In honor of Mother’s Day and Mother Earth, the City’s waste hauler, Waste Management of Orange County, has unveiled 10 environmentally conscious tips for modern moms to help make the task of greening the home as simple as possible.
Encouraging residents to embrace green living has long been a hallmark of the City’s environmental agenda. Waste Management’s tips complement the City’s weekend Arts Alive Festival, which included a Green Expo, Home Composting Workshop and more.
By putting into practice even a few of these tips, Waste Management says that moms are sure to reduce their carbon footprint, see a positive difference in family health and even a few less trips to take out the trash:
• Eat Green: Re-evaluate your grocery list and avoid highly processed foods, diet foods, instant and ready-made foods, juice flavored drinks, white breads and sugary cereals and snacks.
• Go organic: Focus on fresh, organic in-season fruits and vegetables, whole grains high in fiber as well as beans, nuts and seeds.
• Paper or plastic?: How about canvas? Use recyclable canvas shopping bags when buying groceries instead of paper or plastic. Keep some in your car as well as at home so they are always on hand when you need them.
• Dish out your meals with health in mind: Use stainless steel or cast iron pots and pans when possible, as non-stick pans and finishes may be toxic. Serve your meals on ceramic dishes, use glass cups and avoid wasteful plastic-ware and paper plates.
• Think twice about food storage: Plastic containers can leach toxic chemicals into foods. Avoid reheating stored food in plastic containers and when possible, use glass jars.
• Cut back on paper towels: Though convenient, disposable paper towels are the cause of a lot of waste in the household. Stick with reusable sponges and micro-fiber cloths instead.
• Drink from the tap: Purchase a water filter to place directly on your faucet and reduce bottled water consumption by using a refillable canteen.
• Green cleaning: Cast out those chemical cleaning products and go back to the basics. Try wiping down surfaces with white vinegar, use baking soda in bathrooms, or purchase green-friendly products.
• Plan a daily nature date with your kids: Carve out some time each day to disconnect from the rest of the world and get outside with your kids. The time spent outdoors is not only healthy for the mind and body, it will help your children become more mindful about their environment
• Educate your children on being green: The best way to continue the green movement is to educate the next generation. Teach your children simple ways they can help recycle, reduce and reuse.
