Sunday, at precisely 2am, we roll our clocks back 1 hour. And POOF, just like that, we have earned an extra hour.
Every Fall I do the same thing with my extra daylight savings time (DST) hour. I wake up; I enjoy my day, and then when I need the extra hour of time I roll my clocks back 1 hour.
It is magical to have saved and earned the extra hour of time for just the right moment.
Here is a trivia question for you: What 2 states DO NOT observe DST?
Get the answer @uSellAlexandra.
Save Money and Go Green This Halloween
Did you know you could make money this Halloween? Check out these quick tips and ideas to have a frightfully thrifty and creative Halloween!
To brew up a fantastic Halloween, the recipe is simple:
Costumes – Reuse, re-purposed, or made from reused items
Food – Focus on healthier and organic treats Decorations – Reusable or recyclable
Activities – Games, trick or treating with emphasis on the ‘treats’ & “tricks”
Costumes are where you can get creative! Use your imagination and make costumes from what you already have, borrow from a friend, or go to a thrift store. This time of year second hand stores have all their Halloween merchandise displayed and ready to be put to use. TerraCycle is sponsoring the Monster Mash Your Trash Costume Contest. Terra Cycle is encouraging us to learn in a hands-on way how every day waste materials can be reused into unique, innovative products. Enter your upcycled costume by November 4th and you could be one of four contestants to win a gift card for cool TerraCycle upcycled products.
This year think outside the wrapper. Once you decide on your costume it is all about candy, candy, candy and more candy. Halloween is great time to introduce kids (and adults) to healthier and organic treats. Some of my kid’s favorites are Florida’s Natural organic fruit snacks. Honestly, they are like candy and it is a treat kids (and adults) will enjoy beyond Halloween. Many health care providers, especially dentists, participate in the Halloween Candy Buy Back program. Basically, healthcare providers will pay you cash for you candy or in exchange for your candy they will give you a free gift. In turn, the candy is donated to charitable organizations such as Operation Gratitude. My dentist pays $1/per pound. That is easily $5 to $10 for the family, plus the candy is distributed to a good cause. We all win!
Halloween decorations set the mood for a spooky, fun or festive environment. Like costumes, use your imagination to create an original and sustainable atmosphere. Reuse your decorations from last year, or re-purpose décor items to make original works of art. Halloween also ushers in the Fall and it is easy to decorate with “edible” decorations. The natural palate of autumn’s rich, warm colors of fruits, leaves and winter squashes make for interesting and fun crafts and décor.
Now it’s time to let the fun begin. Activities and games of trick or treating can be engaging and memorable. This year, when you get the knock on the door, and hear the words “Trick or Treat!” think about doing a “trick”. Now is the time to brush up on your magic tricks. There are several simple and fun card or hat tricks that will give your visitors a unforgettable moment along with their treat.
Share your green and money saving tips to create a memorable 2011 Halloween!
Have you ever wondered what upstream and downstream recycling means? 
If so,you’re not alone. I often get asked this question and I thought I would answer it.
Upstream recycling can be summed up in one term- “design for environment” or DfE. An upstream product is manufactured with a keen eye on environmental sustainability. For instance, a manufacturer will create packaging that weighs less by using fewer materials for a product’s packaging. A DfE manufacturer will also consider using eco-friendly materials or a single material in the packaging & product design, coding and labeling when different materials are used, and allow ease of product material dis-assembly. DfE products may cost less to recycle and have a sustainable impact on our environment. A fantastic example of DfE is the Micro-USB charger. The Micro-USB will be the common charging interface for mobile phones. The Micro USB-based plug will enable all mobile phones to power up using the same charger regardless of make and model. For more information please see my recent blog “One-Charger Fits All Revolution”. For upstream recycling, the responsibility is on the manufacturer.
Downstream recycling can be summed up in one term- “giving products a second life”. Downstream recycling or down-recycling is when a non-recyclable product is re-purposed into material for a new product of sometimes lesser quality. This can include varying grades of plastic, paper products, and other materials. An outstanding example of a company built upon down-cycling is TerraCycle. TerraCycle turns non-recyclable products into recycled products. Through their international waste collection programs, they turn the collected waste into new products, such as fertilizer, backpacks and park benches. For downstream recycling, the responsibility is on the consumer.
Please share your comments and experiences with upstream and downstream recycling. We would love to hear your story.
Happy Tuesday everyone! Today we’re sharing an infographic we put together that clearly demonstrates the staggering volume of old cell phones that will be placed in desk drawers or tossed in the trash in 2011 alone – *143 million cell phones* – which averages out to about *$3.5 billion* that Americans could be making by trading those phones in for cash.
In today’s shaky economy, trading in old electronics is a very real way for consumers to earn cash fast. Many people aren’t aware of the latent value in their old phones, mp3 players, tablets, e-readers, and other devices. But if everyone traded in their unwanted devices for cash, on average that would be enough money to buy every American an iPod® nano, a month’s worth of gas OR a week’s worth of groceries.
