Best Eco Stuff

Ah, spring. There’s something so exciting about seeing the first buds and little green shoots appear after a long, dormant winter. It’s time to get outside and enjoy the fabulous weather, get gardening, deep-clean your home and give your body a detoxifying rest from all that heavy cold-weather food. Here are seven tips to help you make green, earth-friendly choices throughout the lovely spring season.

1. Skip the chemicals when spring cleaning your home. Spring tends to be the time that we tackle the really big cleaning tasks, and some people think that means you have to use heavy-duty cleaners to get the job done. Not so. Check out this incredibly extensive list of easy, eco-friendly, non-toxic cleaning product recipes – you probably already have most of the ingredients in your home!

2. Choose organic, heirloom, native plants for your garden. It’s almost time to plant most spring and summer vegetables, fruits, herbs and ornamentals. If you haven’t already started your own seeds indoors and are planning to buy plants from the nursery, go local. Local nurseries will be able to help you choose plants that are uniquely suited to your area, which means less work for you – native plants don’t need as much water and fertilizer. And, look for organic heirloom varieties of edibles. By planting heirlooms, you’re helping to preserve biodiversity.

3. Throw an eco-friendly garden party! Garden parties are such a fun way to celebrate spring. Decorate your garden with recycled accents, invite your friends over and serve local, organic food and beverages – get tons of tips over at Greenopia.com.

4. Cleanse your body and spirit naturally. Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal. Give your body a fresh start with a spring detox: sip teas that help your body eliminate toxins, eat a light, cleansing diet and welcome tranquility into your life with these fantastic tips from Fresh Living.

5. Visit a national or state park, or a botanical garden. A big part of living an eco-friendly life is embracing and appreciating nature. In the springtime, there’s so much to see – wildlife is active, flowers are blooming and the weather is mild. Take a pair of binoculars and you might just spot some adorable animal babies.

6. Try your hand at a few creative recycling projects. Green DIY ideas abound on the internet, so put it to good use! Taking on an eco-friendly DIY project can be as simple as making some fun recycled crafts with the kids, or complex as building your own wind turbine or solar array.

7. Set a goal for being greener by summer. We’re not talking about committing to hugely ambitious changes – just baby steps.  Changes to your habits that are better for the earth and for your family’s health stick better when you take it slow. Little things like skipping the drinking straw at restaurants, buying a reusable coffee filter, and eating ice cream out of a cone instead of a cup are so easy and attainable – get more baby step ideas at Tree Hugging Family.