Recycling Plastic Hangers

What should you with all of those coathangers in your closet that seem to breed like rabbits when the lights are out? Well, you can always take them back to the drycleaners where you got them in the first place. Most of the time they will take them back, hey it saves them money on hangers, right? Just pile them with your drycleaning and take everything in together when the pile gets big enough. Easy enough, right?

Also, if you need coathangers, why not try a Goodwill or Salvation Army. Oftentimes they have packs of coathangers for just a few bucks, or even a few cents if you can hit them on a sale day. Instead of purchasing new plastic coathangers which will just take more resources to make (oil) and will eventually be more than you need.


Thought of the Day: Be Nice or Leave!

Electronic Recycling in San Diego

This coming Saturday, March 8, (8am-4pm) is a mega electronics recycling event here in San Diego. So gather all of those items that have long cluttered your house, apartment, job, car backseat, etc and bring 'em down.

Actually, its better to reuse than recycle, so if there is a way to repair the item, try doing that first. Oftentimes electronics places will take donations - if you're happy to part with the item, they'll fix it up and resell it for cheap. Check and see if they will recycle the item if its unfixable and just needs a proper burial.

For more information, check out at NBC San Diego Go Green.

Compost. Everybody's Doing It.

On my mom's birthday, here is one of her favorite tips:

Make a Compost Bin. Start now, even before you finish reading this – it’s just that important. Compost reuses/eliminates waste and rebuilds soil, and most importantly anyone can do it – even someone in an apartment with a bucket and some worms. Today’s compost bins can even fit on countertops and apartment patios for the space-restricted Treehugger with good intentions. You can add worms to the mix to speed up the process. If the bin is in your apartment or house, make sure to keep a layer (4”) of newspaper over the compost to keep the fruit flies down. Compost gives your garden a much-needed boost, providing soil that is high in a variety of nutrients. Plus, it keeps all of that waste out of area landfills. Buy one or make one yourself.

Cover the Pipes Under Your Sink

Fast Tip: Want to save a little more on your electric bill? Consider checking the pipes under your sink and cover them with some sort of insulated wrap. Its a fairly cheap way to save a little money. Porcelain is a really poor insulator. In fact, while you're at it, consider insulating all the exposed piping in your basement, attic and under your sinks.

Park Your Car

If you're not already doing it, consider choosing one day a week where you simply don't drive anywhere. Sad but true, most of us can't walk to work, so we need our car for our commute. If that is the case, then choose saturday or sunday where you leave that car in the garage. Walk, bike, carpool, whatever, just no direct driving. This will help slow down your life too as you learn to use the resources in your neighborhood and take time to just "be."

For the more ambitious out there in the audience, take one day a week where you choose to bike or use public transportation or even walk to work. This will save on gas, parking, tolls, wear/tear on your car and also your sanity. It might take a bit longer to get to work, but you might have less stress as you can just sit back, read a book and leave the worry of driving to someone else.