I have come up with a discovery so beautiful in its simplicity that I feel like 3M’s Art Fry and colleague Spencer Silver must have felt upon inventing the Post-It Note decades ago. And like those fine gentlemen, I am giving this discovery away free.

The technique for doubling the life of Post-It notes is so simple and elegant that I don’t know why I have not read about it before. As you’ll see when I reveal the technique below, (which I am affectionately calling, “Be Nice, Use It Twice”) you’ll wish you had started years ago.

Can you imagine the savings??? There are 6,005,000,000 post it notes sold every year – 6 billion – according to Wiki Answers. (If six 100-packs cost about $10, that’s $100 million right there.)

Though 3M’s sales are down 20% from last year, the company is still reporting first-quarter sales of $5.1 billion, — over $20 billion per year – and a good chunk of that is from those cute little sticky notes, according to  Industrial Distribution, a Reed Business publication.

Everybody loves to use those cute notes with the low-tack adhesive on the back. They’re not just stuck all over your office and mine. The FBI uses so many of them that they’ve coined a term for them: FLYNs.

“That stands for ‘funny little yellow notes.’ Except I’m cleaning it up when I say ‘funny,’” according to Fry, one of the inventors of the notes as quoted in an entertaining article by Greg Beato, called Twenty-Five Years of Post-it Notes.

The U.S. Post Office uses a higher-adhesive version of the yellow address labels to forward mail.

Who doesn’t use them?

So get ready to save big: Double your usage, double your fun. Here’s how.

Be Nice, Use It Twice Technique

1. After you have filled out the top of the post-it note – and you have already done the chore: BUY MILK, DEODERANT, DOG FOOD – Fold the note up and over at the point where the adhesive bar at the top ends. Make a sharp crease.

2. You will see before you a whole new post-it note. Write a second message, then lift the note back up a little and it will stand up like a little message-soldier.

The area to write on is slightly smaller. But the second-time around the note is even more helpful at reminding you what to do because it STANDS UP instead of lying flat on your desk. How cute is that!

If everyone took this simple step, we could save hard-working, multi-tasking Americans (with memory deficits that require post-it notes to survive) over $100 million a year. Maybe this simple act won’t exactly empty the landfills, but imagine how much space we could save by keeping over 6 billion of these little sticky suckers out of the dumps every year.

Be nice, Use it twice.

By Susan Seliger
I miss grilling fiercely. When I lived out in the burbs, I loved moving the heat of summer cooking out of the kitchen onto the deck. I’d keep flaming my food through fall – and sometimes I’d even put my boots on, sweep the snow off the grill cover, and fire up the Bar-B through the New year.

Now that I’ve moved back into the city and into an apartment, grilling is frowned upon. Even though we have a common roof deck, gas grills are not allowed and charcoal and toxic lighter fluid are too messy — and hardly eco-friendly.

But my grilling days may not be over. I just found a brand new product on the market this month that is a clean, green alternative to charcoal and gas – that’s faster and cheaper, too.

It’s called the uGO™ FlameDisk™ and it’s a round, well, tin disk (looks a little like the old Jiffy Pop popcorn popper before it’s been popped) that contains ethanol (a renewable biofuel) and a little (4%) methanol. Charcoal, on the other hand — and lighter fluid – contain petroleum-based components from fossil fuels which are non-renewable. Propane gas is made entirely from non-renewable fossil fuels. According to EPA estimates, more than 90% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. come from the combustion of fossil fuels.

How Does It Work?

Here’s how this flame disk works: Place the disk into an open grill (an ordinary charcoal grill or hibachi will do), peel the cover off, light one of the holes on top with a single match – and boom – ooops, wait, not a boom, just a little whoosh – the disk ignites. Then put the food grate back over the disk – and four minutes later (compared to at least 30 minutes for charcoal) you’re ready to cook.

Yeah, But What About Taste?

The manufacturer claims that the “smoke plate” built in yields a genuine flame-grilled taste because the juices from the foods drip down onto it, causing it to flare and smoke, just as with other methods of grilling. Cooking time and temperature is supposed to be about the same as charcoal.

My Experience on the Grill

I hauled a little grill up to the roof deck of my apartment building where propane is not allowed.  With one match, I was able to get the disc burning. And within a few minutes — not even enough time to get halfway through a beer — the grill was ready to go. Things went fine when I started with the red peppers and onions until I poured a little extra olive oil marinade on — and the resulting flame flared up and charred the veggies a bit more than I might have liked. The same thing happened with the steaks as the juices started to drip. If my grill had been one with an adjustable-height grate, it would have been easier to control the cooking temperature. Instead, i just kept moving the steak to different parts of the grill to find spots where the flame had died down.

