Tips to Help Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

The switch of lightbulbs, always rechargeable batteries....(with kids, this is a must!), water regulators on the showerheads to reduce water waste, and we even installed a digital programable thermostat. I have recipes for cleansers using baking soda, vinegar, borax....ect. Not all of them were up to par for me. But, I will never buy laundry detergent again!! When I do buy household cleansers, I always research what's out there, read reviews, look at the company and what the product will do for the environment. I always use reusable shopping bags, and I also donate old or used items instead of throwing them in the landfill. We recycle, even though it was a challenge because everyone thought it was "annoying." Composting, gardening....I get the kiddos involved with this. I've made these definate changes, and are always looking for something else I can do. It didn't happen overnight .Looking at my kid's everyday and seeing that their future depends on me, that's my motivation!

Turn water off when brushing teeth,reusable grocery sacks,turn lights off when I can and once I turn the oven on I try to cook as much as I can while it is hot and last but not least,plan my errand trips,I make a route so I use less gas and end up back at home!

Invest in a storage container set and use it! Even if it's plastic, you're refilling 1 container over and over (when buying in bulk, like rice and cereal and such) instead of throwing away a bunch of little containers. Also, if something you buy has excessive packaging, email the company and complain. I also email a company when they're frugal with packaging or use recyclables in the packaging and compliment them for it.

I make my own body wash and laundry soap (EASY TO DO!), and that gets put in clean 1-gallon juice jugs. Saves money and reduces waste.

People may try to ban plastic grocery bags, but they DON'T get wasted in my house. After they bring in the groceries, they become trash bags for the rest of the house. Especially the litter box! They're also used for sorting papers and can be "crocheted" into resuable veggie bags.

In addition to washing clothes in cold water we try to limit our gasoline usage. We plan trips and try to do all our errands in one day. We also recycle the Wal Mart plastic bags and use them for trash can liners, lunch bags etc.

We have 2 gardens and only use natural products on them. We also cut back on buying plastics and wasteful packaging :)

Ever since i tried the new Tide coldwater laundry detergent, that i received from shespeaks, I now wash all our clothes in cold water. they come out beautifully and with no stains. We also take our re-usable bags everywhere we go. My m-i-l just stopped to drop off some magazines and a couple other things, and she put them in one of those re-usable bags that we left at her house. so i think i am rubbing off on some people to be more conscious of their footprints also.

Support your local economy and shop at your farmer's market.Pay as many bills as possible online. Reuse scrap paper. Print on two sides, or let your kids color on the back side of used paper. Line dry your laundry.Save egg cartons for paint wells, seed starters, treasure boxes. Lower the temperature on your hot water heater.Use cloth napkins daily instead of paper.. Use cloth instead of paper to clean your kitchen and make these rags out of old towels and t-shirts.

This spring I have started a compost bin...I try and recycle anything and everything I can!! Earth Day is also my daughters birthday so I have vowed that from this point on I will do my best and encourage others to try and live a greener lifestyle. Little changes gradually can make a big difference in the long run and I want to do my part...thanks so much for the opportunity. :D

I keep a tote in my house right next to my trash can for recyclables. That way when I done with a recycled product I just toss it in the tote. When the tote gets full I dump it in my recycle bin outside. I realized doing this I recycle so much my recycle bin outside can't keep up lol :)

We don't sure paper towels. Turn off lights when not in that room, don't turn on the lights during the day.

I keep closet doors and doors to less used rooms closed. I print on the back of used paper or cut it into smaller sizes to use as a notepad. I turn off the tv if nobody is actively watching it. I keep lights off. I save boxes throughout the year to wrap presents. My family thinks I'm just cheap because I save and reuse gift bags and tissue.

Seems so simple but I'm surprised at how bad I am about it - turn off your computer entirely when you're not using it!! I used to just put mine to "sleep" but then learned that it's still using electricity!

We do alot of different things, recycle plastic, paper and cardboard, wash in cold water and hang cloths out to dry, grow some of own food and also buy from local farmers, changed light bulbs to LED or CF, I use a composter , traded our car in for a Honda Fit which uses alot less gas.