Five easy ways to develop some green habits

It seems all of us want to do what's good for our families, our communities, and the environment.  With so many things going on a one time, moms can easily get overwhelmed.  

Here are five quick and easy suggestions for developing some green habits.

1.  Plant a garden.  It can be as small as a couple of recycled cans with herbs on your kitchen counter.  This also can help with picky eaters.  When they have to tend to their gardens, it's much more fun to try vegetables or herbs.  

2.  Choose paper bags when you go to the store.  They're a renewable and recyclable.   Even better, take your own cloth bags each time you shop.

3.  Buy local.  Try your local farmers market for produce and you might find some hidden goodies like baked goods, jams, maybe even a birthday gift.  This cuts down on emissions since your products don't have to travel as far to get to your home.  It also helps stimulate your local economy.

4.  Recycle.  Most neighborhoods provide a free recycling bin for their customers.  You can start small.  Try recycling just your water bottles for example.  This helps reduce waste and plastic bottles can be turned into a number of things including bark or new play structures for your local playground.

5.  Buy a reusable water bottle.  Speaking of water bottles, each year Americans buy millions of dollars of bottled water.  86% of these bottles end up in the trash.  What's more, the plastic used has BPA which can leach out and has been linked to certain types of cancer.  Using your own bottle saves money, your health  and the environment.