The 3 Rs: Reduce. Reuse & Recycle
The 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) is no longer simply a mantra for environmental activists, it's a ticket to saving you money while you consider the planet. The 3Rs ask you to buy less, reuse more, and recycle products at the end of their useful life—wonderful guiding principles for reducing our environmental footprint and bringing our lifestyles into balance with nature. But in practice, how many of us are really willing to cut back on the stuff we want to own, to reuse what we'd like to throw out, and to recycle when doing so is often incredibly inconvenient?
Fortunately for budget-conscious Lazy Environmentalists, the 3Rs are receiving a twenty-first-century facelift, making them easy to implement and even easier on the wallet. We have entered a moment when we no longer have to invest in our own gear (be it a chainsaw, pasta maker, or Ping Pong table); we don't have to hit the mall to refresh our wardrobe; and we don't have to hunt for the recycling drop-off point to keep our used cell phones (or computers or stereo speakers) out of the landfill. The 3Rs are easier than ever to embrace, and doing so can help you maintain your lifestyle while saving you money. This first chapter will introduce you to eco-aware products and services that support the 3R mission and that will be covered in greater detail throughout the book.
REDUCE
Reduce, the first of the 3Rs, releases you from the hassle, expense, and waste of unwanted stuff while helping you use less energy and create less trash. And while most of us can't imagine life without our most prized four-wheeled possession, the first place to embrace Reduce is with our cars. That's because our automobiles generate about half of our personal greenhouse gas emissions—the other half comes from our homes.
Today, you can enjoy the freedom of being in the driver's seat while eliminating all of the expense of owning—or leasing—and maintaining a car by joining a car-share service. Zipcar is leading the way. Available in more than 40 U.S. cities, Zipcar lets members locate cars conveniently parked at designated spots around the city and reserve them for an hourly fee (typically between $10.50 and $16.50). Members arrive at the parking spot, swipe their membership card over the windshield sensor to unlock the door, hop in, and go. There's no need to pay for gasoline or insurance; Zipcar has got you covered. You won't sacrifice your ride either; Zipcar lets you choose from models like the BMW 325, Mini Cooper, Honda Fit, Volkswagen Jetta, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid, Volvo S40, Mazda 3, and Subaru Outback. According to the company's surveys, over time Zipcar members reduce their car usage by as much as 50 percent. They always have access to cars, but also become more inclined to walk, bike, take public transit, or hop in a taxi (it's okay, you won't go to hell for taking a taxi). As for the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion, Zipcar estimates that each of its cars removes the equivalent of about 15 privately owned vehicles from the road.
Other car-sharing services are popping up across the country. Check out CommunityCar.com when you're in Madison, Wisconsin; HourCar.org when visiting Minneapolis, Minnesota; and PhillyCarShare.org when hanging in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Car-sharing is proving so popular with people who appreciate the convenience of having a car constantly accessible—without having to ask Mom or Dad for permission to use it—that Enterprise Rent-A-Car, the largest rental car company in the world, has started WeCar, a car-share service currently available in St. Louis, Missouri.
Car-sharing is largely for city dwellers, but suburbanites can reduce their gasoline consumption and car ownership too with ride sharing, i.e., carpooling. Several companies have discovered how to make sharing a ride easy, fun, and even rewarding. In fact, these days whether you're looking for a ride to work, soccer practice, or a rock concert, services like Zimride, NuRide, and GoLoco.org ensure that there's a very good chance somebody else is going your way (see a full discussion in Chapter 3: Tread Lightly).
Reducing your eco-impact by consuming less stuff is pretty much Environmentalism 101. That's because making new consumer products—be it T-shirts or baseball gloves or TVs—has an ecological impact. A lot of energy and water is needed to grow or extract raw materials from the earth, and the same is true for turning those raw materials into new products. But it's now possible to consume fewer products and still get exactly what we want. Sound paradoxical? Not if you're perusing the inventory available at Irent2u.com. The website lets you rent products from neighbors or anyone else nearby who is willing to make their own stuff available (and make a few bucks in the process). Instead of purchasing that John Deere lawn tractor only to use it a handful of times, you can rent it for a fraction of the retail price. Need to bone up on your Italian before your next vacation? Rent some language tapes. Want to try golf? Rent some golf clubs. The possibilities are limitless. And if you'd like to earn a little extra cash, list some of your own items for rent. Similar services are popping up across the globe. Check out Zilok.com in France, Germany's eRento, and New Zealand's Hirethings.co.nz.
