Here are some useful green tips that you can practice everyday.

1. Salt

Salt can be used for a lot of things in the home, including yourself. You can use it to test an egg’s freshness, extend cheese life and shell nuts easily. You can treat mosquito bites and ease sore throat using salt. You can keep ants away, repair walls and tame barbecue flames. You can clean sink drains, clean greasy pans, refrigerators and glass coffee pots. Feel free to share your other uses for salt at home.

2. Moving Homes

Moving homes can be such a hassle. Trying to figure out which goes and which stays, packing the ones staying in boxes and hauling them from the old to the new house. When you’ve figured out which ones are not coming with you, consider placing an ad on Craigslist, Freecycle or eBay. Or just have a good old-fashioned garage sale. Pack the stuff you’re bringing in reused boxes you can purchase for a small price or for free. Pay it back by offering it up for the other movers. Lastly, use one large moving van and make sure everything is done in one trip.

3.  Baking Soda

Like salt, baking soda can also be used in numerous ways around the house. You can use it to freshen your mouth and use it as a facial scrub and body exfoliant. You can use baking soda to freshen sponges, clean the microwave, oven, floors, furniture and shower curtains. Use it to deodorize your refrigerator, sink drains, trash cans, lunch boxes and dish washers. You can also use baking soda to extinguish fires and scrubs fruits and vegetables.

4. Vegetable Garden

Gardening is hard work and if you don’t pay attention, your plants will die. But there are some vegetables that you can easily grow in your garden that even the laziest or clueless gardener can do. Asparagus needs a full sun and non-soggy, and a little sandy oil. Kale will grow in many climates. And bunching onions will grow even in cold climates.

5. Bathroom

There are a million ways to “prolong the life” of your bathroom products. For shampoo, just use a small amount for your hair. Short lengths only need to use a nickel-sized amount. Longer lengths will need a little more. For toothpaste, only a pea-sized amount is needed, the most important thing is how you brush your teeth anyway.

What other green tips can you recommend to our readers? Share them in the comments below!

Doing your laundry may just seem like a simple chore–okay, well maybe it is not so simple for everyone–but what you may not know is how much is wasted when one runs a load of laundry. All we see is a water going in, the machine churning, and water being spun out. I have not tried to calculate the amount of water that our machine uses, but I have a feeling that it is a lot more than I think it is.

If people changed the way they did their laundry, we could make a big difference in this world. It takes so much energy that is used to heat the wash water and to run the dry cycle and we do not usually think too much about this fact. However, if were all more aware, then we could start to reduce the carbon footprint that’s associated with our clothing.

One of the easiest ways to change your habits is to dry your clothes on a line rather than in the machine and to use the cold water setting rather than the hot water setting when hot water is not needed. The dryer actually comes in as number two on the household energy hog list and by not using it, you can save more than $70 per year in energy bills. So let us take the dryer out of the equation.

The average household does about 400 loads of laundry each year–coming in at about 13,500 gallons of water per year, according to Energy Star.  If you still have one of those older machines (my family had one up until about 2 weeks ago), you should really think about switching to an Energy-Start qualified top-loading machine. Why? Well, you an save as much as 7,000 gallons of water per year. This type of machine can save you $500 in operating costs over its lifetime (about 11 years). In short, you will most likely end up having a machine that pays for itself over the course of its useful life.

Doing your laundry in an efficient manner is a household chore you can afford to spend your money on because in the long run, you will save money and our environment.

Halfway (or more) through summer vacation, you may be hearing, “I’m bored!”  While a quick suggestion of cleaning the garage or basement may help quiet the whining, there are other ways to eliminate summertime boredom.  This list of suggestions not only will help entertain and amuse your child but also will help keep our planet healthy.

1. Track and reduce trash.

Create a spreadsheet on your computer or on a whiteboard (to make it more visible) with days of the week labeled at the top of the columns. Brainstorm with your children, and then label the rows with items that they throw out on a regular basis, such as napkins, paper towels, water bottles, paper plates.  Then each time a child discards one of those items, have him or her add a tally mark to the correct box on the chart.  At the start of the next day, total the tally marks in each box for the previous day.  Challenge your family to discard one less item.  See how low you can get your tallies to be!

