Ok folks, I don’t think I’ll be installing solar panels anytime soon. They are just too expensive. So here’s a great list of real things you can do that will actually make an impact on the trail your family leaves behind on the planet and save some green to boot.
Let’s think in terms of what a family uses alot of.
1. Grocery bags – Get reusable ones. Let the kids carry them into the store.
2. CFL bulbs – I don’t know about you but someone small is always leaving a light on at my house. Big culprits? Closets, bathrooms, garage, laundry room.
3. Buy biodegradable trash bags – Hopefully at least the bag will degrade so that what I put in it can break down too.
4. Recycle – Free, easy, and definitely makes an impact.
5. Laundry detergent- I do way more laundry now that I have two little ones. Get yourself something eco friendly. Your local water supply will thank you.
6. Dishwasher gel / powder – Ditto from number 5.
7. Compost- I cook more often and in particular, I fix alot more fresh stuff. Stop putting the peelings in the trash. Get a small bucket to collect your food scraps in. Let one of your kids haul it outside and put it in the compost pile.
8. Commit to a “no-waste” lunchbox. 5 lunches per week X (Number of children living at your house) X (Number of weeks per year your children are off to daycare/preschool/school X (Number of bags used per lunch, usually 1 or 2) = OUCH! This one really adds up. Put the chips in a resealable plastic container. Get a reusable drink container for juice / water, etc..
9. Stop buying “snack packs” to pack for lunches or to give kids after school.Who are we kidding? It’s alot of waste for 30 seconds of convenience. Buy a bigger size and scale it down yourself in a reusable container. You’ll save alot of money here too.
10. Low-flow Toilets- With potty training and more people in general using our potty now, we flush way more than before. Especially when you consider that a potty training child (or even one way younger than that) is totally mesmerized by the swirl created by a toilet flush! Replace old toilets with low-flow toilets that use less gallons of water per flush.
11. Low-flow shower heads – If you have teenagers, get low flow shower heads too!
12. Low-flow faucet aerators – This is the little screen on your faucet. It adds air into the water by blocking some of the open space where water comes out. Great for families where they just won’t turn off the water while brushing teeth / shaving / washing hands.
13. Give your cast-offs to charity or Goodwill. – Consumerism is alive and well in America. Most American families probably have more than entire villages of people in developing countries. And let’s not forget how quickly kids grow out of their clothes and toys! Don’t throw the leftovers in the trash. Find a home for it. Many charities will even pick-up your items at your house, if you call them.
14. Recycle the odd-ball stuff.Yes, the main contribution here is time. Recycle your old cell phones, computers, leftover paint, old computers, printer cartridges, helium tanks from birthday parties, cordless phone batteries, CFL bulbs (they have some mercury in them), etc., etc., etc.. Even Crocs (yes, the shoes) can be recycled now.
15. Choose your plates carefully. Use real plates at home whenever possible. A plain paper towel works great to hold a sandwich instead of a paper plate. A paper plate is more biodegradable than a plastic one. A real cup or paper one is more biodegradable than a plastic one.
16. Get a filtering water pitcher for the fridge instead of buying plastic water bottles. You could also use a water delivery service, if you just have to have bottled water taste.
17. Use your local farmer’s market more often.Here in Charlotte, NC we have several farmer’s markets that are open during the week, not just on the weekends. Find out what markets there are in your town where you can buy local. This saves the gas from growing point to final destination, which can easily be from Chile or Brazil or even Thailand! Let’s face it – kids eat alot and often, so that’s a lot of gas saved in a year.
What do you use alot of at your house? Leave a comment to this blog post and let me know.
