Since tomorrow is Earth Day I thought I would share some of the ways I reduce, reuse and recycle items that might normally be thrown away. I still feel like I could do much better in this area, but I think every little bit we can do helps. God expects us to be good stewards of His creation and I want to do my part.
I think the biggest way that I have reduced the amount of trash we produce has been to cloth diaper. I wanted to cloth diaper my oldest two children, but for various reasons never did. When my third child was 1 year old I made the switch. There were times with him that I used disposables after I started using cloth, but I was determined to keep it up.
When I had my fourth baby I used a couple of packs of disposables that I had been given for the first 2 to 3 weeks. Since that time he has only been in cloth diapers. I have loved using cloth and have written quite a few posts about the cloth diapers I have made.
In addition to cloth diapering, we use cloth napkins and try to use wash cloths and towels instead of paper towels as much as possible.
Other ways I have tried to reduce the amount of packaging we consume is to plant a garden each year. We had a good garden last year and I am hopeful we have a great harvest this year. In addition to gardening, I also do a lot of canning which eliminates a lot waste because I reuse the jars year after year.
I love to hang clothes on the line. It is a great way to reduce the amount of electricity we consume. I also make most of our cleaning products and some of our body care products. This reduces the amount of waste we produce because I am able to reuse the containers each time they need refilled.
This is a category I enjoy because as a crafter I am always looking for frugal sources for craft materials. Reusing and repurposing items allows me to use my creative energies in a way that is good for the environment.
I have also been known to wash out plastic baggies and aluminum foil, and reuse all sorts of bottles and containers. I had good role models for this because I remember my grandma washing aluminum foil and my mom saving bread wrappers.
Here are some posts of ways that I have reused items fpr crafting, decorating, and more.
