Origins: Free full-size moisturizer when you bring in an empty bottle, April 22.

Here's another Earth Day freebie, and a really good one: once again, Origins is offering a free full-size moisturizer when you bring in an empty bottle of your current skincare product (or other cosmetic packaging). Find a store near you and start emptying out your old lotions...

Target: Free reusable tote on April 22.

If you're addicted to reusable totes and/or Target, like me, you'll like this Earth Day freebie that gives you an excuse to go to Target this weekend. On Sunday, April 22, stop in for a free reusable tote bag (scroll down until you see the picture of the tote bags). One bag per person, no pushing or shoving.

Those bags look pretty cute, so I might just see you there!

Caribou Coffee: Free coffee on April 22 when you bring your own cup.

Earth Day is this Sunday, April 22, and Caribou Coffee is ready to celebrate. Get a free cup of coffee (up to 24 oz) when you bring your own cup, mug, tumbler, or other drinking vessel. Find a location near you.

There are usually some good Earth Day freebies every year, so let's see if we can find some more!

Earth Day roundup.

Since tomorrow is Earth Day, I thought I'd do a little roundup of eco-freebies so you can plan your day accordingly. Looks like it will be full of free coffee, face wash, tote bags, and more!

• Origins: Swap your old facial-product bottle for a new full-size face wash
• Lowe's: Giving away 1 million free trees for Earth Day. No purchase required.
• Disney Store: Free reusable tote when you bring in 5 plastic shopping bags.
• Caribou Coffee: Free coffee when you bring in your own reusable vessel.
• Starbucks: Free coffee or tea when you bring in your own reusable container.

I'm sure there's more out there, so if you hear of a good earth-lovin' deal, let us know!

Origins: Swap your facial cleanser for theirs FREE, April 22.

Just a reminder about this Earth Day freebie coming up from Origins. On April 22, bring in your full-size facial product (full or empty) and trade it in free for a 5-oz Origins face wash! You do have to fill out the form and bring it in with you. Find a store near you.

Seattle, we have plenty of options, including the Origins counter inside the downtown Macy's, the Macy's at Northgate, the Macy's at Southcenter, and the Bellevue Square store. Supplies are limited, but remember, you can always bring your empty cosmetic packaging to Origins for recycling, and they'll usually give you free samples in return.

Happy Earth Day, hippies!

Lowe's: 1 million free trees on April 23.

Free tree. Free tree! FREE TREE!! That's what you'll be saying on April 23 at Lowe's when you celebrate Earth Day by picking up your free tree. They're giving away a million of them - literally - and it doesn't say any purchase, coupon, etc. is required to get one.

Happy early Earth Day!

Disney Store: Free reusable tote on Apr. 22 when you bring in 5 plastic shopping bags.

The Disney Store is joining in the Earth Day festivities this year and offering a free reusable shopping tote when you bring in 5 plastic shopping bags to recycle. The bag is actually pretty cute - green with a topiary tree shaped like Mickey's iconic head - but there are limited quantities, so if you want to snag one, you'd better eco-hurry in there on April 22.

Target: Free reusable shopping tote on April 17 w/any purchase.

Target is jumping into the Earth Day fray with its own eco-freebie: get a cute messenger-style tote bag free with any purchase on April 17. Here's a fun fact I learned: "When you use a reusable bag ten times, you’ll keep 25 plastic bags out of landfills." I've had my reusable totes for years now and have probably kept hundreds of plastic bags from ever being born. Take that, unnecessary plastic!

They're giving away 1 million of these bags (limit 1 per person), but before you send each member of your family to a different checkout line with one item each, please think carefully about whether you really NEED one. It's green to get a reusable tote, but it's even more green to use what you have until it's no longer good.

Origins: Free 5-oz samples when you bring in your empty old cosmetic packaging.

I always wonder what to do with those spent lip balm tubes, deodorant dispensers, and all the other personal-hygiene packaging that goes in the trash. If it doesn't have a recycling code on it, you're not supposed to put it in your recycling, lest it taint the entire batch... but throwing it out just feels bad. Well, Origins is here to help with their year-round packaging recycling program.

"As part of Origins' ongoing initiative to protect the environment, the skin care company will take your empty cosmetic packaging –everything from bottles, tubes, jars, deodorant sticks and compacts regardless of the brand- to be recycled, when possible, or responsibly converted to energy. As a thank you for supporting the Return to Origins Recycling Program, the company will gift you with free Origins samples."


I have a feeling it'll really make their day if you start hoarding your shampoo bottles and Chapstick tubes now, so as to present them with a bulging, smelly sackful of plastic by the time Earth Day rolls around. Try it and see!

Trade 5 plastic bags for a free reusable tote at Target.

Target wants you to recycle, and to use reusable shopping bags instead of an endless stream of disposable plastic ones. Send five of your plastic bags to this address and get a coupon for $1 off a reusable bag at Target.

Terracycle121
New York Avenue
Trenton, NJ08638

Target has plenty of reusable bags to choose from, and the basic model is 99 cents, so you're essentially trading in 5 plastic bags for a nice, new, sturdy, reusable one that will last for years. Plus, Target - and many other stores - give you $0.05 off your purchase every time you use a reusable bag. Every little bit helps!