5-Minute Eco Actions for Busy Families
I know that when I was a busy mom of three young kids, it was hard enough to get out the door let alone think about ways to help the Earth. Now that my kids are teens, things have eased up a bit and I’m here to help you with these 5-Minute Eco Actions. It really does take just a few minutes to make a lasting difference. When you share these with friends (just takes a minute!) you’re deepening the impact and making it go even further!
Reuse Before Buying New
Real quick, before you go to buy something new, spend a few mins asking friends if they have what you need. Post a pic of what you’re looking for on social media, send a quick text or email, or check out Buy Nothing, Nextdoor or other community boards. You’ll be amazed to find that oftentimes you’ll score! Now that’s quick and saves you time, reduces air pollution of driving to the store or delivery from online resources. And best is that it keeps items circulating in the community instead of ending up in the landfill.
When you have 20 minutes, watch The Story of Stuff to dive deeper into our consumer waste habit. We love the Story of Stuff videos!Plant Some Seeds
Most kids love playing in the dirt, planting seeds, taking care of plants and watching them grow. If you’re just starting out, it only takes a few mins a day to tend to your seeds and care for your small garden. Plant them in a container or in the ground. Do a quick Google search to find out about native plants in your area. Most stores have seeds for sale, or try to get them from a local organic seed farm or local nursery. In San Diego we use San Diego Seed Company and City Farmers Nursery. On Whidbey Island we get our seeds from Deep Harvest Farm and we like Bayview Farm and Garden.Brainstorm
Take 5 minutes at the dinner table to brainstorm eco-actions – ways your family can help take care of the Earth.Bring Your Own
In a few minutes you can pack up a basket or bag of reusables to keep in the car for outings – reusable straws, plates, utensils, water bottles, cups, cloth napkins, containers – then use these when your family is on the road.Write a Quick Email
It only takes 5 minutes to write an email to legislators. Most have a form on their website. Or find their phone number and leave them a quick message. Ask leaders to prioritize the environment in their legislation. When you use your voice to speak up for what you want, it feels so good to take action and be heard.
The possibilities are endless…what’s your 5-Minute Eco-Action? Let us know how these work for you, and others that you come up with!