Welcome to the new nextgengreen!

By Mary Rose Roberts

We are excited to launch our newly designed blog today. Our editorial team worked with the design guru at hello belle studio, located in Chicago, Ill. The studio reworked the blog layout and helped develop the brand mark, an artistic rendition of the tree of life. The tree of life concept has been used in science, religion, philosophy, mythology, and theology to represent the interconnectedness of all life on Earth--an apt representation of the blog's mission of reuse, recycle and renew.  

I started the blog less than a year ago to have a central location to post information—such as healthful recipes, conservation tips and eco-product reviews—where all my friends could access it. And that is still the core of the blog’s mission: Create an online community where people can share ideas on how to reuse, recycle or renew products. This includes how we buy products, the type of products bought, and environmental/social-justice issues associated with consumerism.

We’ve made a lot of changes to the blog to meet this mission statement. A navigation bar has been added so it is easier to quickly find information, including a new tab for People. This area showcases people making a difference by changing their lives or those in their communities. It also highlights people who follow the blog, including product giveaway winners. Look later today for a profile about an islander who won our last giveaway, WIRED earrings. Of course, we will continue to throw in surprise product giveaways often. (You will have only one day to enter so check back with us often to get your chance to win.)

Visit our new About page and find bios of the blog’s contributors, including Food Editor Anna Fischer Wulff and Health Editor Tonya Yancey. Our two contributing bloggers are Nikki Golden, a DIYer and marketing/grammar guru, and Kathy Schrenk, who covers West Coast issues. (For blogging opportunities, visit our Contact page.)

Finally, sponsorship has been added to the right side of the page. Please take a moment to visit the banner ad(s) and tell them nextgengreen sent you!

We love feedback, so let us know what you think of our new look. And thank you for your support.


With love,


Mary Rose

Do you know about the new Illinois Electronics Disposal Law?

It’s a new year. While you try to keep up with countless resolutions, you also need to make yourself aware of the 200+ new laws that took effect January 1st in Illinois. One law that’s likely to affect nearly every Illinois resident at some point is the new electronics disposal law. Done are the days of tossing your outdated computer, TV, or even CDs in the trash bin and calling it a day. Residents now are required to recycle their electronics under state law.

The new law carries a fine of $25 for first time offenders and $50 for repeat offenders. But it’s about more than the government trying to make a buck. The goal of the new law is to divert up to 60 million pounds of electronics from landfills in 2013. Electronics sit in landfills and contain many dangerous harmful chemicals that can be released into the environment.

•           Donate – What’s old to you can be gold to someone less fortunate. Even if your electronics aren’t working they can often be easily fixed and updated for a second life of use by someone who couldn’t otherwise afford them. Search the web for The National Cristina Foundation, The Assistive Technology Exchange Network and Computers for Schools to find out how you can part ways with your old, seemingly useless object while contributing to a worthwhile cause

•           Recycle – Many communities offer drop-off bins and recycling programs where you can drop off or arrange for pick up of your old electronics. The community will make sure your electronics are properly recycled for parts or re-use. Check with local communities’ websites to find drop-off locations.

•           Sell – You’d be surprised what people are willing to pay for electronics you may view as worthless. Often old electronics contain valuable parts or can become collectable items over the years. Put your electronics on sites like Craigslist or eBay or even hold a garage sale and see what people are willing to pay.

Source: SRV Network

Go green by living simply, auntie says

By Mary Rose Roberts
I recently was Facebooking with my Aunt Colleen about living green, especially in a big city like Chicago. The funny part about our talk was how nonchalant she was about the Green Movement. To her, living with a conservationist spirit means being smart. So she recommends readers live green in simple ways, in the ways that she has always lived, by doing the following:

• · don’t use pesticides in the garden
• · don't use plastic plates or cups
• · feed the birds so no stale starches are thrown out
• · recycle
• · support local business, not Big Box stores
• · take any clothes to the Salvation Army
• · turn off the lights when you leave the room
• · use cloth dish towels instead of paper

It just shows that in little ways, each of us can conserve money while also living a conservationist lifestyle.

Use coffee grounds to keep pests away

By Mary Rose Roberts
My cousin Barbara is what I would call a country girl and likes to cowgirl it up. She always gives me tips on how to live more simply, from the earth, and different ways to recycle and reuse. I learned something new from her last week: Used coffee grounds can keep away bugs. Instead of tossing coffee grounds in the garbage and later in a landfill emitting methane, put grounds in your garden or even around the perimeter of your house. In the case of insects like ants and slugs, the odor works as a repellent.

It’s a great alternative to using harsh chemicals in your garden and around your house. It also will save you money. 

Old stockings double as drain hose lint trap

It’s rare that I rip a pair of stockings. But over time, they do stretch out and lose their shape. At our house, we use stretched out stockings as washing machine, drain-hose lint traps. We take scissors and cut the legs into 8-inch pieces. As far as the length, that will vary to depending on the size of your utility sink. But it’s important the piece is not too long because then it will clog the drain and overflow.

Next, we tie knots at the end of each stocking piece and connect the open end to the drain using a rubber band left over from the newspaper. Make sure to wrap the rubber band around several times, so it doesn’t fall off when the wash runs.

After 10 washes, the stocking fills up with lint. When the lint dries, we remove the stocking, turn it inside out and re-attach it to the drain. It cheaper than buying two nylon-mesh lint traps that cost around $3.25 for two. It also is a great way to recycle something that would have been thrown out.

