Happy Earth Day!

It's time for my annual 25 easy ways to love your planet post. I may be reposting some things I've already said before, but that's just because I think they're really important. Plus I want to remind you of some of the basics for some of my new readers. These are all things I do myself. I was reading a facebook post where someone suggested showering in nature in the rain. If you're all about that great. Frolicking naked outside in order to save water doesn't really fit into my life though, so here's some things that do.

1) Cold cook your pasta. I'm starting off with a ridiculous one here, so bear with me. When I read about this in the green cookbook my mom got me, I thought there was no way this would work, but it does. Bring you water to a rolling boil, put the pasta in, put the lid on, turn off the burner and cook for the time directed on the box. The secret is to not peek and keep the heat trapped under the lid. It truly works. At least try it.
2) Check your e-mail on a smart phone or crackberry. It saves the electricity of turning on your entire computer.
3) Give green gifts. When my friend Eli had a baby (who is adorable, ps), a notice came out in the baby shower invite saying she was going to be using cloth diapers. I was more than happy to give her a gift certificate to help with that. It doesn't even have to be that drastic though. How about an organic or local bottle of wine for your next hostess gift?
4) DVR your favorite shows and fast forward through the commercials. Less time with the TV on.
5) Give up your bath poof for a traditional wash cloth. Not only will it save that plastic from the landfill, but poofs have been shown to trap germs and bacteria if they aren't replaced every 3 weeks. (and really, who replaces theirs every 3 weeks?)
6) Buy the Mega rolls of toilet paper. Less waste, and less having to change the roll. Win Win.
7) Pack your lunch using a reusable lunch bag and containers rather than eating out. Saves money too!
8) Learn to drink tea (or coffee...but I haven't gotten there yet) without sweetener or creamer. When I went to China, a lot of times sweetener just wasn't available for tea and I realized how much more I could taste the tea. It saves all those little pink packets from the landfill and is better for your body too.
9) Don't transfer meals to serving bowls. Just have people serve themselves out of whatever you cooked in.
10) Pay bills online or by phone. Saves the paper of checks and the gas associated with all those bills having to be delivered by mail.
11) And while we're on the subject of mail. Call someone rather than send a card to say Happy Easter or Congratulations on your graduation!
12) Save water when washing dishes. Here's how I do it. Start with a mixing bowl that needs washed (or other big container). Pour your dish soap in there along with a little bit of water rather than filling up an entire sink to start. Wash your smaller items (knives and what not) in there first and as you rinse you'll gain enough water to wash bigger stuff.
13) And if you have a dishwasher, put anything you can in that rather than hand washing. Energy star dishwashers are actually better for the environment than hand washing. Seems like a paradox, right?
14) Look for products made from recycled material. They are EVERYWHERE now!
15) Don't put food down your garbage disposal. Most people think this is better than throwing it in the trash. It's not. Of course the most green thing is to not let food go to waste and to compost anything compostable.
16) Look for "Made in the USA". Not only will you be helping our economy, but you'll help save the energy needed to bring that item to market. Did you know the average cotton polo shirt travels 14,000 miles before it hits the shelves?
17) Donate your unused stuff to charity. Not only will you be keeping clutter out of your house and waste out of the landfill, but you'll get some good karma by giving it to someone who can really use it.
18) Want to recycle something (like a computer), but unsure how. Earth 911 will tell you how to do it in your area.
19) Return wire hangers to the dry cleaner. They will reuse them.
20) Carpool. It's always more fun having a friend in the car anyway.
21) Allow your hair to air dry at least part of the way. Unless you're dashing out the door right after your shower (which depending on where you're going may not be an issue anyway), air drying is better for your hair and will save electricity.
22) PLEASE take your own bags grocery shopping. I have two purple reusable bags that I take with me to Wal-mart and that is normally sufficient for all my groceries. I forgot them last week and came home with 15 plastic bags...FIFTEEN!!!
23) Freeze the leftovers. If you live by yourself, like I do, cooking one time means that I have meals for about five days. But sometimes, I just don't want to eat baked ziti for five days in a row, so I freeze the extras and have meals for sometime when I'm time crunched or sick and don't feel like making anything.
24) If you're going to buy disposable plates and cups (which I would rather you not, but sometimes it's necessary), get paper instead of plastic of Styrofoam.
25) Pass the word along. Today is a great day to post something on your facebook page or remind someone to recycle. A little tip can go a long way. (My grandma now uses reusable shopping bags!) WINNING!