At Big Green Purse, we advocate shifting your spending to the greenest products and services available. That also means buying from companies that make a difference when it comes to protecting our health and the health of the planet.

As part of our Earth Day service, we are partnering with sustainable food innovator Hampton Creek Foods to shine a spotlight on 5 eco-friendly companies you may not know about.

LOLIWARE

This company was formed in response to the huge amount of waste generated by food and beverage packaging. The zero-waste idea is that you can actually eat the party cups the company makes rather than throw them away.

The cups are made of plant-based ingredients, including seaweed, organic sweeteners, and flavors and colors derived from fruits and vegetables.

Although an edible cup may seem too perishable to be useful, LOLIWARE claims each container can hold a beverage for 24 hours without disintegrating. The product, which you can compost if you don’t want to eat, comes in several different flavors, including tart cherry (pictured above), citrus, matcha green tea, and vanilla bean, as well as an unflavored option.

I haven’t tried LOLIWARE yet myself, but have requested samples for review on Big Green Purse. I’ll let you know how I like it.

Salty Girl Seafood

Do you wonder which fish you can eat without totally depleting the species in the wild?

Salty Girl Seafood wants to help you make sustainable choices. The California-based company sells fish that are wild caught in environmentally responsible ways and “traceable,” which means that they can tell you both where the fish came from and how it was caught.

Salty Girl also partners with FishWise.org, an organization that promotes sustainable business practices that will help ocean ecosystems recover.  All the seafood it sells traceable, sometimes down to the vessel that harvested it, by means of a high-tech tracking code attached to each package.

The company sells both frozen and smoked seafood, in packages like “pacific rockfish with garlic fresh veggies” and “black cod with sweet & smoky teriyaki.”

Sungevity

Sungevity is a solar electricity company that leases, installs, and maintains solar panels on the roofs of homes and businesses.

The idea behind leasing solar panels is simple: many people who would love to make the switch to a sun-powered home or office lack the funds needed to purchase and install the equipment in the first place.

With Sungevity’s lease option, building owners can switch to solar and do the earth some good without investing a lot of money at the beginning. The fact that Sungevity maintains its leased equipment makes the process more feasible for many homeowners.

In addition to conserving the earth’s resources by promoting solar energy for daily electricity needs, Sungevity collaborates with many eco-conscious nonprofit organizations. These partnerships help to spread the word about the benefits of solar power, and they help raise funds for the nonprofits involved. Sungevity also works with Powered by Light, a charitable organization that helps off-grid schools in Zambia and other places make use of clean, sustainable sources of energy.

Better World Books

This online bookstore is doing its part to reuse and recycle on a global scale.

In addition to its drive for green business practices, Better World Books is on a social mission to increase literacy worldwide.

The company rescues books that would otherwise be headed for a landfill and either sells them online or donates them through its many partner programs. For every book purchased through its online store, Better World Books donates a book to a literacy-focused nonprofit, such as Books for Africa.

Hampton Creek Foods

Hampton Creek Foods has been breaking ground in the sustainable food market.

What is Hampton Creek It is not a geographical location or a farm stand, as the name might imply. It is a high-tech food company, pioneering research in plant-based alternatives to traditionally animal-based foods.

One of Hampton Creek’s core ideas is that, if the company creates a great-tasting, affordable product, making the switch to sustainable, healthy foods will be the natural choice for the everyday consumer.

Hampton Creek’s Just Mayo product, made without eggs, is one of its most popular products for these reasons. The company also produces various salad dressings, cookies and even cookie dough that’s safe to eat because it doesn’t contain eggs.

Happy Earth Day!

Creating a more sustainable world happens one step at a time, one eco-conscious decision at a time.

The next time you are in need of a specific product or service, come back to biggreenpurse.com, where you can learn more about all kinds of companies that are making green choices as well as giving back to their communities.

And remember, use your purse and pocketbook to make a difference. When you switch your spending to the best products and services available, you protect yourself, your loved ones and the planet – and you help motivate companies to do the right thing!

The post 5 Eco-Friendly Companies You Should Know About appeared first on Big Green Purse.

