salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1723/t/6251/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=2016

Now you’re on your way to re-cycling your own food waste etc.  You won’t believe the amount you’ll reduce. We keep a large metal container on the bottom shelf of our fridge and empty it every 2 or 3 days.  After viewing these sites and deciding which one may work well for you.
Of course you’ll have to decide what to plant, you can get fabulous seeds from a place called
”Seeds of Change”  GMO free of course and then you can start saving your own seeds.

Grow tomatoes, learn how to can your veggies, it’s easier than when Grandma was doing it.  Buy a food de-hydrator and you’re on your way to heaven with what you can do with what you grow, juice, and even make nut butter with my favorite juicer, the Green Star. Nut Butter can be made into yummy patties in your dehydrator!

www.organicgardentips.com/vegetable_g    ardening.html

www.gardenandhearth.com/OrganicVegetableGarden.htm

Here is a super yummy “Smoothie”.  Papaya, an avocado, 1 banana, a scoop of vegan protein rice powder and “Eden Soy” original extra, oh yes and the latest addition which turns usually this lovely drink into a grey color. It’s an antioxidant, Azai Berries. You can always mix things up, maybe add strawberries, lilikoi, star fruit, melons, green apples plain or with a carrot added. One thing for sure is that most people wouldn’t even consider stealing my drinks, however………………………….

All your daily requirements for fruits and veggies are met before noon by doing this.

Buy local, eat organic and eat GMO free foods and you’ll feel happy and healthy and it will show!

Check out your local library for books to broaden your horizons with the array of books they carry on a healthier new way to eat.  Not to mention the library carries tons of video’s and DVD’s that can be loaned out for 7days for only one dollar!  Also check out the internet for many yummy sites.

If you have access to a fridge at work, use it! Or get a small cooler from a yard sale, Bring your own lunch, either make it the night before or bring in a weekly supply for sandwiches, salad, snacks etc.  This is the only way to eat healthy and save a bit of bling.

Bring your own reusable large bowl or plate to re-use instead of using paper plates. Of course bring your Lorina or similar style glass bottle for your water consumption.

Start a recycling program at work and let the community know you it, start trends.

At Akaku, we now collect all the newspapers and cardboard, & when the box is full, they are loaded in the car and dropped off at a recycling center on the way home.

We have installed a water filter system to save on bottled water deliveries, and we leave our cans, bottles and plastic outside in a basket for those who need the redemption fee more than we do.

I’m super pleased to say that we have stopped using Styrofoam Cups at work that have been replaced by thrift store mugs that we wash at night.  No one seems to mind and we not only are doing nature a favor, it also pays off not to put out money for disposable cups.

Lastly, we have a shredder and now donate our shredded paper waste to a business that would otherwise have to spend money on non-sustainable materials to ship their items.

Not bad!

Do your washing in cold water, you can’t believe how much energy you can save.  Line dry your clothes as much as possible, not only will your clothes last longer, you’ll love sleeping on fresh smelling, crispy sheets.  I took a piece of bamboo and threaded it thru 2 hooks on my screened patio.

You don’t even notice it’s there unless there are clothes on it.  Mostly I give my laundry a quick dryer spin and then hang clothes etc on hangers. As stated above, your clothes will last longer and fade less, it also saves on ironing which sells me.

Many options are available these days.  Go to laundrylist.org for ideas and be sure to check with the local regulations as according to an article in “Plenty Magazine”, only Utah and Florida have laundry line protection laws!   Gee that’s not weird,…….ok, lets move on shall we?

Wash your car as little as possible, be aware of your water consumption!  Do not space off the garden hose or leave the faucet running while you brush your teeth!  Water is our most precious resource.  Trust me, if things don’t start to change NOW, then “Water World” will be our reality way, way sooner than “Mad Max”. If you must was your car, be mindful of your water consumption or go to the place on Hana Hwy that uses re-cycled water.

While we are on the subject of water, one of my all time favorite topics, please follow these instructions:

1) Buy if possible a bottle such as “Lorina Sparkling Beverage”. Check out their website, you’ll want the one with the old style re-closable spring action & rubber seal, not plastic closure. Like a Grolsch Beer.  If your local health food store does not carry this lovely super yummy drink, ask them to order it. It comes in an array of flavors that rock, my fav’s are the orange, raspberry and the limeade.

