What are some neat tips and strategies you use? Let's share ideas.
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Yesterday, I re-used some old books and magazines by leaving them in the mailroom of my complex. Someone took them.
I keep old towels and shirts as cleaning rags, up to a point. (limted storage space)
Rats.....my post disappeared.
Using cloth shopping bags will reduce the bazillion plastic bags you accumulate in a month.
I use old towels/sheets/cotton socks too, as cleaning rags. A cotton sock worn on your hand is a great duster.
I also fill a spray bottle with vinegar and water to clean all non-wood surfaces. Works great and deodorizes at the same time.
(//vny!://www.colossusblog.com/mt/archives/images/sock_puppet_theatre.jpg)
Hey! Dusting can be more fun now!
HAHAHAHAAAAAAA.....AHAHHAHHAHAA.......thanks Lil Me. I was in need of a good laugh.
Yes....you too can enjoy dusting just like June Cleaver, when you use a sock. [/DIV]
Whenever possible, I use a big grocery bags to carry my grocery items. No point in using plastic bags if I can help it.
I recycle any parts of paper and newspaper and whatever around.
I told my dentist to recycle the metallic part for our films. I don't know if she's doing it right now but it seems like such a waste at work. I even got her to call the company that takes in the recycle metallic part... they will pay a percentage. At our office we go through so much films that it seems like such a waste for not doing anything about it.
I don't use water bottle if I can help it. I now refill containers and bring them with us whenever.
Re-use envelopes (postage stamps too - if they're not marked), type on both sides of the paper. Buy as much as you can that's second-hand - take old clothes (or those you don't like) to places which collect them for charity.
What's an envelope ? [img style="CURSOR: pointer" onclick=url(this.src); src="vny!://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/more/bigs/c025.gif" border=0]
Those things which contain letters, they're usually coloured brown and are packed with red tape
recycle old electronics. Like your old tv that doesn't work, computer that's outdated etc.
lol.....just teasing you Gophie. I think I can count on one hand how many envelopes I've used in the last 5 years.
Another thing to consider is making your own household cleaning products. Easy as pie....cheap and effective. Use baking soda instead of Comet to clean sinks etc.
Vinegar's pretty good for almost everything, too
P.C. wrote:
I also fill a spray bottle with vinegar and water to clean all non-wood surfaces. Works great and deodorizes at the same time.
Stay with the tour Gophie. [img style="CURSOR: pointer" onclick=url(this.src); src="vny!://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/more/bigs/c033.gif" border=0][/DIV]
I'm endeavouring to re-join it.
[img style="CURSOR: pointer" onclick=url(this.src); src="vny!://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/more/bigs/c008.gif" border=0] ....and doing a mighty fine job.
Uh, I leave the country for six months of the year.. does that count?
I tend to pass on my older books and stuff I dont want anymroe to friends. Same thing with stuff like furniture and tv's.. I offer them to friends or <gasp> I even use craigslist.
Old clothes if I dont use them for rags first, I will bring over here to africa, and at the end of my trip I will offer them to the crew onboard or to the locals onshore. They will use them until they fall to pieces..
I have actually been on a replace old appliances and equipment spree with more power efficient ones, and have those new lightbulbs and timers for lights in various places of the house now. Dont know if they will help, but at least it feels like I am, lol!
If I can't think of anyone who'd like some item I'd like to dispose of or where specifically to take it, I just leave it on a bench - it soon goes.
I love that you take clothes to leave over there Russ. That's nice. [img style="CURSOR: pointer" onclick=url(this.src); src="vny!://www.cheesebuerger.de/images/smilie/liebe/d058.gif" border=0]
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That is a wonderful idea, Russ.
Gophie: Interesting. What kinds of things do you leave on benches? A collection of gum wrappers and some old socks?!
All sorts of things, mainly novelties which have been given to me and for which I have no use at all - I like to think that I've given someone some pleasure by having an unexpected 'find'.
That's neat too Gophie. Kind of like random acts of kindness.
