Green drawing solutions for kids – Cutting paper waste

Got a little artist in the family? Worried about the enormous usage of paper? If you're one of those parents with boxes and boxes filled with nothing but drawings, paintings and such, you have good reason to be concerned. Child artists often go through 25 or more sheets of drawing paper a day. It's not exactly a green hobby, is it? Plus, where do you store all that stuff? Is there anything you can do to get kids to green up their art?

Captain obvious says, get a white board or a chalk board.

It'll cut down on paper use in a big way. While you don't like to think of your kids' drawings as wasteful, you have to admit, this solution certainly makes them less so. If your kids still want to save their drawings, you can always take a picture and save it on the computer for posterity, right? Then, just wipe the slate clean and start over.

You don't want to limit creativity.

How about some different creative outlets? For instance, you could get them their own camera or cell phone so they can take up photography. The nice thing about this hobby is that they only print out the very nicest of their pictures. The rest may take up space on their computer, but at least they don't waste paper.

Digital sharing

Kids can easily e-mail photos or photos of their art to relatives. They can post them on Facebook if they're old enough to have an account. That way, the whole family gets to see their work without making tons of copies and wasting more paper. Friends and relatives can pull up the art anytime on their computer so there's no need for them to use paper to print them unless they choose to.

Getting more creative

While your kids are on the computer, why not download some applications that will help them as artists? There are plenty of instructional videos they can watch. Plus, they can learn to edit their work, make collages and calendars and more. Even though this is likely to encourage more drawing, painting and such, they still have the option of only printing their best work.

Green floral substitutes for party balloons

Daffodils really brighten up parties!

 Why would you want to find substitutes for party balloons? No birthday party is complete without colorful balloons, right? The problem is, balloons are far from ecofriendly. Those cute little orbs are made with hazardous chemicals. Discarded or runaway balloons are ingested by animals. They're a choking hazard. Plus they waste precious helium. What can you use instead?

Why not brighten up your party with simple floral arrangements?

Here in Denver, you can buy seasonal flowers quite inexpensively at King Soopers or other grocery stores. Plus, if you keep an eye out, you can even find day old, discounted, pre-made supermarket bouquets for as little as 2.00. I'm sure it's the same where you live. They come in a wide variety of colors. They're certainly a renewable resource and they're as green as it gets.

Tulips are another colorful flower that grows easily.

Simply plant bulbs as directed for a crop that will have all your spring birthday decor covered. For variety, throw in some sunny daffodils or day lilies.

Got a fall birthday?

Why not celebrate with the lovely fall colors of marigolds and zinnias? Both bloom well into fall. Plus, they grow like weeds in sunny areas that some flowers wilt in. Those orange and yellow marigold blossoms bring a cheerful environmentally friendly touch to any celebration.

Wildflowers are naturally prolific.

The seed for these is inexpensive and plentiful. Imagine a beautiful wildflower bouquet gracing the table of your next celebration. Who needs balloons when you can have lovely, naturally beautiful flowers instead?

Whatever happened to old fashioned glass bottle cutters?

Seriously, you guys. I go thought a lot of these glass bottles. Sure, they can be recycled. But guess what? I also go through a lot of drinking glasses. And it's not always the grand-kids that break them. I sure would love to have one of those simple bottle cutters they used to sell in craft stores. You know the ones where you place the bottle on it's side, turn and voila! Instant drinking glass, ready to be sanded for safety.

Drinking glasses aren't the only thing simple bottle cutters are good for either. You can also use them to make garden plant watering devises by just cutting off the bottom of the glass. Who needs those fancy globes? Plus, they're so darn expensive.

And yes, you can recycle the glass bottle itself. In fact, you should. But me, I'd rather make useful items, then recycle the leftovers. After all, you can still recycle your homemade drinking glasses after they shatter. That way, you get double usage. No waste!

Now, I've seen a few more elaborate glass cutters for sale online and such. But that's just not what I'm looking for. And scoring tools don't always cut a straight line, especially with shaky arthritic hands. So if anyone knows what I'm talking about and knows where they can be found, please leave a link in the comments. I'd be very grateful.

Going green goes brown

This brown lawn is actually green!

