Does it drive you insane when a company says they are “going green?” Do you even believe most companies when they make these claims? If you answer yes to the first and no to the second question, you aren’t alone. Each year, Lake Superior State University accepts nominations for words people  want to banish in the new year. Submissions are accepted on their website. On the top of 2009’s list? The word “green.” 

Maybe Kermit was right - being green really isn’t easy.

So how are we to grapple with this situation? Do we remove the word entirely from our vernacular when speaking of our environmentally responsible actions? Is that even really possible? Can we really not use such catch phrases as “going green,” “green your life,” or dare I say it… “Be Green Minded?” Those of us who are aiming to change our lives (slowly or overnight!) want our actions to speak as loud as our words but we also want our words to be heard by the not yet eco-converted. But if terms like “green” will no longer be heard by the public because of its gross overuse, what else can we say?

Not to be outdone however, other eco-chic words like carbon footprint and carbon offsetting are on the 2009 list of words to banish as well. Overuse and likely the lack of understanding lead the rally to move away from terms like carbon footprint and carbon offsetting.  These words, however, really help quantify the impact we have on the environment as well as how much we reduce our impact through changes in our actions. Most of the public needs clear results in order to be compelled to act and these phrases help with just that.

BeGreenMinded wants to hear from you. What do you think about these results and the language used to describe environmentally responsible actions. Have you too grown tired of words like “green” and “carbon footprint?” Let us know in the comments below.

Image by Flickr user kevygee used under a Creative Commons License.

We often hear the term reduce, reuse and recycle, but I feel like reuse gets lost in the shuffle sometimes. Finding ways to reuse stuff is a great way to help out the earth – and it’s also very friendly on the wallet.

We are big “reusers” in my family. I am always looking for creative ways to make leftovers more appealing to our toddler, and we’ve repurposed many objects as toys recently.

But you don’t need a toddler’s creativity to find ways to reuse items you no longer want. You just need craigslist, freecycle or your local paper’s classifieds.

All of these services are easy to use, and the first two are free. If your area isn’t big enough to have a thriving online classifieds option, newspaper classifieds also offer many great options in the form of garage sales, etc.

We downsized with our last move and had lots of furniture and stuff that we didn’t have room for. I’m not one for wasting anything, so we put LOTS of items up on craigslist. And found takers for everything from a couch and piano bench to a bedspread and throw rug. These all went to people who wanted them and we knew they would get used, and not take up space in a landfill.

Using these services does take more work than throwing them out, but it’s well worth the effort.

For craigslist, go to the website and select the area where you live. Once there, you can click on post to put up your unwanted items, and follow the prompts to post your ad. Or you can click on any of the links to see what other people have for sale or are giving away.

Most of the ads on craigslist are sent through an anonymous email, so you shouldn’t get any spam for posting on the site.

As for freecycle, you also search for your area. I had to apply to be a member for the freecycle in our area. But I don’t think that’s the case for every area. Once you’re in, you also just have to follow the prompts for posting.

As with all free services offered to the public, there are people who will abuse the system, so be careful.

If you get a query from someone who wants you to mail your product, make sure you get payment for shipping FIRST.

If you’re worried about people coming to your house, set up a time during the day and meet at a public place.

If you are selling items, insist on cash or a cashier’s check.

And be prepared for people to not show up. As a frequent poster, I can tell you that this is a whole lot more common than I would like. But I realize this is a free service, and it’s helped us clear out a lot of clutter (as well as add a whole lot of new-to-us clutter.)

Do you have any tips for using online classifieds?

In an effort to find less toxic ways to clean and garden, I’ve discovered many new uses for salt – yes, salt! The Salt Institute reports that salt has more than 14,000 known uses – many of them not as flavoring!

Here are some green uses for salt in and around the house.

Inside uses for salt:

Greenlivingtips.com suggests using a paste of salt and white vinegar as a polish for some metals.

The site also recommends using salt to scrub grease off of cookware and soak up oil in the kitchen.

