Need some advice on how to become more green

[lovinwdw]

Now that I am a mom, I realize how important it is to take care of our environment for my kids and their kids...That being said, I've changed a few things. I bought myself a reusable water bottle to avoid the waste of the plastic water bottles, we just bought some reusable sandwich wrappers for lunch to avoid using aluminum foil and plastic baggies. During my next food shopping excursion I plan on buying some reusable shopping bags. Can I get some more ideas on ways to help our environment? Affordable if possible.

 

[npmommie]

Recycle
start composting
grow your own garden
energy efficient lightbulbs
gas efficient car
stop eating animal products ( if you can't than buy from a local farm not a factory farm)
buy local food as much as possible
make your own cleaning and laundry supplies
use an alternative way to heat your home besides oil
re use anything you can ( example, we buy cat litter in big plastic bins, i don't throw those out, we reuse as storage containers for toys or other things)

 

[suejai]

Here is a link to a website that gives some good ideas. If you go to the home page as well and check out the Queen of Green there is more stuff.

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Small_Steps/


One thing I have done is to stop using chemical based cleaning products at home. Instead I use a lot of vinegar, baking soda and liquid castille soap.

 

[EthansMom]

We compost and just put up a clothesline.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

a couple drops of food coloring should work...

 

[shortbun]

buy local as much as possible to cut back on the fuel needed to bring your purchases to you. Hang your clothes to dry. Wash in cold water. Put a brick in your toilet tank. Get lowflow shower heads. Stop using bleach.

 

[LuvOrlando]

-

 

[nephthys43]

i have two of these... http://secure.laptoplunches.com/AMAZING/items.asp?Cc=SYSTEMS&iTpStatus=0&Tp=&Bc= they're great for lunch and there's a lot less waste. i buy in bulk now, instead of the individual packets i used to buy. no drink boxes, no pudding cups... it's great! i also have reusable shopping bags so i don't have to use plastic.

 

[TerryKitten]

Last week some university released a study that stated that kids were very eco unfriendly and ate up lots of resources. I'm serious and could probably find the grant funded study if you want to read it.

Yeah. I work at that university and we were told many times about that study. It was a well-duh moment to many of us.

What I do is re-usable bags, I buy lots of my produces from local farmers, we have a small garden, I try not to use chemicals on the garden, we recycle like crazy and try reuse things that we can, we properly dispose of our batteries and florescent lights.

 

[KristaTX]

You could follow the advice they're pushing in Brazil:

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d...urged-to-pee-in-the-shower-to-conserve-water/




Seriously, though. . .

Read up on driving more efficiently (e.g. accelerate more slowly, brake less, coast, go to the store less frequently by combining errands, walk if possible).

Recycle everything you can. If your city doesn't recycle, try to get them to start a program.

Get a programmable thermostat, and program it and use it correctly.

Wear more clothes in winter so you don't have to turn the heat up as much.

Use fans along with the AC when it's hot.

Check your house for leaks around doors, windows, etc., and fix them.

Turn off lights in rooms when you aren't in there, and teach your kids to do so.

Use an energy efficient dishwasher, and turn off the "heat dry" option when you run it.

 

[redrosesix]

One of the easiest and most effective and guaranteed to save you money:
When driving, whenever you have to stop for more than 10 seconds, turn off the car eg. drive-thru's, picking somebody up, stuck in traffic. It actually only takes 10 seconds worth of gas to re-start your car.

 

[Tantor]

My DH works for the Hydro up here in Ontario and this something we do that has helped both enviroment and cost wise. We put our AC on at night (starting at 8:30pm and then it stops at 6:30am). I then close the blinds as the sun comes around during the day.( AC is off all day) It is amazing how cool the house stays by doing this. Makes a big difference in our Hydro bill.

 

[lovinwdw]

Thanks for all of the great ideas everyone...DH and I were even talking about cloth diapering our son (he's a little freaked about having to keep the cloth diapers in a bucket of water until we wash them) but I'm working on him...

 

[Tantor]

I did that too (I'm from Vancouver,B.C.....a tre hugger!)
DD was in cloth till she started walking and then I went to disposable's

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

a couple drops of food coloring should work...

 

[WDWBarb]

Rain barrels are a great way to conserve and reuse water.

Plant a garden and eat from it as much as possible.

Always consider packaging when making purchases. It's a shame how much is wasted just in the transport of goods.

Drive the most efficient vehichle you can reasonably afford.

Always take your on bags to the grocery (and that is SO hard to remember to do!!).

 

[lovinwdw]

As far as buying stuff with the least packaging...I try to do this because I just don't understand why they over package this stuff! It drives me up a wall. I buy a toy for my son and the box is 10X the size of the actual toy!!! I feel bad putting this stuff in the trash...we do recycle the cardboard boxes though...