How I'm Getting Organized (Again)

You know what one of the most cliche new year resolutions is? Getting organized. And yet, here I am, making that my top goal for the next few weeks.

I even started working on it before Christmas. I'm typically a pretty organized person, with to-do lists, an app to keep my tasks organized and reminders set up. (Of course I operate pretty much paperless these days!)

However, having a baby and being on maternity leave can throw any semblance of a routine out the window. Focusing on the baby was my top priority, but as I returned to work, I realized I needed to gather my scatterbrain and put everything back in order.

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Going Green in Style with Paperless Post

When it comes to receiving holiday cards and party invitations in the mail, you typically think of a physical envelope in your mailbox. But you can still send your friends and family a beautiful and exciting card or invitation while still maintaining the spirit of reducing paper waste - enter Paperless Post!

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Ways to Go Paperless in Your Everyday Life

First things first, I'm excited to debut Eco Cajun's new website look! I had a lot of fun giving this site a fun little facelift, and I love how it turned out. I'll refresh the featured blog posts in the top slider on the homepage every so often so it keeps things updated a bit more.

Second piece of housekeeping, if there's a topic you're interested in learning more about on the blog, leave a comment and let me know. I've been in somewhat of a rut, creativity-wise, so I'm open to ideas to add to my content schedule!

I definitely talk a lot about how to reduce waste through reusable mugs, cloth bags, and stainless steel straws. But there's another way I try to reduce paper in my everyday life - by going paperless with my phone!

I'm already on my phone pretty often, whether for personal use, blog-related things, and work-related social media. So it's pretty natural for me to find paperless options for different parts of my day-to-day routine.

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Eco-friendly Holiday Decoratin' and Entertainin'

Now that we've got buying and wrapping gifts out of the way, let's talk holiday decorations and entertaining!

Whatever style decor you love, you can adapt to be eco-friendly. From modern to rustic to minimalist, deck your halls with sustainable holly!

Decorating

• For your interior and exterior lights, go LED. They use less energy, helping to lessen the impact on your utility bill when you're already spending extra money on food and gifts. LEDs also keep their cool better than conventional lights, making your tree less of a fire hazard. You can also find decorative solar-powered outdoor lights, which are great if you don't have an exterior outlet.

• Use natural elements instead of glitter, styrofoam and other shiny stuffs to decorate. Send the kids out to pick up small sticks and twigs in the yard, and use them in vases. They pull off a glamorous rustic feel with a simple coat of metallic spray paint.
  
  If you have a real Christmas tree, use the trimmed branches (or trim your own out of the back - no one will know!) and add them to floral arrangements or table centerpieces.
  
  Wine corks can be used for making your own ornaments, garland or miniature trees!
• Choose soy wax candles in holiday smells for a cleaner, paraffin-free burn.
• Better Homes and Gardens has 13 ideas for mason jar holiday crafts, from decorations to gifts. But instead of buying mason jars, simply use clean, empty food jars. Soak the jars to loosen the glue, then scrub the label off. Good as new-ish!
• A really fun craft for children, and okay, adults too, is making paper snowflakes. Make them greener by using scrap printer paper, newspaper, paper shopping bags or even junk mail.
• Vintage Christmas decorations are seriously some of my favorites. I've already laid claim to some of my parents', including my father's set of vintage ornaments from the late 70s or early 80s. They've already given me a musical house that is just about as old as I am. By keeping decorations for many years, or scoring vintage decorations, you're keeping unique items out of landfills.
• Use natural or recycled fabrics for your tree skirt. Burlap adds that rustic touch. Solid-colored old flat bed sheets work great and give an organic, bunched-up look. When I had smaller Christmas trees in my old apartments, I used a large piece of scrap red fabric for a skirt.