Want to make that kitchen sponge last a little longer? Greenlivingtips.com recommends you soak it in a strong saltwater solution to help kill the bacteria. Speaking of bacteria, you can cover your cutting board with salt and let it sit for a while before rinsing to get rid of the bacteria.

The Hippyshopper suggests using salt to clean up foods that spill over inside the oven. If you sprinkle salt on the mess right away (during baking) it will help prevent smoke and odor. Once the oven has cooled, the spot should just brush away.

You can also use salt to test if an egg is rotten. Put your egg in a cup of water with 2 teaspoons of salt. An egg that’s rotten will float, while fresh eggs sink.

Outside uses for salt:

A great article on howstuffworks.com details many uses for salt outside the house.

Did you know a strong, soapy saltwater spray could kill poison ivy? Just mix three pounds of salt with a gallon of soapy water and spray directly onto the plant.

Pour a mixture of 2 tablespoons salt, 5 tablespoons vinegar and a quart of hot water onto weeds to kill them.

And if ants are starting to make their way into your house, sprinkle some salt around the areas where they gain entry.

Want to keep ice off of your windshield? Spray a saltwater solution on your windshield at night. This works because the dew that forms becomes saltwater, which freezes at a lower temperature than fresh water.

Health uses for salt:

The Hippyshopper also suggests using salt to soothe a bee sting. Just wet the stung area and then cover with salt.

You can add some salt to your bath to soothe scratches, rashes and cuts.

If you have a canker sore, mouthache or toothache, dissolve a teaspoon of salt into a cup of warm water and gargle a few times a day. It takes me several mouthfuls to finish the cup. This stings a bit, but definitely helps with the pain and quickens the healing time.

Do you have any other great uses for salt?

Welcome to 2009! We hope you had a great holiday and can’t wait to help you fulfill your New Year’s resolution to integrate more acts of green into your lives. 

Below is a pledge for you to sign which we are certain will help you up your green ante over the course of the year. While the list may be daunting at first, consider incorporating just a few new eco-friendly tasks each month. Over the course of the year, you will have made great strides towards reducing your carbon footprint and deepening your shade of green.

At home, I pledge to…

• turn off lights and appliances when not in use
• unplug chargers  and appliances that are not in use
• use computer sleep mode and turn off monitors when not in use
• open the dishwasher and air dry dishes instead of using the hot air dry cycle, run only full loads
• dry laundry on a clothesline
• wash clothes on cold cycle, wash only full loads
• turn down my hot water heater to 120F
• shorten showers by a few minutes to conserve hot water
• lower my thermostat by at least 1F during the winter season
• install a digital, programmable thermostat. Set it and forget it
• adjust thermostat when I leave the house (10F down in winter, 10F up in summer) (if you install the programmable thermostat and set it, you can check this one off too!)
• keep up with basic furnace maintenance- have it professionally tuned and cleaned, replace air filters regularly
• cook more efficiently- cover pots, use a pressure cooker when appropriate, keep burners clean, cook several dishes at a time in the oven, use microwave to heat food, for small meals - use a toaster convection oven instead of heating up your larger oven
• keep drapes or blinds closed at night in winter and during the day in the summer to reduce heating and cooling needs
• clean refrigerator coil every 4-6 months
• replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs
• when bulbs blow out, dispose of them properly or recycle if possible
• install light dimmers
• install faucet aerators in sinks to reduce hot water use
• install low-flow shower heads to conserve hot water
• install low-flow toilets to reduce water use
• insulate 4 ft of hot water pipes closest to hot water heater
• insulate all hot water pipes
• caulk and weatherstrip all my doors and windows
• have a professional seal my heating ducts to reduce loss of heated air
• replace old inefficient dishwasher (over 10 years old) with an Energy Star model
• replace old inefficient refrigerator (over 10 years old) with an Energy Star model
• replace old inefficient clothes washing machine (over 10 years old) with an Energy Star model
• improve my home’s insulation
• replace old furnace with efficient Energy Star model
• install a solar hot water heater
• eat one less beef meal per week
• eat organic food as much as your budget allows
• eat as local as possible; maybe eating “100 miler meals” - food that hasn’t traveled more than 100 miles
• compost food and yard wastes
• recycle paper, bottles, cans and other reusable materials
• buy recycled products whenever possible
• buy products that use as little packaging as possible
• take clothing and small appliances to charity thrift stores or other donation centers
• join a volunteer organization, or an environmental organization
• participate in government so I have a voice in sustainability issues and decisions
• register to vote so I can create help change in environmental policy decisions
• tell a friend

