April Eco-Tips

“Spring Cleaning”

By Lisa C. Decker – Eco-writer

* One man’s trash is another man’s treasure – Freecycle

* Green cleaning alternatives

* Earth Day is really every day

Ah, spring is in the air. Time to open the windows, dust off the cobwebs and start your spring cleaning. While you are in the cleaning mode, here are a few tips to help make your clean “green.” And when you are done with your work, reward yourself by getting outside to enjoy this months beautiful, blooming colors of nature!

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure – Freecycle.org – When you start clearing through the clutter, think about how those items can serve another purpose. Whatever you do, please don’t trash reusable items. Instead, pass them on! Donate to a local charity or give it away through Freecycle.org. This internet based network is made up of 4,288 groups with 4,653,000 members across the globe. A highly successful grassroots effort whose whole premise is to reuse and keep good stuff out of the landfills by people who are giving (& getting!) stuff for FREE in their own towns. These community based chapters have many times become a lifeline for those in need and those wanting to help. Georgia alone has nearly 100 active chapters. Kennesaw/Acworth has one. Check out your county and/or city sites at http://www.freecycle.org/.


Cleaning out the garage, basement or attic and don't know what to do with used motor oil, or the dead battery from the car you junked 3 years ago, or old paint? Check out Earth911, type in your zip code and it will list the places closest to you that you can take the stuff for proper disposal.

Green cleaning alternatives - The CBS news show "48 Hours" had a special years ago with Heloise reporting on tests from The Good Housekeeping Institute that showed vinegar has high antibacterial properties. A straight 5 percent solution of vinegar—your typical supermarket stuff—kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of germs (viruses). Though vinegar has not been registered with the EPA, so the claims cannot be made on the label, generations have known the benefits of this simple product. Just go ask your Grandma. Annie’s Green Living Healthy Home touts natural cleaning benefits using such old fashioned items as vinegar and baking soda to clean everything from countertops to clogged pipes. Check out www.care2.com/greenliving for more ideas.

Earth Day is really every day but April holds a specially designated day to honor and celebrate our planet. This year the date falls on April 22nd. Special events will be held on or around this date throughout the world.

Close to home, Keep Cobb Beautiful in partnership with local Kiwanis Clubs, are holding document shredding events for sensitive documents to help citizens be safe with secure shredding at no cost. Of course, all those shredded papers will be recycled as part of Earth Day celebration. Each car will be limited to 100 pounds of documents to be shredded. ONLY paper products will be accepted (no binders with rings or metal).

DOCUMENT SHREDDING DAY will be Saturday, April 19, 2008 from 9 am – Noon at four Cobb Senior Service Centers in the county:
• West Cobb Senior Center 4915 Dallas Hwy Powder Springs, GA 30127
• East Cobb Senior Center 3332 Sandy Plains Rd Marietta , GA 30066
• North Cobb Senior Center 4100 Highway 293 Acworth, GA 30101
• Windy Hill Senior Center 1885 Roswell Street Smyrna , GA 30080

Go to http://kcb.cobbcountyga.gov/ for more info.