Recent droughts have turned green lawns brown. But don't worry, they're actually green. What? Good heavens, I've really gone off the deep end this time, right? Really digging for this one, right? You think? Not so fast, my peeps. Going brown means going green in a drought, doesn't it? It means conserving water, right? Not only that, there are plenty of other browns that are actually green. The browns in your compost for instance.

Brown balances compost power.

Yin Yang, etc. etc. Without the brown ingredients, compost is just a big pile of decayed, wet mush. You have to mix it up a bit. Yup, compost is useless with those dried leaves and other brown matter.

Brown bagging it can be green.

There is a train of thought that suggests using brown paper lunch bags may be greener than those re-usable plastic containers. After all, plastic manufacturing is not exactly green, is it? And at least those brown bags can be recycled or composted. I guess grandma knew what she was doing after all, didn't she?

Brown University goes green.

“Brown is Green” is the slogan of a Brown University green initiative to promote and encourage green events. And I thought this was my idea. Turns out, great minds really do think alike.

Brown and Green is a great UK food store.

Some of my readers are from the UK. Maybe they even frequent Brown and Green, a food store specializing in local and sustainable food. That's certainly a green thing, isn't it?

Brown isn't the only green, either.

In fact, green comes in many colors. I bet you can think of a few yourself. Re-usable shopping bags, for instance. They come in beautiful multicolored prints, don't they? They're not all green. And yet, yes they are.

Turns out a greener planet comes in all colors. Who knew?

I am not the queen of green

Not quite ready for that crown yet, but I'm working on it!

I'm not the queen of green, but I do try. For instance, I try to save all my empty glass jars and plastic containers, but I don't always have room for them. I try to re-purpose them all, too. But I have to be honest, sometimes I just don't have the space or even the need for that many re-purposed things. I confess, I have thrown away a few items over the years for those reasons that probably could have been put to good use. I want to do better though. So, Here's a few solutions I'm going to try that might help you too.

I'm now using every used container I possibly can for gardening.

Some might become starter pots. Some might be permanent pots. Some might be used for automatic watering. Others might hold supplies, feed the birds or be turned into bright garden decor. At any rate, garden containers don't have to be fancy, just useful. The plants are the pretty part, right? So, there you go. That's solution #1.

A glass cutter might serve me well in one respect.

I could turn those glass jars into drinking glasses. We certainly break enough glasses around here. So, instead of constantly buying beverage glasses, we could save all those glass jars to create more.

Used plastic containers with covers are ghetto tupperware.

I already know this. And yet, I still buy resealable containers from time to time when my stock gets low. Of course, that's because on my less diligent days, some of those used containers still end up in the trash somehow. Guilty as charged. So, from now on, I vow to do my very best not to let that happen.

I don't expect that I'll ever be a perfect green queen.

Still, with a little effort, I think I can come a bit closer than I am now to attaining that title. At least I have a few solutions to keep usable items out of the landfill. It's a good start for this good enough greener.

Cheap green office supplies to buy or make

Coffee tin filled with marbles hold pens. (Copyright Jaipi Sixbear 2014)

Are you looking for cheap office supplies for your desk? I've been searching for them recently, after remodeling my office. They can be found but it takes some unconventional thinking. Sometimes you have to make them yourself. Here are some ideas for cheap office supplies you can buy or make.

Stack-able paper file

These were once just a buck or two each. They are now 7.00 and up each! Make your own with 8x11 shallow cardboard boxes sold for a dollar or less. Simply put the boxes together, then cut out one side to slide the paper in. Stack these cheap office supplies up in a pile. Use clear tape to hold them together. Cover with contact paper if desired.

Upright magazine box

Once again, these are cheap no more. You can make an upright magazine file box out of an old cereal box. Simply cut box into triangles. Clever cutting gets you two magazine files from one box. Tape two or more together for stability. Cover with contact paper for a more finished look.

Pen holder

An empty coffee can or drink mix can makes a great pen holder. Fill the bottom with marbles or pebbles for weight and to hold pens in tightly. These cheap office supplies double as paperweights in a pinch. Cover pen holder with contact paper or leave as is for a cute desk accent.The picture above shows one I made for my partner's desk.

Paper clip and small supply holder

Drawer organizers are not cheap office supplies. Make a paper clip holder with recycled small lidded jars. Glue the lids to a wood block. Spray paint the whole thing. Fill the jars, invert block. Screw jars onto the lids. Small containers from the dollar store also work to organize cheap office supplies.

