There’s a lot of advice out there with green living tips, from the obvious (recycling), to the expensive (install a gray water system), and everything in between.
I like to say that we live green-ish. We compost, we recycle, use cloth diapers about half the time, and we’re aware of how much garbage we create, but we aren’t purists either.
I have 4 kids, three of them are 6 years old and younger, so there are many messes for me to clean up on a day to day basis. I need our green living habits to be easy.
Easiest green living starter tips
This DIY phase of our culture has brought back many old ways of doing things, and it helps us make the best use of money we have, mashaAllah. From gardening and making our own cleaners and staple foods, we can save a lot of money and unneeded trash. If you love to say, “I made it myself!” then start with 10 Things to Stop Buying and Start Making.
Cloth diapers
We aren’t cloth diaper purists. With each kid I find myself using cloth diapers less and less, but having that stash on hand, and experience in how to use them is always helpful. A little more month than the paycheck? Cloth diapers. Want to encourage a toddler to use the potty instead of a diaper? Cloth diapers. Feeling guilty about how much garbage we make? Cloth diapers.
I wrote a series a while back all about cloth diapers, and a few supplementary articles, too. Forgive the old look to them, but honestly, I probably won’t be updating the look. The information is still accurate though, in sha Allah.
Composting
Another old series, but still with valuable information: everything about composting. Kind of like cloth diapers, it took my husband some time to warm up to the idea, but in the end he’s glad we do it. I’m sure it helps that he isn’t asked to any of the grunt work of either, but alhamdulilah, he doesn’t complain as I’m learning through the process and when there are bumps in the road.
Living an eco-friendly lifestyle is a passion of mine, and while I’m not perfect, I’m always making strides to improve, or at least recognizing where I’m falling short (ahem, coffee shops and disposable cups). In sha Allah this page will be your place to find anything you need for our eco-friendly lifestyle.
