• When ditching plastics, make sure to get rid of any plastics #3, 6, or 7 first. The other plastics are far less toxic.
• If you keep some plastics, don’t microwave in them. This makes it more likely that chemicals in said plastic will leech into your food or drink. Use glass or lead-free microwave safe ceramic dishes in the microwave.
• Use foil or a food container made of non-plastic vs. plastic wrap. If you can’t give up plastic wrap, at least never use it in the microwave.
• Look to packaging. A lot of plastics that end up in our kitchen are due to packaging on kitchen and food products. Try to buy food and other items in sustainable packaging. For example, you can buy ketchup in a glass bottle vs. plastic. To learn more, read how to green audit your kitchen pantry.

• If you bottle feed your baby, or give your toddler sippy cups make sure you use only BPA-free versions. Likewise, if you use baby and toddler feeding dishes, make sure those are BPA-free as well. One example are the Green To Grow – Welcome Home Sets – Baby bottles made with BPA-free resin and 100% recycled paper and soy ink packaging.
• Don’t use plastic cutting boards. Wooden or bamboo cutting boards are perfectly safe.
• Think in all-over terms. Plastic wrap and plastic food containers are obvious. However, it’s likely you’ve got plastic slotted spoons, plastic drainers, plastic drinking cups, plastic measuring cups, and more. When ditching plastics, do a full kitchen check. Many of these items come in safer silicone or aluminum versions.

Coming up, plastic-free food storage options plus some other plastic-free dishes (think spatulas, colanders, and so on.

Have you been trying to go plastic-free in the kitchen? What sort of changes have you made?

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Why say no?:

More and more studies pop up all the time that note the dangers of plastics. Plastics can leach toxins into our food and drink and then into our bodies. The most dangerous plastic threats continue to be BPA loaded plastics, but other plastics can contain chemicals as well.

While some plastics are made with plants now vs. oil, most plastics are still made with non-renewable resources and while some are recyclable, many plastics are not tossed into the recycling bins. If plastics aren’t recycled, they’ll languish in the landfills for god knows how long. Other plastics are downcycled into products that can’t be further recycled. Furthermore it’s super expensive to recycle plastics and doing so causes its own set of environmental problems.

The worst plastic offenders for our health:

If you aren’t up for clearing out all the plastics in your kitchen just yet, at least avoid the following..

• #3 – PVC usually used in plastic wraps and bottles (such as salad dressing).
• #6 – PS used for meat trays and styrofoam cups.
• #7 – 7 plastics are an odd bunch. It basically means it’s not a plastic 1-6. Most of these contain BPA and are usually used in baby bottles, water bottles, metal can linings, many Tupperware containers, and more.

Plastics #1, 2, 4, and 5 are less toxic to humans but still not ok for the planet.

Next up in the plastic kitchen series, ideas to reduce your plastic use in the kitchen.

Are you using tons of plastic gear in your kitchen? Do you know what types of plastics you still have around? If not, it might be time to start sorting them out.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Many of us are welcoming spring today, so I thought it would be nice to go over some nature loving, tree hugging, eco-friendly ideas that will carry the entire family through the better part of spring and into summer.

1. Quit looking at nature through your frosty windows. It’s warming up, so get out there and enjoy nature in real time, in real life, in full blown color.

2. Throw open your windows wide and let in the fresh air. Natural ventilation is actually a really effective green home goal to aim for. Proper cross ventilation naturally helps to remove any indoor pollution caused by molds, mites, varnishes, paints, cleaners, and more.

3. Have a spring reusable bag sewing party.

4. Use the spring lilacs to create something sweet.

5. Celebrate spring like other cultures do:

• In Egypt, you throw open your windows and breathe deep on the first day of spring. Later have a picnic.
• In Poland a large straw doll is dressed up in old clothes, and then thrown in the river – ok, maybe don’t do that one (not great for fish).
• The festival of colors, or Holi, is a Hindu spring festival, observed in North India and Nepal where children squirt colored water on each other to celebrate.
• What other spring traditions do cultures celebrate? Tell me what you know.

6. See the zoo babies.

7. Try left-over heat cooking for your spring recipes. This means turn the stove top or oven off when food is almost done. Pasta, veggies, rolls, and even meats in the oven will be ok (and fully cooked) if you turn off the heat a few minutes early. Just leave the oven door shut, the pot top on, etc. Imagine how many minutes of energy you will have saved by next spring.

8. Enjoy new blossoms and leaves sprouting to life on the trees.

9. Build a rain barrel to collect spring showers.

10. Rent lawn equipment that you know you will only use occasionally.

11. Alternatively, start a neighborhood co-op of lawn equipment. Purchase together and share major item.

12. Visit a waterfall – this is the best time of year for waterfalls, snow is melting, and the water comes crashing down.

