5 Steps to Eco-Friendly Living That Won’t Break the Bank
As a mom, it’s expected that you would want to surround your family with safe, natural, non-toxic materials. Turning your home into an Eco-friendly living space is a great option when you’re trying to ensure the health of your family. You may be under the mistaken impression that you have to spend big money to turn your home green. Fortunately, there are hundreds of budget-friendly options for those that want to live a more Eco-conscious lifestyle.
Here are five steps to follow if you want to start living green:
1. Recycle
Recycling is easy and, best of all, it’s free! It’s never too early to begin teaching your children how to recycle. Get them involved! If you have the room, add a three, color-coded recycling bins to your kitchen or back porch. If you have very young children, label each with a picture of what goes inside, along with the word that matches: glass, paper and plastic. Before you throw anything in the trash, ask them if they think it can be recycled. If the item can be recycled, ask them to put it in the correct bin.
2. Shop at the Farmer’s Market
Instead of purchasing your produce at the grocery store, take a trip to your local farmer’s market, flea market or co-op. These are great options for locally grown produce. If you’re looking for a fun outing with your family, take a trip to a local orchard or go to a berry farm and pick your own berries. Not only will you be supporting your local economy, but you’ll be buying food that doesn’t have to be coated with chemical preservatives to make its way to your table.
3. Organic Furniture
If you are redesigning your child’s room, or even your living room, look for organic furniture options. These pieces are made with organic fabrics and coated with organic paints and stains. Organic furnishings don’t leach chemicals into the air like traditional ones. Alternately, visit your local flea market or browse Craigslist for used furniture. This furniture has already given off all of the fumes that it will, and you’ll be saving it from a trip to the landfill.
4. Save Water!
Conserving water in your home is another free way to live environmentally-friendly. Teach your children to turn the water off when they are brushing their teeth, start taking showers instead of baths and add a brick to your toilet tank to save water each time you flush. Take it a step further and set an egg timer next to the tub, limiting your showers to five minutes or less!
5. Walk or Ride
If you have stores down the street, walk or ride your bike instead of hopping in the car. Your children can use the exercise and you can, too! By limiting your use of your vehicle, you will emit less pollution into the air, improving the air quality for everyone in the neighborhood.
If you have very small children, buy a bike seat or trailer for your bicycle. If your kids are a bit older, allow them to ride their bikes with you or walk beside you. It’s a great way to spend time together as a family and, as a bonus, a fantastic way to get in your daily exercise.
You can live in an Eco-friendly manner without breaking the bank. There are many small changes that you can make to your everyday living that can turn your lifestyle green! Start with these five options and expand on them as you do more research; you’ll be living green in no time!
Lindsey Harris is mom as well as interior decorator and blogs for erikorganic.com, a great site to find custom conference tables and other furniture. She enjoys browsing the internet for unique Eco-friendly furniture designs!