COINcidentally Green

Freebie Alert: Redbox (Or Should I Say Greenbox) Movie Codes

I'm sure many of us have rented a DVD or video game from a Redbox Kiosk at one time or another. But how many of you have thought that you were helping the environment when doing this? I consider my Redbox movie rental to be green living.

First of all, renting reduces the amount of DVD's that are manufactured, thus decreasing pollution and carbon footprint associated with the manufacturing process. Also, if you buy a movie that you haven't seen yet, you may watch it and decide you don't want to keep it. Then what do you do with it? Best of all, if you rent rather than own, you eliminate the storage needs for a movie that you'll probably only watch a few times during the time you own it anyway.

I've decided increase my awareness of what I'm consuming and I'm trying to eat more foods that are natural and organic. Hence, I was interested in this sample and thought you might be, too. Wholesome Sweeteners is offering a free sample of their organic sugar. This offer is in the latest publication of Organic Gardening magazine. To get the sample, you just need to send an email to them at cd@organicsugars.biz and mention the code word: GARDEN.

UPDATE: You can also try a sample of Sooo Sweet! all-natural sweetener from the Stevia plant. I haven't tried this yet, but the website says that it's 300 times sweeter than other sweeteners, so you just need to use a pinch. Best of all, it's calorie and carbohydrate free!

What about you: Do you try to eat only organic, natural foods? What do you think about this organic sugar sample?

Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo: An Eco-friendly Dress for Cinderella

Have you ever wondered what to wear to your friend's wedding, prom, or your work Christmas party? You want something unique and attractive, but you don't want to spend a fortune. Some people shop at consignment or thrift stores to find that perfect outfit and to do their part to be eco-friendly. But have you ever considered making your own dress...out of trash?!?

There was a high school girl in the news recently, who had her mom sew her a prom dress made out of Starburst candy wrappers. What a cute, colorful, and definitely original fashion statement.

Environmental educator Nancy Judd has created a multitude of outfits and fashion pieces out of trash and has them on display at Recycle Runway. There are dresses made from popcans, plastic bags, junk mail, rusty nails, and many more. Visit her website and see if you can guess what trash items are used to fabricate the various designs. Her goal is to promote conservation and increase awareness of environmental stewardship. Okay, so some of these clothing pieces took hundreds of hours to assemble, but it's the thought that counts, right?

What about you: Can you figure out what Nancy Judd used to make the coat in the photo at the top of this post?

Co+op Deals Through May 10th

Health food stores and co-ops are a very good source of organic and natural products. This list contains some co-op deals and coupon match-ups to help you save green while living green. Co+op Deals are good at over 150 co-ops that are part of the National Co-op Grocers Association. This list is based on the Midwest-area Co+op Deals Sales Flyer so some prices may vary depending on your area.

There’s a new Co+op Deals Savings Booklet available at your local Co+op Deals store. All coupons in the booklet are valid 4/01/2011 through 5/31/2011.

**Note the special deal listed below. Kiss My Face Pure Olive Soap for only 50 cents! This would be a great addition to a great Mother's Day gift!**

A few years ago, I routinely changed the oil in my vehicles in my garage at home. Recently, the auto shop nearby has been offering oil change deals that were less expensive than doing it myself. So I decided to have them do it for me. With the promotion that Green Earth is offering in honor of Earth Month, I may just switch back to doing my own oil changes.

Green Earth manufactures a certified bio-based motor oil. They blend nature's American grown base oils (beef tallow) with nanotechnology to produce an Ultimate Biodegradable motor oil. According to the MSDS (material safety data sheets), their G-Oil products will biodegrade at least 60% in only 28 days. Furthermore, the oil bottles/packaging are recyclable and eco-friendly.

You can try this motor oil for free ($26 value), if you purchase it before April 30th. Just purchase a 5 quart bottle of G-Oil, save the UPC and receipt, and send it in with this rebate form. This oil is available at Walmart, or check the Green Earth website for another retailer near you. Again, you must make your purchase by April 30th, but you have until the end of May to send in for the rebate.

