Go Green with EtsyChai – Living Green Part II

“We recycle our newspapers, magazines and anything else our recycling company
will take at home.”
-Terri of Terrbear37

 

“For many years I've recycled everything and anything I'm able to ... When knitting my samples of my patterns I try to use Eco friendly yarns. I do this ESPECIALLY in my packing materials for those things that need to be mailed. For my small packages of jewelry I have always gone to my local optometrist’s offices and asked for the boxes they get the eye glass frames mailed to them in. They are lovely, strong and all I have to do is remove the labels.
I go to the shipping depot for our local school system for other boxes, packing peanuts (when needed) and bubble wrap.
Then there's the local paint & paper store where I pick up their discontinued wall paper sample books. These I use for making envelopes I ship the knitting needles in. I also use the paper to make small size envelopes to slide my business card in so that it's not just floating around in the package like confetti.
I love being creative in this way and people love receiving the packages, because it looks like a gift and not just a generic paper envelope. Also, my post office people love seeing all of the variations I come up with and try hard not to cover up any more of the design than is necessary when they put all of the packing labels on for the postage and insurance.
I've always thought that if you can find a second - or even third use for something, why not? It not only saves me money (which as we all know is as scarce as hen's teeth at the moment), but keeps trees from being cut down and reduces waste to our landfills.
-Sandra  of A Cache of Jewels

“Choosing environmentally sound ways to live and work has been a way of life for me since my teens.  When a workplace or my townhouse was throwing paper in the trash, I made sure to sign us up for recyclables pick-up (in the past, we’d get paid for paper, payments have changed over the years but pick up was always free).  Currently, I’m on my local Solid Waste Commission to promote better recycling in the schools and the community, volunteering my time to get the word out.
At home, I try to minimize chemical use – it’s amazing how much cleaning can be done with vinegar and baking soda – it’s nice to see that there’s lots of non-toxic options now available to purchase, too.” 
-Tammy (tamdoll) of SILVER Mountain Originals