We made it with extras to boot! Don’t forget to come see us at the fair this Saturday 2:00-5:00 pm

Here’s a our list

Nancy O.
1. Let Your Grass Grow – Spending less time tending to your lawn actually makes it greener — in every sense of the word. Most grass species fare best when they’re kept at least 2 1/2 inches tall. The length creates more surface area to absorb sunlight, which creates thicker turf and deeper roots, which means you won’t need to water as often.
2. Use your ceiling fan in the winter – Lower your heating bill by switching your ceiling fan rotation. This could lower heating bill as much as 10% helping to circulate the heat that rises to the ceiling.
3. Laptop vs Desktop – When possible use a laptop, desktops consume close to 90 percent more energy than laptop computers
4. Restart vs. Idle – You burn more gas when your car is in idle for more than 10 seconds than is needed to restart your car. On average, Americans idle away close to 2.9 billion gallons of gas per year. Certain vehicles are designed to achieve great fuel economy with a computerized engine idling cut off. For other vehicles it’s definitely a good idea to cut off your engine when in idle for an extended period of time.
5. Fuel Up at Night – Less gas is evaporated during night time fueling when the air is cooler. The fumes that are created and released into our atmosphere by the patron in the gas are less potent and not as harmful to the environment with cooler temperatures.
6. Educate yourself – Go to your library and check out books or get started at a site like http://planetgreen.discovery.com/
Carol M.
7. Save Gas, combine errands for the week into one trip.
8. Collect water for plants, while running hot water from the tap, catch the cold water in a container to water your plants.
9. Subscribe to eco-friendly blogs e.g. The Daily Green or TreeHugger!
10. Fix leaky faucets, don’t let them drip!
11. Shop at thrift stores, donate to them, too!
Kathy J.
12. 1. Reuse plastic grocery bags. Many grocery stores now offer an incentive to customers who bring in their own bags, offering cents off per bag. Keep the bags in the car for easy access.
13. 2. Old bed sheets or blankets make great drop cloths for painting, arts and crafts or household repairs.
14. 3. Spread coffee grounds and fireplace ashes in the garden to add extra nutrients to the soil. Starbucks will give you their coffee grounds free of charge.
15. 4. Grind lemon rinds in the garbage disposal to keep it smelling fresh.
16. 5. Plastic fruit cups can be used for small jobs around the house such as painting, cleaning or polishing.
17. 6. Don’t throw away clothing or household items that are in good condition. Donate them to charity. Many charities will pick up your items.
18. 7. Use plastic containers from margarine and whipped topping for leftovers.
19. 8. Worn cotton items such as towels, washcloths or socks make perfect cleaning, dusting or polishing rags.
20. 9. Turn used envelopes into bookmarks.
21. 10. Many kindergartens and preschools would love to reuse your wrapping paper in their craft making with the kids. Ask teachers if they would like the wrapping paper.
22. Use the box liner from clumping kitty litter as a trash can liner.
23. Cut open the short end of  large toilet paper bundles. Use as trash can liners.
24. Used tissue paper makes a great  toy or nap mat for cats.
25. Use pet food bags to dispose of cat litter.
26.  Use Old socks instead of beauty gloves for overnight deep hand moisturizing treatments.
Deb S.
27.  Use the net bags from your fruit purchases as scouring pads.
28. Save old pantyhose or knee highs for straining opened paint.
29. Recycle plastic grocery bags at the bookmobile.
30. Re-purpose items, i.e. an old grate for a pot hanger.
31. Save the small pieces of bar soap in a plastic container.  When you get several, add a little water and blend in your blender.  Waalah:  Creamy bath or hand soap.
32. Take your aluminum cans to Helping Hands Humane Shelter.
33. Take your shoes off at the front door – less vacuuming.
34. Shop at a co-op.
35. Keep your car in tune:  Keep your tires at the correct pressure.
36. Take your magazines to a senior facility.
37. Keep a few cottage cheese containers and Styrofoam trays for sending food home with the kids.
