Having a family is a gift, and watching your children grow up brings you great joy. However, watching them grow up in a dangerous world can be frightening. Thankfully, there are some habits you and your family can practice to reduce your impact on the environment and help create a greener and friendlier world. Read on to learn about some small changes your family can make that will help the environment.
Consider a Plant-Based Diet
This change may seem drastic, but you can take things slow and ease into it. Vegan and plant-based diets have various health benefits, but they are also significantly better for the environment. Plants and plant-based foods use much fewer resources, like space, water, and energy.
For example, it takes a little less than 2,000 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, whereas vegetables and fruits take much less, around 30 to 100 gallons. Animal agriculture also contributes a lot to greenhouse gases with methane and nitrous oxide emissions, so cutting meat out of your family’s diet will help the environment.
Grow Plants in Your Backyard
Another fantastic way you can help the environment is by starting your own garden in your backyard. Not only is it a fun activity for the whole family, but you will also grow some wonderful fruits and veggies that you would otherwise have to buy at the store.
A garden is great for giving back to the Earth, and your little ecosystem will also help sustain some wildlife, such as bees. On top of fruits and veggies, you can also plant trees, install a fountain, and grow wildflowers as they are habitats for honeybees, essential players in sustaining the environment.
When growing, you should also consider using natural pest repellents such as vinegar or cayenne pepper as this protects your plants and cuts out products that otherwise hurt the environment.
Reduce Single-Use Plastic
Single-use plastics are everywhere, and if you’ve ever done the single-use plastic challenge, you know how quickly they can add up. Having a large family means going through many disposable plastics, whether laundry detergent, dish soap, or beverage bottles, and it all adds up. Thankfully, you can navigate this issue by giving everyone a refillable water bottle, bringing your own bags when shopping, and purchasing food in bulk using refillable containers.
These choices to help the environment may seem minimal initially, but months and years of maintaining these new habits will make a significant difference. Additionally, maybe others will adopt some of these choices after seeing your family do them, and everyone around you will work to create a better world.
