The Green Behavior “World’s Best Cat Litter” giveaway is about to begin!

That’s right Green Behavior is giving you and your feline friends a chance to take home a 100% natural and safe cat litter.. It’s our first giveaway of 2012 so I hope you are all ready to enter and someone is ready to win!

The Prize

• Worlds Best Cat Litter

How to Enter

• Follow @greenbehavior (don’t worry about this part if you already follow us)
• Follow @bestcatlitter
• Tweet this exactly:

I just entered to win some World’s Best Cat Litter from @greenbehavior and @bestcatlitter #giveaway http://bit.ly/IQ7Plp

The Rules/Fine Print

One entry per person, per twitter account. Winner will be selected at random via Random.org. Winner will be announced in the morning Friday, May 18th 2012. They will be contacted by direct message on Twitter and will have 2 days (48 hours) to respond. If they have not responded within 48 hours they are disqualified and a new winner will be chosen.

The giveaway includes free shipping to the continental US and Canada. Currently people outside the continental US and Canada are not eligible to win. Sorry!

Contest runs from today - Friday, May, 7, 2012 - Monday, May 21, 2012 at 11:59pm EST.

Good luck to you all!

This feed comes from Green Behavior The specific article's link is: World’s Best Cat Litter Giveaway

We shouldn’t just celebrate Earth for one hour or one day, we should celebrate it every day. The community of Serenbe does just that. Located below Atlanta, Georgia this is a green community that was built on the concept of sustainability.

“Each home is certified to EarthCraft Homes “green” standards.” - From Serenbe website

What first struck me after the gorgeous land and homes was the eclectic style of the community and people. Everything from street-lamps, trash cans, and benches were made from recycled/repurposed materials. The lawns at each home have no grass (to probably save on water usage), and where there is grass it’s allowed to grow as nature intended it. It makes you wonder if this community can do it, why can’t these ideas be implemented into other communities around the nation?

Serenbe is separated into three districts: Selborne - center for arts, residential homes; Grange - organic farms, stables, and forestland;  Mado -  still in the planning stages, but should have an upscale hotel, destination spa, etc.

HGTV Dream Home 2012

Inside Serenbe is the new 2012 HGTV Dream Home. If there’s any ‘Dream Home’ to win this is the one. Not only do you get a fantastic eco-friendly home, but a community based on reusing, recycling, and repurposing.

The Organic Food

If you can only do one thing at Serenbe grab a bite to eat. With two restaurants and a bakeshop (and a vegetarian restaurant planned for the future) there is something for everyone, even gluten free options. It would make sense that the food is so fresh, real, and delicious since both the founders Steve and Marie Nygren have backgrounds with food.

“The Hil” was our choice of food for Earth Day dinner. From Crispy Calamari to a Margherita Pizza almost everything on this menu is from there organic farms.

Here’s a few menu items we tried and would recommend (some might not be available all the time):

• Organic Whole Wheat Bread with Butter
• Crab Fitters with Remoulade Sauce (this is made of almost ALL crab, highly recommend!)
• The Hil Burger with Shiitake Mushrooms, Swiss Cheese, Smoked Bacon, H1 Sauce and “Hil Made” French Fries
• Pan Seared Maine Scallops and Crispy Braised Pork with Roasted Turnips and Mustard Jus
• Warm “Hil Made” Waffle with Butterscotch Pecan Ice Cream and Bourbon Caramel Sauce (I think this was everyone’s favorite of the night.)

You can see more photographs here or learn more about this green community here.

This feed comes from Green Behavior The specific article's link is: Live Earth Day Every Day in Serenbe

Going green seems to be the new movement. This could potentially be from an increased awareness in the suffering state of our environment, or perhaps maybe just a conscious effort on the forefront of morality. Regardless, our environment is where we live and if we want to sustain a healthy, comfortable life for future generations, then we need to do what we can now to preserve it. That is where the so-called “green movement” kicks in. Every green effort, no matter the magnitude, is fighting for the greater good and preservation of the world we inhabit.

For some, being green means a never-ending, pocket-emptying struggle to purchase the latest and greatest products and services. However, while dropping a pretty penny on a Prius would be great, it simply is not feasible for most. The good news is that being green does not have to empty your bank account. In fact, you can make small efforts from the comfort of your own home. For example, the kitchen is one of the easiest places to promote a green lifestyle. It is also the room in the house that usually consumes the most energy so starting your greener lifestyle in the kitchen is probably a good idea.

