When it came to writing a post about Earth Day, I found myself quickly overwhelmed with the data about climate change, species extinction, landfills, toxic waste... the list goes on! I'm no scientist so I'll leave the data and explanations to them, but I do want to tell you how we ("we" as in my household) try to conserve energy, minimize waste, and live a little more eco-friendly.
Energy
- we love the new energy-saving light bulbs and appliances on the market and even have the low-E efficient windows installed in our home (TIP: have your local HVAC company come out and install a programmable thermostat)
- have your attic checked to ensure it is properly insulated
- utilize fans over the AC. It's hard in this Texas weather but we try our best!
Waste
- we minimize food waste by meal prepping and shopping once a week
- we sort our trash into compost/ organic, recyclables, and trash
- when grocery shopping, we chose paper over plastic and/or bring our reusable totes, especially this one by our friends over at Urban Oreganics! (TIP: be sure to WASH your reusable bags every now and then)
- we reuse as many bags (and boxes, too!) as possible... plastic shopping bags get used as bathroom trash can liners, paper bags are used for food scraps then composted, shopping bags are reused for trash (or I decline them all together and carry my items out)
- we were lucky enough to have a reverse osmosis system already installed in our home when we bought it and we use tap water for cooking (no empty plastic water bottles!)
- we do not use paper towels in our home, we prefer Marleys Monsters reusable unpaper towels. We also use her bamboo washcloths and facial rounds for personal use.
- our lunches are packed in Re-play's reusable containers made from recycled milk jugs... how cool! We also use Marley Monsters snack and sandwich bags.
- WET BAGS ARE THE BEST... seriously! We use these for picnics in the park, going to the lake, or just when we're out and about! Our fave brands are Marleys Monsters and Logan + Lenora.
We are not a perfect eco-friendly household, but we do try to make an effort and believe that every little bit counts. We love buying from local farmers markets and supporting local businesses. If you know of any other brands or tips to help us live a little greener, PLEASE comment with info below.
How is BayBee Boutique helping?
One of the biggest concerns regarding our the stability of our food sources is the decline of our pollinator bees. Cheerios recently launched a #savethebees campaign where they sent out packets of wildflower seeds in an effort to increase natural flora that is vital to keeping our pollinating friends from going extinct. There is a lot you can do to help so be sure to search "save the bees" and start reading up! We're doing our little part over here to help:
Did you know our Buzzy Bee all-natural Teethers are made right here in the U.S. using sustainably-harvested wood? Buzzy Bee, our mascot, is an important part of our brand, and bees are an important part of our ecosystem! We believe every little bit helps so that's why we're giving a packet of wildflower seeds with every Buzzy Bee purchase. Be sure to share with your eco-friendly mamas to let them know.
Enjoy your day today!
Carley