In honor of earth day today, I thought it would be a good time to blog about going green. No not turning green, not green with envy, but being eco-friendly! (Yeah I know, my jokes just get better and better right? Ha!) So I actually didn’t even realize today was earth day until later in the afternoon, but I did catch some cool ideas from the Martha Stewart show and some other places that I thought I’d share with you all!
This is such a fantastic idea! The main purpose is to cut down on the number of those awful plastic bags you bring home from the grocery store. So instead, you can decorate your own tote (made of organic cotton!) to bring your groceries home. They’re reusable, and also you can decorate it any way you want, so it’s cute! (I’m actually going to do this ASAP I think, and make some for friends for gifts!)
2. Spring Cleaning
As you’re gearing up for your spring cleaning, or maybe getting ready to move out of the dorms, you may find yourself needing new cleaning supplies. Well, many stores now offer eco friendly cleaning products. GreenWorks by Clorox includes all natural ingredients, come from renewable resources, are biodegradable, and are free of petrochemicals. More healthy for the environment and your family!
3. Eating Organic (from www.treehugger.com)
When you eat organic, don’t just picture the healthy food you are putting in your body, picture the healthy ecosystems which produced that food, the workers who are safer from chemicals, the land, water, and air that is being protected, and the wildlife that is being allowed to thrive. Organic vegetables, fruits, grains, juice, dairy, eggs, and meat (and don’t forget the organic wine and beer), are grown and processed in ways that support healthy people and a healthy planet. (While you may not be able to find or afford organic options for everything you need, certain fruits and vegetables are more pesticidy than others.) For details on the meaning of organic, see the USDA Organics homepage.
4. Stay Cool
As it’s starting to get warmer outside, it’s so tempting to crack up the air conditioning. But setting the thermostat just a few degrees higher than normal (a few lower in the winter!) can save tons on energy, which is good for the environment and your electric bill! Even better, turn the air off completely and open up the windows on some of these gorgeous spring days! As you head out for work or class in the mornings, do one last sweep of your house and make sure all lights and faucets are off, and set the thermostat warmer so the AC isn’t running all day when you aren’t even there. (This one is hard for me, but I’m making a conscious effort this year! I love my air conditioning…)
These are just a few suggestions, but there are tons of things out there you can do! I know it probably seems like “going green” is just some trendy fad and that everyone is just jumping on the band wagon, but really I’m ok with that (even though I think and hope it’s here to stay)! No matter what the motive is, the bottom line is that there are little things we can do every day that will help out our environment. And I really believe that this will begin to keep our earth beautiful and keep our families healthy. So take some time this week to maybe think about just one “green” habit you and your family can begin to incorporate into your lifestyle.
I’d love to hear if you all have any more fabulous “green” ideas to share!
Have a great evening everyone!
Jenny
