Easy Peasy Tips
« Previous EntriesEasy Peasy Tip: Fixit!
Saturday, March 13th, 2010Taking a tip from the Fixers Collective in Brooklyn, NY: start to think about the things in your life which can be coaxed back into life. The Collective have repaired favorite umbrellas with broken spines, brought ceiling fans back to three working speeds, and reattached workboot soles.
While some fixes may require detailed knowledge, others may […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Don’t waste the Soap!
Saturday, March 6th, 2010Occasionally many of us travel for business or for pleasure, and we may find ourselves staying at a hotel or motel. Now, you’ve probably noticed that there are many complimentary little packages of soaps and shampoos and shower caps and drinking cups - all tiny, cute, handy, and also disposable!
If you’ve got favorite toiletries, take […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Don’t Clean!
Saturday, February 27th, 2010Now, we’re not advocating slovenly behavior, but think about it: even the greenest of cleaning requires resources: water, cleaning agents, reusable rags which will need to be washed, trash bags which will need to be dumped, etc.
So when things need to be cleaned, by all means, clean! But if you can let it go another […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Make a New Friend!
Saturday, February 20th, 2010We’re sort of-kind of feeling snowed in these days in the north east of the U.S. of A., so this is an easy peasy tip designed to help float you through the cold icy days ahead of us before spring: Make a new friend! You don’t have to find a new BFF or anything extreme, […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Buy Smaller Amounts
Saturday, February 13th, 2010When food shopping, if you limit your purchase amounts to only what you’ll need in the near future, there will be less chance of food spoilage and resulting waste. If you only buy the number of tomatoes you’ll need in the next few days, or a small carton of milk, then less of your food […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Keep a towel at work!
Saturday, February 6th, 2010This is a tip so simple that we’re ashamed we didn’t think of it ourselves. Sure, we talk a lot about keeping cloth napkins and hankies on hand so you can avoid disposables. We even have talked about the best way to dry your hands in a public bathroom! so of COURSE we should have thought to suggest that we […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Replace
Saturday, January 30th, 2010You know, for all the talk we do around here about the 4 R’s (Repurpose, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), sometimes it’s just plain time for the 5th R: Replace. If you get to this stage, we know you’ve already thought about ways to fix up what you’ve got or pondered on how to make it workable– […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Keep Perspective
Saturday, January 23rd, 2010It’s so easy to get overwhelmed by the negative environmental stories we hear, that sometimes we can forget how ok other things really are. So while we don’t advocate glossing over the bad stuff, we most certainly do advocate keeping a positive and lighthearted perspective. It’s not all doom and gloom out there– so take […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Wash your Reusable Bags!
Saturday, January 16th, 2010We all know that carrying around a reusable bag is one of the easiest ways to avoid unnecessary waste - but are you washing yours frequently enough? From Lifehacker:
It goes without saying that fresh meat products should be wrapped separately in plastic bags for the trip home from the market, but that doesn’t mean other […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Pick up a Vintage Calendar!
Saturday, January 9th, 2010It’s the new year, and time to think about new ways to keep track of our earthly hours and responsibilities. When you’re out thrifting or even strolling the discount aisle, consider this: Even though last year’s calendar won’t work for THIS year, thanks to the days and months rotating through each calendar year, you use […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Use an Electronic Thermostat
Saturday, January 2nd, 2010It’s simple enough - if you live in a place where you have control over the temperature of your home, go ahead and swap out an old fashioned thermostat for an electronic one. Even if you’re a renter! And then when you go out of town (for example, over a holiday weekend) make a point […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Plan a Garden!
Saturday, December 26th, 2009It’s winter and chilly here in the northeast of the USofA, but that’s no reason that we can’t dream of warmer times. Go ahead and start to plan your garden - order some seed catalogs from heritage farms, look into how to rotate crops to maximize small spaces, and think about drip irrigation. Start to […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Give It Away
Saturday, December 19th, 2009If you’re not using it, pass it along to someone else! The “It” in question can be:
Packaging materials you’ve saved but will never really use
Scarves gramma gave you but you’ll never really use
Books you keep meaning to read but never really will
Extra travel mugs received as gifts from well-meaning loved ones
Clothes you realisticlly know you […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Consolidate!
Saturday, December 12th, 2009Combining things generally makes for less waste, so:
Cook 2 cups of rice instead of one, and you’ll have leftovers for the week, while using the same amount of energy
Double your soup recipe, and you’ll have lots for the freezer while increasing your cooking time and energy only slightly
Wash only full loads of laundry
Combine trips
Etc
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Read all […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Use Bar Soap!
Saturday, December 5th, 2009Instead of buying another plastic bottle of liquid hand soap, switch to bar soap instead. You’ll get much more bang for your buck: more actual soap and less liquefying ingredients; lower carbon footprint; far less packaging to toss away/recycle.
Another way to green this up even further is to seek out bar soap which is sold […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Get some heavy socks! And a scarf!
Saturday, November 28th, 2009It’s chilly around our parts here at Team Tiny Choices, and many of us are in homes where we try to keep the heat low. So in order to compensate, if you’re going to invest start out with some nice warm heavy socks. We’ve suggested that, in the spirit of Jimmy Carter, we all put […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Wash it out!
Saturday, November 21st, 2009As much as many of us are trying to cut down on plastic in our homes and kitchens, odds are, there’s still a few plastic bags floating around. So instead of recycling them or tossing them, take your time after use and wash them out. You can buy Plastic Bag Dryers, which are handy and […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Budget!
Saturday, November 14th, 2009Keeping yourself on a budget is important in many ways– it can help you stay on track with your income and spending habits, which can keep you on the road you envision for your future.
The nice thing is that it can also help you stay focused on your eco-goals at the same time!
If you’re watching […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Squeeze ‘em Up!
Saturday, November 7th, 2009Now, we are not experts in this, but at risk of seeming entirely too “woo woo” we have a hypothesis to share: that an appropriate hug now and then will change the world. There’s something about reaching out and making a connection with another person - for one, it’s a proven stress reducer, so maybe […]
Easy Peasy Tip: Mulch!
Saturday, October 31st, 2009It’s fall for many of us in the northern hemisphere, and in the northeast US the trees have nearly entirely lost their leaves. Guess that means it’s time for a good fall mulching! How about killing two birds with one stone (so to speak!): you’ve got a yard full of leaves, don’t worry about bagging […]
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