38. Pull the tops off the pizza boxes (if they don’t have food on them) and recycle them.
39. When you run out of dog food, use the bag to pick up the poop in the backyard.
40. Wash out your plastic freezer bags.  Re-use.
41.  Use equal parts water, white vinegar, and dish soap for a wonderful pre-spot cleaner.
42. Cut across panty hose legs to make your own long-lasting “rubber” bands.  Great for game boxes, etc.
43. Use hose legs to tie up your tomato plants
44. Give used clothes to a clothing bank. 
45. Cut up your old towels for cleaning rags.
Felecia G.
46. Save glass jars for storage of leftovers in the fridge you can see what is there.  Also works well for storing pasta, rice and other pantry items.  Nuts, bolts, screws can also be stored this way.
47. Use old socks for cleaning rags, they can be washed & reused.
48. Open those shades on the south side of your house on sunny days;  it will make you feel warmer.
49. Set your thermostat 2 degrees cooler during the winter & 2 degrees warmer during the summer to help on energy bills, even this small amount can help save you some cash.
50. Reuse small plastic bags for trashcan liners or for cat litter disposal.
51. Save organic scraps from the kitchen to add to your compost pile, then add to garden soil, instead of more expensive fertilizer.
52. Save old toothbrushes for cleaning tight spots.
53. Use backsides of junk mail for making grocery lists or for scribble paper for children to color or write on.
54. Use natural cleaners such as vinegar, baking soda & lemon juice for cleaning.
Jackie H.
55. Print on both sides of the paper.
56. Use cloth napkins
57. Dry clothes on a clothes line.
58. Air dry your hair.
59. Share old clothes.
60. Wear clothes twice before washing.
61. Eat leftovers
62. Buy in bulk
63. Compost
64. Bring your own bags
65. Reuse any bags
66. Read news online
67. Instead of paper wrapping paper use cloth hankies, scarves (it is also two gifts)
68. Vinegar in rinse cycle instead of using fabric softeners.
Gayle L.
69. Shred computer paper for the animal shelter
70. Turn thermostat down in the winter and wear more clothes
71. When you get your hair cut put trimmed hair out for the birds.
72. Put rain barrels under the gutter spout to collect water to water plants
73. Use natural ingredients to kill insects
74. Use stuff around the house for crafts (Styrofoam, buttons, containers, pill bottles, etc)
Suzanne M.
75. When planning & building a new home, build small and use recycled materials when possible.
76. Visit LEED websites to become familiar with how to build or remodel to conserve energy: www.nrdc.org/buildinggreen/leed.asp
77. Light-colored or white shingles reflect more heat than dark in the summer to keep your home cooler.
78. Plan the orientation of your home so the driveway and the front of the house face southeast or southwest to keep your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer. (Also, snow on your driveway will melt faster and there won’t be as much!)
79. Plan your landscaping to reduce energy costs, with a windbreak of conifer trees to the north to slow icy winds and deciduous trees on the south and west to provide shade in the summer but allow sun in winter.
80. Plant native plants in your yard. They’ll be hardier, require less water and provide pollen for bees and hummingbirds.  (Hybrids often do not provide much pollen.)
81. Create and certify a wildlife garden as part of your yard or at a local school. See the National Wildlife Federation website: http://www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife/certify.cfm
82. Speak out! Object loudly to  your senator, city council members, president and other elected officials when they are prepared to pass anti-environmental legislation.  Praise them loudly when they are prepared to pass pro-environmental legislation.
83. Each American uses approximately 100 rolls of toilet paper/year. The “recycled“ brands are made from paper stock that is whitened with hydrogen peroxide. New t.p. is made from hardwood (oak & such) and softwood trees, and whitened with chlorine bleach.
84. Walk to the grocery store or post office instead of driving, if they are within a reasonable distance. It’s good for YOU too!