13. Spring clean – just don’t spring clean with chemicals and other icky stuff. Make this year’s spring cleaning actually clean and healthy.

14. Learn which fruits and veggies are in season and eat bunches of them. Buying in season and locally grown is better for the earth, your wallet, and your health.

15. Choose a recycled plastic picnic table.

16. Fold a “springing” froggy out of recycled paper.

17. If your coffee shop of choice serves single serve sugars and creamers, choose a new favorite coffee shop or ask them to get large, bulk containers of cream and sugar.

18. Visit a wetland area – there are still enough wetland areas so that it’s safe to assume that there’s one near you, but there may not be for long. Without conservation we could lose some major wetland areas. I’d visit soon because it’s not clear yet that enough people care to save them. Ask your local visitors center where you can find a wetland area near you.

19. Get some cool spring worthy eco-toys. These new toys from Green Toys are created from curbside recycled milk containers. The actual shop should be open in the spring sometime, but until then you can contact the company directly with purchase inquiries. They have a great Sand Play Set or Organic Gardening Set.

20. Is it still too cold for flowers where you live? Make some colorful recycled tissue paper garlands to add spring to your house. (Use that used holiday tissue that I know you saved). Better yet, make a garland and give it to a neighbor, friend, elderly home, or children’s ward at a hospital.

21. Rejoice in spring flowers.

22. Help your kids to join Journey North.

23. Buy a reclaimed wood garden bench so you can sit outside and read.

24. This season, and each season have your car engine tuned up and serviced. Following a decent tune up schedule will reduce the amount of pollution your car emits by 20%. Better yet you’ll save on fuel – good for the earth and wallet.

25. Hunt for birds nests – don’t touch though, just look.

26. Build your own compost bin for recycling spring garden and kitchen scraps.

27. Visit a rural farm. Notice how a farm in spring differs from where you live. Unless of course you do live on a farm – then visit a city park and observe the same differences.

28. Go ahead, green your entire Easter celebration.

29. Or at least make your own recycled magazine Easter baskets.

30. If you go on a green picnic this spring make sure six packs with plastic rings aren’t on the menu. One, the plastic rings when not cut can kill birds, fish, and other wildlife. Two, plastic won’t degrade until well after your great grandchildren are celebrating their springs. And three, there’s no need to have them. Many canned drink products now come in boxes instead of with rings. If you’re buying canned drinks, get those instead.

31. Get some eco-friendly rain gear for the whole family so you can go splash in spring puddles.

32. Get your spring garden seeds organized using recycled milk cartons.

33. Rent a greener car on your spring break vacation.

34. Don’t defrost the Easter Ham in the microwave. Microwave defrosting wastes more energy than planning ahead and defrosting in the fridge.

35. Go searching for the end of a rainbow.

36. You still have time for a spring garden clean up.

37. This year combine your spring cleaning with some green audits: Try green auditing your trash, bathroom, or your pantry.

38. Get in the habit of nighttime watering now. Watering your lawn and garden is much more efficient at night than in the daytime. In the cool of evening plants lose almost 50% less water than in the heat. That adds up to a ton of water saved each year. Of course you can double your water saving efforts by using your saved rainwater.

39. On each of your spring outings pick up one piece of trash. If everyone did this that would be over 300 million fewer pieces of litter on our streets, in our parks, and so on, daily.

40. Relax… think about simplifying your life and time.

41. As summer gets closer consider organizing a summer toy lending program with other families – this cuts down on consumption, teaches kids about sharing, and uses fewer resources and energy. Get ideas for your lending program here.

42. Now that it’s warming up, turn your heating down by 5 more degrees. Each 5 degree decrease saves up to 11% energy consumption a year.

43. If you go camping, leave nothing behind in nature. Pack up all your belongings and carry them out of the forest with you.

44. Get up close and personal with some fresh grass – ponder a single blade. Think about all the good reasons why you shouldn’t add chemical poisonous fertilizer to your grass this year

45. Get that recycling under control.

46. Learn to love slow mail – the quicker you send your mail or ask for packages to be delivered to you, the worse it is for the planet. Transportation is hugely connected to pollution and global warming. The more transport we require the worse it is. Quit with the two day mail services. You don’t need stuff right away, and if you know you will, plan accordingly.

47. Try out one of 10 great organic gardening projects for kids this spring.

48. See how many toads you can count at the local river or lake. Can you find tadpoles too?

49. If you take out an off-road vehicle this spring, stick to where you should be. Running over habitats is not cool – you could destroy an animal’s home, kill rare plants, and harm tree roots. Stick to wide trails that are deemed ok for off-road travel.

