Recycling Facts

I found this in the ladies room of NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) Terminal 2, Arrivals.

Thought I'd share.

Sorry if the image is blurry. I took it in a hurry

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The fact sheet was stuck onto an automatic tissue dispenser. It would have been better if the tissue dispenser didn't work with electricity to pull the sheets out.

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Think Before You Print Email Signatures

UPDATE 11.8.2011 : Fixed he broken link for the Mozilla Thunderbird Tutorial, added borders for the tutorial list and fixed a few grammatical errors in the post, added a link to the Badges and Signatures page

There's no doubt that we use a lot of paper in the office. Whether it be for printing memos, documentations, notices, and even *gasp* emails.

It's one thing to be conscious about printing and saving paper, it's another to encourage others to do so too. At times though we may come on as a nag if we keep on badgering colleagues to think before they print.

So instead of verbally reminding them, we could add the nifty pictures (found below) to our email signatures to make our email recipients "think before they print". The images are in a .png format with transparent backgrounds. There are versions with white-colored backgrounds on the Badges and Signatures page.

These pictures will make them stop and think before hitting the print button.




For instructions on how to add any of the images to your email signatures click on any of the links below:

For:	Link
Mozilla Thunderbird	http://email.about.com/od/mozillathunderbirdtips/qt/et_tb_sig_image.htm
Outlook	http://email.about.com/od/outlooktips/qt/Insert_a_Graphic_Animation_in_Your_Outlook_Email_Signature.htm

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How To Think Green

In order to live a green life, you need to change how you think. We have grown accustomed to having new stuff and making life easier. We have learned that there are shortcuts that we can take to speed anything that we want to do, and this demand for shortcuts have endangered our plant, our lives.

The "New is Better" Mindset

I must say, the marketing campaigns of the 70s have successfully transformed our minds into thinking newer things means better things. Quantity over quality. A lot of people would rather buy 10 of the same cheap shoes than buy one quality shoe that would last year. "At least I have shoes that are 10 times new".

Imagine how much energy is spent in making just one shoe? Most shoes use virgin materials, meaning materials that are made out of the earth's resources. Imagine how many trees need to be cut and animals slaughtered to procure raw materials; imagine how much smoke was released in the atmosphere to turn the raw materials to virgin, workable materials. Imagine how much gas was used to ship raw materials, virgin materials and finished products from material warehouses to manufacturing warehouses. How much CO2 was emitted by airplanes and trucks for shipping? How much oil seeped in the oceans.

To think green we should have the:

Quality over Quantity Mindset

To live green, we need to change our mindset to quality over quantity. Buying lesser shoes would mean a lower demand for shoe manufacturing. Maybe you're thinking that you're just one person, and purchasing less wouldn't move the demand for shoes? Well, that's where you're blinded. Sure one person wouldn't make much of a difference, but if you count how much shoes you buy in a lifetime, you'll believe me in saying that it's enough to make an impact in the demand for sure. Now imagine that if 100 people all over the world changed their mindset, that would make a drastic impact in the demand.

"Good For the Planet, Bad for Me" Way of Thinking

I am surprised to find that a lot of people would rather put first their own comforts versus the sustainability of the world. Take straws for instance, people would rather use a drinking straw cause ice-cold beverages can damage teeth and their roots (or so they say), or that the drinking glasses weren't cleaned properly and they might get diseases from drinking on the rim (this excuse really had me wondering if the person who said it really understood what he's saying).

I'm still waiting for my front teeth to fall off, or something else, for not using straws. So far, I haven't had toothaches my teeth aren't that stained. And as for dirty drinking glasses, whatever's in the rim of that glass might as well be in the glass, since when the glasses are washed, they put everything in a tub of water, so the germs are pretty much all over.

 To think green we should have the:

"Right for the Environment, Right for Everyone" Way of Thinking

It's the age old saying, "Good doesn't mean it's right". It's time we stop fumbling with good and bad, and start working with right and wrong. Using a straw may be good for you but, it's not right for you simply because it's wrong for the environment. Whatever the earth is suffering now, we will suffer it back, twice- or maybe thrice-fold.

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Recycled, Personalized, Adjusting Calendar

I woke up at the wrong side of the bed today and I feel tired, sleepy and worse, uninspired. I kept myself busy with work while thinking about what to blog about today. I was so uninspired that it was making me sad. I kept glancing at my calendar, waiting for Thursday to come and get that well deserved vacation. Then it hit me, the calendar I have at my cube! That's it!

