Tag: saving money

Individual Change

10 Everyday Household Items that could be Reusable!

Taylor Houghton

I always wondered how I can continue to help the planet by using reusable products. The basic items that come to my mind right away are plastic water bottles and reusable grocery bags. Although, those two things are great, there are many more opportunities to be more Eco-friendly. I composed a list of 10 things that you change exchange for your everyday products.

1. Reusable tampon and pads!

I thought I would start this list out a little interesting. When I first heard of a reusable tampon and pad, I was a little grossed out! At first it is a little hard to use (I’ll be honest), but so was a tampon when you first started using one. You just have to give it a chance. Not only does it help the environment by eliminating waste but it is also better for your body. Check out the video below to see all the benefits!

http://www.facebook.com/MenstrualCupTribe/videos/177368666139055/

2. Eco wrap!

Eco wrap is a great alternative to plastic wrap! Did I mention it is healthier and saves money for you in the long run! Check out this video to see the full details!

This Eco Food Wrap Is Perfect For People Who Love The Environment

This Eco Food Wrap Is Perfect For People Who Love The Environment

Posted by BuzzFeed Video on Tuesday, April 4, 2017

 

(And if it is too expensive or you like DIY projects, this video shows you how to make your own!)

Homemade Reusable Cling Wrap

Make your own homemade REUSABLE cling wrap to be more eco-friendly! ✨

Posted by Goodful on Sunday, April 22, 2018

3. Reusable Hand Warmers!

Reusable Hand Warmers are great because you can use them again and again and never have to buy one again. What is do is after you use it you boil it and it restarts the hand warmer. You then click the sliver button inside and watch it transform (this part is pretty neat)! Then it stay warm like a hand warmer would! When you want to use it again, start the whole process over again! Check out this short video that shows you how it works!

4. DIY Hot and Cold heat pack

All you need to do is add rice and sew it together in a pack. You can either microwave it or freeze it and use it again and again! (They make great gifts!)

 Image result for diy hot and cold heat pack

5. Reusable Straws!

I already made a blog post about this but I think this is an important item that we must switch to! There are many alternatives to this which is great! There are glass, metal, stainless steal, wood, bamboo, rubber and paper straws! All are better than the plastic alternative!

Image result for reusable straws glass, bamboo and mentalImage result for reusable straws glass, bamboo and mentalImage result for reusable straws glass, bamboo and mentalImage result for reusable straws glass, bamboo and mental

6. Reusable Juice Box!

This one if for the kids! Think about how much waste a little juice box with a straw makes! This is a easy switch and it saves you money but filling up your own juice!

Image result for reusable juice boxImage result for reusable juice box

7. Reusable Sandwich Bags!

Again think of the money you will be saving and the waste you will be preventing! This is a one time buy! The link below shows a website that sells them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.reuseit.com/reuseit-platinum-silicone-reusable-sandwich-and-snack-bags-set-of-4.htm

 

8. Chip and Snack Bag Re-sealer

This will keep your food fresh and help you not waste them!

Image result for chip and snack bag resealer

9. Reusable Napkins!

All you have to do it wash them and they look super cute too!

Image result for reusable napkins

10. Food Scrapes

Don’t waste your food scrapes! You can either compost them like I explained in past posts or you can grow new fruits and veggies from your fruit and veggie scrapes.

Image result for growing food from scraps\

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are many more alternatives but these are just 10! Start with these and you will surely make an impact!! 

Individual Change

Environmentally Friendly Razors!

Taylor Houghton

Safety Razors!

Two billion razors are thrown away each year! This is something we don’t often think about! There is actually a razor out there that is good for the environment that already exist…SAFETY RAZORS!

Before I get into that…the two common razors that people use:

The first kind is the razor that has one set of blades on them. After a week or two of using this razor, you throw it away. And let’s be honest. Do we really get the close shave that we want. I always end up with cuts on my leg from razors like theses.

Image result for razors

The other kind is a razor that comes with about two to three replaceable razors. After you use up all the razors you throw them out. These razors never seem to get a close enough shave either. Plus their expensive!

Image result for razorsImage result for razors

 

The important thing to take away is RAZORS ARE NOT RECYCLABLE! That’s right, every time you throw away a razor it is ending up in landfills. Think about how many of these razors you use in a year!! Don’t worry the solution already exists! Safety Razors will be the last purchase you’ll ever make on a razor!

