Avoid Plastics

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Some of the most common single use and disposable plastic objects are also the most ubiquitous – plastic bottles, straws, cups, food containers, plastic bags, lighters, toothbrushes. Here are some tips on how to avoid them. For a more complete list scroll down.

1. Water

* Bring a stainless steel water bottle rather than drinking water out of disposable plastic bottles. Purchase our cool water bottle in red, stainless steel or black at BuyGreen or grab one at just about any store. Just make sure it is not aluminum.

* Don’t have your stainless steel bottle with you? Buy a glass-bottled drink. When you finish that beverage, reuse the bottle.

2. Bring Your Own Bag

Always bring your own bags whenever you shop, not just for the supermarket. By bringing your own bag, you alone can save between 400 and 600 plastic bags per year.

There are lots of cool tote bag companies out there. Just a few of the bags we like:

* Citizenlove - designs by our co-founder Dianna Cohen

* Envirosax – very popular in Europe

* Chico bags – wonderful, small and easy to carry around in lots of colors

3. Straws

Consider some easy alternatives to the ubiquitous plastic straws.

* Carry your own stainless steel straw.

* Use an elegant glass straw in one of many sizes and designs

4. To Go Cups

Bring your own ceramic or stainless steel mug. Carry one in your car. Some coffee shops will even reward your thoughtfulness with a small discount on coffee or tea.

5. To Go Food Containers

Whether you prepare school lunch, order takeout or go out to eat, take along your own reusable containers. Some of the sites where you can purchase one:

* Lunchbots

* PlanetBox

* Life Without Plastic

* To-Go Ware

6. To Go Utensils

Bring along a bamboo utensil set, add a straw and you are all set! You can purchase sets online at To-Go Ware.

7. Lighters

Rather than buy plastic throw-away lighters, consider investing in a refillable multi-use lighters. The oceans of the world and the albatross chicks who are fed these from out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean will thank you.

8. Milk

Buy your milk in a glass returnable, reusable bottle…old fashion, but tastes great and is better for you. Many health food markets and farmers markets carry milk in glass bottles.

9. Choose Paper to Wrap

Wax paper is an excellent substitute to the ubiquitous stretch plastic we have been told is essential for cooking and preserving foods. Choose wax paper to wrap sandwiches, place on top of foods warmed up in the microwave, or when storing food in the fridge. Yes, it does not stick to foods like plastic – that’s exactly what’s good about it!

10. Ready to do more?

Conserve Energy

1. Turn off the lights. Simple as that sounds, turning off lights and other electrical appliances when you leave the room can save you hundreds of dollars and literally tons of carbon emissions each year.

2.Contact your local electricity supplier to see if you qualify for an energy audit. If your electric usage is high enough, your utility company will pay to have an energy auditor examine your home and make recommendations on things you can do to improve your energy efficiency. You may even qualify for free bulbs, faucet heads and rebates on new appliances to the tune of hundreds of dollars.

3.Switch to fluorescent bulbs. Today's compact fluorescent bulbs cast much nicer light than those glaring tube fluorescent lights you may have had in school when you were younger. And CFCs, as compact fluorescent bulbs are known, consume a fraction of the energy that traditional incandescent bulbs do, slashing your energy bill. Many utility companies offer rebates on the bulbs, too, saving you even more money.

4. Lower the temperature on your hot water heater. Whether you heat your water using electricity, oil or gas, lowering the temperature on your water heater a few degrees will inevitably save you money on your energy bills. Experts recommend setting your water heater temperature no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This promotes energy conservation and prevents burns.

5. Hang your clothes out to dry. It'll conserve energy, cut pollution, save you money and your clothes will smell better.

6. Buy Energy Star appliances. Energy Star appliances use at least 10 percent less energy than regular appliances, plus many utilities offer rebates of $50 to as much as $250 if you replace an old appliance with an Energy Star appliance. Refrigerators are the biggest energy hogs, so you'll conserve the most energy starting there.

Read more: How to Conserve Energy | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2082819_conserve-energy.html#ixzz1392gxPoJ

Save our planet

Dianna Cohen is the co-founder of the Plastic Pollution Coalition, a group that addresses the pervasive problem of plastic pollution. She was inspired to co-found the group by her work as an artist -- because her chosen material is the ubiquitous plastic bag. She writes: "Having worked with the plastic bag as my primary material for the past fifteen years, all of the obvious references to recycling, first-world culture, class, high and low art give way to an almost formal process which reflects the unique flexibility of the medium."

With the Plastic Pollution Coalition, she helps to raise awareness of ocean waste -- the majority of which is nondegradable plastic -- and everyday strategies to cut down the amount of plastic we use and throw away.
 Artist Dianna Cohen shares some tough truths about plastic pollution in the ocean and in our lives -- and some thoughts on how to free ourselves from the plastic gyre.

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43 Things a girl wished her guy knew

43 Things a girl wished her guy knew

#1 When you break her heart, the pain never really goes away.

#2 When she misses you, she’s hurting inside.

#3 When she says it’s over, she still wants you to be hers.

#4 When she walks away from you mad, follow her.

#5 When she stares at your mouth, kiss her.

#6 When she pushes or hits you, grab her tight & don’t let her go.

#7 When she starts cursing at you, kiss her and tell her you love her.

#8 When she ignores you, give her your attention.

#9 When she pulls away, pull her back.

#10 When you see her at her worst, tell her she’s beautiful.

#11 When you see her crying, just hold her and don’t say a word.

#12 When you see her walking, sneak up and hug her waist from behind.

#13 When she’s scared, protect her.

#14 When she lays her head on your shoulder, tilt her head up and kiss her.

#15 When she steals your favourite jacket, let her keep it and sleep with it for a night.

#16 When she teases you, tease her back and make her laugh.

#17 When she doesn’t answer for a long time, reassure her that everything is okay.

#18 When she looks at you with doubt, back yourself up with the truth.

#19 When she says that she likes you, she really does more than you could understand.

#20 When she grabs your hands, hold hers and play with her fingers.

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#21 When she bumps into you, bump into her back and make her laugh.

#22 When she tells you a secret, keep it safe and untold.

#23 When she looks at you in your eyes, don’t look away until she does.

#24 Stay on the phone with her even if she’s not saying anything.

#25 Don’t let her have the last word.

#26 Don’t call her hot, but gorgeous or beautiful is so much better.

#27 Say you love her more than she could ever love you.

#28 Argue that she is the best girl ever.

#29 When she’s mad, hug her tight and don’t let go.

#30 When she says she’s OK, don’t believe it, talk to

her about it, because 10 yrs later she’ll still remember it.

#31 Call her at 12:00am on special occasions to tell her you love her.

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#32 Call her before you sleep and after you wake up.

#33 Treat her like she’s all that matters to you.

#34 Don’t ignore her when she’s out with you and your friends.

#35 Stay up all night with her when she’s sick.

#36 Watch her favorite movie with her or her favorite show even if you think its stupid.

#37 Let her into your world.

#38 Let her wear your clothes.

#39 When she’s bored and sad, hang out with her

#40 Let her know she’s important.

#41 Kiss her in the pouring rain.

#42 When she runs up at you crying, the first thing you say is; “Who’s ass am I kicking today baby?”

#43 After she reads this, she hopes one day you’d read it too.