We already throw away too much stuff, but during November and December, the problem is almost ridiculous. According to Use Less Stuff, Americans throw away one million extra tons of trash a week!

Sure, maybe some things you think you HAVE to throw away. But what if you didn’t have all that trash in the first place? To help you out, we teamed up with GD Environmental to pull together the 15 best ways to reduce holiday waste. We organized them into three categories: paper and plastic; electronics; and food. You should be able to do every one of them.

15 Best Ways to Reduce Holiday Waste

Reduce Paper and Plastic Waste

1.Use your own shopping bags. A big source of waste is all the plastic shopping bags you bring home when you shop. If a regular reusable bag you use for groceries may not be big enough to accommodate your gift purchases, stop by TJ Maxx or Marshall’s and pick up a couple of their large reusable bags. They’re only 99 cents. They’re decorated for the holidays, and can hold most of what you’ll buy.

Need reusable holiday shopping bags? We like these.

2.Skip wrapping paper. We used to sit next to our Christmas tree with a special bag for all the wrapping paper we’d throw away after opening presents. That is a total waste! Now, we “wrap” gifts in reusable bags and boxes. The gift bags include shopping bags that can be used all year ’round as well as holiday gift bags. We also wrap gifts in scarves and decorative towels, and maybe even tuck something into a pair of socks! Says Stanford University, “If every American family wrapped just 3 presents in re-used materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.

Here’s a reusable cloth wrap you can use for holidays, birthdays, and other special events.

3.Reuse ribbons and bows. “If every family reused just two feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet,” says Stanford University.

4.Use cloth tablecloths and napkins. Skip throwaway paper products, even if they’re made from recycled paper. Over the years, we’ve accumulated an array of holiday-themed cloth napkins and a couple of tablecloths that we use over and over. They’ve become part of our holiday decor, and we look forward to getting them out every year.

5.Opt for reusable cutlery and “china.” We’ve shopped the sales for dishes and extra cutlery we can use during the holidays. It may mean an extra round or two in the dishwasher, but it really cuts down on trash. I’ve gotten the best deals on holiday-themed dinnerware in late December and January. Rather than get complete place settings, I opt for dinner plates and salad plates that are particularly good for a buffet.

6.Replace plastic cups with small, washable glasses.  Again, a dishwasher makes this choice both practical and far less wasteful. I have shopped holiday sales to get 6-8 oz. glasses, rather than flimsy plasticware that has to be thrown away after using it once.

7.Discontinue catalogs. Catalogs start to pile up over the holidays, then will keep coming all year long. The most effective way I’ve found to stop the flood of catalogs is to call the customer service number using their 800 number and ask to have your address removed right then and there. If you still want to get coupons and promotions, get them online.

8.Recycle delivery boxes and wrapping. Most delivery boxes are made from paper that can easily be recycled. If the boxes contain Styrofoam packing peanuts, put them in a bag and take them to a nearby postal mailing center; they can often use them. If you do have wrapping paper waste, don’t trash it. Recycle it, or save it for next year.

9.Give experiences, not a lot of stuff. Skip wrapping altogether by giving (and asking for) the gift of experiences or contributions to your favorite charity, rather than more stuff.

Use the “So Kind” Gift Registry to Choose Gifts That Make a Difference

Reduce Electronics Waste

10.  Use LED holiday mini lights. LED lights use far less energy than regular holiday mini lights. But just as importantly, they are far more durable. If one breaks, the others in the strand keep on working. You can find them in our own Big Green Purse holiday store, or at your local hardware store.

11.  Recycle old holiday lights. I hate it when I get out the Christmas lights and they don’t work. But rather than trash the broken lights, I recycle them, either online here, or at my local natural foods grocer.

12. Recycle all electronics. There’s no reason to let old electronics pile up. Every big box store now accepts computers, printers, screens, tablets and phones. Wherever you buy new electronics, you can recycle the old ones. Swipe them clean of your personal data before you recycle them.

Here’s our short guide to “Recycle Electronics to Avoid E-Waste.”

