Since 1970, April has been celebrated globally as Earth Month. Both of my kids are currently doing special projects and school events in honor of Earth Month, which got me thinking about how we as a family strive to be kind to our environment with simple efforts to reduce waste, reuse items and recycle.

I’m always talking to my kids about taking care of nature (they think littering is an arrestable offense…) and my husband works in the renewable energy space. So, I like to think that we’re raising them to be pretty conscious of our planet and our responsibility to take care of it. At 7 and 4, they more or less know what can and cannot be recycled and are very good about turning off lights when they leave a room.

Beyond these basic eco-friendly habits, there are so many other things you can teach your kids and incorporate into your daily lives that give back to our earth. In honor of Earth Month, I pulled together a list of 30 practices to implement this month and hopefully take with you long after April ends.

  1. Recycle your recyclables! Perhaps one of the easiest things you can do.
  2. Invest in a good water bottle and eliminate purchasing plastic water bottles.
  3. Donate unused items instead of throwing them away.
  4. Buy secondhand!
  5. Turn off your lights and unplug electronics when not in use.
  6. Bring your own bag to the grocery store.
  7. Water your lawn responsibly (2x/week is plenty, even in Central FL!)
  8. Install low-flow showerheads and add in a filter for good measure.
  9. Swap out your lightbulbs for energy efficient types.
  10. Cut down on paper towels and buy reusable dish towels, we love these ones!
  11.  Ditch the liquid detergent and move to laundry sheets. We moved to this brand about a year ago and haven’t looked back.
  12. Stop unsolicited mail and go paperless with your bills, statements, etc.
  13. Nix disposable bags. These ones are great for the kids lunches and on-the-go snacking.
  14. Switch to meatless Mondays!
  15. While we’re at it, eat more plants and prioritize locally and organically grown items.
  16. Fix leaky faucets and repair other things in your home to ensure everything is running efficiently.
  17. Repurpose glass jars and other containers in the kitchen.
  18. Avoid disposable products, like napkins, paper plates and other single-use plastic.
  19. Run the dishwasher when it’s full only.
  20. When it’s time, replace appliances to energy efficient models.
  21. Adjust the thermostat to prevent heating/cooling excessively when no one is home.
  22. Lean into houseplants for cleaner air.
  23. Think beyond the kitchen for recycling – beauty packaging and plastic toys can usually be recycled.
  24. Combine errands as much as possible.
  25. Carpool!
  26. Keep your car serviced and walk or bike when you can.
  27. When shopping, prioritize brands and products made with recycled goods.
  28. Buy in bulk.
  29. Take showers instead of baths – you could save on average 50 gallons of water per time.
  30. Pay attention to labels. From coffee to fruit to cleaning products – know where your stuff is from to minimize harmful impacts on wildlife and the environment.

Be sure to check out our guide for Family Friendly Earth Day Events in Central Florida – lots of fun things going on that the littles are sure to love!

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here