Even more decorating ideas, because I couldn't possibly list them all:

• Huffington Post, Merry Eco-Christmas
• Inhabitat, How to Green Your Holidays with Eco-Friendly Christmas Decor

Entertaining

If you're having a holiday gathering, the most eco-friendly dinnerware is the kind you use normally. Make sure your dishwasher is empty before the party starts! Alternatively, you can go a little more casual by using melamine plates and bowls and acrylic drink glasses, even though the materials are not the greatest. They are at least reusable and work well in a party setting. And there are BPA-free options, which makes them better for children especially.

But if you're having a large gathering and choose the disposable route, look for plates and bowls made of recycled or compostable material instead of styrofoam, which cannot be recycled and is not biodegradable. Wheat straw, plant-based, and bagasse are all sustainable and functional options.

Susty Party's line of compostable products can be found on their website or at Whole Foods. You can also find (less festive) biodegradeable plates and bowls at Drug Emporium.

Eco Cajun friend Kari kicked off her holiday season by camping with friends and family for Thanksgiving. For their dinner, she picked up Susty Party plates and bowls at Whole Foods, chose bamboo utensils and used brown kraft paper to cover the table. The cups are also recyclable. I love her commitment to choosing a more sustainable option, especially to go out and enjoy nature.

Photo by Kari Walker

When you're prepping for your holiday get-together, remember to recycle as much as you can. And before the guests arrive, set out your trash can and add a recycling bin next to it. If you have more than one trash can set out, place a recycling bin next to each one, so no matter what, your guests have a convenient alternative. You can even pull other items for double duty as a recycling bin, from a lined basket to a plastic storage bin.

To make the distinction easy for guests, place a sign on the recycling bin labeling what can go in it. Since I'm in the giving spirit, I made a festive printable PDF that you can tape onto or above your recycling bin! Click on the image below to download.

Download a PDF of this recycling bin sign and print it for your own holiday party!

How will you green your decorations this year?

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Say No to Single-use Dinnerware

Disposable dinnerware is a huge source of unnecessary waste. "But, oh, aren't paper plates recyclable?"

Well, basically no. Once paper plates or bowls get dirty, they become trash. Wet paper cannot be recycled, because its fibers are shorter and the integrity of the paper is lost. Grease is a big reason pizza boxes can't be recycled, so it has the same effect on disposable dinnerware.

Paper cups, whether the kind that come in a pack of 50 or your drive-thru coffee cup, are coated in a thin layer of wax, which helps with the water, temperature control and stability. And unfortunately, that layer of wax prevents the cup from being recyclable.

It's not hard to rise above the single-use temptation!

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phone apps to help you live greener

It's no secret - I love my phone. From keeping up with Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to actually making phone calls (!), I use it to stay in touch with family and friends. But I also use it to keep myself organized, or as I lovingly call it, de-hotmessing myself. These days, if I don't write something down, I won't remember it.

But I also want to stay as paperless as possible. And that's where my army of apps comes in. I use a few different apps to keep to-do lists, grocery lists, and work and personal commitments handy and in my face.

My favorite is Todoist. My company uses a web-based project management app, and I decided to look for a personal task management app to help me stay on top of Eco Cajun post content and scheduling. (Otherwise, y'all would seriously get posts once a month.) After doing some research, I chose Todoist and got cracking. I started off creating a project for Eco Cajun and adding tasks and due dates under it. And then I realized I needed to-do lists for all aspects of my life, and now Todoist functions as my personal organizer and mom telling me everything I need to do each day. (To be totally honest, I use it for household chores as well.) And it feeds my ego a bit, because when I've completed all of my tasks, it gives me reinforcement! The app syncs across the web, desktop apps and a mobile app/widget. Y'all. I love it. It saves so much paper and mess inside my purse trying to keep myself organized, plus I can't lose pieces of paper or forget them at home or work.

