3 Eco-Friendly Habits I’m Bringing into 2023
Small changes truly make a big difference.
As the new year is dawning, I reflect on yet another year behind us. Once a year, I always wonder what I can do differently in the imminent future that will make a positive impact on my life, and potentially, on the planet.
Our family grew this year and with that comes an added responsibility: to teach my child how to respect the one earth that we’re given and to protect it by keeping it clean for generations to come. Even though the changes our family makes are small, leading by example and showing others how to adopt these changes can make a huge impact.
These three particular things are ways I’m being eco-friendly in 2023:
Working Remotely and Cutting Out a Lengthy Commute
Before going on maternity leave, my commute to work was over an hour long. It wasn’t by choice but I had to work to help my family pay for ordinary expenses. During the peak of the pandemic, I was accommodated to work remotely, which gave me a refreshing outlook on productivity and sustainability. My car wasn’t seeing nearly as much mileage as it previously saw on a regular basis. Without the wear and tear of being on the road for over 2 hours a day, I can hopefully keep my paid-for vehicle around a bit longer than anticipated. Not commuting also afforded me more time to plan work and get more done during the day. But more importantly, I wasn’t another polluter on the road, which makes me feel better that I am somehow healing the environment, even if it’s very minor. I’m currently on the hunt for fully-remote work so I can keep this trend going.
Making Our Own Baby Food
Babies are expensive. And so is baby food. And let’s not get into the amount of packaging from all the baby products. My daughter started eating solid foods recently and when we made the transition, we started her off with purees from store-bought pouches and jars. Once we figured out which foods she enjoyed, we made the executive decision to buy a baby food processor and jar our own baby foods. Not only are we entirely in control of what goes into her food, but we are saving money and reducing waste in the process.
Running the Dishwasher More Often— Really!
Stay with me on this one, because you might be thinking “doesn’t that consume energy? That’s not very sustainable of you!” And while yes, utilizing appliances like a dishwasher increases energy consumption, using it in the evenings and during other off-peak hours is a step in the right direction. But more importantly, did you know that dishwashers only use, around 3 gallons of water a year as opposed to 30 gallons when hand-washing? That stat alone makes a busy mom, wife, and writer jump for joy! All the more reason to load up the dishwasher and let it work its magic instead of cleaning up a mess in the kitchen.
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