Earth Day is a day we sometimes “celebrate” with a social media post or trip to the home improvement store’s garden center and then pass by on the way to bigger and brighter holidays.

We learned about reducing, reusing, and recycling in school, but I have found myself feeling a little overwhelmed by a lot of the common steps I hear about whenever I look into sustainable living. I’m certainly not an expert, but I do have a few favorite ways that we’ve been working toward greener living and thought I’d share a few of them with you, today, in honor of good old Mother Earth!

Many of these ideas are free, and the rest are affordable small changes that add up to make a big difference. Leave a comment with some of your favorite small steps to take toward greener living!

Reduce!

1. The first step toward sustainability is a step toward minimalism!

We have said no to a lot of toys and other little knick-knacks in an effort to reduce clutter. But it reduces our plastic consumption, too. Of course, declining kids’ meal toys is not going to immediately save the world, for example, but the more people that do this, the more restaurants will start to rethink the type of kids’ options they offer. For example, Chick-fil-a often has books in their kids’ meals, but they also offer families to trade the toy for an ice cream cone. Something our kids will readily choose every time!

Also, think twice before adding something to your cart (online or otherwise). Will this truly add value to your life or add clutter to your home?

2. Use silicone straws.

I know, you could just avoid straws altogether. Or use something like metal or bamboo or pasta, but as a toddler mom, we like “bendy” straws in this household whenever our drink calls for a special touch, and I’m found silicone is my preferred option. They wash really easily in the dishwasher (rinse them first so no gunk gets stuck in there!), they are affordable, and won’t poke a little one’s mouth or eyeball. (Speaking from experience, here, unfortunately.)

Plus, I just prefer the experience over metal, hard plastic (like the crazy straws we have for the kids), or anything else we’ve tried. I’m a straw person too, but if I can’t have one of these I almost prefer no straw at all. These have spoiled me! This is the set we have and really like! 

3. Switch to reusable wraps. 

We love bees around here (they are sort of a cherished symbol), and we also like using less plastic. So awhile ago, I jumped into the reusable “plastic wrap” life and have been really pleased! This is the set we like. (I tried a cheaper option and found they didn’t have enough wax and them, and thus, weren’t very sticky.)

We use these for things like cheese, or covering leftovers in the fridge. We’ve used them for bread, too.

We still use plastic wrap for some things, like sticky bread dough, for example, but this is another really small step you can take that adds up. (I don’t even remember the last time we bought plastic wrap at the store–we use it so rarely!)

We have the original Bee’s Wrap design, but I really love this sweet bears print! (Hint, hint, honey!)

4. Consider your feminine hygiene choices. 

Men, feel free to skip ahead to the next one, but ladies, hear me out…even if you think you can’t make the switch to reusable rather than disposable products, I’m here to say you CAN! Yes, it’s different. Yes, it costs more upfront (but honestly, after a few cycles, you’ll be saving money in addition to reducing your waste.) #worthit

My two favorite products right now are the Nixit cup and Thinx underwear. But there are tons of options out there. If you want specific details on WHY I like these products, comment or reach out to me via social or email and I’m happy to chat!

Edit: I’ve switched cups to this Cora disc one (I’m happy to go into why if you’d like to discuss, plus it’s cheaper and you can even get it at Target!) And I now LOVE these Thinx undies so much more than Knix! They are thinner and smoother so way less bulky and hot, and less visible under clothes with lines! 

(My links above for all of my favorites will give you referral discounts and these brands don’t do sales often so that is a deal! AND several stores have Earth Day deals right now, so it’s a good time to check out these companies–just saying!)

5. Buy in bulk.

I’m not talking about Costco, here. Although that might be a good option for you. My favorite way to buy in bulk is actually super simple, avoiding single-serve snack options whenever we can.

I’ll be honest and say this is something we’re still working towards. With young kids, it’s hard to get things like fruit snacks and granola bars in bulk without them being individually packaged. So, we try not to buy those items that often. And, making those items yourself is a great option! Or, because I’m all about EASY and attainable progress here, try just a few products. Like raisins or cranberries that come in a larger container that you can then portion out into a bowl at snack time. Same with bags of chips, pretzels and goldfish crackers, or whatever snacks you prefer.

