On my blog, I talk a lot about living a sustainable and Eco-friendly lifestyle. I give tips on how to have a green home and even how to green your cleaning routine. If you are new to going green at home, it can seem like a daunting task as you may feel pressure to do it all at once, but in most cases, it is all about small everyday changes you make that make the real difference. Don’t feel like you aren’t doing enough if you only do one thing at a time. The point is, you are doing something to make an impact of how the earth is treated and that is HUGE.
I wanted to help introduce you to some ideas from other green bloggers on how you can make the leap into going green if you haven’t or how you can continue to do so if you have. These bloggers have some amazing advice to give and I truly value each one of them for stepping up and adding in their going green “2 cents”.
Together, we can make a positive change on the world and for the generations after us! This is the first post in a series of posts this month on greening your cleaning routine this spring. I hope you enjoy reading what they amazing bloggers had to say and please, visit their blogs to get even more wonderful and valuable information on leading a more Eco-friendly life and on how to go green right now!
12 Green Bloggers Tell You How to Go Green Right Now
I asked all the bloggers this same question:
“What is the #1 tip or piece of advice you have for someone considering going green at home? What is one way they can do it right now? What are some things everyone can do?”
Here are their answers!
Mary Ann of A Cloth Life:
I think the most important thing to remember is that you do not have to change everything. Small things can make a difference, too. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Just pick one or two areas to make some easy eco-conscious changes.
Cleaning
Most of my household cleaning products have been replaced in one form our another with some combination of white vinegar + (water, oil, dish soap, etc depending on what I’m needing to clean). I use dollar store spray bottles with my “recipes” written in permanent marker on the side, then keep this bottles stored under my sink like any other cleaning product would be. You can easily find these recipes through Pinterest or whichever search engine you prefer.
Try replacing dryer sheets with wool dryer balls. When your laundry is done, you just keep them in the dryer for the next load!
By making small changes, it’s less of a shock, feels like less of a burden, and still adds up to a simple, eco-friendly lifestyle. You’ll also be surprised how easy it is to continue adding on with more small changes.
Meg at Happy Kids, Inc.
Although it may seem hard to always have a “green sensibility”, there is one easy step I have found to make a huge impact on our Earth: buy a stainless steel reusable water bottle. I have one, as does my husband and three children. I never go anywhere without them. Whether it’s out running errands, in school lunches, traveling on a plane, or doing activities, we always bring our bottles along. You won’t be forced to buy wasteful bottled water at places like airports and sporting events. You also aren’t leaching harsh chemicals often found in plastic water bottles when you go stainless. Bonus: you will probably find yourself drinking more water, which is so good for you.
Laura at Little Bits of Granola
The thing I like to emphasize is that “going green” does not have to be all or nothing and it doesn’t have to be weird, hard, or expensive. My advice is keep it simple. Start small and do things that make sense for you. If you are overwhelmed, try picking one area of impact to focus on. For example, you might focus on doing things that save money first, or you might focus on things that have the biggest impact on your health, like food and personal care products. Once you get the hang of that, start branching out.
Meaghan at Two a Beautiful Life
Have an organized computer management system. Many people do not hesitate to print things out to keep for later or to reference but I cut back on my printing needs by taking lots of screenshots and organizing that information into folders that I can access easily later. Apps like Evernote are helpful for this, since you can organize your pictures by folders and access them on different devices just by logging in. It is also helpful to have a desktop scanner, so you can scan all those pesky papers (you’ll probably lose later!) and put them right in the recycling after filing.
Michelle at Simplify Live Love
I’m excited to share my #1 tip for going green at home with you today: spend 15 more minutes each day in the kitchen, as I really believe we really are what we eat. Americans spend the least amount of time cooking compared with many other countries and are some of the unhealthiest people in the world – we can combat that in the kitchen. Start buying more whole foods and make a commitment to shop the perimeter of the grocery store. Drop the processed junk for just ONE week and see how you feel! I know we’re all busy people and we don’t have eight hours a day to cook, so find quick, easy, wholesome, and delicious recipes your family will love {like the ones I share on Simplify, Live, Love } and spend a bit more time in the kitchen each day. That’s my #1 tip for going green!
