Counting Down 5 Great Ideas for a Green New Year’s Eve!

With 2010 fast approaching, there is no better way to celebrate the New Year than the Green Connoisseur way! Wherever your plans may take you, here is a countdown of 5 ways to usher in a green 2010. 5) Keep it Close to Home While many cities become major destinations for New Year’s Eve, a wonderful time can still be had at home by flexing your eco-conscious muscles. Cooking ahead of time or even catering a sit-down dinner can be as classy as going out without as much hassle for your guests or gas, paper, or waste that going out can entail. Hosting people to sleep over or enlisting designated driver carpools can also ensure that a safe time is has by all. 4) Carpool or Use Public Transit If you are planning to go out, however, how you get there can make a big difference for how green your evening ends up. Taking a look at the public transit available to get you to your destination ahead of time will make things much easier for you the night of the 31st. If you are driving, carpooling is both the greenest and the safest way for both you and your loved ones. Beyond driving from point A to B, navigating the traffic as well as finding a place to park all add up to much more gas spent than on an average night out. As such, the fewer cars on the road, the better for us all. 3) Green your Food and Beverages Wherever you do eat your last meal of 2009, try to keep it green. When choosing a special restaurant, try for one that offers local or organic fare. When it comes to beverages, there are many great organic sparking wine varieties, such as those from Diamond Organics. If you don’t have time to order online, call your local liquor store and ask what organic wines they have in stock. If you are going out, it can sometimes be hard to ensure that you’re ordering a green drink. A good bet, however, is to order things produced locally, as well as those on tap. The rationale being that, while hopefully all beer bottles and cans are recycled, skipping that step all together will ensure that you’re doing your part to keep your waste down. 2) Dress up Something Old Instead of rushing out to get a festive new outfit, comb through your closet and see what you can think of with what you already have. Revitalizing a garment long since forgotten with your favorite accessories will not only save you money, but also save you carbon emissions. Reuse is one of the three R’s of sustainability (the other two being reduce and recycle), and this is a great way to reuse. If you can't find what you want in your own closet, try raiding a friend's for their old outfits and inviting them over to return the favor. You’re sure to come up with something fabulous and chic without spending a dime! 1) Make Green Resolutions for a Sustainable 2010! As the ball drops in time square, you can be setting goals for making 2010 the best year yet. Taking a quick inventory on your daily life and then setting goals for making those actions more sustainable will give you a great orientation for the new year. So, cheers to these tips sending you towards a greener New Year’s Eve and into a happy, and sustainable, 2010! Image Credit: Relax It’s Done, New Year In, The Wine Riot, University of Manchester, Sign Industry

5 Ways to Reuse and Recycle Your Old Clothes

Seven percent of the trash piled up in our landfills is old clothes, worn-out bedding, and outgrown shoes.  Instead of adding to that heap of everlasting waste, find ways to reduce and recycle when you clean out your closet.  From creative projects to beneficial recycling programs, there are plenty of ways to bring new life to your old clothes.

1. Turn your old clothes into toys and play props.  Get the kids involved and transform sleeves, pant legs, and socks into puppets and simple dolls.  Reuse buttons for eyes and scraps for stuffing.  Some old clothing, especially work uniforms and accessories, can turn into hours of fun as imaginative dress-up props.  If you don't have children at home, talk to a local daycare center or kindergarten class to find a recipient.  
2. Swap for something new.  Attend a Swap-o-rama-rama event with your old clothes and learn how to create your own recycled clothing.  Started in 2005 by Wendy Tremayne, the organization is much more than a clothing swap - after the swap, there are DIY workshops that help swappers make new creations.
3. Give them away.  Outgrown and unwanted clothing that is still in good condition can be reused by someone else.  Give children's clothes to another mom or donate your items to a local thrift shop or charity.  Evening gowns, bridesmaids' dresses, and other formal wear can make the prom more exciting for someone when you donate them to a local organization like Gown Town - allowing area teens to 'shop' for their free prom dress.
4. Recycle your worn-out clothes.  Textile recycling bins are being considered at several local landfills and clothing recycling events are held in a variety of locations throughout the year.  Patagonia accepts several types of materials through their clothing recycling program.  If you're having trouble finding a place to accept your old garments for recycling, most nonprofit organizations that take clothing donations will send unwearable items to a manufacturer that recycles the fabric.
5. Make them into something new.  Old t-shirts and worn out socks make excellent cleaning rags, but there are plenty of more creative things you can do with your old clothes.  Use scraps of baby clothes and special outfits to make a quilt; turn old denim into a rustic throw pillow; let the kids help turn old clothing into doll clothes.  A number of recycled clothing projects were included here.

Whether you donate, recreate, or recycle it, there are plenty of options to keep your old clothes out of the landfill.  Share your favorite ways to reuse or recycle clothing in the comments!

Image: miltedflower via Flickr