Archive for the ‘Green Living’ Category

How ZippGo Boxes Get Cleaned – Replenish!

Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

Cleaning ZippGo Box with ReplenishWhen we tell people that each ZippGo box can be reused more than 500 times, the first reaction we get after “wow, thats totally cool” is “how do you clean them?” Well, I decided it was time to write a blog post about our box cleaning methods and what we use to clean them. Two things motivated me to want to write this post. First, I think its important that people know the plastic moving boxes they receive from ZippGo are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before they are delivered and second I am really excited about sharing the cleaning product we use to do the cleaning. Its one of the coolest and most eco-friendly product innovations I’ve seen in a long time. The idea is so simple and pure genius at the same time.   Consumer adoption of this product will significantly reduce the waste created from all those plastic cleaning bottles millions of Americans use each day.

Most cleaners are made up of 10% concentrate and 90% water so you are basically paying for lots of water each time you buy one of these cleaners. Additionally, because these bottles are full of  water, they weigh more, increasing the amount of gas used while the product is being trucked in from the factory and ultimately increasing the negative impact on the planet. To make  environmental matters worse, every time one of these cleaners in a plastic bottle runs out most people throw it away and go buy another bottle. Well, there is a solution.

Replenish solves this problem with an  innovative yet simple solution. Replenish has created a reusable cleaning bottle system. First you buy a specially designed Replenish plastic bottle and pods full of concentrated Replenish  cleaner.  You attach the Replenish pod to the bottle, add water from your tap to the bottle, flip the bottle over, squeeze the pod once until a few drops of concentrate come out, and then shake to  mix. Thats all. You now have a full bottle of Replenish cleaner that is earth friendly and yet two times as powerful as most cleaners.  When this bottle runs out, you simple add water again,  squeeze the pod, and mix. Voila! Another full bottle of cleaner. You can do this 4 times with each pod. When the pod runs out, you simply pop in another pod and you’ve got 4 more bottles of environmentally friendly cleaner. Each of the replacement pods cost about $4 so your cost per bottle is around $1.  Much cheaper than buying a new bottle each time you run out.

After we pickup the ZippGo boxes from our customers and get them back to our warehouse, we place all the dirty boxes in a special area of our warehouse to separate them from the clean ones. Most of our boxes are used by clients to pack clothes, kitchen items, and books so more often than not they are returned to us without much dirt or debris. Regardless of how they are returned to us, each ZippGo box goes through the same rigorous cleaning process to ensure every box is dirt and bacteria free before it is delivered to our next customer.

The first step in our cleaning process is to remove any small debris left in the box or any dust caught in corners using high pressure air. After the high pressure air, we do a visual inspection and remove any labels placed on the box. The last step is when we use Replenish to sanitize the box and remove any dirt or stains. We take box cleaning very seriously so our ZippGo plastic moving boxes look new each time they go out to a client.Replenish Cleaner and ZippGo Plastic Moving Boxes

If you’ve used cardboard boxes in the past to pack then you know they can hold lots of dirt, bacteria, and moisture. This is especially true if you are reusing someone else’s cardboard boxes, get them from a grocery store, or dumpster dive in the back. When you’re packing all your precious items like clothes, blankets, and kitchenware you want to make sure they go into a box which is ultra clean. Next time you move, call ZippGo and not only will your belongings stay clean, but your move will end up being faster, cheaper, and much simpler. We bring our reusable moving boxes directly to your door and pick them up after you’ve unpacked at your new place.  No more building boxes, no more tape, and no more clean up.

Urban Living? You Don’t Have to Give Up Your Garden

Monday, March 21st, 2011

The San Francisco Bay area is well known for many things, its mild climate being one of them. One of the things that draws so many people to this area is the fact that there is a relatively predictable weather that is pleasant and nearly perfect. It makes an excellent catalyst for gardens of both the floral and vegetable variety. However, if you are living in the city, planting a garden in the parking lot of your apartment is simply not a viable option—and the local authorities would probably have quite a few things to say if you tried.

Take heart, though. Just because you don’t have a plot of land to till and love doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy gardening on a smaller scale. Indoor gardening can be very rewarding, add a breath of life to an otherwise simple or bland home environment, and in the cases of a vegetable garden, provide you with a small sampling of your own home grown produce.

