Tag Archives: earth day

Honoring Earth Day

“The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. For more information, visit www.earthday.org

The three pillars of environmental responsibility:

Reduce.  Reuse.  Recycle.

Reducing the amount of waste we create and energy we consume is the most effective, and possibly simplest, way to help Mother Earth.

A few easy suggestions:

  • Reduce the amount of mail that comes in your home by unsubscribing from mail you don’t want or need. These websites can help you with that:
  • Reduce energy consumption (a big drain on the environment) by turning down the heat, shutting lights off, carpooling when possible, lowering the temperature on the water heater, washing your clothes on the “cold” setting, etc. Every little bit helps!
  • Create a network of friends and neighbors to borrow or lend items you don’t use frequently. For example, I have a table saw.  Once I completed the project I purchased it for, I only use it a few times a year.  I’d be happy to loan it to a friend or neighbor.  What do you have in your house you could do the same with?  (Facebook is a great way to get the word out.)

Finding a way to reuse what no longer serves in its original purpose or you no longer need is another great way to help the environment.

How to do that?

  • Using Amazon’s Give Back Box® program “you can donate items you no longer need to charity with ease and bring new life to your empty Amazon box.”
  • Look at any sturdy packaging you may be about to throw away.  Can it serve another purpose? Shoe boxes become drawer organizers.  Empty cottage cheese containers become food storage. Tin cans become pencil cups (you may want to decorate them up a bit.)  You get the idea.
  • Invest in reusable shopping bags.  In addition to the kind the retainers sell, there are some really fun and practical choices on Amazon.
  • Use cloth vs paper napkins.  The energy it takes to create a paper napkin is unbelievable!  The stats, are enlightening.   I would imagine the energy consumption to produce paper plates and plastic forks would be similar. Use “real” silverware and dishes whenever possible.
  • There are many, many great charities that support individuals that could really use what you don’t need.  Do some research on what’s available in your area.  Give where it feels good.

And then there’s recyclingPixabay RecyclingRecycling has been around for long enough that most of us are in the groove.  As a matter of fact, some cities are actually fining folks that don’t recycle and compost efficiently.

Some thoughts on this:

  • Check your local municipality for recycling guidelines . . . I’m amazed at how much they differ from city-to-city in Puget Sound.
  • Go that extra step when looking to make a purchase and look for items made out of recycled products.

At Organize To Simplify, we are dedicated to giving back to others and the environment by celebrating Earth Day every day!

Part of our Giving Back philosophy:

“Together we can help others and the environment by reducing, re-purposing, and recycling items you no longer need to lessen the long-term impact on our environment.”

What can you do to celebrate Earth Day every day?

Cindy Jobs

cindy@organizetosimplify.com

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How to you honor Earth Day?

ImagePeople are passionate about the good stewardship of the environment and every spring we celebrate the outdoors with special focus on how to take better care of nature and the world around us. Earth Day is celebrated with fun runs, outdoor art projects, book and clothing swaps, recycle events, environmental clean-up work parties, educational events focused on green living and environmental sustainability, and much, much more.

Earth Day is April 22, but at Organize to Simplify we celebrate the spirit of Earth Day every day!

As a Professional Organizer and proud member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), my goal is to use my experience and training to develop physical and thought processes to re-purpose a client’s home or office to better suit their needs. The true purpose of a Professional Organizer is manifested when a client takes what we learn in our one-on-one organizing sessions and transfers those skills to other areas of their lives.  Besides teaching the organization process, we teach clients about recycling, reusing, and overall reducing the impact of de-cluttering on our environment.

One of the most frequent questions during a consultation or organizing session is “what do I do with all this stuff I don’t need any more but is still usable?” The answer is pretty simple . . . “sell, give, recycle, or donate.”

SELL: If you believe someone will pay you for it, give selling it a shot. If it hasn’t been sold in 30 days, move it to a “GIVE” or “DONATE” pile. Note: Caution should be used when selling items to ensure that personal and financial precautions are taken.

GIVE: If you know someone that can use the item, label it with that person’s name and a date (usually 30 days from an organizing session). If in those 30 days, the item hasn’t made it to the new owner, it goes into a “SELL,” “RECYCLE,” or “DONATE” box.

RECYCLE: Anything that is no longer usable that can be recycled should be recycled. Many times I’ve carted away old papers, cardboard boxes, old jars, plastic containers, paper and plastic grocery bags, etc. to be recycled instead of being designated “garbage” and sent to the landfill.

DONATE: This is my favorite and I use it with every organizing session. Many of my clients never thought about the social impact of recycling their clothes and household items to an appropriate charity, be it a school, church, thrift store, or many other 501c3 organizations.

As my Mission Statement explains, at Organize To Simplify I “will provide a thoughtful and thorough analysis of a client’s needs, endeavoring to realize their goals of a more organized and peaceful environment. Together we can help others and the environment by reducing, re-purposing, and recycling items you no longer need to lessen the long-term impact on our environment.”

Let’s all do whatever we can to reduce, reuse, recycle, replenish, and restore . . . not just on Earth Day, but every day.

Cindy Jobs

www.organizetosimplify.com

Proud member of:

Member Color - WebNational Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), Seattle Area Chapter President

ICD_LogoTag_Horz_72 websiteInstitute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD)