Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
http://www.units.muohio.edu/dragonfly/save/recycling.shtml


Did you know that every year American people throw away 208 million tons of
municipal solid waste? That means that every day each person throws away an
average of 4.3 pounds of garbage or trash! Where on earth does all of this
garbage go? The answer is landfills.

Pop cans are one of the many items that you can recycle in your home.

Fortunately there are ways to keep these landfills from getting too full. An
easy way to do this is to use the 3R's. The 3R's stand for REDUCE, REUSE,
RECYCLE. So what do we mean when we say REDUCE? To reduce is to buy fewer
things, so that we have less garbage do contend with. REDUCING is the most
effective way to cut down on municipal solid waste. To reduce we should try to
buy durable, long-lasting products. That way we don't have to throw them away as
often. We also need to make sure we are using packing that is free of toxins, or
things that are poisonous.

Another way to really help the environment is to REUSE. To REUSE means not to
throw things away after having used them only once or twice. So how can you do
this? First of all, it always helps to try to repair things. If something stops
working, don't throw it away. There's probably someone who can fix it and it
will be good as new! Also, when you outgrow your clothes, don't leave them on
the curb for the garbage collectors. Instead, donate them to charity. Then
someone who needs those clothes can use them and they will not go to waste.

And the last R is RECYCLE. Did you know that after you have finished using
something and it can't be reused, it can be made into something else? Well
that's exactly what recycling is. By recycling, we can use everything we throw
away and eliminate a lot of waste. Basically recycling is a way to give a second
life to materials that we otherwise would have been thrown away. Some of the
main things that can be recycled are packaging items. This includes things like
glass bottles and jars, paper boxes, bags and cartons, metal (like steel and
aluminum) and plastic bottles or jugs. So why do we recycle and how can you get
involved?

Does your community have a curbside recycling program? See how much trash you
can recycle!

There are different recycling programs in every city and town. It's very
important to find out how to get involved with recycling in your community. Some
places have a "pay as you throw" policy. This is a policy that keeps people from
being irresponsible with waste because they have to pay every time their garbage
is collected. The more waste they are producing, the more they have to pay.

There are more than 4,000 cities that have implemented a pay-as-you-throw
policy. With a pay-as-you-throw policy, you are charged for each bag or can of
garbage you throw away. People are more likely to recycle if they have to pay
for their trash. Remember all of the ways to reduce the amount of waste you
produce? Don't forget to be a smart consumer. The less packaging the better.
Here are some suggestions for what to buy the next time you're in a store:

Juice Boxes aren't a good idea because they use a lot of packing. Try using a
reusable thurmos instead.
Plastic silverware isn't a good idea either. You should always try to avoid
using plastic silverware. It can be a good time saver, but take a few extra
seconds to wash your silverware instead of throwing it away. It will pay off in
the long run.
Bulk items, such as economy sized jars of peanut butter are a good thing to buy.
If you buy the big jar of peanut butter, you will not go through it as fast. If
you buy the small jars, you will be throwing away jars all of the time.
In order to make recycling as easy and convenient as possible, almost all
communities have curbside recycling programs. That means all you have to do is
put your recycling on the curb with your garbage. It's that easy! Make sure you
and your family are taking advantage of that great opportunity to help save the
planet. And make sure you aren't ever throwing away recyclables!


http://incurable-hippie.blogspot.com

Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
Make Your Own Non-Toxic Cleaning Kit
By Annie B. Bond, author of "Clean & Green,"
(Ceres Press, 1990).

http://www.care2.com/channels/fidylsolutions/home/344

Most modern synthetic cleaning products are based on age-old formulas
using natural ingredients that were passed down through the
generations because the chemistry was right. Going back to the
original naturally-derived ingredients is a way to make cleaning
products that work, don't pollute, and save you money. Most are found
in your kitchen cupboards. Mix and match with well-chosen and
environmentally-friendly green cleaning products found in health food
stores, and you can easily and simply transform your home into a
nontoxic and healthy haven.

Nontoxic cleaning can give you a deep feeling of gratification in
knowing that your family's health is protected, and that your home is
a place for your bodies to rest and recuperate rather than promote
harm.

Making your own nontoxic cleaning kit will take you no time at all
with these simple, straightforward directions, and with this kit you
will be supplied with enough cleaning product for months of cleaning.


As an added bonus, ounce for ounce homemade cleaning formulas cost
about one-tenth the price of their commercial counterparts -- and
that includes costly, but worthwhile essential oils and concentrated,
all-purpose detergents for homemade recipes.

SUPPLIES
baking soda
washing soda
white distilled vinegar
a good liquid soap or detergent
tea tree oil
6 clean spray bottles
2 glass jars

MAKE YOUR OWN PRODUCTS
Note: Make sure to label all your homemade cleaning products, and
keep them away from pets and children.

CREAMY SOFT SCRUBBER
Simply pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough
liquid detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture
onto a sponge, and wash the surface. This is the perfect recipe for
cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn't leave grit.

Note: Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store
in a sealed glass jar, to keep the product moist. Otherwise just make
as much as you need at a time.

WINDOW CLEANER
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups water
spray bottle

Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and
use as you would a commercial brand. The soap in this recipe is
important. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you
might have used in the past.

OVEN CLEANER
1 cup or more baking soda
water
a squirt or two of liquid detergent

Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the
grime with enough baking soda that the surface it totally white.
Sprinkle some more water over the top. Let the mixture set overnight.
You can easily wipe up the grease the next morning because the grime
will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess,
dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the
remaining residue from the oven. If this recipe doesn't work for you
it is probably because you didn't use enough baking soda and/or
water.

ALL-PURPOSE SPRAY CLEANER
1/2 tsp. washing soda
a dab of liquid soap
2 cups hot tap water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing
soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.

FURNITURE POLISH
1/2 teaspoon oil, such as olive (or jojoba, a liquid wax)
1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution
and wipe onto wood surfaces. Cover the glass jar and store
indefinitely.

VINEGAR DEODORIZER
Keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5 percent vinegar in
your kitchen near your cutting board, and in your bathroom, and use
them for cleaning. I often spray the vinegar on our cutting board
before going to bed at night, and don't even rinse, but let it set
overnight. The smell of vinegar dissipates within a few hours.
Straight vinegar is also great for cleaning the toilet rim. Just
spray it on and wipe off.

MOLD KILLERS
Tea Tree Treaure
Nothing natural works for mold and mildew as well as this spray. I've

used it successfully on a moldy ceiling from a leaking fidyl roof, on
a musty bureau, a musty rug, and a moldy shower curtain. Tea tree oil
is expensive, but a little goes a very long way. Note that the smell
of tea tree oil is very strong, but it will dissipate in a few days.
2 teaspoons tea tree oil 2 cups water Combine in a spray bottle,
shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse.
Makes 2 cups
Preparation Time: Under a minute
Shelf Life: Indefinite
Storage: Leave in the spray bottle

* Vinegar Spray
Straight vinegar reportedly kills 82 percent of mold. Pour some white
distilled vinegar straight into a spray bottle, spray on the moldy
area, and let set without rinsing if you can put up with the smell.
It will dissipate in a few hours.

=====


http://incurable-hippie.blogspot.com

Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
http://www.tealdragon.net/recycle/

Recycling and Conservation Tips
This page contains ideas for ways to recycle, reuse, and otherwise conserve
resources and reduce trash to preserve Earth for many future generations. Thanks
to visitors for contributing their own ideas!

Gift Wrapping
Reuse large pieces of wrapping paper - fold flat for storing
Torn gift wrap and small pieces can be put through a home paper shredder to make
decorative filler for gift boxes and bags
Reuse bows and ribbons
Reuse gift bags
Remove wrinkles from tissue paper for reuse by ironing
Use Sunday comics for wrapping family gifts
Use old road maps for gift wrap (if creases are worn, put tape along them on the
back side)
Wrap gift boxes so that the box and paper may be reused many times.
Make a gift bag from a shopping bag with handles. Cover the store logo with
wrapping paper, an old greeting card, or a picture from a magazine, calendar, or
catalog.
Greeting Cards
Make gift tags by cutting out the pictures -- especially from Christmas cards.
These can be used many years, esp. if laminated. (Craft stores have a great
selection of fancy edge scissors, paper punches and corner punches which can be
used to dress them up.)
Send the card fronts to St. Jude's Ranch for Children to recycle into new cards.
You can also buy the cards made by them.
Junk Mail Envelopes
Save the envelopes from junk mail to be reused for many purposes

Writing grocery lists on and storing the week's coupons inside
Sorting sales receipts by month for financial records
Storing small items
Collecting cancelled postage stamps
Old Road Maps
Gift wrap (if creases are worn, put tape along them on the back side)
Make an envelope -- just fold around your card or letter, and seal shut with
tape or a sticker
School book covers
Junk Mail CDs
Everyone gets these from AOL and other Internet service providers.

Decorate and mail them as a postcard (use regular postage on them -- $.34 as of
8/2001)
Hot beverage coasters
Plastic Film Canisters
Storing change, push pins, paper clips, coins, buttons, saftey or straight pins
Ritz Photo accepts them for recycling
Storing craft items (glitter, little star stickers, beads, confetti)
Make salt and pepper shakers by drilling holes in the lids of two
Pill containers for travel, automobile, or purse
Storing watch/jewelry parts
Make a small hole in the top of the lid. Put a long ribbon or string through it
and tie the ends inside the lid. Decorate the container with stickers and the
container can be worn around the neck to store change, a small first aid kit,
etc. at the beach or pool.

"Oscar the Grouch" - On top of the canister hot glue a green pompom about the
diameter of the film canister opening. Then hot glue the lid at an angle on top
of the pompom to make the garbage can lid. Add wiggle eyes to the pompom for
Oscar's eyes. Add ribbon for a Christmas tree ornament or add to a child's
birthday gift.
Oscar the Grouch

Ink Jet Cartridges
Postage paid mailers are available for recycling used printer ink jet
cartridges. I was able to get them from my local post office, but have not been
able to confirm whether they are available in all post offices.

Cancelled Postage Stamps and Phone Cards
Cancelled postage stamps and phone cards can be packaged to sell to collectors
by non-profit groups. St. Jude's Ranch for Children accepts donations of these
items. They sell some of the stamps in their gift shop to help the St. Jude's
kids and then send the rest of the stamps and phone cards on to Tubfrim. Tubfrim
is a Norwegian organization which raises money to help disabled children.


Send postage stamps and phone cards to:
St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
100 St. Jude’s Street
Boulder City, NV 89005-1618
For more information about Tubrim, see The Official Tubfrim web site

Other uses for cancelled postage stamps -


Start a postage stamp collection, give your cancelled postage stamps to a friend
or family member who is a collector, or help a kid start a collection. Postage
stamp albums are available from H.E. Harris at http://www.heharris.com (they
have great albums with pictures of all the stamps on which to place the ones you
collect.) You can also get started albums for kids from toy and hobby stores.
Craft projects such as collage or decoupage
Framed art for a dollhouse
Magnets
There are many uses for the advertising magnets that many businesses give away.

Glue a photo to a magnet and cut out the image to make a picture magnet.
Glue a notepad or attach a sticky note pad to a magnet to hang on the fridge.
Glue a piece of a magnet to a hinged wooden clothes pin to hold papers on the
fridge. These can also be painted and/or decorated.
Cellular Phones
When you replace your cell phone with a new one, you can donate the old one to
help victims of domestic violence. See more information about HopeLine at the
Verizon Wireless.

Photography
Digital photography eliminates the need for photo processing and therefore the
use of chemicals used for film photography. In addition, with digital
photography, you have the option of deleting pictures you don't want and just
printing those you do want. Even worse for the environment are single use
cameras for which the entire camera is thrown away after the film is developed.

While digital cameras are still more expensive than comparable film cameras,
they have definite advantages.

You can take as many pictures of a subject as you like without additional cost,
so you're more likely to get a really good one (this is especially good for
photographing children and animals)
You only pay to print the pictures you want
You don't pay for film or film processing
You can crop and manipulate the pictures however you like before having prints
made
Kodak DC4800 Zoom Camera - Order or get more information from Amazon.Com
I chose this particular camera because it includes a great selection of
features, the reviews for it are good, and it is available at a great price for
a 3MP camera. Following are some links I found helpful:
Kodak DC4800 Zoom Camera Specifications
Short courses on digital cameras
Digital Camera Resource review
Steve's Digicams review
Viking 128MB Compact Flash card - Order or get more information from Amazon.Com
I bought this 128MB CF card so that I would have more storage space for pictures
on my camera. This particular card is available at a lower price than many other
comparable cards.
Amazon.com/Ofoto photo processing and web photo albums - Sign up or see a sample
album
This is a great web photo service. I really like the software that they give you
to prepare and upload your images. It allows you to upload multiple images with
one click. It has a slide show option which makes it easy to sift through the
pictures taken with a digital camera. It has a cropping option which makes it
simple to crop a picture to a 4x6" size. This photo service also has a nice web
photo album so that you can easily share your digital pictures.

Babies
Breastfeeding and using cloth diapers are ways that you can help the environment
when you are caring for a baby. For more information, see my Baby Tips page.

Miscellaneous
Compost to change food scraps and yard waste into plant food.
Use large, empty plastic pretzel containers for storage, such as reused bows and
ribbon.
Reuse paper clips and rubber bands.
Reuse pages from day to day calendars as note/scrap paper
Use the blank side of small sheets of paper from coupon mailers as scrap paper
and grocery lists.
Use your local library instead of buying books (saves money, book storage space
at home, and disposal of books). Just buy reference books and favorites.
Instead of buying bottled water, wash the bottles and refill with filtered
water.
Make coasters from plastic container lids. Decorate inside with fabric scraps or
decorative paper which has been laminated with clear contact paper.
Make a pet poop scoop with a 1/2 gallon milk jug. Cut the top out, leaving the
handle and a smooth edge for scooping. Place a used plastic newspaper bag,
plastic produce bag, or paper lunch sack inside for easy removal of waste.
Save cardboard backing from used notepads for craft projects, mailing with
pictures to prevent bending, etc.
Old purses and pocketbooks can be used for first aid kits for the car, or to
hold coloring books, crayons and other items for kids in the car. - From Hints
from Heloise
Make guitar picks from old credit cards or plastic phone cards - suggested by a
site visitor
HawaiIce snow cone makers (available at Target) come with ice molds, but no
lids. The lids from Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese spread fit these molds
perfectly and will keep the water from spilling out of the molds in the freezer
before they freeze, and will keep the ice clean and fresh.
Reusing Items for Craft Projects
Many recyclable and non-recyclable items make great materials for kids craft
projects. If you don't have kids in your family, check with local schools,
churches, and nursing homes to find a place that will accept donations of
recyclable and non-recyclable items for reuse in craft projects. Items to donate
include:

paper towel, toilet tissue and gift wrap tubes
plastic margarine tubs
yogurt containers
plastic deli and take-out containers
plastic soda bottles
cardboard backing from pads of paper
old magazines and catalogs for cutting pictures out
picture calendars
used greeting cards
discontinued wallpaper books and scraps *
rubber bands
brown paper bags
egg cartons
coffee cans
shoe boxes
aluminum pie plates
oatmeal cartons
plastic produce baskets
plastic mesh bags from produce
cereal boxes
plastic film canisters *
junk mail CDs
milk cartons and jugs
scrap fabric, yarn, buttons, beads, and ribbon *
thread spools *
bottle corks *
match boxes *
plastic bottle and tube caps *
springs from used pens *
old house keys
old costume jewelry *
cancelled postage stamps *
* These items are also great for kids or adults who do miniature work with a
doll house.

There are quite a few books available through the library on using recycled
materials for crafts (call number J745 at my library). The following books are
aimed at kids, but many of the crafts are also appropriate for adults.


"Ecology Crafts for Kids" by Bobbe Needham
An excellent book which includes a lot of information about recycling and what
other kids are doing to help.
"Crafts for Christian Values" by Kathy Ross
An excellent book of innovative kids crafts for religious and non-religious
context as well.
"Cups & Cans & Paper Plate Fans" by Phyllis Fiarotta & Noel Fiarotta
"EcoArt!" by Laurie Carlson
"Vroom! Vroom!" by Judy Press
"The Little Hands Big Fun Craft Book" by Judy Press
"Kids' Crazy Concoctions: 50 Mysterious Mixtures for Art & Craft Fun" by Jill
Frankel Hauser
"The Muppets Big Book of Crafts" by The Muppet Workshop
Plastic Recycling Numbers
An explanation of the meaning of the numbers in the triangular recycling symbols
on plastics. (from "50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Recycle" by The EarthWorks
Group)

1 - PET
Polyethylene terephthalate; includes plastic soda bottles and some detergent
bottles; commonly recycled.

2 - HDPE
High density polyethylene; includes milk jugs; commonly recycled.

3 - PVC or V
Polyvinyl chloride; includes garden hoses, plastic flooring, credit cards, and
shower curtains

4 - LDPE
Low density polyethylene; includes clear packaging on cassettes or CDs, plastic
sandwich bags and plastic grocery bags; recycled at many grocery stores.

5 - Polypropylene
Includes plastic lids, bottle caps, straws, and some food containers; generally
not recycleable

6 - Polystyrene
Styrofoam, such as coffee cups.

7 - Mixed plastics
Several types of plastic mixed together; probably can't be recycled.

Books About Recycling
Conscious Style Home
by Danny Seo, 2001 Danny Seo Media Ventures, Inc. 160pp. hardcover
Full of information and resources for living and decorating your home Earth
consciously. Color and black and wite photographs.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Ecology Crafts for Kids by Bobbe Needham
An excellent book which includes a lot of information about recycling and what
other kids are doing to help.

50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Recycle
A great book with tips on reducing trash, reuing and recycling for all ages
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save the Earth
Ways to save energy, water, reduce waste and protect wildlife; with contact
information for resources. Includes educational projects and experiments.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save the Earth
Ways to reduce waste, save water and energy, and protect wildlife at home and
work.
Out-of-print, but check your local library or an online used book seller.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Choose to Reuse: An Encyclopedia of Services, Businesses, Tools & Charitable
Programs That Facilitate Reuse
Nikki and David Goldbeck, 1995
An excellent source of information on how to make almost everything available
for reuse. Includes information on the environment and each item's impact on it.
Highly recommended.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

The Envelope Mill: Recycle Magazines into Beautifully Crafted Envelopes
Haila Harvey and Haila Crowell 1995 Summit Pub Group
Paperback book and templates (30 pages)
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Creative Crafting With Recycled Greeting Cards
Catherine Lawrence
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Books on card making
There are many books about making your own cards. Many of the ideas can be
adapted to reuse pretty and interesting scraps of paper and found objects.

Books on paper making, collage, oragami and other paper crafts
You can use scraps of paper to make your own paper for use in card making and
other craft projects. Collaging can be done with scraps of different papers and
found objects to create works of art. Scraps of light weight paper, including
wrapping paper, can be put to use in origami paper folding.





Recycling Web Links
Environmental Protection Agency: Materials and Waste Exchanges
The EPA’s state-by-state listing of materials and waste exchanges.

Southern Waste Information eXchange, Inc.
The Southern Waste Information eXchange, Inc., links buyers and sellers
nationwide.