Unorthodox Gardens: Bringing the Outdoors In

If there is one major advantage of indoor gardening over the outdoor variety it is having a controlled environment for your plants. As wonderful as San Francisco weather is, we all know how unpredictable even the mildest weather can be at times. Inside your apartment, you won’t have to worry about wind gusts knocking your plants over, unusually dry periods causing your plants to shrivel, or a late frost coming in and killing your seedlings just as they were beginning to thrive. You also won’t have to worry about those pesky weeds taking over since there will be no wind or animals to carry their seeds into your soil.

Your biggest indoor garden disadvantage, however, will be a lack of natural sunlight. If you are trying to grow a small vegetable garden indoors, you’ll also have the problem of limited natural pollination owing to the lack of wind and bees. Both of these situations can be remedied though, by taking your plants out a few hours every week and using a cotton swab to carefully pollinate the flowers by hand. Window boxes are excellent for plants that enjoy high light, but be careful not to put any plants in a window box that require only low to medium light as they may scorch.

You’ll have to decide which types of plants you’d like in your indoor garden and how you’d like to configure them. Do you want large green plants in decorative containers or long troughs of perennials to add vibrant color along the borders of your room? Make sure your containers are large enough to allow the roots plenty of room to spread out but small enough that you can easily move them around and set them outside when they need a little fresh air and light.

If you are moving to the San Francisco Bay area, why not let Zippgo help you with your moving boxes needs? If you are interested in gardening, then you obviously have a bit of green in you and our green moving boxes are leaps and bounds above traditional cardboard moving boxes in terms of environmentally friendliness. Since they are plastic, they can be reused up to 400 times before being sent off for recycling, unlike cardboard that may give you 2 or 3 uses before it falls apart. We’ll even deliver our green moving boxes to you to take one more stress off your shoulders!

Top 5 Places To Live In The Bay Area

Friday, February 25th, 2011

San Francisco Bay is home to dozens of beautiful cities with incredible living potential. With cherished landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge in the North Bay area and the technological cutting edge Silicon Valley in the South Bay area, there’s no denying that this little slice of California offers a world of diversity and culture. Whether you’re a native Bay resident looking for a change of pace or an East Coast soon-to-be import, it’s worth taking a few moments to explore the Bay’s top 5 cities before you commit to your move.

San Francisco

Obviously heading the list for the area with its namesake is San Francisco city itself. With a three-sided view of the water, this peninsula city is second only to New York City in terms of population density. If it’s the fast-paced lifestyle of authentic big city living you crave, then San Francisco is the West Coast’s only destination for you. If there are two things you can count on, they are the opportunity for employment at every corner and a diversity of cuisine that staggers the imagination.

Berkeley

Nestled in the rolling hills of the East Bay area and home to the state university system’s oldest institute, The University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley offers some of the most beautiful views of the bay you’ll likely ever encounter. Although it is a densely populated city, it is a tight-knit community. If you’re looking for a place that you can speak your mind and live in peace, then Berkeley could be your perfect match.

Santa Clara

If you eat, sleep, and breathe technology, then you were born to live in Santa Clara. At the heart of the famous Silicon Valley in the South Bay area, Santa Clara proudly provides headquarters for names such as Intel, NVIDIA, and Sun Microsystems. If you are lucky enough to snag an apartment or condo in this city, you’ll never want for technological thrills again.

Albany

Love landscape views of the city but don’t want to live there? Albany could be your solution. Another city in the East Bay area, Albany offers a somewhat slower-paced approach to life. With regard to education, its school system is one of the best in the country, with a staggering 96 percent of its graduates going on to attend college. It’s a beautiful blend of city, family, and small town living.

Palo Alto

Another peninsula Bay city, Palo Alto offers a little bit of everything. With companies like Facebook and PayPal, among others, basing their headquarters here, it has the technology. With parts of Stanford University, it has the education. With original, older homes, it has the history and suburban feel. Palo Alto may just be the most well-rounded little big city in the Bay.