Image result for razors

People are raving that:

  1. They are getting a closer shave
  2. No more dots on their legs
  3. Safe to leave in shower
  4. Their saving money
  5. Their helping the environment

What you need to do:

Make a one time purchase of about $20 (sometimes less) and buy a Safety Razor!

For only $12, you can get 100 blades too! (This will last you for years!) You do the math of those savings!

All you do with the uses razors is out them in a can to recycle them. The company ASTRA takes care of it and reuses the materials.

The cost upfront is a bit more than a traditional razor but in the long run you will be saving money and the Earth! Think about how many disposable razors you throw away, every time your spending $10-$20…that adds up really quick! Again think about how many disposable razors you have thrown away in your lifetime, they are all sitting in a landfill as we speak.

Be the change and make the switch! Remember… small changes make a big difference!

 

*Check out this video below-they give you some good tips towards the end of the video of how to use a safety razor!

Safety Razors

The safety razor is the eco-friendly shaving tool we didn't know we needed.

Posted by We Need This on Tuesday, April 10, 2018

 

 

Individual Change

How to Re-Grow your Fruits and Veggies Scrapes!

Taylor Houghton

Re-grow and…re-eat?

That’s right! I came across this video on Facebook and I was blown away! This video shows you how to take your fruits and vegetable scrapes and grown new ones! This video shows you how to put your food scrapes into good use and it also saves you some money in your pocket! Plus it is so good to have plants in your house. They benefit you in more ways than you think!

Foods they cover:

Veggies– Potatoes, lettuce, green onion, celery, onion.

Fruits– Orange, lemon, strawberry’s, cherries, pears, apples, raspberries, tomatoes, avocados, pineapples, kiwi, peppers.

Herbs and Spices– Mint, basil, lemongrass, cilantro, rosemary trimmings, cilantro trimmings, ginger, garlic.

Check out this video! It is really interesting! 

http://www.facebook.com/officialgoodful/videos/1890922724311518/

 

Also if your not the best planter or your not sure how to take care of plants, check out this other video. It explains the four things plants need and takes you step by step through the process.

How to stop killing your house plants! 

How To Stop Killing Your Houseplants

Here's how to stop killing your houseplants! #EarthMonth

Posted by Tasty Vegetarian on Sunday, April 8, 2018

America's Effort, Global Impact

Two Alternatives when Building Roads!

Taylor Houghton

Roads made from waste plastics and Solar Roadways:

I can across a video on Facebook that has left my jaw wide open. Engineering Toby McCarthey has invented paved roads that made from Image result for toby mccartney plastic roadsrecycled plastic and plastic that is in the ocean! He replaced bitumen with recycled plastic pieces and created something better than what we had before. The plastic roads are 60% stronger than the traditional asphalt roads and last 10 times longer. The popularly of these plastic roads is rising! It is time for the United States to take part!

Image result for toby mccartney plastic roadsImage result for toby mccartney plastic roads

Currently, there is over billions of liters of oil make up our roads and over trillions of plastic materials that have no use or that are just simply floating in our oceans. This is yet another great use for plastic! This will help solve some of the plastic waste problems, help reduce global carbon emissions, and in return make our roads more durable! Plastic paved roads are the future!

Another alternative this made me think of was solar roadways. It was popular a couple of years ago and I’m sad it didn’t take off because I was really excited about it. I am going to share this with you anyways! 

Solar Roadways is basically solar panels that replaced our roads, sidewalks, driveways, etc. They were invented by an engineering couple named Scott and Julie Brusaw.Image result for solar roadways

Because their solar panels, they basically pay for themselves, so it lowers the cost of energy. Not to mention these are heated! You never have to worry about ice or snow on roads! YES! That includes no more Image result for solar roadwaysshoveling in your driveway! You can ride your bike, moped and motorcycle year round! Think about the salt we put down on our roads. Not only does it destroy the roads themselves but it also rusts your car!

