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You are here: Home / Archives for Home and Lifestyle / Living Green

Get cash for your old cellphone and protect the environment at the same time

August 16, 2007 by Tricia

If you’ve spent any time reading my various blogs you already know that Chris and I try to live “green”, or as green as possible, and I write about the various things that people can do to save energy, lessen pollution and just make the world a “greener” place on my various sites. I’ve written articles about organic gardening, energy saving bulbs, and how to dispose of old computer and now I’d like to tell you how to recycle your cell phone properly.

Did you know that each year there are over 140 million cellphones retired, yet only about 5% are recycled? The various components in cell phones can leach hazardous chemicals and minerals such as lead into the environment when they are disposed of in landfills. If you don’t believe me you should read this article – Why should I recycle my cell phone?. Just look at all the toxins that are in the circuit boards and batteries of cell phones. Do you really want that stuff getting in your water supply?

It really is a shame that so many cell phones and other electronic items end up in landfills when it’s so easy to recycle them properly.

Perhaps companies such as CellForCash.com will help turn this bad practice around when people learn that they can actually get cash for their old cellphones.

That’s right. CellForCash has a program that allows US residents to easily recycle their old mobile phones and even pays them cash for over 600 models of cellphones. If your old cellphone qualifies for a rebate you could get between $4 and $300 for your old phone.

I think this is a wonderful program. I mean, how many times have you either changed to a different cell phone service provider or wanted to upgrade your cell phone? How many times have you been told that your current cell phone is obsolete and won’t work with the new cell providers system or services? Quite often I presume. I know it’s happened to me.

When you decide to get a new cell phone you’re often left wondering what to do with the old cell phone. Most cell phone service providers don’t let you trade in old phones. That’s why so many cell phones end up in landfills.

Bookmark the CellForCash website as I’m sure that if you don’t currently have a phone you could turn in for cash right now you will sometime in the near future.

The CellForCash site is very easy to use. Just visit the main page and select your cellphones make and model, click “go” and then you’ll find out how much of a rebate you can get for your old phone. Just be sure that the phone actually works and that it hasn’t been damaged. Follow the instructions and request free shipping materials and soon you’ll be able to send your old cellphone to CellForCash and get your rebate. You’ll be given other options to try if your phone isn’t listed or is deemed to old and doesn’t qualify for the rebate program.

The old phones that are collected by CellForCash are sometimes used in other markets or even in other countries.

Now, don’t you think that getting some cash for your cellphone is much better than possibly polluting the environment?

Don’t forget to bookmark CellForCash.com.





Filed Under: Cool stuff, Home and Lifestyle, Living Green, Money, Services, Web and Technology Tagged With: affect water supply, article, articles, batteries, battery, blog, cash back, cash for your cellphone, cell phone, CellForCash, circuit board, environment, Green, landfills, leach chemicals, leach toxins, live green, mobile phone, poison water supply, pollution, rebate program, recycle cellphone, shipping, trade in, up to 300 dollars back, visit, water, website, write

Low Water Pressure

July 29, 2007 by Tricia

We had a strange thing happen the other day. I think it was Tuesday evening. I went upstairs to use the washroom and I noticed that the toilet barely had any water in it. Hmmm that was odd. Then I turned on the bathroom faucets and they worked, water poured out of them.

I thought oh no! We’ve got some kind of problem with our toilet. The last thing I wanted to have to do was call a plumber.

So I took the lid off the toilet tank to have a look inside and there was no water inside. I tried flushing the toilet to see if that would trigger the tank to fill up and it didn’t. At that point I was calling Chris to come upstairs and have a look.

Meanwhile I was also looking for the little knob near the floor behind the toilet where we could turn the water on and off. I don’t think every house is like that. The old home owner put on off knobs under the sinks, in a closet for the bathtub water supply and as I just said behind the toilet. Maybe he had lot of plumbing problems in the past? Or maybe he was just a very smart man making it easier to fix things and still have water in the rest of the house?

Well it wasn’t the little knob – that hadn’t been touched and it was in the on position. Chris thought maybe it was the pump thing in the toilet and he thought he might be able to get a replacement part the next day.

At that point I remembered that we were watering our garden using a sprinkler. I asked Chris to shut off the water outside so we could see what happened. He refused at first saying no way – the water is still coming out of the taps and the tub, it can’t be low water pressure.

Well … it turns out I was right. I eventually convinced him to go outside, turn off the sprinkler and see what happened and as soon as the outside water was off the toilet started filling.

That had never happened before. Maybe some neighbors were watering as well the last time one of us flushed that toilet and it just didn’t have enough water pressure to fill the water tank?

We do have low water pressure in this area. I hate it!

