Posts Tagged ‘diy’

In this internet day and age, there really is no use for phone books. They keep showing up though on millions of American doorsteps despite the fact that no one ever orders them. The environmental impact of these books is huge when you think about it: 5 million trees a year are used to produce them and only about 15% are ever recycled.

Some actions have been taken to tackle the phone book issue. There are some states that have created opt-in/out programs where you can sign up either to get a phone book or not get a phone book. Local recycling bins created just for the creation of collecting unwanted phone books have also been used. There is even a “Ban the Phone Book” initiative created by White Pages in an effort to get more states to adopt the opt-in/out  and recycling options. The majority of states do have the local telephone companies under legal obligation to provide phone books to every customer in there area, which is why so many of us get them without asking.

So, what can you as an individual do about helping to stop the waste that has become of obsolete phone books? Plenty.

• You can check to see if your local phone company has an opt-in/out program. Give them a call to find out it’s that 800 number at the top every monthly bill.
• Recycle the phone book collection you currently have instead of throwing them away. You can learn more at Recycle Your Phone Books by Keep American Beautiful Works, Yellow Pages and AT&T.
• Upcycle your phone book or books by creating another use for them around the house.  For some ideas you can check out DIYLife’s New Uses for Phone Books or you can just get crafty and come with an idea on your own.  If you do come up with something, let us know by contacting laura dot ecoexistent.com and we’ll feature you and your upcycle snazziness in an online interview.
• You can also check out the banthephonebook.org and sign the petition to stop having them printed up in the first place.

Also, take a look at the Say No to Phone Books blog to learn more and have a laugh at the same time.

Technorati Tags: diy, phone books, recycle, Upcycle

In the day and age of Febreeze and other commercial products used to freshen things up around the house, there is a better and healthier way to get your environment smelling better in a green way that won’t harm your house hold items or your health.

Green Carpet Freshener

In a glass jar, or other container you can use for storage place three cups baking soda, 1/2 cup of cornstarch and 1 cup dried/crushed lavender or other organic scented herb.

Mix together and let the combination sit for a couple of days to settle. Once done, sprinkle around the house and sweep or vacuum carpets and other fabric items like curtains or the couch. *You can also use essential or fragrance oil instead of dried herbs just shake well and still let the mixture settle before using. The amount essential used depends on your personal scent needs.

Technorati Tags: diy, Green Cleaning, green freshener, make your own

If you want to really go green this year while keeping the spirit of the holiday in mind, then make all your gifts by hand. Crafting things by hand can help out your budget and add that extra special Christmas flair to let people know how much you care for them.

Before you embark on your DIY gift making, there are some simple things to keep in mind. Here are a few guidelines that will help you out this holiday season:

1. Scavenge around the house and take full stock of the items you already have. Look for things you can refinish, reuse, recycle and upcycle. The point being start with what you have.

2. Keep a notebook or use Notepad and brainstorm ideas. you may not end up with only Christmas gift ideas but birthdays and other holiday gift ideas as well.

3. If you find an item around the house and are unsure what you can turn it into. Check out these websites for further crafty ideas: Insructables, Craft: transforming traditional crafts and DIY Gifts.

Technorati Tags: Christmas, Christmas gifts, diy, DIY gifts, green christmas, Make gifts

Technorati Tags: diy, diy eco face paint, make wings, non toxic green cleaners, watchmojo