We cannot all afford to buy organic produce and environmentally friendly detergents when we go shopping every week, but we can make a difference to the environment by reducing the amount of packaging that we waste every day. Cardboard and plastic make up the bulk of our weekly garbage so by being mindful about what we buy and use, we can make huge improvements on both they type and amount of trash we throw away.

There are 5 easy steps you can take to reduce your packaging waste:

1. Always take your own bags when you go to the grocery store to do your weekly shop. You can buy strong, long lasting bags which you can take out with you every time you go shopping. Also, it is a good idea to keep ‘a bag for life’ on you at all times so that you never have the need to ask the shop for a bag. More than one billion bags are thrown away every year. That is a shocking statistic as it is so easy to do something about it. Many consumers have become lazy and just throw bags in the garbage as well as on to the streets. This includes dog poop bags as well. This thoughtlessness is ruining our world and can easily be tackled with just a little collective will.

2. Change the type of diapers that you usually use. By switching to eco diapers, you will literally reduce your diaper wasted by half. These environmentally friendly diapers are made from 50% more biodegradable materials and are chlorine free. They can be kinder to sensitive skin than generic diapers and are no more expensive. Alternatively, you could go back to the old fashioned method of using towelling diapers and washing them which will give you no waste at all.

3. When buying washing detergents and cleaning sprays try to buy the largest sizes you can and decant into smaller bottles and boxes at home. This will also save on trips to the grocery store so will save your gas as well. You can actually buy catering sizes of these products at wholesale outlets which can last you for as long as 6 months so you should end up saving about five months worth of waste from going into the garbage.

4. Stop buying bottled water to use at home. If you are unable to drink tap water for whatever reason, the solution is easy. Buy a water filter and it will remove anything unpleasant from your tap water, such as a metallic taste or too much chlorine. Water filters are inexpensive and easy to pick up from the grocery store, chemist or online. They normally come with a spare cartridge but these are inexpensive to replace anyway. Not only will you save a lot of cash by doing this, you will be reducing your packaging waste dramatically as you will not be throwing several plastic bottles in the garbage every week.

5. Always prepare meals from scratch. Instead of buying handy convenience food which you can cook in the oven or microwave, start buying fresh ingredients and making your own pizzas, casseroles and pasta. Buy meat from a butcher as it is usually just wrapped in paper unlike the grocery store which places everything in plastic containers; create your own marinades so that you can stop buying these pieces of meat which have been sprinkled with a few herbs! It is cheaper, tastier and healthier to cook from scratch. You will not have any more lasagne cartons or aluminium boxes to throw away.

There will be more space in your cupboards and freezer by cooking with fresh produce. Another great reason for doing this is it that you will also be supporting local farmers. Everyone knows that fresh food tastes much better anyway. You just have to be organised. Assess what you already have in your kitchen and plan meals around that. Even if you just spend one afternoon each week cooking, then freezing what you have made, it will make your life a lot easier and will improve your health.

By reducing your packaging waste using these 5 easy steps, you are preventing thousands of tonnes of petrochemicals and chemicals entering our atmosphere. By disposing of less boxes and paper products, you are saving thousand of trees from being chopped down every week. A little effort and thought is all it takes to go a little greener, and do your bit for the environment.

About the Author
Grace Pamer is a work from home eco mom and the author of www.RomanceNeverDies.com, one womanís on going quest to get the world reaquainted with the art of writing love letters for her and for him.

There are so many stresses on the environment that many scientists believe we are in the midst of one of the largest extinctions that has ever occurred on earth. Add to that the fact that many of our natural resources are finite, instilling a sense of awareness and care for the natural environment is incredibly important for today’s youth. A generation without concern for the world’s precious ecosystems and natural resources may be the final stressor that pushes the world into a dangerous imbalance that it won’t be able to recover from. How can parents help kids be eco friendly, be caring stewards of the beautiful environment they live in?

The first step, of course, is modeling the behaviors you would like your children to value. If they see you carelessly toss recyclables into the trash, what do you think they will do? Setting up an easy to use recycling system in your kitchen is a great first step in teaching your kids to recycle. Make it easy for them to comply by having individual bins for cardboard and paper, glass, cans and plastics. The younger you introduce them to this system, the more certain it will become a life-long habit for them. Let them know early on why you recycle. Kids understand a lot more than we often give them credit for. Show them a big beautiful tree in the yard and how it provides shelter for so many bird, insects and animals. Then show them paper, and explain that most paper is made from cut down trees. You will be surprised at the impact this simple lesson will have.

