How to Have an Environmentally-Friendly Summer Thanks to Added Mindfulness

With summer fast approaching and the kids out of school for several weeks, it’s time to start thinking about the different things you’ll do to pass time. One of the things that you may have planned is a family vacation. Other outdoor activities include going to the farmer’s market, splash park or music festival. With that being said, you can continue your journey to living a less wasteful, more-authentic-to-your-values lifestyle by remaining mindful about the different choices that you make.

Here is how to have an environmentally-friendly summer thanks to added mindfulness:

 

1. Take advantage of free activities that don’t involve the exchange of money

Consult your community calendar for activities that you can do together as a family that doesn’t cost money. It may take some searching to find a few that are suitable for your age of kids, but don’t give up. You’ll have a great time participating in the events and you’ll teach your children to look for opportunities to do things for free. There is less desire to impulse spend money when the realization that no cost events are available to attend. They’ll learn to find fun and entertaining things to do as adults that don’t require them to spend and consume
rapidly.

 

2. Learn where the food you buy comes from

Farm to table programs exist so that you can gain a better understanding of where your food comes from. Summer is the perfect time to participate in an event with your kids. Visiting a farm, seeing the crops in the fields, and sitting down to eat a meal using produce that was sourced by the farmer is very eye-opening. It gives you and your children a greater appreciation for the work that goes into raising plants and supplying supermarkets with the food you choose to buy, prepare, and eat. It may even inspire you to grow some of your own food.

 

3. Grow, pick, and preserve produce from your garden

There’s nothing more rewarding than starting your own vegetable and herb gardens. You don’t even need a large yard to be able to do so. You can live in an apartment and still have space on your balcony to grow a few plants. When you’re able to watch a seed grow into a large plant, pick the edible parts of it, clean, prepare, and preserve it, magic happens. You can’t get enough of gardening and growing your own food.

 

4. Observe wildlife in its natural habitat in a friendly manner

Go bird watching. Sit by a river or stream and notice how it sounds. Be quiet observers of nature while visiting its habitat. Keep a written or visual account of what you discovered. The information can help conservationist preserve natural habitats from destruction. Carry a small notebook and pen with you, so you don’t miss any important information that needs to be recorded along the way. You can also use your phone’s voice recorder and camera to capture what you observed.

 

5. Carry your own reusable shopping bags

Spare the planet from unnecessary waste by always being prepared with your own canvas or nylon shopping bags. Choose the kind that folds up neatly into squares or rectangles so you can continue to carry them in your purse, backpack or glove box in the car. You’ll never be without a way to carry items, and you won’t be forced to accept plastic. Some places charge you for the bags that you use, so it only makes sense to keep reusable ones on hand because of they last longer. You can travel longer distances by foot without worrying about the bags breaking, too.

 

6. Ditch disposable bottles in favor of ones you use and refill

You’ll save a significant number of plastic bottles from meeting their impending doom in the landfill by purchasing refillable water bottles for each member of your family. The amount of money you save by skipping out on single serve drinks is astounding. The kids won’t be tempted to fill up on soda or juice, either, because they have a way to keep their water cold for hours at a time. During the heat of the summer, it’s important that everyone stay hydrated because of the extra time being spent doing physical activities in the sun.

 

7. Be friendly with your community, sign up for a beach or park clean-up

Beautifying the community is every citizen’s responsibility. Few people put thought into doing it though because of their busy schedules. Take time out of yours to schedule a time for your family to participate in a beach or park clean-up. Dress for the occasion, wear gloves and drink plenty of water. You’ll be proud of your effort to make the place that you call home clean and debris-free. That way, more people can enjoy the spaces around your community with ease.

 

8. Share your experiences with others

When you tell others about what you’re doing, two things happen. First, you raise awareness and encourage others to look long and hard at their current habits and lifestyle. Next, you make them a part of your story because they get to hear about your summer and the wonderful activities you and your family took part in. On an entertainment level, this can be very inspiring. They may be looking for greener activities to do with their own families.

Make this summer mindful and environmentally-friendly. Through awareness and action, you eliminate the wasteful behaviors you once engaged in. You opt to do things that are better for your family, community, country, and the planet as a whole instead.

Green’s Your Colour sells refillable water bottles in a variety of sizes and colors to meet your needs. You can also choose the type of cap that you and your family drink out of, making our products acceptable for people of all ages. Even young children can drink from our bottles without fear of spilling the contents onto their clothing or the floor. Best of all, refillable water bottles save you time, money, and the planet from unnecessary waste.