A Living Green Summer: Hot Green Living Tips!

Well it’s Summer Time and school is out! Now What? Got Milk?
Yes, we have been working on our living green budget all year! So, are we there yet?

Not yet! Ya think! How about you? If you are like us, keep working on it through the summer. Do not give up or give in and go on that fancy vacation. You might feel like I do and say, “we have been saving all winter, we deserve it”, “The kids are driving me crazy we need to go to the beach or vacation”! Wrong!!!! They will only wine more and want more stuff! And you will be tempted to want stuff too!

So, here is what I suggest! Have a stay home vacation and try some of our family top ten green living tips!

1- Bag it up: We bring our bags to the grocery store and guess what? We get .05 back on our bill for each bag! Get paid to grocery shop!

2- Ride your bike: We are ridding our bike to the grocery store, library, trails, and to work!

3- Smile: Yes, when you smile at someone they feel good! It is free try it! I was in the grocery store and a stranger smiled at me and I felt 10 times better as I shopped. And while I was waiting in line, I smiled at the person in front of me! It is a great thing to pass along.


4- Build an herb garden: This summer my old red wagon looked very rusted out! So, I filled it with potting soil and planted some herbs! I will show you are progress soon! Find something you can repurpose and fill it up with herbs.

5- Repurpose it: Each summer we have a family garage sale (ours is on July 17, and 18 this year) everything that we do not sell, we donate to our local thrift store.


6- Craft it up: Instead of throwing away those old socks, wine corks and other plastic things? Create a recycle art center in your home! Ours is in our mud/laundry room! It comes in handy in the summer! Mom I’m board! Really? Then go to the mud room and craft it up! I will be posting our fun summer creative crafts for you so you can try some of ours! Can you guess what we will be making with sock tops?

7- Melt your Crayons: Take all of the old crayons and melt them in combination colors (Blue, Green, Purple, and Gold) or (Red, Pink, and Yellow. ) Be creative! Put broken crayons in any crazy color range idea and put them in muffin tins or fun shaped tins and melt them in your oven on low heat! Remember to spray cooking oil so they do not stick! Cool them off and pop them out! Bounus: If you are having a birthday party or any type of kid summer party, you could give them out us “goodie bag gifts”.



8- Compost it: We bought a simple plastic trash can and filled it with potting soil and mixed it up with our greens, coffee grounds, egg shells and grass clippings! Next year we will have some great compost!

9- Recycle everything: We have a paper bin, plastic bin, glass bin and tin can bin. We bring all of these to our local recycling and yard waste center quarterly!


10- Unplug this summer: Turn off the TV and the Computers! Play board games instead! Your kids will have fun and might even learn to enjoy their parents and communicate with you via face to face rather on face book! Imagine that!
Here are some other links to cool sites that have great ideas on green living! Enjoy! ; )



Martha Stewart

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/how-to-save-more-money
Real Simple Magazine

http://browse.realsimple.com/home-organizing/green-living/index.html
MSN Life style

http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-life/living-green
Post some of your summer living ideas here!
Now off you go and enjoy your summer! : )