How can larger families reduce their “footprint” and ways to “go green?”?
category: Going Green
I feel that it seems way much easier for single people and couples to “go green.”
I on the other hand am interested but have a larger family. Our trash waste is about the same, but we recycle as much as we can.
Hand washing dishes and line drying is certianly out of the question for a family as large as mine, even with help. We do however own an energy efficient washer/dryer (although however efficient it is like I always have it on). And when we go grocery shopping, we come home with enough plastic bags to stuff a 13g trashbag and we resuse as many of these as possible and recycle them much as possible.
And because of the size of the family we have two cars, and we live in one of those cities were you have to have a car to get anywhere!
Besides recycling and energy effient washer/dryer what are other ways a large family to to help contribute to the “going green” effort.
PS. for those who are going to suggest using paper bags from the grocery store, it isn’t offered at any of the locations to shop available in my area.
Put your trash in your neighbors’ bins after dark.
Change 5 lightbulbs in your house to compact flourescent. They are more expensive but they will last sooo much longer and save 80% of the electricity. I al so bought cloth reusable grocery bags as plastic is bad because it uses petrolium and paper uses up trees. I wash 90 % of my clothes in cold water. And lastly I consolidate all my errands in one trip.
Having a large family, you are probably doing more greening out of nessesity and money saving than a family of 4 – and you do not even realize it!
I have a large family too ( 2 adults, 8 children under 14). You just have to pick and choose in what areas you are willing to do something in…
You have a good start with the recycling bin and the energy effient appliances…
Try buying food in bulk…it saves on packaging materials/resources used.
Cook your food in large batches and freeze. It saves on energy being used.
Try growing and perserving your own food. I live in the city and am able to do this with no problem. What I can not grow, I pick up at the farmers markets.
When going to the grocery store, bring your own plastic bags with you! That way, you are reusuing them. If that don’t help, go to the thrift store and get canvas bags. Here in metro Detroit, you can get them for 80 cents apiece. We usually use 12 of them when we shop…(and the rest is carted in boxes)…
Speaking of the thrift store, buy your clothes there. That saves again on the renewable sources used for clothing. Learning to do your own sewing helps out too, as you can mend things instead of throwing away…
Before you throw something out, see if you can reuse it or donate it to the thrift store.
I know you said that washing dishes and line drying is out. This is very easy area to work with. With a large family, you have the extra help. You might want to rethink that.
Since you are doing so much laundry and dishes, make sure you get biodegradable washing soaps…better for the enviorment. Instead of fabric softeners, use vinegar in the rinse cycle. It WON’T make you smell like a pickle!
Wash your cars with water from a rain barrel (which is made out of an old garbage can). You can also water what food you are growing outside… saving money and resourses there!
Do not buy magazines, books, CDs, and DVDs. Rent or loan them from your library.
Go to Sams club and get the florecent light packages – we got a couple there three months ago that had 8 in it for 15 bucks.
Don’t run your a/c – use windows and fans.
During the winter, keep the thermostat at 65 degrees and dress in layers…besides, if you have a large family, there is plenty of body heat!
There are more ways – and a host of ideas by looking on the internet – there are lots of sites dedicated to raising large families – post that question there and you will get a huge response!
Good luck and go green!
I just purchased a reusable grocery/shopping bag from a local health food store but it can also be found online at http://www.1bagatatime.com.
Recycle as much as possible. For items that may not be recyclable, try & find a way to reuse it in your home.
Turn off the lights & electronics whenever not in use. Even further, unplug those appliances when not in use (especially the larger items) as energy is still pulled even when they are turned off.
Try to purchase organic items whenever possible as it is better for health & the environment.
Hang clothes on a clothesline when the weather is cooperating.
Have all family members agree to take shorter showers.
Ask all family members to come up with their own way to go green and make a pledge to stick to it.
Adopt TAGP(tm), a comprehensive plan to address global warming.
go to walmart and get a 6 pack of compact florecent 60watt bulbs that only use 13watts replace the 6 to 12 most used lights in your home with these. iv used them for 2 years and have saved a LOT of money on my power bill
Obviously, you don’t have to do all this, but every little bit helps. I think it’s great you are teaching your family to conserve. Here are somethings that I have been doing, and putting in place.
Make your own grocery bags out of jeans that the kids have grown out of.
Replace one third of your light bulbs with florescent lightbulbs.
