WomenCo.

I think this is a great idea. I wasn't as aware of things as I am now. Having lived in Seattle, WA for 4 years surely helped. I think it's a model city and state, for that matter, on the benefits of going green. Also, my good friend Alyson Hoag, here in Atlanta has just opened her own green beauty salon. All of her cosmetics are organic and they last so much longer than that stuff we get off the shelf. I've got her website around here somewhere but you can google her at Image Journey or using her name Alyson Hoag. I'll have her info next time I'm here. She's a fantastic source for information on being what she calls "sustainable".

Look forward to learning and sharing.

The college where I teach publishes a "green" recycling newsletter via email. The letter lists the amount recycled each month, tips on recycling at home, and URLs you can access.

Diana - this may end up being my favorite place to post!  I want everyone to WANT to do anything they can, and small steps count, adn make it even easier to to the more important things as you go.

What is your favorite 'green" tip?

I'm not certain if it is acceptable, but we wash out and re-use our water bottles now. My deciding factor in something I will purchase rides on whether or not it is recyclable, or at least the components (even the Mary Kay compacts are recyclable!).

I'm honestly a newbie at this. We do recycle our regular items (the items you expect: glass, paper, plastic, etc.) I look forward to learning so much more about it here. And Diana, I love that you mentioned the farmer's market. That is where I buy most of my fresh produce!!! Thanks for creating this one!!!

I limit my use of plastic items in my home - basically I'm a hard-wired "mother-earth" gal and I always felt plastic was suspect - they're now starting to come out with stats about using plastic for eating - storing food - that sort of stuff, so glass containers and such is what I strive for at home.

Dish towels, hand towels in the kitchen -- so I can resist the urge to grab a paper towel.  Also - I bought resusable swifter like pads to wash and polish our floors; when they get dirty I throw them in the wash.

In most grocery stores now they provide cloth bags you can buy (not very expensive) to bring with you when you shop - great gift idea for friends and family this year - I'd love to see all of us get past paper and plastic bags.  Also, our grocery store buys produce and the like from local sources - we love the farmer's market too but in the winter it's shut down -- ask your local grocery store to do the same.

We've used brita at home for years - has anyone seen their new tv commercials - I think actually it's about 1000 yrs for plastic to break-down, so -- anytime we can avoid using plastic it's a good thing.

Finally - I recently read an article about Nike recycling tennis shoes to make basketball and tennis courts - this is so cool - so now we can recycle our tennies if we want to.

Love this thread - let's spread the green!

There are LOTS of Greenies in Alaska!!  My husband and I strive to have one bag of trash each week.  One.  This does not include cardboard boxes from buying things in bulk at Costco.  Those can be broken down flat and reused or recycled.  I always try to reUSE something rather than recycle, that way it never hits the trash system at all.  Like McKaren, I try to go for glass rather than plastic and reuse the glass as leftover containers, coin catchers (!), pen & pencil holders, the uses are endless and I never need Tupperware ever again.  I also use washable dish towels and cloths, not paper towels, and I also use a washable cloth on my swiffer too!  My neighbors all share a compost pile, but we can only use yard waste in it -- no food of ANY kind.  In Juneau, this attracts BEARS, which will already help themselves to anything in our garages if we leave the door open!