Take the EcoMom Challenge

10 First Steps for A Sustainable Future

We’re not asking you to add another item to the To Do List or even to change the world. We’re just asking you to rethink the things you already do. So take one step, or take all ten. Just know your actions are part of a global movement. You matter.

1. Change a light. If every household in America changed out just 5 light bulbs to energy efficient CFL’s (compact fluorescents) it would be equivalent to taking approximately 8 million cars off the road.

2. Drive More Efficiently. Car pool, don’t idle during drop off and pick up, drive a hybrid and drive less. If we each drove just 10 mile less per week, it would save 20 billion pounds of CO2. Plus, less time in the car means more time for something more enjoyable.

3. Shop local, fair trade and organic. Most food travels an average of 1,200 miles before it reaches your table, so by walking down to your local farmer’s market, you’ll not only reduce fossil fuel waste, you might also reduce your own waist.

4. Use non toxic products for cleaning, bathing, even make-up and you’ll protect the environment as well as reduce you and your family’s risk of disease. The average home contains over 150 toxic chemicals that have been connected to increased incidence of asthma, allergies, cancers and even behavioral disorders. Creating a toxin free home is good for you, good for your family and good for our planet.

5. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot (compost). Cutting down on garbage by just 10% can save 1,200 pounds of CO2 and save you money when you call the waste management company and tell them you need to downgrade to a smaller bin. Buy in bulk. Choose items with less packaging.

6. Turn off and unplug electronic devices and you reduce your exposure to electromagnetic radiation, as well as reducing energy use and CO2 emissions. Join our One Night Off campaign and choose one night per week to completely unplug (i.e. pretend the power went out). With dinner by soy candle light, board games and time to talk, this might become everyone’s favorite night of the week.

7. Re-think your laundry plan. A favorite of many EcoMoms. Doing less, using cold water and line drying when possible you can save over 500 pounds of CO2 and over $600 per year.

8. Plant a Tree. Or any plant. Just bring more green into your life. This is a great activity to do with your kids to mark special occasions. Over the course of its lifetime, a single tree can absorb one ton of carbon dioxide. Go organic if you can and avoid those nasty pesticides.

9. Reduce mom guilt with carbon offsets, renewable energy credits or green tags. Supporting renewable energy development to balance out your worst “eco-sins” is kind of like eating too many brownies one day and jogging extra the next. It’s not “The Answer”, but it is a step in the right direction. If you go for offsets, make sure it with a reputable company such as .

10. Play more. This will be your child’s favorite, and hopefully yours too. In today’s world, it is easy to get so busy that you forget to take time to connect and play with the people you love, and to do things that feed your mind, body and spirit. Get outside with your kids. Do things that make you feel healthy, good and thriving. Sustain your Self, Sustain Your Family,  and Sustain Our World. It is all connected and you deserve it.