Get Paid To Recycle! 15 Green Tips For The Lazy
The Today Show (TV) - 4/21/2009 by Marisa Belger
Short on time? No more excuses. Here are easy ways to live a greener life
As I work toward living a greener life, I’ve discovered that I not only possess a talent for organizing my family’s recycling — blue bin, black bin, silver bin, glass, plastic, paper — but I’ve also uncovered a flair for excuses. I’ve become highly adept at creating reasons why I can’t make a wiser green choice. Sometimes it’s convenience. Sometimes it’s time. Often it’s money.
In tough economic times it’s been easier than ever to use financial constraints as an excuse for ignoring environmental concerns. But those days are gone — thanks in large part to Josh Dorfman. The spokesman for lazy environmentalists everywhere, Dorfman has come up with simple ways to make choices that are easy on the environment and your wallet. He’s compiled those tips into his second book, “The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget,” and in honor of Earth Day, has shared a list of his favorite ways to go green without breaking the bank. No more excuses.
11. CDs, DVDs and books: Swap, don’t buy.
Now you can avoid buying new products (good for your wallet, great for the environment) without sacrificing your need for entertainment. Check out the following swapping sites for access to thousands of CDs, books and DVDs:
* Swapacd.com — Fans can access more than 130,000 available titles. Load in your own CD titles and join the community to starting earning credits. It costs 49 cents plus one credit and shipping to score a CD from another member.
* Swapadvd.com — Movie collectors can 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 DVDs.
* Paperbackswap.com — Bookworms can browse more than 2 million titles available for trade. 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; hardcover books are being swapped as well.
As I work toward living a greener life, I’ve discovered that I not only possess a talent for organizing my family’s recycling — blue bin, black bin, silver bin, glass, plastic, paper — but I’ve also uncovered a flair for excuses. I’ve become highly adept at creating reasons why I can’t make a wiser green choice. Sometimes it’s convenience. Sometimes it’s time. Often it’s money.
In tough economic times it’s been easier than ever to use financial constraints as an excuse for ignoring environmental concerns. But those days are gone — thanks in large part to Josh Dorfman. The spokesman for lazy environmentalists everywhere, Dorfman has come up with simple ways to make choices that are easy on the environment and your wallet. He’s compiled those tips into his second book, “The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget,” and in honor of Earth Day, has shared a list of his favorite ways to go green without breaking the bank. No more excuses.
11. CDs, DVDs and books: Swap, don’t buy.
Now you can avoid buying new products (good for your wallet, great for the environment) without sacrificing your need for entertainment. Check out the following swapping sites for access to thousands of CDs, books and DVDs:
* Swapacd.com — Fans can access more than 130,000 available titles. Load in your own CD titles and join the community to starting earning credits. It costs 49 cents plus one credit and shipping to score a CD from another member.
* Swapadvd.com — Movie collectors can 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 DVDs.
* Paperbackswap.com — Bookworms can browse more than 2 million titles available for trade. 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; hardcover books are being swapped as well.