New York Wa$teMatch
New York Wa$teMatch helps businesses in the New York City area to exchage their
waste materials.

Operation: Landfill Elimination
Tons of tips for reuse of household items in order to reduce trash.

Montgomery County, MD Recycling Web Site - MCRecycles.org
A recycling newsletter (The Recycletter), and information on recycling in
Montgomery County

Gaiam - www.gaiam.com
A company specializing in natural and conservation-related product sales.



http://incurable-hippie.blogspot.com

Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
http://www.wildroots.com/insect.htm

Herbal Insect Repellents

Creating your own mosquito repellents is a safe and effective alternative to
commercial repellents. Using herbs and essential oils, you can prepare your own
mosquito repellents, and products for your pets and home with little effort.

The most frequently used natural mosquito repellent is citronella essential oil.
The citronella essential oil is extracted from the plant Cymbopagon nardus and
has a pleasant citrus-like aroma. Usually the citronella is simply mixed with a
base such as oil or alcohol at a strength of 5-10% (see ESSENTIAL OILS for
precautions).

Citronella Repellent © Millie Fodor
2 ounces witch hazel extract
60 drops citronella essential oil

Preparation: Put 2 ounces of witch hazel into a lotion or spray bottle. Add 60
drops of citronella essential oil. Label properly. Shake well before each use.

This is approximately a 5 % dilution. For a 10 % dilution add 120 drops of
citronella. Witch hazel extract is non-drying and medicinally soothing to insect
bites. You may use olive oil, rubbing alcohol, vodka, or prepare a lotion in
place of the witch hazel.

Citronella Lotion © Millie Fodor
2 ounces distilled water
2 ounces olive oil
120 drops citronella essential oil

A lotion is an emulsification of water and oil. To prepare: Put water into a
deep mixing bowl. Begin to drizzle in the oil slowly and beat vigorously with a
wire whisk. By the time all the oil is added you should have a nice creamy white
lotion. Stir in the citronella oil. Pour into a lotion bottle and label.

Herbal Repellent Oil © Millie Fodor
1 part fresh pennyroyal
1 part fresh thyme
1/2 part fresh basil
1/2 part neem leaf (if available)
tea tree essential oil
citronella essential oil
olive oil

Pick your fresh herbs. Manually remove any dirt then set them in a sunny place
until the herbs are wilted.

Using 1/4 cup as your part, measure 1/4 cup of pennyroyal and thyme, and 1/8 cup
basil and neem leaf into a crock pot. Pour in enough olive oil to cover the
herbs plus another inch of oil (approximately 1 cup). Turn the crock pot on low
temperature and heat the herbs for about 3 hours. An alternative way to prepare
your oil extraction is to place the herbs in a clear glass jar and set it in the
sun for about five days. Shake it once or twice a day.

When you have finished heating your oil, strain your oil through a cheesecloth
lined strainer. Squeeze out as much oil as possible. Measure out how much oil
you now have. For each ounce of oil add 10 drops of citronella essential oil and
5 drops of tea tree oil.

Pour into lotion bottle and label.

VARIATIONS

You can use this herbal oil in place of the olive oil in the CITRONELLA LOTION
recipe.

Herbal Closet Sachet © Millie Fodor
1 part Rosemary
1 part Cedarwood Chips
1/2 part Oak Moss
1 part Pennyroyal
1 part Chrysanthemum Flowers
1 part Cloves
1 part Eucalyptus Leaf
1 part Orris Root

Blend the herbs together then package in muslin bags. You may add essential oils
such as cedarwood to strengthen the aroma. Hang the bags in your closet and
place in your chest of drawers. Variations: You can choose any assortment of the
moth repellent herbs to formulate your own sachet blends. Orris root is used in
this recipe as a fixative. It helps to hold the scent in the sachet.

Among the good reasons for preparing your own repellents, protecting yourself
from toxic chemicals is the most important. Fifty to sixty percent of what is
applied to the skin is absorbed internally. Because our body-care products often
contain chemicals that are inadequately researched or known to produce a variety
of ill effects, it has become important for us to look for ways to minimize our
use of them.

PRECAUTION

If you find that you need to apply repellents several times throughout the day,
and you are doing this everyday, I recommend that you make several different
repellents and use them in alternation.



Insect Repelling Plants

ANT REPELLENTS

TANSY



FLEAS

BREWERS YEAST

GARLIC

FENNEL

PENNYROYAL

PYRETHRUM DAISY

GARLIC - Garlic combined with brewers yeast protects your pets against fleas.
They usually love this sprinkled on their food each day.

PENNYROYAL - Place a drop of pennyroyal on your pets collar to repel fleas. You
can also add a few drops of pennyroyal oil to water and spray around areas where
your pets sleeps.



FLY REPELLENTS

BASIL

BAY LEAF

CLOVES

TANSY



MICE

MINTS



MOTHS

BASIL

BAY LEAF

CEDAR

CLOVES

EUCALYPTUS

LAVENDER

MINTS, EXCEPT PEPPERMINT

PATCHOULI

PENNYROYAL

PEPPER, BLACK

PYRETHRUM DAISY

ROSEMARY

RUE

SOUTHERNWOOD

SANTOLINA

TANSY

THYME

WORMWOOD



FOR PEOPLE

BASIL

BAY LEAF

CITRONELLA OIL

CLOVE

GARLIC

NEEM LEAF

PENNYROYAL

ROSEMARY

RUE

TEA TREE OIL

THYME

WITCH HAZEL

WEEVILS

BAY LEAF - Place whole leaf in grain and flour packages.



ESSENTIAL OILS

Essential oils are steam distilled concentrates of the natural oils present in
plants, flowers, roots, and trees. They are 100 % pure and must be carefully
used by the drop.

Patch test for skin irritations using the diluted oil before general use.

CEDARWOOD (Juniperus mexicana) - Apply a few drops inside your chest of drawers
to repel moths and other cloth eating insects.

CITRONELLA (Cymbopagon nardus) - Effective insect repellent. May be used full
strength or diluted. Patch test before using on your skin. Keep out of mucus
membranes.

LEMONGRASS (Cymbopogon citratus) - Insect repellent. Pleasant lemon fragrance.
Patch test before using on your skin.

PENNYROYAL (Mentha puleglum) - Use to repel fleas from your pets and home. Also
used as a general insect repellent at safe dilution's. WARNING: Abortive. Keep
away from pregnant women.

TEA TREE OIL ( Melaleuca alternifolia) - Repels ticks, leeches, and lice.






REFERENCES

CONSUMER'S DICTIONARY OF COSMETIC INGREDIENTS. Ruth Winter. New York. Crown
Publishers.1989.

ECO-HERBALISM: ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS FACING HERBALIST TODAY. Rosemary Gladstar.
Written for the North East Herb Association Newsletter.

HERB BOOK. John Lust. New York. Bantam Books. 1974.

HERBAL HEALING FOR WOMEN, Rosemary Gladstar. New York. Simon & Schuster.1993

INDIAN HERBOLOGY OF NORTH AMERICA, Alma R. Hutchens. Boston. Shambhala. 1973.

NATURAL HEALTH: THE GUIDE TO WELL-BEING. Jan/ Feb. 1995. Vol. 25. # 1. How to
Use Gentle Herbs to Clean, Soothe, and Refresh Your Skin.. p. 72-77.

A TREASURY OF NATURAL FIRST AID REMEDIES FROM A TO Z, James Kusick. New York.
Parker Publishing Co. 1995

THE WAY OF HERBS, Michael Tierra C.A.,N.D. New York, Washington Square
Press.1983.



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====
Information about where to send your used stamps for charity, see
http://www.used-stamps.co.uk

Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
Make Your Own Non-Toxic Cleaning Kit
By Annie B. Bond, author of "Clean & Green,"
(Ceres Press, 1990).

http://www.care2.com/channels/fidylsolutions/home/344

Most modern synthetic cleaning products are based on age-old formulas
using natural ingredients that were passed down through the
generations because the chemistry was right. Going back to the
original naturally-derived ingredients is a way to make cleaning
products that work, don't pollute, and save you money. Most are found
in your kitchen cupboards. Mix and match with well-chosen and
environmentally-friendly green cleaning products found in health food
stores, and you can easily and simply transform your home into a
nontoxic and healthy haven.

Nontoxic cleaning can give you a deep feeling of gratification in
knowing that your family's health is protected, and that your home is
a place for your bodies to rest and recuperate rather than promote
harm.

Making your own nontoxic cleaning kit will take you no time at all
with these simple, straightforward directions, and with this kit you
will be supplied with enough cleaning product for months of cleaning.


As an added bonus, ounce for ounce homemade cleaning formulas cost
about one-tenth the price of their commercial counterparts -- and
that includes costly, but worthwhile essential oils and concentrated,
all-purpose detergents for homemade recipes.

SUPPLIES
baking soda
washing soda
white distilled vinegar
a good liquid soap or detergent
tea tree oil
6 clean spray bottles
2 glass jars

MAKE YOUR OWN PRODUCTS
Note: Make sure to label all your homemade cleaning products, and
keep them away from pets and children.

CREAMY SOFT SCRUBBER
Simply pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough
liquid detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture
onto a sponge, and wash the surface. This is the perfect recipe for
cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn't leave grit.

Note: Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store
in a sealed glass jar, to keep the product moist. Otherwise just make
as much as you need at a time.

WINDOW CLEANER
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups water
spray bottle

Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and
use as you would a commercial brand. The soap in this recipe is
important. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you
might have used in the past.

OVEN CLEANER
1 cup or more baking soda
water
a squirt or two of liquid detergent

Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the
grime with enough baking soda that the surface it totally white.
Sprinkle some more water over the top. Let the mixture set overnight.
You can easily wipe up the grease the next morning because the grime
will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess,
dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the
remaining residue from the oven. If this recipe doesn't work for you
it is probably because you didn't use enough baking soda and/or
water.

ALL-PURPOSE SPRAY CLEANER
1/2 tsp. washing soda
a dab of liquid soap
2 cups hot tap water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing
soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.

FURNITURE POLISH
1/2 teaspoon oil, such as olive (or jojoba, a liquid wax)
1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution
and wipe onto wood surfaces. Cover the glass jar and store
indefinitely.

VINEGAR DEODORIZER
Keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5 percent vinegar in
your kitchen near your cutting board, and in your bathroom, and use
them for cleaning. I often spray the vinegar on our cutting board
before going to bed at night, and don't even rinse, but let it set
overnight. The smell of vinegar dissipates within a few hours.
Straight vinegar is also great for cleaning the toilet rim. Just
spray it on and wipe off.

MOLD KILLERS
Tea Tree Treaure
Nothing natural works for mold and mildew as well as this spray. I've

used it successfully on a moldy ceiling from a leaking fidyl roof, on
a musty bureau, a musty rug, and a moldy shower curtain. Tea tree oil
is expensive, but a little goes a very long way. Note that the smell
of tea tree oil is very strong, but it will dissipate in a few days.
2 teaspoons tea tree oil 2 cups water Combine in a spray bottle,
shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse.
Makes 2 cups
Preparation Time: Under a minute
Shelf Life: Indefinite
Storage: Leave in the spray bottle

* Vinegar Spray
Straight vinegar reportedly kills 82 percent of mold. Pour some white
distilled vinegar straight into a spray bottle, spray on the moldy
area, and let set without rinsing if you can put up with the smell.
It will dissipate in a few hours.

=====


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====
Information about where to send your used stamps for charity, see
http://www.used-stamps.co.uk

Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
http://www.units.muohio.edu/dragonfly/save/recycling.shtml


Did you know that every year American people throw away 208 million tons of
municipal solid waste? That means that every day each person throws away an
average of 4.3 pounds of garbage or trash! Where on earth does all of this
garbage go? The answer is landfills.

Pop cans are one of the many items that you can recycle in your home.

Fortunately there are ways to keep these landfills from getting too full. An
easy way to do this is to use the 3R's. The 3R's stand for REDUCE, REUSE,
RECYCLE. So what do we mean when we say REDUCE? To reduce is to buy fewer
things, so that we have less garbage do contend with. REDUCING is the most
effective way to cut down on municipal solid waste. To reduce we should try to
buy durable, long-lasting products. That way we don't have to throw them away as
often. We also need to make sure we are using packing that is free of toxins, or
things that are poisonous.

Another way to really help the environment is to REUSE. To REUSE means not to
throw things away after having used them only once or twice. So how can you do
this? First of all, it always helps to try to repair things. If something stops
working, don't throw it away. There's probably someone who can fix it and it
will be good as new! Also, when you outgrow your clothes, don't leave them on
the curb for the garbage collectors. Instead, donate them to charity. Then
someone who needs those clothes can use them and they will not go to waste.

And the last R is RECYCLE. Did you know that after you have finished using
something and it can't be reused, it can be made into something else? Well
that's exactly what recycling is. By recycling, we can use everything we throw
away and eliminate a lot of waste. Basically recycling is a way to give a second
life to materials that we otherwise would have been thrown away. Some of the
main things that can be recycled are packaging items. This includes things like
glass bottles and jars, paper boxes, bags and cartons, metal (like steel and
aluminum) and plastic bottles or jugs. So why do we recycle and how can you get
involved?

Does your community have a curbside recycling program? See how much trash you
can recycle!

There are different recycling programs in every city and town. It's very
important to find out how to get involved with recycling in your community. Some
places have a "pay as you throw" policy. This is a policy that keeps people from
being irresponsible with waste because they have to pay every time their garbage
is collected. The more waste they are producing, the more they have to pay.

There are more than 4,000 cities that have implemented a pay-as-you-throw
policy. With a pay-as-you-throw policy, you are charged for each bag or can of
garbage you throw away. People are more likely to recycle if they have to pay
for their trash. Remember all of the ways to reduce the amount of waste you
produce? Don't forget to be a smart consumer. The less packaging the better.
Here are some suggestions for what to buy the next time you're in a store:

Juice Boxes aren't a good idea because they use a lot of packing. Try using a
reusable thurmos instead.
Plastic silverware isn't a good idea either. You should always try to avoid
using plastic silverware. It can be a good time saver, but take a few extra
seconds to wash your silverware instead of throwing it away. It will pay off in
the long run.
Bulk items, such as economy sized jars of peanut butter are a good thing to buy.
If you buy the big jar of peanut butter, you will not go through it as fast. If
you buy the small jars, you will be throwing away jars all of the time.
In order to make recycling as easy and convenient as possible, almost all
communities have curbside recycling programs. That means all you have to do is
put your recycling on the curb with your garbage. It's that easy! Make sure you
and your family are taking advantage of that great opportunity to help save the
planet. And make sure you aren't ever throwing away recyclables!


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Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
http://www.tealdragon.net/recycle/

Recycling and Conservation Tips
This page contains ideas for ways to recycle, reuse, and otherwise conserve
resources and reduce trash to preserve Earth for many future generations. Thanks
to visitors for contributing their own ideas!

Gift Wrapping
Reuse large pieces of wrapping paper - fold flat for storing
Torn gift wrap and small pieces can be put through a home paper shredder to make
decorative filler for gift boxes and bags
Reuse bows and ribbons
Reuse gift bags
Remove wrinkles from tissue paper for reuse by ironing
Use Sunday comics for wrapping family gifts
Use old road maps for gift wrap (if creases are worn, put tape along them on the
back side)
Wrap gift boxes so that the box and paper may be reused many times.
Make a gift bag from a shopping bag with handles. Cover the store logo with
wrapping paper, an old greeting card, or a picture from a magazine, calendar, or
catalog.
Greeting Cards
Make gift tags by cutting out the pictures -- especially from Christmas cards.
These can be used many years, esp. if laminated. (Craft stores have a great
selection of fancy edge scissors, paper punches and corner punches which can be
used to dress them up.)
Send the card fronts to St. Jude's Ranch for Children to recycle into new cards.
You can also buy the cards made by them.
Junk Mail Envelopes
Save the envelopes from junk mail to be reused for many purposes

Writing grocery lists on and storing the week's coupons inside
Sorting sales receipts by month for financial records
Storing small items
Collecting cancelled postage stamps
Old Road Maps
Gift wrap (if creases are worn, put tape along them on the back side)
Make an envelope -- just fold around your card or letter, and seal shut with
tape or a sticker
School book covers
Junk Mail CDs
Everyone gets these from AOL and other Internet service providers.

Decorate and mail them as a postcard (use regular postage on them -- $.34 as of
8/2001)
Hot beverage coasters
Plastic Film Canisters
Storing change, push pins, paper clips, coins, buttons, saftey or straight pins
Ritz Photo accepts them for recycling
Storing craft items (glitter, little star stickers, beads, confetti)
Make salt and pepper shakers by drilling holes in the lids of two
Pill containers for travel, automobile, or purse
Storing watch/jewelry parts
Make a small hole in the top of the lid. Put a long ribbon or string through it
and tie the ends inside the lid. Decorate the container with stickers and the
container can be worn around the neck to store change, a small first aid kit,
etc. at the beach or pool.

"Oscar the Grouch" - On top of the canister hot glue a green pompom about the
diameter of the film canister opening. Then hot glue the lid at an angle on top
of the pompom to make the garbage can lid. Add wiggle eyes to the pompom for
Oscar's eyes. Add ribbon for a Christmas tree ornament or add to a child's
birthday gift.
Oscar the Grouch

Ink Jet Cartridges
Postage paid mailers are available for recycling used printer ink jet
cartridges. I was able to get them from my local post office, but have not been
able to confirm whether they are available in all post offices.

Cancelled Postage Stamps and Phone Cards
Cancelled postage stamps and phone cards can be packaged to sell to collectors
by non-profit groups. St. Jude's Ranch for Children accepts donations of these
items. They sell some of the stamps in their gift shop to help the St. Jude's
kids and then send the rest of the stamps and phone cards on to Tubfrim. Tubfrim
is a Norwegian organization which raises money to help disabled children.


Send postage stamps and phone cards to:
St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
100 St. Jude’s Street
Boulder City, NV 89005-1618
For more information about Tubrim, see The Official Tubfrim web site

Other uses for cancelled postage stamps -


Start a postage stamp collection, give your cancelled postage stamps to a friend
or family member who is a collector, or help a kid start a collection. Postage
stamp albums are available from H.E. Harris at http://www.heharris.com (they
have great albums with pictures of all the stamps on which to place the ones you
collect.) You can also get started albums for kids from toy and hobby stores.
Craft projects such as collage or decoupage
Framed art for a dollhouse
Magnets
There are many uses for the advertising magnets that many businesses give away.

Glue a photo to a magnet and cut out the image to make a picture magnet.
Glue a notepad or attach a sticky note pad to a magnet to hang on the fridge.
Glue a piece of a magnet to a hinged wooden clothes pin to hold papers on the
fridge. These can also be painted and/or decorated.
Cellular Phones
When you replace your cell phone with a new one, you can donate the old one to
help victims of domestic violence. See more information about HopeLine at the
Verizon Wireless.

Photography
Digital photography eliminates the need for photo processing and therefore the
use of chemicals used for film photography. In addition, with digital
photography, you have the option of deleting pictures you don't want and just
printing those you do want. Even worse for the environment are single use
cameras for which the entire camera is thrown away after the film is developed.

While digital cameras are still more expensive than comparable film cameras,
they have definite advantages.

