Elizabeth Johnson Living green as a large family can be challenging, but every step we take toward being eco-friendly, the better. Our family of 6 has taken some easy steps toward green living by changing a few simple things, and it saves us money as well.
Changing a few products in your home can make a sizeable impact on your ecological footprint.
As the primary shoppers, women often have a big influence on the items your household uses. Creating change can be uncomfortable for you and your family. After a while, your partner and children will get accustomed to the new way of doing things.
I experienced some pushback from my husband on #2 of this living green list, but he eventually found acceptance. Keep reading to find out how your family can easily become more eco-friendly with a few simple changes.
1) Reusable Gift Wrap
I started purchasing reusable canvas gift wrap bags for the holidays a few years ago. Each year I would look for them on the day after Christmas sales racks.
Last year I went all in a purchased several more before the holidays arrived. I just couldn’t take it anymore. With most of our family out of state and grandparents sending gifts for (at the time) 3 children, the gift wrapping became overwhelming.
I could barely handle doing all of our gifts, let alone everyone else’s too.
Reusable gift bags not only reduce paper waste but also saves you time and money spent on more wrapping paper, tape, and bows. It truly has become one of the best living green things I’ve spent money on for the holidays.
And don’t worry, the kids don’t seem to mind not unwrapping paper wrappings, and Santa uses wrapping paper on their special gift.
2) Non-Paper Towel
Using a non-paper towel rocked my husband’s world—at first. We used to go through rolls and rolls of paper towels with our children to the point it became disturbing. It felt very icky and anti living green. I knew there had to be something that could be done.
I found these great cloth non-paper towels that are washable and reusable.
There are also some great microfiber cloths. I purchased some to use as cleaning cloths designated for the bathroom. There are other reusable cleaning cloths specially designed to clean windows.
To keep the like cleaning clothes together, I throw them in these mesh zipper bags. Doing this prevents them from spreading fuzzies in the wash and helps keep track of clothes with any cleaning solutions on them.
3) Composting
The EPA estimates that in 2018, 2.6 million tons of food (4.1 percent of wasted food) was composted. That’s crazy.
We fill our landfills with perfectly compostable food, that doesn’t degrade properly while smothered in plastic.
I’ve been working on planting fruit trees for the past few years. I have found that adding our food waste to the soil near our banana tree helps it to grow better in our poor sandy soil. Eventually, I would like to start a worm farm.
I save the offcuts from meal prep and any produce that may go bad in our fridge. If you choose to compost in an open-air bin, worm bin, or directly into your soil, you will want to avoid the following items:
- meat and fish
- bones
- onion
- garlic
4) Laundry Detergent Sheets
We did it! We finally changed over to laundry detergent sheets.
Laundry detergent sheets have so much going for them. First, they actually work well in any temperature water, so if you are interested in saving energy by washing with cold water, go for it.
Second, you are paying for a lot of water in that liquid detergent of yours. Not only is that a waste of your money it also costs more to transport and leaves a bigger carbon footprint. And don’t get me started on the process to manufacture non-eco-friendly detergent brands.
Last but not least, most laundry detergent sheets eliminate toxic additives like parabens, formaldehyde, and dioxane.
Laundry detergent sheets have become a real win in our house. I love that it saves space in the laundry room and eliminates drippy liquid detergent messes. If you haven’t yet, give them a try.
5) Cloth Diapers
You don’t have to consider yourself a granola mom to use cloth diapers. In fact, I recommend that everyone give them a try and make it work for you.
I purchased cloth diapers for my first child and it was just the beginning of my cloth diaper adventure. There are numerous styles and brands of cloth diapers to choose from.
I even read a book, I was gifted by a friend, to guide me to the different types to choose from. In the end, I tried lots of different brands—some I loved and others not so much.
We even had some real adventures with bathroom issues due to food allergies. What a mess.
In the end, I made cloth diapering work for us. During the day, I use cloth diapers, but I like to use a traditional 12-hour disposable diaper for bedtime.
I feel this allows the baby to have a better night’s sleep, and in turn, a better night’s sleep for me too.
I’m sure there is a purest out there getting upset that I would use disposable diapers but honestly, do what works for you. Every cloth diaper you use helps the environment, so if you feel you need to do some kind of combination like me vs. not using cloth at all—more power to you.
I will also use disposable diapers on long car trips or when my baby is ill. Look below for some of the cloth diaper products I like best.
6) Ugly Produce and Food Services
If you haven’t tried it, you may be interested in using an ugly produce or food service. We tried Misfits Market for ugly produce, and you can read my Misfits Market review.
I explain the benefits in depth there, but the summary is that these ugly foods may be unwanted and wasted by the traditional food system. Considering the food chain is an important aspect of living green.
Similarly, a meal food service reduces waste by giving you just the grocery items you need to create your meals. And it is supposed to reduce the carbon footprint. It relieves meal planning and prep exhaustion and reduces our reliance on fast food.
Also, I find it much easier to choose vegetarian options. Reducing your meat consumption has a huge positive impact on the environment. Getting vegetarian meals helps your family to become more accustomed to eating differently. And it takes the guesswork out of it for you.
These options can be more expensive for your family but are extremely helpful during different stages in your life. These seasons may include when you have a new baby, have a health concern, and during busy sports/activity times of the year.
And it may save you money in the long run if you are trying to supplement meals with restaurant food.
Give it a try and see if these options work for you.
7) Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
We all know the saying reduce, reuse, recycle, and I’m sure you are doing some part of this. Like most of you, we already recycle. But this year, I have been trying to make a concerted effort to buy fewer unnecessary items.
We are reducing our consumer goods. For example, we are buying less frivolous gifts for the children and focusing on experiences. I am purchasing used clothing through Threadup, and generally trying to buy and use less.
We are also gifting our unused items to donate when we can. Since we have had our last child, we will be donating our baby clothes and toys to a maternity home vs. throwing them away. This goes for the numerous household items we have purchased but don’t use or no longer need.
I am on an adventure toward less is more.
- Less spending.
- Fewer items to maintain.
- And less to clean up.
I think it is the start toward a more peaceful home.
Final Thoughts on Living Green
Living green doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Honestly, it is a series of small choices we make every day. These little decisions add up along our path and bring us closer to becoming an eco-friendlier family.
I hope you don’t feel pressured or defeated along your green living journey. Just do your best. It takes at least a month to create a new habit. So, if at first, you don’t succeed…
Keep trying, and eventually, your family will follow your lead.
If you like this post, you may be interested in some of my essential oil posts like Essential Oils for Headaches You Need to Try or this post on the 9 Best Essential Oils for Detox.
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