Google Keep is mainly my grocery/shopping list buddy, though it functions as more than just a list app. It's a very small tool built inside Google Drive, but it also syncs between the web and mobile versions. Best part? Checkboxes! I get the satisfaction of crossing items off my grocery list, without having to waste paper. I've used other grocery list apps, but didn't like them very much. And some apps aren't free! I am all about the free. (And PS, I totally use Pinterest to bookmark all my recipes, and then use the pins when it comes time to cook. It's way easier than printing tons of recipes out, and I don't spill food all over my phone, like I've done with paper recipes!)

Google Calendar also replaces needing to carry around a planner all the time and I use it for everything from work and civic commitments to important dates to remember to personal commitments to gym schedules. Phew! I'm tired just thinking about it.

Beyond organizational apps that sync across my phone and laptop and reduce the need for paper waste, there are apps dedicated to actually helping you be greener. I've found these through research, so I can't personally endorse how well they work! Check back in the future though. ;)

The EPA has a list of different types of green apps and includes platform and price information. They no longer update the list, but there's a pretty good database available.

GoodGuide helps you find safe, healthy, green, and ethical products while you're out shopping, allowing you to be an eco-conscious consumer. It's available for both iPhone and Android.

Locavore helps you find local, in-season food and guides you to nearby farmer's markets, allowing you to get fresh, local food without having to do a ton of research in advance. Farmstand is a similar app, but it's only for iPhone, while Locavore is for both platforms.

Oroeco is focused on helping you reduce your carbon footprintt. By entering your actions, the app can put a value on each to tell you how much it impacts the planet. From there, you can compare with others, or simply learn how to adjust your habits so you have a smaller impact on the environment (from using less paper towels to not burning off as much fuel.)

One Small Act is made by Practically Green and syncs between your desktop and phone. It turns environmentalism into a game and helps teach you how to live a greener lifestyle. You can also join projects and make pledges to change small habits.

GreenMeter helps to provide measurement and analyze building efficiency and energy consumption. It also tracks your progress toward meeting efficiency goals.

CommuteGreener is powered by Volvo and helps you find find alternative ways to commute to work. It seems to be limited to a few cities, but can be inspirational for people in any city to look for alternative options.

Rippl is a free app that sends weekly green living tips, helping you get into the habit of greener practices. Although I haven't used it, you could imagine it's like having a tiny me on your shoulder, tapping you each time I see where you could be doing something greener, from using cloth bags to not using paper towels. (Just what you dream of, I'm sure!)

And FYI, while there's no Eco Cajun app (YET! Uh ohhh...what did I just get myself into!?), this blog is mobile-friendly, so you can read me anywhere! And you can subscribe to receive blog posts via email, which I know you can receive on your phone! ;)

Do you use any green apps? Which ones are your favorite?

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gadgets to help you go green

Going green can be made much easier with the assistance of electronic gadgets, whether they help you go paperless, save you energy, or save you money.

Before sharing a few cool devices, let's start with the one that everyone has: your phone. Smartphones can do just about anything now, which means they can easily help you go green. I've recently been transferring to a more cloud-based system, allowing me to access files from my computers or my phone. I'm testing out a task management app for this blog, and it allows me to stay on top of things from my computers, phone, and even any browser - without the use of paper or a combination of five other tools.

There are other simple ways to make your phone help you be greener. List and notetaking apps come in handy for just about anything. Instead of sticky notes, use these apps. There are dedicated grocery list apps, some of which allow for syncing between family members, that help you cut down on paper -- and the threat of forgetting the list at home. There's also a benefit of being able to update your grocery list at any time, not just when you're at home next to the fridge. Being able to update/access your information from different devices is a huge bonus from having to make copies of the same item to keep in different places.

