10 Easy Ways to Go Green

Going green doesn't have to be complicated.  In fact, going green is simply a million little baby steps stacked up over time.  So if you're looking a few more baby steps, these are some simple ways we're adding green into our home these days.  And despite the initial investment, these baby steps have saved us a little money as well.  Saving green while going green?  I'm in!

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*Replace Disposable Sandwich Bags--If you have kids packing school lunches, disposable baggies can add up quickly, both in cost and trash.  We've found that our reusable sandwich boxes have lasted us for years and are easily cleaned in the dishwasher.  There are quite a variety available including these soft bags from Mixed Bag Designs.

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*Replace Disposable Snack Cups--There's a HUGE variety of snack cups available from characters to portion control to stainless steel.  You name it, you can find it.  And with the amount of snacks a kid eats, these pay for themselves quickly.  Not a parent?  I love these for packing my own snacks in smaller portions.

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*Carry a Reusable Water Bottle--We all need to be drinking more water and it's so tempting to pick up a plastic water bottle on a hot day.  But investing in a water bottle will keep you from buying all that plastic and save you some money in the long run.

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*Stop using Paper Towels--I love using microfiber clothes to clean in my home.  They clean very well and are easily laundered.  For spills in the kitchen, I keep an extra supply of washable dishrags as well.  For about the past three or four years, we've been virtually paper towel free and going strong.

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*Ditch the Plastic Grocery Bags--Our grocery store sells these inexpensively and even rewards customers for using them.  We get so much off our bill for each bag we bring in.  It's been a great incentive for remembering to bring our bags.

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*Invest in Cloth Napkins--There's such a variety of colors, designs, and sizes, from very basic to these bright colorful napkins pictured here.  We have a couple of sets of dark colored napkins for family nights and a set of fancier napkins for fun.

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*Use a Reusable Coffee Cup--These single cup coffee pots have become so popular, but that little cup gets thrown away every time.  What a great idea to keep all that plastic out of landfills!

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*Purchase some Reusable Produce Bags--These too come in a variety of sizes including bags with smaller holes for spices and bulk items.  And because they're so light weight, produce bags don't add to the cost of your items.

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*Use the Backside of Every Piece of Paper--As a homeschooling family, we go through a lot of paper, printing projects or logs to be turned in.  Or those times when I hit print before realizing this wasn't quite the file I was looking for.    All that paper goes into a pile on my desk to be reused for math problems or grocery lists or handmade cards.

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*Bring Your Own To-Go Containers--Going out to dinner?  Why not take along your own to-go container?  With the variety available today, there are even collapsible containers that can fold flat until after dinner.  And you won't have to worry about throwing away the styrofoam container after you have your leftovers.

How are you taking steps to going green?