Razors - Two billion disposable razors wind up in our landfills every year. Can you believe that insanity? Now don't go indulging in an electric razor either. Go for a good reusable razor with a recyclable plastic handle, and maybe even consider investing in a razor-blade sharpener to make those blades last longer. Or, if you're extra tough or some kind of manly man, go for a straight razor, which can be sharpened on a whetstone. Look for one made of Sheffield steel rather than stainless steel; junk and antique shops may be a good place to track one down. Finally, shave with vegetable-based soap or oil, rather than an aerosol can of shaving cream.

Happy Easter, everyone!

Renewable Resources - As opposed to fossil fuels, of which there are only so much of, renewable resources are considered to be available in infinite amounts. These include solar, biomass, wind, geothermal, and hydro energy. Biodiesel and ethanol are also considered renewable energy sources.

Biodiesel - A domestic, renewable fuel for diesel engines derived from natural oils like soybean. It also reduces emissions of global-warming gases. Adding just 20% biodiesel to a petroleum-diesel blend cuts particulate matter by 31%, carbon monoxide by 21% and total hydrocarbons by 47%. Of course, using 100% biodiesel reduces emissions even more.

Heh..that one caught your attention, didn't it? Good because I want everyone to do this easy Going Green task.

Bring a power strip to work - or request one the next time someone's ordering office supplies - so you can plug all your electronics into one place and unplug them all with a single yank at the end of the day. Why? Electronics and appliances eat up energy - known as "standby" or "leaking" electricity - even when they're not being used. A recent study from the University of California, Berkley showed that the average California household pays between $50 and $70 every year to keep things humming while they're just sitting there. Now..multiply that by the number of households around the world and...wow...

Whenever you can, buy rechargeable batteries rather than disposable ones. Rechargeable batteries last longer, of course, but they can also be recycled, while disposable batteries can't. In general, never put batteries in the trash without checking with your local solid waste management district for any outlets for household battery recycling. Also, remember to inquire at local jewelers, pharmacies, or battery retailers to see if they'll accept button batteries for recycling.

For more information, check out this website: http://www.ehso.com/ehshome/batteries.php

Hormone-Free: Commercial farmers administer hormones to increase the size of beef cattle and the production of milk in dairy cattle. Fewer hormones in the bodies of the animals mean we eat fewer hormones in our bodies, andless of a chance of disrupting our own endocrine systems. Go for meats and dairy labeled "hormone-free" if all possible.

Is anyone out there working on a bathroom remodel? If you are, there are two important things that you could do for the environment; install a water-efficient toilet and a shower head with a "trickle valve". The valve makes it so with a flick of a wrist, you can bring the flow down while you lather up. If you don't want to go that far, turn the water off while you lather up and then back on to rinse.

If you're anything like me, you did your taxes this week. Blech! But, for those of you who haven't and for those of you, like me, who know you'll have to do this again next year, how about working on making those taxes a little greener? Earmark a portion of your tax return either as a donation to an environmental cause or to green up things around your own home. Plus, take advantage of e-filing (some companies offered federal e-filing for free this year!) and then print out only one copy of your tax return for your files. Heck, go the extra mile and print it out on recycled paper.

If you celebrate Easter and love the tradition of dying Easter eggs like I do, how about trying a natural approach this year? Instead of buying packaged dyes, experiment with natural materials such as beets, blueberries and spices. You can find recipes quick and easy online. Oh, and how about instead of plastic grass (personally, I hate that stuff..it gets everywhere and I have to fight the cat not to eat it!) how about trying moss or shredded newspaper?

Ok, I know I've mentioned Freecycle here time and time again, but really it's a great thing! We're coming up to Spring and so a lot of us are in that Spring cleaning mindset. This yaer, keep things out of a landfill by either having a garage sale, listing them on Craigslist or by freecycling them.

Rig up a rain barrel to catch rainwater from your gutters! Try an inexpensive 50-gallon food-grade drum, which you can get from drum and barrel suppliers for around $10. Be sure you get a heavy-grade plastic container that won't let it light, otherwise you might have a nice growth of algae. Attach a spigot to make reclaiming this water that much easier. Then, use that water on thirsty plants and flowers, for hosing off lawn furniture or even for washing your car. A rainfall of just one inch will fill a 75-gallon container, so a little bit goes a long way!

Today we're gonna go outdoors. If you're like me, you're plotting your gardens and your flowers. This year, how about making those areas no-spray zones? Start with disease and pest-resistant plants. You can also repel many pests with homemade concoctions and certain herbs and flowers. Basil, chives, mint, marigolds and chrysanthemums are all good for this. Mix them in among your other plants. Use live traps or barriers to remove pests instead of using chemicals. Buy ladybugs to control aphids. Also, while you're at it, why not try organic compost and mulch to improve soil health, which will also reduce the need for pesticides.

Did you know that companies can continue receiving mail for employees for five or more years after they've moved along? This adds up to a ton of waste and a huge headache for mailroom staffs. Entering old employees names into the database of the Ecological Mail Coalition is free and solves the problem.

So, I challenge you: If you have a business, take advantage of this service. If this isn't your area of responsibility at work, pass this information to someone who can handle this. :)

As some of you have seen, I'm participating in the Earth Hour 2 Earth Day Challenge. As part of that, I've said I'll post things here to help educate you and me about ways to go green in our lives. Since I'm one of those that always seems behind on the vocabulary of things, I decided to start out by posting a vocab lesson. Don't worry, there won't be a spelling test or anything later!

So, today's term is....

Half-Life : The time it takes for a half portion of a substance (any substance, but the term is typically used in reference to drugs, radioactive materials or pesticides) to be eliminated or disintegrated by natural processes from an organism or ecosystem. Some simple examples: The half-life of water in a human body is about 7 to 10 days; the half-life of lead in animal bones is about 10 years.

So now we'll know what they mean when they say the half-life of something in a landfill is x amount of time!