Yahoo recently featured a few green gadgets as options to help you save energy and money:

• Sunforce Solar Fan with Light - The fan looks like a larger kind that would function well on a patio or elsewhere in the yard, making this a useful green option.
• American Standard Multi-Functional Shower Head with FloWise Turbine Technology - I have always been interested in switching to a low-flow shower head, but didn't have the ability to do so in my apartment, and the idea of less water pressure is not appealing to everyone. This shower head claims to not compromise performance, however. 
• myFC PowerTrekk Fuel Cell Charger - This charger claims to be able to power your cell phone with only a few sips from your (reusable) water bottle. I am skeptical of most green phone chargers, because I have a 100% failure rate with the ones I've tried. Many cannot draw enough power to charge a smartphone. But an old Motorola flip it can probably handle!
• Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 for Mac - Typically, items like this I find are victims of greenwashing. A wireless solar keyboard certainly SOUNDS green, until you think of the logistics. If it has to be solar powered, it has to be near sunlight. How many people would want to leave their keyboards outside just to power up? How many workers don't even have a window in their office? Logitech took that into consideration and made their solar keyboard able to be charged by any light source, including desk lamps. Smart!
• Belkin WeMo Home Automation Switch + Motion Sensor Bundle - The WeMo is a great invention. We have a standard WeMo outlet that powers a lamp in the house, and would have the motion sensor upgrade if we didn't have two feline children running around all the time. What I like about the WeMo is its wireless connectivity. "In an OUTLET?" you might ask. Yes, and it allows you to control anything plugged into the outlet via your smartphone. Forgot to turn off that lamp before going to work? Don't worry about leaving it on for hours; turn it off from your desk! You can also set schedules so items turn on and off at your chosen intervals, making it a great home security addition.
• EcoSmart Electric Tankless Water Heater - Shockingly, I have zero experience dealing with water heaters. Not exactly sure how this one works compared to a standard heater.
• Kill A Watt EZ Electricity Usage Monitor - These monitors seem like a great way to test how well you're doing in regards to wasted electricity. But, if you're interested, check around your city and see if there's not another way to acquire one of these. For example, Lafayette Utilities System worked out a partnership with the Lafayette Public Library locations that provides a bunch of these monitors to be checked out. Extra green!
• WIBO Thermoquick 160 Gallon Composter - I'm not highly educated on composters, but this is one I would look at once I start a garden in the backyard and have a need for compost!
• Honeywell MyEnergySmart Infared Whole Room Heater - Space heaters are not typically the most energy efficient appliances, but this one claims to have EnergySmart technology so it draws less power, and it has an energy usage indicator. But for any space heaters you use, use them smartly so you don't run your electricity bill up or burn your house down. Only use them in rooms where you are; don't run them for too long at a time or too close to furniture; don't plug them into extension cords; and especially don't leave them running overnight. 

What are your favorite green gadgets?

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link friday, 9.27

After last week's rainfest, I'm looking forward to a nice, sunny, still-too-warm fall weekend. Gotta send out September in style! 

Here are some interesting green things I've found over the past week:

• A short film by Chris Jordan about the life cycle of discarded plastic, and how it affects the planet and wildlife.
• Jimmy Pocket Towels, courtesy of Green Philly Blog. These are reusable zippable towels that help you avoid paper towels in public restrooms or other places away from home.
• The Abita Brewery (just two hours away from here!) has added a 340-panel rooftop solar system to its brewhouse. Local AND green! Just how I love my companies.
• The UN's latest update to its climate report is out, and it states that climate scientists are 95% sure humans are the reason for climate changes since the 1950s.
• The company that installed my office's solar film last year, Lafayette Shutters, Blinds & More, has a new Facebook page. Check them out!

Hope you all have a happy September weekend! See you next week!

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cutting down paper [weekly simple eco tip, 9.18]

I was visiting the eye doctor recently, an event I have had the pleasure of experiencing for the past 18 years. So I know the routine. But this year, it was a little different and I was pleasantly surprised. And a little jealous I didn't think of this idea sooner.

Image: UT Tyler

If you have a particular form you routinely complete, and it must be printed out for a signature or anything else, this paper-saving tip is clever.

