Greetings!
A long time ago when I was a kid, I thought town dumps were little ski resorts. Why else would a big hill be sticking out of nowhere? I imagined happy skiers on the other side of the hill that I couldn't see. Now when I look at garbage dumps, I think of the movie WALL-E and piles of garbage.
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Get Organized and Go Green
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Did you know the more organized you are, the more opportunities you have for helping the environment? Here are a few things you can do to get organized and go green.
A large amount of clutter comes from mail we receive. Reducing mail will help keep it from piling up on our counters, and also reduce the energy required to produce it, get it to our mailboxes, and then recycle it. Here are a few ways to reduce paper clutter: - Most banks and credit card companies allow you to "go paperless" and get your statements online. And, no, you don't need to print them. They save old statements online too.
- You can eliminate unwanted catalogs at www.catalogchoice.org or www.dmachoice.org.
- You can eliminate unwanted credit card and insurance offers at www.optoutprescreen.com.
Another way to reduce clutter and help the environment is to stop buying stuff you don't need. I'm not just talking about food you throw away, but things you buy because you can't find ones you know you have (like scissors for example!). Even if it's non perishable, there is still an energy cost to the packaging and transport to stores. And everything eventually ends up in a dump somewhere. So, here's a few tips to reduce your consumption:
- Everything needs one and only one "home" in your house. That way when you are looking for something, you can find it. And you only have one place to check to see if you are running low.
- Keep a centralized grocery list that everyone in your family can add to when they see you are running low on something. That way you'll remember to buy it next time you go to the store, and you won't be as likely to buy things you don't need.
Finally, do you make a lot of extra trips to do just one errand? An easy way to save on gas and get more done is to have a place to stage things. Your mud room or even your car is a good place to "stage" store returns, dry cleaning, library books, movies, and anything else that doesn't belong in your house. You'll be more likely to have what you need to complete the errand when you are out and about, rather than making a special trip. A bonus is that you'll have less "things to do" piling up. |
If you have any questions about getting organized or going green, don't hesitate to send me an email at cathy@neatchicny.com or post a question on my facebook page. Cathy
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