What about you: Do you ever change your motor oil at home? How often do you have your oil changed?

Deal Alert: Save 73% On Organic Produce

You can purchase $70 worth of organic produce from MyOrganicAcres for only $19, but you must act quickly. The deal ends tomorrow (4/26). Moolala.com (similar to Groupon) is offering the Taste of the Farm Sampler Box ($70 value) for only $19. Shipping charges are included with the deal, so you won't be charged any extra when you order your box. In the box, you will receive:

40 servings of herbs and vegetables, total of 10-15 pounds
Extensive selection of in-season, pesticide-free produce
Produce shipped direct in cooler containers

This deal was so popular and sold out so quickly that Moolala restocked with more coupons. The new coupons must be purchased now, but you'll have to wait until June to redeem them. Hope you enjoy!

Earth Day Activities For Kids

What are you doing for Earth Day 2011? That's what my children keep asking me. They're anticipating the holiday with as much excitement as they have before Christmas. So I made a list of a few ideas to make the day fun and meaningful at the same time.

1. Plant a tree, shrub, flower, or seeds. The main objective is to get the kids to appreciate nature and what it provides (i.e. tree=shade, shrub=shelter for small animals, etc.). Seeds can be planted indoors to be transferred outside at a later date.

2. Attend an organized community event. Many cities and/or communities sponsor events on or near Earth Day. The event may include a "fair" with various eco-friendly organizations showing their products/services at booths. The event may involve a trash clean-up at a local park or other public place. Visit earthday.org to find out if there's an event in your area.

3. Organize your own trash pick-up. If your community isn't already doing this, you can initiate it yourself. Start at a park in your neighborhood and walk the paths picking up trash along the way. Don't forget to bring a large garbage bag (or two) to throw everything in. Leave the trash bag next to the trash can at the park to be picked up on garbage day. My family did this one year and by the end of our walk, we had several neighbor kids who had joined in our effort -- very fun!

4. Go on a hike. Get out and enjoy nature by hiking a trail in your area. The goal is to help the children experience the peacefulness that nature has to offer. This activity could be combined with the trash pick-up described above.

5. Visit a farmer's market. If you live in an area that has a farmer's market open, take the kids and let them choose an item or two to serve for dinner. If you're like me and have just received another dusting of snow, this might not be an option. Instead, visit a co-op or grocery store that sells local or organic products and let the kids choose an item or two. Cook a meal using only local ingredients and discuss the benefits to the environment when you eat local.

6. Get crafty. Use some of the trash that you picked up earlier in the day (or items you have around the house) and be creative. See what ideas you or your child can think of to craft with the trash. How about a plastic bag kite, or a CD jewel case scrapbook. For inspiration, take a look at the "Kids" section of this blog.

What about you: Does your family do anything special to celebrate Earth Day? Do your kids get excited about this "holiday"?

Trash to Treasure: Plastic Bag Kite and Parachute

Looking for a use for all those plastic shopping bags? Well, you could either use them as garbage bags in a small garbage can or bring them back to the store for recycling. OR you could do something much more fun -- make a plastic bag craft with your children! Here's how:

Plastic Bag Kite:
1. Gather the following materials: ball of string approximately 50-75 feet in length, plastic shopping bag, scissors, and tape.

2.  Go outside and find two straight sticks about 1-2 feet in length. Can substitute with dowel sticks, if preferred.

3. Lay the sticks in a cross pattern and wrap string around their crossing point until secure and tie off with a knot. This will be the frame of the kite.

4. Open a plastic shopping bag by cutting down the side. Spread bag out flat.

5. Lay the frame on the bag and cut the sticks of the frame to size, if necessary.

6. Use string or tape to attach the plastic bag to the ends/points of the frame, making sure the plastic is taut.

7.  Cut a piece of string slightly longer than the horizontal stick of the frame.  Tie this on each end of the horizontal stick. There should be a bit of slack in this string once tied.

8. Tie the remainder of the ball of string onto the the cross string from Step 7. This is the string you will use to fly your kite.