Simply print out the form you use and laminate it. Then use a dry erase marker to sign it. Then scan it. That way you have the paper on file in case you need it in the future. And then once you've scanned it, just wash off the information and use it again!

I believe it was the standard HIPAA form at the eye doctor's office, but it was a nice thought that even though we have to physically sign the form, they are taking steps to reduce their paper usage. And all by simply having patients sign a laminated sheet of paper with a dry erase marker, so the record can be stored on a secured computer.

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paperless coupons, weekly simple eco tip, 9.4

Coupons are a great thing, especially around your birthday. (Unrelated note: Sign up for the email lists of your favorite restaurants and include your birth date when asked. Free food birthday coupons are one of the greatest things in life today!)

And more and more companies these days, are allowing you to redeem coupons through your smartphone, without needing to print out a paper coupon. If you have that option, use it! Don't use a piece of paper to print a coupon if you don't have to. Instead, you just show the coupon to the sales associate and let them see the coupon code that's included (or at least, should be). And remember to make a note of the expiration date on your calendar or somewhere, since you won't have the paper shoved in your purse or stuck to your fridge. Because expired coupons are a bummer!

So if you can, save money and paper with mobile coupons!

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"it's the last days of summer in san francisco"

I've reluctantly returned to the real world after a vacation in San Francisco, a city in a state I'd never visited before. And I think it's changed me a little inside. I'm a born and bred Cajun girl, and I always tend to visit Massachusetts when I set foot on an airplane, so I consider myself as having a little bit of Masshole in me. Before this trip, I'd never been further west than San Antonio, Texas. And now I've been on the West Coast and dipped my toes into the (super cold) Pacific Ocean (or I guess more specifically, Monterey Bay).

Flying to San Francisco on a clear evening gave my boyfriend and me a strange feeling. Since our phones were on airplane mode, the time didn't switch to the correct time zone yet, so our phones and our bodies said it was 10pm, but the sunlight outside told us it was only 8pm. It felt like we were briefly living in suspended time, where we keep going, but the sun continues shining.

There are just so many good things I could say about San Francisco and our trip. I'm normally very good with directions and navigating, and in some moments on this trip, I was completely turned around and had to re-orient myself. The weather, the scenery and the lifestyles were different from anything I've experienced - yet so similar to experiences I do have. For example, the first day we toured the city, I got a distinct feeling of a combination of New Orleans' French Quarter and downtown Portland, Maine. 

The weather was beyond perfect all week. In fact, my only complaint about it was that it was too warm for all the clothes I'd packed. The highs were in the 60s, but with the sun and all the trekking we did, my light sweaters were too much. And in the evenings it was wonderfully crisp. The house we stayed in doesn't have air conditioning, because they don't need it. In the evenings we cracked the windows and let the natural air circulate through the house and cool us off. That just cannot happen down here. We'd either swelter in the humidity or get eaten alive by mosquitoes.

After a week, I really began to get used to the scenery, especially watching the mountains roll by as we rode the train into the city. And I didn't realize how used to it I was getting until we returned home and I was surrounded by the flat scenery of my town. Nothing compares to those mountain views. I'd do anything to have them just a little longer. (My boyfriend and I joked about printing pictures to hang in our windows.) I miss seeing them each morning as I make my way to work.

We saw such a variety of landmarks, from the typical touristy things like Alcatraz, Lombard Street, and the Golden Gate Bridge, to pop culture icons like the Full House house, Mrs. Doubtfire house and Amoeba Records, to wine country, to a beautiful college campus, to the beach, to the headquarters of Apple, Google and Facebook. We went to an Oakland A's baseball game. We went mini-golfing. We rented a Prius for one day - and my boyfriend drove it in the city (which was almost a roller-coaster ride). We rented bicycles for one day and rode 18 miles across the city hills and the Golden Gate Bridge (this Southern girl barely survived - it was intense in many ways). We walked around Golden Gate Park one afternoon as the fog swirled in. And "swirled" is about the only word I can think to describe it. We literally watched it move in, in this ethereal pattern, weaving between the trees in the park, giving the whole area a gray cast. It just felt so appropriate, and I could mentally play only Matt Nathanson's newest album, as it's an homage to the city Matt calls home. 

