Arm yourself with the Three R’s and start living green!
by Jodi Goulart
Now that it’s spring, it’s time to finally act on your resolutions to get organized, embrace Green Living and treat Mother Earth with the respect she deserves. Vervegirl’s got 18 ways you can cross both those tasks off your list by cleaning your space the Earth-Friendly way.
Reduce Your Rubbish
The first step towards Green Living starts close to home: take in the battle against extra bedroom baggage and get rid of what you don’t need. According to Natalie Jikerjian, HomeSense public relations manager, there are three ways to determine if an item’s time is up. “If it has no sentimental value, if you haven’t used it in a year, and if it just isn’t pretty to look at, it should be dumped,” says Jikerjian. Of course, donating to charities such as Goodwill or Salvation Army could breathe new life into your unwanted things.
One area of your room that could probably use a good cleaning is your vanity. Check the expiry dates of all your lotions and makeup to see if it’s time to toss them. If you’ve used a new shampoo and conditioner only once and you’re not happy with the results then donate them to a women’s shelter.
Your homework hub may be buried under with as many magazines and books as your local Chapters. If you’re holding on to a magazine because of one Posh & Becks or Brangelina photo spread then rip it out, recycle the magazine and pin the photos on a cute corkboard so it’s always close by for inspiration (or whatever).
Reuse To Find A New Use
Go on a treasure hunt around your house and you’ll be surprised at the number of items you’ll find to help you get organized. Jikerjian suggests using baskets, boxes or gift bags for storage. Other pieces that work double-duty are pretty glasses for your makeup brushes and bowls for rings. Decorative trays can be used to display and organize your perfume bottles. Green Living can help you find other uses for multi-functional items around the home - you’ll save money and cut back on clutter elsewhere.
The Recycling Zone
With green living, recycling isn’t just about tossing things into the blue bin. It can start right at the point of purchase.
You can make your closet more environmentally friendly by using Home Outfitters’ Earth Saver bamboo hangers and baskets. Bamboo is a sustainable material, as it only takes days to grow back. In addition to these planet saving products, Home Outfitters offers soft closet organizers made from PET, which is made from recycled water bottles spun into a soft fabric.
At Pier 1, you can purchase serving bowls made from recycled glass to organize your jewelry and storage baskets made from recycled paper.
Now that you know how to conquer clutter with the Earth in mind, go forth and conquer! You’ll end up with a bedroom and a planet you’re actually proud to live in!
Just from clothing and footwear alone, an individual emits almost 1 tonne of CO2 a year. Factor in 1,000 North American teens, that’s equivalent to the emissions of 325 cars. When it comes to a prom dress (or any other dress for that matter) try to buy eco-friendly or vintage. If you need to purchase new, try one made with earth-friendly materials like organic cotton, bamboo or hemp. ZEROfootprintTM
