GLs Guide to being green: Paper trail

Earth Day festivities are just around the bend! Check out 77 big and little ways you can help save the planet with a week-long DO list. Every little bit counts!

DAY 1: Paper Trail

1. Taking notes? Don’t grab a new piece of loose-leaf, use the back of an old sheet. Passing notes? Scraps are the perfect size to keep secrets hush-hush.

2. Snail mail is SO last year! Still getting tons ‘o catalogs via the post? Remove yourself from mailing lists and shop online instead!

3. Find the greatest article on guys that you know your bestie will love? Email it or send her the web link via cyberspace and opt not to print.

4. A total bookworm on the prowl for the latest bestseller? Check it out at the library for FREE rather than hitting up your nearby bookstore.

5. Paper or plastic? How about neither! Grab your fave tote, or pick one up to shoulder your groceries at the super, purchases at the mall, whatever!

(Left to Right) Let’s Be Friends Tote, $1.50, forever21.com; Eco-Graphic Totes, $12.50, oldnavy.com

The average reusable bag has the lifespan of over seven hundred disposable plastic bags. A plastic bag can take anywhere from 15 to 1000 years to decompose. Think paper bags are better? The US cuts down 14 million trees per year to supply the demand for paper shopping bags. –reusethisbag.com

6. Loads of prezzies to wrap up for b-day bashes, holiday goodies and more? Nix wrapping paper and use old issues of magazines and newspapers to get creative.

7. Brown baggin’ your lunch everyday? Start dressing up your pb&j and pack it up old school in a lunch box.

Hello Kitty rainbow lunchbox, $13, fredflare.com

8. Throwin’ a huge par-tay or hostin’ a sleepover shindig? Just say “NO” to paper utensils and disposable dishes and shine up some sweet silverware.

9. Pick up a reusable water bottle and use it! Fill it up at home and avoid having to spend extra dough on a bottle of water every time you are out.

10. Buy recycled paper products: cards, printer paper, notebooks, loose-leaf, stationary, post-its and even toilet paper are just a few of the products you can buy recycled!

11. Plant a tree.

If ya have to use paper, don’t forget to RECYCLE!

Every ton of paper recycled saves more than 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space. –earth911.com

Don’t have a recycling program at school? Jumpstart the motion today: earth911.com

A green thumb gal with ways to get our earth back on track? Share it now!

POSTED IN health, weekend fun, School, earth day, lifestyle, eco-friendly