When you hear the phrase “Don’t be trashy,” you’re probably thinking more along the lines of “Don’t be a hot mess” or “Don’t be slutty.” While keeping it classy and not trashy is certainly a good motto to live by, try thinking about it in the more literal sense. DoSomething.org and Nestlé Waters launched a recycling campaign on December 23 called Don’t Be Trashy to make information about recycling more accessible to people our age and to give us more ways to get involved. Their interactive website provides an outlet to share recycling project ideas.

Here are some recycling facts:

• The average person throws out four pounds of trash per day
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that while 75% of solid waste is recyclable, only about 30% is actually recycled
• Recycling saves 3 to 5 times the energy generated by waste-to-energy plants, even without counting the wasted energy in the burned materials
• All teens involved are eligible for a free movie ticket (while supplies last) and a $500 college scholarship

You can visit www.dosomething.org/trashy or text “TRASHY” to 38383 to get involved!

A round-up of all your holiday favorites and when they’ll be on TV

A faux-fur vest that won’t break the bank

Top ten New Year’s Eve destinations

This is the grossest necklace ever

Still confused how the Kardashians’ keep getting more famous

No matter what, we’re still rooting for Brit

Guess recycling doesn’t save the earth

Man goes blind from climaxing during sex

Tailgating essentials for the best football experience ever

Cosmo article rewritten by a guy

By just being a tad more conscious of your recycling options, you can make a huge difference with relatively minimal effort.  Here are some common products that you can recycle right in your home town!

Batteries – These babies are full of heavy metals and toxins that are of special concern to soil and water contamination, so be sure to recycle them!  Keep a box in your room so once those batteries from your remote control (or any other battery powered “appliances”…) burn out you can send them in to be recycled.  Batteryrecycling.com has a good program where you can send in pretty much any commercial battery for recycling, or you can check out any local recycling centers in your area to see if they offer this service.

Laptops – I don’t know about you, but I have definitely made my way through computers.  My most recent, Doris, has a cracked screen and a dead battery.  Who in their right mind would want to take her off my hands?  Gazelle.com, that’s who.  They offer laptop recycling services and even offer payment for some laptop models!  If poor little Doris can have a $30 value, just imagine what your old laptop can fetch!

Clothes – As college girls, I’m sure we’ve all become familiar with the beauty that is Goodwill.  There is no better excuse for buying new clothes than donating the old ones to a good cause.  But what about those that are just too threadbare to donate?  Surprisingly, you can donate them anyways!   Goodwill and the Salvation Army send out these clothes to “rag sorters” which recycle the fabrics themselves.  Another good option for running shoes in particular is Recycled Runners, a company specializing in recycling and donation of running shoes.  Hit up their website for donation info and sights in your area.

Glasses – Although we hate to admit it, most of us sport a pair of spectacles now and again.  Now I’m sure you look fabbb in your Polo readers, but what about those fug pink wire ones in hidden your closet from 6^th grade?  Believe it or not, thousands of people are without glasses when they really need them.  Donate them via New Eyes for the Needy or drop them off at your local LensCrafters to ensure that they are handed off to somebody who really needs them.

Medications – Even if your new birth control meds make you bitchy, never ever flush them down the toilet!  Pharmaceuticals can seep into our water supply, polluting local bodies of water and even our own drinking water!  Instead, find a local pharmacy with a “take back” program for any over-the-counter drugs, personal care products, and prescription drugs and spare the fishies your terrible PMS symptoms (joking!).

Anything else – If you can’t find a good place for it, just donate it or, better yet, put it on Craigslist!  Craigslist perfectly embodies the phrase “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”; no matter what you have you are bound to find someone else that has been dying to find it.  What’s more, they’ll even come pick up your junk and might even pay you for it!  I really can’t think of a lazier way to make money while exercising your eco-friendly side.

Even if your junk isn’t on this list, it can probably be recycled!  Check Earth911.com before you throw anything away – it’s a great resource for recycling info! It even has a search tool so that you can find a local drop-off site for all of your unwanted junk.  Happy recycling!!

[Every week, CC and John bring you some of the weirdest, funniest, saddest things he hears on his college campus. Join the Overheard revolution!Leave your own overheard convos in the comments or send ‘em over!]

(At a Starbucks.)

Girl: So this is the only gin joint in town, huh?

Barista: No. This is a Starbucks.

(Two guys on move-out day, carrying cases of beer.)

Guy 1: Man, we’re gonna fill up an entire recycling bin.

RA, poking head out of room: Excuse me?

Guy 2: No, don’t worry, it’s okay. These are full of urine.

(Guy, in a bookstore cafe.)

Guy: Agh, this isn’t iced coffee. This is … nice coffee. And by that I mean not-nice coffee.

