Image by Edgar Zuniga Jr.

On July 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved and officially adopted, thus declaring the independence and separation of the United States of America from Great Britain. So, with the 4th of July only a few days away, Americans everywhere are getting ready to celebrate their Independence Day with picnics, parties and various other activities. But, whether you have already made your plans or not, here are 5 MUSTS for a biofriendly 4th of July:

1. Probably one of the most important things you can do on the 4th of July is get outside! Why? Well, not only is it good for you to get sun, vitamin D, fresh air, exercise, etc. but it also helps you renew your love of the great outdoors. As a kid, you probably spent a lot of time outside. I know I sure did!

There is nothing quite like enjoying the 4th of July with family and friends at a park, in the backyard or wherever you choose to relax and enjoy your day. And if your kids need some coaxing away from their electronic games, here are 10 tricks to get them outside. Hopefully you won’t need those tricks though.

One favor while you are outside…take some time to look around you, smell the flowers, do some bird-watching, lay on the grass and look at the clouds, etc.

2. Unplug! Turn your phone, computer and TV off. Unplug them as well, or turn off your power strips, so you aren’t wasting money on phantom electrical power.

You really shouldn’t be connected to your computer all day on any day of the week, but when it comes to a holiday – UNPLUG!

Take the opportunity to step away from your FB friends – I’m sure they’ll understand. Twitter won’t collapse without you for the day. Digg if you must first thing in the morning….but seriously, just unplug. The world will keep spinning….I promise.

Besides, not only will you save energy, but you save money and get yourself some much needed “you time”.

With the average American spending approximately 60 hours a month online, don’t you think it’s time to get outside?

3. Don’t even think about buying disposable party plates, cups and cutlery. Bring your own re-usable ones, or better yet, have everyone bring their own. That way each person/family is responsible for bringing their own dishes and thus cleaning up their own dishes.

Image by chatirygirl

It makes for a LOT less trash and an easier clean up. Don’t forget to bring some re-usable containers too – that way you won’t waste food, you can pack it up and have the leftovers later.

But if you really are looking for some eco-friendly plates and party-ware, these 100% recycled plates from Preserve come pretty highly recommended.

4. Think twice about getting up close and personal with a fireworks show. It’s a well-known fact that fireworks are known for causing not only harm to the environment, but to your health as well.

Over the years, larger fireworks shows have started offering more eco-friendly fireworks and pyrotechnics, but smaller ones more than likely won’t have that option. Either way, the safest way to watch fireworks (if you insist on going to a fireworks show) is to avoid being downwind from the fireworks show.

5. Just remember, while you might like to watch fireworks on the 4th of July, that doesn’t mean your pet likes to watch them too. Many pets get stressed out or panic at the loud noises produced by fireworks going off. In order to ensure your pet doesn’t get overly stressed out, or even attempt to run away, help keep a safe environment for them all day long and especially while fireworks are going off.

Image by Right About Me

A few tips I have personally found to work well: turning up the tv, sitting and relaxing with your pet and keeping a regular schedule that day. Ensuring your doors and windows are closed/locked and your dog is safely inside is a good idea too. Here are a few more smart 4th of July safety tips for your pet.

So…I’d love to hear what you have planned to make it a safe, happy and biofriendly 4th of July! Here are some fireworks you can enjoy in the meantime – Happy Independence Day America!

Image by Wonderlane (via Flickr)

I don’t know about you, but I’m currently trying to wrap up the majority of my work so that I can do some last minute Christmas shopping, finish (or should I say start) wrapping presents and work on some hand-made gifts the kids and I are making.  But before I head out for the holiday weekend, I wanted to share some last minute tips to help you have a green holiday.

1) Watch your thermostat.  If you are planning on having guests for the holidays, please remember not to turn your thermostat too high.  The guests you have over will help generate heat on their own, so there is no need to roast them out of the house.

2) Try and spend some time outside over the holidays.  No matter where you live, this time of the year is beautiful. If you can get outdoors, do so. I don’t mean try and weather through a snow storm or anything, but try and enjoy nature a little.  Especially if you have kids, you’ll want to ensure they enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer this time of year.  Besides, you may find it will brighten your holiday mood!

3) As most people know, opening presents can generate a lot of trash.  One way to cut down is to “wrap” presents in re-usable bags.  My mother-in-law is a pro at this.  She has gift bags for all occasions and after we’ve opened our Christmas presents, she collects all the bags and stores them away to re-use next time.  Even when she wraps gifts with wrapping paper, she re-uses the bows and keeps any boxes that were used.  Very smart.