Filed Under: Great Sites, Home and Lifestyle, Living Green, The Neighborhood Tagged With: bath, bathroom, faucets, flush, flush toilet, home, house, low water pressure, neighbor, neighbors, neighbors watering, no flush, no water, plumber, problems, renovate, renovation, strange, tank not filling, toilet, toilet tank, watering garden

It is easy being green

July 20, 2007 by Tricia

I’m glad to see that some of you really liked the eco-handbags in my last post. I really like the company and what it stands for as well as their products.

I really do think that I’m going to get one of their handbags. I need a new purse. I do, I really do.

As for living green. Laane said in one of the comments “If you’re really eco-friendly you recycle at home. Because all the transport costs a lot of pollution too.”

Well you’ll be pleased to know that recycling is the law here in Toronto. Our recycled materials are picked up every two weeks. Garbage is picked up on alternate weeks.

Green garbage – kitchen peelings, used paper towels, coffee grounds and other biodegradable “garbage” is picked up weekly. We do have a composter though so a good portion of our green garbage goes into the compost as well.

I’ve written a few articles on As the Garden Grows lately about living green and how to save money by living green. Making a few changes now can save you a lot of money in the future and none of the things that we to make our life greener are all that hard.

Check out those articles if you want to be a little more eco-friendly and save some money too.

Filed Under: Canada, Home and Lifestyle, Living Green, The Neighborhood, Toronto Tagged With: article, articles, As the Garden grows, be green save cash, biodegradable, Canada, coffee grounds, compost, eco friendly, garbage, Green, green garbage, handbags, kitchen, Living Green, Products, recycle, recycling, save money, Toronto

Unique handcrafted Eco-Handbags

July 19, 2007 by Tricia

ecofriendly.jpg

Do you recycle? I’ve just been exploring the website of a company that recycles in a very creative way.

Eco-Handbags.ca is Canadian company, based in Montreal, Quebec and it’s been a well received online presence since it’s beginnings in December of 2006. This online retail store sells one of a kind chic, unique and eco-fashionable handbags.

These handbags are made out of recycled and eco-friendly materials such as candy wrappers, chopsticks, 35 mm slides, movie billboards, sails, soda pop tops, bicycle inner tubes and truck tire inner tubes, record albums and cds, magazines as well as natural materials such as hemp, natural plants, denim, recycled canvas, organic cotton and many more interesting materials.

I must tell you right from the start that I absolutely adore most of the handbags. I’ve spent quite a while exploring the site and I’m impressed by the lovely and utterly creative bags that Eco-Handbags many talented designers have created.

This company believes that if everyone did their part for their environment, even something as simple as purchasing a fashionable unique handbag that’s been made out of recycled materials, that the world would be a better place. If you’ve been reading my home and gardening blog over the last week or two you know that I try to live a fairly green lifestyle so I’m quite happy to be introducing you to this wonderful company.

Visit the Eco-Handbag.ca website and you’ll find not only handbags, but also coin pouches, clutch bags, totes, purses, men’s shaving kit bag, wine bags, yoga mat bags, cosmetic bags, gym bags and just about any other type of bag that you might desire.

Enough of me telling you what you can find on the site – let me show you!

trucktirebag.jpg Just take a look at this beautiful mini evening handbag that’s been made from recycled truck inner tubes. The inner tubes used to create this bag have been collected from tire centers then cleaned in an environmentally friendly solution for three days.

The patterns on the rubber are unique to each hand bag.

Fine leather and non leather is used for the trim, Swarovski Crystals adorn the outside of the bag, and the inside is lit with an automatic light system that illuminates the interior of the bag when it’s opened.

candywrapbotero-kiwi.jpg This Botero- Kiwi handbag is made from candy wrappers. Isn’t it beautiful? I think this is my favorite design. I may end up buying this one myself.

This bag was inspired by Columbian Artist Fernando Botero.

The candy wrappers are constructed in a way that creates the attractive bubbly shape. This bag also features a zipper closure, and shiny metal handles.

art005-40.jpg This last bag, an open tote, is
made from recycled art banners. Don’t you love banner that was used for this bag?

This bag would be idea for day to day activities and because you might use it every day it’s been made with materials that can cope with seasonal changes. The banner is made of PVC, it’s trimmed in black, has a black promo lining and has an interior open pocket and cell phone pocket to help you stay organized.

You’ll notice that when you visit the site and start browsing through the various bags that the designer who made the bag is listed. Clicking on the link will take you to the artists profile page and you’ll be able to see all of their creations on that one page. Eco-Handbags.ca does this specifically to highlight and support their artisans.

All prices on the site are in Canadian funds. At this time the Canadian dollar is within a few cents of the US dollar so if you are a US citizen the price in US dollars will be very close to the one displayed on the site. I found the prices of the bags to be very reasonable. Each bag is unique, is a way for you to make a difference in the environment and is a quality handcrafted item.

Shipping throughout Canada and the US is free of charge. Purchases will be sent via the Canadian Postal Service using the Expedited, small packet air or ground service depending upon which country the parcel is being shipped. International orders should contact Eco-Handbags.ca to discuss shipping rates.

