Going Natural

Lately, at our house, we've been giving Green Living a lot of thought. Without getting into an in-depth political treatise about climate change, etc, our family works on two fairly simply theories:

1. There are only so many natural resources on this planet. These resources are finite. Some replenish themselves quickly, others do not.

2. The earth and its ecosystems are delicately balanced. Too much of one thing or not enough of another DOES affect these ecosystems.

So, based on these theories, we believe that we should do what we can to use less resources and to not screw up the balance.

We have started small, with just a few little changes:

• We recycle. A lot. So much that we have TWO bins picked up weekly by our garbage service and still make a trip to the recycling center every couple of weeks.
• We recycle EVERYTHING that can be recycled. For info on what can be recycled and tips for hard-to-recycle products go here and here .
• We try to limit the amount of  "disposable" stuff we use.
• We work to cut down on driving.
• We also try to limit our electricity usage. With kids, that's tricky because they love to leave lights on, but we're working on it. I also hang a lot of our laundry to dry so I don't have to use the dryer as much.

Most of these are little efforts. Sure, we aren't saving the planet all by ourselves just because I use cloth napkins. But these little efforts add up. And because they are little changes, they are easy to do. None of these changes have overwhelmed or shocked my family.

Now we are trying to make some bigger changes. I'm venturing into the world of natural cleaning products and natural beauty products. For me this means a lot of research before I get in the kitchen and start mixing stuff up to make goop for my face.

I came across an article about natural, make-at-home beauty products that I can't wait to try. Check it out!

Not really sure what the candle and the seashell have to do with anything, but I'll try anything once.

I've also found some tips and recipes for natural cleaning. Find out how to clean everything from appliances to floor to silver and brass here and here .

You can even put them in a cute little basket.

And if you need extra incentive to live a little greener, remember that you'll be saving money too!

Because despite what this picture tells you, your mother was right. Money really DOESN'T grow on trees.

Love,