2) The bottle totally rules, here’s why….reuse it to tote your daily water around instead of buying bottles of filtered water every day, sometimes I bring a few in a cooler.. Imagine how much you can save by purchasing a filtered water source for your home.

3) Ok so you can only use so many water bottles, give them to friends who don’t know what you now do, PET (plastic) bottles leach fake estrogens into your system which can reportedly cause “Man Boobs”, oh my nerves!  Not to mention that PET takes over 1,000 years to not bio-degrade. I don’t even want to go down this road, if you want more information please e-mail me.  Trust me, it’s not good.

4) Still have too many bottles?    Add a cork/spout and use it for a liquid soap or bath potions for yourself and others.  Check out a book called “Relax to the Max”, at the local library of course, for a plethora of ideas on potions. Make your own organic flavored oils chili or herbed for cooking and salads. Always try to buy items, whose containers can later be used to store things like spices, rice and items that attract icky bugs.

Save all fruit & veggie food scraps if you have a yard to use as compost instead of throwing them in the trash adding to landfill issues, or down the disposal.  More on this in the Gardening section below.

Unplug any chargers, such as cell phone and switch off unused power strips to see a change in your electric bill.

Shopping lets not sugar coat this shall we?  It comes down to wants and needs right? Retail therapy does have its redeeming values; however, make sure you have cash not credit to buy.  If it’s not in your bank account, you should go for a walk instead, in the other direction, far away from the location where the object of your desire is calling for you.

When you have the bling for desired item, feel free to walk to the location.  Hopefully that location was a consignment or thrift style store.  If you can buy 2nd hand you may also find better quality used items, “they don’t make them like they used to”, ever heard that old line?

Some 2nd hand shops will offer generous buy back and or trade up deals as well as better service.   I recently received the most fabulous sewing machine from a place in Kahului.   Yard/Estate sales are just to die for, what great items to barter for.  Quite possibly the last of its kind on the planet, so many grand treasures to be found! It’s a fun way to create your own sense of style, not so cookie cutterish, or so, everyone else has one style.

If you really can’t stand it and retail therapy is the only cure, trade in something you don’t use anymore for a discount at most thrift stores (at the very least a tax write off There are plenty of these establishments here on Maui or wherever you live. It just takes a little research.

REFUSE PLASTIC BAGS! OBTW, BYOB, (bring your own bag).  Recent options include the recycled plastic, meshy style bags available just about everywhere now for a very good deal.  Unfortunately, these bags are all made in China!  The best is still a canvas or cloth bag.  It’s also a great way to reuse cardboard.

Buy yourself a pair of portable chop-sticks with a carrying case to take everywhere you go.  You can’t imagine how much wood is used to make those disposable chopies, no pun intended.  Also a great gift as others think they are cool and love to receive them.  I also carry a wooden spoon and fork in case the sticks just won’t do.  We use them at home as well as I just hate to wash silverware!

One step beyond, take your portable coffee cup, 16oz as most places will fill them and sometimes offer a discount as well. Use it at work as well to cut down on paper waste.  You can’t believe how much money goes towards these items, it could add up to your next raise over a small period of time!

Another really great idea that I saw on “Treehugger” is to bring your own take away container when you eat at a restaurant so you can “just say no” to Styrofoam.

On a community level, take ownership of cleaning up litter in your area of recreation, even though you didn’t do it.  When I go to the beach I always look for shells and trash.  Unfortunately there is always plenty of trash.  However, there is always some little treasure to be found in the karmic exchange of collecting the trash.

The best part aside from the shells is the attention you can attract. Others see you and are usually very curious as to what you’re doing.  It must leave an impression, not to mention at least the small part of the world you occupy looks so much better in no time.  I’m not the only one I see doing this and it’s very encouraging, it’s never too late!

Soon we will adding video to our site, so you can keep yourself updated on the series. Post in our comments and, if there is demand, we will be adding a wiki so our visitors can share their secrets with us and the world! We all can make a difference if each one of us does a little to contribute to the community. Start today with SustainableGirl.tv!