Solar Roadways are so easy to replace, and you won’t have to worry about filling in pot holes. They each are an individual panel. They are also pressure censored so they can warn people telling them to slow down for people crossing, deer crossing, or even branches falling. The solar Image result for solar roadwaysroadways also light up with LED lights! They light up the lane changes, warning signs, parking spots, etc. And you never have to worry about repainting them because all you have to do is re program them! It also helps with water run off. It re directs the water and doesn’t contaminant it like traditional roads do!

The best part of it all… the solar panels are made from recycle materials!

 

 

Both of these are great Eco-friendly alternatives! I am excited to see our future paved roads! 

 

Check out this video below. It goes into more details about Solar Roadways! 

Individual Change

Food Waste into Cooking Gas?!

Taylor Houghton

Homebiogas:

Can you even believe that there is a device that will allow you to turn your food waste into cooking gas! Honestly, your throwing away your food waste anyways, might as well put it to good use. Literally, all I hear is savings!!!

The blow up machine just sits in your backyard! “Homebiogas is an off-grid system that generates clean energy without any electricity AND allows you to properly treat your household waste! The system produces up to 2 hours of cooking gas every day solely from your food scraps or animal waste, ” Homebiogas tells us themselves.

How it works:

The process is easy to assemble and doesn’t require a professional technician, HomeBiogas is a DIY kit!
The system is sent to your home with all the tools and a detailed guide, so it is super easy! All you have to do is activate your system and have a healthy colony of bacteria growing in the digester right in your backyard. Literally, your able to toss your food scraps and/or animal waste into the system and then after that it generates up to 2 hours of cooking gas and fertilizer DAILY. Talk about savings!! $$$

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Below is a video that shows the HOMEBIOGAS in action!

Turn your food waste into cooking gas! Music by Joakim Karud

Turn your food waste into cooking gas!Music by Joakim Karud

Posted by Genius Club on Monday, November 20, 2017

Individual Change

Year Round Veggies Grown in your OWN home!

Taylor Houghton

The O Garden:

I found is this amazing video on Facebook! This is a device that allows you to grow your own veggies in home year round! It’s called the O Garden. It is designed for people who live in the city or a place where the yard space is limited. Really anyone can have this garden in their home. I know what your thinking. When you first think of  a garden in your home, you think it is going to take up a lot of space. The O Garden actually only takes up the space that a small desk would take up. Not to mention that it only uses one lamp and produces about 100 plants.
the OGarden project1
Greentumble said, “The O Garden uses space and gravity differently. The plants rotate around a central light source that gives optimal lighting to each one. As they slowly turn in the wheel, they are exposed on the side, with the leaves hanging down, and then they make their way back to the bottom. These changes in position make them stronger and they develop leaves that are more dense and vigorous.” Image result for o garden

ogarden-day-background-blue

The downward motion allows the plants to receive a small quantity of a certified organic liquid that allows them to grow strong. Not only that but there is no use for pesticides, preservatives, or exposed to air pollution.  AND the process only takes about 30 days! 30 days of waiting for delicious food right from your own home- I think it is worth it!

What can you grow: Lettuces, all kind of cabbages, Swiss chard, kale, endive, parsley, leeks, fennel, celery, basil, and other fine herbs, etc. 

“The O Garden is the all-in-one solution to growing healthy and organic foods affordably. For a fraction of the cost of buying leafy vegetables, it will now be possible to harvest your own salads and herbs, grown with organic substances, on a certified organic device, directly at home, year round, and for only 20 cents per vegetable,” Green tumble said.

Image result for o garden

Below is a video of the O Garden working it’s magic! 

This device lets you grow vegetables from home

This device lets you grow vegetables from home

Posted by YOO on Monday, July 17, 2017

America's Effort, Global Impact

Do other Countries Recycle better than the US?

Taylor Houghton

Recycling in the US had become more and more common as the years come. I don’t remember recycling when I was little. Now, I don’t see a house in my neighborhood that doesn’t recycle. My family even adapted to the system as well. They have now have a indoor recycling bin when before they didn’t. I also remember everyone have different sizes of garbage bins. I may be wrong but I believe it is so the garbage truck can pick up the can easier. Also, at the same time, they also distributed recycle bins. I think that is truly when my family started to recycle and so did the rest of the US.Image result for recycling bins on road

Image result for recyclingTwice as many Americans recycle now, verse 20 years ago. According to IPSOS survey, younger generation’s poor recycling habits compares to 57% of adults of 55 years and older. But… that same survey found that college graduates recycle slightly higher than the average US. I was happy to hear this because college graduates are our future generations. I am soon to be a college graduate and I’d like to think my fellow classmates are taking notice on our environment. I think we are more inform today, then we were in the past. There is hope. I’m glad that recycling has become more prominent in the United States, but thankfully we are not the only country who is. There are actually other countries that recyclable better than us! In fact, the US doesn’t even make the top 10 list.