Making those connections is so important. Kids really want to know the “why” behind what they are doing; it makes their actions much for meaningful to them. Research now shows that the young generation is very disconnected from the natural world. Rather than going outside to explore the woods, fish or swim in a pond, or just lie on their backs and watch the clouds, kids are mostly indoors at school, watching TV, playing video games or shopping at the mall. When they are outdoors, they are usually participating in sports and have little time to watch the world around the ball field. If you don’t introduce them to the wonders of nature, who else will? This is the only way they can truly have an interest in and feelings of concern for the environment. A trip to the zoo is fine to show them animals from other continents, but what they really need is a sense of connection to their immediate environment.

Seek out local, state or national parks that have programs for youth and families. Definitely introduce them to the wonders found in your own back yard. Set up some bird feeders and get your kids a bird identification field guide. Show them how many of the most endearing birds we see in at our feeders and in the trees during the summer migrate as far away as southern hemisphere in the winter. This helps give them a sense of how the whole world is connected and provides them with a real life example of how what happens there affects what happens here. Eco friendly kids really do require constant exposure to the natural world, so be their guide. If you didn’t spend a great amount of time exploring the outdoors in your youth, you will learn plenty from your family excursions too!

About the author

Grace Pamer is a work from home mom and the author of www.RomanticFrugalMom.com, one womanís on going quest to get her family to go green whilst keeping romance alive in her marriage. Check out her love letters for him section if you need help writing a love letter to your nearest and dearest because of a hectic schedule because ethical living starts at home.

Image source BigStockPhoto.com

Eco friendly bedrooms for the newly weds

After the euphoria of the wedding and the honeymoon, comes the time for the young couple to settle into routine life. They may be moving into a new flat or house and will naturally have much to do when it comes to the interior decor. Two different individuals with different tastes in style will have to merge their preferences into one acceptable choice. This is where eco-friendly products can come into their bedroom as a neutral choice to start with. Recycled and sustainable material is all the rage now for any bedroom and the young couple can cash in on this. This is not so much as for a particular trend but bedroom products, made of natural material, are clearly more healthy and reusable. There are many ways in which newlyweds can have a green bedroom by choosing the right fabrics and styles.

Go in for organic fabrics and products

Bamboo is one of the most durable, soft and light fabrics being in used these days for bed linen and bath towels. The bed linen range offers a wide variety of colors and they are easy to maintain. What is more, they are good absorbent material and are comfortable to sleep in, as they are natural fibers with no chemical additives. You can go in for mattresses, mattress pad, pillows and comforters made of organic material which will add to the new decor. These products are lightweight, breathable and do not have any toxic chemical substances, assuring a good night’s rest for the newlyweds.

Use complementary accessories

Lighten up your bedroom with curtains and other accessories such as picture frame, flower vases or pots in organic material. They need not be terribly expensive as you can use re-purported its use in a creative way. This means that you use old things which you need not throw away by using them in another way. Try to keep your bedroom free of electronics as these things have a way of cluttering the room’s appearance.

For nightwear and bath towels

You can coordinate your bath towels in organic fabrics to mimic the bed covers and linen. Use bedroom slippers made of the same fabrics as they are more comfortable. As far as nightwear is concerned, it is tempting to go in for the synthetic variety for their various styles. However, nightwear for both newlyweds is now available in a wide range, made out of organic material.

Furniture for the bedroom

The furniture plays a big role in the setting of the room, so it is best to choose furniture which will not only be durable but eco-friendly as well. You could go in for cane bed or invest in vintage beds instead of having to minus another tree from nature. Why not have some of your old furniture pieces repainted for a new and refreshing look.

Choosing the organic material, for your new bedroom, is not only fun but can go a long way towards a healthy living. You will also be bonding with your spouse as you bring two ideas together for a creative bedroom. More than that, you will be contributing towards the real essence of green living.

About the author: Alia Haley is a blogger who is passionate about eco friendly lifestyle. Her home is quite eco friendly right from exteriors to interiors, including appliances and furniture. Beside this she frequently writes on Silver Bridesmaid Dresses. These days she is busy in writing an article on Coffee shops.

Photos from Big Stock Photo.

Going green is definitely the new trend, be it redecorating your house, making a fashion statement or even planning a wedding. Eco-weddings have gained huge popularity over the last couple of years and with more and more couples opting for an environment friendly wedding, the practice is only gaining more leverage and improving awareness. Having your dream wedding with an eco friendly theme in mind is easy. Listed below are 10 steps to go green on your wedding day.