Helping Hands Humane Society:
85. Donate old towels, blankets and sheets to your local animal shelter.

86. Old stuffed toys that are no longer used can be used for dog toys at your local shelter.

87. Use your plastic grocery bags for dog potty removal instead of buying bags.

88. Make your own dog treats from peanut butter.

89. An old sock with stuffing and catnip makes the perfect toy for a cat.

Shawnee County Recycling Department:
90. Information and Advice on disposing of items that are out of the norm.  These may include electronics, textiles, and white goods.  Our aim is to give the public the information they need to dispose of all items in an environmentally friendly way, whether it be by reuse, or recycling.
91. Our department offers 25 free public drop off sites that take most recyclables.  Most of these are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
92. Shawnee county Recycling Department offers free latex paint remixed in 5 gallon buckets at the Household Hazardous Waste Facility.

93. Shawnee county offers free disposal of Hazardous Waste to citizens of Shawnee County.  Hazardous Wastes include used oil, gasoline, herbicides, pesticides, old household cleaners, and mercury lamps.

94. Shawnee County offers composting bins to citizens of Shawnee County free of charge.  This allows them to keep vegetable peelings and yard waste out of the solid waste stream.

Shawnee County Extension:
95. Families may waste up to $600 of food per year because of poor planning. Planning meals ahead of time means fewer trips to the grocery store and using up food supplies instead of throwing them out.

96. Think about the tools that you need to prepare most of your meals.

97. Can you use a smaller appliance like a toaster oven instead of heating up your range? 

98. Use water wisely to save money and the environment.  Toilets use almost 30% of the water in a typical home.  Switching from a 3.5 gallon per flush toilet to a 1.3 gallon per flush toilet would save an average household (2.6 people) more than 900 gallons of water per month.

99. In the average home, almost 10 gallons of water gets wasted per day because of leaks.  Save valuable time and money by preventing, finding and fixing leaks.

100. JOIN 4-H!

101. Print on the back side of scratch paper to avoid wasting paper.

102. Eat locally grown food.  It saves money in transportation costs (fuel), the wear and tear on roads and supports the local economy.

103. Use Compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs). If every American home replace just one light bulb with CFL, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year and more than $600 million in annual energy costs.

104. Don’t run your sprinkler in the rain.

105. Eating out usually means foods high in fat, cholesterol, salt, sugar AND excess paper, foam or plastic.  Enjoy meals at home!

Keep America Beautiful-Topeka/Shawnee County
106. Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours — or the equivalent of a half a gallon of gasoline. An aluminum can that is thrown away will still be a can 500 years from now!

107. Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4000 kilowatts of energy, and 7000 gallons of water. This represents a 64% energy savings, a 58% water savings, and 60 pounds less of air pollution!

108. Americans throw away 25,000,000 plastic beverage bottles every hour!

109. A modern glass bottle would take 4000 years or more to decompose — and even longer if it’s in the landfill

110. On average, it costs $30 per ton to recycle trash, $50 to send it to the landfill, and $65 to $75 to incinerate it.

Five Ways the Shawnee County Conservation District Helps People “Go Green.”
111. Native plantings of grass and forbs which reduce and/or slow down runoff; require no watering, fertilizers, or insecticides; improve soil; are beneficial to our native wildlife; and are not invasive.

112. Soil testing to avoid overuse of fertilizers that can pollute our waterways.

113. Conservation practices such as terraces and waterways to prevent soil erosion.

114. Pollinator habitat; pollinators are required for pollinating two-thirds of the world’s crop species.

115. Water quality to keep our streams and rivers healthy and safe for humans and wildlife.

Topeka Community Cycle Project can help you “Get Your Green On!
116. We will get you out of your car and onto a bike, decreasing the need for oil!

117. With us, you will reduce air pollution!

118. You can learn a new skill (fixing bikes)…so instead of buying new, you will throw away less and save resources by fixing it yourself

119. We are a center for recycling and reusing your old bike and parts!

120. Together, we will decrease obesity…less fat = savings…on the road, in the home, and at the grocery store!!

From comments on the internet
121. All my grass clippings and all leaves in my yard were mowed up and caught in a catcher and used as mulch in garden, flower beds, around trees and shrubs – did not bag any for trash.

122. I use Handy Wipes – yes the old handy wipes – on my swiffer mop to damp mop my tile and wood floors and then rinse it out between rooms. Works great. Picks up dog hair. Squeeze out as much water as possible. Lasts for many uses, then eventually you have to trash it. Works better than the swiffer products you throw away after each use.

123. Charity Rouse – Rinse and re-use that Starbucks or fast food cup the next day with your homemade tea/coffee or whatever. Not quite as good as a travel mug but more use than throwing it away immediately.