Soak the dishes in a sink full of water for a half hour before tossing them in the washer. Then wash on a light wash – I’ve recently started doing this and it works great. When ever possible, don’t run it till 10 at night – less people using energy at that time. Same thing with your laundry (I know that’s always not possible).
Unplug appliances that you don’t use daily – Blenders, hair dryers.
Buy energy reducing power strips for your computer and TV, when those electronics are not in use, it will reduce the power pull from the wall, just enough to keep the clock going. You can charge cell phones with solar power these days, see if you can find an adapter to do that.
Keep your house at 65-68 in the winter, and 72-75 in the summer.
Use cloth napkins instead of paper. Use rags, instead of paper towels (you can make those out of old clothes too). Cotton underwear makes a great dust rag.
Something I do that is fun is make my own wrapping paper out of clothing shopping bags – it’s not a lot, but people certainly comment on how pretty my presents look as they are very creative looking. And it’s a way to talk about going green. I also have made wine gift bags out of mens shirt sleeves.
Pay to have trees planted.
Grow some of your own veggies in the summer (reduces trips to the store and there by reduces your carbon output).
That’s about all I can think of for now. I am sure you will get lots of ideas from here.
Get some canvus bags at a thrift store. Many stores even sell them or other reusable bags for cheap. Some chain stores will even give a five cent discount per bag you bring(in the USA) Im not sure were you are, and if they do it there. Recycle everything you can. Use earth friendly cleaners and soaps. Vinager works will for cleaning lots of things, such as windows, floors,(not wood) counters sinks, etc. Baking soda as a fabric softner, salt and baking soda as a good kitchen sink scrubber. Buy unscented laundry soap, shop at thrift stores before buying something new. Plant an organic herb garden, or even a veggie garden if you have room. Plan you shopping trips so you don’t have to drive back and forth all over town.
How big is your family? I am a single mother of five children and certainly would love to have a cloths line. If it weren’t for being on the second floor of an apt house, I would have a clothes line. We do not have a dishwasher either. My children, ages 15 down to 6 fold their own laundry and help wash and dry and put away the dishes. We own one car and live in the country where you can not walk to the supermarket to go grocery shopping, so I leave the oldest to watch over the youngest and go myself. Having a big family is only an excuse not being able to go green. It is a horrible excuse. Rather then look at it as a bigger chore, look at it as more help to go green.. teach your family members to go green also!
I think everybody has about covered it except the biggest thing that you can do with the least effort is use less of everything. Buy less, reuse more. Try ecoballs in your washing machine so you don’t have to buy washing powder or conditioner. Use kitchen cupboard items, vinegar, lemon juice, baking powder to clean. You save lots of money when you go green.
I would invest in those canvas bags. I just put the all call out to family and they would pick me up those bags. They wouldn’t even have to be canvas, many retailers sale large beach bags for a few dollars. Also, craft stores sale them plain and you can decorate them yourself. Worth the investment and they can double up for those days when you want to make a fashion statement!! I don’t even use the produce bags, I just have a smaller canvase bag and fill it up with the lose items…you will get rolled eyes at the cashier and bagger…BUT WHO CARES!! Do they want a tip??!!
We also live non-toxic. We buy our cleaners and personal care products from a company that manufactorers envio-friendly ones. We feel great and our allergies are gone!
We do a lot of web research to read what people are doing and what small changes we can do. I started real small with the changes and now I sit on a committee to make changes for the town we live in…a year ago I never would have thought..but that’s how great a change it’s made in us!!
Check out an article I wrote. Also I included some links where I researched my info.
We have a large family too :)
1) Using the automatic dishwasher is always more efficient than doing dishes by hand because the machine uses less water. Just remember to run it only when it’s full.
2) Get some canvas shopping bags. I found many of mine at thrift shops and yard sales, some were 10 cents a piece!
3) If your kids are old enough, give each kid a job; one makes sure all lights are turned off, one closes the shades/blinds to block the sun, one sorts the recyclables, etc…..
4) Set a time limit for showers…..my kids hate this one! Also lower the heat on your hot water heater to 120 degrees. It’s hot enough for everything and the lower temp. will save money on your heating bill.
5) Try to consolidate your errands in the car….try not to zigzag all over town.
6) I do at least 2 loads of laundry a day. I wash as much as I can in cold water. Make sure your lint filters are clean. Get a brush to clean the lint out of the dryer AND the vent hose. This will make the dryer work better (use less energy) and prevent a fire.
Good Luck to you and your family!