Quick Tips

Feliz Cinco De Mayo! As Dictator of a Mexican Eating Club (or "Mexadelphia" as a few close amigos call it), I'm taking tomorrow's fiesta with pride.  How can you celebrate my 2nd favorite holiday the eco-friendly way? Here's a few sustainable celebration & vegetarian comida options:

The average US household uses 130,000 gallons of water per year. Therefore, anytime you can conserve H2O helps the cause. When making a delicious dinner (or snack), try to boil food in as little water as possible.  Use just enough water to cover what your cooking, and put a lid on to heat things up faster. After you're finished and the water's cooled down, use the excess water to water houseplants instead of dumping down the drain.

Earth Day is this Sunday (obviously.). Philadelphia had a city-wide cleanup effort this past weekend, but that doesn't mean you should wait for a city-wide initiative to volunteer. Instead of hosting a birthday or holiday party at home, organize a volunteer outing to a local park or community garden. Philadelphia has a lot of green space (and litter), so start with a community park or number of blocks. Read on!

For some animal activists, vegans and other environmentally conscious folks leather is a fashion and function don't. The idea of wearing part of a dead animal corpse just doesn't sit well with some people. While I have not personally sworn off ALL leather from my wardrobe, this year I'm making a conscious effort to only purchase reused or worn items. Read on!

Growing up Catholic, I was 'forced' to unplug & do nothing between 12-3 on Good Friday.  I'd avoid the computer, TV & other stuff in favor of a book or reflecting time.  It seemed semi-like torture as a child with only a computer and TV in the house.  Add that to laptops, smartphones & iPads of modern day... Whether you're Christian or celebrating Passover today (or neither), we can all learn something from a little 'unplugged' time... Try a day or weekend away from electronics.  (Make sure to unplug them to avoid sucking up the vampire energy.) Turn off your iPhone or Droid, leave your laptop at home and get outside. If you're strapped for cash,

I’m a fan of white attire all year round (screw that old “after labor day” decree.)  And, come warm weather I gravitate even more towards the crisp and clean hue. After a few washes it’s tough to keep whites fresh-looking. While it’s tempting

Did you know that globally 70% of water used is for agriculture?  Were you aware that 1 in 3 people worldwide are affected by water scarcity? Although water problems may seem foreign to us, water conservation is still essential here in our hometown.  As we pointed out on our Twitter feed, yesterday (March 22) was World Water Day, which focuses on the sustainability & importance of freshwater. Assess your household's water usage with

Sure, utilizing reusable bags is a bit of a tired topic. But, why are more and more retailers taking advantage of them? Simple – free branding! (And, hopefully environmental consciousness…) Local retailers, take a cue from companies like Urban Outfitters...

If you're a slacker like me, you haven't filed your taxes yet. Make the process a little greener: Try using a program like TurboTax or H&R Block to file your taxes online.  Spare a tree by saving a copy to an external hard drive or flash USB drive.  Or, store the document on a secure place online. If you really need to print out a copy, utilize recycled paper. Also, if you're a homeowner: BONUS! You may qualify for some Energystar energy efficiency-related deductions. It can literally pay to be green!