4) If you are hosting a party try not to let your left-overs go to waste.  Many times people make more food than their guests could ever eat.  Whether it’s because they aren’t sure what people will want to eat or they want to have a good variety, either way you probably don’t need to make quite as much as you think.  But if you do make extra, please save it for later or give it to your guests when they go home.

5) If you are doing any traveling over the holidays, first and foremost be safe.  If you are driving (or flying even) allow extra time for bad weather or traffic.  If you drive, ensure you have water, blankets, food in the car in case of emergency.  Another key is to ensure your tires are properly inflated/rotated, your oil is changed and you are filled up with the proper gasoline (a good fuel additive can help too).  These steps will help ensure your car is running properly and contributing less to harmful emissions.

6) The holidays are traditionally full of a variety of scents and smells.  Don’t get overwhelmed with the need to make the holidays “smell like the holidays”.  Too many scents can pollute the air and make people uncomfortable.  Be moderate in your use of holidays scents and candles.  You want a pleasant, fresh smell that everyone can enjoy.  Sometimes a fresh Christmas tree, some warm cookies or some fresh air are all that it takes.

7) If you haven’t made any donations yet, but want to make a green donation to help others in need….here are a few last minute gifts truly worth giving.

Last but not least…have a safe, happy and green holiday!  No matter where you are celebrating, remember to enjoy your time with family and friends.  All my best wishes to you and yours during this holiday season!

Image by di_the_huntress (via Flickr)

When you made your list of family and friends you are giving presents to this holiday season, what kinds of gifts did you put on your list? Did you include anything on your list that is used? What about recycled? Anything you made by hand?  Do you have any charities or individuals in need on your gift-giving list?  If not, I hope that you will take a moment to revise your list and see if you can do some biofriendly giving this holiday season.

I’m not talking about being cheesy or anything, I’m talking about being creative.  I’m talking about not wasting perfectly good items or in some cases brand new items and either re-using them or gifting them to people who can and will use them.  Let me give you a few examples:

1) Take those toys your kids don’t play with anymore and donate them.  My kids have a number of toys they have either outgrown or just lost interest in.  Instead of throwing those toys away, we’ve been going through them and putting bins together to donate them.   We also have boxes of clothes they have grown out of that we are donating to a local charity.

2) Re-gift.  Yes, sometimes re-gifting is frowned upon, but think about it….is it better to have a gift sit on your shelf for years until you finally throw it out or better to give it to someone who will use it?  If you don’t feel right about re-gifting or you can’t remember who gave you the gift and don’t want to inadvertently give it back, then donate the gift.  There’s really no reason to clutter up your home with items you don’t use.

3) While you might be in a crunch to get last minute gifts, shopping online might not be your best option.  It might be the most convenient in terms of avoiding the post office at this time of year, but is it really the best choice in terms of environmental impact?  Believe it or not, there are companies who waste materials when they ship, so if you do resort to last minute online shopping, please request minimal packaging, i.e. there’s no reason for them to ship a small rattle in a huge box.

4) Give a simple gift to yourself and the environment, by recycling over the holidays.  Make an early resolution that from today until the end of the year you will see how many cans, bottles, etc you can recycle.  Then take them to a local recycling center and see how much you “saved”.  Not only will it prevent those recyclables from being put into a local landfill, but you will be able to earn a little extra cash for your efforts.

5) If you have some talent like baking, drawing, writing, singing, etc then consider giving simple, handmade gifts to your family that represent your talents.  I have kids and one of the things that their grandparents want more of are photos….so, I’m trying to put together a scrapbook for each set of grandparents this year.  (Hmmm…hopefully this will be one post my mom won’t read or else I’ve spoiled the present, but I think she’ll forgive me.)

6) When it comes to friends and co-workers, think twice about this one.  If you really do “need” to give them something this holiday season, then be smart about it.  Find something they can truly use.  Also look around for gifts that use recycled materials – they are much easier to find this year than years prior. Another option is to give them a card or even a gift card….have you seen Best Buy’s gift cards this holiday?  The card is made from recycled materials.

Basically, what it all comes down to is think before you give and please don’t forget to donate this holiday season to those less fortunate than you. I can pretty much guarantee there are at least two things in your home that you don’t really need or use.  Take a look and either re-gift or donate them.  There is no reason you can’t do some biofriendly giving this holiday season!