This is a guest post by Betsy at Eco-Novice. Prepared to be dazzled by her knowledge!
Here are some simple ways to reduce your exposure to harmful toxins while leaving a smaller footprint that are perfect to try in the warmer months of the year.
10 Ways to Green Your Fall
1. Eat locally and seasonally.
If you are interested in switching to healthier, fresher, more eco-friendly foods, summer or fall is definitely the time to do it. An easy way to shop locally and seasonally is to simply shop at your local farmers’ market. During the summer and fall, I find it easy to shop exclusively for my produce at the farmers’ market because of the wonderful variety. This week I purchased grapes, tomatoes, cilantro, baby greens, corn, cauliflower, strawberries, raspberries, celery, carrots, and zucchini (all organic). When I’m shopping at the farmers’ market, I don’t have to debate whether or not I should buy the organic blueberries grown in Chile or the apples grown in New Zealand. I’m shopping local and in season without even thinking about it. The farmers’ market is also a great way to make eating organic more affordable. Find your local farmers’ market here.
2. Take off your shoes.
Does your child spend a lot of time on the floor, maybe even licking the floor? Mine does. Taking off your shoes keeps a lot of man-made toxins out of your house, off your wall-to-wall carpet, off of little kids’ hands and out of kids’ mouths. And while the weather is still warm, you don’t have to worry about putting on slippers to keep your feet warm. Just go barefoot inside.
3. Open windows.
Due to more energy-efficient construction, newer homes allow little air in or out except through the windows and doors. The EPA warns that indoor air pollution is now often a bigger problem than outdoor air pollution. Opening your windows, even for just a few minutes, can drastically improve indoor air quality. Even in the winter, I would try to let some fresh air in for a few minutes every day, especially if you live in a newer home. Fall is a good time to get in the habit.
4. Turn off the lights.
In the still-long days of late summer and early fall, we can go through most of a day without using the lights at all. Try opening curtains and blinds in the morning instead of turning on lights. Then you won’t have to remember to turn off the lights a few hours later.
5. Line dry your laundry.
If you have the space in your backyard, put up a nylon line. If not, simply use a rack. To avoid crinkly rough towels, just toss them in the dryer for 5-10 minutes before line drying or after line drying but still damp. You can put clothes to dry on hangers hung from tree branches. Start with something easy, like cloth diapers or rags and undershirts. Line drying naturally removes odors and stains, saves oodles of energy and lots of money too. When the weather turns cold or rainy, try hanging a line in your basement or garage, or use a rack indoors.
6. Try early potty training.
Did you know that in the 1950s more than half of all children were potty trained by 19 months? As recently as the 1980s, almost half of all children began potty training by 18 months. There are reasons to be skeptical of the AAP’s definition of “potty readiness.” If you have a toddler in diapers, summer or fall is a great time to give early potty training a whirl. Just send your toddler outside diaper-free (or commando, if you prefer) to encourage a little body awareness and jump-start potty training. Whether you use disposables or cloth diapers, you’ll be doing the planet and your pocketbook a favor by getting your child out of diapers sooner.
7. Switch to reusable lunch gear.
The average American school-age child throws away 67 pounds of lunch waste a year. This fall, instead of packing your child’s lunch in disposable plastic baggies, try using a coordinating set of reusable food bags. These days you can find reusable bags made from a variety of fabrics and materials. Or, if you are the crafty type, you could even sew your own.
8. Use safe sun protection.
Unless we are heading to the beach or on a hike for the day, my preferred method of sun protection is covering up with long-sleeves and hats, and seeking out some shade rather than slathering on the sunscreen. When your family does use sunscreen, use it correctly. Choose a safe and effective sunscreen that protects against skin damage and skin cancer (caused by UVA rays) and not just sunburn (caused by UVB rays). Look for products with the active ingredients zinc, titanium, avobenzone or Mexoryl SX, which all offer broad UVA/ UVB protection. Reapply every hour or two regardless of the SPF listed.
9. Practice safe grilling.
Minimize your risk of ingesting cancer-causing substances associated with grilling (PAHs and HCAs) by cooking lean cuts of meat, pre-cooking meat a few minutes in the microwave, marinating meat before grilling, cutting off and discarding any charred meat or skin, flipping more often, cooking over the cooler parts of the grill, and swapping out some of the meat for veggies and tofu.
10. Go outside.
Did you know that this generation of children is the first ever that will spend more time playing inside than outside? With the weather still cooperative (hopefully), and kids cooped up in classrooms most of the day, fall is a great time to spend plenty of time outdoors running around and reconnecting with the natural world. Everything is more fun outdoors.
What is your best tip for going green during the fall?
Betsy is a parent of two young children trying to go green without becoming totally overwhelmed. She especially enjoys making green changes that save money and simplify life, like buying less, cooking from scratch, and early potty training. Betsy shares the results of her research into greener products and her family’s efforts to live more naturally on her blog Eco-novice: Going Green Gradually.
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