Maeko Sez: Waste Not, Want Not!

Maeko Sez! “I’ma help you. Trust.”

In honour of Thanksgiving, I’m posting a few things that:

1. Are awesome and save you $,
2. Save you $$ while you get people (or yourself) stuff,
and 3. Help save the world (in a way).

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Firstly! Save money, get stuff!

Shop Ruche is having a sale on Black Friday (11/27) and Cyber Monday (11/30). You get an extra 15% off their already immensely affordable (and organic!) selection of bohemian and sophisticated clothing. So rush to the store and get your extra bucks saved… And stimulate that economy while you’re at it!

Just use the code below!

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Secondly! Stop wasting stuff this holiday!

Every Thanksgiving Holidaze, there are thousands and thousands of pounds of waste that go into the garbage without a second thought (in addition to the thousands and thousands of calories that end up going onto our bellies!). This waste wrecks havoc on the ecosystem, while at the same time the mass consumption and immense amounts of product packaging contribute mightily to our climate change problem!

Try to waste less this year… and your waist may thank you for it, too.

Follow this tip from Ideal Bite.com:
Go on a trash diet – just follow a few easy waste-reducing tips

The Benefits:

Less waste. Every year, we waste 28 billion pounds of food – or about 100 pounds per person – between Thanksgiving and New Years.

Food left to rot in landfills gives off methane, a gas at least 20 times as powerful at trapping heat than carbon dioxide (translation: You’ll contribute less to global warming).

You won’t have to loosen your belt or your purse strings, since these tricks could save you money (we throw away $42 billion worth of food during the holidays each year).

Doing something matters:

Don’t turn your nose up at left overs! Take that take-away back home, and indulge (but be smart!) over the next few days to reduce waste… OR package up left overs in take-away kits and bring them to homeless people lining the streets of your nearest Metro Area!

Ask people to definitely RSVP (e-invites save paper) so you can buy just the right amount of food.

Whip up new meals with those leftovers.

Compost what you can’t otherwise get rid of.

Guess what:
If 10,000 people eliminate their average food waste this holiday season, we’ll save enough cash to buy and donate 13,939 organic, 20-pound turkeys to less-fortunate folks.

Now that’s thinking smarter…

Tip Credit: IdealBite.com, Img Credit: The Daily Green

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Thirdly, Save $ and save the planet.

5 Easy things from The Daily Green – That save you cash money.

1. Reusable Shopping totes.
When you go out shopping, bring your own reusable bags. This preserves resources by cutting down on the huge number of paper and plastic bags that are discarded after a single trip.

2. Save money on power.
2. Save on Electricity
There are many ways to trim those electric bills. Wash your laundry in cold water instead of hot, line dry your linens, and use a toaster oven for small heating needs instead of a bigger electric stove. Open windows to let the light in, turn off unneeded lights and appliances, and unplug unused electronics to counter the ‘energy vampire’ effect.

(Personally speaking: I have my computers, entertainment equipment and kitchen appliances plugged into power strips. When I’m done using them I shut the strip off to keep the surge from idling. And I unplug my phone charger, unused lights, personal electronics from the outlet when not in use… This has cut my average energy bill by over $15 each month!)

3. Save fuel!
Every gallon of gasoline you burn produces 19 pounds of carbon dioxide, so it pays to conserve (in more ways than one). Your car will work more efficiently if you obey the speed limit and avoid rapid, unnecessary acceleration. Keep your tires properly inflated and get regular tune-ups. Forget warming up under most conditions.

4. Do the Farmer’s Market thing.
Shop at your local farmers’ market. This will help support farmers in your area, so they won’t be forced to sell off their land for development, and it will decrease your food miles, meaning less fuel will be used to provide your daily meals. Your food will be delicious and better for you. And you will be stimulating local economy, helping to retain regional jobs!

Eat as much local and seasonal food as you reasonably can. Your meals will be fresher, and will require much less fuel to transport, store and refrigerate.

5. Better water.
Drink water from the tap, instead of buying single-use bottled water, which requires much more energy to produce, store and transport. Barely 20% of those plastic bottles end up getting recycled, and most are made out of petroleum. Use filters if you are concerned about your local water supply.

Buy a reusable bottle to take with you on the go, so you can always refill it from a tap and avoid buying bottled water. Stainless steel is a good choice, because you don’t have to worry about the potentially toxic chemicals that can leech out of many plastics over time.

For more eco and moolah saving tips, check out the The Daily Green here: “30 Surprising Ways to Save MOOLAH by Going Green!”

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Read on, read on!

Maeko Loves #1 – See what Maeko loves this week! Lots of stuff.
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