Being cool comes easy when you buy merchandise that is “green.”  Green is a term for environmentally friendly products.  Green products can be made from natural ingredient or recycled content materials.  Also, products that do not contain toxic chemicals or generate a toxic waste product during manufacturing are green too. 

The following are the keys to be green:

• Practice ways to reduce trash and if you generate trash, then reuse it.
• Take care of what you own now, so maintain and repair it.
• Buy durable or “built to last” products.
• Buy products made from recycled content to promote
  recycling, which use fewer natural resources.
• Buy products made from natural or non-toxic materials.
• Buy local to support your local manufacturers, artists, farmers or businesses. 
• Buy products, which do not contain ingredients that have harmed animals.
• Buy products that use minimum packaging. 
• Buy bottles or containers that can be refilled, reused or recycled.
• Buy energy efficient products, so go solar or look for the "Energy Star" logo.
• Look for a green label and read to figure out that it is really environmentally friendly.  Get smart on labels by visiting www.eco-labels.org.

Shop at local stores or search online:

Other Green Stuff

• Cut down on junk mail before it piles up with your name on it (http://cuyahogaswd.org/residents/mail.htm), and here’s a company that you can pay to stop junk mail in your name (http://www.greendimes.com/index.html)

• Make pets green too!
• www.purrfectplay.com
• www.worldwise.com

• Pack a waste free lunch. (www.laptoplunches.com)

• Focus on green and safer shopping. (www.ewg.org/shopping/)

• After printing off homework and papers, turn in your empty ink cartridges. (www.greenschoolproject.com/index.htm)

• Read magazines that use green paper either postconsumer recycled content and/or responsibly sourced raw wood fiber. (www.coopamerica.org/programs/woodwise/publishers/magazines/heroes.cfm )

• Want to know which products are not tested on animals?  (www.leapingbunny.org/)

• Send a special green invitation for a birthday bash or college graduation (http://greenestgreetings.com/)

• Don’t talk cheep, talk green. (www.earthtones.com)

• Website to green you through and through
  • www.coopamerica.org
  • www.newamericandream.org

• Got your license and you want wheels, learn about green cars.  (www.environmentaldefense.org/tailpipetally) Also, learn how to get the best gas milelage. (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/drive.shtml)

• Yak, yak.  when your done with your cell phone give it back. (http://www.newdream.org/buy/bts/cell.php)