Monday marks the celebration of Earth Day, which was founded in 1970 by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson. Nelson was inspired in part by the anti-Vietnam war protests and wanted to inspire a similar level of activism against environmental destruction. Since then, Earth Day has become a global event that has raised awareness of many environmental issues including deforestation and global warming.
Much has changed for good in the many years since Earth Day was born. When I was a nature-loving child, even my tree-hugging family did not recycle. Everything went in the trash. Although we had a substantial garden and grew much of our own food, my parents did not compost.
My environmentally conscious father made me a great swing out of a recycled tire, but like everyone else those days, he did not know yet how to properly dispose of leftover paint and cleaning products. And all those hazardous liquids went down our drain and eventually into the ocean
I’m trying to teach my kids not just to love nature, as my parents did, but to fiercely protect it every day by taking a few extra steps to “live green." In honor of Earth Day, here is a list of 22 things you and your family can do that will help you help the environment and often save money in the process.
1. Buy local at any of the western suburbs many Farmers (or French) Markets, from to Downers Grove to Oak Park to Wheaton to Geneva. Most west-Chicago suburbs have a market, or if not, the next town over does.
2. Have your kids make their friends’ birthday cards and bring gift in decorated paper bags or a cool reusable bag. Kids love getting a handmade card — as do adults.
3. Bring your own bags when you go grocery shopping.
4. Shop at local consignment stores like Consign and Redesign in La Grange, Eva's Upscale Resale in Downers Grove, Resale Connection in Lisle and Goodwill in many locations, including a newer one in St. Charles.
5. Rip out some lawn and create a garden bed where you can grow your own food this summer. Need help getting started? Contact a local gardening-supply store like The Growing Place in Naperville or Clover's Garden Center in Westmont. Your kids will also eat more veggies if they grew them themselves.
6. Dispose of your hazardous waste properly. A variety of tips for what is hazardous and where to dispose of it properly in DuPage County can be found here, Cook County here and Kane County here. Many cities also have their own hazardous waste disposal programs.
7. Buy a share in a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm like Wellhausen Farms in Wheaton and Green Earth Institute Organic Farm in Naperville: support local, sustainable farming, and enjoy weekly fresh veggies. A complete directory of CSA farms in Illinois can be found here.
8. Join a local Freecycle group to receive and donate specific items that would otherwise be thrown away.
9. Ditch those dreaded sandwich bags and get some washable containers or bags. I like ReUsies, created by two Seattle moms.
10. Cut down on car trips and run your errands on your bike or on foot. And if you don't have a bike, or if it's in bad shape, hit up a local bike store like Trek Bicycle Store or Spokes Cyclery.
11. Donate your gently used books and magazines to your local library; they will always have something good to do with them!
12.Half Price Books in Naperville will buy the gently used books you no longer want and will sell you the books, magazines, DVDs and CDs you do want — at half price.
13. Look for an environmental service project you can do with your children, such as removing trash and non-native plants and planting trees. Volunteer Match is a great website that helps volunteers connect with local projects.
14. Get some chickens and have fresh, free eggs every day. If it's not currently allowed in your town, petition your government; sometimes you can win an exemption. Get support and ideas at the Urban Chicken Blog and from your local 4-H group.
15. Need wood chips for your garden or some firewood? Arborists often will be happy to provide it to you for free. They can also help you select and plant trees to provide privacy and shade and even years of fresh fruit. Find a certified arborist in your area through the International Society of Arboriculture, headquartered here in Illinois.
16. Dump your bottled-water costs. Buy snazzy metal water bottles for everyone in the family and a personal filter for your kitchen faucet, and you could save hundreds of dollars.
17. Discounts on many “green” merchants can be found at GreenDeals.com.
18. Organize a Halloween costume swap in September. This can be a great service project for a Girl Scout troop. Reserve a room at the library and publicize to local parenting groups.
19. Replace your old light bulbs with LED bulbs. They last 15 times longer and use 75 percent less energy. Find stores with bulbs here.
20. Expand your hand-me-down circle. Organize a clothing swap for your co-op preschool or a group of friends. Everyone brings gently used and clean kids’ clothes to your garage; parents take as many items as they donated. The rest goes to charity. You can also swap toys and books.
21. Replace your showerheads with low-flow models. Low-flow showerheads can save you up to 15 percent of water-heating costs and reduce your water usage by as much as 20,000 gallons a year.
22. Save up to 30 percent on your monthly heating bills by having a home energy audit done by a professional. Search the web for pre-screened energy auditors and other information on how to save money by going green.
A version of this article first appeared on Redmond Patch.