Environmentally Friendly Curly Hair!

Sorry boys, but this post is mainly geared towards the beautiful women that want to save the world.  I mean, men can use this tip if they would like to.  Alright, now perfect curls are hard to come by especially since they take a long time to curl, use a ton of product to hold, and usually end up going flat by the end of the day/evening.  You never probably notice this, but having artificial beautiful curls does have an impact on our environment since you are using an electric heating device and spraying loads of product into your hair and atmosphere. 

However, I have a solution for you!  Well, Lucy has a solution for you.  This girl has found the secret to having beautiful environmentally friendly curls.  Watch this video to learn how you can curl your hair simply with a single sock!  She also has more videos other environmentally friendly hairstyles.  Now I know this sounds crazy, but it works!  Try it out, tell your friends, and get rid of those curling irons because socks are the next HOT item!  

Don't Buy, but RENT DVD's

A common cheap activity for college students is watching movies.  From being an easy hang out or a laid back “romantic” (maybe) date, most college students have a collection of DVD’s with some of their favorite movies on hand and ready to watch.  However, when you want to watch a more recent film I am going to suggest renting a DVD instead of buying one.  When you buy a DVD, you are supporting the production of new raw materials that will most likely never be recycled and pollute the earth.  By renting, you are reusing DVD’s and being more eco-friendly.  Renting will also save you money in the long run.  For example, a new flick just came out onto DVD and you bought it for about $17.  Now, you could go to your local Redbox and rent the DVD for $1 for the evening and return it the next day.  Just think, when you bought that DVD for $17, do you really believe you will watch it 17 times?  Probably not so you are better off renting it.  There are also other methods of renting movies besides Redbox such as having a Netfix account or renting them on Itunes.  An even more environmentally friendly method of watching movies is to borrow them from your friends.  One more thing, by staying home to watch movies you won’t have to drive anywhere utilizing gas that wastes money and pollutes the atmosphere.  

Switch to Dryer Balls

Do you love the soft fluffy feeling when your clothes come out of the dryer?  Well I have way for you to have fluffier clothing with a solution that is more environmentally friendly!  Purchase a pair of Dryer Balls and stop buying fabric softener dryer sheets.  This video will explain what Dryer Balls are and how to use them, however I will explain more as to why they are more eco-friendly.  

Dryer Balls can be reused while a fabric softener dryer sheet is thrown away after one use.  Dryer sheets have chemicals on them that are pollute the landfills they get tossed into because they are not recyclable.  By stopping the use of the non-reusable dryer sheets and using the reusable Dryer Balls, you will save a lot of money because you won’t have to buy more dryer sheets once your run out.  Also, the Dryer Balls speed the drying process of your dryer therefore you won’t have your dryer running for very long.  So get your Dryer Balls today!  

Check Out the Aveda Institute

One thing that college students typically have a hard time finding being away from home is a place to get a haircut.  You may eventually find a friend, who knows a friend, who may suggest a certain salon.  However, I have an easier solution for you.  Go online and find out if there is an Aveda Institute nearby and get your hair cut there!  You may have heard of Aveda before, they are known for their all-natural beauty products including hair, skin, and makeup products. 

The Aveda Institute is a school for students learning cosmetology practices and they get to practice their skills on you!  Therefore, they offer extremely reasonable prices.  The Las Vegas Aveda Institute does not accept tips so that will save you a little extra money and on top of that, if you show them your Rebel Card you get a 10% discount!  (When I go it only costs $13.50!)  Each institute has their own policies so make sure you ask.  The Aveda Institute also offers other cosmetology as well.  So what are you waiting for?!  Go to www.avedainstitutes.com to find a location near you and start getting cheap environmentally friendly services!  

Never Let the Water Run

I’m sure we’ve all heard the phrase from our parents, grandparents, maybe even Barney …, “Never let the water run.”  This was often repeated when you were brushing your teeth or washing your hands and kept the water running when it wasn’t in true use letting money drip down the drain.  However, I am repeating this tip to you not as a common money saving tip, but as an environmental tip too.  Less than 4% of the world’s water comes from fresh water systems and with common water misusage and a growing population the danger of running out of fresh water is becoming a slow reality.  Therefore, we must be smart with our water consumption by not wasting it.  Saving water will also greatly reduce your water bill.  Visit www.watersmart.net to learn more and find other ways to conserve water and save some extra money.  

