Happy Earth Day, Australia!

Confessions of a Happy Housewife,Healthy Living

21 Apr , 2017

I have always tried to live an environmentally conscious life and every year I do something special to celebrate Earth Day. Whether I take part in an organised event in Melbourne, go on a hike with friends or finish a long due design project at home by reusing some old materials, I just make sure that I mark the day in my own way.
Well, this year, it is my first Earth Day as a mum. And I feel a little bit restricted to just do anything I like to show my appreciation for Nature. Moreover, with rain forecast for tomorrow and for the week ahead, my choice of options seems rather limited. So, I have decided to bring Earth Day at home by drafting a list of the small things I could do to contribute to our environment.

Feel free to follow in my footsteps, you pretty Eco-minded mums!

1. Clean green

If your weekly tidy up day falls tomorrow, why not give the old vinegar and baking soda a chance? Try to forget the glass cleaner, the furniture polish and the bleach for a day and use only natural materials to wipe clean the surfaces. Who knows? You may make a habit out of this and switch to Nature all year round when it comes to sprucing up your home. Do not vacuum! (Please, see number 6.)

2. Don’t shop

This may be a hard one for some avid online shopper mums but do try to refrain from doing any shopping for a day. Even online purchases trigger fuel consumption, as you can guess, by prompting a delivery process of some kind.

3. Cook vegetarian

This is a good advice for keen meat eaters! A simple stew from some frozen vegetables, buried and forgotten at the back of your freezer, will surely make a change in several ways. Firstly, it is healthier for you to give your body a break from heavy meals, containing meat. It also offers an alternative experience to your taste buds. And finally, having a vegetarian dinner is more environmentally friendly, considering the copious resources used in meat production. And a lamb will be grateful!

4. Start a compost heap

In between the autumn showers, do a little bit of garden clearing. Some light work in your backyard like weeding and leaves raking can help start a compost heap. Small twigs and fallen branches can be also added to the bin. And don’t forget to gather all the veggie peels you ended up with after preparing that green dish of the day!

5. Switch to Eco-nappies

This “far-fetched” counsel is intended to all the mums who are afraid to voice their inner belief that children are our future. Earth Day is a great day to decide to switch to Eco-nappies and contribute to the environment that your baby is growing to live in. Just for a reference: Australians use around 5,6 million disposable nappies per day.

6. Have a break from electricity

Well, I don’t mean to go completely dark! Especially if you have small children in the house. But you can easily try to reduce your electricity use to a minimum for a day. Play a family board game in the evening instead of watching the TV. Have a candlelit dinner with your hubby, once the kids are in bed. Don’t use electrical appliances that day if you could help it, such as your dishwasher, the washing machine, the vacuum cleaner, the blender, the microwave, etc.

7. Craft and reuse

Do some light decluttering of the family wardrobes and re-purpose old and worn-out clothes, garments or bedding. Put your imagination and creative skills to a good use and craft something nice and useful at the same time. Don’t restrict yourself to textiles only. You can dig around in the attic or in the garage and find things there that may strike some new ideas for an interesting design project. And what better things to do on a rainy day?

8. Go for a stroll

If you intend to jump in the car for a 5-minute drive to fetch something from somewhere, why not take a walk or cycle? Even an aimless stroll in the drizzle by yourself or with the kids will refresh your mind, help gather your thoughts and leave a snapshot of a precious memory. Feel and breathe Nature as often as you can!

Happy Earth Day!

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Lana Jane Fox

Lana Jane Fox is a young, aspiring housewife, currently living in North Melbourne. At present her primary job is to be a good wife and a helpmeet to her husband and only after that she describes herself as a marketing executive and a blogger. When she is not knitting, cleaning, cooking, or experimenting with DIY projects, Lana is planning her next road trip, or spends precious time with her husband. She dreams of having a baby boy, a Welsh Corgi dog and a house with a fireplace and a garden where she can grow organic food.

I Hate Cleaning