orting local small farmers. This is getting easier to do now since the bigger grocery stores are catching on to the organic craze and are providing us more options for organic products.

My kitchen waste gets composted – things like orange rinds, eggshells and coffee grinds. Please note that you should never compost meats or meal leftovers. I use a chipper shr

It’s January and in New Jersey, it’s 70 degrees Fahrenheit. I think to myself sarcastically, “And they say there is no such thing as global warming.” But what can we do about it? Here are some things that I’ve been doing, and, upon writing this article, I’ve discovered some of the other benefits to my actions.

First, the obvious – I recycle everything that I can. I even rinse off aluminum foil and put it in my recycling can. Did you know that some towns will recycle Styrofoam cups? Check with your municipality. And speaking of Styrofoam cups, I use a travel mug as often as possible to cut down on waste in landfills.

I only do laundry when I have a full load, and I wash everything in warm or cold water. I line dry as much as possible, which means I use my dryer less. This also helps me get more milage out of my clothes, and they retain their shape and color longer. And before putting a load in the dryer, I give it an extra spin cycle to reducing the drying time.

My clothes and blankets get donated to Goodwill or the local animal shelter. This not only reduces the amount of garbage going to land fills, it also feels good knowing that someone or some pet will keep warm this winter with my castoffs.

My dishwasher is only run when it’s full, and I don’t use the drying cycle.

I buy organic foods, especially milk, eggs, meat, and produce. Not only does that reduce the amount of pesticides in the environment, I’m also supporting local small farmers. This is getting easier to do now since the bigger grocery stores are catching on to the organic craze and are providing us more options for organic products.

My kitchen waste gets composted – things like orange rinds, eggshells and coffee grinds. Please note that you should never compost meats or meal leftovers. I use a chipper shre

can. I even rinse off aluminum foil and put it in my recycling can. Did you know that some towns will recycle Styrofoam cups? Check with your municipality. And speaking of Styrofoam cups, I use a travel mug as often as possible to cut down on waste in landfills.

I only do laundry when I have a full load, and I wash everything in warm or cold water. I line dry as much as possible, which means I use my dryer less. This also helps me get more milage out of my clothes, and they retain their shape and color longer. And before putting a load in the dryer, I give it an extra spin cycle to reducing the drying time.

My clothes and blankets get donated to Goodwill or the local animal shelter. This not only reduces the amount of garbage going to land fills, it also feels good knowing that someone or some pet will keep warm this winter with my castoffs.

My dishwasher is only run when it’s full, and I don’t use the drying cycle.

I buy organic foods, especially milk, eggs, meat, and produce. Not only does that reduce the amount of pesticides in the environment, I’m also supporting local small farmers. This is getting easier to do now since the bigger grocery stores are catching on to the organic craze and are providing us more options for organic products.

My kitchen waste gets composted – things like orange rinds, eggshells and coffee grinds. Please note that you should never compost meats or meal leftovers. I use a chipper shr

as much as possible, which means I use my dryer less. This also helps me get more milage out of my clothes, and they retain their shape and color longer. And before putting a load in the dryer, I give it an extra spin cycle to reducing the drying time.

My clothes and blankets get donated to Goodwill or the local animal shelter. This not only reduces the amount of garbage going to land fills, it also feels good knowing that someone or some pet will keep warm this winter with my castoffs.

My dishwasher is only run when it’s full, and I don’t use the drying cycle.

I buy organic foods, especially milk, eggs, meat, and produce. Not only does that reduce the amount of pesticides in the environment, I’m also supporting local small farmers. This is getting easier to do now since the bigger grocery stores are catching on to the organic craze and are providing us more options for organic products.

My kitchen waste gets composted – things like orange rinds, eggshells and coffee grinds. Please note that you should never compost meats or meal leftovers. I use a chipper shr

nt of garbage going to land fills, it also feels good knowing that someone or some pet will keep warm this winter with my castoffs.

My dishwasher is only run when it’s full, and I don’t use the drying cycle.

I buy organic foods, especially milk, eggs, meat, and produce. Not only does that reduce the amount of pesticides in the environment, I’m also supporting local small farmers. This is getting easier to do now since the bigger grocery stores are catching on to the organic craze and are providing us more options for organic products.

My kitchen waste gets composted – things like orange rinds, eggshells and coffee grinds. Please note that you should never compost meats or meal leftovers. I use a chipper shr

orting local small farmers. This is getting easier to do now since the bigger grocery stores are catching on to the organic craze and are providing us more options for organic products.

My kitchen waste gets composted – things like orange rinds, eggshells and coffee grinds. Please note that you should never compost meats or meal leftovers. I use a chipper shredder to make the yard waste into mulch. My garden gets better every year with homemade fertilizer and mulch.

I use canvas shopping bags at the grocery store. But when I do get plastic bags, I reuse them or bring them back to the store. Most stores have a bin where you can bring back your bags.

I burn only soy candles. This eliminates the potentially harmful fumes from paraffin wax candles. I also reuse the candle leftovers in a warming pot and reuse the containers for potpourri or to store little things like buttons, cotton balls, and bath salts.

Cloth diapers that I purchased as burp-cloths for my infant are used for cleaning up spills and dusting in my home. I have pets and a toddler, so I can’t completely eliminate paper towels, but I use as few as possible. Once the diapers get older and beat-up, they go in a box to be used for washing the cars, or for my husband to use in his workshop.

I’ve eliminated the harsh chemicals in my home by replacing my cleaning products with toxin-free alternatives. No bleach, ammonia or phosphates in my house so I’m not polluting our water or filling the landfills with more harsh chemicals. This also eliminates some more potentially harmful fumes in my home.

So you see, every day I live environmentally conscious. I may still drive a gas-guzzling SUV, but it’s paid for – I can’t just run out and buy a hybrid. So I do what I can, hoping it makes a difference.