You don't need to be rich or have a degree in environmentalism to save the planet. Little lifestyle changes will go a long way toward greening your family and helping Earth regain her balance. Here are a few simple tips.
Re-usable Food Containers
Many schools today are trending toward “garbage-free” lunches and snacks. Rather than sending your child to school with a lunch box filled with individual plastic baggies full of food, you can save money and help clean up the landfills by purchasing one plastic or bamboo re-usable food container, and packing their lunch in that, instead. A quick rinse and wipe at the end of the day will keep it fresh for the next day, and if you don’t put it in the dishwasher, it should last throughout the school year.
Thermos
Remember the thermos? It’s back! With the focus on conservation and clean living, those cute little disposable juice boxes with their tiny plastic straws are out. Instead, pick up a small thermos with a cup for a lid, and fill it with organic juice, milk, herbal tea or water. The insulation in the bottle will keep cold drinks chilled and hot soup or drinks warm all day, and your child won’t have to dispose of a box or a cup in the cafeteria garbage. Rinse it out at the end of the day, and leave it upside down on a dish rack to dry. It’s easy on you, the kids, the school janitor and the environment. Everybody wins!
Compost
How often do you find yourself scraping mounds of uneaten food into the trash? If you don’t feel a twinge of guilt watching those apple peels, uneaten potato chips, bread, coffee grinds and eggshells fill up your tall kitchen plastic garbage bags, you should. It is estimated that over 30 percent of the garbage in American landfills is made up of organic waste—food scraps, paper and garden clippings that might easily be turned into nutrient-rich soil by simply keeping a small composting heap or bin in your yard.
There are even composting bins especially designed for indoor use, with charcoal filters to keep odors from escaping. By regularly combining a three-to-one mixture of “green” and “brown” (more brown than green) items in your compost pile, you can ensure that food scraps get broken down over time into high-nutrient soil, which you can use in your garden or houseplants.
Start a Giving Chain
When you give, you receive. That’s the way the universe works. Help others, and help save the environment by recycling used clothing, shoes and coats. Four times a year, go through your family’s drawers and closets, and throw anything that no longer fits or has not been worn in a while into a big bag for charity.
Some organizations will send a truck to pick up used clothing and furniture items at your door, and many have drop boxes located in convenient places, such as grocery store parking lots and churches. If there is a local thrift shop nearby, call to ask if they are accepting donations. When you drop off your bag, they will give you a charitable contribution receipt, which you can use to write off the donation on your tax return.
While you are there, shop for “new” clothes for your family. Most good thrift stores will only put well cared-for, clean clothing on display, and the price you pay for an entire wardrobe for your family will usually be less than one or two new outfits in a retail store. You will also be re-using something, rather than supporting new production. This will help stimulate the environment, as well as your bank account.
Consume Less, Live Better
Start thinking in terms of “less is more,” rather than “how much can I buy?” If your kids are hounding you for the endless array of plastic or electronic talking toys they see advertised on commercial television programs, switch your TV to non-commercial, public broadcasting stations, or better yet, turn it off. Instead, teach them to entertain themselves with art projects, backyard science experiments or a good book checked out of the library.
Buy only the amount of meat protein necessary for a healthy, balanced diet. Many people are surprised to learn how little protein is actually necessary to stay healthy. Basically, the portion you need is about the size of your palm each day. Buy better quality, free-range, cruelty and antibiotic free meats, and buy much less of them. Yes, they are more expensive, but when you buy only what you need, you could be surprised to see your grocery bill go down.
Stay away from overly processed junk foods that are high in corn syrup, sugar and additives. Whenever possible, stick to the produce aisle, and buy local or organic when it is available. Things like rice, pasta and bread can be bought in bulk and kept in airtight containers or in the freezer, reducing the amount of plastic packaging you throw away.
Buy only the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables your family will realistically eat over the course a few days, to eliminate excess waste. It may be more environmentally friendly to return to the store in three days for more fresh produce than to buy a week’s worth at a time, only to have it go bad on your countertop.
Find a balance that works for you, and do your best to keep conscious of your consumerism. Your day-to-day choices can add up to bring big improvements to our world!
Tammy McKillip - Tammy McKillip is a writer/photographer living and working in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. A graduate of Columbia University's writing ...