Raina at Make, Mend, Grow
Going green can be hard, but it’s not impossible when you start small! An easy change for me was to switch from harsh cleaners to using vinegar and baking soda. Since some jobs are a little more tough than others, I use citrus essential oils. For a cheap and easy way to get the citrus oils in your vinegar, take citrus peels and throw them in a large mason jar and cover with plain white vinegar. Let it steep for a couple of weeks, remove the peels and you have a great smelling cleaner. Even better tip? When you’re done with the steeped peels, run them through your garbage disposal to clean the disposal and keep your sink smelling nice! Remember, every small change helps!
Kristi at Moms Confession
Going green when it comes to cleaning my home is probably one of the easiest and best things I have done for my family. We have been on this journey for about a year and while we are not 100% green, it’s great knowing that we are well on our way to living a greener lifestyle.
Instead of jumping in with both feet, I chose to take the slow and steady approach. By using this method, going green at home has taken the “green cleaning costs more and green cleaning takes more time” myths out of the mix. If you are looking to start going green at home, take baby steps into your new lifestyle. Living a greener lifestyle doesn’t have to be something you take on 100% in one shot. By simply starting with making one homemade cleaner recipe at home or purchasing one at the store is a small step into living the life you dream of…a greener, cleaner life!
Marissa at Metta Cultura
The number one piece of advice that I have for someone who is wanting to go green is to know the reason why you are doing it. You have to make sure that the reason is a strong one because you want to be sure to stick with it. One way you can start now is to unplug appliances that you aren’t using. It doesn’t require much time or effort. It just requires habit. Something that everyone can do is recycle: reused store-bought container for food storage, try to find a recycle program in your area, or sign up on recyclebank.com to earn incentives for your recycling efforts.
Dina at My UnEntitled Life
My one piece of advice that anyone can do and start today is to quit buying dryer sheets. Wool balls are so effective at keeping the clothes soft and they last so much longer. I received my dryer balls over 18 months ago and they’re still going strong. Throw in a piece of aluminum foil to get the static out and you’re good to go. The dryer sheets are so bad on the environment and on us because they’re neurotoxins.
Barbara at Yes Spaces
If you are making a purchase for your home based on time and budget (and most of us do!) here are a couple of quick tips to make the air in your home healthier.
· Carpets, vinyls and upholstered furniture are among the worst “off-gassers” of toxic fumes. If you install something new, properly air the room out for 3-7 days. The greatest amount of gases are released in the first few days which can make a huge difference to your home’s air quality.
· When you buy paint, ask about low VOC (volatile organic compounds) options. These healthier paints today are just as durable and no more expensive than other quality paints.
· If you are replacing a mattress, consider natural latex. You spend so much time in bed that the air you breathe while you sleep is critical, especially for children.
Crystal at Eccentric Eclectic Woman
My #1 tip or piece of advice I have for someone considering going green at home is to minimize waste. One way to do this right now is to think about everything that you are bringing home, whether it be from the coffee shop or the grocery store, and look at the packaging. If it has packaging that can be reused, recycled, or repurposed it is a good investment because it will not end up in the landfill. Alternatively you can bring your own reusable bags and containers from home to use while you are out, so that you don’t contribute to the waste problem. This is very simple and will help you along the path of going green.
Alisson at Busy VA Mom
Recycle! The easiest way to get started is get a small can to keep right next to your regular trash can, so instead of throwing away plastic, glass, or metal you can easily recycle instead. Then find out what type of programs are available in your town/city to take the next steps.
These bloggers have such great advice! I hope it inspires you on how to go green right now! Make sure to come back this month (March) and next month as I will have a ton of great green and Eco-friendly advice as well as my 30 days of green cleaning with tips, DIY cleaners and more!
