Day 59: Give in gift bags

For special occasions, give presents in gift bags and attach a card so the bag can be reused. For filler in the bag, take your junk mail or used paper or newspaper, run through a shredder, and boom, you have a tissue-paper-esque product!

Day 47: Freecycle

Here's how freecycling defines itself: The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,681 groups with 6,432,000 members across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free.

There are 7,655 active members in the New Orleans group.

Day 25: Recycle ink cartridges

Recycling printer cartridges will reduce the plastic put into landfills. Most cartridges can be recycled up to six times and are guaranteed by most manufacturers to work as well as brand-new ones.

Laser-Tone International, (800) EARTH-58, will pick up and deliver back to you, for free, laser and ink jet printer cartridges and other office products you wish to recycle and reuse.

Eco-Office recycles and purchases used cartridges. They will provide lists of companies in your area that will purchase used cartridge, as well as companies that will provide remanufactured ones.

My contribution: I've got one to dispose of that I'll bring to my local community center so they can cash it in.

Day 3: Mobile phone recycling

If you're like me, every 2 years when your cellular contract is up, you take advantage of the opportunity to upgrade your phone. I used to save mine for my children to laugh at one day, but these days I save as little as possible.

But rather than throwing away electronic equipment, there are hundreds of charitable organizations that refurbish or recycle them. And http://www.collectivegood.com/ is a good place to start.

From this site you can choose to send your phones to a number of charities, be it animal, children, domestic, international or medical, among others. Many organizations will even pay your shipping fees. Tax-deductible receipts also are available.

My contribution: I know I have two phones, and will collect more from my immediate family this week, before sending them to Center For Domestic Violence Prevention.