Stop Junk Mail. Be Eco Friendly. Do Good. The GreenDimes Blog

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Lisa G Wrote:

my easy green tip is unplug everything (except your fridge and your alarm clock), and then just plug in when in use. why does your toaster need to be plugged in all the time? escpecially unplug chargers, electric toothbrushes, your computer and printer as these items REALLY drain electricity even when off and not in use. it takes less then a second to unplug.....saves a lot of green and helps you be greeen!

Thanks Lisa,

I would add that you should buy some power strips to make the turning off process a little easier, though photographing your fanned-out unplugged cords as seen in the pic does seem appealing.

-Sanjiv

Easy Green Thanksgiving Tips

No, I’m not talking about telecommunicating your Thanksgiving toast, or “family-styling” your silverware. Grandma doesn’t have to pedal in on her mountain bike (she has a mountain bike?) and Juju doesn’t have to actually send what she doesn’t finish on her plate to Africa. No, these are easy green tips for Thanksgiving:

- Inflate those tires! It’s a biggie: 

[Thanksgiving is one of the biggest travel days] X [properly inflated tires] = [tons of saved gas]

- Carpool! Yeah, he’s annoying, but pick up Uncle Lester on the way. You can give him a jigsaw puzzle in the backseat and every time he’s about to finish, veer into warning bumps in the break-down lane.

- Use only GreenDimes Reusable bags when you grocery shop. (Utterly shameless) Any reusable bag will do. 

- Eat organic. I know, turkey-flavored pesticides are hip new Thanksgiving trend, but stick with the organic stuff.

- Use cloth v Paper Napkins – Do you really want a see-thru paper napkin over Uncle Lester’s lap when he decides his belly needs a little “breathing room”

- Play Football instead of having the Thanksgiving Disco – Ok, I don’t know who does that (anymore), but in general, the more you’re outside, the less energy you’re using inside.

- Have your own Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade! Okay, now I’m being silly.

Your Junk Mail Gobbler,

-Sanjiv Stewart

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Probing Your Doctor

Photo: Anderson Cooper's Moonlighting Job

GreenDimer/Myspacer Jen Wrote:

I have an environmental issue that I just became aware of now that I work at a doctor's office. The drug companies are using a TON of packaging for drug samples. First of all, they put the samples in a box. Then, they put the individual sample in another box. Then, most often they put the actual pills in a plastic bottle that would seem large enough to hold about 100 pills, but NO, they hold about 5. I have gotten my office to recycle the outer packaging, but I doubt that most people do this. It makes me sick to my stomach how much waste there is!

Thanks Jen for Packaging Eco-Tip

Note: Hey Jen, if you feel sick to your stomach, I recommend you take a pill.  Of course opening the packaging to get to the pill will make you stick to your stomach, in which case I recommend taking a pill...

Your Junk Mail Remover - Sanjiv

Tips for going green while saving green

In my never-ending quest to be financially responsible, I came across these 8 tips on a very cool new website called Mint. They are a start-up, much like ourselves, working to help people (like me) manage our accounts.

I couldn't help but notice that their 8 tips of things not to buy new for financial reasons are also 8 tips of things not to buy new for environmental reasons. 2 birds with 1 stone, it's what I'm all about, baby. Check out the article on their blog for a more detailed explanation, but here they are:

1. CD and DVD's
2. Books
3. Apple products and electronics
4. Designer clothes
5. Baby and maternity clothes
6. Games and toys
7. Homes
8. Cars

Reduce, re-use, recycle!

Your money/planet saver,

Kendra