My calendar was made from mostly recycled paper. Recycled bond papers and craft papers. It's also magnetic.

The concept behind my calendar is, instead of having a calendar that uses  lot of pages of paper, I just have a calendar where I move the numbers around every month.

The idea started back in my first job. They gave me a small space in the cork board and I decided that I want a calendar in that small space where I can post my schedule for the month. I bought push pins that can be written on for the numbers.

I don't have step by step pictures for creating the calendar, but I can just show you pieces of my calendar.

My current calendar is magnetic, because our office cubes are magnetic. The magnets I used are craft magnets which are pliable and can be cut by regular scissors. I think you can buy some at craft stores, but for me, I bought it in Daiso Japanese store here in Ortigas, Philippines.

Step 1 - Create the calendar box borders

I made mine by  cutting boxes from an orange construction paper. You need 7 boxes across and 5 boxes down. Measurement of mine is:
Entire calendar boxes: 280 cm wide, 170.5 cm long
Size of one box (measurements are the inside of the box, not the border): 30.2 cm wide, 20.6 cm long

Step 2 - Glue the calendar box in a sheet of colored/decorative paper

I used an old orange parchment paper for mine. (Take note that mine already has a decorative paper at the back cause I already made it before). This step is not required if you're using push pins/cork board.

Step 3 - Create the months of the year for your calendar using old bond papers

I didn't create any for mine cause I thought it was a waste of paper.

Step 4 - Write down the days of the week on old bond papers. Decorate and cut out

Step 5 - Cut a magnetic strip and attach at the back of the day of the week you created, using double sided tape

--or---

Step 5 - Just stick it to your calendar using glue or double-sided tape

Step 6 -  Write down the dates of the month on old bond papers or used cardstock.

Decorate and cut out. I chose cats a design for mine

---or---

Step 6 - Write the dates of the months on the space provided on the pushpin heads. Decorate if you want.

Step 7 - Cut a small magnetic strip, small enough to fit in the date you created and attach it at the back of it, using double sided tape (skip if using push pins)

Step 8 - Assemble your calendar

 

Step 9 - Using old bond papers cut out small squares (smaller than the size of the calendar box). These will serve as the event tags in your calendar. Put it in a small box.

So my finished calendar looks like this

You can make this calendar for office for school, or even at home! It's a great way to be organized!

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EcoATM: Sell your old, broken, useless cellphone

Do you have an old cellphone that's not working? Do you want to dispose of this cellphone already but yo're having reservations because it might still have value, OR just throwing it out would pollute the earth more?

Well, you'll be glad to know that there's a machine that would gladly take your old phone and dispose if it properly, and best of all, it pays you what your old cellphone is worth. Yes, even if it's not working anymore. Too good to be true? Oh yeah!

Since I did my thesis in college, I've been thinking of different types of reverse vending machines, how I can implement the machines, and how I can market it to gain more popularity.My thesis in college was a Reverse Vending Machine wherein used aluminum cans will be collected and compacted, then the person who recycled it will get electronic load as compensation. (For more details about this, visit VenChinX: A Reverse Vending Machine)

While wondering about what kind of reverse vending machine is available out there, I came across this video from Techcrunch. After hearing about the concept of this reverse vending machine, I was like "COOL!". The machine is called "EcoATM" (EcoATM Demonstration at Tech Crunch). You can also check out their website at http://www.ecoatm.com/.

How it works
So here's how it works, you put in a mobile phone that you want to sell in the machine. I just have to reiterate it (cause the idea of this feature makes me really happy), it doesn't matter if it's working or not. The machine will buy your phone and the company that maintains the machines recycles the cellphones that were sold in the machine.After putting in your phone, the machine will detect what kind of phone it is and appraise it depending on what the phone is and any damages that the phone have sustained. It performs it widgety magic to detect phone errors and other damages. COOL!

If you can't believe what you're reading, then check this video out:

Can't wait for this machine to arrive in the Philippines, or for someone to think of creating one. Maybe I should suggest this to management?

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What the Number Inside the Recycle Symbol Means

Have you ever wondered what the numbers inside the recycling symbol means? As a kid, I used to think that it meant the number of times the item was recycled, but how very wrong I was. It turns out the number inside the recycling symbol is the type of resin or plastic that was used in making the material.

