Using a simple power strip for your most popular electronic devices can make the task much less painful.  All you have to do is switch off the power on the strip and each device is as good as unplugged.  There are even power strips like the Smart Strip that even will automatically stop the current from going to electronics when they are turned off.   By making the small investment, you can probably recoup the cost within a few months of use.

Benefits
You get your quiz results, and while taking the quiz you find out ways to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. You can also share your results on Facebook with friends and family and see who can become the ‘greenest of them all’. They also offer specialized tips that apply to where you are in your personal green journey sent right to your email!

Part of the results offer you comparisons, tips for how to improve, and the option to “Ask an Expert”. Not too bad for a 5 minute quiz.

Cons
If you want additional information you have to sign-up and provide your gender, year of birth, and area code. For those concerned with identity theft or being on “one more list” you might want to just take the test and learn as you go!

To take the Practically Green Quiz, Click Here!

Many people get scared when people start talking overly technical, but Green IT doesn’t have to be  difficult to understand nor it’s benefits.  This video filmed by VMWare gives a great overview of some green IT solutions in plain English.

Many companies can implement many of the mentioned methods and save lots of money and reduce their environmental impact. The concept of reducing costs alone will entice any company into implementing these methods. Try proposing many of these ideas to your company, you might be surprised how receptive most companies are to changes like these.

Photo by mrjoro.

According to The New York Times, beer-to-go is both legal and growing in popularity. National chains such as Whole Foods are getting in on the action, and beer aficionados everywhere are rejoicing. At a cost of roughly $4 to $12 per half gallon (and a even a bit more for true specialty beers), a full growler beats the price of a six-pack any day.

If you live in a city – like Boston, Portland (Oregon), New York, San Francisco, or St. Louis – known for its craft beers, then you may very well live in a mecca for growlers without even knowing it! Run a Google search or ask your favorite craft beer bar owner where you can obtain and use a growler … and then drink up! (And, of course, drink responsibly.)

Have you ever found yourself ready to toss an old household appliance or other random item into the trash but then found yourself wondering if doing so could be harmful to the environment?  Well, I have….many times!  But often this was because I just did not know where to bring these items so they could be recycled.  For example, who knew it would be so hard to find a new home for a retired mini-fridge?  Goodwill would not take it, as it is against their policy, and my town recycling center didn’t want it either.  Finally, I found a recycling station that would take it off my hands…for a fee.  While this did not make much sense to me at first, the woman on the other end of the phone explained to me that any remaining freon would have to be removed from the fridge and then the metal is crushed into scrap.  What about some of the other stuff we all want to get rid of in an eco-responsible way?   Here is a list of some of the more obscure items that we use up but do not want to throw away…

Photo by chrissatchwell.

Batteries

Batteries should not be thrown into the trash because they contain chemicals that can leak out into the ground.  There are usually one or more battery collection stations in every town.  In my town, batteries can be disposed of at the local hardware store.  There are also a number of major retailers that have battery collection boxes set up through the Call2Recycle program, a free battery collection service.  Call2Recycle boxes can be found at most Best Buy, Home Depot and Radio Shack stores.  There is even a location finder on the Call2Recycle website that allows one to search for a battery recycling station by zip code (www.call2recycle.com).

Cell Phones

Like batteries, cell phones also contain harmful chemicals that can be released into the environment when thrown in the trash.  Fortunately, there are many programs available that collect used cell phones for charitable causes or for recycling.  Cell Phones for Soldiers (www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com) is one such program.  Also, there are bins set up at Whole Foods stores.  Another option is to return your old phone to your service provider, as most have a recycling program of their own.

Ink Cartridges

Empty ink cartridges can actually be refilled at many computer stores, for a fraction of what a new cartridge would cost.  If you are looking for a project, you can even purchase an ink refilling kit and do-it-yourself at home.  Staples also has a program where you can receive credits for dropping off used ink cartridges at their retail stores.  These credits can then be applied toward your future purchases.  According to the Staples website, this program has allowed them to recycle 22 million cartridges in 2008 alone.

Fabric/Clothes

When my daughter ripped the knee out on a pair of her black leggings, I placed the garment in my recycling bin and placed it out on the curb, thinking that surely, cotton cloth could be recycled, right?  At the end of the day when I was pulling my bin back into the garage, I saw that the leggings were still inside.  Thinking that they must have been overlooked, I placed them in the bin again the following week.  When I pulled my car out onto the street later that day, however, I realized that my recycling person (if that is the correct term) had sent me a clearer message this time – the leggings were now strewn upon my lawn.  Frustrated, I started doing a little research.

This recycling dilemma turned out to be a lot trickier than the others.  Apparently many cities and towns have developed their own textile recycling programs, but my community has not.  Textile banks, as they are called in the United Kingdom, are quite popular abroad and are often designed to provide recycled cloth to underdeveloped nations.  While certainly not as convenient as curbside recycling,  many town recycling and transfer stations will accept fabric scraps.

Light Bulbs

Used light bulbs (regular or CFL) can be packed into a cardboard box so they will not shatter and dropped off at your nearest Home Depot store.  You can also visit www.earth911.com and type in whatever it is you want to recycle, in this case “CFL lightbulbs,” along with your zip code, for a list of appropriate recycling centers.  Easy peasy.  I wonder what would happen if I typed in “black leggings?”

Next time you are getting ready to travel somewhere, bypass the travel-size item aisle – opting instead for your own refillable bottles – and save quite a bit of money in the long run.

I bought a small travel kit made by Nalgene before my first study abroad trip almost ten years ago and still use it whenever I head out of town.  With the kit, there is no need to hit my drugstore’s travel aisle before every trip and cross my fingers that they will have a small version of my favorite shampoo or soap.  Instead, I simply label the bottles and fill them with my favorite products from home.

It goes without saying that bringing your own products in refillable bottles is greener than using the complimentary items offered in hotel bathrooms.  But on the occasion that my environmentalism is tested by a particularly tempting free product offering in a hotel – as it was by designer products during a recent stay at a five-star hotel for a cousin’s wedding – I hang onto those bottles and refill them for use in my gym tote or overnight bag!