Green Kitchen

For some reason or another, a lot of people are oblivious to the amount of energy a common appliance, such as a refrigerator, consumes. Not only do your appliances consume a substantial amount of energy, but they also use electricity even when not in use. This consumption of energy has wittingly become known as “phantom” or “vampire” energy loads. To combat against this, one of the cheapest methods is by purchasing a special power strip that controls the amount of electricity being used. Aside from that, basic preventative maintenance is next. Simply do a visual lookover of your major appliances, such as your dishwasher, and look for any obvious signs such as a worn out gaskets, broken seals, or standing water. If a problem is found, it can usually be remedied by a visit here, or locally, at a home improvement store.

Naturally, the best option in transforming your energy-hog of a kitchen into a sustainable, green kitchen is by purchasing newer appliances boasting the famous Energy Star logo. However, as we all know simply by walking through Home Depot, new appliances are not cheap. If you’re lucky enough to not be constrained by a budget though, more power to you; or should I say less power?

Outside the Kitchen

A green kitchen does not necessarily stay confined to the kitchen. You would be surprised at how environmentally un-friendly the supermarket you shop at is. Moreover, open up your refrigerator and look at most any food product in there. What do you see? Plastic! Most manufacturers wastefully enclose their products in plastic wrapping and packaging. This plastic may not seem to harmful, but when you think about how much of it ends up clogging our landfills, your perspective may change. To reduce the amount of unnecessary plastic in your kitchen, create a meal plan that incorporates fresher, home-cooked meals. The reasoning behind this is that fresh ingredients usually possess much less plastic because they are intended to be used immediately, not needing to be enclosed within a thick plastic packaging.

There are plenty of ways to promote sustainability in the kitchen, and mentioned above are just a few of the possible methods. Notably, your appliances are the biggest culprits promoting an unhealthy kitchen. If you truly want to make your kitchen green, begin your battle there.

© 2012 Andrew Brusnahan

This feed comes from Green Behavior The specific article's link is: Is Your Kitchen Holding You Back?

Spring is here. The flowers are blooming, the allergies are beginning, and lawns and trees are becoming green. So time to put away the snow boots and get out your favorite rain boots.

My favorite rain boots are also made from an eco-friendly, textile rubber is “The Folding Rainboot” by Redfoot. Did I mention these are foldable?

The sticker price might shock you, but keep an eye out for it coming on sale or a possible Groupon (that’s how I purchased mine). These are stylish, light-weight, made of eco-friendly rubber, and takes up almost no room when you aren’t wearing them. In case your wondering they stay up on the leg while wearing them, so don’t worry about them falling off.

Comment below and let us know what are your favorite rain boots?

This feed comes from Green Behavior The specific article's link is: “The Folding Rainboot” by Redfoot

Other than my office my favorite thing to buy products for is the kitchen. Green products are becoming more and more readily available at stores we shop at everyday and at prices we can afford so what’s your excuse for not going green? At your local grocery store I’m sure in the aisle with all the kitchen gadgets and tools you will find Eco-friendly products like the two I’m going to feature in today’s Green-Behavior product reviews. The first is TruBamboo’s 100% recyclable cutting board. It has all the features you want from a cutting board and did I mention it’s bright neon orange? Another Eco-friendly product for the kitchen I fell in love with is Core Bamboo’s Comfort Grip Crushed Bamboo Utensil with silicone grip (this one has a bright green grip). Read about them below:

About TruBamboo

They have been manufacturing Eco-friendly products since 2003 and have over a hundred items distributed across the world. They harvest their materials from one of the largest bamboo forests and create what is considered by them “World’s Finest Bamboo Products.” TruBamboo’s cutting board is made of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) which won’t chip, peel, crack or dull knives.

About TruBamboo 100% Recyclable Cutting Board

• nonporous and easy to clean
• dishwasher safe
• made with FDA approved material
• BPA Free Plastic

You can read more about this company and this product at TruBamboo.com

About Core Bamboo

Core Bamboo also makes some of the “Worlds Finest Bamboo Products,” from cutting boards & utensils to bowls. All bamboo is 100% organically grown and FDA approved. This utensil has a totally different look from most bamboo products you see out there, because it’s crushed bamboo (which is now my new favorite type of bamboo). All products are hand made by Core Bamboo’s 2000 artisans that are located throughout the world.

You can read more about this company and their crushed bamboo products at Corebamboo.com

This feed comes from Green Behavior The specific article's link is: The Green Kitchen

Today’s “Recycling Mondays” video is about recycling glass.

Start from the beginning:

• Part 1

Previous Video:

• Part 5

This is going to be a weekly series - Recycling Mondays, a great way to start the week. I’ll keep posting the videos from this series and then find some other great recycling topics for you every week.

