10 Ways I'm Trying to Be Eco Friendly

A few years ago, I decided to be more mindful about the environment and my part. Of course being on a budget, I couldn't do everything I wanted, but here's a few things that are fairly simple and cheap.

1. Using Bar Soap
I had use liquid body wash, but then I thought about all the plastic it uses. So, I decided to switch to bar soap. It's actually cheaper and lasts longer. It still has packaging, but at least it's not plastic container.

2. Glass Water Bottle
This not only is great for the environment, but it saves you easily $2 each time you refill! In Chicago, there's a water bottle tax, too. If you can get in the habit of bringing an empty one along wherever you go, it will save so much money! At conferences, they usually have a water station. At movie theaters, they usually have a drinking fountain. Less sugary soda to consume while you still indulge in movie theater popcorn! Here are places I know in Chicago that usually have free water fountains - usually found near the restrooms:

• Chicago Cultural Center
• Chicago Public Libraries
• Target stores
• Colleges and universities buildings
• Park district buildings and beaches
• Movie theaters
• Millennium Park
• Coffeehouses
• Lotus Cafe, Ghareeb Nawaz, Powell's Bookstore in University Village

3. Your Own Coffee Mug

Similar to the idea of your own water bottle, by bringing your own coffee mug to conferences or workshops, you'll save money, but also, usually be able to get more coffee than the small, plastic cups they provide. Some coffeehouses will even give you a small discount if you bring your own mug.

4. Own shopping bag

This is a no brainer, but I will say that I have a few and not all are created equal. Especially in the winter, I have one that actually was a gift and I think is a baby bag. The great thing is it's a heavy weatherproof bag, so when I have to set it down in the snow or wet pavement, it's fine. I have another bag that zips. I like this one because once on public transit my wallet was taken from a bag. Another great bag is one of the large, blue Ikea bags. This is great for toilet paper and other large, but light stuff. Lastly, I do like to carry around the cheaper and thinner bags in my backpack. Sometimes I plan for a grocery trip, and other times I don't. So if I carry one around all the time - it's there. Also, I keep one at work.

5. Recycling Pens, Sharpies

This could be harder, but at my university, the library has a depository that collects pens, highlighters,  and sharpies. All I have to do is save them and then bring them once and awhile to campus.

6. Sensitive Paper Shredding and Recycling

I have my own small shredder, but over the years I was finding I had a lot of paper that would take time and effort. At least in the Chicago area, I found Midway Moving Company that hosts free community shredding events. Usually, these are organized by your Ward's Alderman. They will shred it on site with a huge truck and then they recycle it.

Here's the link: http://midwaymoving.com/shred-a-thon/

7. Dry Erase Calendar

Instead of a paper calendar, think about using a dry erase calendar. This works especially if you don't need an archive of the calendar. However, if you do - you could always take a photo of the month to archive it.

8. Bullhorn with Rechargeable Battery

Think about spending another $10 with your bullhorn so you can get one with a rechargeable battery. This is great for environment, cheaper, and lighter, too! I got one from Pyro off of Amazon for about $50. Batteries are heavy and expensive.

9. Lunch Bag

I know some people use brown paper bags or reuse the plastic bag, but why not get a pretty cheap heavier lunch bag? One that can be washed or cleaned out easily. There's tons of options here - flat square ones, taller ones, and ones that zip or have a clasp. Definitely around August and September, there's a lot of them because of back to school season.

10. Divvy Bike

A few years ago Chicago got a bike share program called Divvy. Because I'm a student, I got a $20 discount for an annual membership. While I was usually using it between campuses, when the stations got extended, I now can do Divvy a lot more. And, it's much better to do the annual membership, because the 24 hour pass just increased to $10!

These are my top 10, so hope it helps. I'll try and post more when I think of them.

Sharing the Road; My Divvy Bike Experience

It’s been a year since I started Divvy, Chicago’s bike share program. At the time, I was looking for an easy, cheap, and quick way to go between UIC’s East and West Campus. Fortunately, the main buildings I went to had a station close by. The thing that sealed the deal was UIC’s Office of Sustainability then offered a $20 discount for students, too! So, that meant I could get a $55 for an unlimited, one-year membership. With a $7 day pass (now it’s gone up to $10), the one-year was a great deal.

My next big decision – what color helmet to get?! Done.

Some tips for new Divvy riders:

•      Ride in 3^rd gear;
•    Download the Divvy app, which shows stations and full/empty status;
•    Be mindful of pedestrians;
•    Save the Divvy phone number in your cell;
•    DO NOT ride your bike on the sidewalk, walk it – if needed;
•    DO NOT ride on Sheridan Road;
•    And, be mindful of your time.

I was pretty happy with Divvy during the school year. It definitely saved me time not using the bus, and it was fun riding a bike again. I hadn’t gotten on a bike since Germany.

Then, on June 1, Divvy significantly expanded their stations all the way to the north in Rogers Park! Very cool. There were two stations within two blocks from me.

The only thing that frustrates me is now the jockeying for road space. There’s cars, bikes, and foot traffic. Even with bike lanes, we all still need to look out for each other.

The other day, I was downtown, and I had just gotten on a Divvy. I walked it on the sidewalk and down to the street. The light was changing, but a pedestrian clearly thought he was going to walk in front of me, but couldn’t, since my bike was “in his way.” He gave me this look and motioned with his arms that “he was walking here.” However, I don’t see how, because there was traffic. He went behind me, then trying to still cross traffic against the light.

My first reaction was – what the hell? I was right, you were wrong. But, I tried not to let him ruin my summer, sunny day. He wasn’t worth it.