It's important for us to know what these symbols mean so that we can properly recycle items and avoid items that are difficult to recycle. So when buying something, check the code and make sure that it's easily and readily recyclable

Number 1 Plastic

Chemical Compound: Polyethylene Terephthalate

Found In: Plastic drinking bottles and common food packaging

Characteristics: Lightweight, usually squeezable, thin

Readily Recycled: Yes

Recycled Into: Bottles, polyester fibers (used in carpets and other fabrics), furniture, bags

Health Risk: Low

Number 2 Plastic

Chemical Compound: High Density Polyethylene

Found In: Detergent bottles, bleach bottles, shampoo bottles, condiment bottles

Characteristics: Moderate weigh, rarely squeezable, thick

Readily Recycled: Yes

Recycled Into: Bottles, bags, pens, fence

Health Risk: Low

Number 3 Plastic

Chemical Compound: Polyvinyl Chloride or Vinyl

Found In: Electronic cables, pipes, toys, furniture, almost in everything
Characteristics: Elastic when thin, very tough when hard. Tough. Not easily weathered. Water- and flame resistant

Readily Recycled: No, very difficult to recycle because it contains heavy metals like lead and cadmium. Very few accept PVC in recycling because of it's environmental and health threats.

Recycled Into: Cables, paneling

Health Risk: Moderate. Do not put near food, especially when flamed.. Do not burn or incinerate. PVC contains Dioxine which is a man-made poison that can kill. It stays in the body for a long time and weakens the body.

Number 4 Plastic

Chemical Compound: Low Density Polyethylene

Found In: Wrappers, grocery bags, sandwich bags, sqeezable wrappers
Characteristics: Very thin, very lightweight. can be crumpled

Readily Recycled: No, very few recycling programs accept it as a recyclable. Probably due to its weak and lightweight characteristic

Recycled Into: Same items as it is found in
Health Risk: Low

Number 5 Plastics

Chemical Compound: Polypropylene

Found In: Condiment bottles, medicine bottles, yogurt tubs, rope, straws

Characteristics: mostly squeezable, heat intolerant

Readily Recycled: No but are slowly gaining acceptance in recycling programs

Recycled Into: Fibers, brooms, brushes, trays

Health Risk: Low

Number 6 Plastic

Chemical Compound: Polystyrene

Found In: Disposable plastic spoons, forks and cups, CD cases, egg cartons, foam food trays
Characteristics: Very lightweight, bulky. Also known as Styrofoam

Readily Recycled: No. Very difficult to decompose. Very few programs accept it

Recycled Into: Egg cartons, foam packin
Health Risk: Moderate to high. When ingested, can block the digestive system. Production is petroleum based and uses a carcinogenic called benzene

Number 7 Plastic

Chemical Compound: Combination of any or all of the above plastics/resins or other resins that don't fit into the above items.

Found In: bullet-proof materials, 5-gallon water bottles,

Characteristics: Very thick, heavy duty

Readily Recycled: No. Very difficult to recycle because of the diversity of plastics in it

Recycled Into:  plastic lumber,

Health Risk: Low to moderate. Depends on the type of plastic

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the recycle symbol and any of its variants. A watermark is placed in the images to protect my intellectual property right of making the image based on the symbol and it's variants. The watermark is not intended to own the symbol or imply any meeting related to owning the recycle symbol.

Sources:

1. http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/187/1/Recycling-by-the-numbers.html
2. http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/recycling-symbols-plastics-460321

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VenChinX: A Reverse Vending Machine

I remember my thesis back in college, it's so fitting that my group mates and I chose (to enhance) a thesis that is environment friendly. Our thesis was, in concept, a reverse vending machine. You feed it an aluminum can, it gives you prepaid load for your mobile phone.

Segregate Effectively

Reverse vending machines paves the way for effective segregation. How? The promise of reward makes people do the extra effort of segregating their trash. Imagine if you're walking around the mall, drinking your soda from a can, once you're finished with it, would you just toss it in the bin or head towards the nearest reverse vending machine knowing that in doing so would be helping the environment AND will give you a reward after doing so?

Saving Energy

The segregation and recycling of aluminum cans do save a lot of energy - and apparently, nature too, by reducing the quantities of ore to be mined. Quoting from my thesis documentation (Chapter 1):

In order to create an aluminum can, companies need to mine and smelt bauxite ore. The smelting of bauxite ore results into molten aluminum, which is then casted into ingots. The ingots are then rolled into sheets and from the sheets; parts of the aluminum can are cut. The recycling of aluminum cans lessens the consumption of the natural resources needed to produce them and saves 95 percent of the energy needed to produce aluminum from bauxite ore

Let me reiterate that, saves 95 percent of the energy. WOW!

Why Electronic Load?