Heading off to college soon and nervous about the spiraling costs of textbooks? Chegg.com has the answer. The company rents more than a million textbook titles, helping students save up to 80 percent off retail prices and potentially hundreds of dollars each semester. The company also plants one tree for every textbook it rents. Once the semester is over, print out a pre-paid mailing label provided by Chegg.com and send the books back to the company, so next semester's students can also expand their minds and reduce their eco-footprints.
You can also apply the concept of Reducing to decrease the amount of waste you generate. Start your new "waste-loss" regime with a water filtration system that lets you enjoy endless amounts of tasty tap water while eliminating unwanted substances—lead, chlorine, copper, and mercury to name a few—that could be in your water. And you'll save money as you wean yourself off your disposable water bottle habit—a practice that collectively results in more than 38 billion disposable plastic bottles deposited in the landfill each year in the United States. The easy affordable filter of choice is a Brita pitcher. Simply pour tap water through the top of the pitcher and it will drain through the replaceable filter (made primarily of reclaimed coconut husks), and presto, you're ready to drink. Sleek space-saving models like the Brita Slim ($10.99) can hold up to 40 ounces and are narrow enough to fit on the shelf of a refrigerator door. The Brita Deluxe ($26.99) is a larger, elegantly designed model that holds up to 80 ounces of water. Each pitcher filter ($24.99 for a 3-pack) delivers the same amount of fresh drinking water as about 300 standard 16.9-ounce bottles. That's why drinking from your Brita is one of the easiest ways to save money and reduce waste. And when your replaceable pitcher filter is used up, recycle it. Early in 2009, Brita launched a new program with eco-products maker Preserve to recycle the plastic from used filters into a sleek line of personal care, tableware, and kitchenware products. You can drop off filters at participating Whole Foods Markets or mail them directly to Preserve.
This Lazy Environmentalist is a huge fan of Brita, which is why I've signed on as a spokesperson for Brita's FilterForGood campaign. The campaign invites you to take the pledge to give up disposable bottled water for a week, month, or year. To help you reach your goal it also offers reusable FilterForGood water bottles courtesy of Nalgene. The sporty and classic plastic bottles sell for $10 and are BPA-free (a questionable chemical that is believed to adversely harm the human body). Visit Filterforgood.com to learn more.
Brita also offers water filtration systems that connect directly to your faucet or refrigerator. As for other reusable water bottles, check out Sigg's fun-filled designs that are also durable, dishwasher-safe, and nontoxic. Kleen Kanteen is another safe option for transporting water. The sleek stainless steel reusable bottles come in a variety of colors. Platypus reusable bottles are made of BPA-free plastic and can be stored flat inside your backpack or handbag when not in use. And Pure Water 2Go reusable bottles are equipped with their own built-in filtration system, giving you freedom to roam where the skies are vast and the water is stale.
Interview
Pankaj Shah is founder and CEO of Green Dimes, a company that helps consumers eliminate junk mail.
How did you get the idea for Green Dimes?
The concept was an experiment. I was trying to figure out if capitalism and social good could coexist. The beauty of what we're doing is that we give consumers something they want/need and we take care of the goodness. So we're chasing lifestyle dollars, not charity dollars. I just looked at all the junk mail I received at home and started digging into how to stop it all. I thought, hey, if I care about this but don't want to spend a bunch of time getting off lists, I'd pay a nominal fee for someone else to do the work and maybe others would too.
What is Green Dimes's positive environmental impact?
Well, I think it's on two fronts. First, we plant trees for every new member that chooses a paid service. Second, because there are 100 million trees and 28 billion gallons of water used each year to produce unsolicited mail, every time someone signs up for Green Dimes we're able to help reduce those numbers.
I hear it's hard to get off Victoria's Secret's catalog list. How many people would you say are really upset about this?
Not enough! Though you might be surprised to know that Victoria's Secret is by far our number one opt-out request, and they're the hardest company to work with.
Waste can be really devious, collecting in big piles in your mailbox or on your doorstep before you know what has happened. This phenomenon is called "junk mail," and most of us have to contend with lots of it—about 100 pounds per year for the average U.S. household. Don't get bogged down under heaps of catalogs and credit card promotions. Instead let a company called Green Dimes remove your name from consumer mailing lists and reduce the clutter from your life. For a one-time fee of $20, your name will be removed from more than 90 percent of all junk mail lists. Monthly monitoring by Green Dimes will keep you off those lists for five years. The company will even counterbalance the ill effects of your history with junk mail by planting five trees in your honor. You can also opt for Green Dimes's latest promotion package—the company will pay you to use its tools to remove yourself from junk mail lists. The first five million people who sign up for self-service will each receive $1. Since launching in 2006, Green Dimes has helped liberate hundreds of thousands of people from junk mail. Now it's your turn to experience the freedom.
