The Fair Trade issue is one that has been on my heart for quite some time. I first read about the Fair Trade movement on a visit to World Hunger Relief to pick up the week's share of organic vegetables for my family and friends from their CSA. They also have a nice little gift shop which sells Fair Trade items like tea, coffee, and all sorts of crafts and gift items. I purchased a bag of coffee beans for my coffee-loving husband. Though they were more expensive than our regular grocery store brand, I thought the little extra $ was worth it since it was a gift, and the money was for a worthwhile project. In my bag was a little pamphlet telling about the Fair Trade Movement. After I read that, I felt saddened that I had no idea what the cost of producing things I buy on a weekly basis was to not only the earth, but to the farmers growing them. I was shocked, saddened, and convicted; now that I knew the truth, I was responsible for my own response to that truth.
The things that my family has started with in an effort to not only Go Green, but buy Fair Trade are tea and coffee. I buy these often as we drink both on a daily basis. My local grocery store does stock one brand of Fair Trade coffee, and I can order teas from Mountain Rose Herbs when I place an herb order. These are 2 simple things that I can do without much extra effort at all; and though the cost is a little more at the checkout; I know that we are doing the right thing by not making life harder on a farmer somewhere across the world. My first concern was the cost, as we do not have a large income for our family of 5; but I felt that either I needed to pay the cost of a Fair Trade brand, or sacrifice by not buying tea and coffee at all.
Bananas are usually the cheapest fruit in the grocery store; but I've recently learned that there is a huge cost elsewhere. Since I've not yet found Fair Trade bananas in my area, I've decided to do without that fruit until I can either buy Fair Trade or grow my own. I have noticed a blessed absence of fruit flies as one benefit of not having bananas in the fruit bowl daily (My husband makes Kombucha which is dearly loved by fruit flies it seems- no bananas, no fruit flies attacking the Kombucha!).
These are just 3 simple things that I have committed to do in order to promote Fair Trade, Go Green, and do what is right by those who are growing these items.
I've included several links throughout this, and you will find possibly more than is comfortable to know about Fair Trade and the true cost of food should you choose to read about it. It isn't always a pleasant subject, but knowing the true cost of what we consume is something that is important, I believe. It may be challenging to know the truth; but knowing the truth sets you free to do what is right. One book that gives a good picture of the true cost of food production in the world is Hope's Edge by Frances Moore Lappe and Anna Lappe. Please note, I do not agree with all of their viewpoints, but their travels and sources are well documented; and it is a good source of information.
I'm not suggesting that everyone has to make the same choices I have. I'm simply sharing my story and giving you some information on the subject. If you are a Christian, read the information in the links, or do your own research; and then truly ask yourself...What would Jesus do? Perhaps Isaiah 58 is a good place to find out.
Over the last several months I have gotten lots of email asking questions regarding how to teach kids green methods of doing certain tasks and making changes within the family to promote an earth friendly lifestyle. Many have asked for my opinions on going green and global warming. Over the next few weeks I will be posting answers to a lot of those questions while offering tips and ideas that promote simple ideas for green living.
So no one is confused, I don’t have an answer to global warming. I do not take a side, because I don’t feel there is a side to be taken. The truth for me lies in a logical thought alone; the earth is a planet of clean resources. If those resources are abused, mistreated, and squelched into non-existence, the planet must change to accommodate. This means that you cannot cut down trees and other vegetation endlessly and recklessly at a quick rate and expect the air quality not to be affected. God made earth with a perfect balance to support life. Plants give off oxygen, which supports animal life. Animal life gives of carbon dioxide to support plants. Destroy this intricate balance without concern and there will be problems. God’s design for life is intricate and complex and we were given the task to care and respect His design (Gen 1:26-28 and Psalm 8:7); a simple concept in my mind. God in His omnipotence already knew what man would invent over the ages, how many humans would inhabit the earth, and how the earth would be treated. Yet, we have been given free will to follow His commands. So, my official stance is, live, but be careful and mindful as much as possible.
So today I offer a few simple ideas for incorporating earth friendly lifestyle choices. Lift this topic in prayer. Ask God for wisdom and guidance on how He would use you and your family to care for His earth. Remember, every change takes time. If your family currently doesn’t have a focus on how many water bottles they dispose of, you will not change this overnight. Take it step by step and soon your motivation and mindset will be changed, because your focus is on glorifying God and respecting His creation, not because it is the politically correct thing to do.