So next time, think twice before ditching that old gadget – it just might be worth some serious cash!
September is Yoga Month sponsored by www.YogaMonth.org. Yoga Month is meant to bring awareness to yoga and to inspire a healthy lifestyle.
I have completely wrapped my arms around Yoga Month and given it a BIG HUG. You see, I am a yoga teacher and forever a student of yoga. Yoga did inspire a healthier and happier life for me and, in turn, those I share my life with.
However, I was totally unaware that yoga mats are not recyclable and that very few yoga mats are made with recyclable materials. As a social advocate, this fact did not fit well with my lifestyle. That is, until I stumbled upon Stephanie Stano, Founder and Director of www.RecycleYourMat.com.
The mission of Recycle Your Mat is to solve environmental challenges in a socially responsible manner. Since the inception of the business it has been centered around two main objectives – recycle and upcycle mats as new products and reuse mats through donation. These objectives are met through yoga mat collection at yoga studios, fitness centers and through individuals’ shipments of yoga mats.
Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Stephanie Stano, Founder and Director of Recycle Your Mat.
What made you decide to champion recycling yoga mats?
I received a mat as a gift, but already had a yoga mat I liked, so my used one went in the closet for a while. Shortly after receiving the yoga mat, I started noticing mats in my yoga class and adding things up in my head. If I took class 3 times a week and there was between 20-30 people in each class and only 8-10 were regulars and the rest I saw only 1 – 3 times, then where were all these new practitioners going, and what were they doing with their shiny new yoga mat they purchased?
Who is the biggest recycler of yoga mats? And what do they use the recycled material for?
I get this question a lot and it’s just not common enough yet in the manufacturing industry for people to give full disclosure of where they source their materials (i.e. you don’t see a bag that says nylon for webbing purchased from ABC company and cotton material for bag purchased from XYZ company). We are working on an exciting consumer product with a company that is forward thinking and are excited to announce our partnership with them in the coming months. It will be nice to be able to shout from the rooftops who we work with and are looking forward to promoting our work together!
Do you see a future where there is a cost-effective alternative to rubber mats?
This is a great question. I will say that most of the mats I receive are the low cost plastic mats. My hunch is that most people starting out their yoga practice buy the cheapest mat because they don’t know how long they will stick with yoga, but they want to give it a try. I do see a need for a low cost eco-friendly mat. Until then, I would like to see mats that can be recyclable using the recycling capabilities in place now. Currently mats cannot be remade into mats and they cannot be recycled in curbside plastic recycling programs. I hope someday all mats are recyclable using our current industrial recycling capabilities or biodegradable.
What is your biggest obstacle for “buy-in” into the recycling program?
Cost. Studios pay out of their own pockets to collect and send us used mats. Individuals also pay to send us their mats. For three years, I’ve been campaigning for the yoga industry to follow the electronics industry and other products and tack on a nominal recycling fee for the sale of each mat. Even a quarter fee a mat would help tremendously to expand our collection and open up more opportunities for upcycling. We’ve approached a number of yoga companies about this and it seems no one will be the first to budge, but I think once one yoga company commits, others will as well, if only to maintain their “green credibility”.
Thank you, Stephanie for taking the time to speak with me and for your dedication to making our world more sustainable “one mat at a time”. Please keep us posted on your big announcement!
Raise your hand if you have a drawer full of phone chargers… I confess, the picture included in this blog is my drawer of old chargers. 
Beginning January 1, 2012, 17+ mobile providers plan on implementing a universal charging solution. The Micro-USB will be the common charging interface for mobile phones. The micro USB-based plug will enable all mobile phones to power up using the same charger regardless of make and model. In fact, your phone may already be using a Micro-USB.
Finally, a brilliant, common sense idea!
The GSMA (Global System for Mobile Association), which represents the interests of GSM operators, which includes AT&T, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Orange, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, T-Mobile, and Vodafone, predicts a 50 per cent reduction in standby energy consumption, elimination of 51,000 tons of redundant chargers, and a subsequent reduction of 13.6 million tons in greenhouse gas emissions each year.
All GSM operators and mobile manufacturers are invited to join the initiative as a partner by signing the Universal Charging Solution Letter of Intent. Noticeably absent from the list of supporters is Apple. Apple’s dock connector was introduced on the third-generation iPod in 2003 and has appeared on every iPod and iPhone since. By the 2012 deadline, the proprietary dock connector will have been around for nearly a decade.
Do you think Apple will join the One Charger Fits All Revolution? Share your comments.
If you have cords or other electronic devices you need to recycle check out our partner link.
Honestly, who doesn’t have junk? We all have some, but most of us aren’t millionaires.
So what do you do when you don’t have the time or don’t want to sort through your stuff to find the items that need to be trashed, donated or recycled? In 1989, college student Brian Scudamore saw an opportunity with junk and has built the million dollar franchise 1-800-GOT-JUNK?.
