Going Green Tip: Eat Without Meat

This week's tip for living a greener life:

Eat without meat

The raising, processing, shipping, and storage of meat can negatively impact the environment. Aim for a few meatless meals each week, choosing beans, nuts, and legumes for protein.

Going Green Tip: Unplug

This week's tip for living a greener life:

Unplug

It's not enough to simply turn off electronics when you're not using them. When they're still plugged in, they're still sucking in and wasting electricity. Get in the habit of unplugging chargers, TVs, computers, and more.

Going Green Tip: Save Water

This week's tip for living a greener life:

Save water

Turning if off while brushing your teeth is a given. Take it further by installing low-flow showerheads and the savings will add up! Also consider a rain collecting barrel for grass and plant watering.

Going Green Tip: Visit the Library

This week's tip for living a greener life:

Visit the library

Instead of buying books, CDs, movies and magazines, borrow them. The library is free, local, and eco-friendly. Imagine how many resources are saved when hundreds of people share one book from a central locations.

Going Green Tip: Buy Local

This week's going green tip:

Buy Local

On average, food travels 1,500 miles from farm to table. Buying local supports small farmers in your community. It also uses less fossil fuel in transport.

Going Green Tip: Bring Your Own Bag

This week's going green tip:

Bring Your Own Bag

Bring reusable bags everywhere, from the grocery store to the mall. If you can't afford to buy bags, then reuse the plastic ones you already have. If you don't need a bag for your items, politely decline.

Going Green Tip: Go Natural

This week's tip for living a greener life:

Go natural

Natural materials produce less waste and last longer than man-made materials like acrylics. Choose wool, cotton, leather, silk, and linen over synthetics whenever possible.

Going Green Tip: Use Cloth Napkins

This week's tip for living a greener life:

Use Cloth Napkins

All disposable items hurt the environment, and that includes paper products like napkins. In the end, you'll save money by investing in cloth, which also looks more sophisticated.

Going Green Tip: Recycle

This week's tip for living a greener life:

Recycle

Most people can recycle more than they do. Paper, magazines, cardboard, cereal boxes, glass, aluminum foil, cans and even grocery bags should go in your bin, not the trash.

Rainy Day Spring Luncheon Menu

Cute idea for a spring lunch with the girls or a bridal shower.

Decorations: buckets of flowers on the front porch, bright umbrellas and rubber boots, fresh blossoms on the tables

Food: Keep the food simple, light and tasty. It should be easy to make and easy to eat on a lap. Bacon and leek tart, carrot and onion soup- served in pretty tea cups and saucers that can be balanced without much effort, and Angel Food cake with lime drizzle.

Drinks: "Stay Dry" vodka martinis (regular vodka martinis garnished with lavendar)

Real Simple April 2008