GardeningNude

The Recycled Holiday Ornament Challenge Is A Success and You Are Responsible For Our Landfills Too!

Here it is – the completed Holiday Tree filled with ornaments made from recycled and reused products. There’s even a lovely snowy background for the photo.

Although it is time for the Recycled Holiday Tree Challenge to be done, the important message persists that we should be responsible for the things we use and dispose of in our every day life.

Every year I walk the seasonal aisles during the holidays and have been utterly amazed by the limitless quantity of ornaments and holiday decorations available – it is certainly a billion dollar industry. All these products use resources. What happens when a consumer is tired of a particular ornament or decoration? Mostly it ends up in the landfill – where the resources used to create the beautiful items end up going to waste.

As a reminder, the United States is running out of landfill space. Every inch is jam-packed full of garbage, and most of that garbage is re-usable or recyclable. Saving an inch – saving a centimeter – can make way for trash that is not reusable.

It is time we started thinking of ways to prevent the waste. Next time you have a holiday ornament that you no longer want, do not throw it in the landfill. Instead, donate it to friends, family, or an organization like goodwill or a resale shop.  Give it a try – make a holiday difference for the environment.

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

The Recycled Holiday Ornament Challenge: Make Christmas and Holiday Ornaments Out of Recycled or Reused Products – Soda Can Snowflakes

One of the most precious resources we have is aluminum, it is versatile in its uses and fully recyclable. According to The Aluminum Association, “Of the 100.6 billion aluminum cans shipped in the U.S. in 2006, 51.6 percent (52 billion) were recycled. Almost 90 percent of automotive aluminum is reclaimed and recycled. Recycling of aluminum saves energy and avoids some 95 percent of the emissions associated with making new aluminum from ore.”

For the every day person, the easiest way to help reclaim aluminum is to do it via  soda can recycling. We can recycle the aluminum directly (local metal recyclers will pay for aluminum), or reuse the aluminum ourselves in creative ways. One of these ways is to make an aluminum can into a holiday ornament. We are going to do this for the Recycled Holiday Ornament Challenge.

Recycled Holiday Tree Challenge Rules – the components must be - 

1. Reused, or
2. Recycled, or
3. Garage Sale Purchased, or
4. From a Resale Shop, or
5. From the Natural Environment

Any craft parts beyond glue, staples, and needle/thread also need to be from a resale shop or disassembled and reused from a previous source.

How To Make A Snowflake Ornament From An Aluminum Soda Can

Supplies:

Soda Cans, rinsed and dried

Scissors

Pencil

Protective glove to prevent cuts

Pliers (optional)

Spray paint (optional)

How To:

Cut the top off of an aluminum soda can.

Using the scissors, cut slices down the walls of the can so that, when spread out, the can walls resemble a sun burst. (see photo).

With the tip of your scissors, pliers, or with a pencil, twirl the aluminum into fantastical snowflake shapes.

Be careful as the edge of the aluminum is very sharp and might cut your hands and fingers.

Lay out flat and spray paint if you like as a final touch, although remember this is not part of the challenge; using no paint would be best since it would be better for the environment. Let dry completely before you hang the ornament on the tree.

Please send photos and links so we can see what you have done with holiday trees to help save the landfills. Thanks!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

The Recycled Holiday Ornament Challenge: Make Christmas and Holiday Ornaments Out Of Recycled or Reused Products – Greeting Card Creativity

According to the Greeting Card Association, U.S. consumers purchase around 7 billion greeting cards each year, with the average household buying approximately 30 individual cards in a year. This generates nearly $7.5 billion in retail sales. This also generates a whole lot of paper waste.

Imagine the waste that 7 billion envelopes generates yearly? Saving landfill space is critical, and reusing the envelopes as notepaper, then recycling them after that makes common sense. Greeting cards can be reused in numerous ways, and a creative craft idea for the holidays is to make them into holiday ornaments. Perfect for the Recycled Holiday Ornament Challenge, and particularly easy for both children and the elderly to accomplish.

Recycled Holiday Tree Challenge Rules – the components must be -

1. Reused, or
2. Recycled, or
3. Garage Sale Purchased, or
4. From a Resale Shop, or
5. From the Natural Environment

Any craft parts beyond glue, staples, and needle/thread also need to be from a resale shop or disassembled and reused from a previous source.

How To Make A Greeting Card Ornament 

Supplies:

Used greeting cards

Scissors and Hole Puncher

Ribbon

How To:

Choose a greeting card and decide the part of the greeting card design you would like to feature as an ornament.

