Hey we may have another thing in common! Really. We both have been paying bills and receiving a few paper statements that still make their way to our mailbox despite our green efforts.

You can log on to your account and go paperless. And, it is easier than ever. Every utility company, credit card, or other service I interact with now offers this as a convenient option. That is a magic word for humans right? “Convenient.”

This is not necessarily something folks didn’t know, but have you acted on it yet? I have taken advantage of it in the past and recently. Some offer automatic billing and/or they will email you an e-copy of your bill with plenty of lead time before it is due. There are often many options from which you can select. I love it.

Some companies like AT&T will even plant a tree in your honor for going paperless.

Try it…you’ll like it.

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I took an oath not to be preachy or make attempts to prod people into making hefty contributions during Earth Month (ya know…April).  That oath was limited to the blog. That did not stop me from promoting it in businesses.

It was very interesting to see how quickly people were ready to contribute when provided with a recycling opportunity within close proximity to where they worked.

The picture below is from one of the break rooms at a large corporation after a week of collection. Everything you see in the box would have made it into the trash and our landfills.

The organization already recycles paper, aluminum, and plastic bottles. For the week-long challenge, people were encouraged to recycle their paper cups and glass bottles.

There would likely have been more on any other week. The reason? Most people also brought in a mug or cup for their favorite beverages to reduce the resources used. Every little bit makes a difference.

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Planet U will turn off all non-essential lighting for Earth Hour, and we encourage organizations and individuals to do the same. This will be awesome!

Earth Hour, which takes place Saturday, March 27th at 8:30 p.m. local time, is an event in which millions of Americans will turn out their lights for one hour in support of action on climate change and toward creating a cleaner, safer and more secure future. 2010 marks the third year of the event, which attracted more than 80 million participants in the U.S. last year, and nearly a billion people around the world, as lights dimmed on such global icons as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Sydney’s Opera House, the Great Pyramids of Gaza and New York’s Empire State Building.

Notable U.S. landmarks such as Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, St. Louis’ Gateway Arch, Sea World in Orlando, the strip in Las Vegas, New York’s Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Washington D.C.’s National Cathedral, California’s Santa Monica Pier and the Space Needle in Seattle are among the hundreds of sites that will turn off non-essential lighting for the hour, in what is expected to be the largest-ever call to action on climate change.

Are you willing to make the 1 hour commitment? Join here (pretty please).

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Although I celebrated this holiday without any tree (live or artificial), some of you had.

If you are like most, you’re now ready to get that beautiful “live” tree out of your home to pitch it. Please remember that many local municipalities have programs that allow you to leave the tree at the curb for recycling.

They will then come by on specific dates to shred the tree. Some areas compost where others use it for mulch. It sure beats sending it to a landfill.

One of my friends even likes to submerge them as structure in ponds that have little shelter for aquatic animals.

Happy new year everyone!

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Three Sisters Cereal is a newer cereal I started purchasing during my short treks to the local Whole Foods Market. What intrigued me the most… it comes in a plastic bag.

I know, you may be saying to me… “How is that good for the environment?”  Well, that is a good question and I am glad you are challenging the thought process to make greener choices.

Consider the alternative, boxed cereals have a plastic liner. Three Sisters Cereal eliminates the use of paper altogether and uses the plastic for storage. Plus, each bag comes with a handy zip seal that keeps the cereal fresh (I like that a lot).

I have tried three of the six flavors thus far: Graham Cracker, Marshmallow, and Sweet Wheat – all are yummy. And, yes I have a sweet tooth when it comes to cereal mom (hence my choices in flavors).

Want another reason to opt for this brand…Three Sisters Cereal uses environmentally conscious business practices that include recycling and using wind energy to produce their cereals. Woohoo!

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