Earth Day is right around the corner, so try to help the planet by making a difference in the way you do things.
We can reduce pollution by using less energy or by using more energy from renewable sources. Helping the Earth starts at home…
Here are some simple ways that you can make a difference.
Use less energy at home
• Wash clothes at a lower temperature - a lower setting on your washing machine uses less energy and your clothes will still come out clean.
• Hang your laundry to dry. Dryers are very energy-hungry so let the wind dry your clothes when it’s warm outside.
• Take showers instead of baths – but keep them short, otherwise you might use just as much water and energy.
• Don’t leave appliances on standby – TV’s, phone chargers, and other appliances waste a lot of energy when not in use.
• Switch off lights when you leave the room – and swap all your bulbs for low-energy alternatives.
• Don’t overfill kettles or pans – boiling water uses a lot of energy so boil only the water you are going to use.
• Seal the gaps under doors and drafty windows – you can even use old newspaper, wood, or sealants to do the job.
• Lower your thermostats by one degree – it won’t feel much colder and you won’t believe how much energy it could save.
Shopping for food
• Try to buy food with less packaging and you’ll produce less trash and save money.
• Buy local and seasonal food – it doesn’t travel half way around the world and it’s healthier for you.
• Grow your own – gardening is not only healthier, but its good exercise and its fun!
Reuse and recycle
• Don’t throw away old clothes – donate them to charity. If they are too worn out, use them around the house for cleaning.
• Donate your old eyeglasses – there are charities that provide eyewear to people in less fortunate parts of the world.
• Collect cans and bottles for recycling – they won’t go to the landfill and you might make a little pocket change.
• Shop for clothes in second-hand stores – you might find some treasures at great prices!
For more options – take it to the next level…
• Walk or cycle. In heavy traffic, you might even get there faster.
• Vacation without flying. Try an alternative destination that’s closer to home.
• Buy ethical gifts. Some charities provide farm animals that help provide for families in need.
• Say no to plastic bags. Reusable bags don’t go into a landfill.
Remember to reduce, reuse, and recycle, and you’ll save energy, money, and the Earth!
Share some tips or ideas that that you or family have done to help save our planet and you could receive a copy of DK’s Love Your World and Earth Matters. One respondent who comments by Tuesday, April 14th will be drawn.
Do you and your kids celebrate Earth Day? Share your posts and photos in Parenting.gather.com.
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Comments: 50
We buy organic as often as possible.
We also grow what we can heirloom organic and but shop at our farmers market. We recycle and carry our bags to the store. We try and buy cage free eggs, organic milk and organic items.
It's still pretty surprising how many people STILL don't recycle - and they lose out on TONS of money! 5 cents a can is not cheap anymore! :)
We've also been sending our used clothing to homeless shelters in the area - we prefer doing that than going to Goodwill anymore. The homeless shelters seem to put them to more good use - we even sent two big garbage bag fulls (40 gallon garbage bags) of stuffed animals to give out to the little ones that go through there - it's sad to think that there are babies and little ones who have to go through these shelters, but at least we can make it a little more positive by doing this for them. :)
If you local community does not have curbside recycling, wait until you have a full car load to take it to the recycle station, and then do it on your way to the grocery store or some other planned event to reduce your gas usage. Saves money and the environment.
So, we are trying. Our area isn't doing as much recycling as it used to (it used to recycle styrofoam and batteries but they aren't doing either anymore) and we try to do as much as they allow.
We try and do all of our errands in one trip - as we live in the middle of nowhere. If I'm going to one area, we try and hit as many stores as possible.
I'm hoping that our trees out front will soon provide much needed shade in the front rooms of our house. I also plan to start a small garden and teach Elliott about being green outdoors too.
While I don't quite live near enough to my grocery store to amble over (especially when the local weather tops the century mark) I get a double dose of warm fuzzies when I take along a reusable bag - nostalgia for my family and the satisfaction of knowing I'm doing something good for the environment.