2. Recycle old clothing

Although cleaning out closets and drawers may not be fun, it does allow more room for new clothes.  Once all worn-out and undersized clothing has been removed, sort them.  Things that are just too small but in good condition can be passed down to a younger sibling or cousin or donated to a charity.  Clothing items that are stained can be repurposed.  Encourage your kids to find creative uses for these items:  cut up a few t-shirts and sew a quilt for your stuffed bear, remove all of the buttons and use them as decorations for an art project.

3. Start a mini-garden.

Yes, it is late in the season for a lot of vegetables, but there are some that sprout more quickly.  Try planting a few radish or lettuce seeds in a medium to large planter or in a quiet corner of your yard.  Have your child check the soil daily for signs of growth and to determine if watering is needed.  When these veggies are ready, make sure your child gets to do the picking!

An article on Yahoo highlighted a woman’s transformation from a high-consumption life to an eco-friendly one by making a few instrumental changes in her life. Do you want to know how she did it? Here are a few tips she shared in the article.

1. Natural Cleaning Agents

Instead of buying the pre-made cleaning products in the stores (which are filled with all kinds of chemicals and bleach), make your own using items already found in your home. These items include vinegar, baking soda, natural soaps and lemon.

2. NO to Bottled Water

Buy a filter for the faucet or a pitcher with its own filter and start drinking from the tap. When going out, bring your own mug and fill it with tap water. Just this act alone can eliminate usage of at least 300 bottles a day.

3. Reusable Shopping Bags

Make it a habit of bringing your own shopping bags to eliminate the use of plastic or paper bags for your items. The bags only cost between $0.99 to $2 (some cost more but you don’t need to buy those) and use them again and again.

4. Avoid Plastic Wrap

When putting leftovers in the fridge, don’t use plastic wrap to cover your food. Use container covers or brown wax paper.

5. CFLs and Energy-Saving Appliances

Switch to CFL bulbs and energy-saving appliances and notice the big change in your electricity bill.

6. Grow Own Food

If you have the ability and the space to do, grow your own food. Just buy some pots, soil and seeds and plant away. You can plant spinach, mushrooms, tomato, eggplant, any kind of fruits or whatever else will fit in your space. Don’t forget to take care of the plants, though.

7. Don’t Be Afraid To Buy Used

There are some items that you can always buy used, like furniture (including book cases, chairs and tables, etc.), clothes, DVDs, CDs and other items that won’t compromise your health or will be with you for the long haul.

8. Say NO To Paper

Go paperless for all your bills and statements. Cancel all catalogs, print newspapers and other subscriptions and choose to view them online instead.

So are you ready to switch to a green lifestyle? Take the challenge and start now!

For a lot of us, we have dedicated ourselves to living a green life at home. But what about outside the home? What about at work? Is it easy to translate the same dedication to a green life at the office or at work?

Redefine commuting

Let’s face it. Bringing your own car has more cons than pros. You need to worry about traffic, gas, tolls, parking spaces, parking availability and parking fees, among others. Consider carpooling with your friends or officemates. If your city has a great public transportation system, consider taking the bus or train going to work. You could walk or take your bike to work.

Telecommuting

Another option to avoid even being on the road, if you don’t have to, is telecommuting. Work from home instead of the office. Commute to the office only if you have to but limit it to just some days in a week. You can maximize email, instant messaging and video conferencing to communicate with your other co-workers at work without having to leave the house.

Computers and other office equipment

Be sure to activate your computer’s energy-saver settings. When leaving for the day, don’t just press standby and shut down your computer. Make sure to unplug other equipment (including printer, scanner, etc) when not in use, as they contribute to power wastage when plugged but unused.

Green Materials

Use only recycled materials for papers and envelopes. There are also recycled pencils and refillable pens and markers available for use. Better yet, go paperless and keep communication online. Reading memos and reports online, instead of printing, saves paper and space, by eliminating file cabinets.

Break Time

Bring your own lunch to work in reusable containers. It’s cheaper and eliminates or minimizes packaging waste. Bring your own tumbler to work, too, where you can pour in water, your coffee or juice. You don’t have to stay inside with your lunch, though. Go outside and walk to the park or nearby benches and have your lunch there. It’ll be good to breathe in the outside air and will re-energize you through the rest of your workday.

Influence Others

Encourage your co-workers, family and friends to join you in living a green life. It’ll be more fun to share this lifestyle with other people. And it’ll be more fun for the environment.

Let’s start the year the green way. Here are some green tips for different parts of your life.