Are you reaching for the cardboard boxes now with one of these cities as your intended destination? Well, before you go crazy with the cardboard, think about a more convenient—and much greener way t

o move. Plastic moving boxes that are well made are reusable up to 400 time, so there’s no adding to the landfills or using up energy recycling unnecessarily. Just try to use your cardboard boxes 400 times! The best part about plastic moving boxes is that they can be delivered directly to you in most of the Bay area’s cities! So do the right thing and go green.

You Don’t Have to Wait Until Arbor Day to Save a Tree

Friday, February 18th, 2011

Arbor Day, the brain child of Julius Morton, started back in 1872. Created to raise awareness of the importance of trees, the day is also associated with saving and protecting the earth. California’s Arbor Day is celebrated in early March, and with the California Red Wood as our state tree, Arbor Day is a pretty big deal.

Along with planting trees and recognizing the fragile state of our planet, it is absolutely vital to look for other ways to save our trees as well. Here is a list of ideas that will help you to practice earth friendly principles on the other 364 days of the year. If we all pull together, we can practice the basic principles of Arbor Day, every day!  arbor day hat

  • Opt-out of Junk Mail: Instead of throwing away those unwanted catalogs that come in the mail, take the time to contact the company and opt-out of your subscription. By taking yourself off of the mailing list you’ll be doing your part to reduce the huge amount of junk mail that is delivered on a daily basis.
  • Pay Your Bills Online: Join the move towards a paperless society by paying your bills online. Some of us already pay our bills online, but still receive a hard copy in the mail. Call the companies directly and opt-out of paper bills. Many utility companies offer a discount for going paperless. It’s less work for them and greatly helps the environment.
  • Make the Switch to e-Books: Now that the i-Pad and Kindle are so readily available, there’s really no reason to purchase hard copies of books. If you absolutely have to read a hard copy, try checking the book out from your public library or borrowing from a friend instead of purchasing new. It will save you money and save the planet at the same time.
  • Change Your Search Engine: Google may be the current favorite among web browsers, but Ecocho is gaining popularity among the environmentally concerned. It’s a free search engine, based out of the UK, and committed to saving the earth. For every 1,000 searches that web users make, five trees are planted.
  • Plant a Tree for $1: Check out the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), and their Plant a Billion Trees Campaign. For every dollar donated, they promise to plant a tree.
  • Move Green: Whether you are relocating your family or your entire business, you can help save trees, and our quickly diminishing landfill space, by refusing to use cardboard moving boxes. ZippGo offers a safe and convenient alternative to purchasing cardboard moving boxes. We deliver our reusable green plastic moving boxes right to your door, and then pick them up again when you are finished with them. ZippGo’s plastic moving boxes are made from 100% recycled plastic, and because they are sturdy and reused again and again, they help save the environment as well.

As you can see, with a bit of information, and a little creativity, we can all pull together and work on saving our trees, and our earth, with everything we do, 365 days of the year!

Take the Stress Out of Moving: Part 2

Monday, February 7th, 2011

As exciting as moving can be, there is no denying that it is one of the most stressful things anyone will ever go through, good or bad. Aside from the obvious stress of carefully sorting, packing, and moving all of your belongings only to unpack and set them up in the new home, there is the stress of leaving behind that which is familiar. While it is usually children who have the most difficulty coping with this aspect of moving, adults experience the same stress to varying levels. Much will depend on your own personality, some of the circumstances surrounding the move, and some on how long you have been living in one area.

If you have deep roots in the area from which you are moving, then trying to make a strange new place feel like “home” can seem like an exercise in futility. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. No, no place on earth will ever give you the exact same feeling as the place you’ve called home all your life, but there are many things that you can do to create a new homey environment that is just as comforting, albeit different, from the one you knew before.

The Power of the Senses

ZippGo moving boxes

Have you ever come across an item and thought immediately, “this smells just like Grandma”? The power of our senses is truly amazing with regard to how we associate them with different memories and experiences in our lives. A certain song playing on the radio may bring warm memories of baking with your mom. A particular hue of some color could send you back in time to a play date you enjoyed with a beloved friend. If you’ll use this phenomenon to your advantage, you can create a warm, inviting, comforting environment in your new home in no time.