Reduce Food Waste

13. Buy less food. It’s easy to get carried away buying all the yummy foods and treats grocery stores showcase during the holidays. But in reality, we often buy more food that we can cook and eat. I’ve started making less, not more food, during the holidays, though I might increase the variety a bit. This Thanksgiving, I actually threw no food away.

14. Keep track of leftovers. Store leftovers in serving-size containers that you label with the contents and the date. It helps to put the most perishable foods in the front of the refrigerator so you can keep an eye on them. Plan to eat leftovers in the same week in which they were cooked. Otherwise, store them in the freezer.  Keep a list on your freezer door to remind you what’s inside.

15. Compost what you can’t eat. I automatically put peelings and other kitchen waste in a bowl I keep on my kitchen counter while I’m prepping food and cooking. After a meal, we simply scrape leftovers we can’t eat into the same bowl. That makes it easy to take it out to the compost bin after clean-up is done.

Here are the “10 Best Foods to Buy in Bulk & Reduce Waste.”

What do you do to reduce holiday waste? Please share! We’d love to learn from you.

GD Environmental: Wales’ Leading Waste Management Company, GD Environmental, plays a vital role in helping larger companies achieve their green missions by operating an environmentally friendly waste management company which recycles 96% of waste and diverts 100% of waste from landfill to recycling. If you’re based in Wales, and looking to improve the sustainable performance of your business call GD Environmental today on 01633 277755 or visit www.gd-environmental.co.uk. 

References: Use Less Stuff, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Stanford University

The post The 15 Best Ways to Reduce Holiday Waste appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Next to your mortgage (if you have one), you probably spend more money on food and groceries than any other item in your budget. You can cut expenses way down by following some of these ingenious and eco-friendly ways to save money on groceries:

1) Eat the food you buy. I’m not being facetious. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that people throw away 30 percent of the groceries they buy because the food spoils before it is eaten or people lose track of leftovers in their fridge or freezer. Keep a list of what you have in the fridge on the front door so you remember what you have to cook.

See also: The Three Best Ways to Reduce Food Waste

2) Love your leftovers. Many meals actually taste better reheated, especially those in sauces, like spaghetti, soups and stews. Want to get more creative? Use cooked vegetables, like green beans and potatoes, in a salad with carrots, tomatoes, and crisp greens.  Just add a little vinaigrette and eat up! Or, puree them and add them to soup.

3) Store food in air-tight containers. It’s worth investing in some good glass containers with tight-fitting lids so that when you put leftovers away, they’ll last a few days in the fridge. Use a piece of masking tape to date and label what’s inside.

4) Give up bottled water. In most parts of the United States, local tap water is just as good as, if not better than, bottled water, and it’s many times cheaper. Buy a water filter and keep a pitcher of filtered tap water in the fridge. Or, fill up some reusable water bottles with filtered tap water. You can save $10-$15 a week, depending on how much bottled water you buy currently.

See also: 5 Best Reusable Water Bottles

5) Eat less meat. I’m primarily a vegetarian, but my kids eat meat once or twice a week. That probably adds $20 – $30 a week to my grocery bill. Cut back on serving meat as a main course, at the very least. A chicken-stir fry will use a lot less meat than serving a whole chicken breast.

6) Eat more vegetables and grains. For grains, try brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, wild rice and polenta. With veggies, whatever is in season and looks good works. If you’re not sure what to cook, check out our Meatless Monday recipes.

7) Cook your own beans, peas and lentils. You can buy a whole bag of dried beans, peas, and lentils, and cook up what you need. Or, you can spend twice the money to get them canned. Cooking them yourself just requires a little advance planning, since you need to soak them overnight or put them in a slow cooker. It’s worth the effort, not just because you’ll save money, but because they’ll be tastier and healthier, too. Canned food usually has way more salt in it than we want or need, and many food cans are lined with BPA, a nasty chemical linked to reproductive problems.

8) Replace meat with eggs for protein. I like protein as much as the next person, but I usually get mine from eggs. Twelve organic eggs costs around $4 a dozen where I live – but compare that to steak, which might be $8 or $9 a pound. Plus, a dozen eggs can feed five or six people; one measly steak is good for only one. There’s really no comparison where your budget is concerned.