REUSE
Reuse—the middle child of the 3Rs—has been a part of our lives before we were "eco" anything (eco-conscious, eco-savvy, even a tentative eco-curious). Think about it: Every day, we reuse items like T-shirts, cereal bowls, and underwear without a second thought. We don't toss them after one use. We reuse. The secret to twenty-first-century Reusing is to discover how to reuse other people's really cool stuff as well as our own; it's about learning how to let go of clutter so other people can benefit from what we've got; and it's about finding appealing ways to extend the life of products that we might otherwise dump in the trash. Similar in many ways to the first R (Reduce), Reuse allows us to tread lighter on the planet while still surrounding ourselves with goods that we enjoy.
Let's start with your jeans, perhaps the staple of any American's wardrobe. Distressed styles are still the rage these days, but when distressed turns to ratty and tattered, hope is not lost for your favorite pair of denim. Instead of tossing them in the trash and shopping for a new pair, mail them to Denim Therapy at its repair facility in Cincinnati, Ohio. Upon arrival, a denim therapist will examine holes and rips and evaluate your jeans' unique thread weight, fade, wash, pattern, weave, and wear. Your jeans will then be reconstructed and restored to their original look and feel and shipped back to you. The process takes about two to three weeks and costs $7 per inch of repair plus $12 for shipping. So go ahead, let your jeans get into a tussle or two. With Denim Therapy in your corner, even seemingly insurmountable wounds can always be healed.
But suppose you're absolutely craving a new pair of denim. You're ready to shop, but before you head to the mall to spend big bucks on new duds, try logging onto Swapstyle.com, a global community of fashionistas who trade, buy, and sell used items from their own wardrobes in exchange for the opportunity to pluck sweet finds from yours. Tired of your Hudson Jeans? Swap them for a pair of J Brand Dark Vintage. Had enough of Marc Jacobs for the moment? Swap your goods for an influx of Prada. The possibilities are limitless as you connect with members around the United States and in fashion capitals like London, Milan, and Sydney. Swapping is free. All you pay is the price of shipping. There are also no fees charged by Swapstyle.com for buying or selling. Remember, manufacturing new consumer products, even clothing and accessories, has an ecological impact. It takes lots of energy and water to grow materials like cotton or extract raw materials like oil (from which fabrics like nylon and polyester are made). The same is true for turning those raw materials into new products. Through sites like Swapstyle.com, avoiding purchasing new products is not only easy, but also a money-saving pleasure.
The same Reuse logic is in effect at Goozex.com, where gamers gather to swap their video games. While Swapstyle.com asks you to peruse the offerings of other members (at your leisure, of course), Goozex makes instantaneous matches for you. All you do is create an account and list the games you own that you'd like to trade. Then Goozex quickly locates other gamers who want them. With each game you mail, you earn Goozex points, which you can then use to acquire the games you want from other members. Instead of spending lots of money on new games, you'll pay Goozex $1 each time you receive a game. Whether you're partial to Xbox, Wii, Nintendo, or many other gaming platforms, the Goozex trading community has got you covered. Get your reused copy of Call of Duty 2 or NCAA Football 09 today.
Swapping websites are emerging in all kinds of categories. Bookworms can browse more than two million titles available for trade at Paperbackswap.com. Movie collectors can visit Swapadvd.com to trade both new and classic DVD titles. CD fans (you know you've still got 'em) can tap into more than 130,000 titles available at Swapacd.com. And new and expecting parents can trade for baby strollers, bibs, bedding, bumpers, and more at Zwaggle.com.
Reuse may be in its finest form on The Freecycle Network (Freecycle.org). The concept is so simple you'll be surprised you didn't think of it first. Freecycle members join a local email group where they list used items that they no longer need and are willing to give away for free, or "gift," as founder Deron Beal calls it. Local members who need or want the items—like couches, cabinets, coffee tables, or Cuisinarts—arrange to pick them up. That's all there is to it. Yet this simple idea has led to an explosion of activity. Since launching in 2003, Freecycle has spread to more than 80 countries and grown to more than 5.5 million members worldwide, with 20,000 more joining every week. Members are participating in what Beal calls the global gifting economy, which collectively redirects thousands of tons of usable items away from the landfill and into the hands of those who will benefit from them.