If the smell of cinnamon, for example, reminds you of home, then try setting out some cinnamon scented candles. If it just isn’t home to you without roosters adorning the kitchen, then incorporate some into your new design. Whatever you find comforting and homey, use it to add character to your new place.

Make it Yours

As an extension on using your senses, decorate your new home to your personality. If you despise the color yellow and every bedroom in the house just happens to be that color, then get out the paint and have a ball. Hang your most treasure pictures on the walls and arrange your collectibles and knick knacks to your liking. If you have an heirloom quilt, why not take it out of storage and use it on your bed for a while? It will do you much more good to give you a feeling of home that way, and that is probably the way whoever crafted it would have wanted it to be used anyway—not packed up in some box. Ultimately, it all comes down to giving your new place your own personal touch. Before you know it, it will be far more than just a residence—it will be home.

Simplify Your Move

If you are looking for ways to help simplify your move, how about eliminating those 150 cardboard moving boxes? Yep, that’s right! Your San Francisco area move can be even more stress free when you use our environmentally friendly, green moving boxes. They are made from recycled plastic, sturdy, and you won’t have to worry about disposing of them after your move. We will deliver them and pick them up. Give us a call today. You’ll be glad you did!

How To De-clutter Before You Move – Learning to Let Go

Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

In some ways it’s human nature to collect things, and maybe even to form sentimental attachments to those things. While this can be good if you’re a collector, or plan to stay in one place for the rest of eternity, this habit of acquiring objects can present quite a problem when you’re wanting to move and trying to figure out what to do with all of your, well junk.

Moving is stressful enough, don’t make it worse on yourself by lugging around unnecessary stuff for no reason. How should you decide what gets to stay, and what you have to leave behind? The answer is simple. Follow the tips below, and before you know it, you’ll be clutter free and able to start anew.

Get Your Mind Right Before Tackling The Task

No doubt, it is a huge undertaking to go through all of your worldly possessions in an attempt to flesh out only what you need to move with. This is even more the case if you have a huge house, with an attic, multiple wardrobes, or a multi-car garage.

de-clutter your life

Don't let your home get this unorganized!

So, acknowledge that it’s going to be stressful, and work through it a bit at a time. When you’re doing it, be completely focused on the task at hand, but also acknowledge that you are going to be attached to some things, and that’s OK. That said however, you really need to think about a process like this logically and not emotionally as much as possible.

Set The Rules Of The Game

Any good game has a system of simple rules, and this is no different. You’re going to end up with a “yes” pile and a “no” pile, but you need to be clear on the criteria that need to be met for an object to go into a specific place.

For example:

  • If it still has tags on it, or is unopened but covered in dust, you probably aren’t going to get around to changing that any time soon, and it’s OK to let that go.
  • If you can’t fit into it, it’s OK to not take it with you.
  • If you haven’t worn it or used it in a year (or since college) , are you really ever going to wear or use it again?
  • If it’s broken, throw it away, don’t think about the “someday” when you want to fix it
  • If you have multiples of it, get rid of at least one.
  • If it’s a big object like a car, washing machine, or TV, think about whether or not it might be cheaper to just sell what you have and get a replacement when you get to your new destination.
  • If it has sentimental value to you, keep it, but really think about the definition of sentimental value, so that you end up keeping truly meaningful things, and not just “neat junk.”

Work In A System

As mentioned above, this process can be overwhelming on many levels physically and emotionally. Start as soon as you can, and try to breakdown your house into individual areas and tackle them one at a time.

Don’t rush through this process, and try to cram the attic, basement, kids’ rooms and etc into one go-round, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Chances are, if you do this alone, and all at once It will not end well, in fact everyone will probably just end up cranky and frustrated, staring at all the stuff that’s still clogging up your lives.
Remember The Saying About One Man’s Trash…

Consider that just because you’re getting rid of things, it doesn’t mean that you can’t benefit from it. Things can be sold, sometimes for quite a tidy sum on sites like http://craigslist.org or http://ebay.com or you can have an old fashioned garage sale.

