Make Your Earth Day Resolution Today! Earth Day 2012 Part 6
My friend in San Antonio, Cathy Bureau, wrote this amazing post about celebrating Earth Day with a list of resolutions! If we all could make just a few of these a part of our daily routine... we could really make a difference! Kathy
If you like this blog... please leave your comments on Cathy's original blog!
Not that the Earth is any way a religion for me or has that level of reverence, I still think that its worth making an Earth Day Resolution or two, like New Year's Resolutions.
How green do you think you are? Check out PracticallyGreen.com to see how GREEN you are. At first I didn't like the site because it prompted me to share my results & to be social. Ugh, I'm already all over social media & its exhausting from a business perspective, fun from a social one. But if I set my priorities right, then maybe it is more appropriate and closer to my values then Google Plus or Pinterest which are my quasi business sites.
One of my Earth Day Resolutions is to make PracticallyGreen.com a part of my social media so I can keep tabs on what's going on to share with my friends and family & monitor my progress. This can be your Earth Day resolution too!
To celebrate Earth Day - April 22, 2012,
here are 22 things to help you with your resolution(s).
1. PracticallyGreen.com - Excellent green living survey & social media networking.
2. Earth911.com - Provides valuable green resources. This is actually my favorite site. I like that they have a "Find a recycle [product] searchable tool.
3. Pinterest/CathyBureau.com - I have several GREEN Boards: Eco Friendly Projects, Kemical Free Kleaning, Grow it Green, Heatlhy Yumolicious, .....
4. Vow to avoid plastic at all costs. Keep a reusable bag in your glove box or purse. I often just carry things if I forget or don't have enough bags with me. Do you really need a bag for that soda and sandwich?
5. Find your local environmental organizations and attend an event. I have been attending the San Antonio Citizen's Advisory on Environmental Policy meeting on 1st Fridays. It's really rather interesting to know what our city is planning for the next 20 years & hear the SA River Authority, SAWS, architects talk about what other municipalities are doing. I'm also a member of about 4 organizations that meet regularly. I just found one for electric cars, kinda cool.
6. Network online with Eco Friendly organizations. Look for Facebook groups to like. I follow about a dozen & one gave me a free tree! Alamo Forest Partnership Facebook Fan Page follows me on GREEN Home Realty Facebook Fan Page & Twitter.com/CathyBureau. Kinda cool that they reblog me, etc.
7. Replace your light bulbs with CFLs - it is cooler (both meanings true).
8. Plant a Tree!
9. Join an energy saver program with your local utility company.
10. Switch from commercial cleaning products to organic. I did and I love it! The idea of using cleaners use to make me feel like I was poisoning my family. My favorite compound is baking soda with a touch of water and lemon to make a paste (scrubbing) or water with orange slices for my microwave. Believe it or not, it's cheaper and it smells better than commercial products.
11. Buy better quality stuff rather than replacing every 2-3 years. I had bought several Sunbeam, etc. $15-20 irons then one day I got frustrated so I splurged to buy a Rowenta for $49.00 That was over 10 years ago & it still works! Same true with my toaster; Delongi.
12. If you're going to buy commercial cleaners, consider Earth Friendly brands like Seventh Generation.
13. Here's a great site for living in urban areas: Inside Urban Green
14. The EPA is an invaluable resource! Environmental Protection Agency
15. Groovy Living is groovy.
16. Avoid buying packaged goods. Believe it or not, even with recycling promotions left and right, according to the EPA, from 1980 to 2005 the amount of MSW generated increased 60%! That's astounding if you think about it! Look for bulk items in your grocer; don't buy those kids' snack packs (use reusable containers and package your own).
17. Don't buy bottled water. While it might taste better, RO (Reverse Osmosis) actually strips out the nutrients you need to fight off free radicals. I actually sell a product that replenishes the antioxidants that most water systems strip. Call me.
18. Consider homeopathic over prescriptions when possible. Many remedies can be home made rather than store bought. Lately I've been using Epson salt (7.99/lb) soaks from the drug store rather than those fancy store bought glass container products ($19.99/pint) saving over $30. Its good for scrapes, bruises, sorenes, arthritis, sinuses.....Thrown in some lavender from the bulk goods and I'm good to go. Or even better, grow your own lavender!
19. Have a herb garden. I used to pay $2.49 for a sprig of Basil. I bought a 4" pot for $3.49 & it will last year around.
20. Plan ALL your shopping. You might save a few dollars on gasoline and by not buying impromptu items.
21. Don't use paper goods. Recently I invested about $30.00 into quality kitchen towels & a bag of cheap wash cloths. I actually like using those instead of paper towels and sponges. Paper towels tear. Wash cloths means no harsh chemicals, just my Mrs. Meyers Sweet Basil spray. Cloth cleans better. They are reusable. I also bought about a dozen plastic plates from the dollar store a few years ago. They are great for every day living, and I make my kids wash their plates each time they use one for snacks, etc.
22.BE A GREEN AMBASSADOR. When your friends & family see & hear what you're doing, its contagious. By spreading good you will help them avoid illnesses, allergies, waste, & maybe even cancer.
What resonates with you?
What are you going to do to avoid being a Dinosaur?
Leave me a comment about any ideas you have that I haven't already mentioned that you want to share.
DON'T BE A DINOSAUR! LOVE THE EARTH!
12 Eco Friendly Resources - Earth Day 2012 - San Antonio, Texas 2012 - Part 5
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations - Earth Day 2012 - San Antonio, Texas Part 4
Fit City USA - Not Fat City USA - Earth Day 2012 - San Antonio, Texas Part 3
Organics Recycling Pilot Program - Earth Day 2012 - San Antonio, Texas - Part 2
Curbside Recycling: Accepted and Not Accepted Items - Earth Day 2012 - San Antonio, Part 1
Improved Energy Star Version 3 for Your Home, 2012
Citizen's Environmental Advisory Committee - City of San Antonio, Texas
Green Shade Tree Rebates - City of San Antonio, Texas
EcoBling - Debunking Myths About Green Homes in San Antonio, TX
Which is Better, a Solar Water Heater or On Demand Water Heater? - Solar Power - Part 4
Solar Power Systems: Lease v. Buy - Solar Power Part 3
Will My HOA Allow Solar and Is It Worth It? - Solar Power: Part 2
Understanding Net Zero - Solar Power Systems: Part 1
Stay tuned for more.....
Cathy Bureau, NAR GREEN, EcoBroker, recently obtained the SunAgent certification being test marketed out of New Jersey for real estate solar education. As the founder of Green Home Realty, Cathy Bureau is an entrepreneur recognized in the industry by builders and colleagues for her expertise in green real estate. She is a member of Build San Antonio Green and the Texas Green Network-SA. You can find her via website: GreenHomeRealtySA.com, blogs: SanAntonioHomesBlog.info, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Natural Awakenings SA Magazine Please contact her directly to schedule her as a guest speaker or for media interviews for your company events.
CATHY BUREAU - YOUR MOST VALUABLE REAL ESTATE ASSET
CATHY BUREAU Broker/Owner
MBA, REALTOR, GREEN, SFR, ECOBROKER, SUNAGENT
(210) 560-1891 Direct
I would LOVE to HELP YOU buy or sell in the San Antonio-Austin area. Please call me, CATHY BUREAU GREEN Home Realty (210) 560-1891.
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