Tackling the taboo about being second-hand

By Mary Rose Roberts

Growing up, the majority of my wardrobe consisted of hand-me downs from my sibling. While my parents did it to save money, my sibling was a boy. As a result, I spent much of my childhood dressed in Wrangler jeans and flannel shirts. To make matters worse, my mother was practicing her haircutting skills in the basement so I usually sported a short, choppy hairstyle.

It wasn’t until I entered high school that I let go of the taboo of having second-hand clothing. Like most middle-class kids of the 1980s, little money was wasted on clothes and name-brands. Kids didn’t get everything. At that time, having a Gap or Forenza sweatshirt paired with Guess jeans meant you had money. I didn’t have either.

What I did have was a group of cool, artistic girlfriends in my Chicago neighborhood. What they had was creativity. So instead of hitting the mall on Western Ave., we would head to the south side of town, across the tracks, to a thrift store called Unique.  Now people can find a Unique in the swankiest part of the city. But back then, it was in a bad neighborhood.

Us girls would head to Unique with a mission and little teamwork. It was about hitting the racks and finding a treasure, then comparing who found what. Treasures included carpet bags; long gold necklaces featuring insects or animals; polyester patterned shirts; even Levi’s and Guess jeans. Rarely did anyone buy shoes. But we all walked away with a sense of personal style.

This was the memory I had while walking around my local Goodwill and a reminder about this blog’s reuse, recycle and renew philosophy. Since that day in Unique, I enter thrift stores with excitement. I never know what I may find. For example, my last trip I scored two belts as accessories to my newest Anthropologie tennis dress, a Fossil reusable bag and two shale serving bowls. The grand total? $12.

So don’t be afraid to go second-hand. There may be a surprise waiting just for you to discover. 

Ditch mercury-filled eco-bulbs with mercury-free, made in USA Sylvania Super Savers

By Mary Rose Roberts
Did you know that compact fluorescent light bulbs contain mercury and, if broken or tossed into landfills can be harmful to you, your family and the environment? 

Right now, the U.S. has begun to switch off its production and import of traditional incandescent light bulbs forcing consumers to move to more efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs. Many consumers are annoyed that most of these light bulbs are made in China. Others are concerned about the mercury pollution and the lack of education about their dangers if dropped or if discarded into landfills. But there is a solution: Sylvania’s Super Saver energy-efficient halogen light bulbs made in Wellsboro, Penn.

Unlike compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL), halogens do not contain mercury. Yet they still meet the energy-saving criteria of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 enacted by then-President George W.  Bush.  One of the provisions of the act was to require that light bulbs sold in the U.S. use 25% to 30% less energy by 2014. When the act was passed, the only bulbs that met that requirement were CFLs. However, CFLs need mercury to produce light.  The mercury in a CFL is encased in the glass tube and does not pose a hazard when it is recycled or does not break in the house.  But if it does break or crack in landfills, the mercury will seep into the earth and later into steams and rivers—and into fishes’ bloodstreams.

It also is important to remember that mercury has been shown to cause birth defects, brain impairments and even death. If a pallet of these are dropped in a warehouse, it is considered a hazmat situation and the local fire department is called in for clean up.

Sylvania Super Savers are a common-sense replacement for incandescent lamps being phased out by the Energy Independence and Security Act and a much better choice compared to CFLs. The bulbs operate on a halogen capsule and provide an energy savings of up to 33% when compared to incandescent lamps. Unlike CFLs, the bulbs offer an instant-on (meaning no warming up before they provide light), are fully dimmable and also mercury-free.

If you do decide to stick with China-produced, mercury-filled, light bulbs, remember to recycle them and do not thrown them away in the trash.  

Top 10 lifestyle changes to reduce your footprint in 2012

The United Nations has designated 2012 as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All. Make a commitment this year to reduce your carbon footprint by making these Top 10 lifestyle changes:

• Recycle every day, right down to the receipt from your shopping trip.
• Turn off the lights when you are not in the room.
• Stop using Styrofoam containers. Bring your own reusable container to the restaurant if you know they use them and ask them to make the change, too.
• Stop buying bottled water. Buy a BPA-free bottle and take it everywhere you go.
• Make the switch to mercury-free halogen bulbs.
• Turn down the heat. Don’t wear shorts in your house during the winter. Bundle up and turn the thermostat turn down.
• Buy local. (The shorter the distance to you the better the food tastes anyway.)
• Start Meatless Mondays and overall eat less meat. Livestock production accounts for about 18% of all human caused greenhouse gas emissions and accounts for about 23% of all global water used in agriculture.
• Carpool or take public transportation. It also can save you money.
• Plant a garden, even if it is in pots on your deck. Every little bit helps.

Modular eco-flooring has style and a conscience

If you haven’t heard of FLOR modular floorcovering or carpet tiles, it’s like creating your own carpet design using recyclable materials. It's not only chic, but it also has proven itself to be the the go-to product for many innovative eco-designers in urban areas. In addition, many of the company's styles meet or exceed the Carpet and Rug Institute's Green Label Plus standards for low volatile organic compounds. According to the Colorado Department of Public Health, exposure to such compounds may result in liver or kidney failure, among other diseases. (See fact sheet.)

It also offers a Return & Recycle Program—one of the few in the U.S. The program lets users call the company, receive a pre-paid UPS label and ship the used tiles back to its facilities in Georgia. The nylon face fibers are sent to be reconstituted into new recycled nylon fibers and new post-consumer recycled fiber is then available for purchase to be used in future products.

Recycled paper makes for a cute clutch

This is a one of the kind clutch purse made out recycle paper magazine, quality brass hardware and leather.