Yes... Beautiful Hair For Less

Taking a shower is part of everyone’s daily lives and that usually includes washing your hair.  Most people have the common tendency to fill the entire palm of their hand with shampoo/conditioner and then proceed to scrub their head.  However, I guarantee your hair will still be beautiful without THAT much product.  When washing and conditioning your hair, try reducing the amount of product you use.  For example, instead of using filling up your hand with shampoo, just use about a quarter size.  Or instead of taking two pumps of conditioner, take only one pump.  If you have more hair, I understand you might need to use a little more so adjust accordingly.  It may take a few tries to see how much product your hair will need, but overall just be aware of how much you used to use and try to reduce the amount you use.  This will make your shampoo and conditioner bottles last longer since you are using less.  In time you will buy less, reducing the amount of product produced/consumed by you and it will save you money too!  

Disposable vs Reusable Dinnerware

Happy Fourth of July!  Today we Americans celebrate the day we declared our independence from England and most commonly people get together with their friends and family for a heartwarming delicious barbeque.  Countless hotdogs, hamburgers, and corn on the cob are cooked on the grill while there is an endless supply of different salads, fruits, and chips eaten on disposable paper/Styrofoam plates with plastic utensils.  Thousands of pounds of waste are generated on this holiday since the dinnerware is thrown away and not recycled because a) people don’t know or b) they know they can, but there is food on it so the recycled material is not contaminated.  Therefore, try bringing your own plate, bowl, cup, and utensils to the party or barbeque you attend.  This will prevent an excess amount of waste generated by you.  If you are hosting the party, get your guests to bring their own and if they forget, provide the ones you have.  It may be a pain to wash the dishes after, but I guarantee you will save a lot of money doing this.  Since people bring their own dinnerware, you don’t have to buy any disposable ones saving you money.  Also, don’t be afraid to bring your own dinnerware to events you’re invited too!  It’s ok… you’re saving the world!  This EGOlogical tip can also be used for other parties or events you attend or host such as birthdays or winter holiday parties.  

Say NO to Plastic Bags

When it comes to storing food most people opt to using plastic bags, or what some of us grew up calling them, “ plastic baggies,” to keep our food fresh for a certain time period.  Whether it is packing up a sandwich for lunch or storing left over chicken and pasta from dinner, plastic bags have been an easy solution.  However, plastic bags are not good for the environment because almost 99% of the people that use them throw them away after they have been used and will pile up in our landfills taking thousands of years to decompose.  Therefore, the alternative I suggest you use are containers.  Yes containers are made of plastic, however they can be reused more than plastic bags because they are more durable and are most likely to be recycled when they get old.  Containers come in many different sizes that will best suit your needs from packing lunches to storing dinners.  If you want to even save a little more money and be even more environmentally friendly, look for used containers at thrift stores.  Used is always better than new because you are not supporting the demand for new containers and all the pollution that goes into the production of them.  Switching from plastic bags to containers will save you money over time because you won’t have to keep buying more bags once you run out.  With containers you get to use them over and over and they will last you a long time if you take care of them.  Save plastic from the landfills and save some extra money with this EGOlogical tip!  

Vampire Power Sucks

Electronic devices such as laptops, Ipods, and cell phones are items that college students utilize in their everyday lives.  In order for these devices to function, they must be charged through and electronic outlet.  Once done charging, most people leave them plugged into the wall without realizing they are wasting electricity.  Regardless to the fact the device is not plugged in, the charger is still sucking out the same amount of energy.  As Vampire Power Sucks has pointed out, this waste of energy is called “vampire power” and contributes to approximately 10% of your electric bill.  You can prevent this energy loss by unplugging unused devices and save a lot of money.  Explore this website brought to you by iGo: www.vampirepowersucks.com to learn more about vampire power, calculate how much energy you lose, what you can do to prevent it, and how to encourage others to do the same.  Good luck!