50. Get away from it all. Imagine what life would be like away from all the hustle and bustle most of the time.

51. Blow bubbles! Make some homemade bubble mix out of a tablespoon of glycerin, a cup of natural liquid soap, and a gallon of water (give or take). Make your own bubble wands out of recycled items like…

• Butter or yogurt tub tops with holes punched in them.
• Green plastic strawberry containers.
• Bent wire hangers.
• That fly swatter you never use.
• Pipe cleaners bent into fun shapes.

52. Hang out with a family of ducks.

53. Dare your family to take at least 5 small steps for the environment by summer.

54. Go on a wildflower hike.

55. Clean out your closets – give good clothing away to the thrift store, make cleaning rags out of the worst, and save the cherished pieces for a memory quilt.

56. Make sure your family participates in eco-friendly boating (if you boat).

57. Slap a fresh coat of paint on the house – non-toxic, VOC-free paint of course.

58. When spring cleaning, don’t forget the car. However, use a bucket of water and an old rag to scrub away dirt, not the power spray on the hose. Every minute you run the hose you’re wasting 10 (or more) gallons of water. There are people in other countries who can’t even find one decent glass of water to drink, and animals and fish who have lost whole water habitats due to water waste. There’s no excuse for excessive water waste.

59. Go bicycling as a family – double your efforts by actually having an errand destination; the grocery store, library, the park for lunch. Every time you don’t take your car, you’re doing the earth some good.

60. Plant a tree – it’s almost always a good time to plant a tree, but spring is really nice because a new tree’s roots won’t be shocked by the cold anytime soon.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

It’s not an all-inclusive list though. A good bet is to buck plastics and battery operated toys. Although, I know that’s not the most helpful stand-alone suggestion.
One blog that can help you do this is Eco Child’s Play this blog covers, “Natural toys that inspire your child’s imagination! A review of developmentally appropriate, ecologically friendly toys for young children and green family news.“ Jennifer who writes Eco-Child’s Play, (what’s with all the green Jennifers?) is extremely knowledgeable about eco-toys and always has amazing posts, reviews, and suggestions on non-harmful play items your child will love. It’s one of my favorite kid-minded green blogs so check it out.

You can also take a look at some green toys I’ve featured here that are safe and yet completely fun:

• Seasons Natural Toys
• Recycled Friends
• Build A Plant Maze!
• Color Your World Green

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

The gist of it is the same reason plastic lids have non-recyclable qualities — even though the plastics may show the same number as your recyclable plastics they go through a very different manufacturing process. Marti at Eco-Cycle has a longer answer that talks about the process part of the problem.

That said there are some things you can do.

First you need to learn your own community’s recycling guidelines. Where I live you don’t check for numbers you just look at the plastic; if the container has a cylindrical quality such as many prescription bottles you can’t recycle it. If it has a neck and shoulder you’re good to go. This is not across the board; some states or cities have different regulations and will simply take any and all plastics, as long as they show the correct number (usually 1-7 or a variation). Check with your local city or county website for links to your recycling program.

Other things you can do:

• I’ve read about some people having luck reusing their bottle at the pharmacy. Such as taking the same bottle in and having the pharmacist refill it; but I also have read a lot where people have loads of trouble getting their pharmacy to do this. Some may consider it a household hazardous waste container
• You can always start at the source. If you don’t like how companies are packaging their product write and tell them so. Your pharmacy has contact information for your prescription manufacturer and contact info is also likely on-line. Tell your pharmacy what you don’t love about non-recyclable bottles. Ask manufacturers for bubble pack pill holders (still waste but less) or ask them to switch to a neck based bottle.
• Where I live there is a separate recycling plant nearby that will take items that curbside won’t. There may be one near you. Mine is conveniently listed on my county recycling information page. But if you can’t find one easily call your local recycling program and say, “Where do I take stuff that you won’t” they’ll let you know. Mine takes prescription bottles, shoes, hardback books, butter tubs, plastic wrap, plastic packaging materials, bubble wrap, and tons of other items that curbside won’t.

And a few more ideas…

• Plastic lumber manufacturers like this one, tend to take most types of plastics as well so if there’s a plant near you you can try that.
• Certain medical missions accept used prescription bottles.
• Use them for storage of paper clips, buttons, kids glitter, and other small objects.
• Dip the ends in ink or paint for perfect circles in kids art projects.

What else can you think of?

One last tip. Although prescription bottles are the perfect size for small candies; don’t do this. It’s way too easy for kids to translate candy in a pill bottle to all things in bottles are candy. It’s a dangerous practice that I’ve seen some folks do; but really you shouldn’t.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family