Water your lawn and gardens in the early morning or in the evening, helping to reduce evaporation and allowing you to use less water to do so.
Create a common place for a recycling center, even if it is only one bin to place all recyclable items.
Consider taking recycling items to a recycling center on errand day. You may be surprised at how much money you can put back into your wallet. We do not have a specific schedule of how often we go, but we average $80-$100 on each trip.
Purchase items in bulk whenever possible. Make certain you are getting the best bang for your buck; not all bulk items are a good purchase. When it is cost effective, you will also have less waste, due to less packaging.
Avoid using any spray cans that use CFCs (cloroflorocarbons). Instead purchase items that come in stick, pump spray, or creams. Believe it or not, CFCs remain in the atmosphere for over 50 years! That cannot be good for your in home air quality, or for the atmosphere in general.
Use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable. They are a very inexpensive investment now, and will save you a fortune for all those battery operated gadgets such as flashlights, clocks, video devices, remotes, and toys. The additional benefit is that all those batteries will not be leaking lead into the earth’s surface.
Check out stationary stores for deals on recycling printer cartridges. Many offer return policies that either give you a coupon for cash off your next cartridge or will give cash back just for bringing them in. Some cartridge manufacturers give you postage paid return envelopes to send the used cartridges back, so they can be recycled properly. Consider saving yourself money by refilling or having your cartridges refilled for a fraction of the cost of purchasing new ones. These won’t last forever, but by refilling them until they need replaced and then taking them to a store that will give you cash or coupons towards purchasing replacements, you will save a bundle and reduce trash all at the same time!
Try incorporating one or two of these over the next month and your family will be well on their way to helping improve and maintain a healthful balance of the earth’s resources.
These are my thoughts.
Leslie Valeska
~Contributing Writer~
Leslie Valeska is the lucky wife of Thomas. With children ranging in ages from 4-16, she has had a lot of time to learn and experience much of the fine art of homemaking. She is a writer, speaker, and vintage seamstress. For FREE daily tips and a FREE E-zine on simple and frugal living visit her blog Journey to Simplicity. Need a source of encouragement, inspiration, and support on your journey to Godly womanhood? Visit Simple Journey Ministries (she has a FREE E-zine too!)
I found another interesting calculator at the EPA website. This one helps you calculate your CO2 emissions. But it indirectly helps determine your energy use. I've written all about it here.
Kristin Hoffman homesteads with her family in the hills of East Tennessee and blogs about alternative energy, family farming, and home schooling with her husband at www.solarfamilyfarm.com. The Hoffmans also run Knot4Fun, a family business dedicated to teaching kids the practical skill of knot tying and adventurous outdoor play. Kristin can be found on cool summer mornings pulling large clumps of summer grasses from her pathetically weedy garden.
In an effort to discover greener cleaning products, I have found that they don’t work as well on the toughest of dirt and grime. Not to mention that green cleaning product often times have a steep price tag comparatively to their caustic counter parts. This has had me on a mission to discover green cleaning methods that are effective and inexpensive.
Two ingredients I have found to be the most consistently effective are hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar. Both are inexpensive, but I will warn that the smell of vinegar has taken some getting used to for me.
As a little aside, I have been asked about cleaning products that claim they have oxygen based “bleaching”action. The fact is that these products contain natural ingredients that when mixed with water produce hydrogen peroxide. For this reason those products ARE safe and green, but demonstrates the effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide. One of the best assets of hydrogen peroxide as a cleaning agent is that it is not dangerous. The reason that it comes in brown bottles, is because when touched by light it changes into regular water. What could be safer than that?
Here are a list of some of the methods I have found to be effective and the cost is PENNIES!
·For the Bathtub & Shower stall: To remove soap scum use hydrogen peroxide and the netting from citrus fruit. Pour on the HP and allow to work for a few seconds before using the netting to scrub away the soap scum! Need to disinfect your bathtub or shower? Simply use a vinegar rinse before rinsing with water.