Naturally, there are times when reusing somebody else's unwanted merchandise won't meet your needs, and buying a new product seems like the only course of action. But before you pay top dollar to consume new or invest the time to find a deal by scanning numerous shopping sites, consider looking into products that have been refurbished. This is an eco-savvy way to strike deals, particularly for items like computers, TVs, cell phones, and other electronics. Refurbished items are usually products that were returned to stores within 30 days of purchase, had damaged packaging or a slight cosmetic defect, were used as in-store display items, or were simply overstocked. Many are still covered by their original warranties. And before they can be resold in the marketplace they go through rigorous defect testing. They also frequently sell for less than 50 percent of the retail price. Taking advantage of these bargains helps keep these products out of landfills, which is where they typically end up. So, if you're looking for a megadeal on computers and other office electronics visit Refurbdepot.com. If it's an LCD or plasma flat-panel TV you want then check out Secondact.com. And for amazing deals on iPods and Blackberries head over to Dyscern.com. Yes, you can have your gadgets and your planet too.
Lastly, any discussion of Reuse would be incomplete without mentioning the paper versus plastic conundrum. Paper bags come from trees. Plastic bags come from oil. Neither choice is a productive use of the planet's natural resources. As many Lazy Environmentalists already know, the best approach is to tote your own reusable shopping bags and avoid the controversy altogether. Well and good in theory, but it's difficult to get excited about reusable, beige-colored canvas bags bearing proud slogans like "I'm an Earth Momma" or utopian slogans like "Make Love Not Carbon" or even absurdly obvious one like "This Is Not a Plastic Bag." To really accelerate the shift to shopping bag Reuse, it's helpful to add a dash of updated attitude to your canvas bag or ditch it altogether for more color and style. For a bit of attitude with your canvas bag, check out the sack from Angry Little Girls featuring a cartoon of one little girl admonishing another to "Shop with a reusable bag, B*tch!" And for a bag with supreme color and style, check out Envirosax's collections. The contemporary Mikado line from the Graphic Series is inspired by ornate Japanese motifs and features bold floral graphics and intricate geometrical patterns. With shagadelic circles and interlocking rectangles, the Retro Graphic Line is an homage to seventies chic. Prices for these lightweight, waterproof bags start at $8.50. There are five bags in each line and a complete set (all five) with accompanying stowing pouch can be purchased for $37.95. The only downside is that they're made from polyester, a plastic derived from oil. Recognizing the concern among consumers, however, Envirosax has also introduced its Organic Series of stylish reusable bags made from natural, eco-friendly fabrics such as bamboo, hemp, and linen. The patterns are equally fabulous, though beige reigns supreme as the dominant color. Prices also leap to $24.95 per bag, a little on the steep side but perhaps not too shabby for a tote that walks the walk while turning heads at the farmers' market.
RECYCLE
Recycle, the last of the 3R trio, is the most transformative of the Rs. When we recycle, we're giving used products the chance to be reborn as something new. In the coming chapters, you'll discover innovative companies that are finding ways to turn recycled materials into an array of affordable and exceptional green products. There's Preserve, a company based in Waltham, Massachusetts, that has partnered with Stonyfield Farm to recycle its yogurt cups—from organic yogurt, of course—into ergonomic plastic toothbrushes, razors, and an assortment of colorful kitchenware (and now does the same with Brita pitcher filters). TerraCycle, based in Trenton, New Jersey, is on pace to redefine much of America's relationship with trash. The company that began with its signature Plant Food—made from worm poop, packaged in empty Pepsi bottles and sold at the likes of Home Depot and Wal-Mart—has evolved into an innovation powerhouse that continually introduces new products made entirely from waste. Take the E-Water Trash Cans and Recycling Bins available at OfficeMax for $10.99 each and made from crushed computers and fax machines (that would otherwise end up in a landfill). Or the rain barrels and composters made from Kendall-Jackson oak wine barrels that sell for $99 each at Sam's Club. They're both prime examples of a company that sees opportunity where others see garbage. In 2008, TerraCycle announced a major partnership with Kraft Foods to take used packaging from brands like Oreo cookies, Chips Ahoy!, Balance bars, South Beach Living bars, and Capri Sun beverages and transform them into attractive consumer products. Cookie wrappers will soon be fused into sheets of waterproof fabric and then transformed into umbrellas, shower curtains, backpacks, place mats, and more. Energy bar wrappers will make backpacks and purses. Drink pouches are already being given new life in a wide assortment of bags, including funky totes ($7.99 to $11.99), messenger bags ($19.99), backpacks ($11.99), and lunchboxes ($7.99). How does TerraCycle get its hands on so much garbage? By signing up trash collecting "brigades" across the United States. Thousands of schools, nonprofit organizations, and business offices are collecting waste and sending it to TerraCycle's facility. In exchange, the schools and nonprofits gain an additional income stream or opt (as do offices) to donate proceeds to a local charity of their choosing.
Interview
Ron Gonen is co-founder and CEO of RecycleBank, a company that makes recycling easy, understandable, and rewarding.
