 in the landfill, and then contributes to adding extra greenhouse gases to the environment. Families will inevitably have some food waste. Composting allows for the food waste to breakdown properly and turn into organic matter.
For some families composting may not work for you, and that is okay! We struggled with a standard compost bin and the maintenance, but then a curbside compost collection business became available in our area. This allowed us to collect our food waste and set it out to be picked up each week. It fits our family lifestyle and has eliminated our food waste going to the landfill.
So I encourage you to give composting a try or look for a local service provider in your area!
Grow Your Own Food, But Only What You’ll Eat
Growing your own food can be a game-changer for some families. No longer being dependent on the grocery store for produce that isn’t always super fresh and sometimes wrapped in plastic is fantastic. Also, you know where it comes from, if chemicals were used, and it can even save you money in the long run.
You don’t need a lot of space, just some sun and water! We grew tomatoes and herbs in our linear planter boxes that are only 20” wide by 6’ long. In 2022, we’ve decided to grow more of our own food and can’t wait to share how our larger terraced garden turns out.
Again, the most eco-friendly food choice is not wasting food, so only grow what your family will eat. That’s not to say you can’t give fresh produce to friends and family if you grow too much. Maybe just don’t plant turnips if you don’t eat a ton of turnips.
Buy in Bulk
Buying in bulk can reduce your family’s amount of plastic waste. If you’re using something weekly, then why not buy larger quantities and reduce the amount of plastic waste. Instead of buying individual yogurt cartons, I buy a large one that I can distribute out into smaller portions/containers, if necessary. It means a few less plastic cartons to get recycled or end up in a landfill. Plus, we’ve found in the long run it has cost savings for our family.
Additionally, you can eliminate more of your plastic waste by using your own bulk containers in stores like Sprouts. We can fill bags of trail mix, nuts, beans, rice, and even candy in our own containers! I also found our local bubble tea shop has bulk loose leaf tea where we can fill our own containers. Good-bye plastic bags and jugs!
Swap for Sustainable Products
Another simple way to live more sustainably with kids is just to make some eco-friendly product swaps to reduce your waste and family’s footprint. I can guarantee you have a lot of products in your house. And you know what?! Most of those products have an eco-friendly alternative that’s just as good or even better than the not eco-friendly product.
So try your local zero waste store or order online from eco-friendly and sustainable companies to make some sustainable swaps. There are even one-stop shops for eco-friendly products, like EarthHero, who have vetted all the brands and products to ensure they are better for the environment. Shops like these seriously takes all the thinking out of trying to hunt down an eco-friendly product on Amazon or somewhere else. It’s a time-saver for families trying to live more sustainably with kids!
However, sometimes as a family, remembering to order ahead online doesn’t happen or you didn’t realize you’d run out (I know life is crazy with kids!). Luckily several superstores are now starting to have more eco-friendly products and brands on their shelves. Check out all the eco-friendly products and brands at Target I found, which can be super convenient for busy families too!
Baby or Kid Eco-friendly Swap Suggestions
Here’s a couple simple eco-friendly swaps we’ve made related to our child that were simple yet impactful!
- Cloth Diapers or Bamboo Disposable Diapers – Babies/toddlers require diapers, so help reduce the negative impacts by choosing better options!
- EarthBreeze Laundry Detergent Sheets – Kids always lead to lots of laundry so try some sustainable detergents
- Reel Bamboo Toilet Paper – Tree-free toilet p