·Toilet: Add 2 cups white vinegar to toilet with ½ cup baking soda. This will bubble and foam. Once the bubbling stops, scrub with brush as usual. Have stubborn hard water stains? Plunge as much water out of your toilet as possible. Pour 1 gallon of white vinegar into the toilet, scrub with brush, close lid, and allow to sit for 2 hours or overnight. Scrub once more and flush.
·Sink: Sprinkle baking soda around sink. Pour or spray white vinegar. Allow to bubble for a few seconds. Use scrub brush or citrus netting to scrub clean.
·Faucet: Soak a cleaning rag in white vinegar. Ring out. Wrap rag around faucet and secure with rubber bands. Leave on for 3-4 hours. Remove rag, and scrub the crannies with an old toothbrush. Then wipe clean with a clean dry rag.
·Countertops: Mix hydrogen peroxide (about 1 cup) and white vinegar (about ½ cup) in spray bottle to clean and disinfect countertops or any surface.
These are my thoughts.
Leslie Valeska
~Contributing Writer
Leslie Valeska is the lucky wife of Thomas.With children ranging in ages from 4-16, she has had a lot of time to learn and experience much of the fine art of homemaking. Simple Journey Ministries was established to encourage, support, and inspire women, from all walks of life, to engage and continue on a path of Godly Womanhood. You can visit her at her blog Journey to Simplicity (www.leslievaleska.com/blog), Simple Journey Ministries (www.leslievaleska.com), and Simple Journey Bookstore (www.leslievaleska.com/bookstore)
Living in SW Florida I try to come up with some creative ideas to mimic different seasons. One thing our family loves is to build all types of forts, secret hiding places, reading nooks, castles, etc. So I decided I wanted to find away to incorporate the two AND do it GREEN. Well, my brain came up empty, sad to say. I was so over thinking on the subject when I had a brainstorm! Oh my little noggins was working over time, I tell ya. You are going to be so surprised when I tell you that I decided to use the Internet for my research. Am I smart or what? (I know. I know. Or what. tee hee!)
I don't want to post the pictures of this project here, because I didn't have time to ask for permission, BUT I will give you the link to this MOST FANTABULOUS project!
The project is an igloo built from gallon milk jugs! Oh, I can't tell you how excited I am to get started on this project. Now, the website states that their class used 155 milk jugs. We go through about 4 milk jugs per week. So, with my caluclations it would take us about 48 weeks to collect enough of those jugs to make an igloo. Not only do I not want to wait that long, but where in blue blazes would I store an igloo for 48 weeks!
Then I had another brainstorm. I could make this project with my children for FREE because we have hot glue and yardsticks. Not only that, but I can reduce our waste AND the waste of friends and family if I ask them to save their milk jugs as well. In no time I will have enough jugs to make our igloo!
Are you thinking ahead of me yet? What do you do when you are finished with the igloo? There has been no trash savings if you dismantle the igloo and discard the jugs when you are finished with the igloo, right? NO WAY! I wouldn't leave you hanging like that!
Here is a list of ideas that we have used milk jugs for in the past and will implement using when we are done with our igloo.
Watering can
Change Bank
Seed Sprouter
Sandbox Toy
Drinking Hole for small animals
Megaphone
Berry or Veggie picking bucket
Automatic Plant Irrigation
Plant Row Markers (cut into strips)
Pool/Beach Toy
Bird Bath
Dustpan
Funnel
Clothespin Holder
Luminaries (this is especially fun when there is NO holiday)
Freezer Blocks (to keep your freezer running efficiently when it is runnin glow on food)
Juice and Tea Containers
Bird Feeder
There are so many ideas to use these plastic jugs for, that I am inclined to think up new ones! A FREE and FUN project for the family, saving LOTS of trash from landfills; this is a project that can't be beat!
These are my thoughts.
Leslie Valeska
~Contributing Writer~
Leslie Valeska is the lucky wife of Thomas.With children ranging in ages from 4-16, she has had a lot of time to learn and experience much of the fine art of homemaking. She establishedSimple Journey Ministries to encourage, support, and inspire women, from all walks of life, to engage and continue on a path of Godly Womanhood. For FREE daily tips on simple and frugal living visit her blogJourney to Simplicity. Want to get to know her up close and personal and be notified of all the NEW releases, updates, SALES, events, and GOODIES from other authors, as well as find a good dose of support and encouragement, then visit Simple Journey Ministries. Of course, don’t forget to visit the Simple Journey Bookstore!