Getting a monetary reward from selling the valuables you don’t need to haul along with you may provide just enough motivation to tear through your place in a way you wouldn’t usually. Also consider making a charitable donation. No matter your situation, many families are less fortunate, and things like toys, games, clothing, shoes and furniture can make a huge difference in someone’s life. Such donations are also often tax deductible.

No matter how you approach your need to deeply de-clutter your surroundings in preparation for a move, just think about the opportunity as an open door for a new start. Don’t be afraid to let go of unnecessary “stuff.”

If you’re especially environmentally conscious and worry about the impact of the usual cardboard boxes used for the moving process, know that we can help you out with a green storage alternative. Our plastic moving boxes are zero waste and our unique service is incredibly easy and convenient to use. Give us a call! You’ll be glad you did.

Top 10 Ways to Conserve Water at Home

Tuesday, December 7th, 2010

Water conservation is an important way to lower the demand for water, as well the added benefit of saving on your water bill. Water conservation is easier than you may think. There are a few simple ways that will rev up your water conservation without making too many changes in your normal daily routine. Take a minute to follow these steps and you’ll be doing your part to ensure that clean water will be available to future generations.

  1. Watering the lawn. Curb appeal is definitely important, but here’s something most homeowners aren’t aware of. Most individuals water their lawn up to 30% more than is actually necessary to achieve a healthy, green lawn. How do you determine how much water your lawn needs? I’m glad you asked. First, step onto your lawn to see just how moist the soil is. If the ground seems wet, or the grass springs back after being stepped on, then it is getting more than enough water. If you have an automatic, timed watering system, reset the timers so that you are watering few days, instead of daily. Here’s another tip. Landscape your yard with plants that are native to your area. You’ll be surprised at how much less work and water they will require for survival.
  2. Leaky faucets and pipes. That annoying little drip can be a lot more serious than you may think. Even a slow leak can cause an excess of up to 600 gallons of water to be. If you find a leak on the connection of two pipes, try replacing the washer for a quick fix. Be sure to fix any leaks immediately. Checking pipes and plumbing on a regular basis only takes a few minutes and can play a big part in water conservation. Another trick for checking leaks is to read your outdoor meter, then turn off all water in your home. Recheck the meter after a few hours. If the meter has changed, you have a leak somewhere.
  3. Washing the car. When using water outside, remember to turn the hose on only when you need it. If you are washing your car, fill the bucket up only half way, instead of to the top. Only turn the hose on when you need to rinse the car off, instead of letting it run the entire time. If you are watering plants, try filling a watering can instead of dragging a hose from planter to planter. When finished, turn the water of at the house. Those nifty gun type nozzles attached to your hose aren’t leak proof and can drip a large amount of water over time.
  4. Showers. We all love our hot morning shower, but conservation can happen there as well. Invest in water saving shower heads. Your shower will still flow at a comfortable level, but you’ll be reducing the amount of water you use by almost half! Another quick way to conserve water in the bathroom is to only turn the faucet on when rinsing your toothbrush. Don’t keep the water running while brushing your teeth.
  5. Washing Clothes. Only run the washing machine when you have a full load. Running the washing machine for a half load or just a few pieces of clothing can waste a lot of water. At the very least, set your washer to “small load” if you must wash only a few items.
  6. Waiting for the hot water. You may not have thought of this one. Don’t waste the water out of your faucet while you wait for the hot water to start flowing. Instead, try capturing the water in a watering can to use on your indoor plants, or into a pot for the noodles you’ll be cooking later in the day.
  7. Washing the dishes. When washing your dishes by hand, fill each side of a two sided sink. Use one side for soapy water and the other for clean water. This is a much better choice than to just let the water using running water to rinse each of your dishes.
  8. Bathroom tips. Toilets aren’t the most fun to talk about, but a low flow toilet can greatly reduce the amount of water used with every flush. If you don’t have a low flow toilet installed, check for leaks. You can do this by adding food coloring to the tank. If there is a leak anywhere on the toilet, color will appear with in 30 minutes. Remember to flush after 30 minutes as the food coloring can stain the toilet.
  9. Kitchen sink disposal. Try and use the kitchen sink disposal less, and think about creating a mulch pile. The kitchen sink disposal uses a ton of water every time it is ran, so use the garbage can more, and try creating a mulch pile for your plants.
  10. In the kitchen. Try keeping cool drinking water in the fridge instead of running the faucet and waiting for the cool water to run. Don’t let the faucet run to rinse vegetables, instead use a pan or bowl of water to do so. Also, try and fill a bowl of water if defrosting meat, or plan ahead and set it out so you don’t have to run water over frozen meat to help the defrosting process.

