SocialSpark recently asked me to view the "Do the Reuse Challenge" by Aladdin Portable Food Containers.
The challenge is a 30-day commitment to give up disposable paper cups, water bottles, or food containers. Everyone’s welcome to participate (the more, the better!), and 9 families will be blogging about their experience on their website. But I decided to do it here as well. Why? Because I recently decided t go green for 2 reasons:the environment and my pocketbook.
The info for the challenge has some numbers... here's what it says that just ONE PERSON can help stop by accepting the challenge.
- Seven million barrels of oil are used to produce the disposable bottles Americans go through in one year.
- In the United States, 50 billion disposable water bottles are consumed per year; 137,000 per day; 1,585 per second.
- It costs about $165 a year to make drip coffee at home versus $636 to buy drip coffee at your local cafe´.
- Unless we change our habits, 23 billion paper coffee cups will be thrown out in 2010.
- Nine dollars will generally cover a decent lunch out. If you buy rather than pack a lunch five days a week, you shell out about $2,350 a year.
Amazing what we can do. And I'm taking it farther than that... here is what I am doing while I "Do the Reuse":
Reuseable Water Bottles (
see review here): I have bought flats of bottled water opnly to not have one when I wanted one. I'd even refill the bottles and reuse them... when I could find them. My kids usually had them all over, in teh yard, thrown away, and in toy boxes, and my husband would take them to work. I'm glad everyone started drinking more water, but I was fed up with keeping track of these bottles. So I recently bought a set at Target and store them in a beer bottle carton! Keeps them corraled in the fridge and I'm not paying $6 extra to have a plastic base.
Bonus: I always have a water bottle because they won't throw these away and less trash!
Reuseable Coffee Cups (
review soon!): This is part of the challenge because it is a HUGE waste. Millions of Americans frequent coffee shops DAILY. Thing of the trash that can be prevented by just bringing your own cup? I also use it at home. I was using disposable cups for the lid, but found a great cup that looks just like the type the coffee shops use, but it's reuseable!
Bonus: Cute, functionable, and less trash!
Brew your own Coffee I do this and save money, even when I buy the fancy coffee shop blends. PLUS I can have it every day without driving to the coffee shop. I use my reuseable cup and save on dish washing time as well.
Bonus: Always on hand and less fuel wasted!
Cloth Wipes (
see review here): Going green for your baby is the way to go! It saves money and prevents landfill waste. I am planning to Cloth Diaper if I ever conceive again, but I use the cloth wipes for my toddler now. Bonus: Cute, more comfy for them, multitaskers, and and less trash!
I'm sure there is more.. I'll post as I find new things!
Do you want to take the challenge??
Read about the Do the Reuse Challenge here:
http://www.dothereusechallenge.com/
See Aladdin's products here:
http://www.aladdin-pmi.com/
Like Aladdin on facebook here:
http://www.facebook.com/Aladdin.pmi
AND.. by accepting one of the Do the Reuse Challenges you’ll be able to get discounts and free shipping on selected Aladdin products through their website, which will help you save even more. SCORE!
, which I will be purchasing immediately. But it is a small price to pay for me not to throw coffee out or drink 1 pot all day as it ages - YUCK!
