Watt’s Happening???? January 20, 2014

Did you know that even when your appliances are turned off if they are plugged in they are still using electricity?  The U.S. Department of Energy states that approximately 5 to 10% of your residential electricity is sapped by devices that are plugged in 24 hours a day.

 

Try this simple test for a month and see what you save…. Do a quick check throughout your house and see what you can unplug when it’s not in use daily. Next unplug what is already turned off, ladies we know you turned your curling iron off, but if it’s not being used unplug it.  Then for those items you need all day and not at night or vice versa, use the surge protector and turn it off.

 

You will be surprised at the reduction in your electricity bill……. We look forward to hearing about your experience, be sure to share your results with us.

 

 

Save your Watt’s – Why?  Because it Feels So Good!!!!

 

Reduce, Recycle, and ReUse           

“It’s all about the sole….” January 13, 2014

We all have a favorite pair of shoes… For me it’s my boots, they are on their 6^th season, have had new tips 3 times and resoled once, they are the most comfortable pair of shoes in my closet.

 

Many of us dread that trip to the mall to buy new shoes.  Well here is a “Green” Sole-ution…

 

Before you toss your “sole” mate, think about this, for the do it yourselfer, there are online resources for resoling yourself, or look up your local cobbler to have your dear favorite shoe’s Re- soled, Re-newed and Re-owned by you….  Either way, you spare them from the landfill process.

 

Many manufacturers provide the option of sending your shoes to them for a tune up so be sure to check into this option too.

 

Have a heart and soul and resole…..  Save some green being “Green” because it Feels So Good!!!!

“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” January 6, 2014

Take a look at the following link: Who cares what it smells like . This is a fascinating story of a small town in Latin America that lives on a  landfill. See what the people of this impoverished town do with trash that you and I take for granted. This video will give you a whole new perspective on trash and make you think twice. 

New Year’s Resolutions December 30, 2013

As 2013 comes to a close and 2014 just around the corner, we would like to share some of our New Year’s resolutions with you all.

• Get a fake Christmas tree for next year. Now that Christmas is over a lot of holiday decorations/items are on sale or clearance. By getting a fake tree you save time and money on getting a real one every year and fewer trees will get cut down.
• Get into the habit of leaving reusable bags in the car. (Remembering to take them out of the trunk and into the store.) Many stores next year will start charging for plastic/paper bags. This will cut down on waste and save you money on shopping bags.
• Compost more!
• Plant more trees/plants/flowers/vegetables
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Before shopping for the newest and latest product ask yourself “do I really need this?” If you really do need something or just REALLY want it make sure you have the space for it. Donate some of your gently used things. Shelters are always looking for clothes, blankets and towels. If you have hand bags that are out of season but are still in pretty good shape ask your friends if they’d like them if not donate those to the Salvation Army or Goodwill.
• Meal prepping is a great New Year’s resolution. Cut down on your costs when you bring your lunch to work. When you plan ahead you can prepare a healthy and delicious meal to take to work instead of grabbing something from a drive thru window. By purchasing reusable tupperware you can cut down on waste by eliminating fast food containers.
• Cut back on electricity! Remember to shut off your heating/air units when you’re not at home or the office or set a timer.

These are just a few of our ideas. If you would like to share your New Year’s resolutions please comment below. We’d like to thank everyone for a wonderful 2013 and wish you all the best in 2014 with plenty of Sunshine!

“It’s raining, it’s pouring…” December 2, 2013

During the rainy season we would like to remind you of a few helpful green tips. Remember to adjust your sprinkler systems or shut them off completely when it rains. This will cut down on your water bill and will prevent from water going to waste. Another thing to keep in mind is to get a rain barrel to collect water. These rain barrels are great especially for when you need to water your plants. Check the weather for the week before washing your car. Why waste water to wash your car when it’s going to rain the next day? Last but not least go ahead and enjoy the rain! Whether it’s going outside and playing in the rain or just curling up with a blanket and hot coco and listening to the rain drops against the roof and windows. 

Happy Thanksgiving! November 25, 2013

Turkey day is right around the corner and we would like to give thanks to our friends and family so here are a few things to remember this Thanksgiving Day.

• Remember to use washable dishware to minimize waste
• Use cloth napkins for an elegant touch and wash them to also reduce waste
• Compost leftovers
• Use leaves as mulch
• Use the bones from your turkey for turkey stock
• If you usually find yourself with lots of leftovers after family dinners, pick up some holiday reusable tupperware to send your friends and family home with care packages so that no or little food goes to waste

That’s all our tips for this week. We are thankful for having such wonderful people as part of our Sunshine Hospitality family. From our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

Green Festival 2013 November 18, 2013

Sunshine Hospitality attended Green Fest 2013 and we had a blast! There were so many fun and interesting things to see and do. Everything from trying new organic and vegan smoothies to test driving the new plug in hybrids from Ford. We started out by paying for our admission with canned goods from the Rainbow grocery store. We then tried the new smoothies by Vega which were blended in a special blender that’s powered by a bicycle (see our Instagram account for a short clip @sunshinehospitality). Next we found ourselves at Rainbow’s booth where we won a bag of organic gluten free hi-protein pancake mix which was delicious! One of our favorite booths was BagSpeak  where a school principal who was promoting Bagito’s reusable bags. 100% of the profits go to programs that  teach kids about being green. Finally we finished our day out by test driving the new Ford Fusion plug in hybrid. The car runs incredibly smooth and drives great especially while on electricity. Possibly the best part about Green Fest was the number of young people volunteering at this event. It’s wonderful to see that younger generations are taking an interest in such an important cause. We can’t wait to see what’s in store at Green Fest 2014.

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