Would you like to be more of a green mom?  I know I try to do my part to be easier on the environment and be as green as possible.  So I thought I’d gather together a few tips and tricks at limiting the amount of plastic in our lives, making our homes greener.

First you do not need to accept those plastic bags at the grocery store and you do not need to store your fruit and vegetables in them either.  Reusable Grocery Bags can be purchased at most grocery chains for less than a dollar, you can purchase other tote bags for grocery shopping too.  Some chains, including Target, give you money back for each reusable bag you use at their store.  For your produce, you can purchase produce bags, they allow air to flow through and keep your produce fresher. They are often made of mesh or muslin and are lightweight and good for the environment as well.

Another is the storage bags and containers we use in our kitchens on a daily basis.  Not that long ago, our grandmothers or great grandmothers didn’t use plastic for storage.  They used glass canning jars or glass refrigerator dishes.  Use these as you would the plastic and you are helping the environment and possibly your health.  The news reports these days about how plastic breaks down over time can have health implications is scary and unnecessary.  Using glass is one way to take precautions for your health and save the environment.  Be on the watch at yard sales or thrift stores for used glass dishes you can use for storage on the cheap.

To try and reduce your plastic footprint, you need to make it a habit to think about each purchase you make.  Ask yourself: Is the item made of plastic? Is it wrapped in plastic? How long will it last? Can I get it used?  Can I recycle it when I am done?  Is there a non-plastic alternative product?  We may not be able to completely eliminate plastic from our lives, but at least we can try and reduce the amount.  If we all do our own part, then we are starting the process at becoming a greener mom.

If you find yourself with a stash of those plastic shopping bags there are a few things you can do with them to keep them out of the landfills:

• Recycle them – many grocery stores have a collection box for the plastic shopping bags used by their store.
• Make a reusable shopping bag from them
• Use them in your small trash cans around the house
• Use them to scoop kitty litter into

Do you have other ideas?  Please share them!