1 Dozen Eggs – $4; Feeds 5 people

1 Steak – $8/$9; Feeds 1 person

9) Buy in bulk. If your store offers bulk bins, start shopping there. The price per pound will be significantly cheaper. Otherwise, you can buy bulk online or at big box stores. It makes sense to buy rice, popcorn, cereal, and many grains in bulk. You can buy meat in bulk, as well.

See also: The 10 Best Foods to Buy in Bulk

10) Identify the most and least expensive meals you regularly cook. Cook more of the meals that cost you less, and save the expensive foods for special occasions. For example, a vegetable-rich lasagna  with a salad might cost around $3.50 – $5.00 serving. Steak and potatoes would cost twice that.

11) Join a CSA. Community Supported Agriculture works by letting you buy a full or half share in the produce a farm generates in a season. It generally turns out to be a very generous delivery of greens and vegetables.

Want to find a CSA near you? Here’s where to look. 

12) Grow your own. At least in the summer, can you grow and harvest lettuces and tomatoes for salads, bush beans or pole beans, snap peas, squash, cucumbers, peppers, and more. Even if you buy the most expensive seeds (which you don’t need to do), you’ll save hundreds of dollars when your crops come in.

Get our Top 10 Tips for Organic Gardening right here.

13) Raise your own chickens. One of the fastest growing trends in the food world is that people in cities and suburbs are raising their own chickens, especially for the eggs. Check your municipal zoning regulations before getting started.

14) Shop with a list you make from recipes you plan to cook. You’ll avoid impulse buying by shopping for the ingredients you actually plan to use.

15) Skip single-serving pre-packaged food. It’s estimated that shoppers spend $1 out of every $11 on packaging we just throw away. Single servings are the worst offenders. Invest in reusable containers or bags, then dole out chips, cookies, nuts and other snacks or lunch items yourself. If you have kids, have them do that at night, after supper, so they learn early how to save money when they shop.

RELATED

10 Delicious Meat-Free Foods to Grill

Afford Organic Food! Top 10 Organic Food $$$$ Busters

The post 15 Eco-Friendly Ways to Save Money on Groceries appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Get rid of clutter and reduce waste by recycling more than paper, plastic, bottles and cans! Here are 13 things you didn’t know you can recycle, with thanks to our sponsors at waste recycling company GD Environmental.

NOTE: Most of the companies listed below either operate collection centers or offer mailing labels you can download from their websites. In some cases, they’ll pay the postage. If they prefer a quantity of items, ask your friends, family and neighbors to contribute their items and box them up together. 

1) Your bra. You may already drop off your old bras to the local thrift store, but why not donate them to a company that will actually get them to women and girls in dire straits? That’s what the Bra Recyclers do. They send cleaned and repaired lingerie to women who suffer from domestic violence, human trafficking and natural disasters. Get more information on their website here.

2) Your pantyhose. NoNonsense recycles pantyhose, tights, and nylon knee-high stockings. Why? “The same Nylon/Spandex blends that make legs look so firm and smooth are also the same materials that, when placed in a landfill, will take 30-40 years to decompose,” they say. Pantyhose is made predominantly from Nylon, which is the first invented synthetic fiber ever created that is a non-biodegradable material. NoNonsense says that it’s important to “eplore alternative solutions, beyond simply throwing our old stockings in the trash.”  NoNonsense accepts all brands, not just theirs. You can download their mailing label here.

3) Your MAC make-up containers. You can receive a free lipstick for every 6 empty make-up containers you return to a MAC store. The “Back to MAC” program forwards the returned packaging to waste management centres across the globe for recycling and reuse through energy recovery.

4) Your running shoes. Established in the early 1990s, Nike’s “Reuse-a-Shoe” program collects old, worn-out athletic shoes for recycling and transforms them into Nike Grind, a material used to create athletic and playground surfaces and more. Since launching the program, more than 28 million pairs of shoes have been collected and recycled. RecycledRunners.com operates an online recycling and donation directory to help people find local and international shoe recycling programs, as well.