Just popping in here. Life on our little Tennessee Homestead has gotten a bit busier this week with Frank heading to Georgia for a new engineering job and the kids and I left to manage the home & farm! But I'm trying to keep up with some blogging!
I found a calculator at the U.S. Government's Energy Star website to help you determine if you should replace your old refrigerator or get rid of an old freezer to save on your energy usage. You can read about the calculator on my blog here.
I'm also trying to get more info on our experiences living with solar power so check back now and then to see what new info I have up!
Happy energy saving!
Kristin Hoffman homesteads with her family in the hills of East Tennessee and blogs about alternative energy, family farming, and home schooling with her husband at www.solarfamilyfarm.com. She can also be found keeping the home fires burning!
A week from today is Earth Day (April 22, 2008). This is a day that many homeschooling families use to teach their children a little something extra about our earth. Topics of discussion may include recycling, local landfills, pollution, creation, the hydrolic cycle, gardening, composting, planting trees, re-purposing items, species, local environmental activities, re-using items, etc. If you don't already have a FUN activity planned, here are a few sites that have GREAT ideas to get your creative juices flowing!
One really fun thing I like to personally do approaching Earth Day is to read The Lorax and co-ordinate some lessons to go with it to include all my brood. Since we read this throughout the year, I liek to pick on a new theme or topic to dsicuss and have an activity. Stumped for ideas to use? Try this link.
Sometimes are kids get drug along on our quest to care the earth God has blessed us with, that they never learn the whys and hows. Making time to do a few earth friendly activities is a GREAT way to have FUN and teach them the whys behind the practices.
These are my thoughts.
Leslie Valeska
~Contributing Writer~
Leslie Valeska is the lucky wife of Thomas.With children ranging in ages from 4-16, she has had a lot of time to learn and experience much of the fine art of homemaking. Prior to their move to SW Florida, Leslie was graduated from Bethany College with a B.A. in Education and co-founded, A Child’s Place CASA, Ltd.; a non-profit organization which advocates for the rights of abused and neglected children in court. Currently, Leslie homeschools her children, writes weekly for Homesteadblogger’s Front Porch, and is also a seamstress for Vintage Vixen, one of the oldest online vintage clothing shops. When time permits she enjoys reading, writing, hockey, scrapbooking, painting, sewing, cooking, and watching old movies, and always has time to hang out with her family and friends. She and her family have a passion for hockey and also spend much time RVing. Simple Journey Ministries was established as a ministry to assist and encourage women, from all walks of life, to engage and continue on a path of Godly Womanhood. For FREE daily tips on simple and frugal living visit her blog Journey to Simplicity. Want to get to know her up close and personal and be notified of all the NEW releases, updates, SALES, events, and GOODIES from other authors, as well as find a good dose of support and encouragement, then visit Simple Journey Ministries. Of course, don’t forget to visit the Simple Journey Bookstore!
Please visit:
Simple Journey Ministries (Sign up for Her Simple Walk, the monthly e-zine that will help you to re-focus, re-connect, and renew, leaving you refreshed!)
Reader's Note: I have been trying to post this for several days. For some unknown reason I have been locked out of posting here. It is MY computer/ISP server, it appears, because this is not the only community site I have submitted to and had this problem; all the while I can post on my private blog. GRRR! At any rate, this is much abbreviated from the original post, but it has all the links that I KNOW you will enjoy!
I have been busy digging in for green living tips and ideas. Something about Spring inspires me to re-focus and expand my family's green efforts. In my research I have come across lots of great sites that have bunches of information!
This first one is WONDERFUL! Life Tips' Green Living Tips is TOPS! I am much intrigued with their tips on beauty, home, food, and produce. The 10 Simple Steps to Living Green, is my current pondering! DON'T miss this site in your quest for living more greenly.
Normally, I don't recommend iVillage sites. Whenever I vist their sites, I feel as though I am floundering for information in a sea over populated with ads. iVillage's iGo Green is one you should visit, though.This site is no different, really, but I have been enjoying their articles, to the point that it was worth my hour or so of floundering.