You can take as many pictures of a subject as you like without additional cost,
so you're more likely to get a really good one (this is especially good for
photographing children and animals)
You only pay to print the pictures you want
You don't pay for film or film processing
You can crop and manipulate the pictures however you like before having prints
made
Kodak DC4800 Zoom Camera - Order or get more information from Amazon.Com
I chose this particular camera because it includes a great selection of
features, the reviews for it are good, and it is available at a great price for
a 3MP camera. Following are some links I found helpful:
Kodak DC4800 Zoom Camera Specifications
Short courses on digital cameras
Digital Camera Resource review
Steve's Digicams review
Viking 128MB Compact Flash card - Order or get more information from Amazon.Com
I bought this 128MB CF card so that I would have more storage space for pictures
on my camera. This particular card is available at a lower price than many other
comparable cards.
Amazon.com/Ofoto photo processing and web photo albums - Sign up or see a sample
album
This is a great web photo service. I really like the software that they give you
to prepare and upload your images. It allows you to upload multiple images with
one click. It has a slide show option which makes it easy to sift through the
pictures taken with a digital camera. It has a cropping option which makes it
simple to crop a picture to a 4x6" size. This photo service also has a nice web
photo album so that you can easily share your digital pictures.

Babies
Breastfeeding and using cloth diapers are ways that you can help the environment
when you are caring for a baby. For more information, see my Baby Tips page.

Miscellaneous
Compost to change food scraps and yard waste into plant food.
Use large, empty plastic pretzel containers for storage, such as reused bows and
ribbon.
Reuse paper clips and rubber bands.
Reuse pages from day to day calendars as note/scrap paper
Use the blank side of small sheets of paper from coupon mailers as scrap paper
and grocery lists.
Use your local library instead of buying books (saves money, book storage space
at home, and disposal of books). Just buy reference books and favorites.
Instead of buying bottled water, wash the bottles and refill with filtered
water.
Make coasters from plastic container lids. Decorate inside with fabric scraps or
decorative paper which has been laminated with clear contact paper.
Make a pet poop scoop with a 1/2 gallon milk jug. Cut the top out, leaving the
handle and a smooth edge for scooping. Place a used plastic newspaper bag,
plastic produce bag, or paper lunch sack inside for easy removal of waste.
Save cardboard backing from used notepads for craft projects, mailing with
pictures to prevent bending, etc.
Old purses and pocketbooks can be used for first aid kits for the car, or to
hold coloring books, crayons and other items for kids in the car. - From Hints
from Heloise
Make guitar picks from old credit cards or plastic phone cards - suggested by a
site visitor
HawaiIce snow cone makers (available at Target) come with ice molds, but no
lids. The lids from Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese spread fit these molds
perfectly and will keep the water from spilling out of the molds in the freezer
before they freeze, and will keep the ice clean and fresh.
Reusing Items for Craft Projects
Many recyclable and non-recyclable items make great materials for kids craft
projects. If you don't have kids in your family, check with local schools,
churches, and nursing homes to find a place that will accept donations of
recyclable and non-recyclable items for reuse in craft projects. Items to donate
include:

paper towel, toilet tissue and gift wrap tubes
plastic margarine tubs
yogurt containers
plastic deli and take-out containers
plastic soda bottles
cardboard backing from pads of paper
old magazines and catalogs for cutting pictures out
picture calendars
used greeting cards
discontinued wallpaper books and scraps *
rubber bands
brown paper bags
egg cartons
coffee cans
shoe boxes
aluminum pie plates
oatmeal cartons
plastic produce baskets
plastic mesh bags from produce
cereal boxes
plastic film canisters *
junk mail CDs
milk cartons and jugs
scrap fabric, yarn, buttons, beads, and ribbon *
thread spools *
bottle corks *
match boxes *
plastic bottle and tube caps *
springs from used pens *
old house keys
old costume jewelry *
cancelled postage stamps *
* These items are also great for kids or adults who do miniature work with a
doll house.

There are quite a few books available through the library on using recycled
materials for crafts (call number J745 at my library). The following books are
aimed at kids, but many of the crafts are also appropriate for adults.


"Ecology Crafts for Kids" by Bobbe Needham
An excellent book which includes a lot of information about recycling and what
other kids are doing to help.
"Crafts for Christian Values" by Kathy Ross
An excellent book of innovative kids crafts for religious and non-religious
context as well.
"Cups & Cans & Paper Plate Fans" by Phyllis Fiarotta & Noel Fiarotta
"EcoArt!" by Laurie Carlson
"Vroom! Vroom!" by Judy Press
"The Little Hands Big Fun Craft Book" by Judy Press
"Kids' Crazy Concoctions: 50 Mysterious Mixtures for Art & Craft Fun" by Jill
Frankel Hauser
"The Muppets Big Book of Crafts" by The Muppet Workshop
Plastic Recycling Numbers
An explanation of the meaning of the numbers in the triangular recycling symbols
on plastics. (from "50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Recycle" by The EarthWorks
Group)

1 - PET
Polyethylene terephthalate; includes plastic soda bottles and some detergent
bottles; commonly recycled.

2 - HDPE
High density polyethylene; includes milk jugs; commonly recycled.

3 - PVC or V
Polyvinyl chloride; includes garden hoses, plastic flooring, credit cards, and
shower curtains

4 - LDPE
Low density polyethylene; includes clear packaging on cassettes or CDs, plastic
sandwich bags and plastic grocery bags; recycled at many grocery stores.

5 - Polypropylene
Includes plastic lids, bottle caps, straws, and some food containers; generally
not recycleable

6 - Polystyrene
Styrofoam, such as coffee cups.

7 - Mixed plastics
Several types of plastic mixed together; probably can't be recycled.

Books About Recycling
Conscious Style Home
by Danny Seo, 2001 Danny Seo Media Ventures, Inc. 160pp. hardcover
Full of information and resources for living and decorating your home Earth
consciously. Color and black and wite photographs.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Ecology Crafts for Kids by Bobbe Needham
An excellent book which includes a lot of information about recycling and what
other kids are doing to help.

50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Recycle
A great book with tips on reducing trash, reuing and recycling for all ages
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save the Earth
Ways to save energy, water, reduce waste and protect wildlife; with contact
information for resources. Includes educational projects and experiments.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save the Earth
Ways to reduce waste, save water and energy, and protect wildlife at home and
work.
Out-of-print, but check your local library or an online used book seller.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Choose to Reuse: An Encyclopedia of Services, Businesses, Tools & Charitable
Programs That Facilitate Reuse
Nikki and David Goldbeck, 1995
An excellent source of information on how to make almost everything available
for reuse. Includes information on the environment and each item's impact on it.
Highly recommended.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

The Envelope Mill: Recycle Magazines into Beautifully Crafted Envelopes
Haila Harvey and Haila Crowell 1995 Summit Pub Group
Paperback book and templates (30 pages)
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Creative Crafting With Recycled Greeting Cards
Catherine Lawrence
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Books on card making
There are many books about making your own cards. Many of the ideas can be
adapted to reuse pretty and interesting scraps of paper and found objects.

Books on paper making, collage, oragami and other paper crafts
You can use scraps of paper to make your own paper for use in card making and
other craft projects. Collaging can be done with scraps of different papers and
found objects to create works of art. Scraps of light weight paper, including
wrapping paper, can be put to use in origami paper folding.





Recycling Web Links
Environmental Protection Agency: Materials and Waste Exchanges
The EPA’s state-by-state listing of materials and waste exchanges.

Southern Waste Information eXchange, Inc.
The Southern Waste Information eXchange, Inc., links buyers and sellers
nationwide.

New York Wa$teMatch
New York Wa$teMatch helps businesses in the New York City area to exchage their
waste materials.

Operation: Landfill Elimination
Tons of tips for reuse of household items in order to reduce trash.

Montgomery County, MD Recycling Web Site - MCRecycles.org
A recycling newsletter (The Recycletter), and information on recycling in
Montgomery County

Gaiam - www.gaiam.com
A company specializing in natural and conservation-related product sales.



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http://www.wildroots.com/insect.htm

Herbal Insect Repellents

Creating your own mosquito repellents is a safe and effective alternative to
commercial repellents. Using herbs and essential oils, you can prepare your own
mosquito repellents, and products for your pets and home with little effort.

The most frequently used natural mosquito repellent is citronella essential oil.
The citronella essential oil is extracted from the plant Cymbopagon nardus and
has a pleasant citrus-like aroma. Usually the citronella is simply mixed with a
base such as oil or alcohol at a strength of 5-10% (see ESSENTIAL OILS for
precautions).

Citronella Repellent © Millie Fodor
2 ounces witch hazel extract
60 drops citronella essential oil

Preparation: Put 2 ounces of witch hazel into a lotion or spray bottle. Add 60
drops of citronella essential oil. Label properly. Shake well before each use.

This is approximately a 5 % dilution. For a 10 % dilution add 120 drops of
citronella. Witch hazel extract is non-drying and medicinally soothing to insect
bites. You may use olive oil, rubbing alcohol, vodka, or prepare a lotion in
place of the witch hazel.

Citronella Lotion © Millie Fodor
2 ounces distilled water
2 ounces olive oil
120 drops citronella essential oil

A lotion is an emulsification of water and oil. To prepare: Put water into a
deep mixing bowl. Begin to drizzle in the oil slowly and beat vigorously with a
wire whisk. By the time all the oil is added you should have a nice creamy white
lotion. Stir in the citronella oil. Pour into a lotion bottle and label.

Herbal Repellent Oil © Millie Fodor
1 part fresh pennyroyal
1 part fresh thyme
1/2 part fresh basil
1/2 part neem leaf (if available)
tea tree essential oil
citronella essential oil
olive oil

Pick your fresh herbs. Manually remove any dirt then set them in a sunny place
until the herbs are wilted.

Using 1/4 cup as your part, measure 1/4 cup of pennyroyal and thyme, and 1/8 cup
basil and neem leaf into a crock pot. Pour in enough olive oil to cover the
herbs plus another inch of oil (approximately 1 cup). Turn the crock pot on low
temperature and heat the herbs for about 3 hours. An alternative way to prepare
your oil extraction is to place the herbs in a clear glass jar and set it in the
sun for about five days. Shake it once or twice a day.

When you have finished heating your oil, strain your oil through a cheesecloth
lined strainer. Squeeze out as much oil as possible. Measure out how much oil
you now have. For each ounce of oil add 10 drops of citronella essential oil and
5 drops of tea tree oil.

Pour into lotion bottle and label.

VARIATIONS

You can use this herbal oil in place of the olive oil in the CITRONELLA LOTION
recipe.

Herbal Closet Sachet © Millie Fodor
1 part Rosemary
1 part Cedarwood Chips
1/2 part Oak Moss
1 part Pennyroyal
1 part Chrysanthemum Flowers
1 part Cloves
1 part Eucalyptus Leaf
1 part Orris Root

Blend the herbs together then package in muslin bags. You may add essential oils
such as cedarwood to strengthen the aroma. Hang the bags in your closet and
place in your chest of drawers. Variations: You can choose any assortment of the
moth repellent herbs to formulate your own sachet blends. Orris root is used in
this recipe as a fixative. It helps to hold the scent in the sachet.

Among the good reasons for preparing your own repellents, protecting yourself
from toxic chemicals is the most important. Fifty to sixty percent of what is
applied to the skin is absorbed internally. Because our body-care products often
contain chemicals that are inadequately researched or known to produce a variety
of ill effects, it has become important for us to look for ways to minimize our
use of them.

PRECAUTION

If you find that you need to apply repellents several times throughout the day,
and you are doing this everyday, I recommend that you make several different
repellents and use them in alternation.



Insect Repelling Plants

ANT REPELLENTS

TANSY



FLEAS

BREWERS YEAST

GARLIC

FENNEL

PENNYROYAL

PYRETHRUM DAISY

GARLIC - Garlic combined with brewers yeast protects your pets against fleas.
They usually love this sprinkled on their food each day.

PENNYROYAL - Place a drop of pennyroyal on your pets collar to repel fleas. You
can also add a few drops of pennyroyal oil to water and spray around areas where
your pets sleeps.



FLY REPELLENTS

BASIL

BAY LEAF

CLOVES

TANSY



MICE

MINTS



MOTHS

BASIL

BAY LEAF

CEDAR

CLOVES

EUCALYPTUS

LAVENDER

MINTS, EXCEPT PEPPERMINT

PATCHOULI

PENNYROYAL

PEPPER, BLACK

PYRETHRUM DAISY

ROSEMARY

RUE

SOUTHERNWOOD

SANTOLINA

TANSY

THYME

WORMWOOD



FOR PEOPLE

BASIL

BAY LEAF

CITRONELLA OIL

CLOVE

GARLIC

NEEM LEAF

PENNYROYAL

ROSEMARY

RUE

TEA TREE OIL

THYME

WITCH HAZEL

WEEVILS

BAY LEAF - Place whole leaf in grain and flour packages.



ESSENTIAL OILS

Essential oils are steam distilled concentrates of the natural oils present in
plants, flowers, roots, and trees. They are 100 % pure and must be carefully
used by the drop.

Patch test for skin irritations using the diluted oil before general use.

CEDARWOOD (Juniperus mexicana) - Apply a few drops inside your chest of drawers
to repel moths and other cloth eating insects.

CITRONELLA (Cymbopagon nardus) - Effective insect repellent. May be used full
strength or diluted. Patch test before using on your skin. Keep out of mucus
membranes.

LEMONGRASS (Cymbopogon citratus) - Insect repellent. Pleasant lemon fragrance.
Patch test before using on your skin.

PENNYROYAL (Mentha puleglum) - Use to repel fleas from your pets and home. Also
used as a general insect repellent at safe dilution's. WARNING: Abortive. Keep
away from pregnant women.

TEA TREE OIL ( Melaleuca alternifolia) - Repels ticks, leeches, and lice.






REFERENCES

CONSUMER'S DICTIONARY OF COSMETIC INGREDIENTS. Ruth Winter. New York. Crown
Publishers.1989.

ECO-HERBALISM: ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS FACING HERBALIST TODAY. Rosemary Gladstar.
Written for the North East Herb Association Newsletter.

HERB BOOK. John Lust. New York. Bantam Books. 1974.

HERBAL HEALING FOR WOMEN, Rosemary Gladstar. New York. Simon & Schuster.1993

INDIAN HERBOLOGY OF NORTH AMERICA, Alma R. Hutchens. Boston. Shambhala. 1973.

NATURAL HEALTH: THE GUIDE TO WELL-BEING. Jan/ Feb. 1995. Vol. 25. # 1. How to
Use Gentle Herbs to Clean, Soothe, and Refresh Your Skin.. p. 72-77.

A TREASURY OF NATURAL FIRST AID REMEDIES FROM A TO Z, James Kusick. New York.
Parker Publishing Co. 1995

THE WAY OF HERBS, Michael Tierra C.A.,N.D. New York, Washington Square
Press.1983.



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http://www.units.muohio.edu/dragonfly/save/recycling.shtml


Did you know that every year American people throw away 208 million tons of
municipal solid waste? That means that every day each person throws away an
average of 4.3 pounds of garbage or trash! Where on earth does all of this
garbage go? The answer is landfills.

Pop cans are one of the many items that you can recycle in your home.

Fortunately there are ways to keep these landfills from getting too full. An
easy way to do this is to use the 3R's. The 3R's stand for REDUCE, REUSE,
RECYCLE. So what do we mean when we say REDUCE? To reduce is to buy fewer
things, so that we have less garbage do contend with. REDUCING is the most
effective way to cut down on municipal solid waste. To reduce we should try to
buy durable, long-lasting products. That way we don't have to throw them away as
often. We also need to make sure we are using packing that is free of toxins, or
things that are poisonous.

Another way to really help the environment is to REUSE. To REUSE means not to
throw things away after having used them only once or twice. So how can you do
this? First of all, it always helps to try to repair things. If something stops
working, don't throw it away. There's probably someone who can fix it and it
will be good as new! Also, when you outgrow your clothes, don't leave them on
the curb for the garbage collectors. Instead, donate them to charity. Then
someone who needs those clothes can use them and they will not go to waste.

And the last R is RECYCLE. Did you know that after you have finished using
something and it can't be reused, it can be made into something else? Well
that's exactly what recycling is. By recycling, we can use everything we throw
away and eliminate a lot of waste. Basically recycling is a way to give a second
life to materials that we otherwise would have been thrown away. Some of the
main things that can be recycled are packaging items. This includes things like
glass bottles and jars, paper boxes, bags and cartons, metal (like steel and
aluminum) and plastic bottles or jugs. So why do we recycle and how can you get
involved?

Does your community have a curbside recycling program? See how much trash you
can recycle!

There are different recycling programs in every city and town. It's very
important to find out how to get involved with recycling in your community. Some
places have a "pay as you throw" policy. This is a policy that keeps people from
being irresponsible with waste because they have to pay every time their garbage
is collected. The more waste they are producing, the more they have to pay.

There are more than 4,000 cities that have implemented a pay-as-you-throw
policy. With a pay-as-you-throw policy, you are charged for each bag or can of
garbage you throw away. People are more likely to recycle if they have to pay
for their trash. Remember all of the ways to reduce the amount of waste you
produce? Don't forget to be a smart consumer. The less packaging the better.
Here are some suggestions for what to buy the next time you're in a store:

Juice Boxes aren't a good idea because they use a lot of packing. Try using a
reusable thurmos instead.
Plastic silverware isn't a good idea either. You should always try to avoid
using plastic silverware. It can be a good time saver, but take a few extra
seconds to wash your silverware instead of throwing it away. It will pay off in
the long run.
Bulk items, such as economy sized jars of peanut butter are a good thing to buy.
If you buy the big jar of peanut butter, you will not go through it as fast. If
you buy the small jars, you will be throwing away jars all of the time.
In order to make recycling as easy and convenient as possible, almost all
communities have curbside recycling programs. That means all you have to do is
put your recycling on the curb with your garbage. It's that easy! Make sure you
and your family are taking advantage of that great opportunity to help save the
planet. And make sure you aren't ever throwing away recyclables!


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Make Your Own Non-Toxic Cleaning Kit
By Annie B. Bond, author of "Clean & Green,"
(Ceres Press, 1990).

http://www.care2.com/channels/fidylsolutions/home/344

Most modern synthetic cleaning products are based on age-old formulas
using natural ingredients that were passed down through the
generations because the chemistry was right. Going back to the
original naturally-derived ingredients is a way to make cleaning
products that work, don't pollute, and save you money. Most are found
in your kitchen cupboards. Mix and match with well-chosen and
environmentally-friendly green cleaning products found in health food
stores, and you can easily and simply transform your home into a
nontoxic and healthy haven.

Nontoxic cleaning can give you a deep feeling of gratification in
knowing that your family's health is protected, and that your home is
a place for your bodies to rest and recuperate rather than promote
harm.

Making your own nontoxic cleaning kit will take you no time at all
with these simple, straightforward directions, and with this kit you
will be supplied with enough cleaning product for months of cleaning.


As an added bonus, ounce for ounce homemade cleaning formulas cost
about one-tenth the price of their commercial counterparts -- and
that includes costly, but worthwhile essential oils and concentrated,
all-purpose detergents for homemade recipes.

