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Who says you have to lug around an ugly green bag just because you care about the environment? Actually, some of those eco-bags leave me pretty torn: do I lug around an awful-looking tote in a color that doesn’t match anything I would ever wear (for the most part), or do I say “the heck with it” and just go for a plastic bag instead. In the early days, you really didn’t have many choices. But today, there are tons. Yes, they all look like they would be eco-bags (you’re not toting around a Louis Vuitton, after all), but they have quite a bit more style than their 99-cent counterparts.

Certainly, you don’t need to upgrade. You can save the world just fine with your plain green reusable shopping bag, but with the array of options out there now, why would you want to? You don't have to be learning how to become a fashion designer to care about your appearance. 

Disclaimer: Although I am sort of glorifying the act of buying a new reusable bag, it’s important to remember that these are reusable for a reason. You really shouldn’t plan to buy a new set with every change of season. I don’t know the stats, but I can’t imagine you’d be doing much good for the environment in that case.

Here are a few designs that caught my eye:

This is the Slingsax model from Envirosax. Not only do I think the design is great, but I love how it’s made to sling over your shoulder.

The roomy tote above is from ChicoBags, a company that makes many stylish and reusable totes.

This Flip and Tumble bag is simple, stylish and unisex – Does it get any better than that? Oh yeah, and it comes in a ton of different colors. 

In the past year or so, I’ve been living a much cleaner and healthier life than ever before. I still have a long way to go, but I have made some great strides. When you start living cleaner and healthier, it seems that the natural progression is to care more about the environment. I guess that’s because it’s hard not to learn about the environmental impact of living the “normal” way and eating a standard American diet.

And once you learn these things, they can’t be unlearned. Actually, they’ll probably peak your curiosity enough for you to want to learn more. At least, that’s what happened to me. While researching more about recycling, I learned that you should never (ever) throw an old computer in the trash. In hindsight, that advice seems like common sense, but it’s definitely not something I would have considered before. In fact, I have thrown old computers in the trash. I guess one of the major lessons I've learned is that you don't have to know everything; you don't have to be an environmental engineer by trade to care and want to improve the environment. You can be a paralegal, administrative assistant, police officer, or a writer, like me.

Where I live, we pay for our garbage service, and I suspect the company may sort through the garbage; not to spy on us but to pull out anything that shouldn’t go along with the normal trash. That’s what they do with the contents of the recycling bin anyhow. So, I hope someone caught the old computer I tossed away a few years ago, but either way, there’s not much I can do about it now.

All I can do to help is to change my ways. I now have a computer that needs to “meet its maker,” so I did a little digging to find out what on earth I should do. I thought this was going to be really hard and time consuming, but in about five minutes I learned that I can take it to the same company that picks up my trash (which is about a 2 minute drive away). There might be a fee, but they’ll properly dispose of my computer, and I can feel like I’ve done the right thing. Phew.

I found this out through electronicsrecycling.net, which is a searchable database of facilities that accept old computers for recycling. I forgot to mention that my old computer is burnt out (aka not useable), so giving it to a charity isn’t really an option. If you have an old computer that can be used by someone less fortunate (or sold for parts) check out Christina.org for more info. And finally, if you’re in the market for a new computer, you may just want to trade the old one in. HP has a trade-in program that will give you a few bucks for your old clunker that can be used towards the purchase of a new HP. 

Have you ever thought about what goes in to making the products that are staples in your household? Sure, we’re most concerned about the products that come in direct contact with our skin, but there are much stronger chemicals that we come into contact with on a regular basis. You don't need to be a pharmacy tech to know that this isn’t really so safe for us, but it’s probably worse for the environment around us. It’s kind of depressing to think of things this way, but we’re only here for about 100 years (most of us even less than that). This planet is here for the long haul – but each generation that passes though leaves its mark (and it’s not a good one). 

