Best to sleep on an eco-pillow made from humane materials like natural rubber latex, kapok, and buckwheat grown without pesticides. Some brands to check out are the Essentia Memory Pillow made with natural latex from rubber trees; Sachi Organics Buckwheat Pillow with an organic cotton cover; and White Lotus Standard Sleeping Pillow filled with a soft, downlike fiber from the kapok tree.

Donate used pillows to animal shelters, or use the stuffing instead of packing peanuts when you’re shipping stuff.

Sweet dreams.

From idealbite.com, 11.7.08

Tuesday, Nov. 18th
Today’s Tip: Reuse paper bags.
Bringing your own bags with you when you shop is a great way to cut down on waste, but it’s also easy to repurpose the paper bags that you can’t avoid, or that you still have lying around the house.

Few paper bags are made of recycled or alternative fibers, meaning trees have to be cut down for their manufacture. True, you can always recycle paper bays by putting them you’re your many blue recycling bin (or use the bags to hold other paper for pickup).

However, paper fibers can only be recycled a few times, before they start to break down. So it’s better to press old bags into service before sending them off to the recycler.

Paper bags are great for lining trashcans or animal cages, versus petroleum-based plastic. They can be used to cover books to help them last longer, and can be turned into packaging material, or gift wrap which you can have fun decorating.

Paper bags have thousands of other possible applications, so get creative!

From thedailygreen #5132.

Wednesday, Nov. 19th
Today’s Tip: Steam instead of dry clean.
Save a bundle of money and cut down on use of energy and chemicals by steam cleaning your clothes at home. A number of modern appliances are now available to make it easier.

Contrary to what some people think, dry cleaning does not extend the life of a garment. As with any other type of cleaning, the process still introduces wear and tear on your fabrics. So if you have woolens, fine suits, or other items that are marked “dry cleaning only,” you should consider your options.

If you go to a traditional neighborhood dry cleaner, it will likely use PERC (perchloroethylene), a volatile organic compound that can cause dizziness, headaches, nausea, and irritation, and has been linked to groundwater contamination and cancer at high doses. Some cleaners use a less-toxic hydrocarbon called DF-2000, but the EPA lists that as a neurotoxin and skin and eye irritant. A better option is a carbon dioxide-based green cleaner.

Still, save the expense, and the need to leave the house, with a steam cleaner. LG’s steam wash-an-dry system uses less water than even a front-loading washing machine. These types of cleaners are great for pressing slacks and other items you want looking their best.

So, don’t use conventional dry cleaners. Think outside the box. Think about steaming, instead.

From thedailygreen

Thursday, Nov. 20th
Today’s Tip: Start dreaming of a green Christmas.
It’ll be here before you know it. I’m starting to prepare. Like a nesting bird, I find myself gathering pieces of twine and string, bark and pine cones, old paper bags, cardboard and used tissue paper—anything I can use to wrap presents and decorate the house for the holidays. I hate shopping, so it’s easier for me to go out into the yard, or into the country, and collect nature’s treasures.

When it comes to wrapping paper, be creative. Look around the house for items you no longer use. Old maps make fun and festive wrapping paper. I’ve even used old sheet music before, and posters and colorful newspapers. Fashion discarded cardboard into gift tags for a homemade touch. Gateway Market’s grocery bags, with sturdy handles, make excellent holiday bags and are fun to decorate. They even have wine bags, and they’re free.

More waste is discarded during the holidays than at any other time of the year. Be green this holiday season. Plan ahead.

Remember, being green is all about being resourceful, not buying more stuff.

Friday, Nov. 21st
Today’s Tip: Ditch that electric blanket.
It wasn’t a good idea from the beginning—to sleep under a blanket warmed by charged airwaves. Electric blankets are not a good idea for several reasons, chief among them that they produce electric and magnetic fields, called EMFs, that are potential health hazards. Really.

Unplug your electric and cozy up with a buddy. Or snuggle alone under an organic or recycled blanket.
No need to zap yourself.