS Roasting Co. Coffee, you’ll help fund 140 liters of safe water–a week’s supply–to a person in need.

Purchases of TOMS Tote Bags like the one pictured here support the training needed to help provide a safe birth where conditions are risky.

DIFF Charitable Eyewear – DIFF (as in make a “diff”erence) is built on the principle that designer eyewear should be socially conscious as well as affordable and fashionable.

That’s why, for every pair of sunglasses purchased, a pair of reading glasses is donated to someone in need.

Through their partnership with Eyes on Africa, DIFF has provided the gift of sight to over 20,000 people.

They also partner with Student Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity, a partnership that in 2017 helped 10,000 people worldwide.

Better World Books – This bookseller collects and sells books new and used, then uses the profits to fund literacy initiatives worldwide.

They also commit to matching every purchase on their website with a book donation to someone in need, in a program called Book for Book.

They conduct book collection drives on over 2,300 college campuses and partner with 3,000 libraries, too.

So far, the company has converted more than 250 million books into over $24 million in funding for literacy and education. In doing so, they’ve diverted more than 250 million books from landfills.

Here’s another benefit: every order shipped from their warehouses is carbon balanced with Green-e Climate certified offsets.

Bluer Denim – For every pair of jeans you buy from this company, you can donate an old pair.

Once Bluer receives them, they’ll give you a $15 credit and send your old jeans to someone who needs them.

It’s a great way to recycle your jeans and reduce the carbon impact of producing and shipping a new pair.

Here’s another advantage to Bluer. They’re made in America: designed in Portland, Oregon; made from cotton grown in Georgia and denim milled in North Carolina, with rivets and zippers coming from Kentucky. The jeans are cut, sewn, washed, and hand-finished in Los Angeles using what the company says are eco-friendly ozone laundry processes.

Good Spread – I always give friends and my kids food for the holidays, so when I heard about Good Spread being a BOGO company, my first reaction was, “Bingo!”

Good Spread includes organic unsweetened peanut butter, organic honey banana peanut spread, organic chocolate pretzel peanut spread, and organic salted honey peanut butter.

The ingredients are non-GMO, Palm Done Right, and organic certified.

Where does the BOGO come in? When you buy a jar of Good Spread, you send a treatment of MANA Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food to a malnourished child. As the company’s motto goes, “Four delicious organic flavors to choose from. One lifesaving mission!”

WeWood – “You buy a watch. We plant a tree.”

What’s not to like about that BOGO approach?

Since 2011, WeWOOD, a company based in Florence, Italy, says it has planted over 500,000 trees.

Its goal is to plant 1 million total by 2020. The company works with Trees for the Future and American Forests to “help restore Mother Nature one watch at a time.”

The watches are made from exotic remnant hardwoods minus any toxic chemicals.

BOGO Bowl – This company’s name says it all. And the company says it up front.

“You buy a bag and we give a bag to a pet in need.”

The pet food manufacturer says it doesn’t use byproducts, artificial colors or flavors, or corn, wheat or soy as filler. It’s good dog and cat food in a variety of formulations to help animals maintain a healthy weight and develop healthy bodies, starting with kittens and puppies.

The company helps pet pantries, foster-based programs, animal shelters, and rescue centers.

We’re looking for more BOGO companies to add to our guide. If you have any recommendations, please list them in the comments below or on the Big Green Purse Facebook page.

Happy holidays, and thanks for shopping BOGO!

NOTE: Some of these entries contain affiliate links. We’ll make a teeny tiny commission of you use the link when you shop, which helps us continue to bring you the green expert content you need to live the greener life you want. Thanks!

The post Our Incredible Buy One Give One Holiday Gift Guide appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Nature and WildernessAlaska Wilderness League leads the effort to preserve wild lands and waters in Alaska. I’ve served on their board and worked with them on many campaigns to keep oil drilling out of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Their work is particularly important right now, as the Trump Administration has set its sights on opening the refuge to drilling, which would destroy habitat for millions of animals, including calving caribou and denning polar bears.

Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance has successfully helped protect wilderness lands in the heart of the Colorado Plateau. I worked with them to help create the 2.3 million acre Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. Now they’re battling to keep that region off limits to development, along with the gorgeous Bears Ears National Monument. If you love the wild, wild West, support SUWA!

Center for Biological Diversity proclaims their mission simply but boldly: Saving life on Earth. Right now, the group is fighting to protect elephants, wolves and bears, and make sure the effective Endangered Species Act is not abolished.

The Jane Goodall Institute works to inspire people to “conserve the natural world we all share,” thereby improving the lives of people, animals and the environment. “Everything is connected–everyone can make a difference.” I should note that Jane Goodall inspired me to become a conservationist when I was just a young girl. She continues to inspire and motivate me!

Climate Change

Moms Clean Air Force is mobilizing one million parents, especially moms, to help stop climate change, advance clean energy, and protect the air we breathe. I’m proud to say I’ve been a member for years, and have written dozens of articles for them on climate science, plastics and toxic chemicals, and more.

By the way, Moms Clean Air Force made my list of “5 Trustworthy Climate Change News Sources You May Not Know About.” What are the others?