1. Venue

One way to go green is to select the venue wisely. Go for an outdoor location which would match the theme perfectly well. It would also mean less lighting used and less decoration as the natural beauty in itself would play the part. Also, conducting the wedding and reception in the same place, easily accessible by all, would not only reduce costs but also reduce environmental impact caused by travelling.
2. Invitations

Invitations set the tone for a wedding and going green is the best way to stress it. Creating e-invites and emailing it out to your guests would be the best way to do this. But if you insist on having hand held invitations then go for eco-friendly products like paper made with organic cotton, bamboo, hemp etc. and use vegetable based dyes instead of fancy ink for writing. You could also do a post card invite to save paper on envelopes and maybe even use innovative rags and burlap materials to create invites.
3. Attire

While your wedding day is all about looking good, you do not need to spend a fortune on it to do so. By wearing your mom’s or grandmom’s gown not only brings forth the emotional aspect of it, but also reduces cost and helps with the going green aspect. Vintage gowns are in style these days and going to a charity store to scout around for those would be a great idea as well. Men can hire a tux or even wear suits made out of eco-friendly products like hemp for instance. But if you are completely adamant on getting a new gown made, and then do so with organic materials
4. Jewelry

Diamond is definitely a girl’s best friend, but you could be all creative and wear something different instead, like rings with a wooden touch or thread based jewelry. If you are adamant about diamonds then at least make sure they are conflict-free. Considering using antique or heirloom jewelry is also a great way to go green. You could use jewelry handed down in your family, which will only increase the sentimental value attached to it. That said if you are not the type who is emotionally attached to your jewelry, and then recycling it would be a great idea.

5. Wedding decor

Using potted plants and shrubs with flowers are a great way to go green on your wedding day. If you are hell bent on using flowers then go for the organic ones which are pesticide free and are grown locally. Avoid transporting exotic flowers from faraway destinations, which would only add to the carbon footprint. Use the same flowers and arrangements for both the wedding and reception and once you are done with it, give it off to another couple for them to use or donate to a hospital instead of just throwing them away at the end of the day. DIY wedding ideas are available in plenty. Get your friends together and make all the decorations by hand.

6. Food and drinks

The first and foremost thing to remember is to use local, organic and seasonal food for the event. If you can source them from a nearby farmers market then it tops the purpose as it reduced carbon emission from travel completely. If you are getting a caterer take care of such details, make sure you give instructions to send off excess food to a food bank or homeless shelter instead of just discarding them. Try and avoid alcohol and serve organic juices instead. And remember, renting table ware, cutlery and such is always better than buying disposable ones.

7. Photography

Arrange for a professional photographer who works with digital copies which would save a lot of paper and chemicals. Instead of having individual disposable cameras on each table, ask guests to bring their own cameras and then request them to post the pictures they took on a photo sharing website for all to see.

8. Wedding favors

Instead of giving wedding favors you could donate that money to a charitable organization and explain to the guests the purpose behind it. If you are adamant on giving something, then perhaps a seedling or small pots with herbs in them, organic chocolates etc. can be given.

9. Gifts

Get gifts that are organic and environment friendly instead of large gift wrapped gifts. Gifts made out of recycled products, handmade gifts that support a small business or local talent, homemade candles and cosmetics, an organic spa date etc. are some of the options.

10. Honeymoon

Of course every couple needs to go on a honeymoon and you could do that in the greenest possible way as well. For starters, decide to go to a nearby location which would help reduce carbon footprint drastically. Then, select an eco friendly resort to stay in and engage in activities that require less travelling around. Hire a bike and cycle around the place, use public transport or even better walk hand in hand and take in the beauty of the place.

Keeping all these factors in mind will help you attain that perfect wedding you have been dreaming of, in a greener and much healthier environment. The fact that you are able to do something for mother earth, while tying the knot, is a feeling you would cherish for the rest of your lives.

About the author: Alia Haley is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology and luxury. Beside this she is fond of cell phones and bags. She recently added two Burberry Handbags to her collection. These days she is busy in writing an article on LED Bulbs.

Photos by Lolli

Guest contributor Joanna joins us this week to talk about the option of sustainable wood for baby furniture. Beauty and earth-friendly all in one.

Babies need furniture!

