Earth Day Every Day

Why am I the first to comment?? That's disturbing but at least I'm not a follower :) 
 
For Earth Day this year I purchased a reuseable shopping bag from the grocery store for a dollar. I'm now in the process of trying to figure out what I can do with the cupboards full of old plastic shopping bags I have watched steadily pile up over the weeks, months, and years of grocery shopping for my family of four.  
 
One thing I have decided to do with them is use them in place of the small bathrooms trashcan liners that you can buy at the store. I don't much think that trashcans need to be lined if you wash them regularly, but that is what I am using my old shopping bags for at the moment until I can think of something else. They really are quite useless.  
 
Also, I was wondering if there was an inexpensive, recycled and recycleable bottled water alternative? If anyone knows, please tell me. I love to drink bottled water, but I know and hate that the bottles are massively polluting our planet.  
 
Also Also :-) I want to join as many groups to learn as much as I can about helping the earth and being greener. Any insight on this would also be greatly appreciated-I'm looking on my own but it's always nice to feel as though it's a group effort. 
 
Thanks!

April, 
 
Try this group:  
 
Its_Easy_Being_Green-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Simple and easy steps can go a long way in making our environment clean and safer than it was earlier. I do agree that sometimes simple steps with little or no monetary cost can go a long way.

April, 
 
Good for you -- and the earth -- for buying and utilizing a reusable shopping bag. It holds more than you\'d think, doesn\'t it? Also, great idea about re-using the plastic grocery bags as liners, instead of buying even more plastic bags to put into trash cans and land-fills! But, you can recycle bags at the entrances to most Wal*Mart stores, and I believe other grocery stores too. If the stores in your area do not take bags for recycling, why not look into getting them to start? How about that for helping the earth and being greener! You know, it only takes a few bags to make an entire package of hangers or a whole new laundry basket. As for the bottled water dilemna, you are not alone in your feelings. You could always get a water filter [like \"Pur\" brand, for one] for your kitchen faucet, then fill and re-fill your own personal reusable bottles. Maybe color-code them for each member of the family? For now, at least just continue to recycle the bottles you are currently using until you decide to convert. And by the way, be on the lookout and check Wal*Mart stores for new carcinogen-free plastic water, sports, and baby bottles coming on the market soon. 
 
So in case anyone reading hasn\'t yet heard, Wal*Mart is \"going green\". With the three goals of SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS, RENEWABLE ENERGY, and ZERO WASTE, the company is now or soon will be buying from other green companies only, converting trucks to bio-fuel, and reducing and recycling all packaging. 
 
In addition, a new voluntary program at the store level was established about a year ago called Personal Sustainability Project [PSP]. Each store has a committee of 10 or so people who promote personal daily sustainability principles to other associates and even to customers. It\'s a wonderful grassroots way to get lots of people tuned in and turned on to the \"green\" thing. For example, at my store, all the ceiling fan display light bulbs have been replaced with compact flourescent ones; plastic hangers are now either reused or recycled instead of thrown away; and besides the recycling of plastic shopping bags, shipping/shrink wraps, and water/soda bottles, we take aluminum soda cans to our local redemption center and donate the money we receive for them to CMN [Children\'s Miracle Network] as well! Seeing how just a few years ago I was discouraged enough to think of quititng the job because of the intolerable waste and unearth-friendly practices I observed, I am now proud to work for the company and to have been chosen as an initial member of the PSP program. 
 
Anyway, though we still have quite a way to go, visit this website 
http://walmart.triaddigital.com/Sustainability.aspx 
for more information on what \"Wally-World\" is starting to do for the \"real\" world, and for ideas on what you can do too...

Thanks guys!  
 
I used your suggestions and they are very helpful!

If you want to recycle anything, go to earth911.org 
for facilities in your area for recycling just about 
anything. There is a place to enter your zip code then 
click on the item you are looking to recycle. Take 
this one step further when shopping by choosing items 
you buy based on their recycled materials content. 
Look for a high "post-consumer" recycled content for 
the most positive impact on the environment. 
 
Want to get involved in groups that will help you to 
become more green-savvy? Try contacting the Northwest 
Earth Institute for groups in your area (go their 
website at: www.nwei.org) or your local Sierra Club 
chapter. I am active in the Earth Institute of West 
Michigan (www.eiwestmi.org) as way to stay connected 
to green people, green groups and a green lifestyle. 
 
Unlike, Wally Girl, I don't support WalMart. Although 
I applaud their efforts to "go green" I don't like 
their negative impact on the local economy. Buying 
"local" has a bigger impact on being green than many 
would think.  
 
The average food item on your dinner table travels 
about 1500 to get to your table. Buying food from 
local food producers as well as reducing your intake 
of red meat and dairy goes a long, long way toward 
reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 
 
Another good move is to replace all of your 
incandescent (regular) light bulbs with compact 
fluorescent bulbs. They have greatly improved the 
technology and color of these lights. They use up to 
80% less electricity and last up to 20 times as long 
as a regular light bulb! 
 
Last but not least, go to your local library and check 
out "The Better World Handbook", "Living Green" by 
Greg Horn and "It's Easy Being Green: A Handbook for 
Earth-Friendly Living by Crissy Trask. They are filled 
with lots of great ideas. 
 
Working toward a better world, 
healthy living