[ECO]: Greening Your Office

Eco Tips for The Workplace

Image Source: Jeff Sheldon from Unsplash

Being green in your home is one thing, but carrying it through to your workplace is fantastic! How does one go about greening your office? Well here are a few tips I've put together for you:

1) At the offices I currently work at, we've implemented a recycling system so we all sort our trash into paper; plastic; tin and glass and this gets picked up once a week. Try google companies that will come pick up your recycling for you, or where you can drop it off. 

2) Need to print out documents? We use scrap paper (paper that's already been printed on the one side). Better yet though, try go as digital as possible. 

3) Unfortunately, some documents still need to be printed out in this digital day and age, so try make sure the paper you're buying is recycled paper. 

4) Keep files on computer (make sure to back it up though) instead of file cabinets.

5) When using the copier/printer, use it on draft mode or 'eco' mode as some new copiers have. You'll save on ink and try print on both sides.

6) Power down. Unplug your chargers when they are not being used, switch off unnecessary lights and when leaving work make sure your computer has shut down and is not just on 'sleep mode'. 

7) Use compact fluorescent bulbs. This uses less electricity. Also try and use as much natural light as possible. This can even be achieved by having light coloured decor which helps reflect light. 

8) Find out who stays in your area and carpool to work - your petrol tank will be much happier!

9) Green you office with small indigenous plants, helps emit oxygen into the air and gives the office a friendlier appeal. 

10) Inquire about using green cleaning products in the bathrooms and kitchens. 

Hope these tips have helped? Let me know if you have any great eco tips for the office?

Love Always, The Glam Green Girl xXx

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[ECO]: Paper Recycling

Why Should We Recycle Paper?

Image: Unsplash

Those that have been reading my blog for a while now, know that I have an obsession when it comes to recycling. I can become quite hectic over it but I feel in terms of the environment, it's a good obsession to have. Over the next few weeks I'll be chatting more about recycling but today's post features a few facts on paper recycling.

While paper is pretty much a necessity in our everyday lives, we're luckily switching over to the electronic side of things but we still use so much paper everyday, and while it may be essential, the trees that are being cut down for it are far more essential.

Did you know that recycling one tonne of paper can save the following?
17 Trees
3.3 cubic yards of landfill space
9 barrels of oil
4000 kilowatts of energy
7000 gallons of water

So how can you play your part?

1) Change to electronic billing - this saves all those bills being thrown in the bin.

2) Need to print something out? Try use both sides of the page.

3) Keep a paper recycling bin right next to the photocopier and fax machine at the office, you'll be surprised how quickly it will fill up.

4) Subscribe to your favourite magazine or newspaper digitally.

5) Buy recycled paper. Using old paper to make new paper uses a lot less energy.

6) Visit Treevolution to find out where you can take your paper recycling to or if it can be collected from your house.

Need any help with recycling? Drop me a message - I'd love to help, like I've said, it's a passion!


Love Always, The Glam Green Girl xXx

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[DIY]: Gift Bags

Reusing Magazines To Make Gift Bags

 

 

Love to collect magazines like me but sometimes the pile just gets too big? Always attending parties? I have a solution for you - the DIY gift bags!

 

I made two different bags and I've photographed each step, it's super easy!

 

 

What you need:

- A magazine

- scissors (I used cute craft scissors)

- sticky tape or washi tape

-string (if you want to make a bag with handles)

- punch (if you want to make a bag with handles)

 

 

You'll need two pages per bag, so I tried to tear out pages with similar colours to sort of keep a theme going.

 

FIRST BAG:

 

 

After you've torn out your pages, cut the edges neatly and cut the one page smaller than the other.

 

 

Tape 3 of the sides, leave one side open for the handles.

 

 

Punch holes in the side you left open and tie it with string to make handles.

 

 

You're first bag is now done!

 

SECOND BAG:

 

 

The same as with the first bag, neatly cut off the edges and cut one page smaller than the other.

 

 

This time I used pretty washi tape to tape my edges.

 

 

You can seal your package once you're ready to give it to someone with a sweet sticker.

 

 

Ta-da! Super easy way to re-use magazines and help save you money!

 

 

Love Always, The Glam Green Girl xXx

 



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GGG Tip: Easy Ways To Go Green

A Few Simple Tips

Hi there my green darlings!

It's a new month, a new week and it's National Environmental week here in South Africa! So what better time to start making changes in your lifestyle to become more green!

Here are a few tips on how to play your part in saving the environment:

♡ Switch off all lights before leaving the house

♡ Unplug all unnecessary electrical appliances when not in use ~ After I've done my hair in the morning, I always switch off the plug that I use for my hair styling tools, every little bit helps!

