5 on Friday: Earth Day

Happy Earth Day and happy Friday.

Today is a day to appreciate our beautiful Earth and be more aware of how to keep it clean. There are a million things to write about for Earth Day. Let’s start with 5 things “Purchase Green”…

1)      Buy Recycled. Items made from paper and plastic are often made from recycled materials. You can also buy automotive parts, motor oil, and tires made from recycled products. Also look out for household furnishings and gardening tools made from recycled materials.
2)      Buy in bulk or multi-packs. Buying more items at once reduces packaging waste. You can also buy items with packaging that can be reused or recycled. It can also be a lot cheaper.
3)      Buy used. You can find authentic retro (or vintage) clothes, accessories, and other items at your local thrift store.
4)      Reusable bags. Whether at the grocery store or department store, bring a reusable bag made from recycled materials with you. They have so many cute ones now and a ton of designs. And they’re super cheap! These are also great ways to give gifts rather than the traditional paper gift bag or wrapping paper.
5)      Buy local. You probably already know this but instead of buying fruits and veggies and what not at the store that are often shipped internationally, go to the local farmer’s market or stand to get it. Last weekend, I bought 1 lb. of strawberries, 1 large onion, and 5 apples from the local market which cost me only $4.37!!! Such a better deal.

Here’s some good links for where to buy some cute reusable bags:
http://www.reusablebagsdepot.com/
http://www.onebagatatime.com/shop/bags.html?cat=15

Also, there are a ton of Earth Day discounts and Freebies:

-          Starbucks: Get a FREE brewed coffee or tea when you bring in your reusable travel mug OR buy a new travel mug for 20% off

-          Lowe’s: Lowe’s is giving away one million trees. Who doesn’t want a free tree?

Search for more Earth Day deals and discounts.

There’s an abundant amount of info on the EPA website for more info on Earth Day and what you can do.

More Earth Day links:
http://thegogreenblog.com/5-ways-to-celebrate-earth-day-april-22-2009/
http://www.earthday.org/
http://www.kashi.com/events/earthday