Save popsicle sticks. As the queen of the three R’s- reduce, reuse, recycle- this is one of the many items I save to reuse later. I just wash them off with soap and water and store them until I need them. There are so many items that craft sticks can ( more… )
Use the grill instead of the oven. The grill is a great alternative to using the oven. It takes less time to warm up and keeps the heat out of the house. If you are running your air conditioner, it helps keep one large energy drawing appliance from being used. ( more… )
Dispose of chemicals safely. What do you do with your old paint or paint cans? What about motor oil cans and other car liquids? All of these things and more can be taken to your local hazardous waste facility. Our facility takes all these items: Adhesives Aerosols Arts and Crafts ( more… )
Stop animal testing. This picture is very disturbing to me, since rabbits are my favorite animals. I have never understood why things need to be tested on animals. They do not have the same internal composition or skin composition as a human, so they would not react the same as ( more… )
Stop gambling on animals. Did you know that around 24 horses die every week on the race track? (petakids.com) Horses that are used for racing start training at two years of age. Just like humans, their bones are not fully formed, so they suffer injuries more often than older horses. ( more… )
Stop supporting rodeos. I have never been a fan of rodeos, but I definitely am not since reading about the harm that comes to the animals in this sport. A sport is an activity when someone performs a physical skill for entertainment. This skill is performed with a goal in ( more… )
I have a magnet that says, “Whatever You Are, Be a Good One.” I love this quote. As a child care provider, I feel very strongly about this. If you can not do your job, and do it humanely, you need to find another job. It takes a special kind ( more… )
Turn down the temperature on your water heater. The Department of Energy recommends that your hot water heater be at 120 degrees. Any hotter than that, and there is a risk of scalding. Check your water heater as most are set on a default setting of 140 degrees. Turning the ( more… )
Wash clothes in cold water. Most of the energy used in a washing machine is in the actual heating up of the water. So, when you use cold water to wash your clothes, it alleviates this energy usage. Cold water is safe for all fabrics. It is actually beneficial for ( more… )
Turn your thermostat up or down a couple degrees. This is an easy option for those that work outside the home. You won’t be physically affected by it, and your pocketbook will thank you for the savings. You can put your thermostat on a timer, so thirty minutes before your ( more… )