Cut it out – circular shapes seem to be the most attractive, however, work with each greeting card design individually. Use your creative mind to choose the best “picture” you would like on the front of your ornament.

Punch a hole at the top of the ornament. Hang.

Voila! Complete.

These ornaments, if stored flat, last a lifetime and make wonderful gifts from children which are easy to mail or use as gift tags for presents as well.

Please send photos and links so we can see what you have done with holiday trees to help save the landfills. Thanks!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

The Recycled Holiday Tree Challenge: Make Christmas and Holiday Ornaments Out Of Recycled or Reused Products – Use An Old Blanket To Make “Floofs”

Above you see my daughter’s invention: the Floof. Made out of an old used fleece baby blanket and some resale shop craft googly eyes, the Floof is an adorable Christmas or holiday ornament. Soft, playful, and cute little creatures – we love them and think they are fantastic for the recycled tree project.

Recycled Holiday Tree Challenge Rules – the components must be -

1. Reused, or
2. Recycled, or
3. Garage Sale Purchased, or
4. From a Resale Shop, or
5. From the Natural Environment

Any craft parts beyond glue, staples, and needle/thread also need to be from a resale shop or disassembled and reused from a previous source.

How To Make A Floof Ornament 

Supplies:

Used fleece blanket – we got ours from a resale shop

Non-toxic glue

Scissors

Improvised crafting material to make eyes and nose – we used googly eyes and little craft balls from the resale shop

How To:

Depending on the preferred size of your Floof, cut squares out of the fleece blanket. We made ours approximately 8” X 8”.

Gather the blanket square and tie it in the middle with a strip of fleece.

Cut strips of fleece, about 1/4” in width on both side of the tied strip, then fluff up your Floof by squishing it and rolling it between your hands.

Then find a nice spot for eyeballs and nose in the middle of the tied strip area. Glue eyes and nose on.

Pull two strips of Floof fur up and then use these two strips to tie the cute Floof onto your tree or garland – thus saving the need for hooks or other contraptions for hanging.

Now that the Floofs are done, you have a smile on your face because they are so darned cute! Enjoy! You have just successfully reused an old product to make it new again.

Please send photos and links so we can see what you have done with holiday trees to help save the landfills. Thanks!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

The Recycled Holiday Tree Challenge: Make Christmas and Holiday Ornaments From Recycled or Reused Products – Reusing Window Blinds To Make Plastic Chains

 

Paper chains have been used since the Victorian era as holiday decorations for tree, banister, mantle piece, or doorway. Victorians were intensely creative and decorated their homes and trees with items they made themselves or already had in their homes and community. Often, they would string dolls and small tin soldiers for the tree, as well as place candies, nuts, and fruit among the branches.

Reusing common items, I used the Victorian’s theory to craft my very own greener version of the paper chain. All it takes is an old plastic window blind, a pair of scissors, a measuring tool, and a stapler.

First, take the window blind completely apart. You will be left with the naked plastic blinds.

Cut the blinds in 8” strips, stapling the first strip together to form a ring. Utilizing all the blind strips, continue stapling rings together until you have a long chain. Above you see the blind I used, it formed just enough chain to decorate our Christmas tree.

Recycled Holiday Tree Challenge Rules – the components must be - 

1. Reused, or
2. Recycled, or
3. Garage Sale Purchased, or
4. From a Resale Shop, or
5. From the Natural Environment

Any craft parts beyond glue, staples, and needle/thread also need to be from a resale shop or disassembled and reused from a previous source.

Please send photos and links so we can see what you have done with holiday trees to help save the landfills. Thanks!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

The Recycled Holiday Tree Challenge: Make Christmas or Holiday Ornaments From Recycled or Reused Products – Paper Plate Snowman

While looking at a paper plate one day, my daughter and I realized the possibilities: snowman possibilities. Whipping out our scissors and imaginations we got to work. The photo at the left shows the results.

We used crafting material like puffy fabric balls and googly eyes which we got in a “buy all this at once” bag at a local resale shop. We used old construction paper which was given to us from friends who were moving away several years ago.

Seems like we met the challenge. You can too – save something from the landfill today by making crafts out of it with your family. Kids love it and so does the earth!

Recycled Holiday Tree Challenge Rules – the components must be -

1. Reused, or
2. Recycled, or
3. Garage Sale Purchased, or
4. From a Resale Shop, or
5. From the Natural Environment

Any craft parts beyond glue, staples, and needle/thread also need to be from a resale shop or disassembled and reused from a previous source.

