Keep reusable bags in your trunk so you don’t have to remember to grab them when you leave the house. Rest assured, once you’ve become accustomed to using them, you won’t walk into the store empty handed and have to run back out to the car to get them (we’ve been guilty of that a time or two!).

Make it fun for your kids by having them choose a certain color bag deemed as “theirs.” When the grocer packs your goodies, have them stick a thing or two in your little helper’s bag so they can contribute to saving the planet too!

Even when you’re a reusable bag pro, there will be times when you come home with plastic ones. Rather than pitching them (did you know it takes over 500 years for a bag to decompose in the landfill??), save them for later use.

A few ways we reuse them: picking up dog do-do, lining our bathroom waste cans and to toss the fat trimmings in after cutting up meat (no one wants to let trimmings sit and get stinky in their kitchen trashcan).

This is another SUPER simple way to minimize plastic! Rather than snagging one of those plastic bags off the roll in the produce aisle, bring your own mesh one to toss your fruits and veggies in and just carefully stack them in your cart until checkout.

Not only is bulk cheaper (heck yes, more money for something fun!), it helps cut down on waste. Buy economy-size snacks and household items. Then, pack to-go snacks in reusable containers rather than disposable plastic baggies. Store your economy-size hand soap and cleaners under the sink and refill your smaller bottles when they run low.

These days you can get bottles and mugs that work great for both iced and hot drinks. Bonus: If you’re a coffee drinker, most coffee shops are even happy to fill up your personal cup rather than giving you one of theirs. This water bottle is our go-to tool for staying accountable in meeting daily water intake goals.

Reduce your carbon footprint (and your bills!!) by turning off the lights when you leave the room. Until recently, we didn’t realize just how guilty we were of leaving lights on throughout the house (and how much we could lower our bills by turning them off). You can make a fun family game out of it by designating a “weekly light switch warrior” who helps monitor things.

Okay, this may sound silly, but neither of us could live without our toaster oven! Not only will they use far less energy than your oven ( = $$$), they can be used to toast or bake just about anything, plus they’re faster to preheat and can hold a ton of food to feed your family.

A great way to go a little greener AND save a lot of moola is to plant a veggie garden. No green thumb needed either; it’s so simple! Whether you live in a house or an apartment, a simple way to start is by filling a few pots with soil and planting some hearty veggies or herbs (try tomatoes, peppers, lettuce and basil). Have your kids help plant them and then set the pots in a sunny spot (outside or inside) and watch them grow together. Your kids will get excited about tending to their “garden,” picking their own veggies and then adding the foods to their plates.

Did you know bees are the most important pollinator for food crops? And that a third of the food we eat every day relies on pollination? Sadly enough, bees are dying off in record numbers due to pesticides and other environmental changes. According to a 2019 study, the loss of insects (bees) could cause a “catastrophic collapse of earth’s ecosystems.”

So, what can we do about it?

Plant a bee-friendly plant to help feed the bees pollen and nectar (you can ask at a local nursery for bee- friendly veggies and plants). A few favorites are echinacea, snapdragons, lavender and sage. Another big help is to nix using pesticides on your outdoor plants. Then, share with your kiddos how they too are helping save the bees!

There are so many ways to teach your kiddos about taking care of the planet, but two simple, powerful approaches are through books and movies. Movies with a green theme built in (like WALL-E ) makes starting a conversation much easier. Here are a few eco-friendly book favorites that your kids are sure to LOVE:

• One World by Michael Foreman
• Little Turtle and the Changing Sea by Becky Davies
• Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
• Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel
• Why Do We Need Bees? by Emily Bone

It’s amazing what your little sponges will tell you about gardening and going green once they start to learn about it! So much so, that they’ll probably go to school and share their wealth of knowledge with fellow friends… and that’s something to be proud about!

There are so many reason why buying local is beneficial, but a few big ones are less pesticides (happier bees, brains and bellies), reduced gas emissions (since your food didn’t travel so far) and teaching your kiddos about the guys and gals that grow their food!

It’s no secret that waste is polluting our air, sparkling seas and shores. Why not incorporate some feel-good ways your whole family can get involved in becoming more environmentally friendly?

These simple changes will easily fit into your family’s routine and make a big difference in your kids’ lives and future generations in your family. You don’t need to aim for perfection—pick one thing to tweak and when that change sticks, add another!