Spring Cleaning

Remove all the clutter. Go through drawers, cabinets, inside the closets, the garage, attic and everywhere you can think of. Start going through all your things one by one. It will take some time to get through all this, so be sure to set aside time for this activity. Or better yet, get the help of a family member or a friend. Create separate piles for things you’ll never use, things you can reuse and things you can donate or recycle.

Spring Break

Plan the ultimate road trip and avoid flying to your destination. Travel with family or friends to take advantage of the car’s space. Be sure to stay at a green hotel with good ratings. Or stay at a rental house with lots of other friends. You’ll save money and have more fun! Support local establishments. Eat local and buy local. And always remember to dispose trash properly and recycle.

Dating

How to find someone who shares your green ideals? Try online green dating sites like Green Singles or Green Passion. Or volunteer at your local environmental organization to meet other like-minded people. Take them to green restaurants or restaurants that serve locally-sourced food. Or make your own food and plan a picnic. Cook food for your date using locally-sourced food and organic alcohol.

Work From Home

Choose an area in your place that will give you no distractions and allow you to be very productive. Determine what kind of desk you’ll need, if you need lots of drawers or a wide space or a foldable one. Be sure to do your research and invest in desks made of sustainable wood. And make sure your chair is ergonomic and has good lumbar support designed to go easy on your posture and muscles. Before buying office supplies, check your place first for supplies you already may have to avoid overstocking.

Workout

You don’t need to join a gym to work out. You can do it at your own home. Do lunges and squats while watching your favorite shows on TV. Lift weights while watching the news. If you want to go out, go running or biking outside. Encourage other people to join your workouts. And don’t forget to go green with the equipment you use. Buy used bikes and/or weights, eco-friendly yoga mats.

Next time, we’ll discuss how to apply green tips in your life.

How can one practice a green lifestyle? Start at home first! Once you’ve perfected this lifestyle at home, going out will seem quite easy.

Kitchen

Stock up your fridge with organic food. Buy from the farmer’s market or natural and organic grocery stores. Replace your old dishes and bakeware with eco-friendly products. Replace your dishwasher with an energy-efficient machine that uses less water and energy. Use teflon pans for cooking environmentally friendly recipes.

Living Room

Paint your living room with a vibrant color using non-toxic paint. Use environmentally-friendly glass cleaners to clean the glass in your house. Buy environmentally-friendly furniture. If you can’t afford to buy it all yet, start buying it one at a time. Buy furniture with reclaimed wood. Or choose one with unfinished wood and just finish it yourself.

Bedroom

When choosing wood from your bedroom, be sure to choose from the following materials:

• Bamboo
• Cork
• Concrete
• Forest Stewardship Council Certified Hardwood, Softwood, Laminates and Reclaimed/Salvaged Lumber
• Linoleum
• Recycled Tile and Stone

Bathroom

Use green cleaners to clean the air in your bathroom. Be aware of the chemicals in your cosmetic and beauty products. Use environmentally friendly paper products and bath towels. Use water-saving toilets or properly maintain the one that you have.

Office

Try to invest in solar chargers. Charging with the sun lowers your electricity bill by eliminating plug-in chargers. Balance your time and try to work from home sometimes. It lessens the amount of carbon footprint you create by traveling to work. Don’t just discard your old papers. Reuse and recycle them.

What other ideas do you have to practice a green lifestyle starting at home? Let us know all your ideas!

Hoping to live the green life in Chicago? Here are some key green places.

1. Hotel Burnham

At Hotel Burnham, part of the Kimpton Hotels, caring for the environment is very important. As part of the EarthCare program of the Kimpton Hotels, guests always are provided with eco-friendly bath amenities, in-room recycling bins, paperless check-in/out service for all guests, organic coffee and tea, as well as organic snacks, the linen and towel reuse program and a comprehensive recycling program.

1 West Washington, Chicago IL 60602; Tel. (877)294.9712

2. green exchange

green exchange is the only mall that also doubles as a green building. They are LEED certified and have a state of the art green roof. They have solar thermal panels to deliver hot water and air-conditioning. They have a rain cistern to capture rain water and use it for irrigation and other water features. They low toxin paint for all the building walls. They have energy efficient windows that are built to bring in natural light and have the ability to control the temperature. They also have a state of the art recycling program.

