Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Works For Me Wednesday_Recycled Packaging and Giving Change

Okay I have two tips for this week. One is a repeat from a couple of weeks ago where I left the wrong link and a new one.
The new one is about giving to the Salvation Army. Every store and mall has a bell ringer outside this time of year and I just feel bad not putting something in the bucket. But it can add up if you do this every time you go in and out of the store so this is what I do. I wait until I'm leaving to drop something in the bucket. I keep all my coin change from my purchases in my pocket or the stroller drink holder so when I leave I can easily grab my change in put it in the bucket. I just have too! I watch as they ring their bell, smile, wish you a Merry Christmas and hold the door open for a mom struggling with a squeaky stroller and packages (that would be me) and I feel like they are helping me remember the true spirit of Christmas.
Okay, here is my tip from a couple of weeks ago:
Hubby is a paper shredding fiend. In fact we are on our third paper shredder because we finally decided to invest in a decent one after realizing how much paper we actually dispose of. Normally we dump the shredded paper in our compost pile, we're trying to be green around here!

But during the holidays we get tons of catalogs, we must be on some sort of list that says send these people every one ever made.

This is from two days of mail!


So off to the paper shredder it goes and since most of these have a glossy coating it is not biodegradable. So hubby and I almost simultaneously came up with this idea (not only do you complete each others sentences, but you complete each others thoughts after so many years of marriage). This would make great filler for all those holiday packages we are going to send!

And the holiday catalogs give your shreds all sorts of pretty colors as a bonus!

So there is our WFMW tip- it's will help save our planet (work with me here), it will save you money in packing, and it will free up the counter space these pesky catalogs take up!

For more tips head over to Rocks In My Dryer.


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have begun to send anything back that comes with a postage paid stamp. I put in a neon sticky that says "Save a few trees! Please take us off your mailing list!"--and I circle the name and address. I read about doing that to reduce the amount of junk mail we get. Have not noticed a decrease in mail, but it gives me great satisfaction!

Kara said...

Good idea!

4urpets said...

Great idea about the shredding. Whenever I get junk mail and if the junk mail has an addressed postage paid envelope, I just take the other junk mail (flyers, etc) and stuff the envelope and send it back to them. Now they can get their own junk mail. I really get satisfaction in doing this.