Recycling Waste Cooking Oil

Do you or anyone you know use a deep fryer to cook your turkey on Thanksgiving? For me, the whole thing seems really dangerous, because every year I hear stories about people burning down their houses with a turkey fryer. How about the nutrition factor? Well, anything fried is usually a bad idea, but LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames says that fried turkey “is not as unhealthy as it might sound,” as long as you’re not eating the skin.

So if you’re going to use a turkey fryer, what do you do with all the waste oil after you’re done cooking? Many companies are accepting donations of waste cooking oil to use to make biodiesel or other renewable fuels. Some companies are even paying you to drop off your oil! Cool, huh?

To find a drop-off in your city, your best bet is probably a Google search. Here’s a few I found on my own:

• Tulsa, OK - Hebert’s Specialty Meats, 2101 E. 71st St., 11am - 5pm, Friday & Saturday, will pay up to $1.00/gallon
• Colorado - Rocky Mountain Sustainable Enterprises’ Holiday recycOil, Saturday, 10am - 4pm, in Arvada, Aurora, Aspen/Pitkin County, Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins, Greeley, Lafayette, Longmont, Loveland, Littleton, Louisville, and Thornton (exact locations on website)
• Tucson, AZ - Grecycle, Friday, 9am - 1pm (map to locations on website)
• San Diego, CA - City Grease Disposal Program, Miramar Landfill, 5165 Convoy Street, M-F 7am - 4:30pm, Sat-Sun 7:30am - 4:30pm

You can also try out the Earth911 website. Type in “cooking oil” and your city on their main page to get a listing of drop-off locations.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and please recycle the oil if you use a fryer! If you know another family that’s frying up oil, offer to pick it up and drop off for them! Your holiday good deed will be done before the Christmas season even starts!

Shipping Gone Green

At the holidays, 3.4 billion letters are mailed, i.e. all those Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah cards to your Aunt Gertrude in Minnesota or crazy Traveling Uncle Matt in the West Indies….

Think of the fuel consumption used to go to the store, purchase your cards, drive them back to your house, drive to the post office to buy stamps, mail out the cards that are then driven to Aunt Gertrude & flown and driven to Uncle Matt. That is a lot of fuel. USPS.com offers a calculator to actually figure out how much fuel/emissions/dollars that trip would cost.

Currently, the post office recycles 1 million tons of paper and plastic each year, but they also offer tips to Green Your Mail, and they are launching a new program to help recycle mail you just don’t want or need. The Read, Respond, Recycle Program places a locked recycling bin in each post office lobby to encourage P.O. Box owners to Read, their mail there, Respond by taking with them what they need, and Recycle the rest.   To find out what post office offers this service near you, visit Earth911.com (a partner with green efforts of USPS), search “mail”, and the list will appear by zip code.

The other logical (& Kate’s preferred) option would be to send e-cards. No postage, no driving, no extra paper, no having to think that far in advance, just special holiday greetings sent right to Aunt Gertrude’s e-mail.

Some of my fave sites for free e-cards:

• Hallmark.com, (Hoops & Yo Yo cards are the selling point here for me, hint hint if you want to send me a card hehe)
• EGreetings.com (fave thing here is that Planet Earth - the most amazing DVD collection by BBC about our earth, sponsors some of the holiday e-cards)
• Blue Mountain cards (this company is great, they sponsor various charities, organizations, etc to spread awareness & find a solution).

Focus Organic’s All Things Eco Blog Carnival Features Stocking Stuffers

Hi all!  Just wanted to share that All Things Eco Blog Carnival volume 26 by our friends at Focus Organic featured our recent holiday post on Stocking Stuffers.

If you haven’t read it yet, check it out here!

Thanks Focus Organic! and as always, Thanks for reading!

Max Deserves a Present TOO!

Remember the dog in The Grinch Who Stole Christmas?  Max, that’s right.  That cute little puppy who carried such a big load for his owner.  Don’t you think he deserves something for all his hard work this Christmas? 

Your family pet brings so much joy throughout the year, and they have a big job acting as your confidant, counselor, and friend; don’t forget to get them a present this holiday season.  Remember our friends over at Leash We Can Do, the environmentally friendly pet company?  They have put together amazing green gift sets for any pet you love this holiday! 

Their gift basket with a gift card features natural, herbal doggie (or kitty) treats, a toy, a reusable tote, and  $5 gift certificate to LWCD!  This way your recipient could order a hemp collar, leash, or Bio Bags for doggie waste as an extra little bonus.

Leash We Can Do has offered our readers a special discount.  By entering the code  thinkgreen  at checkout, you will receive a 10% discount!!!!  At this rate, you can purchase presents for every pet in your family, your neighbor’s family, the local dog shelter, everyone!

Stocking Stuffers

As Laurel mentioned, we will be doing a variety of articles from now through the beginning of the year to help greenify your holidays, and my first contribution has to do with STOCKINGS. 

