Check out some more tips for making eco-friendly New Year’s resolutions: Learn about composting. Create a bin for composting, and find out what type of items can be composted. You’ll discover that much of what you used to throw away can be reused to help the environment. Buy products from local grocers and shops. Support local business rather than wasteful corporations. Driving to bigger stores for goods is a definite way to make your carbon footprint larger, so do your best to buy products from around your community. Be knowledgeable about what products your purchase. Just because a product claims to be green, natural or organic, doesn’t always mean it is. Greenwashing and organic fraud are real problems and one way to combat them is to be knowledgeable about the products you purchase. Try to limit food waste. The average American family wastes 14% of the food that it purchases each year. Be more responsible about purchasing what your family needs, and make sure to store leftovers so that they don’t spoil. Cut out meat consumption once a week. Many people are reluctant to transition fully to become a vegetarian or vegan to help the environment. Another option is to cut your meat consumption just once a week, which will ...

Check out the following tips for making eco-friendly New Year’s resolutions: Reconsider your showering and bathing habits. Ask yourself if you really need to shower twice a day because water conservation is one of the most important aspects of going green. Take shorter showers or shower with a friend. Turn off the water when you are not using it. Start paying more attention to how often you run your tap water. Whether you leave the water running while you brush your teeth, or you leave the water in the shower running for a while before you get in, both instances are great opportunities to cut back on water usage. Try to run the shower as little as possible before getting in, and always remember to turn off the faucet while you’re brushing your teeth. Dishwashing is another typical instance where water is wasted, so do your best to turn the water off as much as possible when scrubbing the dishes. Make an effort to recycle. Call your local utility to find out how to get recycle bins at your house. If your community does not participate in a recycling program, look into finding the nearest recycling center that you can bring your recyclables to. Recycling makes ...

The 2011 Chevrolet Volt was awarded the title Green Car of the Year at the recent Los Angeles Auto Show. The Chevrolet Volt is the first electric car to win the prize, which has been handed out every year since 2005 by the Green Car Journal. Additionally, Chevrolet announced that the company is donating $40 million to local environmental projects across the United States. Their goal is to help reduce carbon emissions by 8 million metric tons, which is about the same amount of carbon dioxide emitted in 1 year by the 1.9 million Chevrolet cars that expect to sell in the next year. General Motors vice president for environment, energy, and safety believes that the program is the first of its kind for any automaker. Chevrolet did this to distinguish their brand and encourage consumer confidence in their car. General Motors vice president of marketing in the United States claims that it will take another couple of years for projects to be chosen to receive the donation dollars. Organizations will be able to apply for the grants for projects like putting up small-scale wind energy projects or weatherizing schools. General Motors will determine whether they will extend the program as it ...

Holiday parties can yield an alarming amount of waste. Thinking ahead and taking time to plan your party is a good start to having a green party. Follow these tips for a successful green holiday party: Make Smart Plans * Make a guest list so that you know how much food and supplies you need. * Use Evites or Facebook Invitations on the Internet instead of printed invitations. You’ll save money, paper, and other resources. Both services will keep a running tally of the guest list for you. If some guests do not use the Internet, give them a call instead of a paper invitation. Travel Green * Suggest to your guests that they think green when making travel plans for the party by carpooling with other guests or taking public transportation. This way if they drink, they won’t have to worry about driving home at the end of the night. * Offer rewards for the guests who do travel green, like a bar of fair trade chocolate. Decorations * Opt for nature inspired decorations instead of paper or plastic store bought decorations that usually get thrown out the next day. Use flowers, foliage, branches and rocks to make centerpieces on the dining tables. * Add pinecones or lemons ...

Nature Baby Organic Wool And Cotton Clothes Nature Baby is a family business in New Zealand that specializes in products that nurture both babies and nature. They started in 1998 with the goal of producing innovative products so their children may grow up in a more eco-friendly world. Some of their products include: organic cotton drawstring pants, lambskin booties, organic cotton long sleeve bodysuits, and organic knotted beanie hats. All of their products are high quality and very soft to the touch. EarthBall The EarthBall is 16 inches in diameter, inflatable, glows in the dark, and is made with child safe phthalate-free material. The ball was created using NASA satellite photos, and the cities of the world on it illuminate. The EarthBall is a great tool as a visual aid for teaching kids about light pollution, world population, and energy consumption. It comes with a Global Handbook that includes information and games. EcoZoo Natural Cotton Backpacks by EcoGear These backpacks are PVC and toxic free and come in the shape of a friendly zoo animal. These backpacks use natural cotton canvas and rope materials, non-toxic dyes, sustainable wood accents, recycled plastic components, and padded shoulder straps. Natural Paint Colors Glob It On Paints are made from organic ...