If you’re looking for alternative materials for baby furniture other than plastic, then wood can be an appealing option. However, when you’re purchasing wood furniture it’s best to look for sustainable wood to avoid deforestation for furniture production. Try your best to stay away from slow growing trees such as oak, redwood, beech and Colorado spruce. Look for medium growth rate trees such as red oak, birch and red-bud. Most importantly, they should be purchased from sustainable resources.

What is sustainable wood?

Sustainable wood is an effort by the forest industry to keep a balance between the commercial demand of wood along with preserving the health and diversity of the forest. This means that sustainable wood would cost more than the average product as it absorbs more cost to keep this balance. Although with the higher cost, you will see the companies that chooses this type of wood generally would make more efforts to create a higher quality product. Here are two baby furniture companies that exhibit this quality.

Two companies with sustainable wood baby furniture

The Cariboo bassinet is made from sustainable New Zealand Radiata wood, and the stain is lead free. It’s considered an eco friendly product as all materials are non-toxic and PBDE free. The natural look of the bassinet is perfect to match with existing adult bedroom furniture. And with the simplicity of the look, it can blend in any room of your home without sacrificing the existing look of your home.

It’s not often that a company dedicates their wood supply forested from 1.7 million new trees specifically planted for harvest in the wood and paper industry. And that’s exactly what Bratt Decor’s has committed to the environment. Since it’s such a luxurious product, they have also incorporated engineered wood in their baby furniture line. Best of all, it’s a sturdy piece of furniture that can be passed to family after family lasting for years to come.

Selecting sustainable wood furniture for your baby is like giving them a head start in leaving behind a greener world with their consumption. Furniture such as armoires and convertible cribs will also be a good choice in selecting sustainable wood as they will last your child into their teenage years. Even non-convertible furniture such as bassinets are also a good choice as they can be passed to another family that would appreciate a green product.

Written by guest contributor Joanna, a freelance writer that dotes on family values and environmental issues.

Does your living room need some help? Guest contributor Joanna shares some eco-friendly tips on redecorating your living room.

Change of slipcovers and pillow covers

Easy touches like changing your sofa and pillow covers makes a big difference in your living room. The best thing is you can have multiple options throughout the year to change the look and wash the old covers in the mean time. Slip covers are one of the few accessories that doesn’t cost a fortune to give your room a complete face lift. The best options are always organic cotton covers as they are softer and contains no chemicals in the making of the material – perfect to be around small children in the home.

Repaint old cabinets & picture frames with Eco friendly paint/stains

Why throw away good furniture when all it needs is a new coat of paint? Every year, households throw away tons of furniture that ends up in the landfill, when they can be saved by re-using it with a different look or place it in a different room for a change. If you do intend to re-paint your old furniture, do use Eco friendly paint as it helps breathing easier when applying the paint, provide a chemical free surrounding and leaves behind a greener world when producing the paint. VOCs (volatile organic compounds) found in regular paint can be harmful to people, so look for a low or zero VOC when shopping for paint.

Shift furniture around the home to give a new look

Feel like you don’t have enough space in your home? Consider rearranging the existing furniture and even remove one or a few pieces to free up some space. Sometimes it just takes a new pair of eyes to place furniture properly. Think about where your lighting comes from and how your want your seating area to accommodate to that light. Try a few options and sit down to see if you actually like the setting. It’s a lot of muscles to make this work, but it will be worth it in the long run.

Change the lighting with different lampshades and drapes throughout the year

Believe it or not, when there’s more lighting in a room it feels and looks more spacious. Whether your increasing natural sunlight coming into the room or adding more lamp fixtures, a balance of both lights is necessary to have sufficient light during the day and night.

The more natural light you have available in your room during the day will also help reduce the use of electricity, going green and saving money all at the same time. And of course, it always helps to have different color selection when it comes to lampshades and drapes. The secret is to choose cool colors for the warm season, and warm colors for the cool season.

Add some seasonal plants / fresh cut flowers

Some plants are good throughout the year, but it’s also important to include seasonal plants to enjoy the specialties of each unique season. Fresh cut flowers are always good throughout the year, although most would buy more flowers during summer time when they are in season but the hot weather will make the flowers not last as long as they would in the winter time. The best option would be to have a back yard garden to clip your flowers from, that way it doesn’t take as much energy to transport flowers to your home when you can just easily access them right in your own backyard.

