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 Bill Lauto is an Environmental Scientist and Energy Consultant who has been teaching how we can save our money, energy, environment, and health, since 1982. Mr. Lauto operates GoingTrueGreen.com and his work has been published in magazines such as: Consumer Report, Kiplinger's Financial and Business Ethics. |
| Look around, do you see some piece of paper with a note to others or one self as a reminder. They mostly get posted all over the kitchen, class room, dorm room, workshop, phone, or desk, and they cost us big time in Money and Trees. Why do we spend so much money and waste so much paper all in the name of facilitating "note leaving" endeavors by each one of us? Never fear, the money and environmental saving way is here! You will never need to buy post up notes again or use a single tree for some scrap paper. The cost savings for you can be done by just realizing how many packs are purchased each year. For the average family of four, a $10.00 five pack will last around four months. If you buy the Pop-Up style, you only get three pads for that price and if you like assorted colors you'll be paying almost $20.00 for six pads. Multiply how many packs are used per year and you'll probably save at least enough to see a movie with snacks for two. So the "other way" that can eliminate note paper, is by using various sized and functional chalk boards. Remember that chalk today is dust-less and different sized blackboards have backs that are stick-on, mounting, hanging, or magnetized to stick on the refrigerator door. They also come in beautiful frames, decorative mounts, and in a small easel stand that is perfect for counter tops. In addition, if your work place has those marker boards where jobs are planned out and notes are posted, ask the following questions: Are chemical markers mostly used and if so, what kind of ink or chemicals are in those markers? Does your marker boards or white board wash away cleanly or does the marker residue slowly build up changing your white board into a "not so white" board that now has post it notes all over the board? You won't have any of the above problems when using dustless chalk and a good quality blackboard of various sizes around the office and home. Along with your Reminder app on your cell phone, Evernote app on iOS devices, the "stickies" or "sticky notes" on your computer, you can eliminate the need to use chemical markers or post its notes, thus saving money for ourselves and our environment for our grandchildren. When you stop to think about our note leaving endeavors, you realize what post up notes gave us… One of the largest waste of paper and ink world wide. Did we really "need" this product to accomplish our note leaving tasks or were we told that we "wanted" this product? This is just another example of the public being sold a "bill of goods" that hurts our environment, wastes our money, and uses up more energy. So recycle those chemical markers, take down your post up notes or scrap paper with tape, and put up a good old blackboard. You see, living a more sustainable life is easy while saving money, energy, and earth. |
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20 lucky winners will win $500 each in prizes totaling $10,000. 