(In a sociology class.)

Professor: I know I say all these bad things about corporations, but I’m telling you – I’m not a Communist!

(Two guys, in front of a computer.)

Guy 1: So wait, who gets out alive?

Guy 2: Well, not No-Legs. He’s probably screwed.

(Girl, leaving a party.)

Girl: Picking people up should be an Olympic sport. I’d be the equivalent of, like, a 13-year old Chinese gymnast.

(Two guys, at the gym.)

Guy 1: Okay. What should I do now?

Guy 2: Well, that depends. Where don’t you hurt yet?

Guy 1: My penis. I’m kidding. Well, not really.

(Guys in the hallway, one with a grocery bag.)

Guy 1: They’re doing a food collection in the lobby.

Guy 2: Oh, cool. Do they take mold?

(Two girls in front of a mirror.)

Girl 1: My chin is huge.

Girl 2: No, that’s just a bad angle. Turn a bit. You don’t even notice it!

Girl 1: You’re looking at the back of my head.

(Girl, walking down the street.)

Girl: Any homeless people around? I got extra teeth in my head!

(Three guys at a dance.)

Guy 1: Yo, check out the guy in the khakis and New Balance. That’s rough.

Guy 2: Yeah. Like, I don’t want to watch, but I have to, you know?

Guy 3: Mm, yup. That’s my little brother for you.

(A woman sitting in the corner booth of a diner.)

Woman:  I came home, and someone replaced all the squirrels in my yard with chipmunks! Overnight! They’re way cuter, I guess, but maybe I should call somebody.

Yes, this dress is hot and totally earth-friendly!

The earth friendly movement is sweeping the nation – cars, homes, even an entire TV station, everything is getting the green makeover, and fashion is no exception.

What does Green mean, in terms of fashion?  Well, organic fabrics, recycled fibers, and green production processes that have a low impact on the planet, for starters. Ethically sourced fabrics are also a high priority, crafted by artisans from around the world who are paid a fair wage. In addition, sustainable materials like organic cotton and wool from humanely raised animals are sought out. Essentially, Green clothing companies have to take both environmental and ethical factors into consideration.

Sounds like a lot, but there are tons of earth-friendly designers out there doing just that. And doing it well.

Here’s a look at some of the finest fashion finds around, from designers and companies committed to making a difference with their super-stylish AND eco-friendly products. If you aren’t a Green Girl yet, these green goods may just sway you!

1. Terra Plana shoes. This company makes killer footwear.  The range is huuuuuge: flats, sandals, boots and sneakers, and my favorite amazing heels, all of them cute! Any leather they use is vegetable tanned, and they use a lot of recycled fabrics. They also invented a material they call E-leather, which is a blend of leather and textile fibers ‘re-woven’ to make it indistinguishable from real leather – and using far less water and chemicals than regular production.

2. Adili.com is an awesome eco-clothing website, a sort of clearinghouse for smaller Green designers, and let me tell you, there are some AMAZING things on here. This adorable be-pocketed dress? Made from bamboo, a totally sustainable resource!

3. Fashion megastore H&M is venturing into the Green arena with its line of clothing made from organic cotton.  A tiny bit more expensive than their normal line, but with H&M prices, it’s definitely still swing-able.

4. Stylewillsaveus.com: probably the best resource on the web for all things sustainable AND stylish. Go there. ‘Nuff said.

5. greenKarat is a line of eco-friendly jewelry that uses recycled gold in its designs. People underestimate the impact of extracting gems and precious metals from the earth, and greenKarat is working to reduce that impact. They do wedding rings, custom pieces, and fashion jewelry that they call “responsible indulgences.”

6. Peopletree.co.uk almost kills me with how lovely it is. They design gorgeous clothing, like this unbelievably sweet and chic tucked shirt dress, but that isn’t even half the loveliness. I love it so much I have to quote directly from their website: “In order to ensure People Tree fashion meets the Fair Trade principles set out by IFAT (International Fair Trade Association), we work closely with 50 Fair Trade groups in 15 countries. That way, we can bring benefits to people and the planet at as many steps of the production process as possible – growing cotton, weaving, dyeing, embroidery, stitching etc. – helping alleviate poverty in the world’s most marginalised communities.” I couldn’t have said anything better than that.

7. Stella McCartney. This woman has been slogging on the front lines of sustainability for years now. From organic cotton jeans and underoos, to vegan footwear, she goes the extra mile to keep the high end consumer (don’t forget, she is a high fashion designer) in ethically conscious duds. It might not be the affordable way for us youngsters to go at the moment, but we can always dream, right?

As I’m sure you’ve noticed, many of these lines or designers are smaller and mostly available online, and that is a big part of the Green game right now. It’s much more likely that things are really being ethically produced by smaller operations. It’s true that mass-production and earth-friendliness are no longer completely mutually exclusive (as we’ve seen with H&M’s new eco-line), but they certainly have a long way to go.