Chesapeake Climate Action Network has devoted the last 10 years to fighting global warming, mountaintop removal, coal mining, and fracking while advocating for solar and wind power. They’re doing a great job protecting the nation’s Chesapeake Bay region and one of the most important estuaries in the United States.

Toxic Chemicals

Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families is leading the charge to protect families from toxic chemicals. In a recent major victory, they persuaded seven major retailers to commit to reduce their use of toxic chemicals in products and packaging. Yay!womens

Womens Voices for the Earth researches the impact that toxic chemicals in women’s hygiene and home cleaning products have on women’s health, then mounts campaigns to pressure manufacturers to clean up those products. They’re tackling some of the most toxic chemicals in the everyday products we buy – and helping to get rid of them!

Savvy Women’s Alliance is creating a national network of community chapters for people who want to live non-toxic lives. The group offers regular healthy living tips and many other resources to help you get off the bad stuff and onto the good stuff.

Family Planning

Planned Parenthood is on the list because they provide essential reproductive services and birth control that help limit population growth. Population growth has huge environmental impacts – more people mean greater demand for natural resources which leads to more consumption and waste. Climate change, water scarcity, air pollution are all linked to population growth. Planned Parenthood directly benefits women and Mother Nature both.

Environmental Justice

Dig Deep brings an essential natural resource to thousands of Americans who don’t have it: clean water. As hard as that is to believe, it’s true. Families living across the western US don’t have indoor plumbing or clean water to drink. Dig Deep is changing that by helping these communities dig wells and create low-cost systems that bring safe, hot and cold water into homes, schools and community centers.

I took Dig Deep’s 4 Liters Challenge and lived on 4 liters of water – only 1 gallon- for just one day. Could you do it? Read all about it here. 

Plastic Free

The Plastic Pollution Coalition is on a mission to stop plastic pollution and its toxic impact on humans, animals, and the environment. It’s mobilized a coalition of 500 member organizations, plus many individuals, that is working to find sustainable solutions to stop plastic pollution and empower you and me to list plastic-free.

Want to consider other organizations for Giving Tuesday? Check out Great Non Profits, a non-profit itself that makes it easy to find organizations doing good work on the issues you care about most.

You can skip to their list of environmental groups by clicking here.

Once you’re on the site, you can also easily find charities working to stop fracking, protect animals, safeguard clean water, and more.

Thanks for giving!

The post Can You Give to Just One of These 12 Eco Charities On Giving Tuesday? appeared first on Big Green Purse.

The Jewish holiday of Passover begins April 10, 2017 and ends April 18. Here are nine ways you can  celebrate this meaningful holiday while keeping true to your environmental values and supporting a more sustainable food system, with thanks to Danielle Nierenberg, the president of Food Tank (learn more below).

Sustainable Passover Seder

1. Don’t Cook Too Much! 
There’s something about a holiday that can drive people to buy and prepare way too much food. Before you shop, plan your menu so that you’ll serve a totally satisfying meal without overdoing it. Here are some  good portion planning tools you can use.

2. Serve Local and Sustainably Grown Food at Your Seder Table
The Seder table is a perfect place to incorporate locally grown food.

For your charoset, a fruit and nut paste symbolizing brick and mortar, try buying locally grown or organic apples and fair-trade pecans.

For your Seder plate, look for pasture-raised meat, eggs, and dairy products.

Shop at farmers markets or buy from the “local” produce sections in your grocery store. Wherever possible, support farmers who are committed to sustainable practices in agriculture.

3. Unplug During Chol Hamoed
Spend leisure time with your family outdoors during the days of Chol Hamoed (the intermediate days between the festivals of Passover) instead of watching TV or using electronic entertainment.

By taking an occasional rest from energy-intensive activities, you can save thousands of tons of carbon emissions a year (and burn off a few calories of your own).

According to Dr. Laura Iraci of the Earth Science Division at the NASA/Ames Research Center, one hour of TV watching produces 54 kilograms of carbon dioxide, which is more than the 11 kilograms of carbon dioxide produced by burning one gallon of gasoline.

4. Make Passover Eve a Meatless Monday
In 2017, Passover Eve and the night of the first Seder falls on a Monday. Try using this opportunity to go meatless for at least one of the Seders.

Industrial meat produced on huge factory farms is the number-one contributor to greenhouse gases. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) reports that the production, processing, and distribution of meat requires huge amounts of pesticides, fertilizer, fuel, feed, and water.  EWG also found that red meat is responsible for 10 to 40 times as many greenhouse gas emissions as vegetables and grains.

Need Some Meatless Monday Recipes? Try these for:
Grilled Tofu Salad
Zucchini Frittata
Quick Cauliflower Couscous

5. Eat Ugly
Globally, we have a substantial wasted produce problem: 20 to 40 percent of all produce goes uneaten, mostly because it does not meet strict grocer cosmetic standards for size, shape, or color. A variety of grocery stores sells this “ugly” produce, including Whole Foods and Giant Eagle.