And the greenness of everything. It was so strange and yet felt so natural. Louisiana is almost light-years behind California and it was never more noticeable than in the few days after we returned home. I saw about three plastic bags all week, everywhere we went. We got a plastic bag for our restaurant leftovers one night, and it was biodegradable corn-based plastic. I used my Klean Kanteen at least 10 times during the week: each morning to carry coffee, and in the afternoons to alternately carry Gatorade, water or an occasional soft drink. I toted a reusable bag each day for any purchases. The one time we needed our own vehicle, we rented a Prius and enjoyed watching how our driving performed. I saw more public recycling bins than trash cans. I saw public compost bins next to those recycling bins. I saw wind turbines and a solar- and wind-powered Alcatraz tour boat. There were so many bicyclists. The bike lanes were painted green, separated from the road or dedicated bike paths. We used public transit. We saw zero-emission buses and hybrid taxis. 

What I loved most about it is that being green was just commonplace. You didn't have to take extra measures to recycle or reduce your plastic use. The alternatives were there in front of you. Here, it almost feels like you have to shout from the rooftops that you are recycling or being green in some way, in order to even be able to do it. And there, you just go about your normal day, being green at each step. 

Visiting San Francisco definitely opened my eyes, inspired me, and changed me. I hope to be able to return sooner rather than later. The week was hectic, and every muscle and tendon ached at some point, but it also gave me a chance to reflect a lot. By the end of the trip, I was ready to return home to see my family and my kitty, but I was not ready to get back to the pace of every day. I'm just so grateful that we were able to get away for a week and take a real trip, instead of a halfhearted vacation. We got to visit with my boyfriend's cousin and her fiancé (our gracious hosts) and get a taste of what it's like to live in California. I spent most of the week mentally playing California by Phantom Planet (not helped by my recent viewing of The OC Season 1).

Calistoga Bike Shop, where we rented bikes for a winery tour.

Chandelier made with wine bottles at Lava Vine.

  

Touring San Francisco with new TOMS and hot coffee in my Klean Kanteen.

A green bike lane. 

I was highly jealous we didn't get to ride the eco-friendly tour boat, but then again, we would not have been able to ride on the top deck!

Wind turbines, recycling bins and compost bins at Crissy Field.

Taking a small rest break while on our 18-mile bike trek.

Trash disposal is not the only option.

The Golden Gate Bridge on a gorgeously clear afternoon.

Waiting for my lunch order at a vegetarian restaurant near the UC Berkeley campus. The mushroom sandwich was pretty killer, and we got in a nice picnic on the campus.

Compost bin on the UC Berkeley campus.

The beach in Santa Cruz.

Cigarette butt disposal in Santa Cruz.

I wish all bike lanes were able to have a raised divider like this near the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz.

Apple headquarters.

Google headquarters. I LOVED all the Google bikes around their campus.

I was surprised to see a plastic bag within San Francisco, until I saw it's compostable. Well-done! I might've brought it home with me.

Haight Ashbury from the bus window.

The fog in Golden Gate Park.

A marker for a pedestrian path and bike lane somewhere in the city. The Walk man is also a symbol of one of my favorite Hanson songs.

Is it time for our next vacation??

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back to school already

Back-to-school time always seems synonymous with September, but in South Louisiana, it's already that time! Many children are already back in school, and others are gearing up to go back, including the college students (oh, the memories).

Image: The Green Living Blog

The beginning of the school year always means new school supplies! And some of us love new supplies even if we're not in school anymore. But either way, greening your school supplies is easy and just takes a little extra looking and knowledge.

The main ways to make your supplies greener are through paper, pencils/pens, binders, backpacks, lunchtime supplies and art supplies.