One way to reduce the impact of household chemicals on yourself and the environment is to make your own natural cleaning solutions. Here are a few ideas:

·         Window cleaner – Instead of Windex, try filling a spray bottle with 2 tablespoons of vinegar and about 3 cups of water.  Drop in about three drops of lemon or grapefruit essential oils (to make it smell fresh and pretty) and it’s ready to use. Another great tip: Fish some newspaper out of your recycling bin and use a piece of that instead of paper towels or cloth. It sounds crazy, but just humor me and try it. You’ll be hard pressed to find a streak left behind (and no, you won’t see any ink residue).

·         All-purpose cleaner – Use the same formula as the window cleaner, but use a cloth or paper towel instead of newspaper. Although it works like magic on your windows, newspaper will leave ink residue on your other surfaces.

·         Fabric refresher – Get one of your favorite essential oils (I like to use lavender) and a spray bottle filled with water. Just drop about 3 to 4 drops of oil into the water and spray onto your fabric. It’s a safe and natural alternative to something like Febreeze.

Forty years ago next month, Senator Gaylord Nelson brought environmentalists together on an issue that affects us all: the health of the planet. And, Earth Day was born. Every year, celebrities, musicians, politicians and environmentalists gather on the National Mall to spread awareness of their growing concerns about the health of this great earth. It’s much like our bodies in that we only get this one.

We know we aren’t taking care of the planet as we should be, and it’s not exactly fair. Mother Earth has been very kind to us, yet we are constantly treating her with disrespect (usually in the name of money).

If you would like to go and be a part of Earth Day 2012 at the National Mall, simply arrive between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. to partake in the festivities and maybe learn a thing or two about this environment that we too often take for granted.

But, Earth Day isn’t really about harping on negativity. It’s about celebrating this land and all its splendor. So, it’s perfectly fine to go and just enjoy some good music and a speech or two, but while you’re there, talk to some of the eco-friendly exhibitors about some potential changes you might be able to make in your life so that this planet may live a little longer.

I guess my point is that you don’t have to be a “crunchy granola” kind of person or an environmental engineer to appreciate this event – it’s meant to be fun, and it is! It’s kind of like a cross between a concert, a festival and a seminar. Even if you don’t live in D.C., it might be worth the trip. If you live too many miles away to consider the trip, check out earthday.org to see if there is an event near you. If there isn't one already, you can always get on started! See the site for more details.

Are you aware that there are toxic chemicals in most personal care items? Check out the ingredient list on your shampoo bottle. Go ahead; I’ll wait.

If you see a long list of ingredients that seem foreign or you can’t even pronounce, they are probably chemicals. That’s certainly not the most accurate way to tell, but since most shampoos do contain harmful chemicals, it’s a good bet that yours does too. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but since I’ve already earned that title, I’ll continue bringing you down. The same goes for your deodorant, moisturizer, mascara and hand soap. Chemicals are in almost everything that touches our skin.

The chemicals aren’t added for the purpose of messing with our nervous system or hormones, or to give us allergies or even cancer, but those are the likely results. Sad isn’t it? Actually, the chemicals are added for various reasons. Many are added as anti-microbial agents and others are added to emulsify the product. If your shampoo didn’t contain sulfates, it wouldn’t lather nearly as well, and lather is what we’ve come to believe equates to clean (good marketing, maybe?).

Not only do these chemicals wreak havoc on our bodies, but they also harm the environment around us. These chemicals have no more of a place in our soil and air than they do on our skin.

The sad truth (again, bearer of bad news here) is that you probably can’t avoid these chemicals completely. But, that doesn’t mean this is a lost cause. A little chemical exposure is certainly better than a chemical bath. So, use completely natural (homemade, if possible) products whenever you can and read the labels of the products you must buy.

Also, consider cutting down the amount of products you purchase and use. If one thing can do two jobs, use it for both. This way, you don’t have to worry about how different chemicals are reacting on your skin. Remember, the chemicals in each product are tested for safety when used with other chemicals in that same product. They aren’t necessarily tested for safety when used with chemicals that might be found in other products.

This might seem like a thankless job. Certainly, there are no scholarships for living a cleaner life. But, in this case, the payoff is a healthier and less-toxic existence. I think it’s a no brainer.