5 Easy Ways To Reduce Air Conditioning Use
There's no way around it: in some places it's time to start using your air conditioner for the summer – that time of year always comes early for us in the desert – and with every single cost rising in recent years, that means buckling down and trying to reduce your power bills while working on your environmental impact. So how do you reduce your air conditioning use? Here are 5 easy ways [...]
Relaxation Tip: Enjoy The Green While It’s Still Green
While it's not quite officially summer yet, with the warmer weather, the green is still hanging on before the real heat sets in. Now, before you get depressed that it's going to get too hot outside, don't forget to take a minute to enjoy the green while it's still green! What a way to avoid the call of the mall! Have a picnic One of my favorite places here in Vegas is [...]
Postconsumer Wedding Gift Ideas
June is the favorite month for weddings, and why not? It's usually warm and calm outside, everybody's in a good mood, and everything's in bloom. If you're still on a budget, shopping for your friends can be a daunting task because you want to be thoughtful and you want to move beyond all that consumerism. Here are some ideas for eco-friendly and affordable gifts for that special couple: Composting bin (you can [...]
Finding Satisfaction & Stress Release: Making Relaxation a Summer Goal
Memorial Day is always the unofficial beginning of summer – the barbeques are fired up, swimming is in abundance, and the kids are out of school. Feels like good times, right? For those who are working and parenting full-time, summer can be the most stressful time of the year. But if you go into summer with relaxation in mind, you can have a better season. If the thought of having your kids [...]
5 Eco-Friendly Summer Vacation Chores for Your Kids
It's always a pain in the rear to get kids to do chores around the house, especially during the lazy summer months. If you're transitioning to a greener household, bringing your kids along for the ride will help make it a group effort. Kids can get involved with all kinds of eco-friendly chores. Start a compost bucket After the kids help you cook dinner, they can use some of the peels and [...]
Summer Traveling: Making Responsible Decisions
Summer here in Vegas is definitely difficult: its gets close to 100 degrees by the middle of May. It makes people think about getting out of town before it feels like you're going to cook on the sidewalk like an egg. If having a staycation isn't a option, or perhaps your budget is a little bigger for an actual trip out of town, there are still some tips to keep in mind as [...]
Budgeting Tip: Carry Your Credit Cards but Keep a Post-It Note on Them
If you're starting to get your spending under control, you're starting to take a look at the credit cards you have and figuring out a game plan. You're thinking you might not want to get rid of them completely just in case your credit score needs a boost or just in case of emergencies, but you have the debt being paid and you've left them out of your wallet or purse to lessen [...]
How Going Digital Can Help You Reduce Stuff
It's very difficult to ween yourself off of entertainment media completely – trust me, I know. But there's at least a way you can cut down on the number of devices in order to simplify. You can get rid of your cable box, DVD player, TV, and bookshelf, all with a simple laptop or iPad. How? Ditch your television (by ditch, we mean donate) Most of what's on regular TV is terrible, [...]
Summer Shopping: Stay Focused, Stay On Budget
With the warmer weather already here for some of us (it's already almost 100 degrees here in Vegas!), it's time to start thinking about our summer budget. We've already talked about the staycation as an alternative to expensive trips. This summer may call for a new bathing suit or an outfit for an event this season (June's the most popular month for weddings)! As with any time of year, keep to your budget [...]
The 800-Pound Gorilla in the Room
It's Friday the 13th and I feel brave so I'm just going to say it: There's an 800-pound gorilla in the room whenever we talk about becoming postconsumers. You know, it's what many people are thinking about underneath it all (besides the environmental crisis and the stress epidemic) that often makes them queasy and simply leave the room when it's mentioned: What will happen to the economy if lots of Americans become postconsumers? [...]
