What are you doing for Earth Day?

As my kids have gotten older, I try to teach them why conserving resources is important to me, and why I do things a little differently than others might. My son just happened to be born on Earth Day, and I have an earth tattoo from my "just want to see what it feels like" early twenties. I also have to admit that I am somewhat of a tree hugger, but not so much that I wear sandals in the winter. Even I catch myself doing things that are wasteful, and smacking myself on the head with a "do'h!" Like having reusable bags, but leaving them at home. Or not taking the time to learn more about recycling in my area and throwing it all in the trash. We've lived in our town for two years, and this Earth Day I made the committment to learn about recycling and where we take our recyclables. I'm also considering putting this "green" information together for new residents so that they know what's what. Since I homeschool, our science and social studies lessons during the month of April are ALL about things that we can do in our homes to help make our community and planet a little better for us all. We will be visiting the recycling center as well as our new state of the art landfill that was put in two years ago, and hopefully they will get an idea of the impact of what we throw away. Here are some things that other work at home moms are doing to keep our planet healthy:

"We are now using a 3 bag system (often used for sorting dirty clothes) to recycle. One bag is for pop cans/bottles, one bag is for other type cans and the last bag is for plastics. We are keeping it in our garage very close to the door which is close to the kitchen for ease of use. We already recycle newspapers, phone books magazines, etc. We are also being more diligent with electricity. Turning off lights when not in use. My 4.5yo loves joining in. We try and make it fun for her to be able to participate and learn how to help our environment." Photo Bug Baby - Toni Saussele

"Our family doesn't leave the water running while brushing our teeth as this seems such a waste of water. We also recycle paper, plastics and tin/metal every day. We reuse our plastic water bottles that we have bought from the store when we were "on the run". Plus, when we are done using the water bottles, we recycle them. (We try not to have the need for purchasing water from the stores). When possible we try to purchase paper products that have been made out of recycled paper.

We also have a compost. This cuts down on the trash that is going into our landfills and the compost can be used as a natural fertilizer in our garden. Our family use "green" products when ever possible. This includes all types of cleaning products to bath and body products. This not only helps the earth by not using harmful chemicals but also helps better our health at the same time.

Our family business reuses packing materials/containers whenever possible to cut down on waste as well as passing savings onto our customers. The bulk of our products are made from a renewable resource that is natural and non-toxic to the earth and humans (or animals)." SeaGlass Candles - Kelly

"Businesses and consumers today can choose from a wide range of high quality products that are equal in performance to traditional products, but can result in lower waste, fewer chemicals, lower energy use and less material use. At Dezigns by T we go for the greener options when purchasing products and materials for our homes and office. From printing on post-consumer recycled content (PCR) paper to switching from incandescent bulbs to energy efficient compact fluorescents to packaging our products with recycled materials we believe in making more personal decisions with the environment in mind.

In our quest to further reduce our carbon footprint Dezigns by T has partnered with TerraPass to sponsor clean energy and carbon reduction projects that result in a verified, measurable reduction in carbon emissions. We invite you to visit our TerraPass partner page to learn more about the projects that Dezigns by T and TerraPass support and to find out how your organization can balance its carbon emissions."

"I saw a show about climate change on Oprah awhile back, and I ran straight out to Home Depot to get my water heater insulation, programmable thermostat, and compact fluorescent light bulbs. It took me about six months to take the time to install the thermostat and wrap my water heater. At least they are both done now! No more forgetting to turn down the thermostat at night in the winter. I don't use those light bulbs in the most used lights, rather I use them in the most left on lights—places where the light bulb will be on for a long time if left on because I don't frequent those rooms very often—the pantry, laundry room, garage, and the one walk-in closet. In the bedroom light fixtures that have three light bulbs, I use one CLF and two incandescent bulbs. That way I still get the look of incandescent light. For the other lights, I buzz around the house shutting off lights all the time now. I have turned into my mother! Since 12 months ago, our natural gas bill has gone down $42 USD/month, and our electricity bill has gone down $20 USD/month. And I have also finally purchased reusable grocery bags and produce bags. Slowly we're starting to remember to bring them from the car to the store for actual use." Modest Clothing Directory - Dara Becker

"The Green Path Company is a family owned-company and we all made a commitment to make some simple, inexpensive changes to our lives such as reducing junk mail and unsolicited catalogs, unplugging electronics to cut down on energy consumption, and conserving water through the installation of low-flow shower heads. Our website features a “Green Tips” page as well as a FREE packet outlining some easy changes to make around the house. The packet contains 10 tips you can incorporate into your daily or monthly routine that help us conserve energy and protect the environment. If you are interested in receiving this FREE information you can contact us at The Green Path Company and we will send the packet out to you!" Regionz Kidz - Lisa Smith