Earth Day is all about making changes to look after our planet.
It's held on 22 April every year and is designed to raise awareness of looking after our planet.
You'll find hundreds of blog posts dedicated to making eco changes- but when you’re a tired and overwhelmed parent making changes is often that last thing you want to do.
In this (really) short blog post I take you through 5 things that you can change today - without spending any money!
So lets dive and see how we can save the planet - one simple step at a time...
Swap to Reusable Wipes
Now hear me out on this, I don’t mean never use a baby wipe ever again but perhaps when you’re at home you could swap baby wipes for a flannel and warm water.
Or instead of using kitchen roll for spillages – and we all know kids spill a lot of things – you could use old tea towels or cut up t-shirts?
Reusable wipes don’t have to be an expensive option either.
Of course, If you want pretty ones then have a look at these Tutti Frutti wipes, but for little bottoms you can use flannels and warm water or cut up some old towels.
Mucky faces can be cleaned with cut up old t-shirts or put those baby muslins to use that you don’t need any more.
Switch Out One Single Use Plastic
One of the simplest and easiest things we can do is switch out one single use plastic for a reusable one.
Have a think about what that could be for you.
Perhaps it’s making sure you have a cotton shopping bag in your nappy bag at all times so you don’t have to buy a plastic one. Or maybe you want to move away from single use baby food pouches and look into reusable options?
If you’re children are older then why not take a look inside their lunchboxes. Tube yoghurts are much loved in our house but if I decanted a large pot into a small tub then that’s one less single use plastic in our house.
What one thing could you stop using?
Don’t Buy New Clothes – Shop Secondhand Instead!
Children grow quickly – sometimes too quickly if you ask me – and it means they are continually growing out of their clothes. Which means we need to buy more that fit!
Buying new is lovely but its not the most eco-friendly choice.
So how about before splashing out a new coat, or new school uniform, we shopped second hand first?
Does your school PTA run a school uniform bank? This is often a great way of getting preloved school uniform – which not only is better for the planet but better for your bank balance too.
Similarly we can look in local charity shops for pre-loved baby and kids’ clothes. Or apps like Vinted and Depop make is really easy to find quality children’s clothes at a fraction of the price – saving the planet too.
I had a quick look on Vinted last night and there’s even some Tutti Frutti clothes on there!
Make Do and Mend
So often our kids put holes in things – be it their well-loved jeans or a brand new coat. And when it happens it is so annoying.
If something is old, then it is really tempting to threw it away. Next time your child puts their knee through their trousers stop and think if you can fix it.
Some holes can be mended easily with a needle and thread and perhaps ap patch. Others might need a bit more work.
If your Tutti Frutti leggings need mending, then get in touch as I offer a free repair service and I would much rather mend something that see it go in the bin!
Upcycling is also a really great option. Cutting jeans or leggings off at the knees gives you an instant pair of shorts – which is much better than throwing them away just because they have a hole in!
And finally….
Use Your Car Less
Be it popping into town or doing the school run is there any way that you can use your car less?
Perhaps you could trial having one car free day a week. It might not seem like much but every little thing really does make a difference.
So there you have it – 5 simple things that you can do that will make a difference. I am sure there are loads more – why not let me know in the comments some easy wins you’re doing to make a difference!