SUPPLIES
baking soda
washing soda
white distilled vinegar
a good liquid soap or detergent
tea tree oil
6 clean spray bottles
2 glass jars

MAKE YOUR OWN PRODUCTS
Note: Make sure to label all your homemade cleaning products, and
keep them away from pets and children.

CREAMY SOFT SCRUBBER
Simply pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough
liquid detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture
onto a sponge, and wash the surface. This is the perfect recipe for
cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn't leave grit.

Note: Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store
in a sealed glass jar, to keep the product moist. Otherwise just make
as much as you need at a time.

WINDOW CLEANER
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups water
spray bottle

Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and
use as you would a commercial brand. The soap in this recipe is
important. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you
might have used in the past.

OVEN CLEANER
1 cup or more baking soda
water
a squirt or two of liquid detergent

Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the
grime with enough baking soda that the surface it totally white.
Sprinkle some more water over the top. Let the mixture set overnight.
You can easily wipe up the grease the next morning because the grime
will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess,
dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the
remaining residue from the oven. If this recipe doesn't work for you
it is probably because you didn't use enough baking soda and/or
water.

ALL-PURPOSE SPRAY CLEANER
1/2 tsp. washing soda
a dab of liquid soap
2 cups hot tap water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing
soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.

FURNITURE POLISH
1/2 teaspoon oil, such as olive (or jojoba, a liquid wax)
1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution
and wipe onto wood surfaces. Cover the glass jar and store
indefinitely.

VINEGAR DEODORIZER
Keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5 percent vinegar in
your kitchen near your cutting board, and in your bathroom, and use
them for cleaning. I often spray the vinegar on our cutting board
before going to bed at night, and don't even rinse, but let it set
overnight. The smell of vinegar dissipates within a few hours.
Straight vinegar is also great for cleaning the toilet rim. Just
spray it on and wipe off.

MOLD KILLERS
Tea Tree Treaure
Nothing natural works for mold and mildew as well as this spray. I've

used it successfully on a moldy ceiling from a leaking fidyl roof, on
a musty bureau, a musty rug, and a moldy shower curtain. Tea tree oil
is expensive, but a little goes a very long way. Note that the smell
of tea tree oil is very strong, but it will dissipate in a few days.
2 teaspoons tea tree oil 2 cups water Combine in a spray bottle,
shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse.
Makes 2 cups
Preparation Time: Under a minute
Shelf Life: Indefinite
Storage: Leave in the spray bottle

* Vinegar Spray
Straight vinegar reportedly kills 82 percent of mold. Pour some white
distilled vinegar straight into a spray bottle, spray on the moldy
area, and let set without rinsing if you can put up with the smell.
It will dissipate in a few hours.

=====


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http://www.tealdragon.net/recycle/

Recycling and Conservation Tips
This page contains ideas for ways to recycle, reuse, and otherwise conserve
resources and reduce trash to preserve Earth for many future generations. Thanks
to visitors for contributing their own ideas!

Gift Wrapping
Reuse large pieces of wrapping paper - fold flat for storing
Torn gift wrap and small pieces can be put through a home paper shredder to make
decorative filler for gift boxes and bags
Reuse bows and ribbons
Reuse gift bags
Remove wrinkles from tissue paper for reuse by ironing
Use Sunday comics for wrapping family gifts
Use old road maps for gift wrap (if creases are worn, put tape along them on the
back side)
Wrap gift boxes so that the box and paper may be reused many times.
Make a gift bag from a shopping bag with handles. Cover the store logo with
wrapping paper, an old greeting card, or a picture from a magazine, calendar, or
catalog.
Greeting Cards
Make gift tags by cutting out the pictures -- especially from Christmas cards.
These can be used many years, esp. if laminated. (Craft stores have a great
selection of fancy edge scissors, paper punches and corner punches which can be
used to dress them up.)
Send the card fronts to St. Jude's Ranch for Children to recycle into new cards.
You can also buy the cards made by them.
Junk Mail Envelopes
Save the envelopes from junk mail to be reused for many purposes

Writing grocery lists on and storing the week's coupons inside
Sorting sales receipts by month for financial records
Storing small items
Collecting cancelled postage stamps
Old Road Maps
Gift wrap (if creases are worn, put tape along them on the back side)
Make an envelope -- just fold around your card or letter, and seal shut with
tape or a sticker
School book covers
Junk Mail CDs
Everyone gets these from AOL and other Internet service providers.

Decorate and mail them as a postcard (use regular postage on them -- $.34 as of
8/2001)
Hot beverage coasters
Plastic Film Canisters
Storing change, push pins, paper clips, coins, buttons, saftey or straight pins
Ritz Photo accepts them for recycling
Storing craft items (glitter, little star stickers, beads, confetti)
Make salt and pepper shakers by drilling holes in the lids of two
Pill containers for travel, automobile, or purse
Storing watch/jewelry parts
Make a small hole in the top of the lid. Put a long ribbon or string through it
and tie the ends inside the lid. Decorate the container with stickers and the
container can be worn around the neck to store change, a small first aid kit,
etc. at the beach or pool.

"Oscar the Grouch" - On top of the canister hot glue a green pompom about the
diameter of the film canister opening. Then hot glue the lid at an angle on top
of the pompom to make the garbage can lid. Add wiggle eyes to the pompom for
Oscar's eyes. Add ribbon for a Christmas tree ornament or add to a child's
birthday gift.
Oscar the Grouch

Ink Jet Cartridges
Postage paid mailers are available for recycling used printer ink jet
cartridges. I was able to get them from my local post office, but have not been
able to confirm whether they are available in all post offices.

Cancelled Postage Stamps and Phone Cards
Cancelled postage stamps and phone cards can be packaged to sell to collectors
by non-profit groups. St. Jude's Ranch for Children accepts donations of these
items. They sell some of the stamps in their gift shop to help the St. Jude's
kids and then send the rest of the stamps and phone cards on to Tubfrim. Tubfrim
is a Norwegian organization which raises money to help disabled children.


Send postage stamps and phone cards to:
St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
100 St. Jude’s Street
Boulder City, NV 89005-1618
For more information about Tubrim, see The Official Tubfrim web site

Other uses for cancelled postage stamps -


Start a postage stamp collection, give your cancelled postage stamps to a friend
or family member who is a collector, or help a kid start a collection. Postage
stamp albums are available from H.E. Harris at http://www.heharris.com (they
have great albums with pictures of all the stamps on which to place the ones you
collect.) You can also get started albums for kids from toy and hobby stores.
Craft projects such as collage or decoupage
Framed art for a dollhouse
Magnets
There are many uses for the advertising magnets that many businesses give away.

Glue a photo to a magnet and cut out the image to make a picture magnet.
Glue a notepad or attach a sticky note pad to a magnet to hang on the fridge.
Glue a piece of a magnet to a hinged wooden clothes pin to hold papers on the
fridge. These can also be painted and/or decorated.
Cellular Phones
When you replace your cell phone with a new one, you can donate the old one to
help victims of domestic violence. See more information about HopeLine at the
Verizon Wireless.

Photography
Digital photography eliminates the need for photo processing and therefore the
use of chemicals used for film photography. In addition, with digital
photography, you have the option of deleting pictures you don't want and just
printing those you do want. Even worse for the environment are single use
cameras for which the entire camera is thrown away after the film is developed.

While digital cameras are still more expensive than comparable film cameras,
they have definite advantages.

You can take as many pictures of a subject as you like without additional cost,
so you're more likely to get a really good one (this is especially good for
photographing children and animals)
You only pay to print the pictures you want
You don't pay for film or film processing
You can crop and manipulate the pictures however you like before having prints
made
Kodak DC4800 Zoom Camera - Order or get more information from Amazon.Com
I chose this particular camera because it includes a great selection of
features, the reviews for it are good, and it is available at a great price for
a 3MP camera. Following are some links I found helpful:
Kodak DC4800 Zoom Camera Specifications
Short courses on digital cameras
Digital Camera Resource review
Steve's Digicams review
Viking 128MB Compact Flash card - Order or get more information from Amazon.Com
I bought this 128MB CF card so that I would have more storage space for pictures
on my camera. This particular card is available at a lower price than many other
comparable cards.
Amazon.com/Ofoto photo processing and web photo albums - Sign up or see a sample
album
This is a great web photo service. I really like the software that they give you
to prepare and upload your images. It allows you to upload multiple images with
one click. It has a slide show option which makes it easy to sift through the
pictures taken with a digital camera. It has a cropping option which makes it
simple to crop a picture to a 4x6" size. This photo service also has a nice web
photo album so that you can easily share your digital pictures.

Babies
Breastfeeding and using cloth diapers are ways that you can help the environment
when you are caring for a baby. For more information, see my Baby Tips page.

Miscellaneous
Compost to change food scraps and yard waste into plant food.
Use large, empty plastic pretzel containers for storage, such as reused bows and
ribbon.
Reuse paper clips and rubber bands.
Reuse pages from day to day calendars as note/scrap paper
Use the blank side of small sheets of paper from coupon mailers as scrap paper
and grocery lists.
Use your local library instead of buying books (saves money, book storage space
at home, and disposal of books). Just buy reference books and favorites.
Instead of buying bottled water, wash the bottles and refill with filtered
water.
Make coasters from plastic container lids. Decorate inside with fabric scraps or
decorative paper which has been laminated with clear contact paper.
Make a pet poop scoop with a 1/2 gallon milk jug. Cut the top out, leaving the
handle and a smooth edge for scooping. Place a used plastic newspaper bag,
plastic produce bag, or paper lunch sack inside for easy removal of waste.
Save cardboard backing from used notepads for craft projects, mailing with
pictures to prevent bending, etc.
Old purses and pocketbooks can be used for first aid kits for the car, or to
hold coloring books, crayons and other items for kids in the car. - From Hints
from Heloise
Make guitar picks from old credit cards or plastic phone cards - suggested by a
site visitor
HawaiIce snow cone makers (available at Target) come with ice molds, but no
lids. The lids from Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese spread fit these molds
perfectly and will keep the water from spilling out of the molds in the freezer
before they freeze, and will keep the ice clean and fresh.
Reusing Items for Craft Projects
Many recyclable and non-recyclable items make great materials for kids craft
projects. If you don't have kids in your family, check with local schools,
churches, and nursing homes to find a place that will accept donations of
recyclable and non-recyclable items for reuse in craft projects. Items to donate
include:

paper towel, toilet tissue and gift wrap tubes
plastic margarine tubs
yogurt containers
plastic deli and take-out containers
plastic soda bottles
cardboard backing from pads of paper
old magazines and catalogs for cutting pictures out
picture calendars
used greeting cards
discontinued wallpaper books and scraps *
rubber bands
brown paper bags
egg cartons
coffee cans
shoe boxes
aluminum pie plates
oatmeal cartons
plastic produce baskets
plastic mesh bags from produce
cereal boxes
plastic film canisters *
junk mail CDs
milk cartons and jugs
scrap fabric, yarn, buttons, beads, and ribbon *
thread spools *
bottle corks *
match boxes *
plastic bottle and tube caps *
springs from used pens *
old house keys
old costume jewelry *
cancelled postage stamps *
* These items are also great for kids or adults who do miniature work with a
doll house.

There are quite a few books available through the library on using recycled
materials for crafts (call number J745 at my library). The following books are
aimed at kids, but many of the crafts are also appropriate for adults.


"Ecology Crafts for Kids" by Bobbe Needham
An excellent book which includes a lot of information about recycling and what
other kids are doing to help.
"Crafts for Christian Values" by Kathy Ross
An excellent book of innovative kids crafts for religious and non-religious
context as well.
"Cups & Cans & Paper Plate Fans" by Phyllis Fiarotta & Noel Fiarotta
"EcoArt!" by Laurie Carlson
"Vroom! Vroom!" by Judy Press
"The Little Hands Big Fun Craft Book" by Judy Press
"Kids' Crazy Concoctions: 50 Mysterious Mixtures for Art & Craft Fun" by Jill
Frankel Hauser
"The Muppets Big Book of Crafts" by The Muppet Workshop
Plastic Recycling Numbers
An explanation of the meaning of the numbers in the triangular recycling symbols
on plastics. (from "50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Recycle" by The EarthWorks
Group)

1 - PET
Polyethylene terephthalate; includes plastic soda bottles and some detergent
bottles; commonly recycled.

2 - HDPE
High density polyethylene; includes milk jugs; commonly recycled.

3 - PVC or V
Polyvinyl chloride; includes garden hoses, plastic flooring, credit cards, and
shower curtains

4 - LDPE
Low density polyethylene; includes clear packaging on cassettes or CDs, plastic
sandwich bags and plastic grocery bags; recycled at many grocery stores.

5 - Polypropylene
Includes plastic lids, bottle caps, straws, and some food containers; generally
not recycleable

6 - Polystyrene
Styrofoam, such as coffee cups.

7 - Mixed plastics
Several types of plastic mixed together; probably can't be recycled.

Books About Recycling
Conscious Style Home
by Danny Seo, 2001 Danny Seo Media Ventures, Inc. 160pp. hardcover
Full of information and resources for living and decorating your home Earth
consciously. Color and black and wite photographs.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Ecology Crafts for Kids by Bobbe Needham
An excellent book which includes a lot of information about recycling and what
other kids are doing to help.

50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Recycle
A great book with tips on reducing trash, reuing and recycling for all ages
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save the Earth
Ways to save energy, water, reduce waste and protect wildlife; with contact
information for resources. Includes educational projects and experiments.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save the Earth
Ways to reduce waste, save water and energy, and protect wildlife at home and
work.
Out-of-print, but check your local library or an online used book seller.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Choose to Reuse: An Encyclopedia of Services, Businesses, Tools & Charitable
Programs That Facilitate Reuse
Nikki and David Goldbeck, 1995
An excellent source of information on how to make almost everything available
for reuse. Includes information on the environment and each item's impact on it.
Highly recommended.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

The Envelope Mill: Recycle Magazines into Beautifully Crafted Envelopes
Haila Harvey and Haila Crowell 1995 Summit Pub Group
Paperback book and templates (30 pages)
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Creative Crafting With Recycled Greeting Cards
Catherine Lawrence
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Books on card making
There are many books about making your own cards. Many of the ideas can be
adapted to reuse pretty and interesting scraps of paper and found objects.

Books on paper making, collage, oragami and other paper crafts
You can use scraps of paper to make your own paper for use in card making and
other craft projects. Collaging can be done with scraps of different papers and
found objects to create works of art. Scraps of light weight paper, including
wrapping paper, can be put to use in origami paper folding.





Recycling Web Links
Environmental Protection Agency: Materials and Waste Exchanges
The EPA’s state-by-state listing of materials and waste exchanges.

Southern Waste Information eXchange, Inc.
The Southern Waste Information eXchange, Inc., links buyers and sellers
nationwide.

New York Wa$teMatch
New York Wa$teMatch helps businesses in the New York City area to exchage their
waste materials.

Operation: Landfill Elimination
Tons of tips for reuse of household items in order to reduce trash.

Montgomery County, MD Recycling Web Site - MCRecycles.org
A recycling newsletter (The Recycletter), and information on recycling in
Montgomery County

Gaiam - www.gaiam.com
A company specializing in natural and conservation-related product sales.



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http://www.wildroots.com/insect.htm

Herbal Insect Repellents

Creating your own mosquito repellents is a safe and effective alternative to
commercial repellents. Using herbs and essential oils, you can prepare your own
mosquito repellents, and products for your pets and home with little effort.

The most frequently used natural mosquito repellent is citronella essential oil.
The citronella essential oil is extracted from the plant Cymbopagon nardus and
has a pleasant citrus-like aroma. Usually the citronella is simply mixed with a
base such as oil or alcohol at a strength of 5-10% (see ESSENTIAL OILS for
precautions).

Citronella Repellent © Millie Fodor
2 ounces witch hazel extract
60 drops citronella essential oil

Preparation: Put 2 ounces of witch hazel into a lotion or spray bottle. Add 60
drops of citronella essential oil. Label properly. Shake well before each use.

This is approximately a 5 % dilution. For a 10 % dilution add 120 drops of
citronella. Witch hazel extract is non-drying and medicinally soothing to insect
bites. You may use olive oil, rubbing alcohol, vodka, or prepare a lotion in
place of the witch hazel.

Citronella Lotion © Millie Fodor
2 ounces distilled water
2 ounces olive oil
120 drops citronella essential oil

A lotion is an emulsification of water and oil. To prepare: Put water into a
deep mixing bowl. Begin to drizzle in the oil slowly and beat vigorously with a
wire whisk. By the time all the oil is added you should have a nice creamy white
lotion. Stir in the citronella oil. Pour into a lotion bottle and label.

Herbal Repellent Oil © Millie Fodor
1 part fresh pennyroyal
1 part fresh thyme
1/2 part fresh basil
1/2 part neem leaf (if available)
tea tree essential oil
citronella essential oil
olive oil

Pick your fresh herbs. Manually remove any dirt then set them in a sunny place
until the herbs are wilted.

Using 1/4 cup as your part, measure 1/4 cup of pennyroyal and thyme, and 1/8 cup
basil and neem leaf into a crock pot. Pour in enough olive oil to cover the
herbs plus another inch of oil (approximately 1 cup). Turn the crock pot on low
temperature and heat the herbs for about 3 hours. An alternative way to prepare
your oil extraction is to place the herbs in a clear glass jar and set it in the
sun for about five days. Shake it once or twice a day.

When you have finished heating your oil, strain your oil through a cheesecloth
lined strainer. Squeeze out as much oil as possible. Measure out how much oil
you now have. For each ounce of oil add 10 drops of citronella essential oil and
5 drops of tea tree oil.

Pour into lotion bottle and label.

VARIATIONS

You can use this herbal oil in place of the olive oil in the CITRONELLA LOTION
recipe.

Herbal Closet Sachet © Millie Fodor
1 part Rosemary
1 part Cedarwood Chips
1/2 part Oak Moss
1 part Pennyroyal
1 part Chrysanthemum Flowers
1 part Cloves
1 part Eucalyptus Leaf
1 part Orris Root

Blend the herbs together then package in muslin bags. You may add essential oils
such as cedarwood to strengthen the aroma. Hang the bags in your closet and
place in your chest of drawers. Variations: You can choose any assortment of the
moth repellent herbs to formulate your own sachet blends. Orris root is used in
this recipe as a fixative. It helps to hold the scent in the sachet.

Among the good reasons for preparing your own repellents, protecting yourself
from toxic chemicals is the most important. Fifty to sixty percent of what is
applied to the skin is absorbed internally. Because our body-care products often
contain chemicals that are inadequately researched or known to produce a variety
of ill effects, it has become important for us to look for ways to minimize our
use of them.

PRECAUTION

If you find that you need to apply repellents several times throughout the day,
and you are doing this everyday, I recommend that you make several different
repellents and use them in alternation.



Insect Repelling Plants

ANT REPELLENTS

TANSY



FLEAS

BREWERS YEAST

GARLIC

FENNEL

PENNYROYAL

PYRETHRUM DAISY

GARLIC - Garlic combined with brewers yeast protects your pets against fleas.
They usually love this sprinkled on their food each day.

PENNYROYAL - Place a drop of pennyroyal on your pets collar to repel fleas. You
can also add a few drops of pennyroyal oil to water and spray around areas where
your pets sleeps.