How To Make A Paper Plate Snowman Ornament 

Supplies:

Used paper plate which has been wiped clean

Non-toxic glue

Scissors

Improvised crafting material to make hat, eyes, nose, and mouth – or markers.

How To:

Cut a round circle shape out of the used paper plate. Size depends on how large you would like to make your snowman head.

Add hat, eyes, nose, and mouth by drawing with markers or by gluing on whatever improvised crafting material you can find (preferably reused or recycled).

It is that easy – you’re all done!

Please send photos and links so we can see what you have done with holiday trees to help save the landfills. Thanks!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

The Recycled Holiday Tree Challenge: Make Christmas and Holiday Ornaments From Recycled or Reused Products – Aluminum Pie Pan Designs

 

The Challenge: to find a way to recycle or reuse found objects that would normally be placed in the landfill. It is a better way to save money as well as save the landfill - you and your children might learn a little bit more about taking care of  the earth in the process of doing the crafts as well.

To be placed on our incredible sustainable holiday tree, the decorations have to qualify by following the below rules:

Recycled Holiday Tree Challenge Rules – the components must be -

1. Reused, or
2. Recycled, or
3. Garage Sale Purchased, or
4. From a Resale Shop, or
5. From the Natural Environment

Any craft parts beyond glue, staples, and needle/thread also need to be from a resale shop or disassembled and reused from a previous source.

How To Make An Aluminum Pie Pan Ornament 

Supplies:

Clean pie pans

Thin point marker

Non-toxic glue

Scissors

Glitter

How To:

1. Cut the pie pan “sides” off of the pie pan. This will give you a flat metal surface you can use to draw on or cut out additional shapes.
2. Cut out any design you would like – we cut out half moons and suns.
3. Draw holiday themed designs on the front of the metal cut-out with glue.
4. Sprinkle glitter on the glue. Let dry.
5. Punch a hole in the top of the ornament. Hang.
6. To make the unique curly-cue designs, cut the heavy outer edge off of the pie pan wall.
7. Roll the cut wall into a tight circle. When you release the circle, the aluminum will hold it’s “curly” shape.
8. Decorate with glue and top with glitter.
9. Punch a hole in the top of the ornament. Hang.

Please send photos and links so we can see what you have done with holiday trees to help save the landfills. Thanks!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

 

The Recycled Holiday Tree Challenge: Make Christmas and Holiday Ornaments From Recycled or Reused Products – Angel Ornaments From Aluminum Cans

Teaching children how to give to others is such an important lesson. We should be doing it every day; not just at the holidays. One thoughtful way to help with this lesson is to make Christmas or holiday ornaments as gifts for friends and family.

Making “green” ornaments – even better! Above is an adorable angel made from old clothespins, a cut-up plastic bag, and soda cans.

To be placed on our incredible sustainable holiday tree, the decorations have to qualify by following the below rules:

Recycled Holiday Tree Challenge Rules – the components must be -

1. Reused, or
2. Recycled, or
3. Garage Sale Purchased, or
4. From a Resale Shop, or
5. From the Natural Environment

Any craft parts beyond glue, staples, and needle/thread also need to be from a resale shop or disassembled and reused from a previous source.

How To Make An Angel Ornament From An Aluminum Can

Supplies:

Clean soda cans

Used or old clothes pins

Thin point marker

Non-toxic glue

Scissors

Plastic bag or ribbons

Glitter

How To:

1. Cut plastic bag into ¼” wide strips. Length is dependent on the size of clothes pin.
2. Cut the ends off aluminum soda cans, then using the sidewalls of the soda cans, cut out a similar shape as the above photo for angel wings.  Cover the wing portion with glue then sprinkle with glitter. Keep the long strip below the wings with no glitter.
3. Cut out halo shapes. Put glue on the top portion of the halo’s and then sprinkle with glitter. Leave the long support strip without glitter.
4. Wrap the plastic bag or ribbon around the angel to make her “clothes.” Inserting angel wings about half way  down the wrapping process.
5. Put a dot of glue on the angel halo “stick”. 
6. Insert angel halo in front of wings and behind angel head.
7. Draw on angel face.
8. Hang ornament on tree by hooking with clothes pin on tree limb.

