Looking to replace a couple of your incandescent light bulbs with CFLs? If you sign up with Energy Efficient Now and participate in "The Free Lightbulb Initiative," you will receive two free compact fluorescent (CFL) lightbulbs in exchange!
Thanks for the tip, Swaggrabber!
It's Earth Day! Black and Decker makes a product called the LightsOut Auto Light Switch. This is designed to use motion detection to turn lights on and off in your rooms, reducing electricity by using it only when you need it. I do remember my mom hollering at us when we were kids because we left every light in the house on! Using this switch both helps the environment and your wallet.
Babies R Us and Toys R Us are running a promotion right now where if you buy $45 or more of Proctor & Gamble products in one transaction, you can get two Black & Decker LightsOut Auto Switches FREE (a $59.98 value)! Participating brands include Always, Bounty, Charmin, Crest, Dreft, Duracell, Oral-B, Pampers and Tide. It doesn't say anything about coupons, so I am guessing the $45 is before coupons... if you have received your Year of Savings coupon book (I did yesterday) then that would really come in handy for this offer! Your purchase must be completed by May 1, 2010 and mailed by May 15. Then they will mail you the auto switches. For some reason this offer is void in Maine.
Another great FREE eBook offer!
With Earth Day coming up April 22, this would be a great way to celebrate and teach your kids about recycling!
Click to download the FREE Recycling Crafts eBook, filled with 42 ways to recycle your paper, plastic, metal, glass and more into fun arts and craft projects!
Are you signed up with Recycle Bank? Recycle Bank is an organization that rewards you for green living! You earn points, then trade them in for any number of "green" things! Last time I spent my 100 points on a coupon for a free bottle of Seventh Generation All-Purpose Cleaner (now I just have to find a store that carries it before it expires -- I am striking out big time!).
Right now you can use code RECYCLEYOURMAGS to get 15 points added to your account. I do believe you get 100 points just for signing up as well!
Thanks for the tip, Mojo Savings!
Ok. Let me just start by saying I am NOT a "dumpster diver." Trash is gross, and dirty, and germy. It would not be an overstatement to say I am actually afraid of other people's trash.
But other people's recycling? That's another story.
Ok, wait. Let me clarify. I do not go around the neighborhood on recycling night rummaging through people's recycling bins. That would be classified as "trash" for me.
But recycling centers? Where people just drop off perfectly good stuff because they don't want to try to sell it and they are sick of looking at it? You might, on some occasions, if it's nice outside and I have nothing else to do and I was passing the recycling center anyway and we just happen to have the truck with the big empty bed and the moon is in Pisces, see me browsing around there.
Before you scrunch up your nose, look at what we've gotten:
There have been tons of other items, too, that we might have picked up if either of us were handier and could fix stuff up. I do have my own rules, like nothing upholstered, nothing that once contained food, nothing that appears to have once housed wild animal squatters, nothing that appears even remotely water damaged (because of potential mold, which I am terrified of). There are others, which I make up as I go.
Tips for hitting up recycle centers?
Think of it as a big swap meet, but the tables are unattended. Still scared? How about this idea in a kinder, gentler format? Check out my post on Freecycling here.
Either way, with a little patience, a creative mind, and a good attitude, you might find that you come away from that old recycling center with a real treasure!! Good luck hunting!
It's simple: Freecycle.org is a group of people, organized by region, that give away things they don't want anymore. To you, if you want it.
This is truly a great idea, put into action. Joining is 100% free, it's easy, and it's very worthwhile! Go here and find a group near you, then join by giving your email address. Once you are approved (they do verify that you are local to keep things fair and legit), you can either sign up for emails from other members detailing things they have to give away, or you can choose to receive this information in digest form. (I chose the individual email option so I wouldn't miss out on any great items!)
The rules are simple: everything must be free (no for sale or trade items) and appropriate for all ages. That's it! You can also post "wanted" ads as well!
I have both given and received some great items, and met some people near me who are very kind and generous. My Freecycle group in particular is very active and there is never any shortage of items! I highly recommend looking into this if you have things that you no longer can use but are too good to throw away, or if you are looking for some common "hand-me-down" items (like baby gear, sporting goods, etc.). It saves you money while recycling instead of junking up our landfills! We love Freecycle!