I really like this company and not just because it’s as Canadian as I am. They are really all about protecting and saving the earth. Eco-Handbags.ca is a member of 1% for the Planet. This is an alliance of small businesses that pay a voluntary earth tax and donate 1% of their sales to non-profit, non-governmental environmental organizations.

Visit Eco-Handbags.ca and take a look at their lovely handbags. I’ll bet that you’ll love them. Check out their eco-blog and eco-links while you are there too.

Filed Under: Canada, Fashion, Gifts, Home and Lifestyle, Living Green, Shopping Tagged With: 1 for the Planet, 35 mm slides, artisan, artist, beautiful, bicycle inner tubes, business, Canada, canadian, candy wrappers, cds, chopsticks, clutch bags, coin pouches, cosmetic bags, custom, denim, design, eco blog, eco friendly, eco friendly handbags, eco handbags.ca, Fashion, fashionable, Fernando Botero, free shipping, gym bags, handbags, handcrafted, hemp, magazines, mens shaving kit bag, Montreal, movie billboards, natural materials, natural plants, organic cotton, purses, pvc, quality, Quebec, record albums, recycled, recycled canvas, sails, shipping, soda pop tops, style, totes, truck tire inner tubes, Unique, visitors, wine bags, yoga mat bags

Save energy, save money, cut C02 emissions

May 5, 2007 by Tricia

I know that Earth Day has passed and I really wish that I’d come across this great article about lowering your homes carbon emissions earlier as I would have written about it for Earth Day.

The article discusses 20 different ways in which you can reduce your use of energy and thus the amount of carbon emissions that your produce in your home. I’m happy to say that Chris and I already do almost every single item on the list and in fact I could probably add to that list too.

I would hope that almost everyone is participating in a recycling program in their area. It’s so easy to do once you get used to it. Here in Toronto recycling is the law. Every second week the city picks up all of our recycled items such as cans, plastic containers, bottles and paper products. From April through to December the city also picks up yard waste – such as plant trimmings, leaves and items like that. Depending on the exact time of year this happens weekly or biweekly. They also pick up Green garbage weekly.

Green garbage is everything from table scraps, to napkins of serviettes that we perhaps use while we are eating, tissues and things like that. Now, we do have a composter in our backyard so we don’t give the city all of our scraps, but we do have something to put out weekly.

The article that I read says that by participating in a recycling program and by purchasing items made with recycled content, just an increase of 10% alone, will save the average household 91 kg C02 over a years time. Considering that recycling programs are mandatory in many municipalities, and that many stores sell products made of recycled content I would think that just about everyone is doing this to some extent.

You know what’s really strange. I was going to talk about this anyway before I found this article because something happened earlier this week that made me think about writing a post about saving energy. Finding this article just reminded me to get that post done.

You see, earlier this week we had a nice young girl knock on our door. She was working with our city in a program called TAPS TORONTO that’s being provided by the Toronto Hydro Electric System and Enbridge (a natural gas company). Absolutely free of charge she gave us a new shower head for our shower that would reduce water usage, a kitchen facet aerator, a bathroom faucet aerator, foam pipe insulation (to wrap around a hot water pipe and prevent heat loss), and four 14 watt Compact fluorescent light bulbs. Well probably save more than $100 a year just by using all of those items.

It’s funny too because we always seem to manage to get free compact fluorescent bulbs each year. We started using them about four years ago, and every light in our home that can be fitted with one of these energy saving light bulbs has one in it. They last forever too – much longer than regular incandescent bulbs. I think each year we manage to get 4 to 8 free.

Along with discussing the use of low flow shower heads which we were given the other day, and which we already use in our home, the article states that by using energy efficient light bulbs such as the compact fluorescent light bulbs that we just got for free you can cut C02 emissions.

If you aren’t already using the compact fluorescent bulbs think about trying them. The light they provide is very similar to that of the incandescent bulbs that you are likely still using, but considering that most of these compact fluorescent bulbs are 12 -15 watts compared to the normal incandescent bulbs 60 to 75 watts you’ll save both energy, money and C02 emissions by using them.

Just replace your incandescent bulbs as they burn out with the new fluorescent bulbs. If you only change three of them over the next year you’ll save 136 KG of CO2 and €44 (£30 or $60 USD). Wow, I didn’t even realize you could save that much just by switching three bulbs over. Chris and I must be saving hundreds of dollars with at least 90% of our lighting now being compact fluorescent lighting.

Go have a look at the article and then let me know how many of those tips you are already doing. We are doing all but #19 (update insulation in home), but we’re working on that one.

Filed Under: Finance, Home and Lifestyle, Living Green, Money, Toronto Tagged With: C02 emissions, Co2 emission savings, earth day, energy saving tips, fluorescent bulbs, low flow shower heads, recycle, reduce energy use, reuse, save energy, save money

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