Clear up the clutter for a peaceful home

Don’t just leave till spring time to do your cleaning. Each season you should make an effort to clean out the clutter in your home. Donate all the items that are still in good condition if you haven’t used them in an entire year, and the rest should be recycled and only a minimum would go towards the trash. The more you re-use your old furniture or donate your old clothes, the less you’ll add towards the landfills each year.

Change up the accessories / displays

Even books can be accessories to place in your living room. Each different season can include different types of cooking books. For example, a barbecue cook book in the summer can be readily available in the living room for dinner ideas and for guests to have something interesting to read while they are over.

Other accessories can include a simple painting on your wall or ornament displays of whatever peaks your interest. However, if you do have a passion to collect a theme, let’s say cat ornaments, try not to go overboard with overwhelming your living room with excessive accessories. Remember, simplicity is the way to go with a touch of personal taste.

Photo by Danilo Nunez Jr. on Flickr

Written by guest contributor Joanna, a freelance writer that dotes on family values and environmental issues.

As new age parents learn about supporting the environment when purchasing household items, it has sparked the trend of Eco friendly strollers.

There’s not as vast of a selection as there should be, but a few companies are emerging as leaders in producing non-toxic strollers for babies and toddlers. These two companies are recognizable for their quality product as well as their initiative in providing a toxic free environment for your baby.

Strollers are going green

Maclaren Strollers
This international company is dedicated to their corporate social policy (CSR), as one of their major concerns is responsible manufacturing. They use recyclable materials as much as possible as well as restricting chemical compounds that harm the environment such as phthalates, lead, PVC and brominated flame retardants (BFRs), which have been eliminated from all their products. Maclaren strollers are well known for their durable products, which is a big indication that they want their products to last for years to come to minimize the frequency of going to the landfills each year.

Orbit Baby
Orbit Baby is the first company to use foams and fabrics certified safe by
Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 for their strollers and car seats. It’s an international standard that sets limits on close to 200 potentially harmful substances and chemicals.

By making sure the fabric that your child is in contact with is healthy for them, it also lends a big hand to the environment by avoiding the usage of harmful chemicals. Their innovative strollers are highly recommended by parents as they are convenient to be used with a compact one-hand fold technology, and the only car seat and stroller to rotate 360 degrees for your child to have a front rear and side views on a stroll.

Reuse or Recycle Strollers

Quality strollers usually last for years to come, so it’s no surprise that some parents wouldn’t mind to save a fraction of the price for a used product.

There are some precautions to take when searching for a “pre-owned” stroller. The first and foremost is to check the stroller yourself to see the condition of it, if there’s any rips of the fabric, sturdiness of the frame and if there are any protruding edges. Also ask for the stroller’s original instruction manual as you want to learn how to use the product safely.

Finally, it never hurts to check the up-to-date safety standards from ASTM and recall items from CPSC. If you would like to donate your good-condition stroller, simply pass it to a friend or to an organization that would collect them. And if the stroller is no longer usable, contact a local recycling facility to see if they would collect the aluminum frame.

How are YOU making sure your strollers are green?

Written by guest contributor Joanna, a freelance writer that dotes on family values and environmental issues.

I do a lot of the “usual” green things. I recycle. I compost. I shop second-hand. I carry reusable grocery bags and a stainless steel water bottle. I walk my daughter to kindergarten and back every day. I turn down my thermostat and put on a sweater.

But there is an obstacle to my green efforts – much of the time, I don’t want to be inconvenienced by going green. I bring my reusable grocery bags when I go grocery shopping, but if I occasionally forget, I don’t sweat it. I drink tap water, but when I forget my water bottle at home, I sometimes buy water in a plastic bottle. I don’t always remember to bring a reusable mug with me to the coffee shop, and I have been known to throw recyclables into the garbage when out and about to avoid carting them around with me.

I guess I’m not perfect, after all.

My daughter drinks from a plastic water bottle on a day when I failed to plan ahead

Recently, though, I’ve been re-thinking my attitude. What does it mean to live a green lifestyle only when it’s convenient for me? It doesn’t exactly say a lot for my commitment to sustainability if it can be forgotten on a mad rush out the door in the morning, along with my cell phone, that snack I packed up and my Klean Kanteen. While bringing my reusables with me most of the time is good, bringing them all of the time would be better.

It strikes me that the way to kick my green living up a notch would be to accept inconvenience in the name of the environment. So, if I forget my water bottle then I either find a drinking fountain, wait until I get home, or take the time to sit down someplace and drink from an actual cup. It’s tedious. I don’t like it. But the pain in the butt factor helps me to remember my water bottle next time. And it means that I’m living my values.

