It’s Not Easy Being Green…or Is It? Tips for Environmentally-Friendly Living & Earth Day Contest!

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Earth Week and with it come the stories of environmental catastrophe everywhere.  We hear about the whale that died from ingesting plastic bags and see pictures from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, we watch news from Japan causing us further angst about Radioactive iodine 131 and grimace at the continuing effects from the Gulf oil spill and it’s never-ending clean-up.  All of it is disturbing and overwhelming.  Where is Erin Brockovich when you need her?!

 

 

With so much environmental turmoil, our attempts at being better caretakers of our environment can seem, well, futile.  Most of us don’t have $100K to lay down for installing solar panels on the roof and sinking a geothermal heating and cooling system into the lawn.  But, don’t throw in the green towel just yet.  Have you heard the old riddle, how do you eat an entire elephant?  One bite at a time.  The same holds true for our efforts at caring for Mother Nature and let me clue you in, it’s not just a coincidence that Ecology and Economy have the same root word, Eco (house).  They both affect our homes and our families.  While we can't all have a zero waste home, there's plenty we can do and it can benefit our families in the long run.

 

 

 

Most of the time you’ll find that going green saves you some green.  For example, did you know that weekly or monthly menu planning can be environmentally friendly?  Scratching your head about this one?  Stick with me.  Fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants dinner plans on a regular basis require more trips to the grocery store to purchase those one or two ingredients that you don’t have on hand, thus using more gas to get there and causing you to spend more money on items that you might not completely use and which will ultimately end up in the trash after they spoil.  Menu planning, on the other hand, allows you to evaluate the meals you want to make and combine ingredients to decrease wasted food and it also allows you to efficiently shop in one trip so that you have all items on hand at dinnertime, decreasing the amount of gas used to run to the store.  See how it’s all interconnected?     If we take the time to stop and evaluate our lives we can find better, more efficient, more cost effective and less environmentally obtrusive ways to accomplish our tasks.

 

 

 

Okay, let’s give this a try.  If we’re going to make any kind of a difference the lesson starts with us, Mom.  Here are a few suggestions, both big and small, for moms and kids to get you started on the road to your smallest carbon footprint.  Don’t be overwhelmed.  Just pick a few and do them well.  It will make a big difference:

 

 

 

MOM

·    Think before you buy.  We’ve said it before in our Take Control of Your Finances series and we’ll say it again here, distinguish between your wants and your needs.  The less you buy, the less packaging will need to be recycled and the less trash will be generated when the item is no longer useful to you.  Self-control is a great lesson for us and our kids.  

 

·    Store a stash of reusable shopping bags in the trunk of your car.  After you unload the groceries from your shopping trip, put them by the front door to go right back out to the car so they are with you the next time you stop at the store.  Many stores are beginning to pay you for bringing your own bag.  Kudos to Target for their $0.05 cash back on each reusable bag you bring in!

 

·    Recycle plastic bags…all of them.  If your grocery store has plastic bag recycling then make it count.  Recycle old plastic zipper bags, cereal bags, the bags used to wrap your disposable diapers and the plastic wrap on the outside of packaging.  All of these bags can be dropped into your grocery stores plastic bag recycling bin.

 

·    Use a travel mug for your morning cup o’ Joe.  If you are stopping off at your favorite coffee shop you might find that they will give you a discount for being environmentally conscientious.  

 

·    Brew your own coffee.  It will save on gas from the trip to the coffee shop and save you money.  If you use a USDA certified organic coffee you can be assured that it has been grown using sustainable standards.

 

·    Use a stainless steel water bottle and ditch the plastic bottled water.  Not only is there a dearth of plastic bottle waste but those plastics are rife with chemicals that are leaching into the water you drink from them.  Do yourself a favor, get a water filtering pitcher and make your own “bottled water”.

 

·    Carpool.  Whether it’s to school, work, playdates or children’s parties, try to coordinate rides with friends, co-workers or other parents whenever possible to save on gas.

 

·    Recycle.  Most townships have a recycling program with their trash collection.  If they don’t then make your voice heard that it is a necessary service.  It will dramatically cut down on your trash.

 

·    Sort your recyclables.  Most recycling companies will give you an information sheet outlining which plastics they will take and which they will not.  Save everyone some time and money by flipping over the container and looking for the little triangle with the number inside to make sure that your recycling company will take it.

 

·    Look for a local recycling center at Earth911.com or your local listings.  Because most curbside recyclers do not take all of the plastics that we use, do some research to find a local recycling yard that will take almost all of your recyclable items – plastics, old electronics, out-of-date carseats, dead batteries – for a small fee.  Work together with neighbors or co-workers to combine recycling.

 

·    Look for a paper recycling dumpster and use it.  Many charitable organizations have started utilizing local paper recycling companies, such as Paper Retriever, as a means to fundraise.  The charitable organization provides space on their property for a paper recycling dumpster and receives a per pound fee for the paper they collect.

 

·    When printing papers for home use, print on the blank side of papers that you no longer need.  

 

·    Plug your electronics into a UL-certified power strip such as Smart Strip or Belkin Energy-Saving Surge Strip with remote control.  They will easily allow you to turn off energy sucking appliances and electronics at night and stop the flow of phantom power draw from your appliances saving you a bundle.

 

·    Cut down on paper towel and napkin waste.  Use cloth napkins for mealtime and washable microfiber cloths for spills and clean-up when you can.  Microfiber cloths hold up to 15 times their weight in liquid.  For messier jobs, try using old t-shirts or mismatched socks as a rag.

 

·    Reduce the amount of disposables that your family uses.  We all know that paper plates are just easier but they also produce significant waste and do not break down easily in a landfill.  If you must use disposable dinnerware, consider using plates and bowls made from recycled paper or biodegradable sugar cane.  The sugar cane plates are even compostable!

