Christmas is right around the corner and all of our wallets are cashed out! What to do? Shop at Goodwill or thrift shops can calm the chaos in your life by purchasing presents for your loved ones with a small amount of mullah. You will find timeless pieces while filling your wallet, not the landfill.

Plato’s Closet is another good resource for buying used clothing that is in a college student’s price range and fashionable. First, go through your closet and bag up all of your summer clothing that you don’t want or can’t fit into anymore. The staff at Plato’s Closet will sort it, then buy the clothing and re-sell it. This can give you some extra cash to spend on your friends and family during the holidays. You might find some clothing, accessories, or shoes while in the store to give as gifts for Christmas. This benefits the environment by reusing clothing and keeping it out of the landfills. Waste not, want not!

A different way to give green gifts, or gifts that are economical, is to make them. Homemade presents hit the heart where store bought gifts can’t. Homemade cards, food, candles, picture frames, clothing, and other products are affordable and mean much more. Everyone enjoys an original card created by their loved one, a delicious dish that is made with TLC, or even a picture frame that is personally decorated. The season of giving doesnt have to be impossible this year, especially with the economy in the shape it is. You can’t put a price on love, gifts from the heart, or the environment! This year, celebrate with red and green!

Piece out,
Monica, Casey, Kayla, Zachary, Jordan, Alex & Renee

You survived Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but now it’s Tuesday. And you still haven’t completed the daunting task of holiday shopping. If you’re looking for a green, hassle-free alternative to crowded shopping malls and discount stores, we suggest making your list and checking it twice at the following Indiana-owned online retailers, many of which sell Indiana-made goods. Why is that green? Buying from one of the businesses listed below means it takes far less fuel to transport items from their warehouse to your home. Plus, many of the products they sell are produced in eco-friendly ways.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

As veteran members of the Clean Plate Club, we know a thing or two about keeping food waste to a minimum. And while we strongly advocate recycling Thanksgiving leftovers into creative new dishes, we also realize that by this weekend, you may be ready to lay off cooking altogether. So, in the spirit of the Pilgrims and Indians, who feasted on natural foods that were local to their region, we encourage you to check out the following Indianapolis restaurants, all of which feature menu items concocted from all-natural, organic, and/or local ingredients.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

Let the countdown begin! Just as Monument Circle will celebrate its 47th Circle of Lights this Friday, this weekend is the perfect time to string holiday lights. For obvious environmental reasons, we advise against covering the entire exterior of your house, Clark Griswold style, in 25,000 imported Italian twinkle lights. Instead, consider trading in your old energy-wasting holiday lights for a new set of light-emitting diode (LED) lights. Though they cost more than traditional incandescent bulbs, LEDs use up to 90% less energy, making them a better overall investment.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

For years, you’ve bagged up old T-shirts, slightly chipped dinnerware, and more bridesmaids dresses than you care to admit, then hauled them to Goodwill, where castoff possessions become someone else’s great find. As we enter the season of giving, we hope you’ll consider regifting some of your unwanted clothing and household items to Goodwill. Donating is just one easy way to reuse your old stuff and reduce the need for new items to be made. Trust us: Regifting is not tacky…it’s green!

Meet the Goodwill Guy:
Friday, Nov. 20:

• 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. - Carmel-West Goodwill Store, 10491 Walnut Creek Drive (106th Street and Michigan Road)
• 1-2:30 p.m. -96th Street Goodwill Store, 9510 Corporation Drive
• 3-4:30 p.m. -E. Washington Goodwill Store, 10101 E. Washington St.

Saturday, Nov. 21:

• 9-11 a.m. -  Avon Goodwill Store, 130 Shiloh Crossing

Did you ask Santa for a shiny new laptop this year? Rather than letting your old model collect dust or sit in a landfill, take it to a central Indiana Goodwill location Friday, November 27 through Saturday, December 5 for their computer recycling event. Computers (even non-working ones), as well as computer accessories, cell phones, iPod/MP3 players, mobile phones, televisions, VCRs, DVD players, video gaming equipment, and more will be accepted. Make a donation and fill out an entry form to win one of four netbooks or Indianapolis Colts tickets.

Piece on Earth, Goodwill to Indy,
Renee & Meghan

Between teachers passing out handouts, students doing their homework and even in the food court, we go through a fair amount of paper each day at IUPUI. Did you knwo that the average American throws away 3.5 lbs. of trash each day? And Indiana has the highest per capita trash in the entire country!

Piece out,
Monica, Casey, Kayla, Zachary, Jordan, Alex & Renee

We look forward to certain kinds of foam, like the kind you find on top of a perfectly prepared mug of cappuccino or beer. Other kinds, like disposable coffee cups and takeout containers, not so much. Whether you call it by its common name (”styrofoam”), its proper name (”expanded polystyrene”), or its recycling code (#6 plastic), one thing is certain about this material: it’s everywhere.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

As college students, many of us tend to buy coffee every morning to start the day. In one year, Starbucks alone uses more than 2.5 billion cups. That’s equal to 9.4 million trees being cut down. However, where do these coffee cups go? Once we drink the contents, we automatically aim for the trashcan for our method of disposal.

Piece out,
Monica, Casey, Kayla, Jordan, Alex & Renee

Like a certain celebrity couple with 8 kids, our city’s sewer system can only handle so much. Especially when heavy rain moves in, it’s prime time for flooding. But don’t just runoff and do nothing. Help alleviate strain on storm sewers and prevent pollutants from seeping into our waterways with these tips, courtesy of the Indianapolis Department of Public Works.

• Limit laundry, dishwasher use, flushing and showering during heavy rain. Indy’s wastewater treatment plants can only handle so much before they overflow into our waterways.
• Clear debris, trash, and leaves away from storm drain grates on and near your property. Excessive leaves really muck up the wastewater treatment process.
• Get your neighbors to help you clear blockages from neighborhood creeks and ditches.
• Pick up the poo. Cleaning up your pet’s waste keeps it out of our waterways.
• Increase the amount of vegetated area in your yard and decrease paved surfaces to help reduce runoff.
• Use a car wash instead of washing your car in your driveway to help prevent excess wastewater, contaminants, and detergents from entering our waterways.
• Harvest your own water supply by using a rain barrel.
• Dispose of paint, motor oil, and other household hazardous materials at a ToxDrop.
• Call the Mayor’s Action Center at 327-4MAC (4622) to report illegal dumping in waterways.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan

Please raise your right hand and repeat after us: I pledge allegiance to America Recycles Day (ARD), taking place November 15, 2009. The annual event, hosted by Keep America Beautiful and the National Recycling Coalition, encourages Americans to recycle and buy recycled products. Make plans now to attend an ARD event near you.

Piece out,
Renee & Meghan