Snack baggies from Plum Creek Mercantile

• Cloth snack bags over plastic baggies.
• Cloth shopping bags over paper or plastic.
• Cloth handkerchiefs over tissues.
• Reusable coffee filters over paper.
• Cloth shower curtains over plastic.
• Reusable lunch sack over paper.
• Real dishes over disposable.

EarthLust water bottles

• Refillable water bottles over plastic.
• Rain water for car washing and gardens over new tap water.
• Cloth napkins over paper.
• The amazing reusable mom product – Breastfeeding over plastic bottles.
• Refillable ink cartridges over new.
• Cloth produce bags over plastic.
• Food containers over foil, plastic wrap, or wax paper.
• Plantable or homemade paper over new.
• Wash cloths over baby wipes.

Tovolo ice pop molds

• Reusable ice pop molds over toss away boxes, wrappers, and sticks.
• Recyclable toothbrushes over toss away toothbrushes.
• Non-disposable female products over disposable.
• Silicone Baking Cups over paper muffin cups.
• Rechargeable batteries over toss away.
• Homemade cleaners in refillable bottles vs new plastic bottles all year long.
• Old cleaning cloths over paper towels and sponges.
• Library books over buying new.
• Refillable pens over non-refillable.
• Reusable razors – or electric over plastic.
• Rented, traded, or thrift store toys over new.
• Refillable liquid hand soap pumps over plastic bottled soap.
• Old school mop heads over sponge-like mop heads.
• Cloth diapers over plastic.

Choose one, choose five, or choose all of the above over disposables to make a big impact.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

1. Instead of foil – go without and wash your cookie sheet or pan.
2. Instead of paper muffin cups – use Silicone Baking Cups.
3. Instead of packing snacks and sandwiches in plastic baggies – try small containers with lids or these.
4. Instead of polyurethane laden sponges – use a washcloth or a greener sponge option.
5. Instead of spraying your kitchen counters with chemicals – don’t. Bonus point for not using paper towels.
6. Instead of keeping your coffee pot on – transfer hot coffee to a large thermos.
7. Instead of individual packaging i.e mini cereal and applesauce cups – buy the biggest package possible that your family can use up.
8. Instead of boxes and jars – buy bulk when possible (use your own containers). Try with items like raisins, spices, chocolate chips, and sugar.
9. Instead of an empty freezer – fill it up to conserve energy and make items colder.
10. Instead of boiling soup and steaming veggies on the stove top – use your microwave if you’ve got one.

Click here to learn about all the current contests, themes, and green challenges going on at Tree Hugging Family in May 2008

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Post from: Tree Hugging Family