New Recyclebank Learn and Earn opportunity--diapers

A new Learn and Earn opportunity is available from Recyclebank.com. In this learn and earn, learn facts about diapers and the environment. This learn and earn is not up on the site yet, you can be one of the first to earn the points here:

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New Recyclebank Learn and Earn opportunity

I'm actually delayed in posting this one. I apologize. I love to post these when I receive them. They give great eco-friendly info and you earn an easy 25 points in your Recyclebank account to trade in for cool rewards. It's free!  So without further ado, here you go:

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Super Discounted Rewards at Recyclebank this week

Recyclebank.com is going to have a different reward each day at a super discount. Only 5 Recyclebank points! You won't know which one it is until that day. So sign up for your free account and grab those rewards.

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Another Learn and Earn Recyclebank opportunity: Naked Juice

Learn about recycled PET plastics from Naked Juice with this Learn and Earn Opportunity to get yourself 30 Recycle Bank Points

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Learn and Earn opportunity -- 30 Recyclebank points

Here is another great opportunity from Recyclebank.com to learn about green living and earn yourself some recyclebank points. Trade your recyclebank points in for rewards!

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Review: Ecostore.com for eco-friendly living

I've been slowly taking steps to live greener.  After all saving money and living greener seem to overlap. It's a great feeling knowing that I'm helping our environment and making my home safer for my kids.  When Ecostore.com let me review some of their products, I was excited.


I chose to review the Ecostore USA all-purpose cleaner and the Ecostore USA Laundry liquid.

I put the Ecostore USA laundry liquid to work right away.  When I opened the bottle and poured the liquid laundry detergent into the cap I noticed it was clearish yellow color.  The scent reminded me of something.  When I read the description I realized what it was.  The 100% certified organic Eucalyptus that's in the detergent.  After the clothes are washed and dried you don't smell the Eucalyptus.
It's 3X ultra concentrated.  So just the small capful or half a cap if it's a smaller load will do. It worked great.  The bottle suggests washing in warm water is ideal for this product. I'd like to a version that works in cold water for even more eco-friendliness. 


Next was the Ecostore USA All Purpose Cleaner.  I really did use this all over the place. The most frequent use might have been to wipe off the tray of the high chair several times a day.  I also used it to wipe down my counter tops.  The biggest job I used it for?  It was definitely cleaning out my refridgerator.  With the kids putting cups in there, things getting shoved in there, etc.  there was sticky nastiness all over the refridgerator shelves.  This cleaned up up nice.  It had a nice fresh lemony scent. This would be because the Ecostore USA All Purpose Cleaner used zest of citrus peel in the cleaner.  I found it worked better if you sprayed it, allowed it to soak for a minute then wiped.  For really grimy dried stuff it took some hard scrubbing.

You can find many more eco-friendly products at www.ecostoreusa.com.  From baby care, household, pet care, and more. Just an interesting piece of information, the found was a stay at home dad living in an eco-village. 

You can also find Ecostore USA on facebook and twitter. 


On Ecostore USA's facebook page you can also sign up for their newsletter.


Review Summary:  If you're looking for eco-friendly and safer products for your family, this is a great place to start.  While at first glance they seem pricey all their products are super concentrated so a little goes a long way.  Peace of mind having these in my house instead of another harmful product makes it worth it as well. Right now, Ecostore USA is offering free shipping on orders over $25 as well.



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Go green, Save the Earth, Save some money

I don't claim to be an expert in the movement to live greener. I've had an interest for a few years. After all, our children, grandchidren, etc, have to live on this planet after we're gone. My interest really peaked when I realized I could be saving some money AND living greener at the same time. I wanted to share some of my tips on how living greener can save you money.

I know some of these are seemingly obvious. Remember I'm a green newbie. If you have any other tips to share with me and my readers I'd love to hear them.

1. Recycling

We all know recycling reduces waste, reuses items to give them a second life. My town does not have a city wide recycling program. They have a few bins scattered in town where you can take minimal items like newspapers and clear glass. We save all of our aluminum cans. There is a local recycling company not far from my house. You can take your recyclables there and they pay you depending on the weight of all the items you bring. It's not enough to quit your day job over but we average $12 each trip. Hey $12 a pack of steak at walmart. If your town has a city wide recycling program it can cut down on the amount of garbage going out.  In my town you are allowed so many bags per week.  If you have more than the allotted amount they charge you extra.

2.  Organic Gardening

This is still something I'm learning more about. What I do know is, that instead of buying all those fertilizers, pesticides, special soils, etc you can make your own at home AND it's safer for the environment AND your kids and pets.  As I said I'm still new to this but little facts like planting marigolds around your garden will deter rabbits.  Or use a soapy water spritz as a safe pesticide (bugs don't like the soapy taste).  Composte bins are great.  Save your potato peels, rotting veggies, etc and use them in your garden.  Used coffee grounds are good for your acidic soil loving plants like Azaleas. 

3.  Energy Savers

We just recently put insulation in our house.  I could not believe the different in our heating oil bills from the year before.  I didn't really think it was going to make that much difference but it did.  The year before We had to fill up our tanks 3 times (I live in PA and it was a cold winter).  Last year only twice.  We also installed a digital thermastat.  We set it so the temp automatically goes 60 over night but kicks on in the morning around 7 just before we start getting up.  While there is an initial cost for these things the savings are long term.    I had also heard that installing solar panels will eliminate your electric bill and in some area electric companies will even pay you!  My husband and I are trying to gather all the facts on this in our area.  We're considering.  If anyone in PA has these I'd love to talk to you. I worry about how they work in the winter when the snow piles up.  Other smaller steps like changing to energy efficient light bulbs, turning unneeded lights off, washing clothes in cold water, and taking shorter showers, can all add up. Not only energy saving for the earth but also money saving steps for you on your electric and heating bills. 


4. Green living rewards programs like Recycle Bank

I've found a couple programs that reward you for living greener.  The best one I know of is Recycle Bank.  You earn points for green choices such as recycling in your community, sending in old electronics to recycle, signing up for their newsletter for green tips and more.  I recently became a Recycle Bank Insider.  I will have more green tips on my blog and Recycle Bank Reward codes.  You can use your Recycle Bank reward points to cash in for products, gift cards, coupons, sweepstakes, and more. 


Those are just a few tips for now.  Please share some of your tips with me.  I'd love to learn more.

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