FLY REPELLENTS

BASIL

BAY LEAF

CLOVES

TANSY



MICE

MINTS



MOTHS

BASIL

BAY LEAF

CEDAR

CLOVES

EUCALYPTUS

LAVENDER

MINTS, EXCEPT PEPPERMINT

PATCHOULI

PENNYROYAL

PEPPER, BLACK

PYRETHRUM DAISY

ROSEMARY

RUE

SOUTHERNWOOD

SANTOLINA

TANSY

THYME

WORMWOOD



FOR PEOPLE

BASIL

BAY LEAF

CITRONELLA OIL

CLOVE

GARLIC

NEEM LEAF

PENNYROYAL

ROSEMARY

RUE

TEA TREE OIL

THYME

WITCH HAZEL

WEEVILS

BAY LEAF - Place whole leaf in grain and flour packages.



ESSENTIAL OILS

Essential oils are steam distilled concentrates of the natural oils present in
plants, flowers, roots, and trees. They are 100 % pure and must be carefully
used by the drop.

Patch test for skin irritations using the diluted oil before general use.

CEDARWOOD (Juniperus mexicana) - Apply a few drops inside your chest of drawers
to repel moths and other cloth eating insects.

CITRONELLA (Cymbopagon nardus) - Effective insect repellent. May be used full
strength or diluted. Patch test before using on your skin. Keep out of mucus
membranes.

LEMONGRASS (Cymbopogon citratus) - Insect repellent. Pleasant lemon fragrance.
Patch test before using on your skin.

PENNYROYAL (Mentha puleglum) - Use to repel fleas from your pets and home. Also
used as a general insect repellent at safe dilution's. WARNING: Abortive. Keep
away from pregnant women.

TEA TREE OIL ( Melaleuca alternifolia) - Repels ticks, leeches, and lice.






REFERENCES

CONSUMER'S DICTIONARY OF COSMETIC INGREDIENTS. Ruth Winter. New York. Crown
Publishers.1989.

ECO-HERBALISM: ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS FACING HERBALIST TODAY. Rosemary Gladstar.
Written for the North East Herb Association Newsletter.

HERB BOOK. John Lust. New York. Bantam Books. 1974.

HERBAL HEALING FOR WOMEN, Rosemary Gladstar. New York. Simon & Schuster.1993

INDIAN HERBOLOGY OF NORTH AMERICA, Alma R. Hutchens. Boston. Shambhala. 1973.

NATURAL HEALTH: THE GUIDE TO WELL-BEING. Jan/ Feb. 1995. Vol. 25. # 1. How to
Use Gentle Herbs to Clean, Soothe, and Refresh Your Skin.. p. 72-77.

A TREASURY OF NATURAL FIRST AID REMEDIES FROM A TO Z, James Kusick. New York.
Parker Publishing Co. 1995

THE WAY OF HERBS, Michael Tierra C.A.,N.D. New York, Washington Square
Press.1983.



http://incurable-hippie.blogspot.com

Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
Information about where to send your used stamps for charity, see
http://www.used-stamps.co.uk

Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
Make Your Own Non-Toxic Cleaning Kit
By Annie B. Bond, author of "Clean & Green,"
(Ceres Press, 1990).

http://www.care2.com/channels/fidylsolutions/home/344

Most modern synthetic cleaning products are based on age-old formulas
using natural ingredients that were passed down through the
generations because the chemistry was right. Going back to the
original naturally-derived ingredients is a way to make cleaning
products that work, don't pollute, and save you money. Most are found
in your kitchen cupboards. Mix and match with well-chosen and
environmentally-friendly green cleaning products found in health food
stores, and you can easily and simply transform your home into a
nontoxic and healthy haven.

Nontoxic cleaning can give you a deep feeling of gratification in
knowing that your family's health is protected, and that your home is
a place for your bodies to rest and recuperate rather than promote
harm.

Making your own nontoxic cleaning kit will take you no time at all
with these simple, straightforward directions, and with this kit you
will be supplied with enough cleaning product for months of cleaning.


As an added bonus, ounce for ounce homemade cleaning formulas cost
about one-tenth the price of their commercial counterparts -- and
that includes costly, but worthwhile essential oils and concentrated,
all-purpose detergents for homemade recipes.

SUPPLIES
baking soda
washing soda
white distilled vinegar
a good liquid soap or detergent
tea tree oil
6 clean spray bottles
2 glass jars

MAKE YOUR OWN PRODUCTS
Note: Make sure to label all your homemade cleaning products, and
keep them away from pets and children.

CREAMY SOFT SCRUBBER
Simply pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough
liquid detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture
onto a sponge, and wash the surface. This is the perfect recipe for
cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn't leave grit.

Note: Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store
in a sealed glass jar, to keep the product moist. Otherwise just make
as much as you need at a time.

WINDOW CLEANER
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups water
spray bottle

Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and
use as you would a commercial brand. The soap in this recipe is
important. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you
might have used in the past.

OVEN CLEANER
1 cup or more baking soda
water
a squirt or two of liquid detergent

Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the
grime with enough baking soda that the surface it totally white.
Sprinkle some more water over the top. Let the mixture set overnight.
You can easily wipe up the grease the next morning because the grime
will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess,
dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the
remaining residue from the oven. If this recipe doesn't work for you
it is probably because you didn't use enough baking soda and/or
water.

ALL-PURPOSE SPRAY CLEANER
1/2 tsp. washing soda
a dab of liquid soap
2 cups hot tap water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing
soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.

FURNITURE POLISH
1/2 teaspoon oil, such as olive (or jojoba, a liquid wax)
1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution
and wipe onto wood surfaces. Cover the glass jar and store
indefinitely.

VINEGAR DEODORIZER
Keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5 percent vinegar in
your kitchen near your cutting board, and in your bathroom, and use
them for cleaning. I often spray the vinegar on our cutting board
before going to bed at night, and don't even rinse, but let it set
overnight. The smell of vinegar dissipates within a few hours.
Straight vinegar is also great for cleaning the toilet rim. Just
spray it on and wipe off.

MOLD KILLERS
Tea Tree Treaure
Nothing natural works for mold and mildew as well as this spray. I've

used it successfully on a moldy ceiling from a leaking fidyl roof, on
a musty bureau, a musty rug, and a moldy shower curtain. Tea tree oil
is expensive, but a little goes a very long way. Note that the smell
of tea tree oil is very strong, but it will dissipate in a few days.
2 teaspoons tea tree oil 2 cups water Combine in a spray bottle,
shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse.
Makes 2 cups
Preparation Time: Under a minute
Shelf Life: Indefinite
Storage: Leave in the spray bottle

* Vinegar Spray
Straight vinegar reportedly kills 82 percent of mold. Pour some white
distilled vinegar straight into a spray bottle, spray on the moldy
area, and let set without rinsing if you can put up with the smell.
It will dissipate in a few hours.

=====


http://incurable-hippie.blogspot.com

Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
http://www.wildroots.com/insect.htm

Herbal Insect Repellents

Creating your own mosquito repellents is a safe and effective alternative to
commercial repellents. Using herbs and essential oils, you can prepare your own
mosquito repellents, and products for your pets and home with little effort.

The most frequently used natural mosquito repellent is citronella essential oil.
The citronella essential oil is extracted from the plant Cymbopagon nardus and
has a pleasant citrus-like aroma. Usually the citronella is simply mixed with a
base such as oil or alcohol at a strength of 5-10% (see ESSENTIAL OILS for
precautions).

Citronella Repellent © Millie Fodor
2 ounces witch hazel extract
60 drops citronella essential oil

Preparation: Put 2 ounces of witch hazel into a lotion or spray bottle. Add 60
drops of citronella essential oil. Label properly. Shake well before each use.

This is approximately a 5 % dilution. For a 10 % dilution add 120 drops of
citronella. Witch hazel extract is non-drying and medicinally soothing to insect
bites. You may use olive oil, rubbing alcohol, vodka, or prepare a lotion in
place of the witch hazel.

Citronella Lotion © Millie Fodor
2 ounces distilled water
2 ounces olive oil
120 drops citronella essential oil

A lotion is an emulsification of water and oil. To prepare: Put water into a
deep mixing bowl. Begin to drizzle in the oil slowly and beat vigorously with a
wire whisk. By the time all the oil is added you should have a nice creamy white
lotion. Stir in the citronella oil. Pour into a lotion bottle and label.

Herbal Repellent Oil © Millie Fodor
1 part fresh pennyroyal
1 part fresh thyme
1/2 part fresh basil
1/2 part neem leaf (if available)
tea tree essential oil
citronella essential oil
olive oil

Pick your fresh herbs. Manually remove any dirt then set them in a sunny place
until the herbs are wilted.

Using 1/4 cup as your part, measure 1/4 cup of pennyroyal and thyme, and 1/8 cup
basil and neem leaf into a crock pot. Pour in enough olive oil to cover the
herbs plus another inch of oil (approximately 1 cup). Turn the crock pot on low
temperature and heat the herbs for about 3 hours. An alternative way to prepare
your oil extraction is to place the herbs in a clear glass jar and set it in the
sun for about five days. Shake it once or twice a day.

When you have finished heating your oil, strain your oil through a cheesecloth
lined strainer. Squeeze out as much oil as possible. Measure out how much oil
you now have. For each ounce of oil add 10 drops of citronella essential oil and
5 drops of tea tree oil.

Pour into lotion bottle and label.

VARIATIONS

You can use this herbal oil in place of the olive oil in the CITRONELLA LOTION
recipe.

Herbal Closet Sachet © Millie Fodor
1 part Rosemary
1 part Cedarwood Chips
1/2 part Oak Moss
1 part Pennyroyal
1 part Chrysanthemum Flowers
1 part Cloves
1 part Eucalyptus Leaf
1 part Orris Root

Blend the herbs together then package in muslin bags. You may add essential oils
such as cedarwood to strengthen the aroma. Hang the bags in your closet and
place in your chest of drawers. Variations: You can choose any assortment of the
moth repellent herbs to formulate your own sachet blends. Orris root is used in
this recipe as a fixative. It helps to hold the scent in the sachet.

Among the good reasons for preparing your own repellents, protecting yourself
from toxic chemicals is the most important. Fifty to sixty percent of what is
applied to the skin is absorbed internally. Because our body-care products often
contain chemicals that are inadequately researched or known to produce a variety
of ill effects, it has become important for us to look for ways to minimize our
use of them.

PRECAUTION

If you find that you need to apply repellents several times throughout the day,
and you are doing this everyday, I recommend that you make several different
repellents and use them in alternation.



Insect Repelling Plants

ANT REPELLENTS

TANSY



FLEAS

BREWERS YEAST

GARLIC

FENNEL

PENNYROYAL

PYRETHRUM DAISY

GARLIC - Garlic combined with brewers yeast protects your pets against fleas.
They usually love this sprinkled on their food each day.

PENNYROYAL - Place a drop of pennyroyal on your pets collar to repel fleas. You
can also add a few drops of pennyroyal oil to water and spray around areas where
your pets sleeps.



FLY REPELLENTS

BASIL

BAY LEAF

CLOVES

TANSY



MICE

MINTS



MOTHS

BASIL

BAY LEAF

CEDAR

CLOVES

EUCALYPTUS

LAVENDER

MINTS, EXCEPT PEPPERMINT

PATCHOULI

PENNYROYAL

PEPPER, BLACK

PYRETHRUM DAISY

ROSEMARY

RUE

SOUTHERNWOOD

SANTOLINA

TANSY

THYME

WORMWOOD



FOR PEOPLE

BASIL

BAY LEAF

CITRONELLA OIL

CLOVE

GARLIC

NEEM LEAF

PENNYROYAL

ROSEMARY

RUE

TEA TREE OIL

THYME

WITCH HAZEL

WEEVILS

BAY LEAF - Place whole leaf in grain and flour packages.



ESSENTIAL OILS

Essential oils are steam distilled concentrates of the natural oils present in
plants, flowers, roots, and trees. They are 100 % pure and must be carefully
used by the drop.

Patch test for skin irritations using the diluted oil before general use.

CEDARWOOD (Juniperus mexicana) - Apply a few drops inside your chest of drawers
to repel moths and other cloth eating insects.

CITRONELLA (Cymbopagon nardus) - Effective insect repellent. May be used full
strength or diluted. Patch test before using on your skin. Keep out of mucus
membranes.

LEMONGRASS (Cymbopogon citratus) - Insect repellent. Pleasant lemon fragrance.
Patch test before using on your skin.

PENNYROYAL (Mentha puleglum) - Use to repel fleas from your pets and home. Also
used as a general insect repellent at safe dilution's. WARNING: Abortive. Keep
away from pregnant women.

TEA TREE OIL ( Melaleuca alternifolia) - Repels ticks, leeches, and lice.






REFERENCES

CONSUMER'S DICTIONARY OF COSMETIC INGREDIENTS. Ruth Winter. New York. Crown
Publishers.1989.

ECO-HERBALISM: ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS FACING HERBALIST TODAY. Rosemary Gladstar.
Written for the North East Herb Association Newsletter.

HERB BOOK. John Lust. New York. Bantam Books. 1974.

HERBAL HEALING FOR WOMEN, Rosemary Gladstar. New York. Simon & Schuster.1993

INDIAN HERBOLOGY OF NORTH AMERICA, Alma R. Hutchens. Boston. Shambhala. 1973.

NATURAL HEALTH: THE GUIDE TO WELL-BEING. Jan/ Feb. 1995. Vol. 25. # 1. How to
Use Gentle Herbs to Clean, Soothe, and Refresh Your Skin.. p. 72-77.

A TREASURY OF NATURAL FIRST AID REMEDIES FROM A TO Z, James Kusick. New York.
Parker Publishing Co. 1995

THE WAY OF HERBS, Michael Tierra C.A.,N.D. New York, Washington Square
Press.1983.



http://incurable-hippie.blogspot.com

Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
http://www.tealdragon.net/recycle/

Recycling and Conservation Tips
This page contains ideas for ways to recycle, reuse, and otherwise conserve
resources and reduce trash to preserve Earth for many future generations. Thanks
to visitors for contributing their own ideas!

Gift Wrapping
Reuse large pieces of wrapping paper - fold flat for storing
Torn gift wrap and small pieces can be put through a home paper shredder to make
decorative filler for gift boxes and bags
Reuse bows and ribbons
Reuse gift bags
Remove wrinkles from tissue paper for reuse by ironing
Use Sunday comics for wrapping family gifts
Use old road maps for gift wrap (if creases are worn, put tape along them on the
back side)
Wrap gift boxes so that the box and paper may be reused many times.
Make a gift bag from a shopping bag with handles. Cover the store logo with
wrapping paper, an old greeting card, or a picture from a magazine, calendar, or
catalog.
Greeting Cards
Make gift tags by cutting out the pictures -- especially from Christmas cards.
These can be used many years, esp. if laminated. (Craft stores have a great
selection of fancy edge scissors, paper punches and corner punches which can be
used to dress them up.)
Send the card fronts to St. Jude's Ranch for Children to recycle into new cards.
You can also buy the cards made by them.
Junk Mail Envelopes
Save the envelopes from junk mail to be reused for many purposes

Writing grocery lists on and storing the week's coupons inside
Sorting sales receipts by month for financial records
Storing small items
Collecting cancelled postage stamps
Old Road Maps
Gift wrap (if creases are worn, put tape along them on the back side)
Make an envelope -- just fold around your card or letter, and seal shut with
tape or a sticker
School book covers
Junk Mail CDs
Everyone gets these from AOL and other Internet service providers.

Decorate and mail them as a postcard (use regular postage on them -- $.34 as of
8/2001)
Hot beverage coasters
Plastic Film Canisters
Storing change, push pins, paper clips, coins, buttons, saftey or straight pins
Ritz Photo accepts them for recycling
Storing craft items (glitter, little star stickers, beads, confetti)
Make salt and pepper shakers by drilling holes in the lids of two
Pill containers for travel, automobile, or purse
Storing watch/jewelry parts
Make a small hole in the top of the lid. Put a long ribbon or string through it
and tie the ends inside the lid. Decorate the container with stickers and the
container can be worn around the neck to store change, a small first aid kit,
etc. at the beach or pool.

"Oscar the Grouch" - On top of the canister hot glue a green pompom about the
diameter of the film canister opening. Then hot glue the lid at an angle on top
of the pompom to make the garbage can lid. Add wiggle eyes to the pompom for
Oscar's eyes. Add ribbon for a Christmas tree ornament or add to a child's
birthday gift.
Oscar the Grouch

Ink Jet Cartridges
Postage paid mailers are available for recycling used printer ink jet
cartridges. I was able to get them from my local post office, but have not been
able to confirm whether they are available in all post offices.

Cancelled Postage Stamps and Phone Cards
Cancelled postage stamps and phone cards can be packaged to sell to collectors
by non-profit groups. St. Jude's Ranch for Children accepts donations of these
items. They sell some of the stamps in their gift shop to help the St. Jude's
kids and then send the rest of the stamps and phone cards on to Tubfrim. Tubfrim
is a Norwegian organization which raises money to help disabled children.


Send postage stamps and phone cards to:
St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
100 St. Jude’s Street
Boulder City, NV 89005-1618
For more information about Tubrim, see The Official Tubfrim web site

Other uses for cancelled postage stamps -


Start a postage stamp collection, give your cancelled postage stamps to a friend
or family member who is a collector, or help a kid start a collection. Postage
stamp albums are available from H.E. Harris at http://www.heharris.com (they
have great albums with pictures of all the stamps on which to place the ones you
collect.) You can also get started albums for kids from toy and hobby stores.
Craft projects such as collage or decoupage
Framed art for a dollhouse
Magnets
There are many uses for the advertising magnets that many businesses give away.

Glue a photo to a magnet and cut out the image to make a picture magnet.
Glue a notepad or attach a sticky note pad to a magnet to hang on the fridge.
Glue a piece of a magnet to a hinged wooden clothes pin to hold papers on the
fridge. These can also be painted and/or decorated.
Cellular Phones
When you replace your cell phone with a new one, you can donate the old one to
help victims of domestic violence. See more information about HopeLine at the
Verizon Wireless.

Photography
Digital photography eliminates the need for photo processing and therefore the
use of chemicals used for film photography. In addition, with digital
photography, you have the option of deleting pictures you don't want and just
printing those you do want. Even worse for the environment are single use
cameras for which the entire camera is thrown away after the film is developed.

While digital cameras are still more expensive than comparable film cameras,
they have definite advantages.

You can take as many pictures of a subject as you like without additional cost,
so you're more likely to get a really good one (this is especially good for
photographing children and animals)
You only pay to print the pictures you want
You don't pay for film or film processing
You can crop and manipulate the pictures however you like before having prints
made
Kodak DC4800 Zoom Camera - Order or get more information from Amazon.Com
I chose this particular camera because it includes a great selection of
features, the reviews for it are good, and it is available at a great price for
a 3MP camera. Following are some links I found helpful:
Kodak DC4800 Zoom Camera Specifications
Short courses on digital cameras
Digital Camera Resource review
Steve's Digicams review
Viking 128MB Compact Flash card - Order or get more information from Amazon.Com
I bought this 128MB CF card so that I would have more storage space for pictures
on my camera. This particular card is available at a lower price than many other
comparable cards.
Amazon.com/Ofoto photo processing and web photo albums - Sign up or see a sample
album
This is a great web photo service. I really like the software that they give you
to prepare and upload your images. It allows you to upload multiple images with
one click. It has a slide show option which makes it easy to sift through the
pictures taken with a digital camera. It has a cropping option which makes it
simple to crop a picture to a 4x6" size. This photo service also has a nice web
photo album so that you can easily share your digital pictures.