124. Try not to throw anything away that someone else might want to use —
125. Re-gift nicer things,
126. trade under-used toys with other parents,
127. pass on children’s items to others as your kids outgrown them,
128. take anything that you can’t find a home for to Doorstep at 1119 SW 10th Avenue or the charity or thrift store of your choice!
129. For bigger items, I just put them out at the end of my driveway with a “free” sign!
130. Seedling Starter….Use a pin and poke a hole in the bottom of an empty eggshell half. Put in soil and seeds. You can use the egg carton to keep it upright. Once the seedlings take hold, plant the entire thing–the egg helps with nutrients.
131. Hang your clothes out to dry as much as possible if you can’t make sure you clean your lint filter a dirty lint filter uses 30% more energy.
132. Get rid of junk mail. Go to optoutprescreen.com to stop receiving pre-approved credit card offers and sign up on catalogchoice.org to reduce the amount of unsolicited catalogs.
133. Donate old cell phones. www.greenphone.com or www.call2Recycle.org
134. Reuse everything. Really look at an item before tossing. Can someone use that clothing article? Can you re-purpose that container?
135. When grocery shopping for fruits and veggies-skip the plastic bags.
136. Old clean blankets, towels and rugs can be donated to the Human Shelter for the animals.
137. St. Jude’s Ranch for children accepts used all occasion cards year round. You can mail your donations to:
St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
Recycled Card Program
100 St. Jude’s Street
Boulder City, NV 89005
138. Pets: Don’t scoop the poop in grocery bags—they don’t decompose so the poop doesn’t. Use a bio-degradable bag.  Use natural flea repellants instead of chemicals. Cedar chips and eucalyptus are just a couple choices. Sprinkling Borax detergent on carpets overnight then vacuuming in the morning will help get rid of fleas in the carpet.
139. Sign up for green living tips at http://www.greenlivingtips.com . For every subscriber they plant a tree.
140. Understand that storm drains lead directly to the nearest pond or stream.  What goes in the storm drains ends up in your pond, stream or river!
141. Plant native grasses and wildflowers around pond or stream edges to create a buffer between manicured lawn and the water.
142. Sweep or blow grass clippings off the driveway or street and back into the lawn.  Clippings that wash into the storm drain or pond directly add excess nutrients, increasing the potential for algae growth. 
143. Wash your car in the grass or take it to an automatic carwash.  This prevents soaps containing phosphorus from running into the storm drain and/or stream. 
144. Fertilize at the rate on the bottle.  Excess fertilizers wash directly into streams via storm drains. 
145. Water your lawn, not the sidewalk or street, and landscape with low water-use plants.
146. Avoid overwatering your lawn.  Turf grass only needs 1 inch of water per week, including rainfall.
147. Scoop up your pet waste on sidewalks and lawns (even in parks!!). Pet waste contains phosphorus and harmful bacteria that can be washed into the storm drains and streams.

 Wasteful Things You Can Live Without:
148. Tin foil — Use an oven-safe pot or dish with a lid.
149. Plastic wrap — Instead, use a container with a lid.
150. Disposable cleaning cloths, dusters, etc. — Use a microfiber cloth that can be washed.
151. Paper towels — Use a tea towel, instead.
152. Disposable pens — Buy a good pen that only needs the ink well changed.
153. Plastic cutlery — Use the metal stuff.
154. Paper plates — Washing dishes may be an effort, but it’s worth it.
155. Paper or plastic single-use grocery bags — Get a few reusable bags.
156. Packaged fruits and vegetables — Produce does not need to be packaged.
157. Individually wrapped snacks — Snacks travel better anyway in a hard container.
158. Disposable razors — Invest in a razor that only needs the blades changed.
159. Juice boxes — Put juice in a reusable container (not plastic).
160. Electric pencil sharpeners — Use the hand-crank version of days gone by.
161. Disposable diapers — Cloth diapers aren’t that much more difficult to use.
162. Disposable cloths — Fabric cloths can be washed regularly to avoid bacterial or viral build-up.
163. Plastic cups — Stick to reusable cups.
164. Bottled water — Install a water filter on your tap or pick up a water jug with a filter.
165. Non-rechargeable batteries — Make the investment for rechargeable batteries and you’ll save money in the long run.
166. Electric can openers — Use a little muscle.
167. Single-serving pudding or yogurt cups — Buy a large container of yogurt or make your own pudding, and send it in a reusable container.
168. Antibacterial wipes — If you must, use a gel hand sanitizer.
169. Disposable table cloths — Spills are a reality of life; just clean them up as they happen.
170. Facial tissues — Unless you have a bad cold, a handkerchief will work just fine.
171. Paper billing — Switch to e-billing for your bank statement, credit card bill, utility bill, etc. Plasticized sticky notes — Use the original paper sticky notes; they can be recycled when you’re done with them.

Thanks to some last minute entries , we made it!