Happy Earth Day, Austin Moms Blog! “Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22, on which events are held worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, and celebrated in more than 192 countries each year. ~Wikipedia”

10 Ways to be more Green, Earth Day, Recycle

Today we’ve compiled a list of easy ways you can join the efforts to support environmental protection! Some may seem like a no-brainer, but some maybe you didn’t think about. Let’s all be a bit more green today and every day!

  1. Recycle: This may sound like common sense, but one man’s trash truly is another man’s treasure! Services through Texas Disposal Systems & Garden-Ville are great local companies to use when getting rid of old things. From Christmas trees to barbecue grills, they either grind it and reuse it as mulch or refurbish and sell. Let’s help reduce the number of landfills and start reusing our trash!
  2. Reusable Bags: I know there’s a bag ban in the City of Austin, but that doesn’t apply to most of the surrounding Austin area. Reusable bags are not only easier to carry groceries in, but they also are obviously better for the Earth! Just keep ’em in your trunk and throw them in the grocery cart. You can even shop and organize your groceries in your bags before check out.
  3. Glass Tupperware: Stop buying plastic tupperware and throwing it away when it starts to get a funky ring. Plastic isn’t good to put in the microwave anyway so consider investing in glass tupperware. You can get some pretty inexpensive from Bed Bath and Beyond and use one of the 2000 20% off coupons you have stuffed in a drawer.
  4. Homemade Detergents: Homemade detergents are a great alternative to cutting down on the big plastic containers that just make it to the landfill if not recycled. You know exactly what’s going into your detergents when you make it yourself. Consider these recipes: Powdered Laundry Detergent, Liquid Laundry Detergent, and  Dishwash Detergent.
  5. Energy Efficient Appliances: As your appliances break down or when you are simply in the market for something new, consider purchasing energy efficient replacements. Not only will you save water, but you are also given incentives and rebates through the City of Austin, here.
  6. Cloth Diaper: Diapers are one of those things that we just can’t recycle. Have you ever thought of cloth diapering? They are better for your baby’s bum, create less rashes and irritation, are environmentally safer, and the bonus, cheaper!!! We love cloth diapering here at AMB so check out our previous posts to help convince you! Resolving Night Time Leaks with Cloth Diapers, Worth It Wednesday: Cloth Diapers, The Pros & Cons of Cloth Diapering, & Guinness Book of World REcords: Cloth Diaper Style.
  7. Homemade Diaper Wipes: Another thing we can’t recycle {ewwww} is diaper wipes! We’ve got a great Recipe for Homemade Diaper Wipes that will be more gentle on your child’s bum, will save you money, and that overall will help you be more “green”.
  8. Grow an Herb or Veggie Garden: What a great experience for the kids and a great way to know exactly what’s going into your body and to be more “green”! We showcased a DIY Herb Garden yesterday that would be a fun weekend project. Gardening is a wonderful way to celebrate Earth Day or ANY DAY!
  9. Shop Local: Farmer’s Markets are popping up everywhere in and around Austin and it’s a great way to support the local farming community as well as the local businesses in Austin. From fresh farm raised eggs to unpasteurized milks, shopping local and finding a farmer’s market in your area is definitely the way to go! Give it a try… it’s actually a fun weekend excursion with the kiddos. Consider some of the ones we’ve featured on AMB: Farmer’s Markets in Austin & Worth It Wednesday: Farmer’s Markets.
  10. Conserve: Again, a no-brainer!!! Turn off the water while you are brushing your teeth, invest in a water conserving toilet, consider turning the AC up a degree or two rather than down…I promise, your body will adjust. These are all things we are all guilty, but if everyone would do their part, it would make the world a better place.

There are so many ways we can get involved and educate our children about their future and the future of our planet. Let’s all work together to make this world a little bit better. Comment below with other ways that we can all be a bit more “green”. We’d love to add it to our list!

 

 

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