Babies
Breastfeeding and using cloth diapers are ways that you can help the environment
when you are caring for a baby. For more information, see my Baby Tips page.

Miscellaneous
Compost to change food scraps and yard waste into plant food.
Use large, empty plastic pretzel containers for storage, such as reused bows and
ribbon.
Reuse paper clips and rubber bands.
Reuse pages from day to day calendars as note/scrap paper
Use the blank side of small sheets of paper from coupon mailers as scrap paper
and grocery lists.
Use your local library instead of buying books (saves money, book storage space
at home, and disposal of books). Just buy reference books and favorites.
Instead of buying bottled water, wash the bottles and refill with filtered
water.
Make coasters from plastic container lids. Decorate inside with fabric scraps or
decorative paper which has been laminated with clear contact paper.
Make a pet poop scoop with a 1/2 gallon milk jug. Cut the top out, leaving the
handle and a smooth edge for scooping. Place a used plastic newspaper bag,
plastic produce bag, or paper lunch sack inside for easy removal of waste.
Save cardboard backing from used notepads for craft projects, mailing with
pictures to prevent bending, etc.
Old purses and pocketbooks can be used for first aid kits for the car, or to
hold coloring books, crayons and other items for kids in the car. - From Hints
from Heloise
Make guitar picks from old credit cards or plastic phone cards - suggested by a
site visitor
HawaiIce snow cone makers (available at Target) come with ice molds, but no
lids. The lids from Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese spread fit these molds
perfectly and will keep the water from spilling out of the molds in the freezer
before they freeze, and will keep the ice clean and fresh.
Reusing Items for Craft Projects
Many recyclable and non-recyclable items make great materials for kids craft
projects. If you don't have kids in your family, check with local schools,
churches, and nursing homes to find a place that will accept donations of
recyclable and non-recyclable items for reuse in craft projects. Items to donate
include:

paper towel, toilet tissue and gift wrap tubes
plastic margarine tubs
yogurt containers
plastic deli and take-out containers
plastic soda bottles
cardboard backing from pads of paper
old magazines and catalogs for cutting pictures out
picture calendars
used greeting cards
discontinued wallpaper books and scraps *
rubber bands
brown paper bags
egg cartons
coffee cans
shoe boxes
aluminum pie plates
oatmeal cartons
plastic produce baskets
plastic mesh bags from produce
cereal boxes
plastic film canisters *
junk mail CDs
milk cartons and jugs
scrap fabric, yarn, buttons, beads, and ribbon *
thread spools *
bottle corks *
match boxes *
plastic bottle and tube caps *
springs from used pens *
old house keys
old costume jewelry *
cancelled postage stamps *
* These items are also great for kids or adults who do miniature work with a
doll house.

There are quite a few books available through the library on using recycled
materials for crafts (call number J745 at my library). The following books are
aimed at kids, but many of the crafts are also appropriate for adults.


"Ecology Crafts for Kids" by Bobbe Needham
An excellent book which includes a lot of information about recycling and what
other kids are doing to help.
"Crafts for Christian Values" by Kathy Ross
An excellent book of innovative kids crafts for religious and non-religious
context as well.
"Cups & Cans & Paper Plate Fans" by Phyllis Fiarotta & Noel Fiarotta
"EcoArt!" by Laurie Carlson
"Vroom! Vroom!" by Judy Press
"The Little Hands Big Fun Craft Book" by Judy Press
"Kids' Crazy Concoctions: 50 Mysterious Mixtures for Art & Craft Fun" by Jill
Frankel Hauser
"The Muppets Big Book of Crafts" by The Muppet Workshop
Plastic Recycling Numbers
An explanation of the meaning of the numbers in the triangular recycling symbols
on plastics. (from "50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Recycle" by The EarthWorks
Group)

1 - PET
Polyethylene terephthalate; includes plastic soda bottles and some detergent
bottles; commonly recycled.

2 - HDPE
High density polyethylene; includes milk jugs; commonly recycled.

3 - PVC or V
Polyvinyl chloride; includes garden hoses, plastic flooring, credit cards, and
shower curtains

4 - LDPE
Low density polyethylene; includes clear packaging on cassettes or CDs, plastic
sandwich bags and plastic grocery bags; recycled at many grocery stores.

5 - Polypropylene
Includes plastic lids, bottle caps, straws, and some food containers; generally
not recycleable

6 - Polystyrene
Styrofoam, such as coffee cups.

7 - Mixed plastics
Several types of plastic mixed together; probably can't be recycled.

Books About Recycling
Conscious Style Home
by Danny Seo, 2001 Danny Seo Media Ventures, Inc. 160pp. hardcover
Full of information and resources for living and decorating your home Earth
consciously. Color and black and wite photographs.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Ecology Crafts for Kids by Bobbe Needham
An excellent book which includes a lot of information about recycling and what
other kids are doing to help.

50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Recycle
A great book with tips on reducing trash, reuing and recycling for all ages
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save the Earth
Ways to save energy, water, reduce waste and protect wildlife; with contact
information for resources. Includes educational projects and experiments.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save the Earth
Ways to reduce waste, save water and energy, and protect wildlife at home and
work.
Out-of-print, but check your local library or an online used book seller.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Choose to Reuse: An Encyclopedia of Services, Businesses, Tools & Charitable
Programs That Facilitate Reuse
Nikki and David Goldbeck, 1995
An excellent source of information on how to make almost everything available
for reuse. Includes information on the environment and each item's impact on it.
Highly recommended.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

The Envelope Mill: Recycle Magazines into Beautifully Crafted Envelopes
Haila Harvey and Haila Crowell 1995 Summit Pub Group
Paperback book and templates (30 pages)
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Creative Crafting With Recycled Greeting Cards
Catherine Lawrence
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Books on card making
There are many books about making your own cards. Many of the ideas can be
adapted to reuse pretty and interesting scraps of paper and found objects.

Books on paper making, collage, oragami and other paper crafts
You can use scraps of paper to make your own paper for use in card making and
other craft projects. Collaging can be done with scraps of different papers and
found objects to create works of art. Scraps of light weight paper, including
wrapping paper, can be put to use in origami paper folding.





Recycling Web Links
Environmental Protection Agency: Materials and Waste Exchanges
The EPA’s state-by-state listing of materials and waste exchanges.

Southern Waste Information eXchange, Inc.
The Southern Waste Information eXchange, Inc., links buyers and sellers
nationwide.

New York Wa$teMatch
New York Wa$teMatch helps businesses in the New York City area to exchage their
waste materials.

Operation: Landfill Elimination
Tons of tips for reuse of household items in order to reduce trash.

Montgomery County, MD Recycling Web Site - MCRecycles.org
A recycling newsletter (The Recycletter), and information on recycling in
Montgomery County

Gaiam - www.gaiam.com
A company specializing in natural and conservation-related product sales.



http://incurable-hippie.blogspot.com

Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
Information about where to send your used stamps for charity, see
http://www.used-stamps.co.uk

Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
http://www.units.muohio.edu/dragonfly/save/recycling.shtml


Did you know that every year American people throw away 208 million tons of
municipal solid waste? That means that every day each person throws away an
average of 4.3 pounds of garbage or trash! Where on earth does all of this
garbage go? The answer is landfills.

Pop cans are one of the many items that you can recycle in your home.

Fortunately there are ways to keep these landfills from getting too full. An
easy way to do this is to use the 3R's. The 3R's stand for REDUCE, REUSE,
RECYCLE. So what do we mean when we say REDUCE? To reduce is to buy fewer
things, so that we have less garbage do contend with. REDUCING is the most
effective way to cut down on municipal solid waste. To reduce we should try to
buy durable, long-lasting products. That way we don't have to throw them away as
often. We also need to make sure we are using packing that is free of toxins, or
things that are poisonous.

Another way to really help the environment is to REUSE. To REUSE means not to
throw things away after having used them only once or twice. So how can you do
this? First of all, it always helps to try to repair things. If something stops
working, don't throw it away. There's probably someone who can fix it and it
will be good as new! Also, when you outgrow your clothes, don't leave them on
the curb for the garbage collectors. Instead, donate them to charity. Then
someone who needs those clothes can use them and they will not go to waste.

And the last R is RECYCLE. Did you know that after you have finished using
something and it can't be reused, it can be made into something else? Well
that's exactly what recycling is. By recycling, we can use everything we throw
away and eliminate a lot of waste. Basically recycling is a way to give a second
life to materials that we otherwise would have been thrown away. Some of the
main things that can be recycled are packaging items. This includes things like
glass bottles and jars, paper boxes, bags and cartons, metal (like steel and
aluminum) and plastic bottles or jugs. So why do we recycle and how can you get
involved?

Does your community have a curbside recycling program? See how much trash you
can recycle!

There are different recycling programs in every city and town. It's very
important to find out how to get involved with recycling in your community. Some
places have a "pay as you throw" policy. This is a policy that keeps people from
being irresponsible with waste because they have to pay every time their garbage
is collected. The more waste they are producing, the more they have to pay.

There are more than 4,000 cities that have implemented a pay-as-you-throw
policy. With a pay-as-you-throw policy, you are charged for each bag or can of
garbage you throw away. People are more likely to recycle if they have to pay
for their trash. Remember all of the ways to reduce the amount of waste you
produce? Don't forget to be a smart consumer. The less packaging the better.
Here are some suggestions for what to buy the next time you're in a store:

Juice Boxes aren't a good idea because they use a lot of packing. Try using a
reusable thurmos instead.
Plastic silverware isn't a good idea either. You should always try to avoid
using plastic silverware. It can be a good time saver, but take a few extra
seconds to wash your silverware instead of throwing it away. It will pay off in
the long run.
Bulk items, such as economy sized jars of peanut butter are a good thing to buy.
If you buy the big jar of peanut butter, you will not go through it as fast. If
you buy the small jars, you will be throwing away jars all of the time.
In order to make recycling as easy and convenient as possible, almost all
communities have curbside recycling programs. That means all you have to do is
put your recycling on the curb with your garbage. It's that easy! Make sure you
and your family are taking advantage of that great opportunity to help save the
planet. And make sure you aren't ever throwing away recyclables!


http://incurable-hippie.blogspot.com

Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
http://www.units.muohio.edu/dragonfly/save/recycling.shtml


Did you know that every year American people throw away 208 million tons of
municipal solid waste? That means that every day each person throws away an
average of 4.3 pounds of garbage or trash! Where on earth does all of this
garbage go? The answer is landfills.

Pop cans are one of the many items that you can recycle in your home.

Fortunately there are ways to keep these landfills from getting too full. An
easy way to do this is to use the 3R's. The 3R's stand for REDUCE, REUSE,
RECYCLE. So what do we mean when we say REDUCE? To reduce is to buy fewer
things, so that we have less garbage do contend with. REDUCING is the most
effective way to cut down on municipal solid waste. To reduce we should try to
buy durable, long-lasting products. That way we don't have to throw them away as
often. We also need to make sure we are using packing that is free of toxins, or
things that are poisonous.

Another way to really help the environment is to REUSE. To REUSE means not to
throw things away after having used them only once or twice. So how can you do
this? First of all, it always helps to try to repair things. If something stops
working, don't throw it away. There's probably someone who can fix it and it
will be good as new! Also, when you outgrow your clothes, don't leave them on
the curb for the garbage collectors. Instead, donate them to charity. Then
someone who needs those clothes can use them and they will not go to waste.

And the last R is RECYCLE. Did you know that after you have finished using
something and it can't be reused, it can be made into something else? Well
that's exactly what recycling is. By recycling, we can use everything we throw
away and eliminate a lot of waste. Basically recycling is a way to give a second
life to materials that we otherwise would have been thrown away. Some of the
main things that can be recycled are packaging items. This includes things like
glass bottles and jars, paper boxes, bags and cartons, metal (like steel and
aluminum) and plastic bottles or jugs. So why do we recycle and how can you get
involved?

Does your community have a curbside recycling program? See how much trash you
can recycle!

There are different recycling programs in every city and town. It's very
important to find out how to get involved with recycling in your community. Some
places have a "pay as you throw" policy. This is a policy that keeps people from
being irresponsible with waste because they have to pay every time their garbage
is collected. The more waste they are producing, the more they have to pay.

There are more than 4,000 cities that have implemented a pay-as-you-throw
policy. With a pay-as-you-throw policy, you are charged for each bag or can of
garbage you throw away. People are more likely to recycle if they have to pay
for their trash. Remember all of the ways to reduce the amount of waste you
produce? Don't forget to be a smart consumer. The less packaging the better.
Here are some suggestions for what to buy the next time you're in a store:

Juice Boxes aren't a good idea because they use a lot of packing. Try using a
reusable thurmos instead.
Plastic silverware isn't a good idea either. You should always try to avoid
using plastic silverware. It can be a good time saver, but take a few extra
seconds to wash your silverware instead of throwing it away. It will pay off in
the long run.
Bulk items, such as economy sized jars of peanut butter are a good thing to buy.
If you buy the big jar of peanut butter, you will not go through it as fast. If
you buy the small jars, you will be throwing away jars all of the time.
In order to make recycling as easy and convenient as possible, almost all
communities have curbside recycling programs. That means all you have to do is
put your recycling on the curb with your garbage. It's that easy! Make sure you
and your family are taking advantage of that great opportunity to help save the
planet. And make sure you aren't ever throwing away recyclables!


http://incurable-hippie.blogspot.com

Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
Information about where to send your used stamps for charity, see
http://www.used-stamps.co.uk

Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
Make Your Own Non-Toxic Cleaning Kit
By Annie B. Bond, author of "Clean & Green,"
(Ceres Press, 1990).

http://www.care2.com/channels/fidylsolutions/home/344

Most modern synthetic cleaning products are based on age-old formulas
using natural ingredients that were passed down through the
generations because the chemistry was right. Going back to the
original naturally-derived ingredients is a way to make cleaning
products that work, don't pollute, and save you money. Most are found
in your kitchen cupboards. Mix and match with well-chosen and
environmentally-friendly green cleaning products found in health food
stores, and you can easily and simply transform your home into a
nontoxic and healthy haven.

Nontoxic cleaning can give you a deep feeling of gratification in
knowing that your family's health is protected, and that your home is
a place for your bodies to rest and recuperate rather than promote
harm.

Making your own nontoxic cleaning kit will take you no time at all
with these simple, straightforward directions, and with this kit you
will be supplied with enough cleaning product for months of cleaning.


As an added bonus, ounce for ounce homemade cleaning formulas cost
about one-tenth the price of their commercial counterparts -- and
that includes costly, but worthwhile essential oils and concentrated,
all-purpose detergents for homemade recipes.

SUPPLIES
baking soda
washing soda
white distilled vinegar
a good liquid soap or detergent
tea tree oil
6 clean spray bottles
2 glass jars

MAKE YOUR OWN PRODUCTS
Note: Make sure to label all your homemade cleaning products, and
keep them away from pets and children.

CREAMY SOFT SCRUBBER
Simply pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough
liquid detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture
onto a sponge, and wash the surface. This is the perfect recipe for
cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn't leave grit.

Note: Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store
in a sealed glass jar, to keep the product moist. Otherwise just make
as much as you need at a time.

WINDOW CLEANER
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups water
spray bottle

Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and
use as you would a commercial brand. The soap in this recipe is
important. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you
might have used in the past.

OVEN CLEANER
1 cup or more baking soda
water
a squirt or two of liquid detergent

Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the
grime with enough baking soda that the surface it totally white.
Sprinkle some more water over the top. Let the mixture set overnight.
You can easily wipe up the grease the next morning because the grime
will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess,
dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the
remaining residue from the oven. If this recipe doesn't work for you
it is probably because you didn't use enough baking soda and/or
water.

ALL-PURPOSE SPRAY CLEANER
1/2 tsp. washing soda
a dab of liquid soap
2 cups hot tap water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing
soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.

FURNITURE POLISH
1/2 teaspoon oil, such as olive (or jojoba, a liquid wax)
1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution
and wipe onto wood surfaces. Cover the glass jar and store
indefinitely.

VINEGAR DEODORIZER
Keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5 percent vinegar in
your kitchen near your cutting board, and in your bathroom, and use
them for cleaning. I often spray the vinegar on our cutting board
before going to bed at night, and don't even rinse, but let it set
overnight. The smell of vinegar dissipates within a few hours.
Straight vinegar is also great for cleaning the toilet rim. Just
spray it on and wipe off.

MOLD KILLERS
Tea Tree Treaure
Nothing natural works for mold and mildew as well as this spray. I've

used it successfully on a moldy ceiling from a leaking fidyl roof, on
a musty bureau, a musty rug, and a moldy shower curtain. Tea tree oil
is expensive, but a little goes a very long way. Note that the smell
of tea tree oil is very strong, but it will dissipate in a few days.
2 teaspoons tea tree oil 2 cups water Combine in a spray bottle,
shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse.
Makes 2 cups
Preparation Time: Under a minute
Shelf Life: Indefinite
Storage: Leave in the spray bottle

* Vinegar Spray
Straight vinegar reportedly kills 82 percent of mold. Pour some white
distilled vinegar straight into a spray bottle, spray on the moldy
area, and let set without rinsing if you can put up with the smell.
It will dissipate in a few hours.

=====


http://incurable-hippie.blogspot.com

Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
http://www.tealdragon.net/recycle/

Recycling and Conservation Tips
This page contains ideas for ways to recycle, reuse, and otherwise conserve
resources and reduce trash to preserve Earth for many future generations. Thanks
to visitors for contributing their own ideas!

Gift Wrapping
Reuse large pieces of wrapping paper - fold flat for storing
Torn gift wrap and small pieces can be put through a home paper shredder to make
decorative filler for gift boxes and bags
Reuse bows and ribbons
Reuse gift bags
Remove wrinkles from tissue paper for reuse by ironing
Use Sunday comics for wrapping family gifts
Use old road maps for gift wrap (if creases are worn, put tape along them on the
back side)
Wrap gift boxes so that the box and paper may be reused many times.
Make a gift bag from a shopping bag with handles. Cover the store logo with
wrapping paper, an old greeting card, or a picture from a magazine, calendar, or
catalog.
Greeting Cards
Make gift tags by cutting out the pictures -- especially from Christmas cards.
These can be used many years, esp. if laminated. (Craft stores have a great
selection of fancy edge scissors, paper punches and corner punches which can be
used to dress them up.)
Send the card fronts to St. Jude's Ranch for Children to recycle into new cards.
You can also buy the cards made by them.
Junk Mail Envelopes
Save the envelopes from junk mail to be reused for many purposes

Writing grocery lists on and storing the week's coupons inside
Sorting sales receipts by month for financial records
Storing small items
Collecting cancelled postage stamps
Old Road Maps
Gift wrap (if creases are worn, put tape along them on the back side)
Make an envelope -- just fold around your card or letter, and seal shut with
tape or a sticker
School book covers
Junk Mail CDs
Everyone gets these from AOL and other Internet service providers.

