How Can We Be More Eco-Friendly?

Some people hear "eco-friendly" and think of things like flower power, hippies, and dooms day preppers. It does not have to be to that extreme. 

Most of us do not intentionally do things to hurt ourselves, our families, or the environment. We seem to have an insatiable thirst for ways to save time and accomplish more. We use harsh chemicals to clean our homes and we eat pre-packaged foods with ingredients we cant pronounce. We do all of this in the name of progress and prosperity. 

There are many small changes we can make in our everyday lives to be more eco-friendly. These changes do not have to be major. It is the small, simple things that add up in the end. You do not have to go to extreme measures either. Take it slow. Start with changes like the cleaning chemicals you use at home.

We all have basic cleaning supplies that we use to clean our homes. Things like all purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, oven cleaner, air freshener, laundry detergent etc. Many of these you can make at home with little effort, and often for less money. While it may take some trial and error, there are many that really do work just as well as the ones you already use. In many cases they even work better and they are much safer for your family and the environment. 

Another good place to start is in your yard and garden. There are tons of ways you can make small changes that are so much safer and healthier than the chemical options you are currently using. There are many all natural and organic ingredients that can be used for everything from fertilizer to pest control.

What about personal care? Did you know there are items in your kitchen right now that can be used for a variety of health and beauty applications? You can make your own hair conditioner, face mask, highlights and so much more. All with very little effort.

I have spent a lot of time researching these things, and so many more ways to be more eco-friendly in my everyday life. The hardest part for me was breaking the habit of buying the same old stuff. Once I got going though, I found that I liked the results. I enjoyed finding new ways to use simple, natural ingredients to replace the chemical concoctions I had been using. I also found I liked the results better. My house smells fresh and clean, but not like I just dumped a bucket of bleach on everything. I don't have as many issues with my allergies when I use the all natural stuff either. I used to be an absolute mess when I cleaned. I would sneeze and sniffle for hours every single time. I don't have that problem since I have been making my own household cleaners.

There are several additional pages here with lots of ideas and recipes using all natural ingredients. I have tried to organize them into categories to make it easier to find what you are looking for. I really hope you enjoy them and are able to use some of them. I have not tried them all, so feel free to comment how they work for you if you use any of them.

I wont say I have mastered being eco-friendly by any stretch of the imagination, but I do enjoy exploring it and finding new ways to work it into my routine. I hope you enjoy some of the things you find on the other pages here. Feel free to comment on any of them. I only ask you be respectful of others and keep it clean.