As for taste — even with a little more charring than I used to get with my old pre-eco-conscious propane grill — the flavor was delicious and indistinguishable from gas or charcoal.

And the cleanup was far easier than charcoal. The flame disc died out after about 40 minutes of grilling. And the grill cooled fast– no waiting for hours as with charcoal.  That’s a  particularly handy safety feature if you’re camping or having a tailgating party. And there was no messy, greasy charcoal ash to dispose of. The company says the disc is made of recyclable materials as is all the packaging.

And Price?

A pack of three disks sells for about $19.99 (including shipping). For more info, or to buy the product, or to check out a video of how the disk compares to charcoal, go to the Flame Disk web site. Here’s a list of the retailers selling the disc.

Summer may just taste a little better this year, after all.

]]> http://www.goodgreentips.com/2009/05/get-grilling-here%e2%80%99s-a-clean-green-alternative-to-charcoal-and-gas/feed/ 3 http://www.goodgreentips.com/2009/05/how%e2%80%99d-you-like-a-green-home-and-a-hybrid-car-worth-750000/ http://www.goodgreentips.com/2009/05/how%e2%80%99d-you-like-a-green-home-and-a-hybrid-car-worth-750000/#comments Tue, 26 May 2009 12:10:49 +0000 susan http://www.goodgreentips.com/?p=875 By Susan Seliger
Remember when your mom told you TV would rot your brain? Odds are, she just may have been right. So before all those neurons start wasting away, do what you can to defy the odds. GHTV is running what has now become an annual contest to give away a green home – and this year they’re throwing a General Motors Sierra Hybrid in with the package, so your new driveway won’t look naked. The whole bundle is valued at $750,000 – and that would be a lot of green, even if the house weren’t. Get those brain cells and those fingers clicking fast — the deadline is  5 PM, June 5, 2009. A new life in Florida awaits….click here.

By Susan Seliger

Nothing beats saving some green while going green. Here are some down-to-earth sales that’ll provide that two-fer.

1. Home Depot – On Sunday, April 19^th, you can get a FREE CFL light bulb (they’re giving away one million) plus a free tomato, oregano or basil plant for every one you buy. On addition, they’ll tell you if you’re eligible for a $1500 tax credit on energy-efficient home improvement.

2. Amazon.com is celebrating a sale on selected green products for the entire month—from composters and solar chargers to a 400-watt wind generator.

3. ItsEasyBeingGreen.com is offering 25% off water efficiency and energy efficiency products and every other item on the site, from CFL bulbs and an LED Night Lite to EPA-approved high-efficiency toilets, on the real Earth Day, April 22. , 2009.

4. Seventh Generation – the green cleaning and paper products company, is offering lots of coupons for discounts on its excellent range of eco-friendly products.

5. Not just for Kids—The Scholastic Store is having a giant sale on books and DVDs and more all about Planet Earth and butterflies and lions and tigers, oh my.

Photo credit: www.Goinggreenproductsonline.com

]]> http://www.goodgreentips.com/2009/04/5-big-sales-and-free-green-products-%e2%80%93-in-honor-of-earth-day/feed/ 2 http://www.goodgreentips.com/2009/03/dont-dig-for-oil-grow-it-10-us-companies-developing-algae-biofeuel-need-your-help/ http://www.goodgreentips.com/2009/03/dont-dig-for-oil-grow-it-10-us-companies-developing-algae-biofeuel-need-your-help/#comments Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:14:01 +0000 susan http://www.goodgreentips.com/?p=539 By Susan Seliger

There’s nothing nicer — in life as in geometry proofs — than the simple, elegant solution. Why dig for oil when you can just grow it? Maybe not tomorrow — but just around the corner, there’s an exciting new green fuel source — algae biofuel.

In this video by Ecopolis, the award winning science show on The Science Channel, you’ll meet Valcent Products’ Glen Kertz explaining what part algae biofuel could play in our energy future.

