5 Little Green Things You Can Do

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Amanda Holliday | 1 Comment

Happy Earth Day! This week we are focusing on all things green and simple ways to go green.

With the massive amounts of information available about eco-this and sustainable-that, the pressure to be "green" can be overwhelming. We don't claim to be perfect (what fun would that be, anyways?), but we do understand that even small changes and choices that seem inconsequential can make an impact. The best advice we can give is to determine what is most important and realistic for your family. The realistic piece is key here. Don't bite off more than you can chew or, no matter what your intentions, you may end up with a stockpile of cloth diapers that never get used.

Here's are some little green things you can do: 

Green Your Lunchbox

Between Lunchables, juice boxes, disposable food pouches, and Ziploc bags, waste from traditional lunch boxes are filling our landfills. Lucky for us, there are so many great, affordable options to easily make changes. We love the bento box style lunch boxes. Easy to clean, super cute, and they also force us to get creative with school lunches. Coming up with contents for all those little containers is a fun challenge. Read more about our Real Food lunchbox strategies. Weelicious is another great resource for school lunch inspiration. And of course, stock up on Little Green Pouches for a great way to send smoothies and applesauce to school with your kids.   

Swap Paper Towels for Cloth

While paper towels are convenient and easy to grab for quick messes and spills, if you've ever kept an eye on how quickly you go through a pack, it is frightening. Instead, stock up on cheap washcloths. Keep two bins under the sink—one for clean rags, one for dirty. When you need to wipe down your little one's face and hands after a meal, or clean a quick spill on the kitchen floor reach for a clean rag instead. When you're done, toss it in the dirty bin. Every few days, toss the dirty rags in the wash and start over. Bonus: you'll also save a lot of money. 

Eat Your Veggies

Go vegetarian once a week. One less meat-based meal a week helps the planet and your diet. Did you know it requires 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef? Meatless Monday is a great resource for inspiration and recipes. We promise, you won't even miss it. 

Plant a Tree

It's good for the air, the land, can shade your house and save on cooling (plant on the west side of your home), and tree can also improve the value of your property. Make it meaningful for the whole family and plant a tree every year for each member of the family. 

Buy Local

We've said it before, but shopping local deserves to be repeated. Consider the amount of pollution created to get your food from the farm to your table. Whenever possible, buy from local farmers or farmers' markets, supporting your local economy and reducing the amount of greenhouse gas created when products are flown or trucked in. Plus, local produce just tastes better. Check out Eat Wild, Local Harvest and Real Milk to research local dairy, meat and produce in your area. 

What are your easy, green tips?

We want to know...what are your favorite tips for making the switch to green? Tell us in the comments below. 

Posted in Earth Day, Go Green, Little Green Means Green, Real Food

1 Response

Susan spooner

April 23, 2014

Reuse everything

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