Now, here's one I am so enjoying! The Daily Green. This site is more focused on food and gardening than anything else. It has some info about the latest news in the going green movement. I am really enjoying the Green Cuisine section! DRAWBACK..LOTS of ads kind of like iVillage.
Green Living Ideas is another great resource for researching ideas and options for living green. Right now I am studying the info about lawn care. This site has a LOT, so take it small bits.
National Geographic has a site called The Green Guide. I stumbled upon this quite by mistake. It is a little more "official" than other sites I have found, which made me a bit leary. But I started looking at some reviews of products and quite enjoyed it. It's definitely worth a look.
Well, I these are all teh sites I had written down on my notebook, so I hope you dig in and enjoy the study as much as I am! This is the perfect time to get your "goinr green" juices flowing.
These are my thoughts.
Leslie Valeska is the lucky wife of Thomas.With children ranging in ages from 4-16, she has had a lot of time to learn and experience much of the fine art of homemaking. Prior to their move to SW Florida, Leslie was graduated from Bethany College with a B.A. in Education and co-founded, A Child’s Place CASA, Ltd.; a non-profit organization which advocates for the rights of abused and neglected children in court. Currently, Leslie homeschools her children, writes weekly for Homesteadblogger’s Front Porch, and is also a seamstress for Vintage Vixen, one of the oldest online vintage clothing shops. When time permits she enjoys reading, writing, hockey, scrapbooking, painting, sewing, cooking, and watching old movies, and always has time to hang out with her family and friends. She and her family have a passion for hockey and also spend much time RVing. Simple Journey Ministries was established as a ministry to assist and encourage women, from all walks of life, to engage and continue on a path of Godly Womanhood. For FREE daily tips on simple and frugal living visit her blog Journey to Simplicity. Want to get to know her up close and personal and be notified of all the NEW releases, updates, SALES, events, and GOODIES from other authors, as well as find a good dose of support and encouragement, then visit Simple Journey Ministries. Of course, don’t forget to visit the Simple Journey Bookstore!
Please visit:
Simple Journey Ministries (Sign up for Her Simple Walk, the monthly e-zine that will help you to re-focus, re-connect, and renew, leaving you refreshed!)
I wanted to send a apology that I did not get this post done earlier this week. An explanation will follow below the post. Thanks for your patience!
FREE Garden Ornaments that Help Save the Earth
Each week as I make my rounds for errands, I notice a lot of things at the curb. I am one of those people who seeks those things out. What I have noticed is how much really usable stuff people place at their curbside! Many times there are dressers, hutches, desks, toys, etc that are in useable shape (only needing a quick wash down). I am honestly amazed at how much stuff people just cast to the landfills. This is what I pay attention to when I am driving. Well, not only then because just last night I was on my walk, I called home with bursting excitement! I asked the hubby to come and pick up one of those big wooden cable spools that the cable company had left behind. I was so excited at the possibilities! Yes, this is where my mindset is often.
There are other items that you would normally probably pass over and think, "TRASH!" Think again! Some of those not so wonderful items may be used for a different purpose. Here I go again with the re-purposing, right? YES!
Gardens are a great place display not so great items. I am not talking making your place look like Sanford & Sons. Be selective. Old metal tonka trucks, with a bit of rust on them, can look darling placed properly in a flower bed (I am ready to do this with a garden I am allowing the kids to plant!) Metal wagons stuffed with potted plants look so friendly! Old disacrded planters can be used even if they are cracked. Simply lay them on their side and fill with some type of crawling plant. even old bathtubs can be used as a main focal piece in a garden, also filled with flowers. How cool is that?
I have seen gardens that use the metal head and foot boards of toddler beds for garden decor. VERY CUTE! An old piece of fencing would also make a great addition to a garden. Iron lawn and patio pieces are PERFECT for garden accents! Even an old style rusted bicycle would make a great garden accent when positioned just right. I could go on and on!
The reason these imperfect items that may not be of use in any other way are perfect for gardens, is because their deterioration is of no consequence. They can stay in the elements and will continue to look wonderful. Garden centers have become HUGE! The sell all kinds of garden decor to spruce up your garden. Skip the garden center and find the perfect compliments to your garden for FREE!
This helps you keep your money in your wallet (where it belongs) AND saves the earth too! It's that simple.
These are my thoughts.