Please send photos and links so we can see what you have done with holiday trees to help save the landfills. Thanks!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

The Recycled Holiday Tree Challenge: Make Christmas and Holiday Ornaments From Recycled or Reused Products – Fleece Sweater Ornaments

Due to the economic down-turn, this year has been tough financially for many. Finding creative ways to save money – like making creative and recycled Christmas ornaments seems like a simple way to celebrate at the holiday in a  non-materialistic way. This Recycled Holiday Tree Challenge is the perfect way to get started.  

To be placed on our incredible sustainable holiday tree, the decorations have to qualify by following the below rules:

Recycled Holiday Tree Challenge Rules – the components must be -

1. Reused, or
2. Recycled, or
3. Garage Sale Purchased, or
4. From a Resale Shop, or
5. From the Natural Environment

Any craft parts beyond glue, staples, and needle/thread also need to be from a resale shop or disassembled and reused from a previous source.

Above is a photo of cute embroidered snowmen ornaments remade from the  used fleece snowman sweater you see in the photo.

How To Make An Ornament From a Fleece Sweater and A Paper Plate

Supplies:

Clean used fleece sweater or shirt

Used paper plates which are not oily or greasy

Hole puncher or sharp tool

Non-toxic glue

Scissors

Ribbon or string

How To:

1. Cut out embroidery or design on sweater in circles or tree shapes which are smaller than six inches.
2. Glue onto old paper plate.
3. Paper plate acts as a firm backing.
4. Glue the back (paper plate side) of ornaments to another strip of fleece.
5. Cut out ornaments exactly the same as the top shape. 
6. Punch a hole in the top using hole puncher or sharp tool and thread with ribbon.
7. Hang on tree.

Please send photos and links so we can see what you have done with holiday trees to help save the landfills. Thanks!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

Recycle your CDs and DVDs – Keep Your Technotrash Out Of Landfills

Shockingly, 30 billion Compact Disc’s (CDs) and Digital Video Disc’s (DVDs) are created every year; many of them only to end up as landfill. The CD Recycling Center of America says it is time we recycled them instead!

Here’s the problem – it takes oil to produce plastics. CDs and DVDs are not recyclable because all products such as compact discs, videotapes, and computer discs are made from mixed materials which cannot be recycled unless first disassembled.

Retail companies across the United States are sending their products to special recyclers like CD Recycling Center of America. Another recycler to consider is GreenDisk, a group which record companies send their unsold product to. GreenDisk is focused on rewriting and reusing previously used disks before complete recycling is necessary.

This creative approach definitely helps to reduce the billions of CDs and DVDs which end up wasted. Imagine 30 billion CDs/DVDs stacked on top of each other and how much space that must take up if the discs were in a landfill.

What’s happening to the CDs and DVDs from the 1980’s which are no longer "current”? What happens to all that packaging – from the CD jacket to the cardboard and ink fillers? My guess is they are tossed out. If we continue to produce the number of CDs and DVDs we have in the past, there is a potential for trillions of these products to end up clogging our landfills.

Before you throw out a CD or DVD see if your local library or a community organization will take it first. Contact the above recycling centers. Better yet, find a creative craft you can do like the above CD fish made out of an old disc.

Think before you throw things in the landfill – make a difference today!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

Hydrangea Love – An Entertaining Idea On The Cheap and Green

I might not be Martha Stewart – spending less than $10 for a total entertaining evening in the garden – but perhaps that’s the point. With a very difficult economy on the horizon, it’s time we stopped spending extreme amounts of money for entertaining and started using what we have available to us. 

I choose to use the flowers in my own garden – this is quite a green choice because buying flowers that have been shipped from all over the world is just a ridiculous waste of carbon and energy.

Hydrangea’s are one of my favorite plants ever. It brings back memories of my grandmother every time I see their giant white flower in the garden.

During July they are truly at their height of beauty and every year I cut dozens of their stems and give them as gifts in great bunches tied with rubber bands to neighbors and friends. They make quite a statement on a dining room table or as a display by the front door.

Yesterday I held an America In Bloom meeting at my garden and wanted to make a spectacular display of the Hydrangea’s both as centerpieces and special features throughout the garden. In this photo guests wander my garden enjoying the evening.

My big splurge - for less than $2.00 each – was to purchase two colorful trash cans to use as vases. Cutting the Hydrangea’s at a point slightly above where it has a leaf, I gather a large pile of flowers. Next step is to strip off all the lower leaves to prevent rot in the water, and place them in the improvised vases.

Total cost is less than $4.00 and I have a gorgeous display for my get together which is green and utilizes very little carbon or energy. All the guests brought appetizers and I served summer cocktails made of lemonade, cucumber from the front yard veggie garden I grew for the 2009 “Get It Garden” Challenge and vodka. Simple. Easy. Delightful. Love it!