Why did we choose electronic load instead of just plain cash? Easy.

1. We don't need to put money in the machine, which would require a tighter security for it
2. Load is rampantly used in the Philippines
3. It's easier to detect if the machine is low on load
4. It's easier to reload the machine with electronic load (it can be automated) rather than putting money in the machine.

Again, quoting fro my thesis documentation (chapter 1)

Since electronic loading has become prevalent in the Philippines, turning it to compensation for recycling aluminum cans will help increase the recognition and acceptance and eventually, usage of the reverse vending machine in the Philippines.

How the Reverse Vending Machine Works

Our machine requires you to register or to log in using your mobile number as your credential. It has a monitor telling you what to do, and a numpad for interacting with the machine. When you log in or register, you have 3 options, either to recycle a can, check your points or to send load to your phone.

Let's say you want to recycle a can, it will prompt you to put the can inside the machine and then the machine will scan it's barcode to verify if it's a valid can. During our thesis, we were only limited to drink cans so it needs to be checked against a database. Once the can is detected as valid, it will start the crushing process and give you 1 point for it.

If you want to redeem your points, you just tell it how much load you want (depends on your points) and it will send load to your phone. At that time we were limited to the following networks: Smart, Globe, Sun, Talk and Text and, Touch Mobile. Red Mobile went in the market at the time when our thesis was almost finished and there wasn't a provider for Red Mobile load yet.

The Original Version

I remember the original version of this thesis. It was made by a then-co-officer in our school computer organization. I was so amazed with their concept back then, even if it was a little crude. I don't know much about their interface, but it's detecting mechanism were lasers (kinda like the one in parking lots) and the crushing mechanism was a weight that smashes the can 3 times. It took a long time to crush one can since the crusher was just a weight that is moved by a bicycle(?) chain. It was a mechanical process. Also, you have to crush 60 cans at one go before and then you get your load immediately.

Our Enhanced Version

Enhancements

Our thesis still needs a lot of improvement.

1. What if someone flashes a barcode and fakes his points? So we need some sort of automated door for that. 
2. What if I lost my mobile phone and I have a lot of points. How do I transfer my points?
3. It consumes a lot of electricity because it's using a computer (a laptop at that, and a CRT monitor for display)

Being able to make something like this really inspires me to do more for the environment. If segregation were automated like our vending machine, I think it will drive a lot of people to recycle. Machines like these, if placed in strategic and easy to access places will really be hit.

How about you? Any ideas on how to drive people to segregate? Have you seen cool ideas like this that could help save the world? Share it and this blog :)

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Green School Tips for High School Students

Ah, so you're in high school now eh? It's great that at your young age, you're taking the initiative to make this world a better place to live in.

Making the world a greener place is a job that all of us must do. In our own little way, we can all be earth-friendly and save the world


As a high school student, you might feel like you don't have that much power to help save the earth, well you thought wrong. Actually, you can do more, since now you can choose which school materials you'll use in school.

Here are sure-fire ways for you to go green in school

Simple ways to go green in high school

1. Use both front and back sides of your notebook and pad paper. Although writing on just one side makes writing neater, you're teacher will surely understand if you use both sides of your paper, and won't mark it against you.
2. Bring packed snacks and lunch in reusable containers. Although it is easier if you just throw away the wrapper of your snack and your lunch, it's not really helping the environment. You're adding litter to our already garbage-filled world. You should use reusable containers most especially when you're school does not segregate trash.
3. Bring a water tumbler to school. Sure you have water fountains at school, but imagine how much water is wasted when drinking in the water fountain? While you're sipping and swallowing, most of the water is just falling down the drain. You're lucky if you have water dispensers at school, but make sure you bring a water tumbler too, so as not to use too much plastic/paper cups
4. Follow segregation rules. Most schools already segregate; the only problem is that students don't follow it. Follow the rules even if no one else is following. Also, it doesn't hurt to tell your friends to do the same.

Semi easy ways to go green in high school

1. Write smaller. If you write smaller, you can use more paper
2. Fold your notebook pages in half. Most of the time, we waste the right side of the page because were just taking down notes or outlines. To maximize the space of you notebook, use steno notebooks or fold the pages in half
3. Buy notebooks that are made out of recycled materials. They look a little "oldish", it's usually brown paper, when I was in high school, I loved the vintage look on my notebooks.
4. Carpool, ride a bus or commute. If you're parents or the family driver is bringing you to school, tell your parents to put you in a schoolbus/carpool or just commute. It saves on carbon emissions from the car. Also, if you can walk or ride your bike to school, the better.