2545 W. Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

3. Fox and Obel Market

Passionate about food and service, Fox and Obel Market features products such as locally grown produce, dry-aged beef on premise, freshly baked artisan breads and pastries, fresh seafood and the finest cheeses. There is also a cafe inside, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

401 E. Illinois Ave. Chicago Il 60611; Tel (312) 410-7301

4. Green Genes

Green Genes opened on Earth Day 2008 through the combined efforts of owners, Heather Muenstermann and Christina Isperduli. They use Green Genes to contribute to making the earth a little better than what it is now. They only source out organic and natural products created and manufactured through fair trade and sustainable production. They specialize in children’s clothes, bath products and toys. They’ve also made sure their store reflects their environment-friendly policies. The floor and the front counter are made of bamboo and kirei board, both renewable resources. Walls were painted with low VOC paints, and furniture was salvaged and recycled to look brand new. They only use packaging and gift wrap made from recycled and biodegradable materials.

5111 N. Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640: Tel. (773)944-9250

What are you waiting for? Visit these places and start your contribution to a greener environment!

Next stop: Boston, Massachusetts

We know the three Rs of being green: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Thriftyfun.com is a Website that really allows users to take the 2nd R to its fullest potential. In the past, the word “thrifty” had a negative connotation. A packrat might be considered thrifty. Now, however, someone who is thrifty is economical and practical. On Thrifty Fun, you will find many unique uses for things you might regularly throw away. These ideas come from creative minds all over the country, so there is bound to be something you can use.

For example, did you notice that those bags that cat food comes in are very strong and durable? The material is called Duraweave, and with just scissors, thread, pins and a sewing machine, you can make a tote bag that can be put to use again and again.

Not only does the site offer many one-of-a-kind crafts, but it also has a forum for questions. Recently, a visitor asked what she could do with her empty medicine bottles, and she received a myriad of solutions. Some members suggested using them to store smaller sewing or craft items such as bead or needles. Another member wrote that her husband actually screws the cap to the bottom of a shelf in her workroom so she can keep screws and nails in an easily-accessed, organized manner. If the bottles are colorful you can even make a quirky wreath!

You also can ask for help on repairs, so instead of throwing a broken appliance away, you might be able to salvage it and get a few more uses out of it.

I actually came across Thrifty Fun following a link on The Green Guide. You know on Valentine’s Day when children pass out all those little cards and goodies? Instead of handing out dozens of store-bought Valentine’s cards and candies, you can make your own paper with anything from old greeting cards to magazines to egg cartons. Wouldn’t that be a cool project for the kids? Thrifty Fun has suggestions for nearly every topic from computers to weddings. Check it out!

Are you trying to live a green lifestyle? This series explores different cities and their efforts to go green. So, it doesn’t matter if you just moved there or simply are going for a vacation. This series explores the green establishments you can visit in the city.

Food

1. Pizza Fusion

Pizza Fusion promises to deliver pizzas that use earth-conscious, environmentally-friendly ingredients and boxes. They deliver pizza using hybrid vehicles and provide their employees with eco-friendly apparel for their uniforms. And they encourage their customers to bring in their pizza boxes for recycling by giving discounts. They use fresh and organic materials in their pizzas to support the environment and organic agriculture. They even offer organic classes for kids to teach them about the significance of organic living. What are you waiting for? Save the Earth. Call Pizza Fusion now!

3827 5th Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103; Tel. (619)278-0057

2. Lean and Green

Located inside an office complex, Lean and Green may be hard to find. But once you find it, prepare to be dazzled by its varied selection of vegan, organic and gluten-free items. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, consisting of sandwiches, salads, wraps, smoothies and organic juices. All the flatware and dinnerware they use are recycled and biodegradable. Best to order online and avoid long lines.

7825 Fay Ave, Suite 180, La Jolla, CA 92037; Tel. (858)459-5326

Hotels

Hotel Solamar

Be sure to stay at Hotel Solamar and join their Earthcare Program. This program was designed to practice sustainable ways to protect the environment. Toiletries are made from natural materials. They’ve installed a comprehensive recycling program, including providing recycle bins in each rooms for the guests’ convenience. Eco-friendly cleaning supplies and methods are practiced by the employees of the hotel. Save Mother Earth, stay at Hotel Solamar.

435 6th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101; Tel.(619)819-9500

Shopping

Migrate Home

Migrate Home features environmentally-sustainable furniture perfect for the nature lovers’ homes, as well as eco-friendly clothing. They also support local talent by using their works to decorate their walls.

937 South Coast Hwy 101, Suite C103, Encinitas, CA 92024; Tel. (760)632-8284

Next stop: Seattle, Washington