“In Judaism, everyone gets a birthday, even trees,” explained Leah. “Tonight and tomorrow we celebrate Tu BiShvat, the ‘New Year of the Trees.’ In recent years, this Birthday of the Trees has evolved into something of a Jewish Earth Day; a reminder of the need to care not just for the trees, but for all of the resources that make up our natural world.”
We all know how important it is to care for the Earth, but we also know how easy it is to just continue with our old routines and keep doing what comes most easily, even if it isn't the best for our planet. So Leah and I are using this holiday as an opportunity to make a few resolutions; little changes to our lives that will help our families take better care of and form more connections with the Earth. Here are some things we vow to do:
1. Make our own green cleaning products. This isn’t just easy—it saves money, too! Vinegar and water in a spray bottle can be used to clean hard surfaces, counters, floors and tile. Baking soda works great on the tub, stovetop, sinks and pots. These concoctions don't smell as lovely as some of the things we’ve bought in the past, but the trade-off is worth it. Not only do vinegar and baking soda get the house clean, but there are no fumes to potentially harm our little ones and pets, no polluting of the air and water and no worrying about having toxic chemicals around that the kids might get into. Plus, we’ll always have a fresh container of baking soda around when we get the urge to bake!
2. Buy less stuff. It’s so tempting to buy new toys and books for the kids. But the next time one of us sees something one of the kids will “really love,” we’ve resolved to step back and think for a minute. “Will he really use this a lot, or will he take it out of the box, play with it for an hour, then toss it on the heap of toys he already has and completely forget about it, moving on to beg for the next toy that he thinks he needs?”
A great way to avoid this problem all together is to stay out of the shops as much as possible. Instead, we plan to take more trips to the library for books, CDs and movies. We'll stop at more yard sales and consignment shops to save great (and often like-new) toys from the landfill. Meanwhile, we plan to find new homes for our lightly used toys by passing them on to friends, donating them or reselling them. We like this idea because it's not just "green," but it takes a stab at some of the issues of materialism that all families struggle with.
Along the same lines, we plan to:
3. Host clothing swap parties. Leah got this idea from cousin: "So often when I admire my cousin's cute skirt or top, she tells me it came from a clothing swap party," she shared. “I think about all the clothes I just don't wear anymore. Especially after two pregnancies, some of my favorite outfits simply are no longer a good fit. This seems like a fun way to spend an afternoon or evening, and a great way to find a home for those outfits that I just don't wear anymore, while maybe scoring a few cute outfits for me!”
4. Visit more farms! The kids always have a blast seeing how their food is grown and even picking it themselves. It's an important reminder about the connection between the land and our plates. During the winter, Jackie plans to take her kids to see how maple syrup is made. Leah’s even going to bring a bit of farming to her own home by growing a pot of herbs on her porch. Her favorite Tu BiShevat activity for many years has been to plant some parsley in a cup—it's usually ready to pick for her Passover seder.
5. Eat less meat. It takes a lot of water, a lot of energy and (if it's not organic) a lot of chemicals to raise animals for food. And when we buy the cheap kind, it's often the animals that pay the difference with their suffering. To eat meat that was raised better (and is therefore more expensive), we'll make room in our budgets by eating less of it and opting for more vegetarian meals. And to become more informed about how our food gets to us, we'll watch more movies like Food, Inc. and read more books like The Omnivore's Dilemma.
6. Walk more. So often, we choose to get in the car to go a short distance—to the park, to a friend’s house, from one store to another—when we could simply walk a little extra. By vowing to put one foot in front of the other, we’ll put less pollution in the air, use less gasoline and get healthier, too.
After all, it’s the little steps that make a difference.
So, what’s your resolution?
6. Walk more. So often, we choose to get in the car to go a short distance—to the park, to a friend’s house, from one store to another—when we could simply walk a little extra. By vowing to put one foot in front of the other, we’ll put less pollution in the air, use less gasoline and get healthier, too.
After all, it’s the little steps that make a difference.
So, what’s your resolution?
Interesting that you mentioned making your own green cleaning products. I have recently started doing that. I like that it's less expensive and so easy to do. Everything I've tried has worked amazingly well. There are a lot of ideas on Pintrest, cleaning, crafts, DIY, recipes, etc. Love it!
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