So there you have it! Now go and go green!

 

If you have more ideas on how to go green in school, hit the comment box below and tell us all about it :)

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Green Office Tips For an Employee

There are a lot of tips on the Internet about how to keep your office greener, but most of the tips out there need you to be in a strategic or decision-making position.

How do you set the printer on both pages if you're not the IT person who manages the printers?
How can you choose green office materials and furniture if you're not in charge of buying these items?

Fret not. Here are tips on how you can be a

Green Employee

Green Computer Use

The computer is the most used office tool, unfortunately they're power hoggers themselves. So we have to take steps on how to minimize the power consumption of your computer

1. Set your screen to time-out after being idle. Instead of having a screen saver, just turn-off the display. The monitor will use less energy since the display is off.
2. Use battery power if you're issued a laptop. Aside from saving your battery from being incapacitated early, you're also saving by not drawing power from the outlets. Just make sure that the charging unit is also unplugged as well.
3. Use black backgrounds since black backgrounds just turn off the pixel on the screen. As a trivia, the hex value of black is #000000. In IT and electronics, 0 means off.
4. If you're not dealing with time-critical work, then set power options to "power saver" mode.
5. Don't keep your monitor too bright. If you're comfortable in working with a little dim monitor, then it's better, since less energy is spent to light up the pixels

Green Paper Use

1. Don't print everything. Before printing, think. "What will I do with this paper after I print it?". If you'll just look at it and read it once, then don't print it anymore. You're just wasting ink and paper. You can just view it on your computer
2. Instead of printing memos and other documents that needs to be read by other employees, just send an email.
3. Before printing something that you really have to print, read or check the document first and make sure that everything is correct. This is to remove the "wrong print" scenario. A lot of paper is wasted just because employees find an incorrect grammar or missing titles in the documents.

Energy Efficiency

1. Get more work done. Instead of idling in the office, pretending to work, get more work done. Although the office will still open and consume power every workday, getting more work done actually benefits the environment since less energy is wasted on useless things
2. Don't turn on the fan if the AC is on. Although there are times that you feel you need the extra cool breeze, don't. Just sit and relax. Your body will adjust to the temperature of the office and you won't feel hot anymore.
3. Do not overcharge your gadgets. Not only does overcharging incapacitates your battery, it also consumes energy that could have been used for more productive activities

Coffee Breaks

Breaks are an employees "me time". Employees can do what they want with this extra hour or quarter of an hour. Remember these tips to keep your break green.

1. Bring your own mug and/or tumbler. Instead of using the paper, plastic and styro cups (especially the latter) provided in the pantry, bring your own. It is a little tedious to wash your own mug and tumbler but it greatly reduces our carbon footprint by purchasing less cups.
2. Opt to dine-in on fast foods than to take the food out. Dine-in customers get the washable flat- and silverware. Washing the dishes costs less than using paper boxes/bowls, plastic spoon and forks, plastic/paper bags for the take-out food.
3. Bring your own silverware. If ever you need to take out food, refuse the plastic spoon and fork. Just use your own. It's cleaner and earth-friendlier
4. Reuse your teabag. There's nothing wrong with reusing tea bags. It'll save you on tea expenses (since tea isn't usually given for free in the office) I reuse mine thrice on my 500 mg tumbler.

Be Daring. Encourage Others

If you are bold enough to make a suggestion to management, then why not? Tell your boss the benefits of being green. Most companies now are looking for more ways to be green, so why not start it in your office as well? Start small. Start with your team. Look for ways on how your team can minimize your carbon footprint.

1. Use email for memos. 'nuf said
2. Digitize your forms. You do fill out most of the inter-office or inter-department forms on your computer, so why do you need to print it?
3. Use digital signatures. Digital signatures can be anything, whether it be just the email signature, or a confirm button if you're using a software, use digital signatures instead of signing forms that will just be forgotten after they all sign it.
4. Dedicated a hard drive for documentation. Gone are the days when you need to "file" documents. Since you create the documents on the computer, there's no sense of printing it at all. Just dedicate a computer or a hard drive where your team will put all the documentations in.

Remember, there are more ways to be green, all we have to do is to change our attitude of "me-me-me" into "earth-friendly - earth-friendly - earth-friendly"!

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Easy Tips for a Green Home

Congratulations! This is a huge step into living green. If you're reading this then you are taking the initiative to GO GREEN. So give your self a pat on the back for being earth-friendly.

