Fun ways to be more eco-friendly, Earth Day Events and the garbage can that saved our marriage
Many of us want to make Eco-friendly changes but don’t know where to start or think we don’t have the time. With Earth Day right around the corner on April 22, 2012 why not set a goal to educate yourself and your kids. Here are a few great ways to be smart and make a huge difference.
Earth Day Events
Stay tuned for the Denver Post’s extensive round-up of Earth Day events. A few family-friendly options include:
Lunches
A few times a month, I join my kids for lunch at school (gotta capitalize while they still want me around). And though nearly everyone has lunchboxes, there is an exorbitant amount of plastic wrap and Ziploc bags that are dumped in the trash. Though I’m a fan of reusable plastic containers, they are often too large and cumbersome to fit in one small lunch bag.
So I was excited to learn about Beneterre, a Denver company that designs and makes eco-chic, darling reusable snack bags and food wraps, as well as The Cool WrapIt, a reusable and washable sandwich bag with a cold pack. The products are 100% natural cotton lined with waterproof nylon that is lead free and BPA free (unlike most food storage containers), some can be used as a plate when opened and they can be hand or machine washed. The designs are adorable for either boys and girls and prices range from $9-12.
Books
A couple of years ago, I was given the book The Green Year: 365 Small Things You Can Do To Make A BIG Difference and it has been a fantastic reference for all things green. The changes are as small as using the right burner, putting a tennis ball in your dryer to speed up the process, skipping the plastic stir stick in your coffee, and this one surprised me the most: don’t throw food waste in your garbage disposal. Price: $14.95.
(Actual marriage-saving garbage can)
The Garbage Can That Saved Our Marriage
I recycle. My husband can’t be bothered. Whenever there were any items that needed to be recycled, I’d start a small pile on the counter and take them outside to the recycling bin several times a day. He’d just dump them in the trash because he didn’t like the clutter. And so he did some online research and bought a NST recycling garbage can. It has a recycling bin on one side and trash on the other to make the process that much easier. And the marriage that much smoother.
Green Cleaning
Spring is here and that means it’s time for a good cleaning. Instead of bringing in chemical cleaners to do the dirty work, opt for a deep, green clean. Using safer cleaning products helps create a healthier home and a healthier family with these easy 7 green cleaning secrets.
Denver’s Green Shopping Options
Still not quite sure where to start? Don’t miss the Outside Guide: Green shopping options in Denver. Many of these 10 boutiques cater to style- and environment-conscious shoppers, young moms and their families.
How do you try to be more eco-friendly?
too funny about the garbage can. so, does he actually put things in the right side?
i need to get better at recycling and lunch stuff…good tips.
The funny thing is half the time he still puts trash in the wrong bin, even though they’re side-by-side. But now it’s easier for me to move it without going digging.
We use a worm bin. (Vermicomposting). I would do an outdoor composter, but I don’t want to attract animals. Our yard isn’t big enough to have one far enough away from the house. We also recycle so much, we don’t output much trash aside from pet waste.
For anyone insterested in Vermicomposting… This guy’s website is great. There’s tons of sites I’ve checked out over the years, but this one is my favorite. http://www.facebook.com/RedWormComposting (FB page should have a link to his website somewhere.)
Love the tips and especially the trash can, Amber!