     

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

Monday Whazzup - Recycling Old Headphones Into A Necklace - Another Awesome Green Teen Craft

Most teens and college aged music lovers go through headphones like they're going out of style. While there are several things I use the old headphones for - including garden ties and ties to organize extension cords - my favorite by far was taught to me by my seventeen year old daughter.

Here she is modeling her recycled craft idea - she reuses the old headphones creatively as a choker necklace. What an awesome idea!

HOW TO MAKE A NECKLACE FROM AN OLD SET OF EARBUDS OR HEADPHONES

Supplies:

One set of old earbuds or headphones, a charm (if you prefer)

Steps:

Step One -  Tear the two cords apart to the base (the part that plugs into something)

Step Two - Start knotting the way you start to tie a shoe (left over right and pull it from under).

Step Three - Repeat knotting. It helps to switch left over right then right over left because it evens out the ear buds.

Step Four - Leave enough room to be able to knot the ear buds over the plug.

Step Five - Tie on with the earbuds worn in the front. For a more creative look add a large stone or charm on the necklace and wear the earbuds towards the back with the charm on the front of the choker. Very cute! 

Finished!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com or The Blogs - www.gardeningnude.com or http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

Get Yo Green On Tuesday - How to Recycle A T-Shirt Into A Carry Bag - An Eco-friendly Teen Craft!

Recently, my teenager took a class at her high school on the environmental sciences. Happily, the class taught her a lot about the concept of reduce, reuse, and recycle - she enthusiastically walked prairies, collected seeds in nature, and studied woodland areas with her classmates.

Experiencing greening and conservation at a scientific level enabled her to intimately investigate how our earth is being threatened, and more importantly, the steps every individual should take for positive habits related to greening.

She learned that every little bit counts and we all need to work together to accomplish something great. Many of the lessons learned in this class about conservation, recycling, and landfill rescue will stay with her for the rest of her life.

One of the fun things her class did as a group was learn how common "throw-away" items can be converted into something reusable. One easy craft related to this subject was recycling an old t-shirt into a new carry bag. Here she is modeling the carry bag. Awesome!

HOW TO MAKE A CARRY BAG FROM A T-SHIRT

Supplies:

One Old T-Shirt, Scissors, Needle and Thread (or Sewing Machine)

Steps:

Step One - Turn the t-shirt inside out.

Step Two - Cut off sleeves (all the way to the seam).

Step Three - Cut down the middle of the neck to about chest high.

Step Four - Cut  from one side of the neck band to the slit in the middle and repeat for both sides (this creates the handles).

Step Five - Sew the bottom of the shirt closed and turn right side out.

Finished!

 

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com or The Blogs - www.gardeningnude.com or http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

Get Yo' Green on Tuesday - Stop Over-Consuming; Reuse and Recycle Basic Items In Creative Ways

Making a difference from a green perspective means thinking about consumption. What are you throwing away that you could be reusing? Why buy something new when the items you have are perfectly good? We Americans consume more of the world’s natural resources than most of the globe. It’s time to stop that behavior and start making a difference.

What this means is that the little things count. Our resources are used to create millions of small items - not one giant item. Little things that fill our lives every day like aluminum foil, plastics, boxes, toys, and clothes are all recyclable or reusable. Recycling ordinary things in a creative way can save valuable landfill space.

For example, I collect stationery boxes, using them to store memories and knick-knacks. Boxes can be reused for many reasons other than their original purpose – like gift boxes or travel kits. Another creative idea, and my favorite use of a stationery box, is the below purse I made for a holiday party.

HOW TO MAKE A PURSE FROM A STATIONERY BOX

 

Supplies:

One Attractive Stationery Box, String or Cord, Drill, and Glue or Hot Glue

Steps:

Step 1 – Clean box out and decide which should be the top of the “purse” and the bottom of the purse. Choose a drill bit for the drill that allows for the size of the string or cord being used.

Step 2 – Close box and drill four holes in the box bottom. If there is a lid, be sure that two holes are drilled directly through the lid and box while box is closed. Two more holes should be drilled equidistant from each other through the bottom of the box. See photo.

Step 3 – Drill two holes in the top of the purse to hold the purse “handle”. See photo.

Step 4 – If there is a lid, drill one hole in the top of the purse directly through the lid while the lid is open. Be sure to center the hole, it will be used for the purse closure knot. See above photo.

