8 Ways to Be More Earth Friendly
Happy Earth Day, friends!
I don’t know about you but the older I’ve gotten the more conscious about the Earth I have become in effort to make it a great place for the generations to come. I cared a bit less when I was younger about things like conserving energy and recycling materials. The older I got though the more I realized the impact my decisions make in the big picture and in the grand scheme of things. I also love teaching my little ones great ways to love and respect the Earth so they can help make it a great place, too. It brings me so much joy seeing A be at an age where she’s starting to get it! Today I’m going to share with you 8 ways we contribute to making the Earth a better place!
One II Purchase Reusable Items For Around Your House
We have a Keurig and instead of the pods – which you can’t even recycle – we got a reusable K-Cup and not only can I make my coffee stronger now but I’m not adding additional waste to our landfills. We also have a reusable coffee filter for our larger coffee pot so we don’t have coffee filter waste anymore. Additionally, most of the time you will find us using fabric napkins so we can just toss them in the wash instead of paper napkins.
Two II Buy a Reusable Water Bottle.
Plastic water bottles are easier but they are such a waste. We love our OXO Tot water bottles for the kids and have been using Nalgene bottles and our Camelbacks for the last several years. We have a few of each so when we are on the go we fill up a couple on our way out the door and are set for the day and if we do run out – there is always somewhere to fill up a water bottle.
Three II Upcycle your “trash” into crafts.
Sure, we all know that it’s great to recycle things but you might not think about upcycling them into fun kids projects. I always keep a bin of old toilet paper roll empties, empty paper towel tubes and (clean!) egg cartons, plus additional plastic bottles or cartons that are thoroughly cleaned to make into crafts with the kids. I love the idea that I can show them how to make a fun craft with an upcycled material and it’s easier on my budget. Here are some of our upcycled projects I’ve shared on the blog and I have several more where those came from! There is a fun DIY Upcycled Candle Jar Planter over here too.
FOUR II Use Reusable Shopping Bags
Did you know that the U.S. uses around 100 billion plastic bags each year? Did you also know that plastic bags never biodegrade, ever. They only break down to smaller pieces of plastic and soak up lots of toxins. Gross and super wasteful, right? We switched to reusable grocery bags a couple of years ago and never looked back – not only do they save the planet but they fit more groceries too!
FIVE II Conserve Energy & Water You Can
Energy: When you aren’t in a room make sure you turn off the light. When it’s daylight try to open your blinds to let more natural light in, instead of using your electricity. During the summer I even try to use the A/C as little as possible by opening the west side of my house (the shaded part) in the mornings to bring in the coolest air and then shutting up the house and blinds before the heat of the day hits. Then open the east side once the hottest part of the day is over and that side of the house is cool.
Water: Turn off the water while you are in the middle of brushing your teeth once you wet down your tooth brush the first time then at the very end wash out the brush and the sink. Water your lawn at the beginning or the end of the day and keep it to a few times a week instead of daily & water it for just long enough you don’t have extra run off.
SIX II Plant More Trees, Plants and Flowers
Planting trees, plants and flowers creates more oxygen, cleans the air, provide shelters and habitats for animals. They also help minimize soil erosion thanks to their roots and they also provide energy rich pollen and/or nectar to insects and other animals that are considered pollinators. We love having plants inside and out.
SEVEN II Use Natural, Plant Based Cleaners
When you switch to safe, natural products, you not only reduce your family’s exposure to toxic chemicals but create a safer environment today, tomorrow and for generations to come. It’s also easy to forget that soap suds don’t just go into your drain and disappear! When you use plant-based products that biodegrade more easily, you help reduce the build-up of unnatural substances in our water systems.
EIGHT II Pick Luxuries and Essentials that are More Natural
I like using candles around my house because they smell good but I don’t like the toxins that they usually come with. I like that with Mrs. Meyer’s vegetable oil based candles, they come with a lead-free cotton wick, you not only get to enjoy it’s amazing scent (I always have a Basil burning in my kitchen), but get peace of mind knowing it doesn’t release toxins and heavy metals into the air. You can also find facial tissues – Seventh Generation makes them – that are made from recycled materials. Here’s an interesting fact I learned recently: When it comes to Seventh Generation’s recycled paper towels — if every household in the US replaced just one 2-pack of 140-sheet virgin paper towels with 100% recycled ones, we could save over 720,000 trees.
Here’s Some Extra Earth Day Fun Facts!
Ready to embrace the Earth Day spirit and jump start creating a healthier home and planet? Don’t forget that you can get started with a FREE Mrs. Meyer’s Everyday Luxury Set now through Sunday 4/24/16! If you’re already saving the earth a little bit extra by shopping with Grove Collaborative, you can get a free hand soap on your next order. Pretty great, right?!
Tell Me: What is part of your routine that makes you a little more earth friendly? Is there anything I shared today that you are going to start doing?
