5 Ways To Be More Compassionate and Responsible

We all grew up learning about the “three R’s”: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. But then we actually grew up, and the “three R’s” became Run, Rush and Ready. There have definitely been times where I have taken the easy way out instead of doing the best I can to protect the world we live in. I have been making more of an effort to set a good example for the little ones and feel proud of my day to day choices.

So here are the 5 ways I am making an effort to be more compassionate and responsible. I hope it inspires you to make some green changes too!

UNPLUG! – Devices that are plugged in but not in use still consume electricity. It has been published that up to 95% of power used by phone chargers are not even recharging phones, the power is simply wasted! I have recently unplugged the lamps in the spare bedroom that are only used occasionally. I’ll plug them back in before our next visitors arrive. Our 6 year old reminds us to unplug our chargers when they are not connected to our phones and I have recently begun unplugging the toaster and blender when I’m not using them. It sounds like a lot of work, but once it is part of your routine, you’ll never even notice.

Cloth napkins – I grew up using cloth napkins for special dinners only. But in my home every dinner is special. I raided my moms linen closet and she gave me all her old cloth napkins. They don’t all match the decor, but the children have fun choosing special napkins for each person at the table. They didn’t cost me a penny and now I don’t need to spend money on paper napkins and no need to throw anything away.

Reusable cutlery – I won’t get into why you should brown bag your lunch in this blog…but when you do, remember- there is an alternative to plastic cutlery. I kept my old, not so attractive set of cutlery for our lunch boxes. When the kids have mango or I take a salad, I throw some old cutlery into the bag. When it comes back home later I just toss it in the dishwasher. And if it gets lost, well -no harm, no fowl.

Toilet paper rolls – I am guilty of throwing the old toilet paper rolls into the trash can when it’s done. It’s an easy mistake to make. But then I remember that I should be recycling it. But the recycling bin is so far away! Try and create a method for you to remember not to toss it away. Maybe you need to have a recycling station in each area of the home.

Reusable snack bags – I constantly have the plastic vs glass argument in my head. Glass is heavy and breakable and plastic is, well, plastic. Reusable snack bags are a great compromise. I use them for veggies, sandwiches and other snacks. I wipe them out at night and they can even go into the dishwasher. They last for years and really do have a minimal effect on the environment.

Living greener is a great way to make self-improvements. It will help you feel like you are treating the world better and maybe it will help you treat yourself more responsibly too.

Let us know your green tips!

~ Plant Trainers

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