♡ Unplug your cellphone charger when you're not using it

♡ Reuse magazines & newspaper as wrapping paper

♡ Switch off the tap when brushing your teeth

♡ Try cut your shower time by 1 minute, you will save 3300 litres of water a year

♡ Wait until your dishwasher is fully loaded before running it

♡ Need a new light bulb? Replace it with a compact fluorescent bulb

♡ Buy local - food, clothes, beauty products etc

♡ Love to buy a coffee every morning? Take your own cup!

♡ Donate your unwanted clothes to a charity or organise a clothes swap with friends

♡ Choose paper less billing for your accounts

♡ Find out about recycling collections in your area and start a recycling program at home

♡ Change a small area of your garden to a vegetable garden and grow your own food

♡ Support brands that are cruelty free

Not too hard right?

Lets GO GREEN!

Let me know what tips you have for going green?

Love always, The Glam Green Girl xXx

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Recycling: Paper

How Recycling Paper Can Help

image: Pinterest

Please recycle your paper!

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Did You Know: Recycling

Recycling Facts

I found this infographic on Pinterest and thought it was so interesting!

I LOVE Recycling!

Do you?

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Creative way to REUSE

Creative twist on reusing items

I decided to find some pictures that will inspire you to let your creativity flow in your house and turn normal everyday items that you may no longer need into something else.

Hope you enjoy and try some of these ideas

All images: Pintrest

I found all theses pictures on Pintrest - are you on Pintrest? Follow me

Amazing ideas right? Have you done anything special in your house with re-used products? Rather put a fresh spin on something then let it be thrown in a landfill!

REUSE

xXx

The Glam Green Girl





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A Few Simple Tips

A few simple tips on how to be Glam and Green

Small changes, its what I'm always going on about. But its true, small changes can really help! Here are a few tips on how to become more Glam and Green - easy tips that will help the environment but wont make a drastic change to your routine.



• I like to keep two boxes in my bathroom, one for paper and one for plastic. My recycling bins are downstairs in the courtyard so sometimes I'll leave an empty shampoo bottle on my bathroom counter with the intention of taking it down to the recycling bin later but when I go fetch it, unfortunately its already been thrown away in the trash bin. So by having these two boxes, I can rather fill them up and take it all down to the recycling bins. There is a lot in your bathroom that can be recycled - products that have finished for eg: a body cream (plastic); toilet paper - toilet roll equals to paper; You get new products that are first packaged in paper; I always cut the tags off new clothing in my bathroom equalling to plastic and paper. You'll be surprised how much you'll actually be able to recycle! Those boxes will be full in no time!

• Are you like me and obsessed with making lists? I know you are! Unfortunately this means using lots of paper, which means cutting down trees. If you like to write it all down, use up every free space of the paper and then when you're finished recycle it! Otherwise your phones, iPads, laptops all have apps that allow you to write notes and memos - use them!

• Choose organic beauty products - but dont throw out all your products so you can go green - that defeats the point, you will just be causing waste. Rather 'convert' slowly, only buying when neccessary. Look out for reviews soon from Naturals Beauty, Mioja and Soil!

• Working on your laptop/computer all day? Rather switch it off at the end of the day instead of allowing it to 'sleep' - save electricity

• When doing laundry, rather use cold temperatures. 90% of electricity goes into heating water, and most loads dont need hot water. Save water and electricity

• Use matches instead of lighters - lighters just end up in landfills

• Choose organic food - better for you and for the environment

• Swap your magazines with your friends - instead of all buying the same magazine, make a list and each friend buys one - and then recycle it, or use it as wrapping paper like in this post

Simple and easy hey? Even if you just manage a few of these, you'll be helping! High five to you ;)

What are your simple green tips?

xXx

The Glam Green Girl

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Stunning Sunday Snaps

Franschoek & Stellenbosch, South Africa

On Sunday the 25th of March, 2012, my mom and I decided to take a little trip to Franschoek for the day. I haven't explored that side of the Cape yet, so I was really looking forward to a great day with my mom.

While walking around, my mom spotted this bath that had been re-used and turned into a couch (yes, she has been Glam green Girl trained ;) )

After walking around Franschoek we decided to go for lunch at a place that a friend recommended. Its called Deli CAT Essen and is situated at the Tokara Wine and Olive Farm in Stellenbosch - click here to view their website.

As soon as we parked the car, we knew it was going to be a beautiful lunch

You are surrounded by beautiful views everywhere, what a pleasure, eating a divine lunch and being immersed in the beauty of nature.

Apart from the stunning views, what captured me the most about Tokara, Deli CAT Essen, was their dedication to nature and the environment.

Check out the sculptures below that were made from natural resources

Amazing right?

These jungle gyms for the kiddies really captured me, it teaches the kids that nature can be fun. I love how its made from re-used resources, nothing went to waste, and all the kids had a blast playing on them.

Small changes, its ones like these that lessen the impact on the planet - what do you think?

Let me know in a comment

xXx

The Glam Green Girl

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