Get a jump on curbing you energy use at home with MassSave’s top ten energy saving tips–how many can you check off you list?

1. Install a programmable thermostat
2. Use CLFs with the ENERGY STAR label
3. Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s drying cycle
4. Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use
5. Plug home electronics such as TVs and DVD players into power strips that you can easily switch off when not in use.
6. Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120F
7. Take short showers instead of baths
8. Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes
9. Drive sensibly — speeding, rapid acceleration, and braking wastes gas
10. Look for the ENERGY STAR label when purchasing home appliances and products.

What: Prudential Center Farmers’ Market
Where: Boston Prudential Center at 800 Boylston Street, Boston, MA
When: Thursdays from 11am-6pm November thru April 26
What’s for sale: lavender, honey, vegetables, fruit, bread, baked goods, herb plants, herbal sandwiches

What: Cambridge Winter Farmers’ Market
Where: Cambridge Community Center, 5 Callender Street, Cambridge, MA
When: Saturdays 10am-2pm November-April 28
What’s for sale: root veggies, kale, beets, gluten free pastas, fresh eggs, fish & shellfish, sauces, honey, preserves, art, and more.

What: Somerville Winter Farmers’ Market
Where: The Armory, 191 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA
When: Saturdays 9:30am-2:30pm November 12-May 26
What’s for sale: local and regional produce, meats, fish, breads, pastries, chocolate, and wine, plus arts and crafts vendors, entertainment, and children’s activities.

What: SoWa Winter Market
Where: 485 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA
When: Sundays 10am-3pm November 20-April 29
What’s for sale: honey, nuts, wine, mushrooms, butter, organic coffee, grassfed meats, cheese, root vegetables, greenhouse fare, farm fresh eggs, seeds & starter plants, artisan breads & baked goods, jams & preserves, grains & oils, and much more.

What: Dorchester Winter Farmers’ Market
Where: The Great Hall of the Codman Square Health Center, 6 Norfolk Street, Dorchester, MA
When: Sundays 12pm-3pm November – March 25
What’s for sale: cheeses, sandwiches, cakes, sweet potatoes, squash, onions, garlic, turnips, celery root, carrots, parsnips, collard greens, kale, plus gardening workshops and art projects

Know of an winter market in your neighborhood? Add it to the list in a comment below!

	1. The Costume Halloween is the perfect time to unleash your (and your kids) creativity–let your kids imaginations run wild with the possibility of what they can be and let them join in the fun of crafting their own costume. No worries if you are not a master –a little duct tape and a stapler can go a long way. And if you are still not ready to take the leap, visit etsy.com for a whole bunch of handmade costumes. We love this ‘Max’ costume, pricey, but a-dorable!
	2. The Bag No need to buy a special trick-or-treat bag for the occasion; a pillowcase, a reusable tote, or last year’s plastic pumpkin will do. But if you are looking to acquire a keepsake bag, support a good cause while you are at it with this Trick-or-Treat tote from FEED. A portion of each purchase helps feed the hungry.
	3. The Treats This is a tough one. It’s sooo easy to go out and buy one of those giant bulk bags of candy, but it’s also a great opportunity to introduce some healthy treats and inspired goodies to the neighborhood. For more ideas check out the extensive list available at Green Halloween.
	4. The Decorations Opt for natural, handcrafted, biodegradable, or reusable decorations this year and skip the plastic. A pair of dad’s old jeans and a flannel shirt stuffed with leaves with a pumpkin on top makes for a frightful and frugal show piece. Employ your kids to carve jack-o-lanterns, craft paper bats, and string cobwebs. These colorful kitui baskets filled with fall flowers or apples make a festive centerpiece and can be used year round.

Happy Halloween!

Petit Collage – $50/$120; fun factor: key on bottom with all the animal names. elements: hand-printed on 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper; maple hardwood frames handcrafted in the U.S.A. with a no-VOC finish.

Nature Alphabet Poster by Children Inspire Design – $28/$40; fun factor – 26 cute and colorful critter collages; elements: printed on New Leaf recycled card stock with soy inks; packaged with recycled materials.

Animal Alphabet by ModernPop – $38; fun factor: multiple fonts with a splash of retro kitsch; elements: printed on radiant white watercolor paper with vivid color reproduction and archival pigment inks.

Letterpress Alphabet Poster by sycamorestreetpress – $35; fun factor – tangerine and aqua!! ; elements: printed by hand on a vintage letterpress with soy ink and 100% cotton paper in Utah.

Alphabet Signed Print by Alfabetika – $38.89; fun factor – goofy letter characters. elements: made in Paris; 5% of purchase is donated to UNICEF.

Strawberry Luna – $18 each, or 3 for $40; fun factor: a cute way to display babies initials; hand printed with grey water based acrylic inks on archival, cotton rag Stonehenge papers.

Alphabet of Design Classics – $50; fun factor: for the modern design obsessed! elements: digital print on matte finished digital paper glued to heavy stock black mat cardboard by hand.

The Penny Paper Co. Alphabet Print – $15 ; fun factor: add your name at the top and choose your color palette. elements: printed on photographic archival paper for the brightest of colours and longevity, fits in an IKEA Ribba Frame.

Colorful Modern Alphabet Poster by KimsCustomGifts – $ ; fun factor: playful, colorful icons and you can change any or all of the colors. elements: purchase the digital file and print it yourself or pay to have them print it for you.

