CHOCOLATE AS A GIFT
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Support locally-based companies |
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Buy organic chocolate
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Consume organic, fair-trade chocolate |
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| CONSERVING WATER |
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Put a plastic water bottle in your toilet tank (not a brick) |
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Better get a bucket! Uh, we mean catch water in a bucket & reuse it |
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Install a graywater recycling system for your home |
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| BOOKS & VIDEO |
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Buy used when possible, preferably from a local book store |
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Borrow from the library, a friend or other GreenMoms! |
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Buy electronic versions of books & video downloads |
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| CLEANING SUPPLIES |
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Buy less-toxic, natural cleaners (bulk is best) or a Do-it-Yourself kit |
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Make your own cleaners from vinegar, etc. |
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Don't clean anything (were kidding! sort of) |
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| REDUCING MEAT-BASED DIET IMPACT |
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Eat one less meat-based meal per week |
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Eat only locally produced, organically raised meat |
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Go (all or mostly) vegetarian or vegan |
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| GIFT-WRAPPING |
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Reuse paper wrapping |
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Try reusable paper gift bags |
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Use reusable (& washable!) fabric gift bags |
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| FAMILY GIFT GIVING |
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Ask adults to bring only 1 gift per child |
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Select only one name from a hat; give homemade gifts |
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Give the gift of time & love, or to charitable organizations |
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| CHRISTMAS TREES |
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Purchase from local growers |
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Replant a living tree in a large pot & reuse for several years |
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Decorate a houseplant or tree on your property |
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| BABY BOTTLES |
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#5-based plastic bottles are next safest after glass bottles |
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Alternative plastic bottles that don't leach toxins such as BornFree. |
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Breastfeeding and/or if that is not possible: glass baby bottles with silicone nipples.
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| ON-THE-GO DRINKING WATER |
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Buy most local source for bottled water (better than out-of-area imports), recycle the bottle |
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Any type of reusable bottle (assuming it's safe) |
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Stainless steel (non-plastic) bottle filled with water from a home filtration system |
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| PRINTING & PHOTO-COPYING (especially at an office) |
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Use recycled printer/copier paper. Use backside of barely used sheets |
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Print 2 pages per sheet (grab your reading glasses if necessary) |
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Print 2 pages per sheet & copy back to back (or print back to back if your printer is able) |
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| TOYS |
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Stop buying plastic toys. Buy natural toys made from wood, cotton or wool |
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Purchase eco-friendly toys: organic fabrics, sustainably grown wood or recycled materials |
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Use recycled toys from family & friends or found at re-sale shops and garage sales |
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| DIAPERS |
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Use non-bleached paper diapers |
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Use cloth diapers, a diaper service, compostable or biodegradable diapers |
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Try "elimination communication": a diaperless approach to babies' elimination needs |
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| FOOD |
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Buy the 12 most highly sprayed foods from an organic source instead of a conventional source |
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Buy everything organic, local, and fair-trade when available |
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Grow your own food, then supplement with organic, local, & fair-trade when necessary |
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| SOAPS |
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Throw out any anti-bacterial soap you have in your house. (Do not send down the drain!) |
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Use only eco-friendly labeled soaps that are biodegradable |
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Buy organic, concentrated, liquid, biodegradable soap in bulk for all sinks & showers |
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| BODY CARE PRODUCTS |
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Buy products at natural food type stores; better chance of finding green products there
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Switch to products that are plant based only & offer some organic ingredients |
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Switch to top rated products from EWG skin deep data base, or Organic Consumers Assoc.
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| LAUNDRY SOAP |
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Switch to eco-friendly laundry soap |
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Switch to chemical free laundry soap: Soap Nuts |
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Don't wash your clothes (just kidding) or make your own non-toxic laundry soap |
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| CLOTHING |
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Gradually seek out sustainable clothing to replace conventional clothing purchases |
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Buy only organic cotton, hemp, sustainably made, & fair trade clothing |
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Don't buy new clothes; buy clothes at Re-Sale stores & repair old clothing |
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| TRANSPORTATION |
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Drive less (goal: don't drive 1x a week); walk, bike, carpool, take public transportation |
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Drive fuel efficient cars: hybrid or alternative fuel car (Straight Veggie Oil - SVO, biodiesel) |
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Don't drive at all (ha!): walk, bike, carpool, or take public transportation instead |
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| FEMININE HYGIENE |
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Use 100% organic cotton pads & tampons |
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Use cloth pads only...which are re-useable & washable |
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The extreme green challenge! Use the Diva Cup |
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