And beware: not all Green is created equal. There is no official regulation on what can be labeled “green” yet, so a company that uses recycled paper for it’s clothing tags can claim to be as Green as one that uses all locally produced materials and offsets the carbon emissions from all its delivery trucks.  A little research will go a long way, but I hope you’re convinced that there are some Cute (notice the capital C) clothes out there that can have you looking both fashion and earth-conscious before you know it!

Just do something.

I know some of you are probably wondering what kind of impact you can make–you’re just a college student, after all.  While you may not think that just one person makes a difference, think about it on a larger scale.

For starters, think about all the paper you go through in just one semester: you have a syllabus for every class (which is sometimes multiple pages), countless handouts from professors, and all the papers and assignments you have to print out and hand in.  I know students at my school whose professors make them print out PowerPoint Presentations from the web and bring them into class, which sometimes are more than 20 or 30 pages per chapter! 

That’s a lot of paper. All together, it’s estimated that each U.S. college student produces about 640 pounds of solid waste each year, which includes 320 pounds of paper and 500 paper drinking cups! All those Starbucks runs do more than just empty your wallet!

And it’s not just the students at your college creating so much waste–admissions offices around the country receive nearly 600,000 pieces of paper during each admissions cycle, and much of that is photocopied for records, which only creates more paper waste!

When you look at things on a larger scale, you can see how much impact college students can have on the environment.  If each of us only made a few small changes–like recycling paper  or investing in a reuseable coffee travel mug–we can start to cut down on the negative effects that we have on this planet.

If all that isn’t enough to get you changing, perhaps thinking about an end to these will. Awww.

It seems pretty counter-intuitive to throw a party in honor of Earth Day (we’ve all seen college lawns the morning after a party), but what better way to bring people’s attention to this important day and issue than by throwing a soiree? You can teach people a few things while having a good time!

And you can do it the Green way!

Fact: Parties generate a lot of waste(d people).
Fact: You can throw a party without the waste. (Though the wasted people might still be there.)
Bonus: You can do it on an end-of-the-year student budget (a.k.a very little moolah).

So let’s celebrate and bring some much needed awareness to Earth Day this year! Here are some tips for throwing an eco-friendly Earth Day Party so you can have fun without hurting Mother Earth.

Invites:

Make it a Facebook event!  Not printing out paper fliers will save trees.   Bonus of having a Facebook event?  You can organize carpooling/transportation to your event to cut down on wasted gas.  If people are planning on driving, see if they can pick up other people along the way. Also, encourage your friends to walk, bike or take the bus if they’re not close by. Just be sure that all those earth-friendly carpoolers choose a DD or find an alternate way home.

Food & Beverages:

Don’t use disposable dishes.  Not only are they a waste of money, but they also generate a lot of waste.  If you are worried about having enough glasses, you can either ask people to bring one with them, or go pick some up from a thrift store.  If you’re in the market for some new dishes totally earth-friendly dishes (you tree hugger, you), invest in some Preserve dishes.

If you want to serve food, make it yourself.  Pre-packaged things usually have a lot of wasteful packaging.  And buy local. It’s cheap and good for the environment!  Check your area to see if there are any farmer markets nearby.  And if you have lots of leftover food (because people were focused more on the drinks) send it home with friends in reusable containers.

If it’s B.Y.O.B, encourage your friends to buy local or organic alcohol!  If you’re wine drinkers, wine produced near you won’t break the bank, and it’s more environmentally friendly! If that’s not an option, buy in bulk. No cans, no small bottles. Kegs produce very little waste (and lots of fun) and larger bottles of alcohol (like the trusty “handle”) will cut down on many wasteful empties.

Activities:

If it’s a low-key event, screen an eco-awareness film. An Inconvenient Truth, The 11th Hour (hello, Leo DiCaprio!) or Who Killed the Electric Car are all good options. Have a computer available so your friends can calculate their carbon footprint.

If this is more of a “college” party, send your friends on a Get-Trashed treasure hunt. Whoever brings back the most trash from the street in a certain amount of time gets a prize (shots?). Those who come back with nothing…well, they have to take more shots. You can clean up your town and have a grand ole’ time.

Or why not make it a swap party?  It’s near the end of the year and if you’re moving, chances are you’ve got junk to get rid of.  Ideas include clothing swaps, or beauty product swaps.  Or, if you have nothing to wear, having a quick pre-party swap.

Clean-Up:

When you’re cleaning up go green.  Use eco-friendly products (I LOVE METHOD!) or the cleaning tips you learned from Mom using products you probably have on hand.

And, as always, don’t forget to RECYCLE!