9. Cut strips of plastic from another bag and attach ribbons and a tail as desired to help the kite balance.

10. Go outside and have fun flying your kite.

Note:  The plastic shopping bags are not very strong and will likely be torn by the wind after a short time. To obtain a more durable kite, a plastic garbage bag can be used in place of the shopping bag.

Plastic Bag Parachute:
1. Gather the following materials: piece of string approximately 4 feet in length, plastic shopping bag, scissors, and tape. You will also need a heavy weight such as a rock, plastic toy (army man), etc.

2. Open a plastic shopping bag by cutting down the side. Spread bag out flat.

3. Cut a square out of the plastic bag.

4. Use the scissors to make a small hole in each corner of the square.

5. Tie a 1 foot section of string to each of the four corners of the square.

6. Gather the four strings (already tied to the corners) and tie them in a knot approximately 3 inches above the end of the string.

7. Tie a small toy or rock to the parachute using the 3 inches of string below the knot.

8. Throw the parachute up in the air or drop it from a high location and watch it fall.

Freebie Alert: Pet Food and Garnier Haircare

What do pet food and haircare have in common? Well, not much except that the following two companies both make versions of these products with natural/eco-friendly ingredients and both companies are offering free samples.

HALO: Sign up for their email newsletter and receive a printable coupon for 2 free cans of Spot's Stew pet food. This brand can be found at Whole Foods and PetCo, amongst other places.

Garnier Fructis: Request a sample of Garnier Fructis Pure Clean shampoo and conditioner. This haircare line is 92% biodegradable and the bottles are made of 50% recycled plastic.

Is That Your Natural Color? (Make Your Own Easter Egg Dye)

My family traditionally has an Easter Day Egg-stravaganza where we dye dozens and dozens of eggs in every color of the rainbow. This year rather than purchasing a dye kit, I'm going to have everyone color eggs with dyes that we can make ourselves. Not only will this more natural and eco-friendly, but it will be a fun science experiment for the kids.

I thought I'd share the recipes that I'm planning to try to achieve various colors. Many of these DIY recipes were obtained from Kiwi magazine.

**They've opened up new rooms! Living Room and Bedroom. Visit now to earn more points!**

I know I've mentioned this before, but Recyclebank is a company that I really like. They are all about my two favorite things -- living green and saving money. The people at Recyclebank are committed to helping the environment by rewarding individuals for taking action to do something green. This could be as simple as taking a product survey, or more involved actions such as curbside recycling. Whatever steps you decide to take, Recyclebank will reward you with points. Save up points to redeem for rewards ranging from from grocery store coupons/freebies, to discounts on your favorite products, to free magazine subscriptions, and much more.

If you are not yet a member of the Recyclebank community, click here to join today.

For members, Recyclebank has a "Green Your Home Challenge" running where you can earn points by reading various household tips for eco-friendly living. This week they're focusing on the kitchen. To earn up to 70 points, visit their Challenge webpage and click on the small bluprint near the bottom right corner of the screen. Then visit the kitchen and click on the plus signs that show up to earn your points.

Freebie Alert Update: Earth Day 2011

As most of you know, April 22nd is Earth Day. Many stores and organizations are offering freebies and other deals to help celebrate this special day. Here is a list of the best deals/freebies that I can find. I'll be updating the list throughout the week as I become aware of more deals.

Lowe's Home Improvement Center: Lowe's will be giving away 1 million trees to customers who visit a participating store. While you're there, don't forget to recycle your rechargeable batteries, CFL's, and plastic shopping bags.

Starbucks: Receive a free cup of coffee or tea when you bring in a travel cup on April 22nd.

Caribou Coffee: Receive a free cup of the coffee of the day when you bring in a re-usable drinkware on April 22nd. You can also receive 50 cents off a cup of coffee everyday when you bring in a reusable mug.

Origins: Bring in your current skincare (new or empty container) and trade it in for a full-size Origins cleanser -- Checks and Balances or A Perfect World. You must also print out and bring along this form. Offer good on April 22nd only, while supplies last.

