Earth Saving Tips from Earth Share

Winter 2004

20 ECO-FRIENDLY HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS

It’s holiday time — a joyous season of gift-giving. This year, consider alternatives to merchandise (and all the wrapping that goes with it). Doing so will reduce landfill waste as well as other forms of pollution.

Here are some ideas for less-wasteful giving:

1. Make a book of family recipes by inserting recipe sheets into clear plastic holders (to keep them clean when cooking) and assembling them in a binder.

2. Donate something in the name of a friend or relative in a subject area of interest to them (such as literacy training, or protecting rainforests).

3. Get tickets to an exhibit or membership to a museum.

4. Give a gift certificate to a used book or music store.

5. Offer your talents, such as photography, financial planning, or hairstyling.

6. Give a sports- or health-club membership.

7. Give an adventure or experience (a day of hiking or canoeing, for example).

8. Give frequent flyer miles.

9. Plant a tree in someone’s name.

10. Give tickets to concerts, sporting events, shows, whale-watching trips, etc.

11. Make a personal voucher or certificate entitling the bearer something good (use your imagination!).

12. Make a video of family members, friends, and loved ones.

13. Make dinner for someone or cook other homemade food and deliver it.

14. Baby-sit or pet-sit.

15. Make a calendar for the coming year using personal or family photographs.

16. Give a gift membership to an organization that helps protect the environment.

17. Give a plant sprouted from one in your own garden.

18. Provide a gift certificate for a lesson (tennis, swimming, drumming, etc.).

19. Collect photos and put together a photo album.

20. Weed, water, or help establish a friend’s garden.

News Flash! Keep Warm with a Newspaper ‘Log’

Recycle old newspapers by making rolled paper “logs” for your fireplace. Here’s how:

ª Roll newspaper sheets around a broomstick until the log is the desired size, then soak the log thoroughly in water.

ª Dry the log overnight, remove the broomstick, and use like ordinary wood.

ª Always follow proper safety precautions when burning anything around your home.

Don’t Forget to Winterize Your Home, Too!

Before leaving home for your winter vacation, turn down the thermostat (or use a programmable one) so you don’t waste energy and resources by heating an empty space. You can also install outdoor and indoor light fixtures with timers so lights don’t stay on all night.

Advice to De-ice:

Consider using nontoxic de-icing substances such as clean clay cat litter, sand, or fireplace/stove ash to avoid hazardous waste from de-icing chemicals.

GOOD TO GO: TIPS FOR WINTERIZING YOUR VEHICLE

P Check the pressure. Having the correct tire pressure improves traction on wet or snowy conditions. A properly inflated tire also will help protect against wheel damage when driving over potholes. Read your owner’s manual to find the correct tire pressures.

P Protect against freeze-ups. Antifreeze/coolant is especially important when the temperature drops. Too little antifreeze/coolant in the system can cause your engine to freeze up, or even crack. Check coolant levels regularly and top them off as needed.

P Check the battery. Cold temperatures can cut a battery power in half. If your vehicle’s battery is more than three years old, have it tested to ensure it will carry a charge, and that the posts and connections are free of corrosion.

P Replace worn pads and shoes. Have a professional check the brakes. Maximum stopping power is essential on wet or slippery roads. Keeping your car in tip-top shape for winter will improve fuel economy and vehicle performance while reducing polluting emissions. It will also ensure the safety of you and your passengers. Here are some tips on getting your car ready for cold weather:

P Tune it up. Check all hoses, belts, spark plugs, and electrical wires to make sure they are in good working order.

P Check the tread. Tires are critical during the winter. Worn tires perform poorly on slippery roads, making them a safety hazard. Consider snow tires if appropriate.

Earth Share, a nationwide network of America’s leading nonprofit environmental and conservation charities, promotes environmental education and charitable giving in employee workplace giving campaigns.

For more tips or to find out how your workplace can help the earth, visit

Earth Share's Web site at www.earthshare.org, call 800.875.3863, or send an e-mail to info@earthshare.org

7735 Old Georgetown Road, Suite 900, Bethesda, MD 20814