Are You an Eco-Friendly Consumer?

In our last post, Have an Eek-O-Friendly Halloween, Kids Konserve wrote about how businesses can align and strengthen the message they are sending! In this post we had the opportunity to do just that! Kids Konserve got the chance to talk with Beth Aldrich, Green Living Expert and Health Coach, for some great tips and inspiration. How you treat yourself, your family and your home all add up to how we collectively take care of our planet. Beth knows that in today's busy world, it is not always easy being green, yet explains that making simple green choices will make a big impact on the environment. Becoming an eco-conscious consumer will help make eco-conscious decisions. Here are a few of her tips:

• Reduce, Reuse and Recycle: Cutting down on waste can save 4.4 pounds of garbage a day, 29 pounds per week and 1,600 pounds a year. Clean out clutter by recycling old papers and giving away kids' outgrown clothes. Take inventory and purchase only items that you need. Pack a reusable, waste-free lunch with Kids Konservereusable, eco-friendly food containers. Read Beth Aldrich's review on Kids Konserve here.
• Ditch the Plastic: Choose only stainless steel reusable water bottles! Plastic and aluminum can leach into your drinking water. It is best to avoid this all together. Pledge to never accept another plastic bag in a store again! Be eco-ready for your purchases; carry a compact reusable shopping bag in your purse or car to avoid using bags at the store.
• See Green to Live Green: Beth Aldrich also stands behind Airwear for their eco-conscious practices. Airwear is a company that has taken our planet into consideration. New Airwear packaging uses 100% recycled cardboard made from 100% wooden fibers that are recyclable. This packaging change is helping reduce Airwear's environmental footprint by eliminating 570,000 pounds of plastic waste every year. The lenses are manufactured using 100% recycled water, cutting water consumption in half and conserving millions of gallons of water. For more information, visit www.LighterSaferGreener.com. More and more companies are making "green" changes. The more we support them, the more there will be.
• Use Non-Toxic Products: Look for plant based household products to cut back on chemicals in your home. In general, buy from companies that use environmentally aware practices. Check out Greenwood Naturals - non-toxic and biodegradable.
• Swap-Out for Greener Staples: Try to buy locally and support fair trade companies. When possible, buy in bulk to reduce shipping, packaging and transportation.

Beth points out that the consumer needs to be the one to ask. Just like we have learned to read labels on food packages, we can learn to ask these questions: Is it eco-friendly? Do they support fair trade practices? Is it reusable? Educate yourself. Small things add up to big things!