The post Spring Greening – Sustainable Ideas for the New Season appeared first on The Beacon at Waugh Chapel Blog.
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As the weather warms up and flowers begin to bloom, it's a reminder that spring is here. The new season, and the home refreshes that often come with it, provide an excellent opportunity to set sustainability goals and start new habits!
Do you have any sort of spring cleaning routine to welcome the new season? As you gear up for spring cleaning, consider the impact of the products used. There are many greener cleaning products on the market that are free from harmful chemicals, making them safer for you, your pets, little ones in the house, and everything they come in contact with when disposed of. Keep an eye-out for products that are plant-based, biodegradable, and eco-friendly, or consider a DIY option. Click here for a place to start.
An awesome idea for adding some literal green to your daily routine is to grow a mini garden on your balcony or patio. Not only will this provide you with the joy of live plants in your space, but, if you choose edible plants, such as herbs or small produce, you can enjoy using them in your meal or cocktail prep. Flowering plants also give pollinators a place to stop as they pass through our community. Check out some ideas on our Pinterest to get started with your balcony garden.
Spring is a popular time for shopping, as the changing weather and season motivates us to look for new clothing and home décor. However, it's important to consider the impact of new purchases on the environment. Itching for some new outfits? Consider a shopping trip to a local thrift/second-hand store store to find new-to-you pieces that contribute less to the waste of fast fashion. When shopping for new pieces, keep an eye out for brands that use eco-friendly materials and ethical production practices. When buying new pieces, sometimes spending a bit more is worth it to have items that will last years, rather than only a season or two.
When going through your clothing and housewares, it's also important to consider what you can reuse in a new way and what can be given a new life. There are so many ideas online for upcycling pre-loved clothing and housewares and, if you're certain you no longer have a use for them, consider donating items that still have life left in them to a secondhand shop, so they can find their way to a new owner, rather than simply being discarded. Check out some ideas to upcycle items you might already have.
Finally, as the weather warms up, consider taking some time to get outside! Take a walk or hike, ride a bike, or simply sit outside and enjoy the fresh air. By reconnecting with nature, you'll be more mindful of the impact of your actions on the environment. Keep an eye out for our next blog post with local outing ideas to connect with nature.
Spring is a wonderful time to practice sustainability and have a positive impact on the environment! Making small changes in our daily lives can make a big difference.
The post Spring Greening – Sustainable Ideas for the New Season appeared first on The Beacon at Waugh Chapel Blog.
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As the holiday season approaches, you might find yourself a bit overwhelmed – by excitement, stress, or both. Amidst all the holiday activity, considering your environmental impact may be low on the to-do list, but it is very important and putting some thought into your celebration’s impact may save you some extra stress and money, both before and after the festivities begin.
In the United States, the largest waste category in landfills is food. Did you know that, during the holiday season, average household garbage increases by 25%? During the week of Thanksgiving, alone, 200 million pounds of turkey gets tossed out and enough water is wasted to supply New York City for 100 days! As you plan for your upcoming holiday gatherings, consider how you and your loved ones can reduce this footprint during your celebrations.
Consider these tips to get you started with your low-waste holiday meal planning:
- When planning what dishes to serve, challenge yourself and your guests to coordinate and only make planned dishes, so you avoid making more food than you can eat.
- A great way to reduce energy usage around the holidays is to search for locally-sourced ingredient options – maybe visit a farmer’s market or keep an eye-out for butchers, shops, or supermarkets that source their meat, produce, and baked goods from local farms and other small businesses.
- Making some dishes from scratch can also cut down on the waste associated with packaging or shipping meal items across the country. You could even consider trying to prepare a meat-free holiday feast, since meat consumption tends to have a large environmental impact.
- Finally, choosing reusable serving and food storage options can reduce the amount of single-use trash produced by your gathering. Even compostable products would be a great alternative, as they’ll break down much faster in a landfill.
November is a great time to clean-out cupboards. An ingredient you need might just be hiding in the back! While shopping, resist the urge to buy that "emergency" pie, snack, side dish, etc. Only purchase what you know you can use before it spoils. Afterwards, choose recipes that use-up leftovers in other meals, so they don't take-up room in your fridge or go bad before you get a chance to use them. Check out the recipe lists below to get started with planning how to use your leftovers:
- Ahead of Thyme – 25 Best Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes
- The Food Network – Best Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes
- Pioneer Woman – Using Your Thanksgiving Leftovers
- Delish – Genius Ways to Use Thanksgiving Leftovers
As we celebrate everything we’re thankful for this season, let’s not forget that extra dry and canned food items, such as canned vegetables, cranberry sauce, pie fillings, soup, peanut butter, rice, pastas, flour, spices, etc. would be greatly appreciated by those experiencing food insecurity. The Anne Arundel County Food Bank, located just 15 minutes away from The Beacon, is a great place to support neighbors in need!
Every little bit we can do to reduce our consumption and waste, particularly around the holidays, makes a big difference!
The post Low-Waste Thanksgiving appeared first on The Beacon at Waugh Chapel Blog.
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