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Is your family big on recycling? We definitely are, but believe mostly in making small, simple changes to our everyday lifestyle instead of huge alterations in order to help the environment. With some creativity, you can find ways to adjust a little, and you’ll hardly even notice! Here are 5 EASY Ways to Live More Eco Friendly This Year to get you started.

Our neighborhood includes a recycling can/service with our normal utilities, so that makes it much easier for the normal type of recycling that everyone thinks about. Clean, empty egg cartons? Toss in that can. Washed out milk jugs? Yup, put that in, too! Super easy, right? But that’s not one of my tips for today….instead, let’s have a little more fun with it!

1. Make the Most of Plastic Spoons

You get them at restaurants, or from parties. Seriously, I’d be very surprised if there were many households that didn’t have a bunch of plastic spoons laying around! Instead of throwing them away and/or recycling them, how about you reuse them until they’re completely done? Either wash them and reuse them with your normal silverware (especially great for cereal days). You can even hold on to ones that have a broken handle or chip and do crafts such as a Spoon Wreath!

2. Be Smart with Your Batteries

Since my kids have plenty of toys and devices that use batteries, I was thrilled when I heard about the new Energizer EcoAdvanced ones! They’re the first battery on the market to use recycled batteries/materials, and are Energizer’s longest lasting alkaline ever. I love that they have both AA and AAA size, and they hold up to 12 years in storage. Not that my storage ever lasts that long, but nice to know they could if I needed them to! I grabbed a few boxes at Walmart, right by the check stands where you can find those big ‘battery center’ spots.

3. Take Advantage of All Those Plastic Bags

I use to get so sick of the piles of plastic grocery bags that would build up in my mud room, but hated throwing them away! Yes, you can recycle them at many local stores, but remembering to take them in with me doesn’t always work. Then I realized they fit PERFECTLY in all of our small garbage cans, and we’ve used them as the garbage liners ever since! Saves the environment AND money, since I don’t have to buy actual garbage liners. Woot woot!

4. Upcycle!

Got an old-school frame you want to discard? Or find one at a yard sale, but it’s not quite what you wanted? A little paint and it can look brand spankin’ new in whatever color you desire! This one was a really ugly grey-ish color (plus a few other specks), but a quick coat of paint, it was exactly right for my needs…

5. Don’t Toss Scrap Wood

Now I’m not saying to keep/use EVERY single piece of scrap wood, but don’t throw away stuff that really could be used for a neat project! I had a couple scraps that worked wonderfully for this fall sign I made…

BONUS: Containers Are Your Best Friend!

Reusing containers is one of the biggest things I do to live more eco friendly, and can save me a ton of hassle AND money every year! Wash out your good containers – whether it’s crystal light, pasta sauce, bottled drinks, whatevever – and use them for tons of good ideas. Make sure they’re cleaned out nice, though, so you don’t spread the yuck!

• Turn 6-packs of bottles into adorable gifts, like this Superhero Soda Gift
• To pack snacks for your kids
• Empty water bottles for a drink in the kiddos’ school lunch
• Fill large ones with water and stick in the freezer for emergency water storage
• Difference sizes can be used for holding safety pins, rubber bands and other misc. stuff

What are YOUR best EASY tips for living more Eco Friendly?

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