Here are 10 companies that are doing more than talking about turning pond scum into fuel — they are small companies actually doing it. Maybe this is where you should put your retirement savings instead of that dwindling 401K.  (For more on these companies and a peek at five more, see this post from Earth2Tech on 15 algae fuel startups:

Aurora Biofuels
Bionavitas
Blue Marble Energy
GreenFuel Technologies
Inventure Chemical
Live Fuels
Petro Sun
Solazyme
Solena
Solix Biofuels

For more on saving money and energy, check out these posts:

And tell me what you’ve been doing to save energy and money in your daily life.

By Susan Seliger

Summer got tired of hearing you can’t be green and stylish at the same time. This model for eco-friendly fashion labels and the host of Discovery Planet’s Green-Jobs show, has written the book on how to do it – from cool purses made out of recycled tires to clothes, makeup, jewelry – all as sustainable as they are fashionable. Oakes doesn’t preach – she says her aim is to be “invisibly green.”

So check out the Invisible Green Activist’s visible results in this video about her excellent new book: Style, Naturally: The savvy shopping guide to sustainable fashion and beauty.

If you have no more room in your closet for any new clothes – no matter how eco-chic – check out Summer’s advice on what to do with your old clothes.

RESOURCES:

For more on Summer, see her web site.

Photo credit: Photos from Summer’s web site.

Haven’t gotten your sweetie something for Valentine’s Day yet? I’m not saying it’s easy to find gifts that are loving, sexy, decadent – not outrageously priced — and still kind to the planet.

But just because it’s a hard combo doesn’t let you off the hook. This is one holiday where it’s more than the thought that counts.

There’s still time — for sweet stuff your favorite is sure to love – and love you for giving. And always, there’s the gift of the gods, chocolate.

1. CHOCOLATES: Fudge, truffles and caramels – all completely vegan and luscious, from Allison’s Gourmet.  Shaman Chocolates offers chocolates that will please the taste buds and ease your conscience – the bars are organic, free trade and 100% of the profits go to the Huichol Indians – which Sherman says is the last Indigenous Tribe in North American to maintain their pre-Columbian tradition. As if chocolate couldn’t get better — Navitas Naturals takes organic cacao nibs – the legendary Food of the Gods – and blends it with raw organic cacao paste (liquor) and organic sugar cane juice.

2. BODY, BATH AND CHOCOLATES: Pomegranate & Chocolate Love Kit – This love-kit, packaged in a pink bag, contains three bath and body products sweetly fragranced with organic pink guava essence and Fair Trade 70% cacao dark chocolate hearts. From Shea Terra Organics.

3. SWEET SMELLS AND MORE: Heart-shaped, cinnamon (yes, that and vanilla are sexy scents) candles – and a host of modestly priced organic love gifts from Pristine Planet.

4. DIRTY YET SOMEHOW CLEAN: Want to get a little edgy? Try these soaps with personalized or naughty messages, like, “Damn, I wish I was this soap.” Each soap is said to be hand-made: from Soapcard.

5. SUSTAINABLY-GROWN ROSES – AND CHOCOLATE FREE: Organic bouquet, which provides sustainably-grown flowers from its partner farms, has a special – a FREE box of organic truffles with every Valentine bouquet — all organic.

6. DIY LOVE POTION — SHAKE IT UP: Make your own Organic Mint chocolate shake with this organic recipe, offered by Navitas Naturals:

Mint Chocolate Chip Shake (by Jill Morgyn)

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Navitas Naturals Cashews

2 TBSP  Navitas Naturals Sweet Cacao Nibs

1 TBSP  Navitas Naturals Hemp Powder

3 Cups Water or 2 Thia Young Coconuts of water with flesh

1 TBSP Organic Soy Lecithin

3 Pitted Medjool Dates

2 Drops Mint Oil

1TBSP Coconut Butter

1 Tsp Flax Oil

1 Tsp. Superfood Green powder (powdered grasses)

1TBSP Green tea (matcha) powder (optional)

1 Dash Sea Salt

Add ice to preference

Directions:

Blend on high speed until frothy and serve.

7. Check out this video for more ideas: Tired of reading? Well, iVillage has more great eco-friendly Valentine ideas.

Photo credit: See more great photos from Osvaldo_Zoom on Flickr

]]> http://www.goodgreentips.com/2009/02/hey-lover-%e2%80%93-show-your-valentine-you-care-with-organic-gifts/feed/ 0 http://www.goodgreentips.com/2008/12/green-gift-ideas-let%e2%80%99s-all-go-out-to-an-eco-friendly-restaurant-here-are-the-top-10-in-the-us/ http://www.goodgreentips.com/2008/12/green-gift-ideas-let%e2%80%99s-all-go-out-to-an-eco-friendly-restaurant-here-are-the-top-10-in-the-us/#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:00:00 +0000 susan http://www.goodgreentips.com/?p=414 By Susan Seliger

Do we need more stuff? No. But we all need to eat. And there’s no lovelier gift for friends and family than gathering everybody together – and NOT cooking. Dining out is definitely a splurge, but the beauty of this gift is that the giver gets to enjoy it, too. Naughty, but nice. And if that isn’t the holiday spirit, then you can just put a lump of coal under my Chanukah tree.