Where have I been? What has been keeping me so busy that I haven't been able to keep my blog schedule? Well if you have spent anytime at the Journey to Simplicity you know that I have been working tirelessly to provide a new website for YOU! After a few months of banging my head against my monitor there are three new websites created to help bless you.
First is the NEW Journey to Simplicity. This site will be the new main location for my posts, so please adjust your book marks. But don't worry if you forget, because the old journey will still be up and stand as the mirror site to the New Journey to Simplcity! I am really excited at how much I will be able to offer YOU as I continue to work on that site! Make sure to sign up for the FREE E-Zine!
Secondly, is the Simple Journey Bookstore. We just had our Grand Opening, and I have been WOWED by the response to say the least! Currently there are 4 titles available, with more on the way from other authors and 6 NEWTitles from me that will be on a rolling release schedule with the next title being released in just a few weeks! One more upcoming add on to the site will be FREE articles for YOU! So stop by the Simple Journey Bookstore and visit for a while.
Lastly, I receive a lot of emails regarding me as a person. I also have be-friended some truly wonderful authors who have such a vast area of knowledge I wanted a place to be able to be more personal and showcase some of their work. So Simple Journey Ministriesfinally has its own site! This is SO exciting for me! YOU MUST continue to check back often so YOU can grab all your FREE support and encouragement...OH and lots of smiles and laughs too!
A special thanks to all my readers and friends who have been so patient with me throughout this process and provided me so much encouragement. It has meant the world to me!
Leslie Valeska is the lucky wife of Thomas.With children ranging in ages from 4-16, she has had a lot of time to learn and experience much of the fine art of homemaking. Prior to their move to SW Florida, Leslie was graduated from Bethany College with a B.A. in Education and co-founded, A Child’s Place CASA, Ltd.; a non-profit organization which advocates for the rights of abused and neglected children in court. Currently, Leslie homeschools her children, writes weekly for Homesteadblogger’s Front Porch, and is also a seamstress for Vintage Vixen, one of the oldest online vintage clothing shops. When time permits she enjoys reading, writing, hockey, scrapbooking, painting, sewing, cooking, and watching old movies, and always has time to hang out with her family and friends. She and her family have a passion for hockey and also spend much time RVing. Simple Journey Ministries was established as a ministry to assist and encourage women, from all walks of life, to engage and continue on a path of Godly Womanhood. For FREE daily tips on simple and frugal living visit her blog Journey to Simplicity. Want to get to know her up close and personal and be notified of all the NEW releases, updates, SALES, events, and GOODIES from other authors, as well as find a good dose of support and encouragement, then visit Simple Journey Ministries. Of course, don’t forget to visit the Simple Journey Bookstore!
There are items that we have in our homes that are sometimes discarded. In my own personal search to re-use and save more I came across these websites. I thought I would share them with all of you to assist you in YOUR Journey to Simplicity.
Reuse Everyday Items This British site has some neat ideas. I had never thought of items that could be donated to nurseries and public schools. What a great way to save the earth and help your community at the same time!
10 everyday Items You Can Recycle Who knew you could take your old worn out Little Tykes items to the recycling center! The pictures and links are definitely worthy of your time.
Creative Ideas for Reusing Everyday Items I have posted a link to Leah's blog before. This post is a good read. Spend some time checking out her blog, though. It is packed full of useful everyday family friendly ideas!
How to Reuse Everyday Items Want to know how you can get FREE garden knee pads? Read this article for the answer and MORE.
Good Ideas for Recycling Everyday Items Terrie has wonderful ideas for re-purposing items. I am totally digging the idea for ladder re-purposing, wallpaper ends, and making hanging baskets. Make certain to click on the link for More Ideas on the bottom of each page.
Have fun with these links and by all means post YOUR favorite links as well!
These are my thoughts.
Leslie Valeska
~Contributing Writer~
Want to read more? Come, partake in the Journey to Simplicity where you will find lots of information regarding frugality, simplicity, homeschooling, organization, faith, homemaking, art, and so much MORE! Leslie is a wife and homeschooling mother of four in SW Fl. With children ranging in ages from 4-16, she has had a lot of time to learn and experience much of homemaking. Leslie is also a seamstress for Vintage Vixen, one of the oldest online vintage clothing shops. When time permits she enjoys reading, writing, scrapbooking, painting, and watching old movies. She and her family also spend much time RVing. You simply must come on over to the Journey to Simplicity and see what she is talking about today!