How did you get the idea for RecycleBank?
I always had an interest in social policy and the environment. New York City cut back its recycling in 2002, and it gave us the idea to find a way to make recycling work.
What is RecycleBank's positive environmental impact?
Recycling saves trees and oil (plastic is made from petroleum). I think our biggest environmental impact is helping people understand the economic value of being green.
What's the most valuable material your company recycles? The most dangerous? Worst smelling?
Cardboard is the most valuable, and e-waste (electronics) is the most dangerous. Nothing smells sweeter to me than a RecycleBank cart full of recyclables.
While exciting young companies are capitalizing on recycling, the third R enables you to profit too. Start with your electronics. To prevent the dumping of electronic items in landfills—an enormous environmental challenge called "E-Waste"—companies like Dell, IBM, HP, and Apple will take used computers and electronics back free of charge. But you invested in your gear and deserve more than "free of charge" when it's time to give it up—you deserve to get paid! That's where MyBoneyard.com comes in. Simple drop-down menus inform visitors of the residual market value of their desktop computers, laptops, and monitors, and cell phones. MyBoneyard.com then provides users with a prepaid printable shipping label. Once you mail your products back to the company and their condition is verified, MyBoneyard.com will mail you a check. It's that simple.
A similar Recycle philosophy fuels GreenPhone.com. The site tells you how much your cell phone or PDA model is worth and then allows you to mail it in for cash. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that across the United States, more than 500 million old cell phones languish in desk drawers and other storage spots. Disposing of these devices properly is of vital environmental concern since they contain hazardous chemicals like arsenic and lead that can be released into the atmosphere, soil, and groundwater. GreenPhone.com allows you to protect the environment while earning a little spending money—never a bad thing. And if you're feeling more virtuous, visit GreenPhone.com's sister site, CollectiveGood.com, which offers the same service and donates your proceeds to charity.
What about plastic, paper, glass, cardboard, and aluminum, the stuff of everyday recycling? Unfortunately, recycling these basics is not always easy and rarely profitable. Enter RecycleBank. Residents in participating communities receive a large RecycleBank garbage bin for all of their recyclables. No need to sort, just toss it all in. The bin is embedded with a barcode that doubles as your account number. When the recycling truck comes to collect your garbage, it reads the barcode and scans the bin for weight and volume to get a sense of what's inside. The recyclables then go on to a recycling center. When you log in at RecycleBank.com with your account number, you'll see how much you've earned from recycling. You can then redeem that value at more than 300 RecycleBank retail partners, like Bed, Bath & Beyond, CVS, Petco, Circuit City, and Amazon.com. The benefits of the program really start to add up: You earn money by recycling, your city saves taxpayer money from reduced landfill fees, the environment gets cleaner as recyclable products actually get recycled, and the local economy gets a boost from new jobs created at local recycling centers. Welcome to the new economics of modern Recycling: better for your budget, better for the community, and better for the planet.
Reduce Products and Services
BRITA
Brita.com
A Brita water filtration system is an affordable, convenient way to get great tasting water while reducing disposable water bottle waste. The simplest way to get started is with a Brita pitcher. The Brita Slim is one of 11 available models and starts at just $10.99 and can hold up to 40 ounces of water. Faucet mount and refrigerator water filtration systems are also available.
CHEGG
Chegg.com
Chegg rents more than a million textbook titles, helping students save up to 80 percent off retail prices and potentially hundreds of dollars each semester while reducing the need to cut down trees to make new textbooks. The company also plants one tree for every textbook it rents.
GOLOCO.ORG
Share rides to work, concerts, sporting events, or even the farmers' market using GoLoco. The company's website utilizes Facebook's social networking platform, enabling users to create personal profiles and choose compatible riding companions. The website also handles all financial transactions to remove the awkwardness of requesting gas and toll money from fellow travelers.
GREEN DIMES
Greendimes.com
Green Dimes is helping consumers eliminate 90 percent of unwanted junk mail for up to five years at a time. When you sign up for the service, Green Dimes removes your name from all mailing lists that you don't want to be on but keeps you on the ones you do, thereby saving trees, carbon emissions from transportation, and the hassle of having to recycle all that junk.
HULU
Hulu.com
Watch your favorite TV shows for free at Hulu.com. Check out current and past episodes of The Office, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Arrested Development, Family Guy, House, and many more. Free movies are available too. Commercial interruptions are limited, and the viewing experience is excellent. How is it possible? At Hulu.com, the major networks have come together to make their content available in one location. They're betting that if it's all in one place they'll attract enough viewers to make some money. That's all well and good, but as far as Lazy Environmentalists are concerned, Hulu.com might just reduce your need to ever buy a new TV.
