The Home Depot Christmas Light Trade-In Event

What sophisticatedly green idea on the part of Home Depot to offer green shoppers $3 Off for every string of old, incandescent lights!  Home Depot will not discriminate - they will accept old, broken, and used lights to recycle.  In turn, you will walk away with $3 Off a string of energy efficient LED Lights!  It is a win/win event!  Not only will you save $3 initially on the LED lights; but they are the gift that keeps on giving.  LED lights use 80% LESS energy than traditional incandescent lights and they can last up to 10 times longer!  Hurry to your nearest Home Depot before November 14th to start the season of giving and green early!

More Sophisticatedly Green Cosmetic Programs

Here are two more sophisticatedly green cosmetic/skincare programs I wanted to share with you.  Kiehl's  is one of my favorite skincare lines and they are becoming even greener, now, by launching their "Recycle and Be Rewarded" program.  Request one of their recycling cards and for every 3 empy Kiehl's  product bottles you bring back to the store, you will receive a free lip balm (one of my personal favorites!).  If you want to save even more, bring 5 bottles and you will recieve a complimentary travel-sized product.  For the true Kiehl's  lover, bring 10 bottles in for a free full-size product valued at $25!  These empty bottles do not have to be brought in at one time, that is what the recycling card is for.... they will give you a stamp for every bottle.  So, take your time, save your bottles, and earn your complimentary Kiehl's  products!

M*A*C cosmetics company has a similar program called "Back to M*A*C".    Bring or mail 6 empty M*A*C containers to any M*A*C counter and receive a free lipstick of your choice! 

Both of these companies are working to keep cosmetic containers out of landfills and reward their sophisticatedly green customers at the same time! 

Origins Recycling Program

Origins make-up is offering a new program that seems to be designed specifically for the sophisticatedly green mom!  They are the first in the make-up industry to offer such a green program and I am excited to support it.  The Recycling program encourages consumers to bring in all of their empty cosmetic jars, packages, tubes, etc. - regardless of their brand - to any Origins counter.  As a thank you, Origins will treat you to a FREE  sample of your choice.  The hope is that Origins will  reduce the amount of waste in landfills (cosmetic packaging takes up approximately 1/3 of all landfill waste!) by sending your empty containers to a central location where they will be recycled or used for energy recovery. 

Before you head over to your nearest Origins, call to make an appointment for a FREE mini-facial.  Origins offers mini-facials everyday with a call ahead appointment.  You can choose your perfect facial from their extensive menu.  Some of the options are: Age Preventing, Hydrating, Firming, Redness Reducing, or Brightening.  Origins supports and offers products and services perfect for the sophisticatedly green mom!  So, relax, recycle, and pamper yourself with a trip to your nearest Origins counter or store!   

BRU & TRU "Great Trade-in" Event

Sophisticatedly green moms, listen up!  Babies "Us" and Toys "R" Us are running the perfect "green" EVENT for expectant moms or for any mom who is done having kids and wants to save on baby shower gifts. 

From August 28th - September 20th, Babies "R" Us and Toys "R" Us are encouraging parents to bring in their used baby items (i.e. strollers, carseats, highchairs, cribs, travel systems, bassinets, pack n plays, etc...) in exchange for a 20% off coupon for each item.  The coupon can be used to purchase any new baby item of your choice.  So, if you are pregnant with your third child and some of your baby items are worn out or if you are just the mom who always wants the newest for their baby, this is the event for you!  Recycle with a reward of saving.... truly the perfect promotion for the sophisticatedly green mom!

Challenges of a Green Home

After looking around my house this morning, I realized one of the biggest challenges a "green" mom has is keeping her home uncluttered. With one or two... or three or four little ones, pets, and (and who could forget the biggest challenge to a clean home) a husband, it is hard for a sophisticatedly green mom to keep her home clean and organized (the way she likes it!). And, that is only the first part of the challenge. Since we are "green" moms, we have the challenge of what to do with the extras that we no longer want or need in our home. So, I thought I would share some solutions I have used to "recycle" these items and avoid adding to the already full landfills.

One of the great solutions is to post your items on www.freecycle.com . This is a network I found through my very resourceful mother. Go to the site and find a group nearest your home, sign up for the group, and post your item as an "offer". Believe me, you will have more responses from people interested in your item than you even know what to do with! You will feel so good about recycling your items and it is a great way to show your kids the value of giving away as opposed to throwing away.

If you do not have a freecycle group near your home or if your item is still in excellent condition and you would rather sell your it, look to www.craigslist.org . There is a Craigslist for every location, so just choose the one that services your area, go to "For Sale", and post an advertisement for your item. If you do not know what your item is worth, search the ads, first, to see if similar items are for sale and price accordingly. This is another free and easy way to recycle your no longer used or wanted items.

Ebay is a fun site you can use to list any items you want to sell. This solution will market your item(s) to a national/international group rather than a local audience. I do recommend only using Ebay for smaller items, since you will have to pay for packaging and shipping. But, this is a great way to bring in some green while staying green! I have sold unused items on Ebay for as much as $400! Not bad for the 20 minutes it takes to snap some pictures of the item, upload them onto the computer, write the description, and hit "Start Selling". So, checkout www.ebay.com (it is also a great place to sell or purchase that adorable Halloween costume that your little one will only wear for 2 hours!).

My last easy solution for those clutter items is to bring them to a consignment shop. This is an excellent way to give new life to clothing. Check out local consignment shops in your area, choose one and bring in your never worn or gently worn items. These shops take clothing seasonally, so, for example, if you have a large grouping of summer clothes call the store around March to schedule a drop-off. Most consignment shops give your clothing 90 days to sell. At the end of the 90 days, you go back to pick up any unsold clothing and your check for your portion of the sales. It is so easy and it is a fun way to get some green to shop for your next wardrobe! Take all of the unsold clothing to a clothing drop box or to a thrift shop to insure your clothing reaches it full use!

These are just a few of the ways I have found to keep my home sophisticatedly green and uncluttered. So, unclutter your home and show your children the value of recycling and giving in a way only a sophisticatedly green mom can!