Do you
worry that you're life is one big busy merry-go-round that doesn't
leave time for separating the junk mail from the trash? Want
a pet but don't want the responsibility of a dog - have you thought
of a bin of garbage eating worms? Are you living with a toxic
waste dump under your kitchen sink for cleaning and keeping pests
out?
Then it's time for an in-home visit from Kim Carlson, eco-stylist
and her EarthSmart Team known as the "Green Five". The team
drives up in their Toyota Prius hybrid that gets 50+ miles
to the gallon
ready to help a family learn
that it's easy and fun being green. (Prius courtesy of Denny Hecker Toyota
call Chris Sumner 651-455-6000 for an EarthSmart spin in a new and sexy
'04 Prius)
Eco-Stylist -
Kim Carlson
The EarthSmart Consumer
Waste Woman - Dianna Kennedy
Eureka Recycling www.eurekarecycling.org
Energy Man - Rich Huelskamp
Sunswarmth www.sunswarmth.com
Construction Guy - Greg Boyle
Boyle Construction popeyeboyle@yahoo.com
Green Foodie - Mike Phillips
Chet's Taverna www.chetstaverna.com Tips
• Integrate
earth-friendly ingredients into meals - buy locally
grown foods to cut down on transportation costs and organics
to reduce resource use (off farm inputs).
• Know
what you throw - go through your home garbage periodically
to see what is getting thrown into the garbage that could be
recycled ie: most junk mail can be recycled along with your
newspapers.
• Make
a recycling center in your home - place large rubber
type garbage cans with a paper grocery bag liner in a closet
or under a sink to make recycling convenient. Stack newspapers
horizontally to save room.
• Compost
kitchen scraps - start a worm bin or a backyard compost
pile for vegetable and fruit scraps. If you use your sink disposal
to get rid of this type of waste, it will be scraped off at
the sewer treatment plant and still end up in a landfill.
• Make
friends with worms - a worm bin can be a fun way
to learn about recycling for the entire family. It can be used
indoors all winter long and won't smell.
• Use
less toxic products - find a brand of less toxic
cleaning products that you like and use the toxic stuff on
only the stubborn stains. Try homemade remedies for household
pests. Use botanical when practical. Cut down on your home
toxicity.
• Use
a hygrometer to monitor humidity levels. Acceptable
range 30-50% humidity. More than that and you may be encouraging
mold growth.
• Use
bath fan periodically to remove unwanted humidity.
• Bring
old gas cans to the hazardous waste facility and
replace with "no-spill" cans with vapor recovery.
• Exchange
gas lawn mower for an electric mower or reel mower.
Other
Information & Resources
www.mrsmeyers.com Or www.caldrea.com -
Less toxic great smelling cleaning products available in the
Twin Cities at Lunds, Byerlys, Bibelot, Posh and others. Check
website for other store locations.
Frattallone's
Hardware Stores in the Twin Cities - 651-288-8888
to purchase "no spill" gas cans and electric lawn mowers.
Eureka
Recycling Hotline - 651-222-7678 for any info on
garbage, recycling or to order a worm bin. www.eurekarecycling.org
www.greenguardian.com -
Where to recycle or throw items in the metro area.
www.eere.energy.gov/consumerinfo -
Energy saving information
www.mn-ei.org -
click on "air" or contact Colleen Coyne at
612-334-3388 x109 to for a $50 off coupon when you exchange
your gas lawn mower for electric.
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