Step 5 – Drill one final hole parallel to the closure hole. This will be used to hold the closure loop. See above photo.

Step 6 – Cut string, feed through holes on the bottom of the box, and knot to form the “hinge” on the bottom of the purse. See below photo.

Step 7 – Cut string for handle. Be sure to measure the length you want - making it a long strap or short dependent on your requirements, then feed through two holes on top of the box, making knots on the interior.

Step 8 – Cut string for closure knot. Form into a thick knot. Feed end through top lid hole. Place a spot of glue on the interior of the lid, drop string end into glue, then close the lid for a moment to make sure the string will not block the box’s ability to close. See below photo.

Step 9 – Cut string for loop. Knot the bottom of the loop, then feed loop up through hole on top of purse.

Step 10 – Pull knots taught and dot glue on all interior knots to prevent string from fraying and to hold the string in place. See photo of interior of purse.

Step 11 – Let dry.

Next time an opportunity presents itself, please do not throw away a valuable resource. Instead, consider a creative way to reuse the little things in your life. They may be small, but are important resources for so many. Make a difference for our world today - every little bit counts.

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com or The Blogs - www.gardeningnude.com or http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

Get Yo Green on Tuesdays - SAVE LANDFILLS - Recycle Carpet With Green Kid Crafts

Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) is a joint industry-government effort to increase the amount of recycling and reuse of post-consumer carpet and reduce the amount of waste carpet going to landfills. According to the CARE statistics, 5 billion pounds of carpet was sent to landfills in 2003 alone.

Used carpet can be sanitized and recycled in an industrial facility. New carpet is also thrown out by retail carpet stores. We can prevent this waste. I went to the local carpet store searching for rubber backed samples for crafting purposes and found that management was very cooperative and willing to give samples for free.

Getting children involved in "reduce, reuse and recycle" for carpeting is a great way to have fun and increase their understanding of how we all need to care for landfills. Doing crafts with your children is a great way to spend time "unplugged" and building your relationship.

RECYCLE CRAFT - MAKE NON-SKID COASTERS OUT OF CARPET SAMPLES

Tools Needed:

Discarded Carpet which has a rubber backing (samples or new is preferred, however, old carpet is good if it is not contaminated somehow)

Sharp scissors

Step One: Measure carpet for coasters. We have extra large mugs at our home, so we measured 5" square carpet sections.

Step Two: Cut. Carpet is difficult to cut through for small hands - children might need parental assistance.

Step Three: Give as gifts or use yourself. Perfect for coffee mugs!

Spending time with your kids is great. Better yet, children get a great sense of self-esteem and community when doing something good for the planet - teach them to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Teach them to make a difference!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com or The Blogs - www.gardeningnude.com or http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

Get Your Green On Tuesdays – Teaching Children Recycling and Green-Crafts

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: the “greenie” mantra. One of my favorite ways to practice the 3 R’s is to save trash from the landfill by recycling it in the form of a craft.

Being the first week in January, my kids and I took down all our old calendars. Instead of tossing the calendars in the recycling bin, we decided to re-use them. Similarly, I have been saving some full-color folders from the Chicago Art Institute, awaiting a good excuse to reuse them for a craft.

We are reusing these products to make bookmarks which can be used for writing notes on [by writing on the back of the bookmark]. It is an easy craft children and adults of all ages and helps teach about how to rescue reusable products from the landfill. One 12 month calendar and one folder made an amazing 90 bookmarks - all beautiful and artistic.

RECYCLE CRAFT - MAKE BOOKMARKS OUT OF USED CALENDARS AND FOLDERS

Tools Needed:

Old Calendars or Folders – any colorful paper product which has a “stiff” feel so it will not fold or bend when being used for a bookmark.

Scissors or Paper Trimmer (I prefer a paper trimmer because it is quick to measure and cut)

Step One: Disassemble calendar, separating staples or cutting pages off the holder.

Step Two: Measure and mark 2” X 8” rectangular areas on the full-color design. If you are using a paper trimmer you can eliminate “marking” the rectangular areas and simply measure with the measuring marks on the trimmer.

Step Three: Cut as many 2” X 8” bookmarks as possible with paper material. Save leftover scraps to make smaller bookmarks.

Step Four: Recycle remaining scraps.

Step Five: Give as gifts or use yourself. We like to use the bookmarks when reading reference material - we write notes on the back-side of the bookmarks.

Happy Crafting!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com or The Blogs - www.gardeningnude.com or http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com