When shopping for looseleaf, notebooks or computer paper, choose recycled! Recycled notebooks and reams of computer paper are very common and easy-to-find. Just check on the tags to find a mention of recycled content. And a tip: if you ever see a recycled content note, 'pre-consumer' means the material was recycled within the plant (from scraps) before going out for retail purchase, and 'post-consumer' means the material was previously used by a consumer and deposited at a recycling facility, then used by the factory. 

These notebooks are a clever take on those classic composition books. Named decomposition books, they are made of recycled paper and printed with soy ink. They are available in stores as well as online; I believe I've seen some at Barnes and Noble.

Pens and pencils made with recycled materials are becoming increasingly available. Some pencils are made of recycled newspaper, some are made of recycled denim and some are made with reforested wood. 

Pens are made with recycled and/or biodegradable materials. Papermate sells pens made of recycled materials and biodegradable materials. They also partner with TerraCycle to upcycle pens you collect and donate. Pilot makes an ink pen made from water or soft drink bottles.

If your children are using ink pens (whether recycled or not), teach them about conserving the ink by always capping or retracting the pen when it's not in use. 

Once you have the recycled paper, it's important to have something eco-friendly to store it in. Naked Binders are one brand of eco-friendly binders; made of FSC-certified recycled cardboard. Earth Binders are another brand made of recycled materials, and they sell index tabs.

Backpacks are available in recycled PET (soft drink bottles). They may be available in more specialty-type shops, but are definitely available online. Prices vary, depending on the backpack. Recycled backpacks are as strong as regular backpacks as well.

If your child is allowed to bring a lunch to school, do it the green way! Skip the paper bags in favor of insulated reusable lunch bags or bento box-type kits, put drinks in a reusable mug and place sandwiches and snacks in reusable bags. 

Crayons, sidewalk chalk, modeling clay, paint, glue and colored pencils all come in nontoxic alternatives. Eco Kids is a company dedicated to providing eco-friendly, nontoxic art supplies. Stubby Pencil Studio sells soy-based crayons, drawing books made from recycled paper and scissors made with recycled plastics.


Because school supplies cover so many products, there are tons of options for anything you could want or need to buy. This list is really only the beginning and not comprehensive, but should give you plenty of ideas. When it comes time to stock up on school supplies, just remember to do a little looking and research beforehand so you can figure out where to get eco-friendly alternatives. And don't forget to take the opportunity to educate your children on their eco-friendly supplies and explain why being eco-friendly is important and good for the planet! This will help complete the cycle of being a good environmentalist yourself - from choosing green over conventional to educating others on green practices. And come back on Friday to see more links to places where you can purchase eco-friendly school supplies!

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receipt-less [weekly simple eco tip, 6.19]

What's the most annoying thing you can think of cluttering your purse, car or countertop in your house? Probably a wad of crumpled receipts, right? The ones above are the ones currently residing in my own purse, and that's actually a small pile compared to normal.

So, one very simple eco tip is to simply refuse receipts when you're asked, or inform the cashier ahead of time that you won't need a printed receipt. Now, of course, some places automatically print receipts for you, and would just throw them away if you tell them you don't want it, so there's really no winning solution at those times (since receipt paper is not always recyclable, and many receipts may contain BPA). But if you're asked before the receipt is printed, simply tell the cashier you don't need a receipt. One of the easiest places to do this is at the gas pump. My favorite places are the ones who ask if you would like a receipt emailed or texted to you – such as many places who use Square for credit card transactions.

Of course, sometimes receipts are necessary – such as for large purchases or when you purchase something you may decide to return later (though some places can accept returns without a receipt, with conditions), or when you are purchasing something on behalf of your workplace and need to submit receipts for reimbursement. And the point is not necessarily to never accept a receipt again in your life, but to cut down when you can. If you don't need one, don't take one. If you do need one, then at least that receipt is serving its purpose, and not just being another piece of waste.

