Thinkbaby featured in Knox Moms magazine

We are super excited that our Thinkbaby feeding set is featured in Knox Moms magazine this month. These sets are a GREAT alternative to plastic. We hope you love them too.

Recycling Styrofoam?

Is it just me or are there others out there that struggle with throwing away all this styrofoam? I try to limit our styrofoam consumption but inevitably we end up with this. It breaks my heart thinking that this stuff will remain in the Earth FOREVER and burning it is NOT the answer! RECYCLING IS....and I am so EXCITED!

There is now a way that you can recycle your #6 Polystyrene aka styrofoam. Its sort of hard to see below (look to the right of the number 3) look for the recycling triangle along with the number 6 inside. You might also see the letters "PS" for polystyrene. If you see #6 or the "PS" letters it CAN be recycled. WOO HOO....great news for my guilty conscience and a huge win for the Earth.

Thank you to the Knoxville Recycling Coalition for bringing this valuable service to the Knoxville area. I purchased a 100 gallon bag from them for $5.00 and as a bonus they educated me on styrofoam recycling. When my bag is full I will return it to be recycled. YEAH!!!

So what are you waiting for? My challenge to you is to go buy yourself a $5.00 bag and get started today....you will feel better and so will the Earth. I will be attending a "master recycler" class in the next couple of weeks. It is a two week class....when I'm finished I'm sure I will have lots more information to share.

Get your rain barrels NOW....

Moby Rain Barrel Sale.....
If you live in the Knoxville area PLEASE pass this along to everyone you know. This is a great buy on a fabulous rain barrel. I plan on getting a couple more myself.

top 5 Reasons to Harvest Rainwater

• Protect our rivers and streams from runoff pollution
• Divert water from the municipal storm drain system
• Conserve this vital natural resource and reduce water bills
• Use the rain water to grow healthy and lush plants
• Control moisture levels around the foundation of your home

An average sized rain barrel will be completely full during a moderate rain shower in about 15-20 minutes so link them together for maximum water storage.

Need something to do this weekend? Visit Earthfest. You can pick up your Moby there and have a great time being outdoors with your family. ADMISSION IS FREE!!!

Not in the Knoxville area? We offer the Palmetto rain barrel and free shipping at Nioka Green Store. This is the first rain barrel we owned. We carry it because it is a great size and ships via UPS.

Other rain barrels, including the Moby have to ship via freight carrier which typically makes the cost prohibitive unless you purchase it through a non profit such as Water Quality Forum. They are able to sell them at a lower cost than I can purchase them wholesale which is why I am HIGHLY recommending to everyone that they get one now.

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend. Get outside and do SOMETHING!

Big Hugs, Renee'

Start SMALL

OK.....so you want to begin incorporating some green into your life but you aren't sure where to start....my suggestion is to START SMALL. I haven't read every green book out there but I have read alot and the majority of them encourage simple changes. Small changes made everyday can have a HUGE impact over the course of a lifetime.

Here are a few small changes to help you get started:

1. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth-you could conserve up to 5 gallons of water per day.
2. Recycle-We've found the easiest way to do this is set up bins and sort as you go. Mine are plain but you could make them pretty. We have bins for plastic, mixed paper, newspaper, corrugated cardboard, and one for metal/glass that we sort when we drop off. Once your bins are full make a trip to your local "convenience center" and drop them off. We are very fortunate here in Knox County; we have fabulous, easy to use centers. Check with your local area if you are outside of Knox County.
3. Use less of everything-soap, shampoo, laundry detergent,etc...-I have found that I can use 1/2 the amount of recommended laundry detergent and my clothes still come out clean and 1/4 of a pump of soap gets my hands just as clean as a whole pump. You're helping to decrease the toxic load we put on the Earth and the added benefit is it saves you money.
4. Use glass instead of plastic to store your food- Many plastics have harmful chemicals that can leach into your food. Protect your health by choosing a safer alternative.
5. BYOB....Bring your own bag-Plastic bags are made from oil and the US goes through 380 billion of them a year. Conserve our natural resources by bringing your own bag to the grocery store. Any bag will work or find cute, compact ones at Nioka Green Store.
6. Skip paper towels-use old t-shirts and newspaper for cleaning. At mealtime, choose reusable cloth napkins-I usually pick mine up from garage sales, thrift stores or estate sales for about 25 cents each.
7. Conserve energy-Swith incadescent bulbs to CFL's as the old ones burn out for a significant energy savings. You might also consider installing motion sensors to lights, especially in areas like your kids room or bathroom. We have these in our garage (an area where we often forgot to turn the lights off)
8. Shop second hand- This is one of my favorite ways to "go green". It's like a big scavenger hunt and you're the winner. I can usually find just what I'm looking for by shopping local yard sales, thrift stores and consignment sales. It also helps to divert items from landfills. One persons trash can be another ones treasure. Stay tuned for a couple of projects that have become treasures.

So, what are some of the ways that you're going green. I would love to hear from you. Please let me know if you have questions. I am always happy to try to answer them.

Big Hugs,

Hogskin Valley Girl