Now, sit back and read on for easy tips for a Green Home

Conserve Water

It's something that we're taught ever since we were kids. Always conserve water, but how do we actually conserve water? Simple! Just turn off the tap when not in use.

1. When washing your hands
• Turn off the tap when your soaping your hands. 
2. When brushing your teeth
• Turn off the tap while your putting toothpaste on your tooth brush
• Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. 
• Instead of scooping running water from the tap, use a glass and fill it with water, use the glass for gargling.
3. When washing the dishes
• Turn off the tap when your soaping your dishes
• If possible, recycle the water you used for rinsing the soaped dishes for cleaning other stuff
4. When washing clothes
• Use soaps that have the 1 rinse technologies
• Don't keep water running while your washing clothes
5. Use lower shower heads
• Lower shower heads needs less water pressure
6. Don't open the tap full out. 
• Just let enough water flow. It may be slower but it saves more water

Save Electricity

Aside from saving a lot of money because of a lower electricity bill, you're helping save the earth by reducing the amount of energy or electricity that needs to be produced

1. Unplug anything that you're not using
• Appliances that doesn't need to be plugged in 24x7 (air conditioner, electric fan, oven toaster, microwave, bread toaster, television. radio, laptop, cell phone chargers, computer, computer AVRs)
2. Do not over-charge your gadgets
• Aside from lessening the battery life of your gadgets, you won't consume too much electricity if you unplug the chargers
3. Switch off the lights
• Lights are "appliances" that you can't unplug, so just switch them off when you're not using it
• If it's still bright outside, just use the natural light from the sun
4. Use energy efficient light bulbs such as LED bulbs or fluorescent lights. You'll also discover that these lights aren't hot on the skin
5. Use rechargeable batteries
1. Instead of buying and disposing batteries, just buy rechargeable ones. You'll save a lot.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle + Repurpose

Yeah, yeah, you've heard of the 3 Rs in school loads of times, but let's add another R in the equation. Repurpose or more known now as upcycling. Now, let's get down and dirty on those 4.

Reduce

Reduce waste. Use less of everything. We have to change our mindset that new stuff is good stuff.

1. Reduce plastic consumption
• User your own bag when shopping
• Refuse plastic bags if you can carry the items by hand or put it in your bag
• Don't use drinking straws
2. Reduce paper consumption
• Use your own bag when shopping
• Refuse paper bags if you can carry the items by hand or put it in your bag
• Print on both pages of papers
• Use scrap paper for writing down small notes
• Don't scribble unnecessarily (oops! I'm guilty of this!)
3. Reduce water and electric consumption

Reuse

Most things around us are not for single use. Again, this requires that we change our mindset that new is good, or new is better, or that new is the only way to go.

1. Reuse plastic (or glass) bottles
• Reuse bottles from vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, water, juice and softdrinks. Use them as water pitchers or juice bottles
2. Reuse plastic/styro cups and bowls
• When in a party or convention, you can reuse the cups that you got for drinking water or coffee
3. Reuse plastic bags/paper bags that you got from shopping either by
• Using them the next time you shop
• Carrying your things when going somewhere
• Using it as a gift bag
• Using it to segregate your trash/ trash bin covers

Recycle

You can recycle almost anything now. From the conventional way of recycling, to earning you a few bucks.

1. Make a compost, even if you're not planning to put up a garden now, you'll never know when the urge hits you, or when you'll need rich soul. Use biodegradable material for your compost
2. Use the soapy water you used for rinsing clothes for cleaning your car, the garage, or anything else that needs cleaning
3. Segregate
• Segregate your trash and sell paper, glass bottles, plastic bottles and plastic bottle caps to a junk shop or a nearby recycling facility

Repurpose

Upcycling

is now a fashionable trend. Gone were the days when people who use trash for decoration were considered weird. Now, upcycling things is so fab that a lot of people are doing it and sharing tips from one another. A lot of people even sell their upcycled crafts, and people buy it. Being green is now a fashion statement.

1. Old magazines, papers, newspapers
• Coasters
• Beads
• Jewelry
• Pictures/Picture frames
•  Fireplace logs
2. Tissue Rolls
• Napkin ring holder
• Wall art
• Scrap book art
3. Plastic Bottles
• Lamps
• Flowers
• Scoop
• Spritz bottle

I hope you find these tips useful and more importantly, doable. All the small things that we do matter, especially if we are greater in number, so do share this.

Do you have any more tips or suggestions? Do tell us what you think.