This feed comes from Green Behavior The specific article's link is: Recycling - The Process Part 6

I’ve always recycled grocery bags, but over the past two months grocery bags have actually become a commodity here in Montgomery County, MD. A law was passed to require certain stores to charge five-cents on each plastic or paper bag they provided us. Being a green enthusiast I am all for this! The Law which is similar to Washington D.C.’s Bag Law was designed to reduce the use of disposable bags by bringing reusable bags.

Reasons Behind the Law

• Plastic bags are the biggest single source of waterway litter.
• Montgomery County spens 3 millions dollars to clean up these plastic bags.
• To have a trash free Potomac River.
• The county’s way to meet state-mandated MS4 stormwater permit requirements.
• To reduce litter and therefore pollution in the Anacostia River.

Other Facts

• Retailers retain 1 cent of each 5 cents for the bags they sell to a customer.
• The leftover 4 cents goes into the County’s Water Quality Protection Charge (WQPC) fund.
• Awesome Visual Aid about grocery bags and the effects it has on the environment - Washington Post
• Click to read more about the bill and the FAQ’s.

Now, I make sure to always have a reusable bag in my purse and a few extra in the car (for those unplanned grocery store stops). Since these bags are actually worth money now, I thought they deserved a nice container to put them in. Being an Etsy addict I went instantly on there and found the most stylish Eco-friendly grocery bag holder made of 100% cotton from Sunshine Sisters. I ordered the “Pernilla’s Journey Paradise Green Mamba” designer print and waited only a few days for it to arrive in the mail. Getting a package is always exciting, but knowing it has the personal touches of an Etsy seller makes it so much more enjoyable.

About Sunshine Sisters

Janna Perry a mother, teacher and fellow Creative who sells not only these grocery bag holders, but also cloth dinner napkins (another item to use for less waste and also fits into the grocery bag holder), etc. Check out Sunshine Sisters store on Etsy.

This feed comes from Green Behavior The specific article's link is: Reduce & Reuse Grocery Bags

Today’s “Recycling Mondays” video is about recycling plastics.

Start from the beginning:

• Part 1

Previous Video:

• Part 4

This is going to be a weekly series - Recycling Mondays, a great way to start the week. I’ll keep posting the videos from this series and then find some other great recycling topics for you every week.

This feed comes from Green Behavior The specific article's link is: Recycling - The Process Part 5

All about metals…

Start from the beginning:

• Part 1

Previous Video:

• Part 3

This is going to be a weekly series - Recycling Mondays, a great way to start the week. I’ll keep posting the videos from this series and then find some other great recycling topics for you every week.

This feed comes from Green Behavior The specific article's link is: Recycling - The Process Part 4

Ever had one of your electronics break on you and knowing there’s got to be some place to recycle it (instead of just tossing this once pricy item in the trash)? When the lens to my old Nikon film camera broke I packed it away until I found someone or some company to recycle it. Thinking there would be plenty of places to recycle a broken lens I ended up only finding one (where I wouldn’t have to pay them money to recycle it). Gazelle.com My lens ended up being valued at $0 so they didn’t offer me any money or free shipping, but I am always willing to pay for shipping if it means the item gets reused or recycled.

About Gazelle.com

Gazelle.com is a company that first tries to reuse a product, then if the retail or wholesale channels they have don’t work they find the right people to recycle the product. The business started back in 2006 and they currently have more than 20 categories (see items below) of products that they recycle. If your product is valued $1 or more you get free shipping, and they might even give you money for your product.

The process was fairly easy:

• Just type in the items you are trying to recycle in the search.
• Select what type of condition its in
• Give more basic information on it and what accesories you’d also be recycling
• They’ll then let you know if they can offer you any money for the item
• Then you “checkout” - your information is collected and you are given instructions on how to recycle your items and where to ship it to.

Categories

• Blu-Ray Players
• Calculators
• Camcorders
• Camera Lenses
• Cell Phones
• Desktops
• Digital Cameras
• E-Readers
• External Hard Drives
• Gaming Consoles
• GPS Devices
• Home Audio
• Laptops
• LCD Monitors
• Movies
• MP3 Players
• PDAs
• Projectors
• Satellite Radios
• Streaming Media
• Video Games

*They currently don’t accept CRT Monitors, Printers, or Fax Machines, but will help you find local recyclers who might.

You can read more about this company and what of your electronics you can recycle at Gazelle.com

If you know of another company or place to recycle broken camera lens comment below!

This feed comes from Green Behavior The specific article's link is: Camera Lens Recycling