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weekly simple eco tip, 5.15

So, you've learned how to cut down printer paper waste, how you can reuse scrap paper, and even how to go paperless with bills and statements. Following these tips, in the spirit of paper conservation, this week's simple eco tip is to go paperless when taking notes or writing memos.

Earth911 features 5 different note-taking apps for iPads, iPhones and Androids, some of which can be synced between mobile and desktop versions: Notability, Corkulous, Springpad, Todo Task Manager and Remarks. Another popular app is Evernote. Mashable recently featured Use Your Handwriting, which allows you to 'handwrite' memos. These apps help you cut down on using scrap paper while still helping you jot down notes or memos to yourself.

Beyond actual note-taking apps, look for other memo-pad type apps for different purposes. iPhones come with the Apple Notes app. My Android came with S Memo, which I mainly use for quick lists or ideas for blog posts. I recently downloaded Grocery Smart, a grocery list app that can be synced with a web account. My favorite part of Grocery Smart is the actual ability to check items off your grocery list. 

Grocery Smart Android App

I find that writing quick grocery lists is my last real holdout to using paper over an app or website, especially since I switched from Blackberry to an Android and hadn't installed a new grocery list app until very recently. I always made sure to use scrap paper for grocery lists, such as junk mail envelopes or waste printer paper from work, but it's still best to go totally paperless.

Do you use a memo or note app? Which one is your favorite?

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looking back on festival international

WHEW. That was a weekend. Attending Festival for four days, two of which lasted nine hours, can really take it out of you. But it was incredibly fun and worth it.

There were great green moments to the weekend, but overall, people are still a long way from being green as a whole. When The Wailers closed out Festival, we walked through an emptying Parc International and there was a sea of leftover cans, plastic utensils, foam cups and an umbrella. It was a sad sight to behold, with recycling bins located all over the place. (Of course, it was comically sardine-packed in there, but people were still uncaring enough to just drop their trash at their feet.)

Our first volunteering experience was mixed as well. We dragged ourselves out of bed Sunday morning and headed down to check in for our shift. We first went with a guy to one area, where he told us we'd simply be picking up all the trash left on the ground from the night before. And when I asked if we were doing trash or recycling or both, he said that it was all trash at that point. Not what I signed up for. He left us anyway, so I stuck to putting bottles and paper in the recycling bins and trash in the trash bins (including a half-eaten cheeseburger). After we finished that and went back to our check-in spot, we were then sent out with a golf cart and our job was to empty the bins of cardboard at each beer station. And that's how you realize just how much Cajuns and Cajun visitors can drink. Cardboard beer boxes for hours! It was far from a glamorous volunteer shift, but it was amazing to see how much recycling we racked up in two hours, and know it was a small portion of the overall amount. So by the end, I was happier with how we ended up contributing to Festival.

 

Following my own Guide to a Green Festival, we biked three of the four days we attended. Our goal was all four, but by Sunday morning we were exhausted and didn't want to rush to make it to our shift on time, and there was a large threat of rain.

My insulated Klean Kanteen held: a White Russian daiquiri, water, an iced latte and two Abita Strawberries. Plenty of plastic saved, but still not as much as I'd hoped for. We did save our good plastic cups for future use, though.

I brought cloth napkins with me and used them.

We smartly packed sunscreen and hand sanitizer, and extra toilet paper for any necessary uses.

I tried to exhibit self-control in the shops, and the few things I did purchase were eco-friendly. One necklace with a small piece of wood under a tree charm and a pair of earrings made from watch insides.

I let my naturally curly hair run free all weekend, and it was honestly great to not worry about styling it. A few bobby pins and ponytail holders and done! No electricity needed.

We had a blast, ate too much good food, walked a million steps (or approximately 48,000/almost 20 miles), saw many great bands, ran into a lot of people we knew, and savored the culture that's so unique to Lafayette.

Until next year!

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