EarthDay is 40!

Happy EarthDay!

This is the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, and there is so much to celebrate! Many of you have taken the first steps to go green, like carrying reusable bags & bottles with you and recycling when you can. This is fantastic! This Earth Day choose one more thing to get a little "greener". Here's a list of ideas:
Eat Local & In Season

There are so many reasons why this is important. As far as eco-impact, when you eat locally you cut down on transport miles & fuel usage to get food from one place to the next. Also, small family farms are much more likely to use sustainable practices, preserving farmland and soil health. This keeps our air, water and food sources clean and healthy for all! To find local sources near you check out: Local Harvest


Commit to going Waste-Free


Most of us have a reusable water bottle...but do you still pack things in plastic baggies for to go lunches? How about use paper towels for cleaning or paper napkins for dinner? Choose one disposable product you can't imagine living without...and give the alternative 2 weeks. You'll wonder why you waited so long! Not to mention how nice it feels to completely skip the disposable aisle at the grocery stores!


Buy Less, Buy Used, Buy Quality

Before you buy something new ask yourself these questions: Do I have this item in another form already? If so, Do you need another, or is the one you currently have sufficient? If not, can you buy it used? If you can, check craigslist, consignment & thrift stores, or yard sales first. If you must buy a new item, buy quality that will last, instead of cheap items that are essentially disposable. Just asking yourself these simple questions will lead you to consume less, and buy more thoughfully.



There are so many things I could add to this list, but this is a good start. If you have another, would you please share?! I'd love to hear what commitments you are going to make or renew this Earth Day.

GIVEAWAY!!

To help my readers make a change, MamaGoesGreen is going to give away a LunchSkin snack bag and Skoy cloth pack to 2 lucky people! Just comment below to be entered! For the month of April you can receive an extra 10% off in the store with the code: APRIL. Also, any order over $50 receives free shipping! Remember...buy thoughtfully...buy quality! Happy Earth Day!! Comments accepted until midnight Saturday, April 24th. Winners contacted Sunday, 25th. Good luck!

Celebrate Earth Day ALL MONTH!!

We are kicking into gear over in the store! We'd like to celebrate Earth Day all month, and give all of our customers an extra 10% off. We are having some killer sales right now, so don't hesitate! This is a great chance to check out some products that you've been considering for your home, but haven't used yet. All the products we stock we use in our own home in order to waste less, save more and reduce our impact on this planet. They are practical, affordable, useful and fun too! Keep you eyes peeled for some great new products soon! Use code: APRIL for savings all month long!

National Green Week Feb 1-5

Did you know it's National Green Week? Well, neither did I! From Feb 1-5 schools around the country are observing National Green Week. The "objective is to empower students to become environmental stewards within the context of their own lives", according to the Green Education Foundation. They are running several challenges, including a energy saving program, a green thumbs/gardening challenge, and a waste-free lunch challenge. I love that the kids are being taught about recycling, composting, saving energy and using reusable items. These small changes truly add up to make a big difference, and many parents need the extra encouragement from their kids to follow through. (I know mine are always vigilant and keep me accountable). Since we homeschool, we'll have to do this on our own, but the GEF site has activities and suggestions to do with your children or co-op. Leave me a note if your children are participating, I'd love to hear how it's influenced your home.

Cooking From Scratch

photo courtesy of: Dalboz17

In an effort to avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup in our house, one of my goals this year is to cook from scratch more often. The most eaten things around here are snacks and bread....we go through these almost as soon as they enter the house! So there is also a financial incentive to make these things in bulk ourselves. So far we have made granola bars, granola, pizza, honey oat bread and light wheat bread. Everything has turned out wonderful so far! Our dinners are almost always from scratch, and I love www.allrecipes.com for the reviews and selection of recipes. I'd love to hear what you're making from scratch!

Recycling Your Christmas Tree

Now that we've begun 2010, most of us have taken down our Christmas trees, and you may be wondering what to do with it. Traditionally, recycling programs have turned the trees into mulch, but there are many other programs and uses for your used tree.

Photo Credit: Michael Woodruff via flickr.com

This year, we've decided to turn our tree into a bird habitat/feeder. We have it outside, still in the base, anchored with some rocks inside. Tomorrow the kids and I will spend some quality time making pinecone feeders and stringing popcorn. Not only will this provide some winter shelter for the birds, but it will also give us a chance to do some bird watching. This will definately be part of our homeschool science lessons. Along this same vein, you could also take the branches and spread them out around your property as shelter for wildlife. Check with your local Department of Natural Resources to find out if they have a program for trees in place. Many municipalities use the trees in soil and erosion prevention programs, and also in lakes and rivers as fish sanctuaries.
Besides wildlife habitat and mulching, recycled Christmas trees also provide: energy, heat, and even vaccine ingredients. Keep it out of the landfill, and check out what programs are available to you by visiting Earth911.com.