Guests:

Todd Stebleton is a health coach from Pure Health Wellness Coaching.  He is here to help us ring in the New Year on a healthy and green foot!  The term health coach is a new term. Previously, coaches were instructors. Today, a health coach is merely a mentor of health. Todd and his team provide science-based protocols that are designed on an individual basis and brought out in a practical application.  Pure Health uses the latest diagnostic testing to create the most advanced nutrition plan for each individual. Whether you have a diagnosable disease or would like to lose some excess pounds, their health coaches will provide solid answers and protocols to help you elevate your health.

Green Tip Extravaganza

We thought we would ring in the New Year by choosing some of our best green tips that you can use to easily green your life in 2009!  Our friends at The Daily Green and the National Resource Defense Council helped us compile this list.  Go green in 2009!!!!

Switch to Reusable Towels

Cost: $6.95 or FREE
Paper towels create waste. Buy reusable towels, or cut up old t-shirts you have lying around. When you are finished cleaning with them, toss the towels in the wash and reuse them again and again.

Stop Buying Bottled Water

Cost: about $14.98 for aluminum water bottle
It takes 26 bottles of water to produce the plastic container for a one-liter bottle of water!  Stop buying bottled water. Use reusable water bottles instead made from materials like stainless steel or aluminum that are not likely to degrade over time. If you choose a plastic water bottle, look for a BPA-free version

Stop Receiving Unwanted Catalogs

Cost: $0
Each year, 19 billion catalogs are mailed to American consumers. All those catalogs require more than 53 million trees and 56 billion gallons of wastewater to produce. Visit catalogchoice.org to put a stop to unwanted catalogs. Within 10 weeks, your mailbox will be empty of unwanted catalogs.

Switch to Recycled Toilet Paper

Cost: about $2.96 for 4-pack, 260 sheets
Believe it or not, switching to recycled toilet paper can change the world. If every household in the United States bought just one four-pack of 260-sheet recycled bath tissue, instead of the typical tissue made from virgin fiber, it would eliminate 60,600 pounds of chlorine pollution, preserve 356 million gallons of fresh water and save nearly 1 million trees. And the best news is that a four-pack of recycled toilet paper costs about the same as a four-pack of conventional toilet paper.

Wash your Clothes in Cold Water

Cost: $0
Did you know that only 10 percent of the energy used by a typical washing machine powers the motor? About 90 percent of the energy is used to heat the water, and most clothes will come clean in cold water. So switch your washing machine's temperature setting to cold and watch the savings add up.

Get a Reusable Shopping Bag

Cost: as little as $1
Paper or plastic at the grocery store? Neither is a good choice. Twelve million barrels of oil were used to make the 88.5 billion plastic bags consumed in the United States last year. And it takes four times more energy to make paper bags. The best choice is reusable shopping bags made of cotton, nylon or durable, meshlike plastic. If you happen to forget your reusable bag (as we all do!), choose paper if you will recycle it or plastic if you will reuse or recycle it.

Little Green Bag:

It is that time of year to make sure you are recycling your Christmas tree!  If you live in the Twin Cities, see the info below for detailed info.  If you live outside of the Twin Cities metro area go to www.earth911.com for specific info in your area.

First, remove all ornaments, tinsel, lights or plastic bags. Then take the tree—and proof of residence to a recycling station.

In St. Paul and Ramsey County, three Ramsey County compost sites are open and will take trees for free, if you have proof of Ramsey County residence. The sites are open on January 10 and 11.

• The Eastside site is at the intersection of Frank Street and Sims Avenue in St. Paul.
• The Midway site is at Pierce Butler Route and Prior Avenue in St. Paul.
• Shoreview/White Bear Township site is at County Road J and Sherwood Road in Shoreview.

Vadnais Heights Christmas Tree Recycling Christmas trees will be picked up by your hauler at no additional charge on the first and second Wednesday following New Year's Day. On other than the designated dates, a charge will apply for this service.

Minneapolis and Hennepin County residents Two sites in Hennepin County, one in Minneapolis and one in Shakopee, take Christmas trees. There is no charge for Hennepin County residents and a $1.50 charge per tree for everyone else.

• Malcolm Transfer Station - Hennepin County residents free, non-residenets $1.50 per tree
  630 Malcolm Ave. SE
  Minneapolis, MN 55414

• Shakopee - Hennepin County residents free with proof of residence.

  14800 Johnson Memorial Highway
  (County Road 14 and Hwy 169)

Anoka County

• Bunker Hills Compost Site, which will be open for two weekends in January to receive Christmas trees and evergreen garlands. The site is open January 3 and 4, and 10 and 11.

Washington County operates six sites. Most are take trees from any Washington County resident.

• Bayport
• Cottage Grove
• Forest Lake (open to Forest Lake residents only)
• Oakdale (open to Oakdale residents only)
• Stillwater
• Woodbury

CLICK HERE TO ASK OBAMA YOUR GREEN (OR OTHER)  QUESTIONS!