 

·    Slow down. Driving 10 mph above 60 is like adding nearly 50 cents to the price of a gallon of gas, since higher speed requires more gas.

 

·    Once a month, check the pressure of each of the tires against the guidelines listed in your vehicles manual; add air if needed. Doing this can improve mileage by about 3 percent.

 

·    Replace filters regularly. A new oxygen sensor alone can improve mileage by as much as 15%.

 

·    Buy local.  By supporting local business you are decreasing the amount of fuel that is required to ship items around the world.

 

·    Buy secondhand.  Scour garage sales, thrift stores, Craig’s List, Freecycle and consignment sales for what you need.  It’s a wise financial choice and a wise environmental choice.  It will decrease the amount of packaging waste and it will decrease trash by giving new life to perfectly good items.

 

·    Line dry your clothes.  It can save you up to $100 a year when you don’t use your dryer.  

 

·    Cut down on junk mail by opting out of prescreened credit card offers.

 

·    Conduct your own energy audit to ensure that energy and $$$ aren’t leaking out of your home.

 

·    Watch Food, Inc.   It’s a must see for anyone who eats.  It will forever change the way you view your food and the global impact of how we eat.

 

·    Try cloth diapers…it’s not your momma’s old burp cloth anymore!  Cloth diapers have evolved to become trendy.  Snaps, Velcro, adorable covers and even flushable liners make cloth diapering much less cumbersome and unsightly than it used to be.  

 

·    Look for ‘greener’ cleaning products.  Most traditional cleaning products are made from caustic chemicals that are unhealthy for us, our children, and our planet.  Companies such as Seventh Generation and Sun & Earth have begun to make greener cleaning a convenient option.  Even better, make your own cleaning products and save some money while you’re at it.  Check out Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living   or search the internet for some recipes on how to make your own effective, non-toxic household cleaners.

 

·    Switch out incandescent bulbs for the CFL.  Yes, they have mercury in them.  No, you don’t need to call HazMat if you break one, but you do need to get the kids out of the room and you do need to dispose of them properly when they do burn out.  If you break a bulb, follow the protocol outlined in this Energy Star article.  For a database of recycling centers that will properly dispose of CFL bulbs check out Earth911.com or speak with the manager of Lowe’s or Home Depot; many locations have a drop-box for old CFLs.

 

·    Switch to rechargeable batteries.  They also need to be disposed of properly.  Check Earth911.com to find a recycling center near you.

KIDS

·    Pack your child’s lunch in reusable containers like these little beauties from Kids Konserve (keep reading for a chance to win one of their reusable lunch kits!).  This will reduce waste and the amount of money spent on plastic bags, plastic wrap and aluminum foil.

 

·    Help your kids collect bottles and cans.  Eleven US states have Bottle Bills that allow for a monetary refund for recycled cans and bottles.  It’s a great way to tangibly show kids that going green does pay!

 

·    Remind kids to turn off the water when they are soaping up in the shower or brushing their teeth.

 

·    Buy your kids recycled school or craft supplies such as Crayola’s new line of markers made from recycled plastic or this roll of art paper made from 100% recycled paper.  

 

·    Instead of throwing old, one-sided paper away, put it in a pile and turn it over for the kids to use for drawing pictures.  

 

·    Give old crayon pieces new life by melting them into new fun shapes.

 

·    Encourage kids to help you sort recyclables.  The hands on experience will help them feel like they are part of the process.

 

·    Join forces with a community organization to clean up a road or plant a tree.

 

·    Cut down on TV, computer and video game time and send them outside or ask them to read a book.  This not only promotes healthy minds and bodies but it also cuts down on consumption of electricity.

 

·    Head to the library for books.  Instead of buying new books, borrow some from the library or search online or at local thrift shops for used books.

 

·    Explore nature.  Our children will have a greater appreciation for their environmental efforts if they understand what they are fighting for.

 

·    Reduce your packaging.  The single-use, plastic container is one of the most harmful inventions to hit our planet.  Stop buying individually wrapped items such as lunch-sized applesauce, chips, or yogurts.  Buy items in bulk and pack them in reusable containers.  The convenience of grab-n-go containers is enticing but buying a large bottle of juice and refilling smaller bottles is significantly cheaper in the long run than buying juice boxes.

 

·    Decrease the amount of gifts that are exchanged for birthdays and holidays.  Opt for memory-maker experiences such as family outings or donating gifts to others in need.   This will decrease the amount of packaging and unnecessary items cluttering up your home and eventually a landfill, it will save you money and it will help to curb that ugly sense of entitlement that can creep in on all of us.

 

·    Compost and plant a garden.  This will allow your children to see the environmental impact of their own little eco-system and understand the origins of their food.  Stay tuned for next week’s article on gardening with your kids!

 

·    Collect rainwater in a barrel and use it to water your garden and houseplants.

 

·    Gather your family to watch these short, educational and inspiring videos on The Story of Stuff website.

 

 

In addition to teaching our children the 3 R’s of Reduce, Reuse & Recycle, one of the most important ideas we can impart to ourselves and our children about helping the environment is to REMEMBER.  Remember that we aren’t the only species on this planet and that we and our children and their children and their children…hope to live here for a very long time.  Remember that our actions have consequences.  If we stop, think and make wiser choices we really can make a difference.  Your efforts may feel like a drop in the bucket but, then again, a flood starts with just one raindrop.

For more great tips, check out Good Housekeeping’s Easy Ways to Live Greener.

 

Let us know your favorite Going Green tip in the Comments section.  Everyone who comments will be entered into a drawing to win a fun, reusable lunch pack from Kids Konserve !
*** giveaway closed on 4/22 but would still love to see your comments