That's awesome.
(if you need some entertainment, glue a quarter or a something enticing to the bench. Hide in the bushes and wait!)
Yep, you've got it, PC. Do you ever remember painting eggs at Easter and 'hiding' them somewhere you knew children would find them?
Lil Me wrote:
That's awesome.
(if you need some entertainment, glue a quarter or a something enticing to the bench. Hide in the bushes and wait!)
....
That's mean. Thanks for the idea.
omg....that reminds me of that old 'Penny Picker' thread on DV. That was too funny.
[?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /][o:p] [P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; lineh-eight: 150%"]Tips For Saving Paper
[OL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=1] [LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; lineh-eight: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in"]Photocopy and print on both sides of the page.[SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"] [/SPAN][/LI] [LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; lineh-eight: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in"]Email everything as much as possible, and don't automatically print emails.[/LI] [LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; lineh-eight: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in"]Don't print out a whole 60 page report willy-nilly.[SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"] [/SPAN]Take a quick look on-screen to decide which sections you.[SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"] [/SPAN]really need.[/LI] [LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; lineh-eight: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in"]Use print preview religiously[/LI] [LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; lineh-eight: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in"]Use an e-fax program on your computer. [/LI] [LI class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; lineh-eight: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in"][SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"]Hold on to paper that was printed on one side only and use the other side to take notes.[/SPAN][/o:p][/LI][/OL]
:) I like the way you think lil me!
So.. Im curious about what youleave behind on benches myself gopher..
Im still laughing here PC at your comment.. the others around me are looking at me strange.
I don't know.....but I'm going to try it. I have a ton-o-stuff that I was going to take to the SOS....but now I think it might be more fun to plant it and watch the action.
Were you laughing at the Penny Picker thread ? Do you remember that one ? ROFL
I laughed at the penny pinching... but I was laughing at the giving away all my clothes comment. I dont want to scar anyone for life here!
You guys have some really great ways to contribute to the environment. :)
I really like your idea of leaving novelties at the bench, Gophie. I left a bag of books and clothes by our bus stop bench and when I got home from work, they were gone. :))
I do the "bin" shopping whenever I go to Superstore, Save On Foods and Costco. These bins would last me for several years, plus I could use them for picnics.
I do the double-sided printing and print previews all the time at work. And emails? That's my job. Don't tell my guy that Microsoft Outlook has a thing for me. (//forums/richedit/smileys/Teasing/12.gif)
oops, posted twice...dunno what happened there.
What the? LOL
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Many many years ago, I picked up 8 pieces of really thick glass at a garage sale. They are the size of a dinner placemat. So I use them for.....you guessed it....placemats. I LOVE these things. You can put whatever you like under them to fit whatever theme you like. I also got 8 that fit a round table. (the whole works for 2 bucks. The edges are rounded and smooth.
I stick autumn leaves under them for Thanksgiving. Christmas cards or pics at Christmas. Print off different pictures of the guest of honour.....birthday boy or whoever. Sometimes I've used some interesting clips or funny stories just to read....sprinkle some confetti....etc. For kids, you can put in search and find pics to keep them amused. (a lot of this stuff printed off the computer) Well you get the picture.....the ideas are endless. (even just cut up shapes of coloured paper or pretty pics from thrift store magazines. You can even make some very elegant settings)
Anyways....the point being.....they're wipeable. No placemats to wash, and your tablecloth gets many more than one use. Best 2 bucks I ever spent.
They'd also be useful for 'preserving' completed jigsaw puzzles.
Use cloth bags at the grocery store instead of the plastic bags. Here's are site that has some interesting ones: [A href="vny!://www.bringyourownbag.ca/bag_collection.html"]vny!://www.bringyourownbag.ca/bag_collection.html[/A]
several large businesses (eg. IKEA) here are beginning to charge customers for plastic bags......money collected are donated to recycling centers/programs. Several Bay Area municipalities have banned the use of styrofoam containers