So pick an eco-friendly restaurant in your neighborhood, and tell everybody, this is our gift: Friendship, fun, family spirit – and FOOD. There’s no reason not to make it fine food, while you’re at it. So here are the Top 10 Eco-friendly Restaurants that Bon Appéti magazine picked for 2008, where the fish is line–caught, the meat grass–fed, birds are cage–free and the rest is local, sustainable, organic and all-around mouth-watering (and oh yes, healthy).

THE TOP 10 ECO-FRIENDLY RESTAURANTS
1. Primo – Rockland, Maine
2. Firefly Grill – Effingham, Illinois
3. Hook – Washington, D.C.
4. Ubuntu – Napa Valley, California
5. Café Cenizo – Marathon, Texas
6. The Kitchen – Boulder, Colorado
7. La Provence – Lacombe, Louisiana
8. Spoonriver – Minneapolis, Minnesota
9. Blue Velvet – Los Angeles, California
10. Local Burger – Lawrence, Kansas

If none of these are in your neighborhood, go to the Certified Green Restaurant Association and find places that have been certified as green – or are working towards those estimable goals.

For more always delicious food ideas, go to Bon Appetit.

(Photo Credit: Local Burger restaurant)

1. Buy a live tree – the smell beats plastic — and plant it in your backyard come the New Year. If you’ve given up your car in pursuit of the greener life, you clever soul, here’s a good list of sources for live trees online, delivered to your door.

2. Decorate with solar powered LED Christmas lights – They save power and money and are a step beyond plain old LED lights, which are a step beyond the traditional strings. They can range from $20-60, but here’s a source for $19.99 from Solar Illuminations.

3. Use one present to wrap another present — like a napkin or tea towel or scarf around a ceramic mug or box of organic dark chocolate.

4. Choose 100% recycled wrapping paper – or a decorative bag that you close only with a ribbon so the recipient can then easily recycle the bag for their gift to someone else.

5. Unwrap presents SLOWLY – it helps to savor the delicious moment of anticipation AND you can carefully fold the pretty paper and use it again next year.

6. Buy gifts that use no batteries or rechargeable batteries.

7. If you must go the mall, carpool with friends and family – make it into a little party as you travel there and back.

8. Stock the house and the refrigerator with food that is local and organic – it’s fresher and healthier.

9. Tired of STUFF? Give food and local/organic wine as presents. Who doesn’t like home-baked cookies?! No time for that? A bottle of wine from a local vineyard is always welcome. A good olive oil comes in handy, too – and the mono-unsaturated fatty acids are great for health-conscious friends. Whatever the yummy food, if the label says organic and local, it’ll show you really care.

10. Save money decorating the house with holiday cards – hang a string from one corner to another and hang all the beautiful cards you’ve received from the line – like a laundry line. It’s colorful and festive and a reminder of what the season is really about – nurturing ties to friends and family.

(Photo credit:

]]> http://www.goodgreentips.com/2008/12/10-tips-for-a-greener-healthier-money-saving-christmas/feed/ 1 http://www.goodgreentips.com/2008/12/green-freebie-win-a-fuel-efficient-smart-for-two-car/ http://www.goodgreentips.com/2008/12/green-freebie-win-a-fuel-efficient-smart-for-two-car/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 21:22:46 +0000 susan http://www.goodgreentips.com/?p=453 By Susan Seliger

What better holiday present for yourself – or a friend you like to drive around with – than a cute, fuel-efficient, smart fortwo car? (This gift will be appreciated by four-legged friends as well. ) Even better — you may be able to get it free. You could be one of the 12 lucky winners in the QVC 12 Days of Christmas Sweepstakes who will drive one away.

And if you don’t win the green car, you still have over 1000 chances to win another form of green — free shopper dollars worth anywhere from $50 to $250. The deadline is 12-12-08.

(Photo credit: Smart Car Blog)