Am I obsessed and saddened that the summer is ending? Yes, (obviously) because I am mentioning it constantly. Is the end of summer inevitable?
Well, yes it is!
So, as we prepare for sending our children back to school it’s easy to become a little “spend happy” since every corner we turn seems to remind us to buy, buy, BUY! Don’t fall victim to feeling like you have to go overboard.
This year, when we received our daughter’s supply list, the first thing I did was check what we already had. I was surprised to find that we already had over half of the list… notebooks, pencils, glue, scissors, erasers, ruler, CHECK! I actually kept a box of what was left over from last year, and I assure you, that bottle of Elmer’s glue that was still 2/3 full is perfect to get her started. If you do need to buy, buy recycled: pencils, paper, and even backpacks of recycled materials exist if you just look.
I’m happy to say that we also have a green lunchtime covered. By using her waste-free lunch kit, I can rest easy that our daughter creates almost zero trash. Lunchboxes and reusable containers are both earth-friendly and economical because all of the single-serving foods are expensive in comparison. (Still looking for a waste-free lunch kit? There are still a few days to win one in my giveaway!)
The hardest part of preparing for school is outfitting your kids with a new wardrobe. Little ones grow so quickly, but the older they get the slower 
they grow. Before you charge out to charge a new wardrobe, find out what still fits. Don’t replace clothing before it’s been outgrown. If it has, you can still be green by putting “reuse” into action. Gather up the unneeded clothes, shoes, jackets and coats and donate them to an organization so those less fortunate have the opportunity to use them. Even consignment shops or swaps with friends are an option and simply give more life to items that haven’t worn out their usefulness.
Whether you get teary-eyed at the idea of sending your kids back to school, or the first day couldn’t come soon enough (I will be a teary-eyed one!) be sure to earn a green star for your efforts before they go!
t so long ago, but seems so long ago.
wrapped up in how vast and amazing the ocean is. The irony is that one of our favorite adventures was trying to find sea glass washed up on the shore. This sea glass is actually glass that has found its way into the ocean and gets tumbled and smoothed by the water, sand and salt. Every time we found one it was like finding a real gem and then I start to wonder what it came from, where it originated, who touched it before us and even how it wound up in the ocean. Yes, ironic that Mom Goes Green and family found treasures in something that started as ocean litter!
While neither of us like to leave our kids behind, it’s great to reconnect with your beloved!
research was based on residents which total about 8.5 million. But how many tourists visit the city each year?… 47 million. Mind boggling! That’s a lot of extra people creating trash.
r big cities rank
Sometimes it’s easy to get so consumed with planning and preparing for a vacation that we forget about the home we’re leaving behind.