10 Everyday Tips to Keep Our Planet Healthy

We can always use a friendly reminder that the earth is our home, and we should do everything we can to treat it as best we can. Below are 10 simple easy tips that you and your family can follow to help make the earth a healthier place.

1. Conserve Water- This is especially important in areas that are prone to drought. The little things count here – turn the sink off when brushing your teeth, take shorter showers, and forego the carwash.
2. Walk or Bike- Other than these options being a great form of exercise, staying off of the road helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions more than you’d think.
3. Recycle- By placing your plastic bottle in the correct container, you are helping to reduce pollution. Recycling goes beyond glass, paper and tinfoil. Don’t forget to properly recycle your used batteries, electronics, and hazardous waste to the appropriate recycling centers near you.
4. Compost- Composting is a great way to reduce the amount of solid waste your household produces each year, therefore taking up less space in landfills and providing great nutrients for your garden.
5. BYOB- Bring your own bag! When shopping at the farmers market, grocery store, or even the mall, it’s best to bring your own bag to reduce the use of plastic bags.
6. Go Paperless- By switching to electronic billing statements, you are reducing the amount of paper being used and savings trees.
7. Donate- Before throwing away clothing, shoes and household items, think if someone else could put it to use. It’s easy to donate these items to charitable organizations.
8. Clean Without Toxins- Swap out toxic, heavy duty cleaning supplies for “green” cleaning products. You can even save money and make your own by using household items like vinegar, lemon and baking soda!
9. Plant A Tree- Trees help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, cleans pollution, and provides shade, so get out there and plant a tree. And if you don’t have space for a tree, simply plant smaller flowers!
10. Educate Yourself- Make a commitment to educate yourself about the environment and how you can protect it. Head to your local library, or join a local group. Even small changes help!

Top 5 Reasons to Shop Local

There are endless benefits to shopping local. Here’s our top 5!

1. Get Fresh: Local food travels less distance (leaving a smaller carbon footprint), and is typically picked within the last 24 hours. That means crisper and fresher than the produce picked three weeks earlier and shipped across the globe. Supermarkets typically select for durability and long shelf life rather than flavor. Eggs and animal protein follow the same rules. You’ll often find eggs at your local farmers’ market hatched that same morning!

2. Tis’ the Season: Years ago, supermarkets were few and far between and people would only eat what they grew. Nowadays, supermarkets carry every fruit and vegetable imaginable even if the season has passed and it’s not natural for that region. There is great fulfillment and a lot of health research on the benefits of eating in tune with the season.

3. Cultivate Relationships: By cutting out the middleman and buying directly from local farmers, you establish a direct relationship with your food source. Knowing where your food comes from is important.

4. Getting Deep: Supermarket produce is shallow. It is selected based on ‘prettiness’. Your local farm favors the often ‘not so pretty’ varieties because they possess superior flavor and pack more nutrients. The farmers’ market is the perfect place to find the produce grown for taste and not for show. Spend your money on flavor not looks.

5. Support Your Neighbors: Shopping local keeps dollars within the community, thereby bolstering the local economy and strengthening your own neighborhood.