 

TOP 10 Countries that Recycle

1. Austria is the first country on the list. They have the highest rate out of any other country in the world. 63% of their waste is diverted from

landfills!! They have kept this high rating for the past decade! That’s impressive Austria! Keep it up!

2. Germany comes in a close second with 62% of their waste being diverted from landfills!

3. Taiwan– 60%

4. Cairo– alternate approach

5. Egypt-alternate approach

6. Brazil-alternate approach

7. Singapore– 59%

8. South Korea– 49%

9. United Kingdom– 39%

10. Italy-36%

11. France-35% (Number 11 but very close to Italy).

Now if we look at the United States we only divert 34.3 percent of waste. We as Americans generate about 254 million tons of trash and recycled and composted about 87 million tons of this material. We generate about 4.40 pounds of waste per person per day. Now if you ask me, that’s a lot of waste! On the other hand we recycle and compost about 1.51 pounds of that waste. That’s less than half. We can do better. Image result for recycling in us

Although, America has come a long way from where they started. I believe are efforts have just begun. When my grand-kid’s kids are born, my hope is that the trend continues and the United States strides of recycling continue to increase and our waste in landfill decreases. This will be a positive development! The world is taking notice.

Below are two interesting videos that I found about other countries recycling! Check them out!!! 

Recycling in Norway: Recycling = $$… watch below to find out why! 

 

Sweden is so good at recycling, their taking other people’s trash?? Watch below to find out! 

Sweden recycles

Sweden is so damn good at recycling, it just ran out of trash.

Posted by Mic on Thursday, December 15, 2016

America's Effort

Green Roofs and Solar Roof Panels!!

Taylor Houghton

What is currently on your roof right now? Just simply a roof right? What if I told you there were two Eco-friendly roof ideas that could better the planet! Green roofs and solar roof panels! They are great ideas because if you think about it, we don’t really use our roofs for anything besides hanging Christmas lights. Let’s put our roofs into good environmental use!

First off, what is a green roof? A green roof system involves high quality water-proofing, root repellent system, drainage system, filter cloth, a lightweight growing medium, and plants. It’s basically a plant-based roof! It is pretty amazing because there are so many benefits to it! Michigan State University tells us that, “…they can improve storm-water management by reducing runoff and improving water quality, conserve energy, mitigate the urban heat island, increase longevity of roofing membranes, reduce noise and air pollution, sequester carbon, increase urban biodiversity by providing habitat for wildlife, provide space for urban agriculture, provide a more aesthetically pleasing and healthy environment to work and live, and improve return on investment compared to traditional roofs.” With all those benefits why wouldn’t you want to invest into getting a green roof!!

Image result for green roofs

Below is a video about why cities need more green roofs and they also look into the largest green roof in New York City!

If green roofs aren’t your forte, let me tell you about solar roof panels! They are also called ‘solar shingles.” They are photo-voltaic cells that are designed to like a normal roof so no one would really know the difference. For example, Tesla is a company that sells them. They are cheaper and more durable (3 times stronger) than the traditional roof. Tesla also gives a lifetime warranty. I don’t know about you but when sometime says lifetime warranty, I know it must be good and true. They also come with battery pack so you can still have power at night time. Not to mention, it saves you money on top of that!! It is worth the investment! I can’t wait until the entire world is cover in solar roof panels!!

Image result for solar roof panelsImage result for solar roof panels teslaImage result for solar roof panels tesla

Below is a video about Tesla’s solar roof tiles! Take a look!

Tesla Is Now Selling These Solar Roof Tiles For Cheaper Than A…

Tesla Is Now Selling These Solar Roof Tiles For Cheaper Than A Regular Roof

Posted by David Wolfe on Saturday, May 13, 2017