(7 kid friendly eco-tips for the Winter)
By Meera Jain
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Depend less on the car. Driving in the snow can be gas-heavy therefore increase the amount of carbon emissions you release into our atmosphere. Additionally, who wants to put your munchkins in car seats when they are dressed for winter? So, rely on those things called your feet when the distances you need to travel are walkable. Use a toboggan to pull the kids or your purchases when snow is plentiful or uneven!
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Source kids winter gear gently used. I don’t know about you, but my kids seem to grow every two minutes. The last thing I want to do is shell out $100+ for a quality winter get-up every season. I go on Facebook marketplace, Kijiji, or to buy hats, boots, snowpants, coats…all of it. Not only do I save the earth’s resources, but I save a pretty penny too.
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Take the thermostat challenge. More details can be found here. Get your kids excited about saving energy this winter by involving them and making it a challenge. Don’t forget that it’s always a pleasant bonus to save money on your heating bill!
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Planning on flying to someplace warm? Don’t. Plane emissions are extremely high in greenhouse gases. Consider driving to your destination of choice as it is considerably less harmful to the planet. Or better yet, indulge in a staycation with the family! Get everyone together and do some research about fun things to do in your city during the winter. You may be surprised at what is on offer!
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Make sure your hot drinks are waste-free. Is there anything better than a warm hot chocolate on a cold winter’s day? And if you are a parent reading this, I know you drink copious amounts of tea or coffee (if not, teach me your ways). Bring your own travel mugs when buying these from your local café. Often you will get a discount and you avoid the dreaded, unrecyclable, disposable coffee cup!
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Bake vegan treats. If you are like me, you love baking with your kids. It’s a nice activity to do when it is too cold to go outside. We bake our treats vegan because avoiding dairy has a positive effect on the environment (you’ve heard of the problem with cow farts…right?). Vegan baking is pretty darn easy. Replace eggs with a flax or chia egg, milk with coconut or almond milk, and butter with coconut oil and a bit of salt. Done-zo.
- Use reusables for colds. It’s winter. You KNOW your child(ren) will likely be coming home with some kind of boogery illness. Try instating a hankie system in your house. Find some stained clothing and cut them into rags. Keeps these hankies around your house in a jar or basket of some sort and train your family to put them in the laundry when they have been used! If that isn’t your thing, ensure that your tissues are getting composted – that keeps them out of the garbage and allows them to be returned to the earth.