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Toilet Roll Core Trash Can

Ever since I was a kid, I had this knack for collecting toilet roll cores, thinking that I might use it for a project later on. I know, I know, ever since I was a kid, I've been a clutter bug already. Though I just throw to cores away after some time, cause I can't think of anything to make with them.

Trash can Project

Anyhoo, I saw this project about making a trashcan out of recycled magazines from crafster.org. It's lovely and I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it.

Toilet Paper Cores

Too bad for me though, I'm not subscribed to any magazine, and I think my stack of recycled paper won't look as wonderful as the magazines. Then I thought, "Hey! what about toilet paper cores?". For sure it would look different, but it's worth a shot right?

So I started collecting the toilet paper cores from the tissue rolls that I use in the office. My office seat mate and I share a roll, on average, we use 2 rolls a week. I also talked to the other girls in the office so that they'll give me their tissue cores. I asked the 2 office janitors who refill the tissue in the manager's CR to give me the cores.

Doing the Math

All in all after 2 weeks I have 12 tissue cores. I can make 8-9 rings per core, I'm thinking I'll need about 500 rings, so if I'll divide 500 by 8, then I'll need 62.5 cores. I know have 12, which leaves me 50.5 cores. If I follow the pattern of 12 tissue cores in 2 weeks, I can complete the number of cores in 25 weeks.

That's really too long for me, so I'll probably enlist the help of more friends, and also start collecting the tissue rolls at home.


I'll post photos and instructions once I finish making it :)

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Will try to go 'No Poo' this weekend

It's not what you think. I will of course make my bowels moves over the weekend. No Poo means not using the regular, store-bought-chemically-induced shampoos available in the market today. No Poo means not using shampoos and use another more environment-friendly (and possibly more healthful) alternative for cleaning your hair.



I ran into this article in the web about No Poo. It's an interesting read and I really do want to try it. I'll try the recipes on that site for my hair.



Hair conscious

I've been hair conscious for the past months. I've paid a lot of attention to my appearance lately (because I want to look beautiful for my ever-dashing bf *wink*), especially my hair. I love getting my head massaged by my boyfriend that I became so conscious about the luster, the smell and the softness of my hair. I used to just shampoo my hair everyday not minding about conditioners (since the shampoo has conditioner in it already). I just dab some shampoo on my hair, massage my scalp until it's all bubbly let it sit for a while and then rinse it off. Now I use shampoo with conditioner and a separate conditioner to boot.



Now when I shampoo I make it a point to scrub every part of my scalp. Make sure every millimeter of my hair has shampoo. After shampooing, If I'm in the mood, (usually everyother day or during weekends) I condition my hair as well. Making sure that there's conditioner from the roots to the tips of my hair. I'm glad to say that my hair is considerably softer now.



Change in perspective

Since I always want to reduce my carbon footprint, when I learned about this alternative, I wanted to give it a try. Since I have thick hair, and we are more than 10 people living in one house, we use a lot of shampoo. Imagine all the tossed out shampoo bottles? We do try to limit out carbon footprint by buying a large bottle and just buying shampoo refills when available or when our bottle looks gross already. But If I could lessen our carbon footprint more, then why not? I'll try the no-poo method over the weekend and see how it goes.



A little scared

I'm a little scared to try this since I'm so afraid that my hair gets uglier than it is. The worst thing I had done to my hair is to color it. I haven't had my hair rebonded or relaxed. The only treatment I had for it is hot-oil. I was a little reluctant to even think of trying it, but reading a few articles made me think "what the heck! if it is for the environment then why not give it a shot?"



I'll post about my No-Poo weekend and tell you how it went. :)

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Paper's Not Really Saving The World

Local Effort
Working in Ortigas Center has it's perks. Everything's near. Malls, fast food, restaurants and hospitals. Another perk is that you get to experience what Pasig City's boasting about. It's the "Green City" of Metro Manila.

Pasig city is now prohibiting QSRs (quick service restaurants and/or fast food chains) to use plastic bags for dry goods, and regulating the use of plastic bags for wet goods. Pasig made the shift from plastic to paper gradual. I'm glad to say that all of the QSRs I have dined-in here in Ortigas is complying. They're now using paper bags for take-out. Styro food containers are replaced by waxed paper bowls and boxes.

Why Paper?
Paper is an abundant material that is recyclable and biodegradable. A lot of paper mills and paper recycling plants are operating because the demand for paper is steadily increasing. Using paper in lieu of plastic will drastically reduce our carbon footprint as like I mentioned, it's recyclable and biodegradable. Our need for paper can be easily replenished, landfills won't have that much plastic bags and stryofoams that won't decompose.