I won’t be buying this produce if I forget my reusable bag

Sometimes, the inconvenience might be a temporary wash for the earth. Like, if I have to drive back home to pick up my reusable bags before I go grocery shopping. But I think that it will pay off in the long run, as I get into the habit of thinking ahead, and I stop accepting plastic bags when I’m shopping.

The reality is that if we want to change our lives, we’re going to have to accept some inconvenience. Not every shift in thinking comes easily. Sometimes we have to experience discomfort and inconvenience in order to really get the message. I don’t really enjoy it. But I’m ready to accept it, and I hope that it will help me to really live a green lifestyle.

Are you willing to accept some inconvenience as you live your green values? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

As adults we understand the effects of our lifestyle. We can see how eating healthy foods makes a difference in the way we feel and function. We know the responsible things to do are Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. But, what about our kids?

My parents raised me and my seven siblings on a very healthy diet of whole foods. We made or bought whole wheat; everything from bread to cookies. We drank real fruit juice and ate real cheese. Dad refused to buy things like cheap hotdogs, bologna, and processed lunch meats. We were taught to be responsible with all our resources which meant not wasting food and supplies, taking care of our tools, cars, and home and of course, never littering.

We gardened almost every year, canning or freezing enough to last most of the year. We raised our own meat, and one year we even grew our own grain.

Not every family has the privilege of raising their kids on a farm, or even growing a few plants on their porch. But, I don’t believe that they can’t Grow Green Kids! Getting your kids involved in your green lifestyle will not only teach them responsible habits, but it will make life easier for you too.

Kids can help sort items for recycling, pick up trash at the park and along roadways (Adopt A Highway is a great program!) and be taught to always put their trash in the proper receptacles instead of tossing it on the ground. They can also help choose produce at the farmer’s market or grocery store. Kids like taking part in decision making and they’ll be proud to eat and share what they’ve picked out. Then let them help bag the groceries and carry them out, in reusable bags of course!

My son is only two, but he loves most fruits and vegetables. He points them out and calls them by name while we’re shopping. Sometimes he’ll ask for something specific and I try to oblige if it’s something healthy!

I’m also teaching him to compost. He doesn’t know which items to compost yet, but he likes helping me take the compost out to the pile at Grandma’s house. As he gets older I’ll teach him how it works.

This past week my husband and I finally broke down and bought another computer. It has been almost five years since our last computer purchase. In computer years that translates to one hundred people years. The purchase of a new computer led me to wonder how to dispose of the old one.

Computers and other electronics contain some of the most toxic materials of any other product group. Technology items such as cell phones, gaming systems, and computers contain lead, mercury, plastics harmful to the air, and many other chemicals that can cause serious damage to the environment. Because of these contaminants, disposing of electronic items can be extremely difficult.

So my question was: What are some environmentally friendly ways that we can use to get rid of our old electronics?

In one of my older posts, I examined the possibility that recycling electronics can actually be harmful to the environment. This is still the case for recycling centers that do not have the facilities to safely recycle electronic equipment. However, there are many recycling centers that offer a clean and environmentally safe way for recycling electronic items. These recycling centers use specialized processes to break down the equipment back into usable resources. These centers also have heavy duty air filtration systems to keep the outside air free of contaminants and toxins.

One of the most famous and environmentally friendly electronic recycling centers is Creative Recycling Systems, located in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. Many businesses all over the United States have partnered with CRS to eliminate their toxic electronic waste.

However, this recycling center is used only for business waste. That still leaves the average consumer out in the proverbial cold. Never fear though, there is still help for us. When I was looking for a way to safely ditch my old computer systems I ran across the site earth911.com. This site outlines all of the recyclable materials including electronic waste products.

Not only does the site outline what can be recycled, but it also has a tool that can find electronic and other recycling centers in your local area. This is an invaluable tool for green conscious families and individuals. It takes about two minutes to find recycling centers and programs for any product imaginable.

When I put in my zip code, eight or ten different recycling centers and programs showed up. I had no idea there were so many electronic recycling programs right in my backyard. I highly recommend this site to anyone who wishes to provide a greener earth through recycling.

As an added bonus, you will no longer have all those useless machines sitting around cluttering up your home!

Brenda Priddy is a wife, mother, and freelance writer. She resides in north Texas with her husband, Josh, and their 4 year old daughter. She blogs at Daily Mayo.