Decorate and mail them as a postcard (use regular postage on them -- $.34 as of
8/2001)
Hot beverage coasters
Plastic Film Canisters
Storing change, push pins, paper clips, coins, buttons, saftey or straight pins
Ritz Photo accepts them for recycling
Storing craft items (glitter, little star stickers, beads, confetti)
Make salt and pepper shakers by drilling holes in the lids of two
Pill containers for travel, automobile, or purse
Storing watch/jewelry parts
Make a small hole in the top of the lid. Put a long ribbon or string through it
and tie the ends inside the lid. Decorate the container with stickers and the
container can be worn around the neck to store change, a small first aid kit,
etc. at the beach or pool.

"Oscar the Grouch" - On top of the canister hot glue a green pompom about the
diameter of the film canister opening. Then hot glue the lid at an angle on top
of the pompom to make the garbage can lid. Add wiggle eyes to the pompom for
Oscar's eyes. Add ribbon for a Christmas tree ornament or add to a child's
birthday gift.
Oscar the Grouch

Ink Jet Cartridges
Postage paid mailers are available for recycling used printer ink jet
cartridges. I was able to get them from my local post office, but have not been
able to confirm whether they are available in all post offices.

Cancelled Postage Stamps and Phone Cards
Cancelled postage stamps and phone cards can be packaged to sell to collectors
by non-profit groups. St. Jude's Ranch for Children accepts donations of these
items. They sell some of the stamps in their gift shop to help the St. Jude's
kids and then send the rest of the stamps and phone cards on to Tubfrim. Tubfrim
is a Norwegian organization which raises money to help disabled children.


Send postage stamps and phone cards to:
St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
100 St. Jude’s Street
Boulder City, NV 89005-1618
For more information about Tubrim, see The Official Tubfrim web site

Other uses for cancelled postage stamps -


Start a postage stamp collection, give your cancelled postage stamps to a friend
or family member who is a collector, or help a kid start a collection. Postage
stamp albums are available from H.E. Harris at http://www.heharris.com (they
have great albums with pictures of all the stamps on which to place the ones you
collect.) You can also get started albums for kids from toy and hobby stores.
Craft projects such as collage or decoupage
Framed art for a dollhouse
Magnets
There are many uses for the advertising magnets that many businesses give away.

Glue a photo to a magnet and cut out the image to make a picture magnet.
Glue a notepad or attach a sticky note pad to a magnet to hang on the fridge.
Glue a piece of a magnet to a hinged wooden clothes pin to hold papers on the
fridge. These can also be painted and/or decorated.
Cellular Phones
When you replace your cell phone with a new one, you can donate the old one to
help victims of domestic violence. See more information about HopeLine at the
Verizon Wireless.

Photography
Digital photography eliminates the need for photo processing and therefore the
use of chemicals used for film photography. In addition, with digital
photography, you have the option of deleting pictures you don't want and just
printing those you do want. Even worse for the environment are single use
cameras for which the entire camera is thrown away after the film is developed.

While digital cameras are still more expensive than comparable film cameras,
they have definite advantages.

You can take as many pictures of a subject as you like without additional cost,
so you're more likely to get a really good one (this is especially good for
photographing children and animals)
You only pay to print the pictures you want
You don't pay for film or film processing
You can crop and manipulate the pictures however you like before having prints
made
Kodak DC4800 Zoom Camera - Order or get more information from Amazon.Com
I chose this particular camera because it includes a great selection of
features, the reviews for it are good, and it is available at a great price for
a 3MP camera. Following are some links I found helpful:
Kodak DC4800 Zoom Camera Specifications
Short courses on digital cameras
Digital Camera Resource review
Steve's Digicams review
Viking 128MB Compact Flash card - Order or get more information from Amazon.Com
I bought this 128MB CF card so that I would have more storage space for pictures
on my camera. This particular card is available at a lower price than many other
comparable cards.
Amazon.com/Ofoto photo processing and web photo albums - Sign up or see a sample
album
This is a great web photo service. I really like the software that they give you
to prepare and upload your images. It allows you to upload multiple images with
one click. It has a slide show option which makes it easy to sift through the
pictures taken with a digital camera. It has a cropping option which makes it
simple to crop a picture to a 4x6" size. This photo service also has a nice web
photo album so that you can easily share your digital pictures.

Babies
Breastfeeding and using cloth diapers are ways that you can help the environment
when you are caring for a baby. For more information, see my Baby Tips page.

Miscellaneous
Compost to change food scraps and yard waste into plant food.
Use large, empty plastic pretzel containers for storage, such as reused bows and
ribbon.
Reuse paper clips and rubber bands.
Reuse pages from day to day calendars as note/scrap paper
Use the blank side of small sheets of paper from coupon mailers as scrap paper
and grocery lists.
Use your local library instead of buying books (saves money, book storage space
at home, and disposal of books). Just buy reference books and favorites.
Instead of buying bottled water, wash the bottles and refill with filtered
water.
Make coasters from plastic container lids. Decorate inside with fabric scraps or
decorative paper which has been laminated with clear contact paper.
Make a pet poop scoop with a 1/2 gallon milk jug. Cut the top out, leaving the
handle and a smooth edge for scooping. Place a used plastic newspaper bag,
plastic produce bag, or paper lunch sack inside for easy removal of waste.
Save cardboard backing from used notepads for craft projects, mailing with
pictures to prevent bending, etc.
Old purses and pocketbooks can be used for first aid kits for the car, or to
hold coloring books, crayons and other items for kids in the car. - From Hints
from Heloise
Make guitar picks from old credit cards or plastic phone cards - suggested by a
site visitor
HawaiIce snow cone makers (available at Target) come with ice molds, but no
lids. The lids from Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese spread fit these molds
perfectly and will keep the water from spilling out of the molds in the freezer
before they freeze, and will keep the ice clean and fresh.
Reusing Items for Craft Projects
Many recyclable and non-recyclable items make great materials for kids craft
projects. If you don't have kids in your family, check with local schools,
churches, and nursing homes to find a place that will accept donations of
recyclable and non-recyclable items for reuse in craft projects. Items to donate
include:

paper towel, toilet tissue and gift wrap tubes
plastic margarine tubs
yogurt containers
plastic deli and take-out containers
plastic soda bottles
cardboard backing from pads of paper
old magazines and catalogs for cutting pictures out
picture calendars
used greeting cards
discontinued wallpaper books and scraps *
rubber bands
brown paper bags
egg cartons
coffee cans
shoe boxes
aluminum pie plates
oatmeal cartons
plastic produce baskets
plastic mesh bags from produce
cereal boxes
plastic film canisters *
junk mail CDs
milk cartons and jugs
scrap fabric, yarn, buttons, beads, and ribbon *
thread spools *
bottle corks *
match boxes *
plastic bottle and tube caps *
springs from used pens *
old house keys
old costume jewelry *
cancelled postage stamps *
* These items are also great for kids or adults who do miniature work with a
doll house.

There are quite a few books available through the library on using recycled
materials for crafts (call number J745 at my library). The following books are
aimed at kids, but many of the crafts are also appropriate for adults.


"Ecology Crafts for Kids" by Bobbe Needham
An excellent book which includes a lot of information about recycling and what
other kids are doing to help.
"Crafts for Christian Values" by Kathy Ross
An excellent book of innovative kids crafts for religious and non-religious
context as well.
"Cups & Cans & Paper Plate Fans" by Phyllis Fiarotta & Noel Fiarotta
"EcoArt!" by Laurie Carlson
"Vroom! Vroom!" by Judy Press
"The Little Hands Big Fun Craft Book" by Judy Press
"Kids' Crazy Concoctions: 50 Mysterious Mixtures for Art & Craft Fun" by Jill
Frankel Hauser
"The Muppets Big Book of Crafts" by The Muppet Workshop
Plastic Recycling Numbers
An explanation of the meaning of the numbers in the triangular recycling symbols
on plastics. (from "50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Recycle" by The EarthWorks
Group)

1 - PET
Polyethylene terephthalate; includes plastic soda bottles and some detergent
bottles; commonly recycled.

2 - HDPE
High density polyethylene; includes milk jugs; commonly recycled.

3 - PVC or V
Polyvinyl chloride; includes garden hoses, plastic flooring, credit cards, and
shower curtains

4 - LDPE
Low density polyethylene; includes clear packaging on cassettes or CDs, plastic
sandwich bags and plastic grocery bags; recycled at many grocery stores.

5 - Polypropylene
Includes plastic lids, bottle caps, straws, and some food containers; generally
not recycleable

6 - Polystyrene
Styrofoam, such as coffee cups.

7 - Mixed plastics
Several types of plastic mixed together; probably can't be recycled.

Books About Recycling
Conscious Style Home
by Danny Seo, 2001 Danny Seo Media Ventures, Inc. 160pp. hardcover
Full of information and resources for living and decorating your home Earth
consciously. Color and black and wite photographs.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Ecology Crafts for Kids by Bobbe Needham
An excellent book which includes a lot of information about recycling and what
other kids are doing to help.

50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Recycle
A great book with tips on reducing trash, reuing and recycling for all ages
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save the Earth
Ways to save energy, water, reduce waste and protect wildlife; with contact
information for resources. Includes educational projects and experiments.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save the Earth
Ways to reduce waste, save water and energy, and protect wildlife at home and
work.
Out-of-print, but check your local library or an online used book seller.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Choose to Reuse: An Encyclopedia of Services, Businesses, Tools & Charitable
Programs That Facilitate Reuse
Nikki and David Goldbeck, 1995
An excellent source of information on how to make almost everything available
for reuse. Includes information on the environment and each item's impact on it.
Highly recommended.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

The Envelope Mill: Recycle Magazines into Beautifully Crafted Envelopes
Haila Harvey and Haila Crowell 1995 Summit Pub Group
Paperback book and templates (30 pages)
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Creative Crafting With Recycled Greeting Cards
Catherine Lawrence
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Books on card making
There are many books about making your own cards. Many of the ideas can be
adapted to reuse pretty and interesting scraps of paper and found objects.

Books on paper making, collage, oragami and other paper crafts
You can use scraps of paper to make your own paper for use in card making and
other craft projects. Collaging can be done with scraps of different papers and
found objects to create works of art. Scraps of light weight paper, including
wrapping paper, can be put to use in origami paper folding.





Recycling Web Links
Environmental Protection Agency: Materials and Waste Exchanges
The EPA’s state-by-state listing of materials and waste exchanges.

Southern Waste Information eXchange, Inc.
The Southern Waste Information eXchange, Inc., links buyers and sellers
nationwide.

New York Wa$teMatch
New York Wa$teMatch helps businesses in the New York City area to exchage their
waste materials.

Operation: Landfill Elimination
Tons of tips for reuse of household items in order to reduce trash.

Montgomery County, MD Recycling Web Site - MCRecycles.org
A recycling newsletter (The Recycletter), and information on recycling in
Montgomery County

Gaiam - www.gaiam.com
A company specializing in natural and conservation-related product sales.



http://incurable-hippie.blogspot.com

Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
http://www.wildroots.com/insect.htm

Herbal Insect Repellents

Creating your own mosquito repellents is a safe and effective alternative to
commercial repellents. Using herbs and essential oils, you can prepare your own
mosquito repellents, and products for your pets and home with little effort.

The most frequently used natural mosquito repellent is citronella essential oil.
The citronella essential oil is extracted from the plant Cymbopagon nardus and
has a pleasant citrus-like aroma. Usually the citronella is simply mixed with a
base such as oil or alcohol at a strength of 5-10% (see ESSENTIAL OILS for
precautions).

Citronella Repellent © Millie Fodor
2 ounces witch hazel extract
60 drops citronella essential oil

Preparation: Put 2 ounces of witch hazel into a lotion or spray bottle. Add 60
drops of citronella essential oil. Label properly. Shake well before each use.

This is approximately a 5 % dilution. For a 10 % dilution add 120 drops of
citronella. Witch hazel extract is non-drying and medicinally soothing to insect
bites. You may use olive oil, rubbing alcohol, vodka, or prepare a lotion in
place of the witch hazel.

Citronella Lotion © Millie Fodor
2 ounces distilled water
2 ounces olive oil
120 drops citronella essential oil

A lotion is an emulsification of water and oil. To prepare: Put water into a
deep mixing bowl. Begin to drizzle in the oil slowly and beat vigorously with a
wire whisk. By the time all the oil is added you should have a nice creamy white
lotion. Stir in the citronella oil. Pour into a lotion bottle and label.

Herbal Repellent Oil © Millie Fodor
1 part fresh pennyroyal
1 part fresh thyme
1/2 part fresh basil
1/2 part neem leaf (if available)
tea tree essential oil
citronella essential oil
olive oil

Pick your fresh herbs. Manually remove any dirt then set them in a sunny place
until the herbs are wilted.

Using 1/4 cup as your part, measure 1/4 cup of pennyroyal and thyme, and 1/8 cup
basil and neem leaf into a crock pot. Pour in enough olive oil to cover the
herbs plus another inch of oil (approximately 1 cup). Turn the crock pot on low
temperature and heat the herbs for about 3 hours. An alternative way to prepare
your oil extraction is to place the herbs in a clear glass jar and set it in the
sun for about five days. Shake it once or twice a day.

When you have finished heating your oil, strain your oil through a cheesecloth
lined strainer. Squeeze out as much oil as possible. Measure out how much oil
you now have. For each ounce of oil add 10 drops of citronella essential oil and
5 drops of tea tree oil.

Pour into lotion bottle and label.

VARIATIONS

You can use this herbal oil in place of the olive oil in the CITRONELLA LOTION
recipe.

Herbal Closet Sachet © Millie Fodor
1 part Rosemary
1 part Cedarwood Chips
1/2 part Oak Moss
1 part Pennyroyal
1 part Chrysanthemum Flowers
1 part Cloves
1 part Eucalyptus Leaf
1 part Orris Root

Blend the herbs together then package in muslin bags. You may add essential oils
such as cedarwood to strengthen the aroma. Hang the bags in your closet and
place in your chest of drawers. Variations: You can choose any assortment of the
moth repellent herbs to formulate your own sachet blends. Orris root is used in
this recipe as a fixative. It helps to hold the scent in the sachet.

Among the good reasons for preparing your own repellents, protecting yourself
from toxic chemicals is the most important. Fifty to sixty percent of what is
applied to the skin is absorbed internally. Because our body-care products often
contain chemicals that are inadequately researched or known to produce a variety
of ill effects, it has become important for us to look for ways to minimize our
use of them.

PRECAUTION

If you find that you need to apply repellents several times throughout the day,
and you are doing this everyday, I recommend that you make several different
repellents and use them in alternation.



Insect Repelling Plants

ANT REPELLENTS

TANSY



FLEAS

BREWERS YEAST

GARLIC

FENNEL

PENNYROYAL

PYRETHRUM DAISY

GARLIC - Garlic combined with brewers yeast protects your pets against fleas.
They usually love this sprinkled on their food each day.

PENNYROYAL - Place a drop of pennyroyal on your pets collar to repel fleas. You
can also add a few drops of pennyroyal oil to water and spray around areas where
your pets sleeps.



FLY REPELLENTS

BASIL

BAY LEAF

CLOVES

TANSY



MICE

MINTS



MOTHS

BASIL

BAY LEAF

CEDAR

CLOVES

EUCALYPTUS

LAVENDER

MINTS, EXCEPT PEPPERMINT

PATCHOULI

PENNYROYAL

PEPPER, BLACK

PYRETHRUM DAISY

ROSEMARY

RUE

SOUTHERNWOOD

SANTOLINA

TANSY

THYME

WORMWOOD



FOR PEOPLE

BASIL

BAY LEAF

CITRONELLA OIL

CLOVE

GARLIC

NEEM LEAF

PENNYROYAL

ROSEMARY

RUE

TEA TREE OIL

THYME

WITCH HAZEL

WEEVILS

BAY LEAF - Place whole leaf in grain and flour packages.



ESSENTIAL OILS

Essential oils are steam distilled concentrates of the natural oils present in
plants, flowers, roots, and trees. They are 100 % pure and must be carefully
used by the drop.

Patch test for skin irritations using the diluted oil before general use.

CEDARWOOD (Juniperus mexicana) - Apply a few drops inside your chest of drawers
to repel moths and other cloth eating insects.

CITRONELLA (Cymbopagon nardus) - Effective insect repellent. May be used full
strength or diluted. Patch test before using on your skin. Keep out of mucus
membranes.

LEMONGRASS (Cymbopogon citratus) - Insect repellent. Pleasant lemon fragrance.
Patch test before using on your skin.

PENNYROYAL (Mentha puleglum) - Use to repel fleas from your pets and home. Also
used as a general insect repellent at safe dilution's. WARNING: Abortive. Keep
away from pregnant women.

TEA TREE OIL ( Melaleuca alternifolia) - Repels ticks, leeches, and lice.






REFERENCES

CONSUMER'S DICTIONARY OF COSMETIC INGREDIENTS. Ruth Winter. New York. Crown
Publishers.1989.

ECO-HERBALISM: ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS FACING HERBALIST TODAY. Rosemary Gladstar.
Written for the North East Herb Association Newsletter.

HERB BOOK. John Lust. New York. Bantam Books. 1974.

HERBAL HEALING FOR WOMEN, Rosemary Gladstar. New York. Simon & Schuster.1993

INDIAN HERBOLOGY OF NORTH AMERICA, Alma R. Hutchens. Boston. Shambhala. 1973.

NATURAL HEALTH: THE GUIDE TO WELL-BEING. Jan/ Feb. 1995. Vol. 25. # 1. How to
Use Gentle Herbs to Clean, Soothe, and Refresh Your Skin.. p. 72-77.

A TREASURY OF NATURAL FIRST AID REMEDIES FROM A TO Z, James Kusick. New York.
Parker Publishing Co. 1995

THE WAY OF HERBS, Michael Tierra C.A.,N.D. New York, Washington Square
Press.1983.



http://incurable-hippie.blogspot.com

GM sale gets OK from bankruptcy judge - new company will be called NGMCO Inc

General Motors was given approval by bankruptcy judge Robert Gerber on Sunday to
sell its assets to a new government-backed automaker.

GM, formerly the largest U.S. auto company is currently undergoing bankruptcy
reorganization during the worst recession ever recorded in the United States
since the Great Depression. The Obama administration plans include a major
restructuring of the auto industry in order to rebuild a more fuel efficient
economy not dependent on foreign oil.
Judge Gerber sided with government lawyers in a 95-page ruling he issued
following three days of heated debate from as many as 850 parties.



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Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
http://www.units.muohio.edu/dragonfly/save/recycling.shtml


Did you know that every year American people throw away 208 million tons of
municipal solid waste? That means that every day each person throws away an
average of 4.3 pounds of garbage or trash! Where on earth does all of this
garbage go? The answer is landfills.

Pop cans are one of the many items that you can recycle in your home.

