“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” -MLK
Saving the planet is an overwhelming thought but there are so many simple and fancy ways to help. Here is my top ten!
1. Canvas Bags: 84 BILLION Plastic bags are used in the U.S.. Canvas bags are much easier to carry along with baby and all their luggage. They can also be super stylish!
2. Plastic Straws: 500 MILLION plastic straws are used EVERY DAY in America. Skip the straw when you can and if you like drinking out of straws like me and my make-up artist friends do (helps the lipstick last longer and keeps your teeth whiter), these Stainless Steel straws are perfect and easily stored in you diaper bag.
3. Glass Water Bottle and Reusable Coffee Cup: 90% of plastic water bottles are NOT recycled. Resent studies have also shown that the water sold in water bottles is not as pure as we are lead to believe. Invest in a re-useable water bottle and coffee cup. Starbucks even sells a $1 re-usable coffee cup that looks just like the paper one.
4. Toilet Talk: When it’s brown flush it down, if it’s yellow let it mellow, may not always be the fanciest way to go but it does help save water. If that’s not for you, put a few plastic water bottles filled with water in your toilet tank and it wont use as much water with each flush. Be sure to leave 3 gallons in the tank for proper functioning.
5. RECYCLING: Duh! We all know to recycle cans and bottles. But there are other ways to recycle too. M.A.C. Cosmetics will give you a free lipstick for every 6 empty plastic or glass M.A.C. cases you return. Earth’s Best baby food pays for your return shipping of any brands empty baby food pouches and you collect points to donate to charities and non-profit organizations. That is fancy recycling!
6. Shower With a Partner: Oo La La. Save some shower water once or twice a week and make showering a couples activity.
7. Tupperware: Now that I have a baby I am constantly filling my fridge with leftovers. Plastic baggies are great for certain things but when possible use a container. There are also some great reusable snack baggies out there now. My favorite are the Blue Avocado.
8. Go Paperless: This is so easy. Over one month keep all the statements you receive in the mail. At the end of the month sit down and call or request online that you go paperless. Viola! No more needless mail. Even retailers like Nordstrom and Anthropologie are starting to offer online receipts. And I love that places like Starbucks are asking if we would like a copy.
9. UNPLUG: According the Department of Electricity, in the average household, 75% of electricity is consumed while electronic devises are off. Chargers for cell phones and laptops consume energy while pugged in without the device attached. I admit this is a more difficult commitment. One way to make it easier is to get a charging station or power bar and turn it off in the morning when you head out the door, most of us recharge at night.
10. Meatless Mondays: This is an awesome trend! Not only has it been proven time and time again that meat is not good for us, but it requires 2,500 GALLONS of water to produce ONE POUND of beef! If you aren’t up to joining the vegans or vegetarians, fine. Try to commit to at least one day a week without meat. You might find it easier than you think… For more information on how consuming animals is killing the our planet click here.
Don’t want to stop there? Some of these tips and more can be found at www.50waystohelp.com