IRENT2U.COM
Instead of buying new consumer products, rent what you need from others for a fraction of the price. If you'd like to earn a little extra cash, list some of your own items for rent. With Irent2u.com you can buy less and still get exactly what you want when you want it.
NEIGHBORROW
Neighborrow.com
Instead of buying or even renting items, just borrow them from your neighbor. Neighborrow.com helps facilitate the process by enabling members to list items that they're willing to loan. Whether you're looking for books, movies, music, power tools, tractors, or an egg beater, Neighborrow might have just the item for you. No money exchanges hands, and you can also trade items that you're no longer interested in keeping.
NURIDE
Nuride.com
Nuride is an online ride-sharing service with more than 28,000 members who receive reward points for sharing rides. The service operates just like an airline membership rewards program. The more rides you share, the more points you earn, and the more value you can redeem. Partners include Applebee's, Austin Grill, Dunkin' Donuts, and Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
WECAR
Wecar.com
Rental car giant Enterprise Rent-A-Car has partnered with the city of St. Louis, Missouri, to introduce its WeCar car-share service. Members can take advantage of an all-hybrid fleet of cars parked at convenient locations throughout the downtown area.
ZIMRIDE
Zimride.com
Zimride is a ride-share service built on a social networking platform, enabling members to create personal profiles and select ride mates who share similar music tastes, favorite sports teams, or who just seem "normal." Zimmers can also evaluate things like driving speed, music volume, and smoking preferences before agreeing to hop in. Find rides at Zimride.com or by using Zimride's Facebook application, which makes the service available to Facebook's 80 million users.
ZINIO
Zinio.com
Zinio takes you into the age of digital magazine subscriptions and reduces the need for all that paper. At Zinio.com you can subscribe to more than 500 titles, like BusinessWeek, Cosmopolitan, Car & Driver, Men's Health, Dwell, Outside, and Yoga Journal. Download the Zinio Reader and read the magazines on your computer or access your subscriptions online from any computer at Zinio.com. iPhone owners can even access entire magazines through their phones.
ZIPCAR
Zipcar.com
Zipcar is like, "Hey Dad, can I borrow your car tonight?" without having to ask your dad. This car-share service is perfect for people who normally use public transportation but need a vehicle for a couple of hours or a day for a doctor's appointment, beach excursion, or a night on the town. Membership is minimal and the cars are new, stylish, and available in cities all over the country.
Reuse Services
DENIM THERAPY
Denimtherapy.com
Tattered jeans can be successfully repaired and restored by Denim Therapy at its facility in Cincinnati. For $7 per inch of repair (plus $12 shipping), denim therapists will repair holes and rips and restore the look and feel of your jeans by considering the unique thread weight, fade, wash, pattern, weave, wear, and look of your go-to pair. Pop your jeans in the mail, and they'll be back to you and better than ever in just two to three weeks.
DYSCERN
Dyscern.com
For amazing deals on refurbished iPods, Blackberries, PDAs, and other cell phones, look no further than Dyscern.com. The inventory is extensive at this online retailer that specializes in the recovery and resale of products that would otherwise most likely end up in landfills.
GOOZEX
Goozex.com
Whether you're partial to Xbox, Wii, Nintendo, or other gaming platforms, the Goozex online trading community has got games for you, with 2,400 of the most advanced and feature-rich video games to choose from. Instead of spending lots of money on new games, Goozex charges you just $1 each time you receive a game from another community member.
PAPERBACKSWAP.COM
Bookworms can browse more than 2 million titles available for trade at Paperbackswap.com. Upload your own titles and send them to community members to earn credits. Use the credits to obtain books that you want. And it's not just paperbacks that are available to trade—hardcover books are on offer too.
REFURB DEPOT
Refurbdepot.com
Find tremendous deals on refurbished desktop and laptop computers, printers, scanners, copy machines, fax machines, and much more. Many items are still covered by their original warranties and frequently sold for more than 50 percent off the retail price.
SECOND ACT
Secondact.com
If it's an LCD or plasma flat-panel HDTV you want, check out Secondact.com for unbelievable deals on refurbished models. Buying refurbished models helps keep them out of landfills while reducing consumption of new consumer products. You can enjoy your big screen and do your part for the planet too.
SWAPACD.COM
CD fans can access more than 130,000 available titles at Swapacd.com. Load in your own CD titles and join the community to starting earning credits. It costs 49 cents plus one credit and shipping to obtain a CD from any other member.
SWAPADVD.COM
Movie collectors can visit Swapadvd.com to trade both new and classic DVD titles. More than 58,000 titles are available, and the number is growing as more people discover the cost benefits of swapping used DVDs.