5) Your Crocs. If you’ve fallen out of love with your Crocs, give them a second chance, and take them to your local Croc shop. As part of their “Soles 4 Souls” campaign, they’ll spruce them up and ship them to underprivileged countries for those who don’t have the luxury of owning a pair of shoes.

6) Your Kindle. Go to the website of Amazon’s certified recycler for instructions: Amazon Take Back Program. Once there, enter your name and mailing address, which will be used to generate a prepaid UPS shipping label you can print at home or work. Follow the packaging guidelines and drop your Amazon device off at the nearest UPS pickup site. Easy peasy!

Need some facts on the importance of recycling? Don’t miss “Why Recycling is Worth It.”

7) Yoga mats. Most yoga mats are made from PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, which means they contain chemicals like phthalates, lead and cadmium that make them difficult to recycle. Because of the nature of PVC, it will not biodegrade, either. And if you burn it, it will release dioxin, another highly toxic compound. Still, if your yoga mat is worn out, there are all kinds of good ways to still put it to use. Donate it to a homeless shelter or emergency shelter to provide extra padding for people in need. Donate it to an animal shelter, where it can help pad a crate. Cut out small squares to put under the feet of furniture to prevent slipping. Cut in half and use in your own garden as a knee pad. Or, make a seat-sized water-proof pad that you can take to your kids’ soccer games. You get the idea!

8) Throwaway food containers. TerraCycle collects hard-to-recycle packaging waste, like Nespresso coffee capsules, Solo red plastic cups, toothbrushes, and more. There are some collection programs in Whole Foods and similar stores, but you can also download a shipping label and mail your goods directly to Terracycle.

Want to increase plastic bottle recycling? Put a deposit on it! Here’s how.

9) CDs and DVDs. They seem as hard as metal, but they’re actually a plastic that can’t be recycled in most community recycling programs. That’s why the CD Recycling Center collects them, shreds them, captures the useful elements they contain, and turns them back into products like automotive industry parts, office equipment, alarm boxes and panels, street lights and electrical cable insulation.

10) Trophies. Is your house full of plastic bowling trophies from your kids’ various athletic pursuits? Mine is! Or, it was, until I realized I could send them to a recycling center like Lambawards. They either create matching sets of trophies or break them down into parts. They also accept old plaques, sculptures, and medals.

11) Your Patagonia clothes and gear. If you own a Patagonia product that’s well beyond repair, you can return it to the company so they can recycle it into something new, or repurpose what can’t be recycled. Drop it off at your nearest Patagonia retail store or mail it in, getting a mailing label here.

12) Your mattress. About 90% of a mattress can be recycled, including the wood frame, cotton covering, metal springs and foam padding. Organizations like the Salvation Army and Purple Heart may pick them up if you put them on your curb. If you’re getting a new mattress, see if the company you’re buying from will recycle your old mattress when they deliver the new one.

13) Greeting cards. Recycle these yourself at home. Most cards are only written on the right side of the card, below the printed message. You can cut the card in half and use the back half of the printed side for a gift tag, post card, thank you card, or shredded packing material.

You can also simplify your recycling process completely by putting your goods on freecycle.org. Let someone who needs what you have come and get it!

About GD Environmental

Smaller SMEs like Wales’ Leading Waste Management Company, GD Environmental, play a vital role in helping larger companies achieve their green missions by operating an environmentally friendly waste management company which recycles 96% of waste and diverts 100% of waste from landfill to recycling. If you’re based in Wales, and looking to improve the sustainable performance of your business call GD Environmental today on 01633 277755 or visit www.gd-environmental.co.uk

The post 13 Things You Didn’t Know You Can Recycle appeared first on Big Green Purse.

The post Top 10 Things You Can Recycle At Home appeared first on Big Green Purse.

* Food and soda cans – I recycle glass, metal and plastic containers in my community’s curbside recycling program. But I also use a Soda Stream water spritzer so I almost never buy bottled drinks anymore. I spritz water myself, then add various flavorings and sweeteners depending on what I want to drink. I’m saving a lot of money doing this, too.

* Beer and wine bottles – I generally buy glass rather than cans or plastic bottles. If I’m having a party, I buy larger bottles of wine, which use less material per serving than regular-sized bottles.