Warning:  This is another article about foot products.  You might think I have a foot fetish by the way I have plugged Simple Shoes so many times, and now I am going to plug socks.  While feet are important, not only for standing, a mode of transportation, toes as cute decorations, create your own unique scent, I do not have a foot fetish.  At least I don’t think so.  If you have one, glad I can help!

The stocking tradition started way back when little children would hang their snow drenched, wet stockings from the fireplace hearth to dry & someone got a clever idea to fill them with goodies.  Stockings can now be as simple as a sock with a hole in it, or as ornate as a homemade quilted sock the size of my leg that has embellishments of gold and diamonds. 

What I would recommend is checking out the eco-friendly variety on SockDreams.com.  This female owned company out of Portland has every kind of sock that you can imagine!  Long ones, short ones, striped ones, lace ones, hemp ones, organic fiber ones, and socks that use 80-85% recycled cotton! 

This year, go for the stocking you can wear and wear and wear & will do just as much good on your feet as on your hearth.  I think Santa has a soft spot for sustainable fiber socks - you are sure to get a spot on the Nice List this year.

Green Your Holiday Gift Wrap

I know it’s still a little early for holiday talk, but I feel like we’re close enough to Thanksgiving for me to get away with it. So, on to the first of my green holiday blogs about gift wrapping!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been kinda stumped about how to make my holiday present wrapping less wasteful and more eco-friendly. Of course, we could all forget the wrapping and just hand our gifts right over to family and friends…but where’s the fun in that? It’s all about the surprise! As usual, I did a little research to get some ideas, and here’s what I came up with.

Supplies you have at home:

• Magazines - last year I used pages from some old magazines I had in my apartment to make some funky wrap for presents. It works well on small items like jewelry or gift cards. Look for pretty advertisement pages to get the best looking paper.
• Brown paper bags - if you’re like me, you’ve got a few of these stashed away from the times you forgot to bring your canvas bag to the store. Cut off the bottom and you’ve got sheets of basic brown paper that you can jazz up with accessories.
• Paper shreds - dump out your home or office paper shredder and use the confetti-like pieces as filler in boxes that you have to ship.
• Business cards - do you have a box of old business cards that you’ll never use? Turn them over and use them for gift tags. They’re the perfect size!
• Pine needles - if you’re lucky enough to have pine needles or dried leaves drop in your yard, under your tree, or at a local park nearby, gather some up and use them for a gift box filler. (make sure to rinse and dry it first)

Things you can buy new:

• Recycled and non-wood paper - if you’re looking to buy something new to wrap your presents in, there are some great options out there. These days you can find paper made out of woven grass, tree bark, banana fiber, recycled office paper, silk, and more. Papermojo and Savitris each offer some great earth-friendly and recycled paper options. I also found a fundraising site called Green Raising that has some cute recycled holiday papers for sale.
• Canvas bag or reusable shopping bag - give someone a reusable shopping bag as part of their present. Put your gift inside and use the handles to tie in a bow.
• Tape and shipping materials - try out Green Earth Office Supply for things like tape or boxes. You have to call to order what you want, but they do have a website that lists all their products.
• Yarn - check out your local craft store for yarn or thread made from recycled or all-natural materials like hemp or wool. You can use it to tie bows on your gifts.

Leave me a comment with your own genius creations! Oh, and don’t forget to keep an eye on all the wrapping during your gift exchange with family and friends. There will surely be a few things you can snatch up and save for reuse next year.

Read “The Climate for Change” on NYT

Al Gore published a new article on November 9th for the New York Times. It’s called “The Climate for Change,” and I think it’s an important read for all of us.

“The Climate for Change”

Towards the beginning of his two-page opinion article, Gore makes this powerful statement about the relationship between the climate, the economy, and energy security:

“Here is the good news: the bold steps that are needed to solve the climate crisis are exactly the same steps that ought to be taken in order to solve the economic crisis and the energy security crisis.”

The bulk of the article provides a five-step plan for the U.S. to gain 100% energy independence in ten years by producing ALL our own carbon-free energy. Gore says this plan will help solve the climate crisis, solve the economic crisis, and provide us with millions of new jobs right at home. Here’s a little summary of each of those steps.

1. Invest now in incentives for new solar thermal plants, wind farms, and advanced plants in geothermal hot spots
2. Build a modern, unified national smart grid to carry renewable electricity from rural areas to cities using “high-voltage, low-loss underground lines”
3. Help the U.S. auto industry convert to plug-in hybrids
4. Provide quality insulation and energy-efficient lighting and windows for buildings nationwide
5. Put a price on carbon dioxide emissions and replace the Kyoto treaty with a better treaty that limits emissions and urges nations to work together on reducing global warming, especially deforestation

Take some time to read the article this week and share with others.

The Locks are GONE! Sent with Love.

As promised, my hair is gone!  I couldn’t be happier.  I have built in air conditioning for my neck and some deserving kid has a warmer for their skull.  The infamous pony tail is going to be used to create wigs for those kids who have lost their hair due to terminal illness, for further information, check out our previous post: Time for a Haircut? Give it up!

