Honor The Earth

Welcome to the April 2014 Natural Living Blog Carnival: Honor the Earth.  

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Natural Living Blog Carnival hosted by Happy Mothering and Crunchy Farm Baby through the Green Moms Network. This month, our members are talking about how they honor the Earth year round. Stop by all of the posts to get ideas on how to live a more Eco-friendly lifestyle.

What are some things that your family does to reduce your footprint on the Earth?

1.We use cold water when possible.Waste Less Water. Take shorter showers, turn the faucet off while brushing teeth, do only full loads of dishes and laundry.
2.Hanging clothes on the line to dry.
3.Buy organic or locally-grown food. Eating locally-grown, seasonal or organic foods supports local producers.
 4.Combine several errands into one trip to save time and money.
5.We walk places instead of driving when weather permits. Biking is also fun.
6.Turn off those lights when not in use.
7.Combine several errands into one trip to save time and money. Make sure your tires are aligned and inflated properly to reduce emissions.
8.Recycle - paper, plastic, glass bottles, cardboard, and aluminum cans. If you’re not already doing this, bring your own bags to the store with you. 

How do you share your Eco-friendly choices with those around you?

I share Eco-friendly tips and articles on social-media, through my farming groups, blogging and however I can get the word out. I like to share samples of Eco-friendly products with others when possible.

1.Plant a tree, shrub, flowering bush, or a garden. Give a tree, or shrub as a gift.
2.Take a bag and collect trash when going for a walk in woods. Along streams and rivers is a good place to start.
3.Buy and use green cleaning products.
4.Use green and environmentally friendly products for your pets to help reduce the emission of poisons and toxins.
5.Start a compost pile for gardening. Reduce waste and reuse valuable organic matter by starting your own compost pile.
6.Use solar ovens. Solar ovens are easy to use and will save you a great deal of money on energy bills. Since the fuel source is free, you can use it as much as you want without any guilt. These are fun to use, and really do work.
7.Community Supported Agriculture is a great way to bring farm-fresh ingredients directly to consumers. Participants sign up for a share, and every week, they pick up a box filled with local, seasonal food from a nearby farm(s). It’s delicious, nutritious, and sustainable, so see if there’s a CSA near you.  
8.Leave messages for family members/roommates on a reusable message board.
9. Those packing peanuts. Drop off at a local packing, shipping or moving store.
10.Non-GMO. Say no to GMO products.

Get your family involved by asking for specific changes in everyone's habits!

Visit Happy Mothering and Crunchy Farm Baby to learn more about participating in next month’s Natural Living Blog Carnival! Please take some time to enjoy the posts our other carnival participants have contributed: