Brummet's Conscious Blog

-- Environmentally Conscious Gift Ideas --  Have some fun with the list of ideas below for stocking-stuffers and gifts that can have a positive impact on your local community, and society as a whole.   - Gift certificates: wine making shop, used bookstore, music lessons , etc. - Membership: golf, gym, spa, massage therapist. - Baskets of healthy, locally-produced foods. - Services: Dog walking, babysitting, housecleaning, etc. - Yellow CFL’s for exterior lighting that is energy efficient and reduces bugs around entrances or seating areas. - Slippers/sweaters (the recipient is less likely to turn up thermostat). - Family recipe book (w/photos of family). - Toys and games with positive environmental or education values and those that emphasize cooperation, exploration or creative thinking. - For the new homeowner - thermostat control that automatically turns the heat down at night and tubes of caulking or weather stripping. Hot water tank...

Green Celebrations - Part 1 Tis the season... so they say.  Late November - January brings a myriad of church and school events, fundraisers, theater and choir productions, meetings, gatherings, parties, live music events, meals, gifts... This all adds up to creating more than 25% waste than any other time of the year. 25%.  To put this 25% number in your mind visually - imagine your own residential garbage output for pick-up day. When garbage pick up day comes around for us, we put out an average of 1/3 of a black garbage bag. Sometimes more, sometimes less - depending on the projects we are doing around the home or property, but that is our average... 1/3 of a bag. 25% more would equate to about 3/4 of a bag. Some of our neighbors put out 2 bags on average... so their increase would look like 2.5 bags. Add that up, household by household; apartment by apartment, down one side of your block and you can start to mentally picture just how much more residential garbage...