Back in the Game (Short-term)

Last week I mentioned that I'm going to be taking some time off from this blog to focus on my family. Well, with Earth Day and Easter coming soon, I anticipate finding ideas and deal alerts that are too good to keep to myself. So although this isn't a full comeback, I'm going to be posting periodically for the next few days. Hope you all enjoy the week!

Change of Plans

I've been posting on this blog for a little over a month now, so I decided to take a moment and look back on what has transpired.

I've been interested in helping the environment and saving money for fifteen years or more. But I've learned so much in this last month, and it's really changed my view of true "green living". I've started looking differently at everything I do, and critically examining every product that comes across my path. My family has even become more aware of the 3 R's (reduce, reuse, recycle). My kids are often heard saying "hey, we could use this to..."

Speaking of family, as much as I'm enjoying writing posts, I realized that I'm spending so much time researching and writing posts that I've been neglecting my family. So I decided that I'm going to take a break from writing and focus on them for awhile. I would like to blog again at some point, but when is TBD. Hope you'll all be patient with me and join me once I get going again! In the meantime, keep looking for your own ways to Live Green and $ave Green!

Freebie Alert: CFL Light Bulb

Photo Courtesy of Rodney Strong

Energy-efficient compact flourescent light bulbs (CFL's) emit the same light as an ordinary incandescent light bulb, but they use up to 80% less electricity and last 10 times longer. So by switching just one of your current light bulbs for a CFL could save you 80% on your energy cost for that light fixture or lamp.

If you take the pledge to change at least one standard light bulb with an energy-efficient CFL, Rodney Strong will send you a free CFL bulb to get you started.

It's important to note that CFL bulbs cannot be thrown in the trash, and will need to be recycled. To find a place to recycle your CFL bulbs, visit the Earth911 website.

Co+op Deals Through April 15th

There’s a new Co+op Deals Coupon Booklet available at your local Co+op Deals store. All coupons in the booklet are valid 4/01/2011 through 5/31/2011.

I remember looking at the bright, colorful pictures in the National Geographic magazines when I was younger. We recently received a gift subscription to this magazine at our house, and the photos are just as vivid and intriguing as I remember. Now, I also enjoy browsing through the interesting articles.

From now until April 30th, you can get a subscription for your house for only $10 on Amazon.com. Note that a $5 credit will be taken off at checkout.

Why I Shop on eBay...

I've compiled a list of the Top 5 reasons to shop eBay:

1.    You can shop from the comfort of your own home -- in your pj's at 3AM, if you like. Not only is this convenient, but it saves on the gas you'd be using to drive to the store, hence, reducing emissions and your carbon footprint.

2.    Purchasing previously used items rather than buying new, helps the environment by keeping stuff out of landfills. Furthermore, it reduces the amount of new products that are manufactured and shipped to stores to sell, reducing the carbon footprint and pollution associated with these processes.

3.    You can find anything, and everything your heart desires. Remember that Smurf toy you had when you were younger -- it can be yours again... (I might be dating myself here.)

4.    The whole "cash for your junk" (eBay) concept has altered the way people look at junk. It has inspired people to re-sell their stuff rather than throw it into the landfill.

5.    You can potentially save money. Many prices are inflated due to exaggerated value of the items, but it is still possible to find a good deal.

To make shopping on eBay even more attractive, Groupon is selling a $15 gift card for only $7 (through 3/31).

I also like to shop at thrift stores. Click here to find out why.

How about you: Do you ever purchase anything on eBay? What is your favorite item to look for? What is your most interesting find?

Freebie Alert: Personal Care Products

Sinus Rinse
Spring is in the air and with the fresh air comes allergy season for many. Sinus rinses are a good way to clean your nasal passages of allergens and irritants and decrease swelling in your nose, which increases air flow. NeilMed makes a naturally soothing nasal sinus wash called Sinus Rinse. Visit them on Facebook to try a free sample today.

Organic Shampoo
Cream of Nature is a company that uses certified organic ingredients in their products. Their shampoo gently cleanses, nourishes, and detangles hair. Click here to try a sample and see for yourself.