Recycle or Reuse? Stepping Up Your Green Game

Monday, November 29th, 2010

I don’t think anyone would argue the fact that recycling is better than discarding altogether. Still, recycling items such as plastic water bottles, cardboard moving boxes, and glass containers requires a good bit of energy. It may save unnecessary waste from finding its way into the landfills, but what of the natural resources required to generate the energy for the recycling process? What of the green house gases that are inevitable as fuels are burned to operate the recycling facility? Recycling may be better than throwing out, but when all things are considered there is still a better solution.reused and recycled can tabs

Yeah, you read that right. A green company just told you that recycling isn’t best. Now before you go getting all worked up into a tizzy, let me explain. Recycling is not a bad thing…it is a very, very good thing. In fact, ZippGo uses recycled plastic moving containers for its services. But we do not use a “new” recycled container every time a customer needs one. We use those babies until they simply are not serviceable anymore—about 500 times each, and only then do we send them to be recycled again.

That’s the key, now isn’t it? Why use all that energy recycling something when you can simply reuse it? As wonderful as reusing is for moving containers, you can reuse all manner of items. Consider the things you casually toss in the garbage or recycle bin and think of a better purpose for them.

Green Good vs. Green BEST

  • Green goodness is reusing your plastic grocery bags as a means of storage or transport of other items. Green BEST is ditching the plastic altogether and getting a canvas tote that you can use and reuse for shopping or toting anything around town.
  • Green goodness is passing your cardboard moving boxes on to the next family to reuse (if the boxes are up to it). Green BEST is renting reusable plastic moving boxes that last much, much longer (and we’ve got them right here at ZippGo).
  • Green goodness is recycling your glass jars at your local recycling center. Green BEST is using those jars as storage containers for your leftovers, craft items, piggy banks, or a plethora of other small items.
  • Green goodness is recycling your plastic water bottles rather than throwing them out. Green BEST is purchasing one sturdy water bottle to refill and reuse.
  • Green goodness is recycling your used batteries in a safe way that doesn’t harm the environment. Green BEST is purchasing rechargeable batteries to begin with.

Is it starting to make sense? Good!

Get Greener by Getting Resourceful

Even the clothes on your back require energy to make. Shop around garage sales and thrift stores for gently used items and save both the environment and your pocketbook. Eat more raw fruits and vegetable to reduce the energy spent on cooking. Use any item you can until it is irreparable and then recycle it. That is ZippGo’s stand on the matter and it’s served us well so far, not to mention the good it’s done for the environment. Will you join us?

Going Green…What’s in it for Me?

Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010

Going green….The term has become quite the buzz word, hasn’t it? Because of the seriousness of global warming and the deterioration of our earth, many of us have started to catch on. Not everyone completely understands what going green really means. Understanding the reasons behind our actions make dedicating to the actions an easier part of every day life.

Though there may be a lot of benefits of going green, the largest is the ability to save the earth.  Not all of the damages done to the earth can be reversed, but they can be slowed down or stopped so that we can enjoy what’s left of this beautiful earth we live on. In terms we can all understand, the air we breathe can be cleaner and more enjoyable. Pollution can cause asthma and allergies, so not having these problems make the simple act of breathing that much easier. Another reason is to improve heart health in everyone. There are pollutions caused by fossil fuels from cars that can be linked to heart disease. By utilizing some of the greener practices, such as the three R’s reduce, reuse, and recycle (which by the way…ZippGo is proud to be practicing everyday!), we can significantly cut down on the pollution that is threatening our planet.hands holding a green plant

Another personal reason to go green that you’ve probably not considered is to reduce infectious diseases. Yep, by reducing energy use, the spread of pandemics can be tremendously slowed since infectious diseases can spread through global warming. Another thing to think about is all the wonderful benefits natural sun light can give us. By cutting down energy use by opening up shades and letting in the sun without having to turn on a light can not only give you the benefits natural sun light can offer, but also cutting down on your energy use.