Also bonus–this saves money! (Money that you can then put towards another sustainable option that might cost a little bit more than its less-sustainable counterpart.)

6. Cloth napkins aren’t just for fancy restaurants.

You all may know we are/were a cloth diaper family for our babies. And not too long after that, I also made the switch to cloth napkins. Yep, for everyday life. It’s really not that hard. They are affordable and softer and sturdier (read: scrubbier) than paper towels or paper napkins. Plus, they look nice!

We used to have colorful ones but they got stained (um…toddlers) so I switched to an all-black set and have never looked back. The black is out of stock right now but the navy is lovely, too! We keep them in a basket on our kitchen shelves and use them for everything–wiping noses, wiping counters, wiping fingers and faces, wiping syrup off the television…you know. Normal stuff.

Reuse! 

Many of us pay a little bit extra on our trash bills for the luxury of recycling what we can, but honestly, if you can’t reduce your plastic (and cardboard and whatever else!) use, reusing is certainly the next step to take. You may find you save money, too!

7. Make your own vases!

I love to have fresh flowers (and greenery) in the house and having a cute vase adds even more charm.

You can also save a lot of money and avoid plastic consumption by foraging wildflowers or branches (with permission), or buying flowers directly from a florist in a custom bunch instead of always choosing a pre-made arrangement or bundle.

8. Stop buying Tupperware.

We switched almost exclusively to using glass leftover containers a few years ago, and that has been the biggest change for us in this department. But we also take meals to friends fairly often and I found myself needing to go out and buy cheap plastic or foil containers to use for that. I started saving and washing my plastic (and sometimes even foil) containers from other food purchases and using those instead. Saves money and reuses an item that would otherwise be tossed or recycled. And, it feels like something my grandma would do, and that makes me a little proud.

Just keep in under control. Set yourself a limit of a realistic amount and stick to it. You’re not going to need 22 containers in storage “just in case.” And remember, choosing bulk options, like yogurt for example, will give you 1 bigger container with a lid that can be reused each grocery shopping trip, rather than 6 or 12 single-serving containers with no lids that will just go in the trash.

9. Build a garden bed!

One of our other favorite tips for a greener life is to plant a vegetable garden in your backyard. Not only are you growing your own food, but you can build the beds out of recycled/reused materials!

We’ve made several different DIY planter beds using reused materials. Our current raised garden beds are such a great long-lasting option that actually looks really nice, too. Can you tell what material we were able to salvage and reuse? Click here to read that post and learn how to make your own.

10. Surround yourselves with plants. 

Having houseplants has been said to help clean the air, and I know they must be helpful, even if the science says the effects are minimal. But, one thing that I think science may miss is that when I see plants in my home, I start to feel more connected to the plants outside of my home. I want to take care of my plants because I want them to thrive. I want to take care of the earth because I want us ALL to thrive.

It may be a small thing, but again, baby steps toward a greener lifestyle often lead to bigger changes down the road, and having a literal greener house (from all the plants!) can’t hurt! (As long as you’re watering responsibly, I guess. Put those half-drank glasses of water on your nightstand to good use every morning, friends!)

11. Let kids create!

Our kids think packages are a special treat because not only do they bring something new into the house (potentially for them), they know the boxes will be fair game for a fort, a toy garage, doll bed, or whatever else their imagination can think up. Sure, we’re still bringing the cardboard into the house, but we get an extra use out of it before tossing it into the recycling bin. (And that means we buy less paper and other project supplies–and toys!)

And speaking of kids, one of your very biggest baby steps (and a bonus tip I guess!) toward greener living could literally be your babies. Teach them about the earth and how to take care of it. Our four-year-old will stop me from throwing things away because “we can reuse that, momma!” and our two-year-old can tell you that bees are important for flowers and food to grow.

(To check out some of my favorite books about the earth, CLICK HERE.)

It’s never too early, or too late, to leave a legacy of sustainable living for your family’s future.

What are some of your favorite baby steps to take toward greener living? Washing clothes in cold water? Using energy efficient light bulbs (and turning off stuff when you’re not using it!!)??

Obviously, we love to consider things like solar power, and energy-efficient appliances, and sustainably made toys, furniture, and even cars and building materials, but sometimes those “big things” feel like a barrier for those of us on a budget. I want to know your best true baby steps!