April is Earth Month, and today is Earth Day!   I think we all recognize the need to protect and take good care of our planet.

Read on to learn about a fun giveaway compliments of Holé button covers!  You are going to want to win!

As hard as I try, I have way more than a quart jar of trash for the year. And despite my many years of attempting to compost, I have a very poor showing  for my time and effort.  Though I try to avoid foil and plastic wrap in the kitchen, they seem to sneak into use.

All this to say I am not eco-perfect, but I am not going to give up either.  Here are some small, but manageable steps that we are doing:

•  Reduce single use plastics. The easy one here is plastic water bottles.  We purchased a Berkey filter system which makes water taste good (this is high praise from me!  I do not care for the taste of water).  Along with the filter canister came a glass water bottle, which we purchased more of. I keep one on each dining table and one in the kitchen. This prevents us from reaching for a plastic bottle of water out of habit. We do keep a few plastic bottles of water in the house in the event a guest needs a bottle to take with them. Otherwise we are water bottle free!   It won’t take long for the filtration system to pay for itself, so although it is an outlay at first, it really isn’t too bad.

• Along the same line is our switch to eco-friendly clothes washing detergents. We use the glass bottles from the Grove Collaborative along with the refill packs. They work fine and smell good. Win-win!
• Small trash cans, such as we use in bedrooms and bathrooms are lined with plastic bags from the grocery store or box store. These bags are also used to pick up Archie waste from the yard. For a fun list of ideas for these little bags, read this blog.
• Shop local, which is great for our communities but also saves on transportation costs for goods such as produce from a local farmers market.  Right now our neighbors could use our business more than ever.
• Another great impact and money saver is to buy second hand. Clothes, handbags, furniture and pretty much anything we can imagine can be purchased used.  I recommend that you do your research.  Know what you want, read descriptions carefully, and review all photos; chances are someone else’s loss will be your gain!
• Plan errands efficiently. I try to go in the most direct path and all on the same day. Not only does this save me time, but also gas and wear and tear on my auto.
• Strive to make do with less. We probably don’t need all we have in our houses and storage units. It takes money and time to manage and maintain things. Instead of buying, I am trying to spend my time selling extra items that are hanging around the house.  For me, this makes me double think each purchase afterward. Do I really NEED another purse or pair of shoes?
• Try a capsule wardrobe. I know I would never succeed with a 10 item wardrobe, but I might be able to survive a 30 item wardrobe. The main idea with a capsule wardrobe is to not  just buy everything you see or want. Pick a look (like bohemian or classic) or color scheme (such as basic black or navy) and make sure all purchases fit with the other items you have.  I have always tried to plan my travel wardrobe this way so that I could pack fewer shoes, purses and jackets, but to extend this idea to my everyday wardrobe serves me well.  Not only does it save closet space, which is a premium around here, but it also helps me save money.
• Preserve and protect our things. Be it clothes, exercise equipment, or the cabinet doors in the kitchen, keeping everything clean, mended and tidy will allow them to serve us longer.  The longer our things have a life not only saves us money, but also keeps items out of landfills.  My mom was big on “keeping things looking new.”  We were taught to change our clothes when we got home from school.  We were careful with our books, dishes, shoes, etc.  Most of my stuff still looks new!

One way to extend the life of clothes is to prevent those little holes that we sometimes get in the front of our shirts.  Lauren at Hole has graciously provided 4 packages of button covers to be given away to readers of the blog (read more about the holes here and Holé here) and viewers of my YouTube channel (watch a video about the holes and Holé here).

• Something we started when my Aunt E passed away was to plant a tree in memory of a deceased loved one.  The hospice that cared for my aunt in her last days gave us a pin oak tree in her memory.  We planted it outside her bedroom window, and have watched it grow and thrive.  We were so thankful it made it through all the freezing weather we had this winter.

This oak will be planted soon in memory of my dad.  Oak trees make us think of strength and grounding, and I always think of the phrase “mighty oak.”  This tree is fitting for my dad.  I am still deciding on the perfect tree to plant to honor my mom, but most likely it will be a pecan tree since my mom loved pecans.    My father-in-law will be honored with a dogwood tree.  We have planted a Royal Empress tree that belonged to a deceased friend as a reminder of his friendship.

Trees are so good for the environment.  If planted thoughtfully, they can lower utility costs or shade an outdoor space for entertaining or planting.  They can be used to reduce noise and/or create a break to prevent cold winds from chilling the house.   A full evergreen tree can aid in diffusing car lights or sun light through a bedroom window.  One of my favorite books is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.  If you haven’t read it in awhile, read it again.  It really is a metaphor for our Mother Earth.

What are you doing to be more eco-friendly?

For a chance to win a pack of Holé button covers, be a subscriber to this blog At Home With Kayla Price.  Read below for the sweepstakes rules and details:

Must be 18 years of age or older.
Must be subscriber to this blog, At Home With Kayla Price.
The sweepstakes runs from April 22, 2021 to May 22, 2021.  The winners will be notified between May 23 and May 26.  If any prize remains unclaimed, a new winner will be selected.
Winners will be randomly selected from the subscriber list on May 23.
Holé has proved four packs of button covers to share with subscribers.  Two will be given away through the blog and two will be given away through my YouTube Channel, At Home With Kayla Price.  Check out the channel for information on that sweepstakes.
Thank you to Lauren at Holé for providing the prizes!