SWAP STYLE
Swapstyle.com
Swaptstyle.com is like browsing through thousands of people's closets and picking out only the things you absolutely have to have. Swap accessories, cosmetics, and shoes with fashionistas all over the globe for free. All you pay is the price of shipping.
THE FREECYCLE NETWORK
Freecycle.org
Freecycle enables local community members to give away, or "gift," items—like couches, cabinets, coffee tables, or Cuisinarts—to others in the community who want them. Visit Freecycle.org to sign up for your local email list and start participating in what founder Deron Beal calls "the global gifting economy."
ZWAGGLE
Zwaggle.com
Swap gently used baby and children's items like strollers, baby furniture, or toys with parents throughout the United States by joining Zwaggle.com. Sign up to get your Zwaggle Points (Zoints) and use them to trade your items for the baby gear you need. The service is free aside from shipping costs, and shipping is made easy through Zwaggle's integrated FedEx tool.
Reusable Shopping Bags
ANGRY LITTLE GIRLS
Angrylittlegirls.com
For a reusable canvas shopping bag with a bit of attitude and edge, check out the site of actress and cartoonist Leila Lee. Among her many bags is one featuring a cartoon of one little girl admonishing another to "Shop with a reusable bag, B*tch!" Purchase it for $14.99.
BAGGU
Baggubag.com
Made from super-strong ripstop nylon that holds up to 25 pounds of weight, one Baggu holds the contents of 2 to 3 plastic grocery bags. The bags are brightly colored and fold into a mini-pouch for stowing. Purchase one for $8, a 3-set for $22, and a 6-set for $38. According to the company, using one Baggu for one year replaces 300 to 700 disposable bags.
CHICO
Chicobag.com
It's the ultracompact reusable nylon bag that's small enough to fit in your pocket until you're ready to bust it out to the delight of check-out clerks, fellow line-mates, and the planet. Kick the single-use habit with these $5 bags (every fifth one you purchase is free) that also feature a built-in key chain for added convenience.
ECOEZI
Ecoezi.com
Carry your machine-washable Ecoezi reusable shopping bags inside a compact, stylish Ecoezi wallet. The lightweight wallet conveniently stores 10 reusable bags (included) and is available for $21.95. Stow it in your handbag or your glove box for easy access.
ENVIROSAX
Envirosax.com
Envirosax delivers on affordability and style with its collections of reusable polyester shopping bags that make both a fashion and an environmental statement. Prices for these lightweight, waterproof bags are $8.50. Bags made from eco-fabrics such as bamboo, hemp, and linen are also available, though prices jump to $24.95 each.
FLIP & TUMBLE
Flipandtumble.com
Made of lightweight, ripstop nylon, the Flip & Tumble reusable shopping bag ($12) is heavy on durability and convenience. A padded shoulder also makes it comfortable when carrying loads up to 25 pounds. Scrunch it up into a ball and flip it into its own built-in pouch when not in use.
Reusable Water Bottles
FILTER FOR GOOD
Filterforgood.com
Pair a Brita water pitcher—for tasty filtered water—with a reusable water bottle provided by Nalgene ($10) to kick the disposable water bottle habit. At FilterForGood.com, you can sign the pledge to give up disposable water bottles and join with others around the United States who are doing the same. Check the website's interactive map to see which cities and states are leading the way.
KLEAN KANTEEN
Kleankanteen.com
Made of rugged stainless steel, Klean Kanteens ($14.95 to $25.95) are easy to clean, durable, and sanitary. Plenty of colors are available including blue, pink, orange, black, green, and tree bark (yes, tree bark is apparently a color). A slim design enables them to fit into cup holders so on-road adventurers can enjoy them as much as off-road adventurers.
PLATYPUS
Platy.com
Backpackers, travelers, and urban warriors will appreciate the lightweight Platy Bottles ($6.95 to $9.95) from Platypus that are made of BPA-free plastic and can be rolled up and stored flat inside a backpack or handbag when not in use.
PURE WATER 2GO
Purewater2go.com
Stay hydrated on the go with portable filtered water thanks to Pure Water 2Go reusable water bottles ($7.95 to $29.95) equipped with built-in filtration systems. Depending upon the model you choose, the filter will provide between 40 and 200 gallons of fresh water, giving you freedom to roam where the skies are vast and the water is stale.
SIGG
Sigg.com
Sigg reusable bottles ($16.95 to $28) come in 144 fun-filled designs and 22 interchangeable lids that make them equal parts hydration solution and fashion accessory. The nontoxic rugged aluminum bottles are leak-proof, crack-resistant, and recyclable at the end of their very long lives.