1-800-GOT-JUNK? boosts that they have saved 1.980220 billion pounds of waste from landfills since 1989. All you have to do is schedule an appointment and a uniformed truck team will come to your home and give you a quote on how much it will be to remove your household junk (appliances, scrap metal, etc.), office junk (computers, printers, etc.) and general junk removal (yard trimmings, construction debris, etc.). All you do is point to the junk and they will remove it and clean up afterwards. The best part (besides not lifting a thing) is that whenever possible they will recycle and donate your junk.
1-800-GOT-JUNK? makes money on the front end of the transaction and on the back end of the transaction by recycling. Genius, why didn’t I think of this million dollar money making green opportunity?
So the old adage rings true with 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”.
For many, this week marks the start of a new school year and vibrant shades of green to be eco-wise for the environment and our wallet. And really, who couldn’t use new ways to conserve resources and money?
Go Green in Style
Back-to-school shopping can leave our wallets thin, especially since kids outgrow their clothes in no time. Thredup.com is a peer-to-peer online clothing exchange service for kids clothing. It is an eco-conscious way to get fashionable and lovingly worn kids clothing at an affordable price with all the convenience of home shopping. For only $5 a box + $10.95 shipping parents can easily swap clothes their kids have outgrown for great new items that fit.
Waste-Free Lunches
If you are packing lunches why not consider buying in bulk and storing the extra in reusable containers? Or try using cloth napkins and insulated tote bags to reduce waste. If you decide to pack a lunch, eco-friendly brands like, CrocodileCreek.com offer a wide selection of kid inspired, non-toxic, insulated lunch boxes and storage containers for snacks and drinks. BuiltNY.com offers neoprene bags that are insulated, lightweight and adorable. Organic cloth bags by MimitheSardine.com wipe clean or can be machine washed. If you want to receive a kinda free reusable lunch sack visit Annie’s Totally Natural . All you have to do is purchase 4 items – one from each of the following companies: Annie’s Homegrown, Honest Kids, Seventh Generation, and Stonyfield YoKids. If only we can get our kids to eat their lunch.
Greening School Supplies
There a few simple and cost effective ways to save and be greener with school supplies. First of all, only buy what is on your child’s list. Then take inventory of what you have left over from last year. Pencil cases, scissors, rulers, and notebooks can be reused and even made to look brand new with a good cleaning and a crafty make over. Also, consider using biodegradable pens and pencils or try refillable pens and pencils.
Join the conversation and tell us how you go green during this time of year.
Recycling and cash go together like Bert and Ernie.
Everybody wears clothes, right? So why not sell your clothes and make some money? That’s recycling!
Buffalo Exchange is a national pioneer in the recycling of fashionable clothes for cash. Buffalo Exchange buys clothes directly from you and offers either trade or cash. Trade is in the form of a store credit and has a higher value than the cash option. For instance, four shirts and two pairs of jeans will fetch you a $50 trade for in-store credit or $35 cash. It’s your choice. To round out the feel good experience, if you accept a token instead of a bag for purchases, Buffalo Exchange will donate five cents to a charity of your choice. If clothes are not accepted for trade or cash, Buffalo Exchange will donate your clothes for you.
If you don’t have a Buffalo Exchange in your area, there may be a locally owned consignment store offering similar services, so check your local listings.
If you don’t need the cash, or can’t be bothered with the hassle of taking your goods to the store, charitable donation is always a good option for your karma and the charitable organization. Many organizations even come to your house with free pick up. Donation Town is a search engine with organizations in your area that offer free pick up of clothing and other household item donations, making it easy to find local charitable organizations and to schedule a pick up.
From water bottles to clothing, most products have an end-of-life cycle that extends past a land fill or beyond one owner. The Everybody Needs Extra Cash™ blog series will highlight the many ways to earn money with your goods once you’re done with them.
With the average life of a computer being 18 to 24 months and new digital products being developed by the nanosecond, electronics recycling is now the fastest growing segment of the recycling industry. Electronic waste represents 2% of America’s trash in landfills, but it equals 70% of overall toxic waste. Electronic waste is of concern largely due to the toxicity and carcinogenicity of some of the substances if processed improperly. For example, a typical computer monitor may contain more than 6% lead by weight.
The appropriate disposal of end-of-life electronics products has become a topic of interest and concern worldwide as we face the potential of enormous volumes of waste to handle in the future. Electronic products contain materials that should not be treated as common waste. Most, if not all, of the materials are recyclable and have reuse value, such as metals and plastics. If treated properly, electronic waste is a valuable source for secondary raw materials. There are also relatively small quantities of some specific materials that may be potentially hazardous, particularly if they are not disposed of properly, such as lead, mercury and cadmium.
It is important to know if the company you choose to recycle your electronics assures the proper handling and disposal of these materials with the objective of optimizing recycling and reuse.
All uSell.com partners follow the EPA’s recommended guidelines that meet specific high environmental standards and safely manage used electronics materials responsibly.
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