Happy Earth Day!
One of the major things that I’d like to do more of this year is to try and reduce my carbon footprint. This is kind of tying in with my minimalism/organization goals.
There was a whole issue of Chatelaine magazine that was about little things you can do for making green changes, as well as the movers and shakers in fighting climate change. But it definitely helped give me the push to start going green!
It seems a little counter-intuitive because I feel like I then spent a whole bunch of money to get going green, but in the long run it’s definitely better!
I’m starting off small.
I definitely go through phases, but I do try to cut down on the big things. Food waste is something that as a household now I do struggle with. I’m trying to be way more conscious of what I’m buying and what I’m eating. This past year I’ve definitely been better. Although, cucumbers and lettuce are still a struggle.
I’m aiming to cut out my plastic use. Ziploc bags, tupperware, cling wrap, bags at the grocery store.
I’ve switched out cling wrap for some beeswax wraps. I opted to go with the Abeego variety pack that I found on Amazon. I figure I can see which size I use the most of and always get more as I see fit. I don’t actually use that much cling wrap anymore, I use mainly glass Tupperware to store most of my leftovers.
I bought some reusable fruit/vegetable bags – a huge plastic saver! I already use reusable grocery bags for the main amount of groceries, but never even thought about the bags I put loose vegetables in. They immediately come home and into the garbage. Occasionally I’ll reuse them for cat waste, but for the most part, I never reuse them. So I found these ones on Amazon and am currently waiting for them to arrive.
Reuse. Reduce. Recycle.
Or in this case – upcycle. I typically buy pasta sauce in glass jars, so I bought a whole bunch of chalk labels and now am reusing them to hold open dry goods. Pancake mix, flour, sugar, baking soda, things that need to be sealed to stay fresh. Plus, they look adorable in the cupboards!
Andrew and I are definitely pro recyclers. We typically have a ton of bins out front and very little garbage waste (most of our garbage waste are diapers… and I’m sorry I’m just not ready to do reusable diapers yet).
Eventually, one day, when the backyard is done, we might get to composting for our garden. But that’s not really for the foreseeable future.
Green Beauty?
I haven’t really transitioned to green beauty – although I do find myself drawn to the Clean Beauty products at Sephora. I don’t actually buy a lot of products so I’m not really overusing in this category. This will be a gradual, over-time process to transition to. I’ll use up what I currently have and going forward try and use more eco-friendly options!
Things Going Forward
Some other small changes that I’d like to do is to start bringing my own reusable straw/cups/cutlery places. Or to cut back on how much I’m buying out in regards to takeout food. I’d also like to try out silicone freezer bags for things like fruit and meat. I’m a huge “freezer” of things because I like buying when on sale.
It’s definitely something that I’ve become more conscious of as a parent. I want to impart good habits to my children.
What are your tips and tricks to go green?
J x