Recycle Products and Services
BUYMYTRONICS.COM
Founded by Denver-based entrepreneur Brett Mosley after his much-used and much-loved iPod broke, Buymytronics.com is on a mission to recycle used, new, and broken electronics. To make it worthwhile, the company pays you for them within 48 hours of receiving them. Send Mosley and his team your old cell phones, cameras, game consoles, camcorders, and iPods, and they'll send you cash.
CALL2RECYCLE
Call2recycle.org
Drop off dead rechargeable batteries and old cell phones at more than 30,000 Call2Recycle locations around North America. Find the bins at participating partners such as Best Buy, Office Depot, Radio Shack, Sears, and Staples. Call2Recycle either resells the products or recycles them into new batteries or other useful materials like stainless steel.
CELL PHONES FOR SOLDIERS
Cellphonesforsoldiers.com
Got an old cell phone languishing in a desk drawer or closet? Send it to Cell Phones For Soldiers and they'll make sure it ends up in the hands of a soldier overseas along with an hour of free talk time so he or she can connect with loved ones back home. About 15,000 phones are collected each month through 3,000 drop-off stations around the country. Teenagers Robbie and Brittany Bergquist started this innovative organization with $21 of their own money. Help the planet and a soldier. It won't cost you a penny.
EARTH 911
Earth911.org
Find centralized information on all things recycling by visiting Earth911 or calling its toll-free hotline at 1-800-CLEANUP. Find out how to recycle, why to recycle, and where to recycle by typing in your zip code and a specific item like compact fluorescent lightbulbs, batteries, or plastic bottles.
GREENPHONE.COM
You don't have to sell your soul to prevent global warming, but you can certainly "sell your cell." Visit Greenphone.com to find out how much your used cell phone is worth and then print the free postage label and mail your phone to the company. Once Greenphone.com receives and verifies its condition, the company will cut you a check.
MYBONEYARD
Myboneyard.com
MyBoneYard provides a simple and easy way to reduce e-waste. Instead of chucking your old Blackberry, iPod, or digital camera into the trash, visit myboneyard.com, find out how much it's still worth, mail it in, and get paid.
PRESERVE
Recycline.com
The Waltham, Massachusetts–based company has partnered with Stonyfield Farm to turn its yogurt cups—from organic yogurt, of course—into affordable and ergonomic recycled plastic toothbrushes, razors, and colorful kitchenware. Find dishwasher-safe, 100 percent recycled plastic cups, cutlery, plates, cutting boards, colanders, and storage containers. A new Preserve program with Brita now recycles the plastic from Brita pitcher filters for use in its collection too.
RECYCLEBANK
Recyclebank.com
Earn rewards for recycling your trash through RecycleBank's innovative program that lets you conveniently dump all of your recyclables into one bin. After the recycling truck collects it, log in to Recyclebank.com, enter your account number, and see how much you've earned. You can redeem that value at more than 300 RecycleBank retail partners, like Bed, Bath & Beyond, CVS, Petco, Circuit City, and Amazon.com.
SECOND ROTATION
Secondrotation.com
Send Second Rotation your used cell phones, digital cameras, MP3 players, laptops, GPS units, camcorders, and gaming consoles and the company will you pay you for them. Where possible Second Rotation refurbishes them and makes them available to its partners for resale. You can find used iPods on Target.com thanks to Second Rotation.
SOLES UNITED
Solesunited.com
Send in worn-out Croc shoes, and Soles United will recycle and refashion them into a new pair of Crocs that are donated to nonprofit organizations around the world. To date, Soles United has donated more than 1 million pairs of shoes made from recycled Crocs.
TERRACYCLE
Terracycle.net
Based in Trenton, New Jersey, TerraCycle is redefining America's relationship with its trash. The company that began with plant food made from worm poop and packaged in empty Pepsi bottles has exploded into an innovation powerhouse that transform garbage—like Oreo cookies and Chips Ahoy! wrappers—into a broad range of products, including office supplies, backpacks and messenger bags, and even shower curtains and umbrellas.
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE
Usps.com
In 2008, the U.S. Postal Service launched a pilot program at 1,500 post offices around the country to recycle consumers' small electronics and inkjet printer cartridges for free. At participating post offices, customers can use free envelopes to mail Blackberries, iPods, digital cameras, PDAs, and other electronic items without having to pay for postage.
Information/Education
THE LAZY ENVIRONMENTALIST
Lazyenvironmentalist.com/3rs
I've created a special page to keep Lazy Environmentalist readers updated about innovative ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. Find affordable, forward-thinking products and services that make it easier and easier to live by this mantra.