Category — Green Shopping

While we seem to focus so much attention on searching for and purchasing the most energy-efficient refrigerator and freezer, it turns out that how much food you store in your fridge or freezer has a significant impact on how energy-efficient they are. According to these green shopping tips at Ideal Bite, your fridge and freezer will function more efficiently when they are full, but not overstuffed.

So, here’s a thought: Next time you head out to do some grocery shopping, make it worth your while. Running in for just a few things multiple times a week ends up costing much more in the long run due to impulse purchases and wasted fuel. By planning meals, and shopping from a grocery list, you’ll conserve fuel, save money on groceries, and conserve energy. I guess the express lane isn’t the “easy out” I thought it was.

An article about reusable shopping bags in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal brought to light some important points.  Turns out some of them might not be as green as you think. Here are some green living tips to consider when it comes to choosing reusable shopping bags:

Where are they made? Many supposedly green shopping bags are manufactured in China or other foreign countries.  That means that it takes a lot of fossil fuel and carbon emissions to get them you.  If you’re going to use reusable shopping bags, try to find ones that are manufactured close to home.

What are they made of?  A lot of the free shopping bags that so many retailers are promoting as green products are made of plastic, which is often criticized containing VOCs, and doesn’t biodegrade well. Reusable shopping bags made of hemp and bamboo are greener options. I love the designs on these reusable shopping bags at ReusableBags.Com.  They’re made of cotton and manufactured in the USA.

Reusing household items anytime you can is key to any green lifestyle.  From bedroom furniture to kitchen appliances, thrift stores are hot spots for picking up used household items. However, you do need to be a little selective, and buy items that are durable enough to withstand reuse.  Here are a few thrift store shopping tips:

Furniture:  If you’re looking for a sofa or arm chair, check out the condition of the frame by attempting to wiggle the arm of the furniture or looking at the underneath side.  Loose frames made of quality wood can often be tightened up, but beware of furniture made of particle board. Don’t worry about finishes or upholstery; you can always refinish with a non-toxic paint or no VOC wood finish.

Electronics:  Most electronics on the shelves at thrift stores work just fine, and have been left there simply because they’ve been replaced by newer models.  Kitchen blenders, mixers, radios and alarm clocks are usually in plentiful supply.  Avoid items with frayed cords or signs of overheating, unless you know how repair them.

Clothing:  From blue jeans to winter coats and everything in between, green living gurus can find great deals at thrift shops on gently used, and sometimes brand new clothing.  Avoid stains that probably won’t wash out at this point, and fabric that’s already worn out.  Learn how to replace a zipper and sew a button, and you’ll be able to salvage many perfectly good items.   Don’t forget about all the things you can do to recycle blue jeans.  Thrift shops are a great place to pick up  whole bags of fabrics for craft projects.

If you’re new to green living, here’s an idea to help you get started in purchasing green cleaning products and recycled household products. It’s a green cleaning starter kit filled with a variety of non- toxic cleaners and recycled paper goods. Here’s what the green cleaning kit includes:

Phosphate Free Household Cleaner: An every day non toxic cleaning spray for cleaning the bathroom sink, kitchen appliances, and counter tops.

Biodegradable Dish Washing Soap: Plant-based soap for dishes and cooking pans.

Recycled Paper Towels: 80% post consumer waste.

Recycled Facial Tissues: 100% recycled, 20% post consumer waste.

All Natural Hand Soap: Biodegradable hand soap made with essential oils.

I think the Starter Green-kit available at Green-kit looks like a convenient way to take some of the initial confusion out of selecting green products, and choosing the ones you like the most.

Have you ever wondered just what your sending down the drain when you squeeze the dishwasher detergent into the machine? Turns out there’s a lot of chlorine and phosphates in regular dishwasher powder and dishwasher gel. Both are nasty pollutants, and they’re released into our environment by millions of American households every day. I found this chlorine-free and phosphate-free automatic dishwasher detergent at Seventh Generation. In addition to no chlorine and phosphates, Seventh Generation automatic dishwasher soap is non-toxic, dye-free, contains no NTA or EDTA, is Kosher-certified and is not tested on animals. The full ingredient list of this environmentally friendly detergent is available at Seventh Generation’s website.

Is there any use in crying over spilled milk? Well, some consumers certainly are doing so since major chains such as Wal-Mart and Costco have adoped a new, greener design for milk jugs. First the benefits: The new milk jug design uses less plastic, requires 50% less storage space, and is stackable, allowing more milk to be shipped in a single truckload. Now the cons: consumers are complaining that the new milk jug design is hard to handle, easy to spill and generally inconvenient. I recently purchased a gallon of milk contained in one of these new jugs at Sam’s Club and didn’t have any problems with it. However, I did notice that my kids were more prone to spills with the new design. Perhaps this is just a case of needing to get used to something new. However, since the new milk jug is saving dairies money on both shipping and labor, its probably going to be around for awhile.

The aroma and flickering flame of a burning candle can certainly make any home feel more pleasant and inviting. However, in recent years candles have been criticized for containing lead and petroleum additives and numerous other toxins, causing concern for those worried about toxins in the air or for individuals with allergies or asthma. The good news is that cleaner burning and greener candles are becoming more readily available. I found these 100% natural soy tumbler candles and non-toxic tea lights at Green Nest. Perfect for enjoying a candle and maintaining fresh air, they’re petroleum-free, pesticide-free and contain no paraffin. According to Green Nest, the soy wax used in their all natural, hand poured candles is tested in a laboratory to guarantee purity. As an added plus, Green Nest soy candles are not tested on animals and contain all lead-free wicks. And, the cute little glass tumblers can be reused when empty.