Rubber band holder

I saw these cheap office supplies in a magazine years ago. Simply screw short fat dowels into a block of wood and invert. Rubber bands and single binder rings slip right over the dowels for storage. These cheap office supplies can be varnished, painted or left alone. Consider letting kids paint the rubber band holder and other office supplies for a whimsical look on your desk.

File boxes

Plastic, metal and cardboard file boxes are available in many department stores. Take it one step further by making your own. Check grocery stores for empty boxes of the appropriate size. Cut an indentation from one side to make files easily accessible. Why pay for cardboard file boxes when you can make one for free?

CD holder

Shoe boxes make versatile cheap office supplies. CD holders can be made easily from one or more shoe boxes. Stack them vertically or horizontally. Tape together for stability. I prefer building these so that the CDs are inserted next to each other, rather than stacked. This makes it easier to remove CDs for use without disturbing the entire pile.

Desk /Book shelf

A desk may not be in the budget when looking for cheap office supplies. Consider stacking 4 milk crates, two on each side and laying a wide board across them. For stability use 4 crates on each side. Turn the front crates open side out to use as book shelves. Cheap office supplies can easily include this DIY desk. Another alternative is to use short file cabinets on each side to hold the board desktop. Use a cloth cover on the board and you won't need a mouse pad.

This post was previously published by this author on a closed yahoo! property.

Minimalist tips for creating space in a truly tiny home or apartment

Murphy bed and built-ins (public domain photo)

Minimalism is inherently green. Living in my tiny garden level apartment sometimes made me feel like a hobbit in a hole. I laugh when reading magazine articles on tiny apartment troubles. Those places look like castles compared to my old basement apartment. Those of you who may have a similar problem might welcome my green tips for creating space in a truly tiny little home or apartment.

Get rid of unnecessary furniture.

There are always those special pieces you want to hold on to. Still, it's best to keep it simple. Table and chairs, basic furniture for the living room, bookshelf, bed, desk, chair and a place to put clothes is all that's really needed.

Assessing the type of furniture used is another way of creating space.

Size down to fit the space. Using a love seat rather than a sofa is a start. Think functional and comfortable, down sized. Some of the new modern futons are quite attractive. There are also small sling chairs and recliners now. Think sleek. Say goodbye to bulky and puffy. Creating space with lightweight, portable items will make it a whole lot easier to move out too.

Clutter and disorganization must be addressed.

Get rid of anything that's gone unused for more than a year. In a tiny home there should be a place for everything and everything in it's place. Items that can't be parted with should be put into storage. Cleaning is essential to creating space in a tiny apartment too. Clutter and mess can make a tiny place look even tinier. Plus, having all that stuff is the opposite of green. It's a waste of resources.

Consider adding high shelves for nick-knacks and such.

This leaves room below for furniture and appliances. They don't have to compete for needed space this way. I used this tip for creating space in my tiny apartment kitchen. We had high shelves above the stove for spices and other dry goods. There's more space than a conventional spice rack. Shelves also create much needed cupboard space for other items.

Hidden storage is a fantastic way of creating space in a tiny apartment.

Rather than bringing a huge dresser, into our bedroom, all our clothes were hung up. We had a long shelf above the clothes rod with little baskets we could pull out. That's where we stored our underclothes and other things. Our coffee table was a chest. We used it to store games. The little stool I sat on while sewing in my tiny apartment had a lift up lid. That's where the scissors and such were kept. I once saw a bookshelf used as a working door and a small office under a staircase. What a great space saving idea!

Keep furniture out of the traffic flow.

Avoid the use of dividers and screens in tiny spaces. The idea is to keep the flow as open as possible. Large furniture creates clutter when placed in the middle of a room. Make it hug the walls instead. This goes against traditional decorating, but in a small apartment it can be a space creating lifesaver.

Proper use of color goes a long way toward creating space in a tiny apartment.

Use light or bright colors to give the illusion of a larger space. Avoid the use of heavy draperies and somber decor. Opt for bright cheerful curtains and happy spring or summer colors. Creating real or artificial daylight is important in a tiny basement apartment. Use natural daylight bulbs to keep away depression.

Portions of this post were previously published by this author on a closed Yahoo! property.