Spring is here and it’s time for spring cleaning. Think green when spring cleaning this year by using eco friendly green cleaning products, finding new life for unused items and properly disposing unwanted medications.

“Spring cleaning is the perfect time to begin making choices that protect Florida’s natural environment,” said DEP Director of Sustainable Initiatives Deas Bohn. “Whether choosing to use non-toxic green cleaners, learning the proper methods for prescription drug disposal or implementing a household recycling plan, these choices not only protect and preserve natural resources, but help to save money and protect human health too.”

Many common cleaning products are hazardous to the environment when poured down the drain or thrown away. Consumers can use recipes to make green cleaners at home that are equally as effective as traditional products, and safer for people and the environment. DEP offers tips and recipes for green cleaning at: www.dep.state.fl.us/pollutionprevention/green_cleaning.htm.

For those who don’t have time to make their own green cleaners, there are now hundreds of environmentally friendly greeen products widely available through stores and the Internet. Important safety and environmental features of these green products include being non-toxic, biodegradable, made from renewable resources and petroleum-free. The Green Seal, EcoLabel or other third party certification assures environmentally friendly contents. Old cleaners should be properly disposed of at the nearest city or county household hazardous waste collection center rather than being thrown in the trash.

Another way to think green this spring is to find new life for unused or unwanted items. DEP offers the following tips to give unwanted items a second life:

1. Non-profit thrift stores accept gently used items and usually gives donors a receipt to use for tax purposes.
2. Give away old clothing, household items or lawn care items to a neighbor, friend, or co-worker who may need them.
3. Freecycle Network is a web-based, nonprofit organization that helps people offer up items that other people will happily take (www.freecycle.com). Also, you can offer things for free to people in your area on an online bulletin board or newspaper.
4. Host a yard sale or sell your older items on an online bulletin board.
5. Recycle everything that you can, such as small pieces of unfinished wood, glass jars and boxes gathering dust in your garage. Also, recycle household hazardous wastes such as oil, batteries, fluorescent lamps, paint, and pesticides (www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/hazardous/pages/household.htm).
6. Recycle unwanted televisions and electronics. Recycling your television, instead of throwing it away keeps waste out of landfills, and allows the recovery of electronic components that contain lead and other toxic materials. (www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/electronics/pages/televisions.htm).
7. Convert scrap paper into telephone answering pads or scratch pads. Print drafts on the blank side of used paper. Reuse file folders and ring binders.
8. Many office product suppliers will take back empty ink/toner cartridges, recycle them for you, and allow store credit towards future purchases. (www.recycleplace.com) will pay up to $1 for returned ink/toner cartridges.
9. Reuse packing cartons and shipping papers.
10. Save and reuse gift boxes, ribbons and larger pieces of wrapping and tissue paper.

In addition, when disposing of expired or unwanted prescriptions, and over-the-counter medications this spring, it is important to choose a method of disposal that won”t compromise the environment. The preferred method of disposal is with the household garbage rather than flushing medication down the toilet or drain. This method helps protect Florida?s water bodies and drinking water by reducing pharmaceutical traces.

“The proper disposal of expired or unwanted medications helps protect Florida’s residents and visitors as well as local waters and aquatic life,” said Mary Jean Yon, Director of DEP’s Division of Waste Management. “We encourage all Florida residents and visitors to be smart about the appropriate methods for disposal of unwanted medications as well as household items and cleaning products.”

To protect the environment, please use these guidelines instead of flushing medications:

1. Keep in the original container. This will help identify the contents if they are accidentally digested.
2. Mark out your name and prescription number for safety.
3. For pills, add some water or soda to start dissolving them. For liquids, add something inedible like cat litter or dirt.
4. Close the lid and secure with duct tape or packing tape.
5. Place the bottle(s) inside an opaque (non see-through) container like a detergent container.
6. Tape that container closed.
7. Hide the container in the trash. Do not put it in the recycle bin.

It seems like governments and financial institutions alike are doing what they can to get homeowners to think green. From going green rebate programs to new mortgage offerings, financing a home purchase or renovation can be a wonderful opportunity to cash in on your green intentions.

For homeowner Mark Raes, when the time came to replace a 25-year-old furnace in his recently purchased home in Toronto, he decided to get an energy audit done just to check out how energy-efficient the house actually was. In the process he discovered that not only could he get a sizable rebate on the furnace replacement, other upgrades would also qualify.

“So instead of just one thing, we decided to do four all at once,” he says. After investing $9,000 in a furnace, attic insulation, a tankless hot water heater and air conditioner, he ended up qualifying for $3,200 in rebates from the provincial and federal governments. And his energy bills now come in at 30% less than before.

It just goes to show that when home purchasers play their cards right, they can tap into a number of incentives to help them start on a greener path.

Above the rebates, borrowers can even get a bit of help from their lenders. TD Canada Trust’s Green Mortgage, for example, offers a 1% cash-back to be used for Energy Star qualified purchases or any renovations / upgrades that make the home more energy efficient.

“Add that to the government incentives, and that can make a big difference,” says Joan Dal Bianco, vice-president of Real Estate Secured Lending for TD in Toronto. “When every penny counts, $2,000 cash on a $200,000 mortgage can go a long way to taking care of some big ticket item appliances or repairs.”

Despite the fact that green building projects can come at a premium, the price difference can easily be realized within a year through energy savings, Ms. Dal Bianco says. “Our studies have shown that people are now willing to spend more on a green home because of the energy savings they get.”

Looking at green options can also help the resale cause. According to a recent RBC Financial Group-sponsored Ipsos study, more than 75% of homeowners believe that green home improvements will increase the value of their home. “A good energy rating [ on a home ] is definitely becoming an important selling and buying feature for consumers,” says Bernice Dunsby, senior manager, home equity financing for RBC in Toronto.

RBC offers a choice of Energy Saver mortgage and loan products that provide homeowners a partial rebate on a home energy audit, or in some cases, a discounted interest rate. “It all depends on the size and scope of the project you are willing to undertake,” Ms. Dunsby says.

Homeowners should be aware of the fact that home energy audits will soon a must if you want to sell your property. Initiatives such as Ontario’s Green Energy Act will require anyone listing a home to conduct a home energy audit. “The government is doing what it can to make sure that every homeowner can achieve a good rating and is as energy efficient as possible,” says Peter Hwang, president and CEO of EnWise in Toronto.