How about saving money? Most ears perk up at the sound of that phrase. By purchasing locally grown products, energy efficient light bulbs, or even alternative fuel options in cars you can greatly reduce your spending.

Another factor to look at when going green is how much of our natural resources can be saved. Did you know that for every ton of paper that is recycled: 7,000 gallons of water, 380 gallons of oil and enough electricity to run an average house hold for 6 months is saved? Pretty impressive stuff. One aluminum can recycled can equal enough energy to run a TV for 6 hours. Another thing to look at is the more that is thrown away, the more space that is needed for landfills. If we continue down this path, there will be less room to live and more room needed to store our garbage. Yuck.

With the vast amounts of benefits from going green, it’s a wonder more people are not finding a way to live a greener lifestyle. Part of the problem lies in just not knowing what going green means, or how to begin. Armed with these ideas, consider the benefits of going green. What’s in it for you? A much happier, healthier, and cleaner life.

Going Green For The Holidays

Monday, November 22nd, 2010

Everyone finds ways to go green around the house, around the office, and even around town, but the holidays are often a time when thoughts of going green go right out the window. It does not have to be that way anymore with these great tips on how even holidays that are traditionally full of indulgence can bring the green out of us all.

The Big Meal

The first and most eco friendly way to enjoy a green Thanksgiving or Christmas is to think about the meal. Every year, friends and family gather around a table filled with more food than anyone can possibly eat in one sitting. Think about the energy in the kitchen that was used to cook that meal or even the non-environmentally friendly packaging each ingredient on the table was bought in. thanksgiving mealThe first change goes to the big bird gracing the center of the table. You can go a few different routs this year to green up your table. The bird can be forgotten and a more organically friendly meal can be served. If this is just not an option, and for most it would not be, make sure the turkey bought was organically grown. This means the turkey was raised with out the use of antibiotics and hormones, which is healthier for you and your entire family.

Trimmings, trimmings

The next part of the meal is the endless amount of trimmings that take up all that room in your belly. Try and visit a farmers market, or smaller produce stores and buy as much locally grown as possible. This cuts down on purchasing things that had to be shipped, driven and boxed in for you to purchase. Locally grown is also more flavorful since it can be picked last minute and sold straight to you instead of being packaged weeks before you even get your fingers on it. Another thought is to buy locally made pies and side dishes so you don’t have to use all that energy from kitchen appliances to make them. Don’t forget to take along your own bag for your groceries instead of picking between paper and plastic.

Setting the Table

The table is another great way to go green for the holidays. Try using cloth napkins instead of paper so that they can be washed and reused instead of paper napkins that are thrown away and tossed in a landfill. If the thought of paper plates and plastic silverware is an attractive thought, think about buying reusable plates and silverware that are made of recycled products that won’t end up in a landfill as well. The best option is to lay out your own flatware, since you already own it and you know that won’t be tossed out and ended up in a landfill.

Decking the Halls

For decorations, try and purchase ones that can be packed away and used year after year. girl and dog on ChristmasRemember to pick up a box made of recycled plastic to pack them in for just one more way you’re helping the environment (If your renting ZippGo moving boxes, let us know if your interested in buying one for storage). If you want a fresh approach to decorations, try going outside to collect leaves, pinecones and fresh flowers to lie around the house. This is the perfect time of year when color changes nature into a beautiful scene that your home would love to have displayed.

Odds and Ends

A few more interesting ideas you may not be aware of that can green up your holiday include donating your turkey fat, purchasing carbon credits and planting a tree. There is a Tucson based company that recycles the fat your turkey produces and turns it into biofuel. And if you have to drive or fly to see your family on this special holiday, think about purchasing carbon credits to make up for the drive or fly. Also, one of the best ways we can give thanks to our planet for giving us the great gifts that are placed on our table is to go out and plant a tree. You can turn it into a family tradition that the planet won’t soon forget.