6 Green Habits of an Eco-Friendly Mom

April 21, 2009 at 6:00 AM by Cafe Sheri - Comments (2)

Going green, like anything, is just a matter of practice. Earth-friendly living may seem difficult at first, but as you grow accustomed, it will begin to feel easy.

Take it from CafeMom Kari3110, who's been practicing greener living for awhile now.

Once you've gone green, the eco-friendly way of life become second nature. Let's hear from green-living CafeMom Kari3110 on the topic.

Here are 6 green habits Kari3110 practices regularly:

1. Make your own cleaners and household products. Cleaning products have become second nature already! I don't even notice the additional time I spend making them. I also make my own laundry detergent and facial cleanser. I use organic coconut oil as our only moisturizer. My daughter's eczema hasn't flared up since I started this.
2. Garden and share your bounty. I garden and so do many of my relatives and a couple friends. The best part about everyone gardening is the sharing! If I go on vacation, someone will come pick my beans and they get to keep what they pick. More grow for me to pick and everyone wins!
3. Eat local meats. I purchase our beef from a local farmer. He's not organic, but it's close enough for me and we're not purchasing our meat from those scary cattle barns where cows never see a pasture. My sister and brother-in-law enjoy the sport of fishing but don't love to eat fish. They share their fish with us and we share beef or babysitting.
4. Go to the library. We get books from the library.
5. Say no to plastic bags. I never get plastic grocery bags.
6. Start a toy swap. A good friend and neighbor of ours has a daughter a couple years older than my children and a son a couple years younger than ours. We do a toy swap! This was more about saving money, but as with most earth-friendly habits, saving money and being green go hand-in-hand. As I type this, I am sitting next to a large plastic dollhouse with all its little accessories. This easily cost my friend $200, if not more. We get to use it until their son wants it (if he ever does). And it didn't end up forgotten or broken and in a landfill. If we can continue to pass this to children who are excited to have a beautiful dollhouse, it should experience a long life.

Thanks for sharing your green habits with us, Kari3110.

What's the saying? Do anything for 21 days, and it becomes a habit. That's right. Just three weeks without a plastic bag, and you won't even miss it. Give it a try.

Read more on Going Green habits.

FILED UNDER: gardening, going green, green guide