Green Living for Everyday

 Here is my list as a mom living in North America:

1. Try to walk, wagon or sled to school.
2. Compost, Recycle, Re-use.
3. Purchase locally.
4. Keep a foldable shopping bag in your purse or backpack to use at a moment's notice.
5. Keep a filled stainless steel water bottle in backpack.
6. Keep snack backups in backpack.
7. Unplug chargers when not in use.
8. Purge through the house every 6-12 months and donate everything you haven't used.
9. Eat more vegetables.
10. Tell the kids about global warming through the story of "Save the PolarBears!" Thank-you to our kindergarten staff for that.
11." Judy Moody saves the World" is good book about green living for primary grade kids.
12. If the clothes are not dirty, kids can wear shirts and pants another day.
13. Drink fair trade coffee/tea
14. Pack a litterless lunch. Stores such as Galleria Supermarket and Just Ducky have stainless steel lunch containers that fit sandwiches and snacks.
15. Enjoy a "giftless" birthday party. In lieu of gifts, ask guests to donate to a local charity or have a book exchange. Children bring gently used books and at the end of the party, then they take one from the pile. No lootbags necessary! Our kids love Bring Back the Wild to save endangered species as their charity.
16. Ask friends and relatives to minimize presents for Christmas. Aunts, cousins, uncles, grandparents can pick one name from a hat and just buy for that person, with an upper limit on spending.
17. Plant a tree in a pot, keep it home all year round and use it for a Christmas tree (inspired by my mother-in-law's idea.)