If you use the internet much, you likely use your printer A LOT! When you find recipes, e-books, articles, lapbooks, prayer journals, etc they all get printed off. Homeschooing mom's print even MORE! We print everything from detailed photos of art work, the nervous system, math sheets, and SO much more!
Lots of home printing costs us $$$. We need to remember that we not only have the out of pocket cost of paper and ink, but there is wear and tear on our printer AND all that paper! I'd like to say paper doesn't grow on trees...but....
To save $ on paper AND reduce your rubbish, save every sheet that is mis printed and re-use the reverese (and clean) side for printing something else. If you are printing a looooong article, instructions, e-book, pattern, etc be sure to print on both sides of the paper. A 10 page booklet will only cost you 5 pages when printed on both sides of the paper! As soon as you have printed an item, be sure to use it as intended, store in a binder, place in a folder, or a file so it will not get lost. That 10 page booklet, which you spent time to print double sided, will cost the MORE than if you had originally printed fronts only if you need to reprint the document for some reason. Why? There is the cost of 5 extra sheets of paper AND the cost of ink to reprint the entire document! If that occurs regularly in your home, it WILL add to your cash loss AND your rubbish pile!
For small items, consider keeping a notebook nearby and j otting information down by hand. This reduces cost of ink, paper, and already puts the information in a transportable AND contained location.
Have you tried to print double sided only to have th document continue to print before you can re-load the paper? GRRRRR! Here's a solution. Firstly, anything you are printing off the internet should be copied and pasted into a Word document. Many printer programs have an option to print only the even or odd pages of a print job. Select the item and click your print button. In the print window you will find several options; how many pages to print, how many copies, whether or not to collate, etc. There should also be a drop down option that will say something such as Print:, with a drop down box that reads all pages in range. If you click on the arrow to the right of the box, the menu that drops down should include the phrases "odd pages only" and "even pages only". Select one and print the document. Then retrieve those pages out of the tray, replace them (in the appropriate order for how your printer prints) and reprint the document selecting "even pages only."
Want to see the trickle down method of this method of printing? We have already determined that it saves money on paper and ink AS WELL AS reducing your trash output. But there is more potential savings. If you store your items in notebooks, binders (with page protectors), files, or folders, you will need only half the space to store your printed documents. That can mean spending less on folders, files, notebooks, and binders! But it doesn't stop there! Needing less space to store those same articles, also means Less is More in the home organization world! Add to that the fact that you not only have spent less $ to contain your print outs, but you have cut your consumerism. Cutting your consumerism also means that you have eliminated the trash of the wrapper/box/container that those files, folders, notebooks, binders, page protectors would have come in...thus REDUCING YOUR TRASH OUTPUT!
I point all this out, to demonstrate that even the smallest changes can make a HUGE difference in the grand scheme of things. Imagine for a moment if every person who reads this article made this one change in his/her home. Now extend that thought process to how much paper usage is decreased. How much ink, files, folders, notebooks, binders, page protectors, trash is reduced for each person. That's a LOT of savings. Add to that the savings of $ in each person's wallet. WOW! Now, imagine if each person who reads this article and implements this minor change in their printing also recommends to one friend to do the same. And they tell one friend, and they tell one friend...well you remember the old Breck shampoo commercial...it adds up quickly!
Keep your money in your pocket and your trash output down, in one simple habitual adjustment. It's that simple.
These are my thoughts.
Leslie Valeska
~Contributing Writer~
Want to read more? Come, partake in the Journey to Simplicity where you will find lots of information regarding frugality, simplicity, homeschooling, organization, faith, homemaking, art, and so much MORE! Leslie is a wife and homeschooling mother of four in SW Fl. With children ranging in ages from 4-16, she has had a lot of time to learn and experience much of homemaking. Leslie is also a seamstress for Vintage Vixen, one of the oldest online vintage clothing shops. When time permits she enjoys reading, writing, scrapbooking, painting, and watching old movies. She and her family also spend much time RVing. You simply must come on over to the Journey to Simplicity and see what she is talking about today!
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Leslie Valeska is the lucky wife of Thomas.
