>I have been writing down ideas for crafts for me and my girls to do over the summer but I thought that we would do a few this week in honor of Earth Day.

Below I have listed some of the crafts ideas that we are going to do this week and a few other Earth friendly tips you should do to help make the planet a better place!! Enjoy!

1. Recycle- This is obvious!! If you have not started recycling with your curbside service or you do not have it yet in your community, look for drop off locations or try and get your city to have recycling service with your regular trash pickup. We have reduced our trash pickup by about 60% since we started recycling. Just about everything you use can be recycled!!
2. Get Dirty- Get outside and start planting. You can plant a tree or flowers or plant your own garden. You can see my garden here and see it’s progress. There are so many benefits to planting- better for the Earth, cleaner air, creates shaded areas and if you are planting your own garden, fresh produce is just great. Plus is saves you money at the grocery, my favorite.
3. Donate- Clean out your closets and donate the items that you don’t use or need anymore. Not only is it great to donate to those who are in need but it is also a tax deduction!! Plus it is great to have extra space in your closet!!
4. Get Crafty- Make some crafts with your kids with things you already have around the house. Use items that you were going to throw out (or recycle). You can make things like; tin can herb containers, toothbrush bracelets, milk jug planters and 2 liter bug catchers. Come back later this week and see our Earth Day projects using the items I just listed. Get creative, have some fun and just enjoy time with your kids!!
5. Get FREE Stuff- Check out Craigslist or your local Freecycle to get things for FREE. These sites are great places to find things that others do not need anymore but you can use them.
6. Carpool- Find a friend or co-worker that works near you and carpool a few times a week. You can save money on gas and wear and tear on your car. Plus you will have someone to talk to on the way to and from work!!
7. Mini Vacation- Go to your local National Park and enjoy Mother Nature. This week you can visit any National Park for FREE, check out the details here.
8. Volunteer- Sign up to volunteer in your community. Even better, organize a community cleanup day!
9. Light Bulbs- Replace your old light bulbs with energy saving bulbs. They last longer, save money on your energy bill and are better for the planet.
10. Shopping Bags- Use reusable shopping bags when you shop. Some stores pay you to bring your own bags, Kroger .03 per bag, Marsh .05 per bag and Target .05 per bag!!
11. Save Water- Take shorter shorter showers, fix leaks and turn the water off when you are not using it. Great for the planet but another tip that is great on your water bill as well!!
12. Batteries- Replace your regular batteries for rechargeable batteries. The initial cost is a little more but in the long run you will buy less therefore saving you money!!
13. Water Bottles- Stop buying bottled water and bring a reusable bottle. You can get a filtered water pitcher pretty cheap to get fresh water.
14. Thermostat- Raising your thermostat in the summer and lowering it in the winter just a degree or 2 can save a lot of money and you will not even notice a difference!!
15. Air Filter- Replacing or cleaning your homes air filters will help your a/c and heating unit running better and you will have fresher air in your home!!
16. Car- Keep up on your tune ups and oil changes on your cars. This will make your car run better, better for the planet and you will have less mechanic visits for problems. Better yet park the car and walk, ride your bike or take a bus to where you need to go.
17. Compost- Start your own compost pile to add to your new plants or garden. Here is a great way to get started in making your own compost!
18. Save Energy- Turn off the lights when you leave a room, unplug chargers or things that you do not use all the time. Put blinds up-close the blinds in the summer to keep a room cooler and open blinds in the winter to let the warmth of the sun in!!