Farmers markets sell “seconds” at a discount. You can peel away the bruised skin or rind without losing much of the actual food. Use produce that’s slightly past its prime in soups, stews and compotes – it will still be delicious and packed full of nutrients, and no one will know what it looked like before you cooked it!

6. Support Good Food Policies
Use dinner as an opportunity to discuss with friends and relatives how food should be a non-partisan issue. “Reduction of food losses and waste needs to be prioritized within political agendas,” says the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition. ReFED, a collaboration of business, nonprofit, and government leaders fighting food waste in the United States, recommends standardizing date labeling, increasing food donation tax incentives, and expanding best practices in food recycling.

Find out where your legislators stand on food issues by checking out this scorecard from Food Policy Action.

Don’t Miss: Three Best Ways to Reduce Food Waste

7. Offer, Don’t Serve
Even with careful planning, it’s hard to know how much people will eat. To allow for different sized appetites, let guests decide how much they want. Creating a buffet line or letting guests serve themselves at the table family-style can reduce what gets left behind on plates. 

8. Create New Innovative Meals From Holiday Leftovers
An important tenet of Judaism is “bal tashchit,” meaning not to waste. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), roughly one-third of all food produced for human consumption—or approximately 1.3 billion tons—is lost or wasted each year.

This Passover, instead of throwing away uneaten food, incorporate leftovers into stir-fry dishes or stews, such as vegetarian cholent (a traditional Jewish stew).

Don’t lose track of leftovers by keeping them in glass see-through containers.

9. Use Doggy Bags and Donate to Food Kitchens
Encourage your guests to bring their own “doggy bags” or reusable food containers so they can take home leftovers if you can’t use them all. If your temple (or church) is hosting a community Seder, arrange in advance to donate leftovers to a soup kitchen or shelter.

Many thanks to Danielle Nierienberg, the President of Food Tank, for her original post on hosting a sustainable Passover Seder. Food Tank is a powerful advocate for just and sustainable agriculture. You can read more about them at FoodTank.com.

The post 9 Ways to Host a Sustainable Passover Seder appeared first on Big Green Purse.

In the spirit of the holidays, I want to help keep you happy – by helping you reduce the amount of trash you throw away. But I’m not here on my own. Once again, I’m teaming up with Junk King to help you reduce holiday waste.

Junk King is the #1 Rated Junk Removal Service in North America. I like them because they’re so “green.” When they take away your junk, they don’t just drive it to a landfill. They sort your stuff into metals, e-waste, paper, appliances, and more so it can be easily recycled. They also donate, repurpose, and reuse everything from clothing, toys, baby cribs and strollers to office furniture and supplies.

I love their newest infographic, and I bet you will, too. If you’ve wondered why you should skip the wrapping paper, or plant a live tree instead of buying a fake artificial tree, here are your answers!

In other words…

1. Use less: Did you know that if every family used just two feet of ribbon to decorate their gifts, we could save 38,000 miles of ribbon? That’s enough to tie a bow around the whole planet!
2. Wrap creatively: Wrapping paper and gift bags aren’t the only way to wrap presents. Try using a different material that you already have around your house. Newspaper, sheet music, and old maps are fun choices and are much more unique than commercial wrapping paper. You could also use scarves, t-shirts, or other fabric to wrap gifts. That way, the wrapping could be a gift as well!
3. Buy a potted tree: Every year, nearly 33 million live trees are sold across North America. Considering how much paper that we waste, saving a tree is the least that we can do. Buy a potted tree this year instead of cutting one down. This way, after the holidays are over and it’s time to take down the decorations, you can plant the tree in your own backyard.
4. Regift: Around 35% of Americans have an unopened or unused gift collecting dust somewhere. Instead of taking up valuable space or throwing it away, find it a new home. If you don’t know of anyone who would like the gift, take it to a donation center. During the holidays, there are plenty of organizations collecting gifts for those who are less fortunate.
5. Gift sustainably: There are a number of small steps that you can take to make your gift a little bit more environmentally friendly. For example, if you’re giving a battery-powered gift, consider gifting a reusable battery charger along with it! If you’re giving someone something made from paper, like a journal, try to find one that’s made from recycled paper. Buying a handmade gift from a local shop or online store, or even making a gift yourself, can also help reduce waste, as these products are not mass-produced.
6. Go digital: About 2.6 billion cards are given to people every year. That amounts to just about 50,000 cubic yards of paper — enough to fill a football field 10 stories high! And no matter how sentimental they may be, they usually end up stashed away in a box or thrown away. Instead of paying for overpriced, wasteful cardstock, send an electronic greeting card for free!
7. Donate your leftovers: Holiday meals are usually big ordeals, and it’s always better to have too much than too little, but most of the time the leftovers are too much to handle. Instead of wasting perfectly good food, consider bringing your leftovers to a local homeless shelter. There are plenty of people who go hungry during the holidays, and your donation could make a world of difference to someone in need.And remember! Don’t be a Grinch!!

   NOTE: Sponsors like Junk King enable us to bring you expertise and insights at no cost to you. Our editorial opinion remains our own.

The post Don’t Be a Grinch! 7 Ways to Reduce Holiday Waste appeared first on Big Green Purse.