I have a compost bin now, so I have been composting everything that I can, newspaper (not the colored shiny stuff, but the newsprint) will go in my composter as well as be used as mulch in my veggie garden. I have a rain barrel so I don't have to waste extra water to water my plants. I even use the water from cooking mac 'n cheese to water plants. I figure I have to drain the water off, so why not put a metal bowl under the strainer to catch that water. Once it cools, I can either add it to the compost or directly to the plants. Coffee grounds, coffee filters, tea bags, all are great for the compost or the plants.
When it is warm outside, I open up the windows and "air" the house out. It is cheaper than switching between heat and air conditioning all the time. I also had my husband put up a clothes line for me so I could dry my clothes outside when it is not raining or snowing.
I am also planning on making my own cleaners rather buying new. I have all kinds of recipes for laundry detergent, window cleaner, silver cleaner, etc. I will simply save my empty spray bottles when they are empty and wash them out really well. This way, I can put my homemade cleaners in them. (For example, if I make a window cleaner, I can put it in an old window cleaner bottle and not worry about washing off the label.) By doing this, I am not only recycling the bottles, but I am not creating more waste by having to buy more cleaners.
My husband is a truck driver and while out on the road in the summer, he will pick up aluminum cans for us to take to the recycling center for cash. We have picked up old washers, dryers, tire rims, etc. and recycle those for cash as well. I am also thinking about trying to find some old wagons, wheelbarrows, pots, bikes, etc. that people throw away and turn those into planters rather than going out and buying new planters. This way, I have a really cool way to not only decorate my front and back yard, but places to grow my herbs and flowers, and even some veggies.
I wash ALL of our clothes in cold water.
I hang clothes whenever possible.
I wash clothes and run the dishwasher mostly at night.
We recycle newspaper, plastic and cans.
We keep our thermostat low.
We grow our own garden every year.
We use flourescent light bulbs.
We keep lights off and use open curtains as much as possible.
We donate the clothes our children outgrow.
Those are just a few of the many ways our family chooses to GO GREEN!
I also recycle damaged/outgrown clothes into other sewing projects.
We attempt to conserve water.
We use our Brita waterpitcher, rather than buying countless numbers of bottled water. We each have a sports water bottle that we use and take a long with us as much as possible. When we do buy bottled water, we reuse them by refilling them from the pitcher, to keep cool for on the go.
One thing is turning off lights upstairs. I am not usually up there except to clean every week and to put kids to bed, so turning off lights in the mornings is really important.
We also do not really use lights during the day downstairs where there are alot of windows, unless really needed.
Turning off water when brushing teeth, running just what you need when rinsing dishes, or getting drinks.
When the kids play in water in the summer, I fill a kiddy pool instead of using a sprinkler.
We grow our own vegetables in the summer in a large garden, and can as much as possible to use throughout the year. Not only is it saving gas for store trips. saving bags, and saving time/energy by having multiple meals ready at once, it also saves money.
I am trying to teach them that the better they take care of their stuff, the longer they have it, or the more it can be used by the next kid. This is really useful since I have three girls and would LOVE their hand me down clothes to still look close to new.
I am cutting out as many cleaners as possible and replacing with things like vinegar, lemon juice, and plain water with a cloth. Using less of the cleaning products that i am still using, laundry detergent, dishsoap, dish washer detergent.
We are also growing our own beef this year, which makes for less store trips, less packaging, and wil save alot of money (I hope) which I eventually want to save up for converting to solar power (Long term dream really.)
Hoping that they may look at the way they do things and cut back. There was literally 45 ft of packing paper that looked like newsprint that comes off a roll, it was roughly the height of a newspaper, but sooo long it went back and forth across my livingroom three times. The box they used was giant compared to my item, so I suggested smaller packaging so they would need less filler stuff.
reduse
reuse recycle
live you life by these simple rules and it can make a HUGE differance!
They also know to turn lights and electronic devices off when they leave a room, not to run the water when they brush their teeth, and to take as short a shower as possible (or mom will be knocking on the door telling them to wrap it up)!
They also have learned to clean out their closets (and when younger, toy boxes) periodically to donate items to charity.
They have also learned to enjoy shopping in thrift shops for "new" clothing.
I am proud of the changes we have made in our household to help the environment (and also to help out mom's budget)!