To celebrate Earth Day, Jo and I wanted to share with you a few simple things that we do to help make life here on Earth just a little bit cleaner, nicer, and greener!

Cleaning products:
One of our regular readers, Jenny, shared with us the tale of her foray into making her own “green” cleaning products. She includes instructions on how to make vinegar-based cleaning solutions that don’t smell as bad as some others. She also offers you some practical user advice on her experience. I know she has inspired me to think twice before selecting harsh cleaning products!

Disposable water bottles:
Jo has tried to break her plastic bottle habit by using these really neat Sigg aluminum water bottles, available in a variety of colors and patterns. They come with twist-off or flip-top sports lids and are very lightweight and virtually indestructible. Unlike plastic, they also remain odor-free after repeated use. Jo’s daughter loves using the ones for kids, she feels just like mommy and is learning early on to reuse and recycle.

Reusable shopping bags:
Jo and I are both on the reusable tote bandwagon now. Since we made our first reusable shopping bag (see full instructions and photos here), we are addicted to them! We may not have enough bags for those huge once-monthly runs, but we’re increasing our collection. In the meantime, we use them for all our small errands and are both very nearly plastic-free!

Green gifts:
What better way to honor the Earth than to give someone you love a tree! I had a memorial tree planted last month and the receiving family was very appreciative of the gesture. Trees make the perfect gift for a housewarming, anniversary, or birthday. Or for new parents, help them plant a tree that they can watch grow over the years as their child grows too. And if you don’t have an occasion this week to give a tree, get out there and buy some saplings to plant yourself; it’s Earth Day!

Reusable lunch tote:
Jo will be the first to admit that she is completely into the environment — when it looks cute to do so. We made these reusable lunch totes, much like the Japanese bento boxes, to carry our lunches. Reusable items like this keep disposable dishware and plastic wraps out of the landfills. Jo likes these so much, actually, the she’s willing to make more. If you’re interested in acquiring one of these cute little “to go” boxes, drop us a note and we can discuss details and your own customizations. She also recently found some environmentally friendly bamboo flatware to use.

Read all about it:
I gave my niece this Little Critter book about Earth Day and she loves it. My sister said it’s now one of her favorite ones to read each night and my niece is trying to think of ways that she can help the Earth right inside her back yard.

What do you and your family do to celebrate Earth Day and/or to be environmentally conscious all year long? Please take a moment to let us know vie e-mail or in the comments below. We would love to hear some more ideas that we can incorporate into our lifestyle and share with your fellow readers.