Green Tips

See a greener dentist-mercury containing dental fillings are classified as moderate risk by the FDA and some composites/sealants may potentially expose us to low levels of BPA. Detox your teeth by seeing a holistic dentist (holisticdental.org) or look for one who’s commited to going green (ecodentistry.org) 

Turn pre-fold cloth diapers in cleaning rags.

If you don’t use cloth diapers, choose chlorine-free disposable diapers. 

Make your own baby wipes. 

Bring your own reusable food containers to buy bulk items at the store and when you’re ordering take-out. To-GoWare.com offers stainless steel “tiffin” boxes with two or three compartments. LifeWithoutPlastic.com sells stainless steel and glass “Tupperware”-like containers, lunchboxes, and more.

Carpool to work or school with a friend. Even better? Whenever possible, walk or bike to run errands.

Eliminate the need for plastic wrap or plastic “ziploc” bags with reusable sandwich wrappers and snack bags. Just name a few- reuseit.com, snacktaxi.com, repac.com (they have gallon sizes!) ETSY is also a great place to find items like this.

Visit area libraries to check out more than just books.  Various branches in Minnesota carry items like music, movies, science kits, puppets, shaped cake pans and zoo passes.

Purchase a pressure cooker to drastically cut cooking time and allow you to quickly and easily cook items like beans, roasts and vegetables.

Plant a garden and/or join the CSA

Make friends with local farm families and ask about buying their surplus crops for preserving.  Pick your own strawberries, apples, grapes and other local goodies, then freeze them to enjoy later.

Turn your thermostat a few degrees cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer.

Get your exercise through old fashioned work like gardening, chopping wood, mowing the lawn and shoveling snow.

Learn to can.  Ask a friend or relative to show you how, look it up online or take a class in the community.

Aim to spend at least 30 to 60 minutes outside most days.  The fresh air and sunshine will benefit your mood and your health.

Trade goods (extra garden produce, local honey, art, nice outgrown children's clothes...) and services (babysitting, tutoring, music classes...) with other community members. Try out your bartering skills!

When you purchase a cold beverage to go, refuse to accept a single-use plastic straw. Instead, whip out one of Glass Dharma’s reusable glass straws (cleaning brush included) or a stainless steel straw that I found at reusit.com and on amazon.com

Increase the number of home-cooked meals you serve and decrease the number of packaged items (such as canned soups and mixes) you use for meals.

Cook with your kids. They'll have fun and learn valuable skills, and you'll produce something healthy and tasty.  

Start eating more foods that are affordable to buy organic  such as bananas and carrots.  You'll be surprised at how affordable organic foods are once you're making them from scratch -- and how delicious they are.  

Eat in season.  Learn what's in season to know what's fresher, more local and cheaper for each time of year.

Pack your kids' school lunches in reusable containers.

Start keeping some healthy snacks in the car for travel-time munchies so you don't have to rely on drive thru stops or other unhealthy choices.

Shop on Amazon.  You can get some organic items at Amazon for exceptionally low prices, especially if you use Subscribe and Save (which saves you an additional 15% off if you ask for it to be sent to you on a certain time frame and gives you free shipping no matter how small the order is).

Buy often used products like oatmeal, dried beans and rice in bulk and then store them in re-purposed jars.

Convert at least part of your lawn to garden space.

Plant native garden plants to reduce the needs for water and special care.

Green Your Jeans-Saying goodbye to a beloved pair of jeans can feel like bidding adieu to an old buddy—but now you don’t have to! Give them a second life in the kitchen by making denim potholders!

Clean floors with a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner that traps fine particles of dust, soot and pollen and wet mop regularly. Check regularly to see if your vacuum is full and requires changing. HEPA filters provide a recommended replacement date.

Simmer ingredients like citrus peels, cloves and cinnamon sticks in water to naturally humidify the air and make your home smell great.

Hang laundry on indoor and outdoor clotheslines at least part time.

Reuse items that aren't dirty (such as towels and pants) before tossing them in the hamper.

Start clippings of friends' houseplants and create some free houseplants of your own to clean your indoor air.

Start baking your own bread.  If you're intimidated by baking by hand, pick up a used bread maker for a few dollars at a local thrift store and find the manual online.

Shop local thrift stores for needed items before buying new.

Organize a kids' clothing or toy swap with a group of friends.

Learn to make your own dishes like re-fried beans for much cheaper, healthier and tastier results.

Every family should keep a jar of elderberry honey syrup in their refrigerator.  This simple, natural elixir is fabulous at preventing and treating illnesses and it couldn't be easier to make or more natural.

Breastfeed your baby.

Turn down the heat or air conditioning at night and when you go out.

Make your own craft supplies-Most of us have made play dough before, but did you know you can easily make watercolor paint, glue and more?

Not only do homemade craft recipes save you money, but they're better for the environment (no toxins, preservatives or chemicals are involved, no plastic packaging is required and no truck is needed to ship them to you).  

If you get caught in the rain and need to quickly dry out and deodorize a wet pair of sneakers, stuff them with old newspapers.

Combat a cat’s stinky litter box by mixing the litter with used dried tea leaves. Not only will the leaves keep the box smelling fresh, but tea also has powerful anti-bacterial properties that can help keep the litter box clean.

A bowl full of used coffee grounds is a great way to remove unpleasant odors from the fridge. To transform the wet grounds into a homemade deodorizer, spread the grounds out on a cookie sheet and pop them in a very low oven until they are dry. You can also rub wet grounds on your hands to remove smells that soap can’t seem to cope with, like fresh garlic.

Invest in a water filter and start drinking lots more water.

Sources-Examiner, Daily Green, Care2, EWG, Yahoo Green, Fans, Family and Friends.