Recycle? Cool. Reuse? Champ. Reduce? Even better!

I used to think recycling like mad was enough. But we now know that recycling (which is great) is also energy-earth-consuming (the amount of energy and water that goes towards recycling paper, plastic, etc).

So what simple things can we do on a daily basis that will make a huge difference? Here's my top ten.

1) Don't buy soap dispensers in plastic bottles. Buy (or make) soap bars. They require much less packaging and there's no plastic bottle at the end to recycle.


2) Quit the Q-Tips! First of all, they're not healthy for your ears! And billions of them end up in the landfills. How gross is that?! Simply use your cloth towels to clear your ears, some use water, and I vouch for ear candles!

3) Ditch the plastic zip-lock baggies. Try to use reuseable containers instead of baggies, and at the last resort, use aluminum foil (which can be recycled).

4) Take the metro. Walk. Bike. I find myself using my car less and less, and boy, I'm saving a lot on gas & car maintenance! And getting fit instead of sitting in my car!


5) Get dreads! (Or have short hair, or simply just shower less). Much less of a water bill to pay and we use less shampoo/conditioner/soap, etc, saving money on that too!


6) Use deodorant balls (or go without deodorant). The plastic thing that the deodorant comes in is just completely unnecessary and only fills up our landfills. This also applies to whatever you put on your lips - if you can, use small cups that hold vaseline or whatever you like to put on your lips, and refill them instead of disposable lipstick containers. Or go Aveda, they refill most of their containers.

7) Go electronics instead of paper. Need directions to a particular place? Email it to your pager instead of printing it out.

8) Unplug everything, and plug in only when using. You save loads of money this way!

9) Say no to receipts (ATM, gas station). Just say no and you'll be protecting yourself from possible on-line theft.


10) Lastly, say NO to all the plastic/paper bags thrown at us at every store counter. I was buying gum at a gas station and they actually tried to put it in a bag!

11) Refill & bring your own hard plastic container for your coffee/water instead of buying disposable water bottles.

AND Check out www.idealbite.com -- they have excellent simple ideas we can do everyday to reduce our footprint on earth :)

And of course, go organic, that applies to food and clothing! More ideas? Do share!!