Animal Alphabet by englishmuffin – $30; fun factor: boxes full of color, animals, words and letters, oh my. elements: printed on a heavy weight 100% recycled paper with a matte finish, using archival inks. fits in pre-matted IKEA Ribba frame.

Modern Alphabet Print by Grace Hester Designs – $ fun factor: cool graphics in an unexpected blue, brown, and green color palette. elements: printed on archival-quality photographic paper with a lustre finish for longevity.

In-gredients plans to sell “all the basic ingredients you need for life (and most recipes)” which includes organic meats, dairy, baking goods, cooking oils, spices, grains, seasonal produce, wine, beer (b.y.o growlers and wine bottles) and cleaning products. They hopes to source as much of their inventory as possible from local farmers and vendors. And since it’s all packaging-free (or packaging light – FDA required), customers are encouraged to bring reusable containers from home to fill up with goods. They will have compostable containers on hand, but best to bring your own.

Am sure the first visit will take some calculating to get your bearings with the number and type of containers to bring, but after a few visits it will be standard operating procedure. (I’d definitely recommend these Organic Cotton Muslin Produce Bags. I just picked up a set and they are great — no more plastic bags in the produce section and they keep produce fresher longer…)

Just imaging all of the waste saved if we all shopped at package-free stores. What joy to be able to give up all that wasted packaging! I am so in love with this concept, and can’t wait for them to make their way to Cambridge! Hmmm, there are open to franchising opportunities. Any takers?

And this endeavor is funded primarily by the money the city has saved from adopting a single stream curbside recycling system last fall. Kudos to Cambridge residents who increased their recycling efforts by 14% since the program was introduced! More recycling means more savings, just about $75 for every ton that is diverted from the trash.

How to be safe? 1. avoid microwaving plastic (via Practically Green); 2. cool food or liquids before putting them in a plastic container (via University of Cincinnati study); 3. avoid putting plastic items in the dishwasher; the detergent and heat break down the plastic, which may cause BPA, if it’s present, to leach out (via Good Housekeeping); 4. But the safest option is to avoid plastic altogether.

Here are some great alternatives to plastic food storage containers:

	ANCHOR HOCKING’S TRUESEAL GLASS FOOD STORAGE Made in the US, these clear glass containers are oven, microwave, freezer, and dishwasher safe which is super convenient because you can cook up, say, a lasagna, stick it in the freezer, then take it out and pop it in the microwave when you get a hankering for lasagna. Problem is the air-tight lids are made of plastic – BPA-free, but still plastic, so you’ll have to hand wash ‘em… $24.97, 10 piece set @ Amazon
	VINTAGE GLASS FOOD STORAGE Love the idea of going to an all glass design, like what was used before cheap plastic took over! This classic set comes straight from a 1930′s mold and the design is timeless. They are modular, stackable and pretty enough to go straight from the oven to the table. Both the lid and the base are made from dishwasher safe glass. $9.99-$14.99 @ The Container Store
	PYREX BAKE, SERVE & STORE SET An extremely affordable option and the ultimate multi-tasking set! They are made of glass and are designed for baking and for food storage. Each piece comes with 2 lids, a BPA-free plastic lid for food storage and a glass lid with silicon rim for baking and microwave use. And they are nesting, so they won’t take up too much storage space in the fridge. $29.86 for a set of 12 @ Amazon
	LIFE WITHOUT PLASTIC AIRTIGHT CONTAINERS For me, being able to see what’s inside the container is critical, so the glass with stainless steel top is the one for me, but if that’s not top on your list, the all stainless steel versions are pretty cool. And they are nice and light and have a leak-proof silicone seal (make sure to remove the silicone seal for dish washing or baking!), so you can take them on the go. You can also easily mark the tops with a non-permanent marker so you can keep track of what’s yours and what’s inside. $15 & up @Life Without Plastic
	BOWL OVERS If you can survive without a super tight seal, these food covers are quite nice. Reminds me of the ones my grandmother used to have, but these ones are made of 100% cotton with fun little sayings like “Waste Not Want Not” and “Save Some for Me.” The major benefit is that you’re reusing what you’ve got (bowls) and don’t have to sacrifice additional storage space. But they are from the UK, so shipping’s a drag. Find similar items on etsy, or try your hand at you own DIY covers. £11.50 for a set of 6 @ Remodelista

Wow, with so many great alternatives out there — why do we use so much plastic? Here are some other options: LunchBots ($5-$15) small stainless steel containers designed for lunch boxes, but good for fridge too and Kids Konserve Stainless-Steel Nesting Trio with Leak-Proof Lids.

I’d also recommend taking a look on eBay for vintage glass or Pyrex containers. You can find some really lovely ones. And, of course, there is always the ‘free’ option; I like to use what I’ve got around the house. Used glass salsa jars, jelly jars and sauce jars are great to reuse for sauces, soups, rice, stir fries etc. And my current glass container of choice? Grandma’s old canning jars.

Here are the top contenders:

1. leather case tutorial from Design Sponge 2. felt lined case tutorial from Biscuit Monster 3. composition book cover tutorial from lil blue boo 4. Prada inspired iPad clutch tutorial from P.S. I Made This 5. moleskin camouflage case tutorial from the modern day pirates

Also pining for the DodoCase (play on ‘books’ on the verge of extinction like the beloved Dodo bird) complete with the touch of real live book — $59.95.