Check out the pics below of the process…

The Mane.

Before, still attached.

After. 

Locks detached.

This could have been a great Halloween costume!

Last step:

Mail it in!  The hair was placed in a plastic bag and then placed in a cushioned mailing envelope.

Lastly, it was addressed to Locks of Love at

234 Southern Blvd

West Palm Beach, FL 33405

Keep us posted if you decide to make a donation, we would love to hear about your experience!

More Easy Halloween Costumes

I was loving Kate’s Halloween post, and I had a few more ideas for cheap, easy costumes that you could find at home or at a Goodwill. This is for all of you slackers who have waited until tonight or tomorrow to get a costume. Or maybe you have a friend who still needs a costume. I know I wouldn’t want to be at Party City on October 30th to fight for the last costume on the rack. Plus, those all-in-one-bag costumes can get expensive!

On to my ideas and memories of fun costumes I’ve seen in the past. Thanks to my friend Lauren who helped me think up some easy last-minute ideas.

• One of your friends - dress up as another friend of yours
• Famous athlete - wear a jersey of your favorite player and make yourself injured or dead with makeup and bandages
• 4 Seasons (this one is probably best for girls)  - round up a few friends and go as the four seasons. Get creative by wearing the obvious colors for each season and match your makeup and accessories. For example, the Winter season girl could check out Goodwill or a thrift store to find a faux-fur coat or something warm. Do frosty blue and white makeup and sparkles like an ice queen. Think whites, grays, and dark blues. Throw on a scarf, beanie hat, or gloves for accessories.
• Ace Ventura at the psychiatric hospital - all you need is brown boots, a pink tutu, and a white short sleeve button down shirt. Use hair wax to make your hair stick out like his. See picture here.
• Ron Burgundy or cheesy anchorman - get a blazer, a mustache, a tie. See picture of Ron Burgundy here.
• Tornado - wear black shirt and pants, and attach toy trucks and animals to your outfit. Add some leaves and small sticks.
• James Bond - wear a black suit and tie, carry a fake gun, and talk like Bond. Memorize some one-liners to say to people and don’t forget the shades!

Plenty Magazine also posted some Cheap Green Halloween Getups on their website. My personal favorite is The Carbon Footprint. Genius, super easy, and cheap!

UPDATE: I just heard about another fun, easy costume idea. A group of girls are going as the Robert Palmer video girls. I’m sure you remember them from the “Addicted to Love” and “Simply Irresistable” videos. Wear a tight long sleeve black t-shirt, a slim black skirt, black pumps, red lipstick, and slicked hair. Picture here.

Turn Orange & Black Into Green!

All Hallow’s Eve or Halloween is upon us!  As a tradition it is time for ghouls and ghosts to knock on your door & collect sugary treats in non-recyclable wrappers.  A time for malicious tricks to take place & painstakingly carved jack-o-lanterns to be smashed to bits for revenge of no King Sized candy bars…

Agh, those were the days…

These days we can celebrate Halloween the green way…and I am not talking about dressing up like an asparagus!

Treeswing has sponsored a community movement called, Green Halloween.  This non-profit, month-long event started in Seattle in 2007 to educate communities on health, the environment, and community change.  2008 marks the groups’ first nationwide event to promote a healthy, fun, Halloween!

GreenHalloween.org has a plethora of resources from healthy teeth to organizing your own neighborhood Green Halloween block party.  It provides useful tips on what to buy & being conscious of what not to buy to reduce waste, how to invite people, what food to serve, and how to make it festive to the holiday…

My fave recipe has to be WASABI EYEBALLS….muhahahaha!

TRICK OR TREATING

Parental units and kids at heart and people looking to make a difference:  Check out Reverse Trick or Treating.  This is a new concept for kids to help spread the word of fair trade and to help end poverty in cocoa farming communities.  It never ceases to amaze me what things you can learn in a day or how impressed you can be by your fellow mankind.  Awesome, and all in the name of fun.

Or, just serve something healthy. I know kids - boo hiss!   Come on, you really do like granola bars.

COSTUMES:

My friend always has great ideas for costumes that use household items.  Some that are suiting to the environment: 

Dress as the sun.  Wear a yellow t-shirt & sunglasses.  If you have a little sister, steal her headband and afix some used aluminum foil from your leftover pizza in the shape of sunbeams so light reflects off it.  Carry a flower around as your friend.

Dress as sleep.  We all need this to be happy happy happy and promote a peaceful world!  Wear an airplane pillow around your neck, slippers, and afix a sleeping mask to your forehead.  Bring a stuffed teddy with you as a friend.

This is my idea: Reuse last year’s costume!  Who remembers that stuff anyway?!  or Trade costumes with a friend, or pieces of costumes to create a new one! Fun Fun Fun!

HAVE FUN!  BE SAFE!!!