PaperlessKitchen Blog

CHANGE DIAPERS ON EARTH DAY

Hey green parents! What will you be doing on April 20? If you don't have plans for Earth Day yet, you should check out the 3rd Annual Great Cloth Diaper Change.

Sponsored by the Real Diaper Association and Diaper Junction, this event seeks to raise awareness about the waste caused by disposable diapers and introduce new parents to the benefits of going with cloth. The event will take place at 11:00AM local time in 256 cities in 13 countries around the world.

During the event, parents will attempt to break the Guinness World Record Book for diaper changing. The day promises to be fun, and many of the locations are holding additional festivities before and after the diaper change.

The message of the day will be that cloth diapers are just plain better for the environment. Nearly 20 billion disposable diapers make their way to landfills each year, and it takes at least two centuries for each to fully biodegrade. By participating in the event, you can help spread the word and do something special for Earth Day.

You can search for locations near you by visiting the 3rd Annual Great Cloth Diaper Change website. 

Did you participate in the event last year or the year before? Do you plan to go this year? Tell us about your experiences or your plans in the "Comments" section!

QR Code Business Cards - An Eco-Friendly Solution

 The other day I was out for lunch with a friend. When we were finishing our meal, I looked across the restaurant and noticed a familiar face. After a moment's reflection, I realized that the man in question was a former college classmate, and I headed over to say hello. Our conversation was short, but it revealed an opportunity for collaborating on a project.

 I dug in my wallet to retrieve a business card, so that we could exchange information, but before I could produce one, he touched my arm. "Here," he said. "This is better."

 He reached into a handsome leather case that was meant to hold a stack of business cards. His case just held one. He reached in and pulled it out, turning it over to reveal his name and contact info placed beside a rather eye-catching bar code.

 "You can take it. Or you can just scan it with your phone."

 I blinked. I reached for my smart phone. I scanned the bar code and instantly, I was taken to his website, which had all of his contact info plus information about his company. We said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. I was pretty sure he was one of the coolest guys I ever met--just because of that business card.

 All the way home, I thought about that card. It was just so easy. I didn't have to keep track of where I put that piece of cardstock. I didn't have to worry about what I'd do with it once I added the information into Outlook. He wouldn't have to worry about depleting his business card supply, so he was surely saving money. And on top of it all, he was protecting the planet by reducing paper waste.

 By the time I got in front of my computer, my fingers were itching to Google, so I could learn more about the business card and share it with our Paperless Kitchen blog readers. Here's what I learned.

 - For those that haven't seen one of these cards before, the bar code is known as a QR code. It's a simple black and white bar code that many smart phones can scan. Codes can link to a website, a social media page or a custom landing page. Alternatively, you can link the code to a VR card that users can download and add to their address books.

 - Many companies sell these business cards and offer complete design services. This lets you purchase the QR code and order your cards all in one place. The service I liked best was MOO, which has a 100 percent recycled paper available for printing. This way, if someone opts to take your card instead of just scanning it, you'll still be protecting the environment.

 - You can also use a service like GOQR.ME to create your own QR code for free, download it and then take it to your current printer. Many discount business card suppliers will also allow you to upload a QR code for printing.

 In the end, I decided to go the all-inclusive route. Now, I'm just patiently waiting to get my new business cards in the mail and get on my way to being a little cooler and a lot more eco-friendly.

 Do you have a QR code business card already? Tell us about them in the "Comments" section.

5 Steps for Going Green in 2012

    According to the United Nations, 2012 is designated as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All. As we come to the end of this year and start a new in 2013, it’s important that we take a small amount of time from our days to help the environment. What can we do? We’ll tell you with these 5 simple steps to start yourself on the right track towards going green!

1)   Recycle

    Just add an extra bin next to your trashcan and make it easier for yourself to recycle your paper and plastics!

 2)   Turn off the lights

    When possible, keep the lights off! Whenever you leave a room, remember to flip the switch. During the day, keep the lights off and use natural light instead.

3)   Make the switch from incandescent to fluorescent bulbs

    Fluorescent bulbs use significantly less energy to create the same amount of light that incandescent bulbs generate so make the switch! It’s as easy as that!

4)   Use tap water instead of bottled water

    Plastic water bottles create a ton of environmental problems. It’s up to you to save money and the environment by switching to tap water instead of bottled!

5)   Turn down the heat

    When you leave for work in the morning or when you’re sleeping at night, lower the thermostat! You’ll save energy and money on your heating bill!

     These are just a few steps to get you started on your path to going green, and they take very little time! It’s easy to follow these five steps and you’ll even same some money in the process.