Paper Towels are Money Towels

When you spill water on the counter or when you want to wipe your dishes after washing them, you most likely grab a paper towel to dry it up.  And when you run out, it’s a pain to have to buy more.  Therefore, try replacing paper towel usage with normal hand towels.  When you’re not using the dishwasher, hand wash your dishes and dry them off with a towel.  Or if you wash your hands in the kitchen, dry them off with a towel.  And if you spill water, juice, or milk on the counter, wipe it off with a towel.   Paper towel consumption uses many resources that could be saved and it takes a lot of energy and creates a considerable amount pollution to produce the product.  It also costs money for you to buy paper towels on a frequent basis.  Therefore, try to reuse hand towels.  However, keep in mind that for health and safety precautions, make sure you wash your towels on a frequent basis.  Simply throw them in your laundry load for the week and they will be as good as new!  

Microwave vs Oven

Let’s pretend it’s a Wednesday night.  You come home from school and you decide you want to make a baked potato.  The next thing you do is decide whether or not you should cook it in the oven, or in the microwave.  You know that the skin of the potato is usually cooked to perfection and is the perfect softness when you cut it open when you cook it in the oven compared to having to guess who long to cook in the microwave, so using the oven sounds like the best solution for having a satisfying meal.  However, I am here to tell you that you should avoid using the oven and use the microwave to cook your potato instead.  You will save almost 20 times the amount of energy if you used the oven microwave versus the oven.  This is due to the fact that you have to wait for the oven the heat up, then it takes longer to cook your potato when you can simply pop it in the microwave for a few minutes.  This will reduce your energy bills, and if your oven is gas powered, it will also greatly reduce your gas bill.  This EGOlogical tip can also be used in reference to other foods too such as chicken tenders or tater tots.  

"Tetris" Your Dishwasher

Washing your dishes may seem like a hassle, but what’s an even bigger hassle is trying to get everything to fit.  I know it may seem time consuming, but do your best to “Tetris” your dishes around so more can fit in the dishwasher load.  Also, only run the washer when it is completely full and ready to go.  This way you will have to run the dishwasher fewer times, reducing the amount of energy and water used.  In turn, this will reduce your water and electric bills over time.  

LESS Truly is More... More Money in Your Wallet!

This is sensitive, but serious topic and I’m only going to say it once: You do not need a HUGE wad of toilet paper to wipe your bum!  Only take what you need to use after using the toilet.  This is a difficult pattern to change, but start by taking one or two squares less to eventually figure out how much you really need.  By reducing the amount of toilet paper you use, you are saving more for the future.  Eventually, the amount you have saved will add up and you will have to buy less and less for the future.  Buying less will reducing your environmental impact and also keep some extra money in your wallet.

Happy Earth Day!

Earth Day everyone!  Every year on April 22, we celebrate Earth Day across the U.S. to bring attention and awareness to the environment.  Nature has given us everything and today is a great day to simply say, “Thank you,” and maybe even give something back in return.  Visit the Earth Day Network to find out things you can do to make a difference in your home, community, and world.  Go to www.earthday.org.  There are different links you can click on throughout the site that will help guide you to take action.  Whether that’s taking a pledge or finding out where you can give back by donating money or volunteering, it’s all on there.  Although Earth Day only comes once a year, why not make every day Earth Day?  There are countless things you can do to help out the environment each and every day and we shouldn’t just wait around for that one day of the year to help out.  Every little action counts, and we can all make a difference.  Hope you had a clean, healthy, and happy Earth Day 2011.  

Hunger + ? = BAD

We all do it…  You’re sitting there watching TV or busy studying/facebooking at home and then all of the sudden you get that hungry feeling and walk into the kitchen to grab a snack.  Your first move is probably to open your pantry/cabinet to see what kind of snacks are inside, but nothing in there satisfies you so you then open the FRIDGE and STAND THERE for a LONG TIME browsing your options.  