Fortunately there are ways to keep these landfills from getting too full. An
easy way to do this is to use the 3R's. The 3R's stand for REDUCE, REUSE,
RECYCLE. So what do we mean when we say REDUCE? To reduce is to buy fewer
things, so that we have less garbage do contend with. REDUCING is the most
effective way to cut down on municipal solid waste. To reduce we should try to
buy durable, long-lasting products. That way we don't have to throw them away as
often. We also need to make sure we are using packing that is free of toxins, or
things that are poisonous.

Another way to really help the environment is to REUSE. To REUSE means not to
throw things away after having used them only once or twice. So how can you do
this? First of all, it always helps to try to repair things. If something stops
working, don't throw it away. There's probably someone who can fix it and it
will be good as new! Also, when you outgrow your clothes, don't leave them on
the curb for the garbage collectors. Instead, donate them to charity. Then
someone who needs those clothes can use them and they will not go to waste.

And the last R is RECYCLE. Did you know that after you have finished using
something and it can't be reused, it can be made into something else? Well
that's exactly what recycling is. By recycling, we can use everything we throw
away and eliminate a lot of waste. Basically recycling is a way to give a second
life to materials that we otherwise would have been thrown away. Some of the
main things that can be recycled are packaging items. This includes things like
glass bottles and jars, paper boxes, bags and cartons, metal (like steel and
aluminum) and plastic bottles or jugs. So why do we recycle and how can you get
involved?

Does your community have a curbside recycling program? See how much trash you
can recycle!

There are different recycling programs in every city and town. It's very
important to find out how to get involved with recycling in your community. Some
places have a "pay as you throw" policy. This is a policy that keeps people from
being irresponsible with waste because they have to pay every time their garbage
is collected. The more waste they are producing, the more they have to pay.

There are more than 4,000 cities that have implemented a pay-as-you-throw
policy. With a pay-as-you-throw policy, you are charged for each bag or can of
garbage you throw away. People are more likely to recycle if they have to pay
for their trash. Remember all of the ways to reduce the amount of waste you
produce? Don't forget to be a smart consumer. The less packaging the better.
Here are some suggestions for what to buy the next time you're in a store:

Juice Boxes aren't a good idea because they use a lot of packing. Try using a
reusable thurmos instead.
Plastic silverware isn't a good idea either. You should always try to avoid
using plastic silverware. It can be a good time saver, but take a few extra
seconds to wash your silverware instead of throwing it away. It will pay off in
the long run.
Bulk items, such as economy sized jars of peanut butter are a good thing to buy.
If you buy the big jar of peanut butter, you will not go through it as fast. If
you buy the small jars, you will be throwing away jars all of the time.
In order to make recycling as easy and convenient as possible, almost all
communities have curbside recycling programs. That means all you have to do is
put your recycling on the curb with your garbage. It's that easy! Make sure you
and your family are taking advantage of that great opportunity to help save the
planet. And make sure you aren't ever throwing away recyclables!


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Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
Make Your Own Non-Toxic Cleaning Kit
By Annie B. Bond, author of "Clean & Green,"
(Ceres Press, 1990).

http://www.care2.com/channels/fidylsolutions/home/344

Most modern synthetic cleaning products are based on age-old formulas
using natural ingredients that were passed down through the
generations because the chemistry was right. Going back to the
original naturally-derived ingredients is a way to make cleaning
products that work, don't pollute, and save you money. Most are found
in your kitchen cupboards. Mix and match with well-chosen and
environmentally-friendly green cleaning products found in health food
stores, and you can easily and simply transform your home into a
nontoxic and healthy haven.

Nontoxic cleaning can give you a deep feeling of gratification in
knowing that your family's health is protected, and that your home is
a place for your bodies to rest and recuperate rather than promote
harm.

Making your own nontoxic cleaning kit will take you no time at all
with these simple, straightforward directions, and with this kit you
will be supplied with enough cleaning product for months of cleaning.


As an added bonus, ounce for ounce homemade cleaning formulas cost
about one-tenth the price of their commercial counterparts -- and
that includes costly, but worthwhile essential oils and concentrated,
all-purpose detergents for homemade recipes.

SUPPLIES
baking soda
washing soda
white distilled vinegar
a good liquid soap or detergent
tea tree oil
6 clean spray bottles
2 glass jars

MAKE YOUR OWN PRODUCTS
Note: Make sure to label all your homemade cleaning products, and
keep them away from pets and children.

CREAMY SOFT SCRUBBER
Simply pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough
liquid detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture
onto a sponge, and wash the surface. This is the perfect recipe for
cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn't leave grit.

Note: Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store
in a sealed glass jar, to keep the product moist. Otherwise just make
as much as you need at a time.

WINDOW CLEANER
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups water
spray bottle

Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and
use as you would a commercial brand. The soap in this recipe is
important. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you
might have used in the past.

OVEN CLEANER
1 cup or more baking soda
water
a squirt or two of liquid detergent

Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the
grime with enough baking soda that the surface it totally white.
Sprinkle some more water over the top. Let the mixture set overnight.
You can easily wipe up the grease the next morning because the grime
will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess,
dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the
remaining residue from the oven. If this recipe doesn't work for you
it is probably because you didn't use enough baking soda and/or
water.

ALL-PURPOSE SPRAY CLEANER
1/2 tsp. washing soda
a dab of liquid soap
2 cups hot tap water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing
soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.

FURNITURE POLISH
1/2 teaspoon oil, such as olive (or jojoba, a liquid wax)
1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution
and wipe onto wood surfaces. Cover the glass jar and store
indefinitely.

VINEGAR DEODORIZER
Keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5 percent vinegar in
your kitchen near your cutting board, and in your bathroom, and use
them for cleaning. I often spray the vinegar on our cutting board
before going to bed at night, and don't even rinse, but let it set
overnight. The smell of vinegar dissipates within a few hours.
Straight vinegar is also great for cleaning the toilet rim. Just
spray it on and wipe off.

MOLD KILLERS
Tea Tree Treaure
Nothing natural works for mold and mildew as well as this spray. I've

used it successfully on a moldy ceiling from a leaking fidyl roof, on
a musty bureau, a musty rug, and a moldy shower curtain. Tea tree oil
is expensive, but a little goes a very long way. Note that the smell
of tea tree oil is very strong, but it will dissipate in a few days.
2 teaspoons tea tree oil 2 cups water Combine in a spray bottle,
shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse.
Makes 2 cups
Preparation Time: Under a minute
Shelf Life: Indefinite
Storage: Leave in the spray bottle

* Vinegar Spray
Straight vinegar reportedly kills 82 percent of mold. Pour some white
distilled vinegar straight into a spray bottle, spray on the moldy
area, and let set without rinsing if you can put up with the smell.
It will dissipate in a few hours.

=====


http://incurable-hippie.blogspot.com

Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

====
http://www.tealdragon.net/recycle/

Recycling and Conservation Tips
This page contains ideas for ways to recycle, reuse, and otherwise conserve
resources and reduce trash to preserve Earth for many future generations. Thanks
to visitors for contributing their own ideas!

Gift Wrapping
Reuse large pieces of wrapping paper - fold flat for storing
Torn gift wrap and small pieces can be put through a home paper shredder to make
decorative filler for gift boxes and bags
Reuse bows and ribbons
Reuse gift bags
Remove wrinkles from tissue paper for reuse by ironing
Use Sunday comics for wrapping family gifts
Use old road maps for gift wrap (if creases are worn, put tape along them on the
back side)
Wrap gift boxes so that the box and paper may be reused many times.
Make a gift bag from a shopping bag with handles. Cover the store logo with
wrapping paper, an old greeting card, or a picture from a magazine, calendar, or
catalog.
Greeting Cards
Make gift tags by cutting out the pictures -- especially from Christmas cards.
These can be used many years, esp. if laminated. (Craft stores have a great
selection of fancy edge scissors, paper punches and corner punches which can be
used to dress them up.)
Send the card fronts to St. Jude's Ranch for Children to recycle into new cards.
You can also buy the cards made by them.
Junk Mail Envelopes
Save the envelopes from junk mail to be reused for many purposes

Writing grocery lists on and storing the week's coupons inside
Sorting sales receipts by month for financial records
Storing small items
Collecting cancelled postage stamps
Old Road Maps
Gift wrap (if creases are worn, put tape along them on the back side)
Make an envelope -- just fold around your card or letter, and seal shut with
tape or a sticker
School book covers
Junk Mail CDs
Everyone gets these from AOL and other Internet service providers.

Decorate and mail them as a postcard (use regular postage on them -- $.34 as of
8/2001)
Hot beverage coasters
Plastic Film Canisters
Storing change, push pins, paper clips, coins, buttons, saftey or straight pins
Ritz Photo accepts them for recycling
Storing craft items (glitter, little star stickers, beads, confetti)
Make salt and pepper shakers by drilling holes in the lids of two
Pill containers for travel, automobile, or purse
Storing watch/jewelry parts
Make a small hole in the top of the lid. Put a long ribbon or string through it
and tie the ends inside the lid. Decorate the container with stickers and the
container can be worn around the neck to store change, a small first aid kit,
etc. at the beach or pool.

"Oscar the Grouch" - On top of the canister hot glue a green pompom about the
diameter of the film canister opening. Then hot glue the lid at an angle on top
of the pompom to make the garbage can lid. Add wiggle eyes to the pompom for
Oscar's eyes. Add ribbon for a Christmas tree ornament or add to a child's
birthday gift.
Oscar the Grouch

Ink Jet Cartridges
Postage paid mailers are available for recycling used printer ink jet
cartridges. I was able to get them from my local post office, but have not been
able to confirm whether they are available in all post offices.

Cancelled Postage Stamps and Phone Cards
Cancelled postage stamps and phone cards can be packaged to sell to collectors
by non-profit groups. St. Jude's Ranch for Children accepts donations of these
items. They sell some of the stamps in their gift shop to help the St. Jude's
kids and then send the rest of the stamps and phone cards on to Tubfrim. Tubfrim
is a Norwegian organization which raises money to help disabled children.


Send postage stamps and phone cards to:
St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
100 St. Jude’s Street
Boulder City, NV 89005-1618
For more information about Tubrim, see The Official Tubfrim web site

Other uses for cancelled postage stamps -


Start a postage stamp collection, give your cancelled postage stamps to a friend
or family member who is a collector, or help a kid start a collection. Postage
stamp albums are available from H.E. Harris at http://www.heharris.com (they
have great albums with pictures of all the stamps on which to place the ones you
collect.) You can also get started albums for kids from toy and hobby stores.
Craft projects such as collage or decoupage
Framed art for a dollhouse
Magnets
There are many uses for the advertising magnets that many businesses give away.

Glue a photo to a magnet and cut out the image to make a picture magnet.
Glue a notepad or attach a sticky note pad to a magnet to hang on the fridge.
Glue a piece of a magnet to a hinged wooden clothes pin to hold papers on the
fridge. These can also be painted and/or decorated.
Cellular Phones
When you replace your cell phone with a new one, you can donate the old one to
help victims of domestic violence. See more information about HopeLine at the
Verizon Wireless.

Photography
Digital photography eliminates the need for photo processing and therefore the
use of chemicals used for film photography. In addition, with digital
photography, you have the option of deleting pictures you don't want and just
printing those you do want. Even worse for the environment are single use
cameras for which the entire camera is thrown away after the film is developed.

While digital cameras are still more expensive than comparable film cameras,
they have definite advantages.

You can take as many pictures of a subject as you like without additional cost,
so you're more likely to get a really good one (this is especially good for
photographing children and animals)
You only pay to print the pictures you want
You don't pay for film or film processing
You can crop and manipulate the pictures however you like before having prints
made
Kodak DC4800 Zoom Camera - Order or get more information from Amazon.Com
I chose this particular camera because it includes a great selection of
features, the reviews for it are good, and it is available at a great price for
a 3MP camera. Following are some links I found helpful:
Kodak DC4800 Zoom Camera Specifications
Short courses on digital cameras
Digital Camera Resource review
Steve's Digicams review
Viking 128MB Compact Flash card - Order or get more information from Amazon.Com
I bought this 128MB CF card so that I would have more storage space for pictures
on my camera. This particular card is available at a lower price than many other
comparable cards.
Amazon.com/Ofoto photo processing and web photo albums - Sign up or see a sample
album
This is a great web photo service. I really like the software that they give you
to prepare and upload your images. It allows you to upload multiple images with
one click. It has a slide show option which makes it easy to sift through the
pictures taken with a digital camera. It has a cropping option which makes it
simple to crop a picture to a 4x6" size. This photo service also has a nice web
photo album so that you can easily share your digital pictures.

Babies
Breastfeeding and using cloth diapers are ways that you can help the environment
when you are caring for a baby. For more information, see my Baby Tips page.

Miscellaneous
Compost to change food scraps and yard waste into plant food.
Use large, empty plastic pretzel containers for storage, such as reused bows and
ribbon.
Reuse paper clips and rubber bands.
Reuse pages from day to day calendars as note/scrap paper
Use the blank side of small sheets of paper from coupon mailers as scrap paper
and grocery lists.
Use your local library instead of buying books (saves money, book storage space
at home, and disposal of books). Just buy reference books and favorites.
Instead of buying bottled water, wash the bottles and refill with filtered
water.
Make coasters from plastic container lids. Decorate inside with fabric scraps or
decorative paper which has been laminated with clear contact paper.
Make a pet poop scoop with a 1/2 gallon milk jug. Cut the top out, leaving the
handle and a smooth edge for scooping. Place a used plastic newspaper bag,
plastic produce bag, or paper lunch sack inside for easy removal of waste.
Save cardboard backing from used notepads for craft projects, mailing with
pictures to prevent bending, etc.
Old purses and pocketbooks can be used for first aid kits for the car, or to
hold coloring books, crayons and other items for kids in the car. - From Hints
from Heloise
Make guitar picks from old credit cards or plastic phone cards - suggested by a
site visitor
HawaiIce snow cone makers (available at Target) come with ice molds, but no
lids. The lids from Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese spread fit these molds
perfectly and will keep the water from spilling out of the molds in the freezer
before they freeze, and will keep the ice clean and fresh.
Reusing Items for Craft Projects
Many recyclable and non-recyclable items make great materials for kids craft
projects. If you don't have kids in your family, check with local schools,
churches, and nursing homes to find a place that will accept donations of
recyclable and non-recyclable items for reuse in craft projects. Items to donate
include:

paper towel, toilet tissue and gift wrap tubes
plastic margarine tubs
yogurt containers
plastic deli and take-out containers
plastic soda bottles
cardboard backing from pads of paper
old magazines and catalogs for cutting pictures out
picture calendars
used greeting cards
discontinued wallpaper books and scraps *
rubber bands
brown paper bags
egg cartons
coffee cans
shoe boxes
aluminum pie plates
oatmeal cartons
plastic produce baskets
plastic mesh bags from produce
cereal boxes
plastic film canisters *
junk mail CDs
milk cartons and jugs
scrap fabric, yarn, buttons, beads, and ribbon *
thread spools *
bottle corks *
match boxes *
plastic bottle and tube caps *
springs from used pens *
old house keys
old costume jewelry *
cancelled postage stamps *
* These items are also great for kids or adults who do miniature work with a
doll house.

There are quite a few books available through the library on using recycled
materials for crafts (call number J745 at my library). The following books are
aimed at kids, but many of the crafts are also appropriate for adults.


"Ecology Crafts for Kids" by Bobbe Needham
An excellent book which includes a lot of information about recycling and what
other kids are doing to help.
"Crafts for Christian Values" by Kathy Ross
An excellent book of innovative kids crafts for religious and non-religious
context as well.
"Cups & Cans & Paper Plate Fans" by Phyllis Fiarotta & Noel Fiarotta
"EcoArt!" by Laurie Carlson
"Vroom! Vroom!" by Judy Press
"The Little Hands Big Fun Craft Book" by Judy Press
"Kids' Crazy Concoctions: 50 Mysterious Mixtures for Art & Craft Fun" by Jill
Frankel Hauser
"The Muppets Big Book of Crafts" by The Muppet Workshop
Plastic Recycling Numbers
An explanation of the meaning of the numbers in the triangular recycling symbols
on plastics. (from "50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Recycle" by The EarthWorks
Group)

1 - PET
Polyethylene terephthalate; includes plastic soda bottles and some detergent
bottles; commonly recycled.

2 - HDPE
High density polyethylene; includes milk jugs; commonly recycled.

3 - PVC or V
Polyvinyl chloride; includes garden hoses, plastic flooring, credit cards, and
shower curtains

4 - LDPE
Low density polyethylene; includes clear packaging on cassettes or CDs, plastic
sandwich bags and plastic grocery bags; recycled at many grocery stores.

5 - Polypropylene
Includes plastic lids, bottle caps, straws, and some food containers; generally
not recycleable

6 - Polystyrene
Styrofoam, such as coffee cups.

7 - Mixed plastics
Several types of plastic mixed together; probably can't be recycled.

Books About Recycling
Conscious Style Home
by Danny Seo, 2001 Danny Seo Media Ventures, Inc. 160pp. hardcover
Full of information and resources for living and decorating your home Earth
consciously. Color and black and wite photographs.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Ecology Crafts for Kids by Bobbe Needham
An excellent book which includes a lot of information about recycling and what
other kids are doing to help.

50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Recycle
A great book with tips on reducing trash, reuing and recycling for all ages
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save the Earth
Ways to save energy, water, reduce waste and protect wildlife; with contact
information for resources. Includes educational projects and experiments.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save the Earth
Ways to reduce waste, save water and energy, and protect wildlife at home and
work.
Out-of-print, but check your local library or an online used book seller.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Choose to Reuse: An Encyclopedia of Services, Businesses, Tools & Charitable
Programs That Facilitate Reuse
Nikki and David Goldbeck, 1995
An excellent source of information on how to make almost everything available
for reuse. Includes information on the environment and each item's impact on it.
Highly recommended.
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

The Envelope Mill: Recycle Magazines into Beautifully Crafted Envelopes
Haila Harvey and Haila Crowell 1995 Summit Pub Group
Paperback book and templates (30 pages)
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Creative Crafting With Recycled Greeting Cards
Catherine Lawrence
Order or get more information from Amazon.Com

Books on card making
There are many books about making your own cards. Many of the ideas can be
adapted to reuse pretty and interesting scraps of paper and found objects.

Books on paper making, collage, oragami and other paper crafts
You can use scraps of paper to make your own paper for use in card making and
other craft projects. Collaging can be done with scraps of different papers and
found objects to create works of art. Scraps of light weight paper, including
wrapping paper, can be put to use in origami paper folding.





Recycling Web Links
Environmental Protection Agency: Materials and Waste Exchanges
The EPA’s state-by-state listing of materials and waste exchanges.

Southern Waste Information eXchange, Inc.
The Southern Waste Information eXchange, Inc., links buyers and sellers
nationwide.

New York Wa$teMatch
New York Wa$teMatch helps businesses in the New York City area to exchage their
waste materials.

Operation: Landfill Elimination
Tons of tips for reuse of household items in order to reduce trash.

Montgomery County, MD Recycling Web Site - MCRecycles.org
A recycling newsletter (The Recycletter), and information on recycling in
Montgomery County

Gaiam - www.gaiam.com
A company specializing in natural and conservation-related product sales.



http://incurable-hippie.blogspot.com

Do Your Bit Group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-your-bit/

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Information about where to send your used stamps for charity, see
http://www.used-stamps.co.uk