A new calender year has begun and plenty of people are trying to kickoff some changes. Most resolutions revolve around eliminating bad habits and cultivating good ones. How about we all try to nurture some new green habits this year? It isn’t all or nothing! Just some small changes can make a difference!
-Do you use a lot of paper towels? Try using old rags instead. Old t-shirts are usually quite absorbent. Or you can even purchase some cute UNpaper towels. I’m not saying you need to give up your paper towels completely. We all have our ick limits. (Mine is vomit. From kids or pets.) Just replace a few with cloth!
-Lose the bottled water and keep a pitcher of water in your fridge. Refill a reusable water bottle. Not only will you reduce plastic waste and save money, you can challenge yourself to drink more water. If your city water is unpleasant tasting, consider a filter system or a Britta pitcher.
-Research your municipality’s recycling policies and allowances. Our city changes policies every few years on what can be recycled locally. Every now and then, they add a plastic or cardboard type not previously allowed.
-Consider switching to a reusable hygiene product. Cloth diapers are getting quite popular and are easy to wash in many modern washing machines. Cloth menstrual pads and silicone menstrual cups can reduce waste and save you money.
-If you live in town, try walking to the store for very small errands instead of driving. This of course, cannot be done in severe weather, especially with children. But, if one of you is running out for milk, and there is not a subzero raging blizzard happening, a quick walk might not take much longer. That way you saved on gas and even snuck in a bit of exercise for those health related goals.
There are, of course, a thousand other ways to green your habits, but for maintaining positive actions, it is important to go with clear and specific actions. We have enough daunting and abstract to-do lists in our lives, so let’s keep our green goals simple and doable.
What green intentions are you going to turn into actions starting now?
-JAC
Just Add Cloth is a family blog about parenting, green living, family life and our home life adventures. For reviews, recipes, and personal posts, visit our site at justaddcloth.com.