If we use paper, we can throw it away and it will decompose by itself. You can add it to your compost pit if you want to. You can recycle it and use it for a project. The possibilities are endless.

Shapeshifter
Paper is made from leaves, from trees, from natural resources. Increasing the demand for paper will increase the demand for the destruction of our forests. Shifting containers from plastic to paper just changed the problem, but it's still there. We lessened our carbon footprint, yeah, but we lessened the plants that absorb the carbon we're emitting, the plants that keep our air clean, our earth cool. We're lessening the habitats of the other animals that we are living with in this earth. The problem didn't go away, it just changed it's face.

Imagine a world without plastic, that's great, but there's also a chance that that world would also be without trees. I'm not saying that we should revert back to using plastic, no. I have a better idea, which I know a lot of people are already doing it.

What needs to be done
I agree that paper is a great substitute for plastic, and until we come up with a material that can sustain itself that doesn't deplete much of our plant resources, we'll be using paper, but like plastic, we should use it as sparingly as we can.

Here are few things we can do to reduce our "paper footprint"

1. Refuse paper bags if you can carry the product. You have two hands that can carry it, why now use it. I know it's "too" much of an effort but think of how much paper you can save by doing it? It's not really a big effort right? You just don't want to go out of your comfort zone.
   
2. If you can't think of a purpose for the paper bag, other than to carry your food back to your destination, then refuse to use it. Same as with #1, just carry what you bought if you'll throw away the bag after using anyway
3. Bring your own bag. Now's the perfect time to use those stowed away plastic bags that you were saving, or better yet, use the eco bags that you keep on buying for your groceries
4. Dine in. In actuality, dining in will still leave a footprint cause dining in means using water to clean up, but still, it's a way to reduce paper
5. If you have the guts, bring your own container. I wish QSRs would be more accommodating to this idea, Imagine if everyone brings their own boxes for their food, it will reduce the consumption of waxed boxes, which really are paper hogs, since the box needs to be really steady and sturdy

There you have it, 5 ideas to really save the world

Let's help in keeping a sustainable earth. Let's all do our part in saving the world

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My Calling - A Greener Earth

Small Things, BIG IMPACT
I've been trying to live "green" for the past years. I believe that even small efforts will someday amount to a BIG impact. It's like the concept of Pondo ng Pinoy (Fund of the Filipinos): Kahit maliit, basta't malimit ay patungong langit (Small things, when given constantly, is towards Heaven). Pondo ng Pinoy is a fundraiser project of the Catholic Church. It aims to gather funds from 25 centavo coins.

Like the Pondo ng Pinoy Project, I plan to do my part to help the earth be more sustainable. I may be just one person, doing simple things like not using straws and using the stairs instead of the elevators, but I know that these small efforts, when done frequently, will greatly help the Earth.

My Calling
While I was praying this morning, I can't help but feel thankful for the wonderful weather (I know there's a typhoon, but I just love waking up to the smell of rain, like the earth's been washed). So there I was in the dining room, with food piled in my plate and praying, thanking God for all the blessings I could think of. While thanking Him for the rain, it hit me, this is my calling. This is what God wants me to do. God wants me to protect the earth. To help in sustainable development. To protect what he created. After all, when God gave man dominion over his creation, it really meant that while we can enjoy it, we must also protect it.

I was so pleased with what God told me to do. For how long have I been so environment friendly? For how long have I been trying to make things out of recycled materials? For how long have I been convincing people close to me to avoid extra consumption of plastic? It took me years to figure out that this is my calling. I'm glad that I finally figured it out.

That's why
I was asking myself for months now, why I'm not that committed to my church work anymore. I used to be so active and so energetic when it comes to my ministry, but now, it's tiring for me, and now I know the answer. Though I am a church worker, most of my work would be outside the church. Praising and glorifying him through a different way - by protecting his creation.

Tough Challenge
I know that I have a long way to go before I can say that I have done something big for the earth. There are a lot of green living big-shot advocates now and I hope to be one of them someday.

I don't have a blog that a lot of people follow. I don't have a website that has millions of readers and members. I don't know people in the gov't and other organizations that can help me plan and execute big earth-friendly projects; but I know I'll get there someday. I just have to work hard and keep my goal in mind.

God already gave me the instruments that I need to be able to carry out this mission. I just need to hone the skills and have a will of steel.

I can do this. We can all do this

This is for a greener earth

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