Alright, now let’s take a moment to realize what you have just done.  By keeping the fridge open for longer than you need it is a waste of energy because the cold air escapes and it takes more energy to make the fridge cold again once closed.  So next time you’re hungry, have an idea of what you want to snack on or choose quickly and do not to stand there with the fridge wide open trying to make your decision.  This will reduce the amount of energy you consume while also saving you some money on your energy bills.

Go Hiking

A common dilemma for college students usually sounds like, "Hmm, what should we do today?"  There are a lot of activities that are fun, however they usually involve spending money.  Well guess what, I have a solution for you!  Go hiking through your local national forests and/or parks.  This may sound a bit uneasy at first, but I promise once you are out in the wilderness you cannot resist the beauty of the nature that surrounds you.  Hiking is a cheap, affordable, and fun activity for everyone.  I'm not telling you to go on a 10-mile hike up a mountain.  Your best bet is to find a trail that best suits your needs and ability.  My friend Sam and I visited Red Rock Canyon, located just outside Las Vegas.  We went on a six-mile hike up 1,000 feet through the beautiful geologic features of Red Rock Canyon.  Not only was the hike free, it was a great activity that allowed us to explore and appreciate nature.  Another “R” this is commonly ignored, is “Respect.”  In order for there to be change, we must respect what nature has to offer us.  If we don’t respect nature, then how do we learn to appreciate and take care of it?  

Drink Tap Water

Drink filtered tap water instead of bottled water.  Not only is filtered tap water healthier for your body and better for the environment (refer to Green FAQ), it is a lot cheaper.  The average cost of a water bottle is about a dollar or more, and the price of tap water in a bottle amount is a tiny fraction of the price.  If you think tap water “tastes weird,” keep drinking it and I promise you will get used to it.  I used to feel the same way about tap water and now I think bottle water tastes flat and is not refreshing whatsoever.  Buy a Brita water filter and keep that in your dorm/apartment.  It will generally be under $20 depending on what size you get and within about twenty uses it will pay itself off.  This is honestly the easiest and the best way to save the environment and save a lot of money.  Being EGOlogical has never been easier!

Recycle Your Electronics

My teammate shared with me this online recycling program called, Gazelle.  Gazelle allows you to send in your old electronics and get cash for however much they are worth based on their pricing scale.  Another awesome feature is they pay for the shipping of your items.  Once Gazelle receives your electronics, they will send them off to the correct safe electronic recycling center.  Recycling your electronics is extremely important so that their chemicals don’t contaminate landfills when tossed out.  Gazelle allows you to save the environment and make a little extra cash at the same time!  Check it out at: www.gazelle.com

Coffee

Why pay $5 for a cup of coffee at Starbucks when you can pay a fraction of the price by bringing your own cup of Joe from home?  Not only do you get to save a bunch of money, you can drink it on the go with a really fancy looking cup!  Also, make sure you turn your coffee maker off when it’s done and only make what you are going to drink so you don’t waste any.  If you have any left overs, leave it in the pot and warm it up in the microwave whenever.  That will reduce the amount of energy used up when your coffee pot is left on.  


If you choose to pay $5 for a cup of Starbucks coffee, bring your own coffee cup.  This will save the amount of paper used in a disposable cup and will also save you ten cents!  As part of Starbuck’s “Make a Difference” movement, they will give you a ten-cent discount every time you bring your own cup.  I know that may not sound like a lot, but ten cents does add up and eventually you’ll save a few bucks.  

Don't Move!

In today’s modern society, many public college bathrooms have automatic toilets to promote a more hygienic environment.  We are saving more people from spreading the germs built up on flushing toilets manually, however, automatic toilets have their downfalls as well.  Have you ever been sitting on a toilet and all of the sudden it flushes but you’re not done?  Then when you’re actually done it flushes again, in time using twice as much water as it should have.  Each flush can use from one to two gallons of water.  So next time you use an automatic toilet, try to sit really still so you reduce the risk of setting off the automatic sensor.  This will save your school a lot of money on their water bill, which in turn can be used for possible future projects on your campus.