* Plastic milk jugs – I can buy milk in glass bottles at my local food coop (though they cost about $2 a gallon more than milk in plastic jugs).

* Plastic laundry jugs (when I use liquid detergent) – I generally prefer to use powdered detergent in cardboard boxes, which are better to recycle than plastic jugs. I also use concentrated detergent, so I use less per load of laundry, and extend the life of the package.

* Clothes – I recycle old socks and t-shirts into cleaning rags. I donate most of my used clothes to the local thrift shop or the neighborhood church.

 * Electronics – I recycle old monitors, computers, fax machines, chargers, phones, and pretty much anything else with a cord on it, taking most of it to Best Buy or Staples, which accept almost any reasonably-sized electronics at no charge. I even recycled my TV!

* Lightbulbs – I can now recycle my light bulbs at my city’s community waste facility. Some stores, like Ikea and Home Depot, also accept them.

* Paper (newspapers, junk mail, magazines) – All of my paper goods can be recycled curbside, but the trick is to reduce the amount of paper coming into my house in the first place. I read most newspapers and magazines online, and have used Catalog Choice to reduce the number of unwanted magazines and catalogs I receive.

* Plastic bags – I use reusable cloth bags instead of plastic bags, but if I have excess bags, I recycle them at my grocery store.

* Toys – I have given my kids’ used toys to neighborhood kids or donated them to the local thrift store.

* Furniture – I have sold unwanted furniture through my neighborhood list-serv, or simply given it away to others who can use it. EBay.com, CraigsList.com and FreeCycle.org are also great ways to unload sofas, chairs, lamps, and dining sets you no longer want or need.

 * Appliances – The easiest appliance to recycle in my neighborhood is actually my refrigerator. Here’s how I not only recycled my old refrigerator, but received $200 when I did it.

* Food – The ultimate way to recycle food is to compost it. I have a barrel composter in my backyard that helps me turn fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells, and other non-meat or dairy waste into a rich fertilizer I can put on my garden.

REDUCE UNWANTED CATALOGS IN THE FIRST PLACE

This year, America Recycles Day has teamed up with Catalog Choice to help consumers reduce the number of unwanted catalogs they receive in the mail. It’s free and quick to sign up, and much easier than calling individual companies to try to get your name off their list.

What do you recycle? Please let us know!

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Top Ten No-Brainer Things You Should Recycle

Can You Recycle Your Car?

The post Today is America Recycles Day. What Are You Recycling? appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Here’s how:

Go Green                                                             Save Money

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb ………………            $5 – $10/yr per bulb

Reusable Water Bottle ……………………………           $ 500/yr on bottled water

Take Lunch to Work …………………………………      $1560/yr on throwaway lunch stuff

Programmable Thermostat ………………………           $150/yr on home heating/cooling

Low Flow Shower Heads, H2O Saving Toilets …           $72/yr on water heating, wasting

Smart Power Strip ……………………………………..     $94/yr on energy for electronics

Window and Door Weather Stripping …………            $129/yr on home heating/cooling

Improve Car Fuel Economy –
upgrade from 20 mph to 35 mph …………..            $884/yr on gasoline
drive “smart” ……………………………….               $600/yr

Skip One Driving Trip Each Week …………                   $225/yr on gasoline

Energy Star Washing Machine ………………                $50/yr on water heating
(plus 7,000 gallons H2O)

Make-at-Home Cleansers …………………                    $300/yr on cleansers

Total ……………………………           $3,690/yr

PLUS: Swap, Trade Using Freecycle.org, EBay, Craig’s List – more $$$$$

For years, naysayers have claimed that “being eco is too expensive.” Not any more.

Want more ideas on how to shift spending to live greener and save money? Check out the One in a Million budget sheet.

The post This Earth Day, Save the Planet – and Save $4,000/yr, Too appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Invitations : Reduce paper and postage costs by inviting your guests electronically. Apart from being quick and easy, Evite is free; Sendomatic charges a small fee, but there’s no advertising on its website. If you want to print and mail an invitation, recycled paper is available in many colors and designs from most art, stationery, and office supply stores. On-line, Twisted Limb makes invitations and stationery from recycled paper by hand. Use a copy of the book’s cover on your invitation.

