One of the best ways to teach your kids about green family values is to set the example with your own words and deeds. You have already taught them about the 3Rs…reduce, reuse, and recycle. You may have taught them about turning lights off lights and conserving energy. Every little step helps. But what can moms do personally to help minimize ecological damage? It just so happens that moms have unique opportunities to reduce their impact on the planet and make it a better place for generations to come. Here are some ideas:

Alternative Menstrual Products

The most common products available for menstruating women today are disposable tampons or absorbent pads. When disposed of, these items clog our landfills needlessly and there are alternatives available that make these products obsolete.

• Cloth pads are made of an absorbent fabric such as cotton or hemp and usually have a layer of waterproof fabric lining the bottom to protect clothing. Cloth pads are more comfortable than paper and plastic pads and the money savings is significant too.

• Menstrual cups are just what they sound like. They are small cups worn internally that collect your monthly flow. They are comfortable, easy to clean and care for, and their reusable nature makes them very earth-friendly.

Reusable Shopping Bags

In many households it is mom who does the shopping and green moms especially know the impact of their answer to the question “Paper or Plastic?” For environmentally savvy moms the answer is neither. They like to use reusable shopping bags made from sturdy canvas or nylon. They come in a variety of sizes, colors, and prints and larger sizes can easily hold the load of 3-4 plastic bags. The easiest way to ensure that you have them while shopping is too keep them in the trunk or glove compartment. Just hand them to the cashier or bagging person and ask that they bag your groceries with the bags you have provided. This practice will save thousands of plastic bags from entering our landfills and vast amounts of pollution will not enter the atmosphere when plastic bag production is reduced.


Don’t Buy New – Swap!

An increasing number of moms are responsible for making sure that their family meets its financial budget. A practical way to ease your financial burden and be eco-friendly at the same time is to avoid buying new household products and either buy second hand or swap for them. In many cities and town moms are joining swap groups where large groups of moms get together to swap unwanted clothing and household items.

Book swaps are also available online. You simply list your unwanted books and send them to a new owner when requested. In exchange, you can request books as well. All of this saves money and planetary resources.

Green Cleaning

Household cleaning is another domain that moms often oversee. Conventional cleaning products have lots of unsavory chemical in them that are not healthy for your family or the planet. Instead you might opt to use homemade cleaners with safe ingredients such as olive oil, lemons, vinegar, and baking soda. There is also a growing number of natural and safe cleaners made by green companies that available in specialty stores or online.