For my transportation, I pledge to:

• take public transportation to work or school instead of driving at least 1 day a week
• carpool to work or school at least 1 day a week
• replace at least 5 miles of driving with biking or walking per week
• inflate car tires properly, use recommended motor oil and keep car well tuned
• buy a fuel efficient vehicle (30 mpg)

For my workplace, I pledge to:

• make double sided copies
• only print when I really need the hard copy
• use the blank side of old documents for scrap paper
• buy recycled copy/printer paper.
• turn off my computer at night

The Green Ribbon Pledge will compute your energy savings for energy saving specific points. Thanks to the Stonybrook Green Pledge.

What are suggestions you can add to creating a greener 2009?  Please tell us below in the comments!

I spent the weekend before last in New York City acting the part of a tourist. Acting the part because when you are marrying into a family of New Yorkers (even if they don’t like IN the City), you always get to go to the City, but you never get to really see it. This trip, we actually got a chance to walk the streets and see the sights, including Times Square.

Being so close to the New Year, Times Square was abuzz with preparations for the biggest party of the year. As part of this celebration, extra toilets are of course required where millions of people will gather to watch the ball drop into 2009.  And, since it is Times Square, it seems only obvious that adding toilets means possibly the best advertising opportunity Charmin has ever thought up. Just off of the square at 1540 Broadway (next to Virgin Megastore) is a huge sign with your favorite Charmin bears welcoming visitors to excellent, eco-friendly toilets. With dancing twenty-somethings welcoming you to a potty experience of a lifetime, it was possibly the most fun place to make a restroom break in the country.

Once ushered into a super clean restroom, it doesn’t take long to notice that the toilets are ultra low-flow (1.1 gallons!) and low flow faucets with, of course, your choice of soft or strong toilet tissue. Its too bad that Charmin doesn’t offer a recycled toilet tissue product to coordinate with their otherwise eco-friendly restrooms.

So with all of that said and done (going to the bathroom that is!) we ventured to the upstairs section of this enormous infomercial which was entirely for Duracell Batteries.  Just as fun and engaging, this display included bikes which visitors could jump on and help generate the needed energy for the 2009 Times Square sign as well as toys powered by Duracell batteries (rechargeable of course!) and power stations for visitors to charge up cell phones.

In coordination with the green themed display, Duracell educated visitors about proper disposal of batteries and best of all, about the LED lit 2009 Times Square sign and the Ball. The 2009 sign will be lit with 40 watt Halogena Energy Saver bulbs which are 20% more energy efficient than the bulbs used in last year’s sign.

While we didn’t get to see the Times Square Ball up close, there were some amazing facts about this year’s ball. 

First off, it’s a whole new generation of lighting. It is double the size of last year’s ball and yet consumes only as much energy per hour as it takes to operate two household ovens! This state of the art ball still includes the Waterford crystal the ball has always been known for, but this year is lit by 32,256 Philips Luxeon LEDs, allowing for increased energy efficiency and color capabilities.

And, if you miss the lighting and dropping of the Times Square ball, fear not, it will be on display all year long this year. Drop by the Square next time you are in the City. But, if you plan to be there for the biggest party in the nation, take a photo for me and be sure to check out those Charmin restrooms… best potty in the area, guaranteed.

Tell us how you are ringing in the New Year in a green way below.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Charmin Bathroom image by Flickr user bluespf42 used under a Creative Commons License. Times Square Ball and 2009 Sign photos curtesy of Countdown Entertainment, LLC.