Location and Lighting : Weather permitting, discuss your book outside.  A front porch, wrap-around deck, roof top, patio, or even park can create the perfect ambience to discuss a book all about protecting Mother Nature.

If it’s an evening affair, candles can help brighten your setting (and keep the bugs at bay if you do meet outside).

• Way Out Wax offers a variety of candles made from pure vegetable waxes scented with natural essential oils like citronella, rosemary, orange or eucalyptus.
• Elegant beeswax tapers with all-cotton wicks can be found at Candlebee Farm, Abundant Earth, or the Beeswax Candle Company.

Want to be more festive?  String energy-efficient LED lights, which use 80 to 90 percent less energy than incandescent mini-lights, through trees and along walkways. Try the Light string from Inirgee; check Home Depot, Lowe’s, or your local hardware store.

  Refreshments : Serve locally grown fruits and vegetables, fresh hand-pressed ciders, artisan cheeses and homemade breads and pastries, all available from your nearest farmers market.  Whole Foods Markets and some natural foods stores prepare delicious platters of  organic vegetables, fruits, breads, crackers, dips and cheese.

Organic beverages – including fruit juice, sparkling cider, wine, beer and spirits — are available at most natural food stores, Whole Foods Markets, food coops, and an increasing number of standard grocery store chains and liquor stores. Some brands to look for:

R. W. Knudsen’s Organic Juices
Santa Cruz Organic Juices and Nectars
Frey Vineyards’ award-winning organic and biodynamic sulfite-free wines
Samuel Smith Organic Ale & Lager from Tadcaster, England
Wolaver’s Organic Beers from Middlebury, VT
Maison Jomere’s Organic Vodka and Juniper Green  London Dry Gin

If you opt for soda, buy cans or bottles you can recycle. Skip the bottled water in favor of cooled (and filtered, if necessary) tap water or iced tea.

Setting the Table : Use cloth table linens and napkins, and reusable plates and cutlery to reduce trash.

Reusable plate options can include ceramics you can get for a dollar a plate at local dollar stores, or “china” made from recycled plastic. Preserve offers sturdy, dishwasher safe plates in two sizes, a seven-inch that’s perfect for buffets, and a ten-inch that you would serve for a larger meal.

If you must use paper, shop recycled. Marcal makes lunch and dinner napkins with high degrees of recycled content.

Adorn the table with flowers and greenery from your yard, enhanced with fruit, candles, ribbons and other nature-based decorations available at your fingertips.

When the Party’s Over : Recycle. Make it easy by setting up a bin for empty cans and bottles in the kitchen or on the porch.  If you compost, clean plates into the compost bin before washing.  Wrap up left-overs in reusable containers to send home with your guests or save in the freezer or refrigerator for a delicious reminder of the great time that was had by all!

The post EARTHDAY COUNTDOWN – Have a Big Green Book Party appeared first on Big Green Purse.

I don’t think so. Otherwise, why would a company that seems so ‘on target’ have completely missed the mark?

Their latest offering is brewed tea…sold in a box. And it’s not just any box, either. It’s a 64-ounce, “shelf stable” box you can’t recycle, since it’s made from the same waxy aseptic material juice boxes are made from. All you can do is use up the ingredients inside – which, when you get down to it, are basically nothing more than tea you could easily brew yourself at home – and throw the box away.

The company calls its boxed tea “exciting.” Somehow, the thrill of spending $5.00 for a big box of flavored water I eventually have to landfill is completely lost on me.

And honestly, it doesn’t matter if Pacific Natural’s product is organic, fair trade, and otherwise “politically correct.” This is a convenience food at an inconvenient time (i.e., with a global warming impact) that will only add to the trash you have to cart out to the curb or the dump every week.

Thumbs down.

P.S. If you want to send the company a note telling them what you think of their new product, you can contact them here.

Or maybe you should just send them a tea bag.

The post Do We Really Need Brewed Tea in a Box? appeared first on Big Green Purse.