Popcorn for the alcoholics in all of us.

Chris Brown charged with 2 felonies.

The real truth behind Ticket Master.

Is Michael Jackson going on tour?

STI results aren’t as clear as you might think.

Axe honors Brad Pitt with chocolate replica…of his face. And we didn’t think we could love chocolate any more.

Will The Hills go on without LC?

Forever 21 launching a plus size line!

Relationships make women sick.

Heroes is coming back for another season.

Students get involved in earth friendly competition.

There are so many difficult choices in life (do we love or hate high heels??), so we thought we’d sort through ‘em right here. Every week we will discuss another issue we are torn up about. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section!]

I LOVE FOOD and enjoy it as often as I can: for meals, between meals, on the couch, on the way to class, on the way to the gym… And I am an equal opportunity eater.  I love Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, Korean, Brazilian, Greek, and of course, American.

There’s nothing better than walking into a restaurant or – yippee! – a bakery and taking in that hot-off-the-stove smell; the yummy aromas of fresh-baked goods fluttering into my nose and making my stomach growl with hunger. And then that moment when that delectable dish is sitting in front of me and I finally get the chance to dig in…

OMG I’m drooling.

There is one “type” of food that I’m not completely head-over-heels for, though, and that is the leftover.

Love:

That giant bowl of fettucine you had with your parents (and on their tab!) was too. freaking. good to pass up. Too bad your stomach wasn’t big enough to handle it all in one sitting. The beauty of leftovers is that you can box that bad boy up and enjoy it tomorrow between classes. Not only is it the best lunch ever, but it also saves you the time of preparing something new and the money you’d waste on a not-so-good Subway value meal.

Loathe:

Now, I’m all about recycling. Paper, plastic, and food. I love Bento boxes, and I think a great way to save the enviroment (and your wallet) is to pack up last night’s dinner into a little to-go box and heat it up the next day for a quick lunch. But I do think that certain foods should be eaten within a closed, contained space in which no one else can smell them, or be kept at home entirely. Have you ever smelled your roommate’s nauseating fish tacos wafting towards you from the public microwave? What about leftover curry dishes from last night’s Indian delivery that linger in your room for days? Gross.

And leftovers never taste as good the next day. Yes, they are probably better than anything you could whip up on the fly, but that hella good panini from last night loses its luster (and crispiness) after sitting in the mini fridge all night. And, of course, there is always that one little box of Chinese that gets shoved to the back of the fridge only to be found months later….covered in fuzz….when you go searching for that mysterious smell coming out of the kitchen.

So, tell me. What are your thoughts on The Leftover?

I have been spreading the word for months (like here) in hopes that I can get other people on board with me. Not because it is trendy or “in” right now, but because we don’t want our children to have to deal with such a mess of a planet later….or burst into flames because the earth has gotten so hot.

And I have met a lot of apprehension along the way:

“But I really love my Hummer.”

“It’s so hard to be earth friendly!”

“GO HUG A TREE!”

“Ew. Reuse someone else’s PAPER?!”

Ah; ignorance. How I loathe thee.

If people just sat down and listened for a few minutes they would realize just how simple it is to be earth friendly. I am not asking people to reuse their Ziploc bags (which I get made fun of for all the time) or stop using toilet paper. I am asking people to make teensy tiny changes to their daily routines that make virtually no difference to the user and a huge difference to the planet.

Since I last wrote about green items such as compact fluorescent bulbs and reusable grocery bags, a whole slew of new earth friendly products have surfaced. These hot new items are innovative, made from recycled products (to cut down on excess waste!) and yet another few easy ways for you to get a bit more green-ified. The best part, obviously, is that they don’t look like crunchy “Save the Planet” items; these are things you actually need and want.

1. Ashley Watson Bags: I know I mentioned these before, but they are so sexy I just had to show em off again. Recycled leather, my friends. Need I say more?

2. Preserve Razor Triple: Step away from the Quattro and all the wasted plastic used to make and package it. Opt for a recycled razor instead. The Preserve Razor Triple is made from recycled Stoneyfield Farm yogurt cups (which also happens to be an eco-friendly organic brand!)

3. Preserve Tumblers: The yogurt cups are coming back for round two with these recycled cups. Wouldn’t beer pong be so much more fun if you knew that the cups you were playing with were made from recycled materials (and could be recycled again?!) Imagine how much less trash there would be without the millions of wasted red solo cups being thrown out daily.

4. Recycled Socks: Ok, so people may be able to tell you’ve gone a little earthy in these little guys, but how awesome are they? Socks made out of ground up t-shirts? They are supposed to be extra cushy and durable, which make these the perfect workout accessory.

With new products like these popping up, going green is getting easier every day. And the excuses not to go green are slowly slipping away.