Buy reusable items instead of throwaway ones — for example, rechargeable batteries, washable cloth napkins and canvas shopping bags.
Not exact matches
Instead of single serve lunch
items,
buy in bulk and divide them up into
reusable containers.
... or instead of
buying all of these new
items, use
items you already have around the house — old purses (for girls), tupperware, visit second - hand stores for cloth napkins... it's hard to get excited about «be a green parent» articles, blog entries, and websites that just tell us to go
buy something b / c it is green... even the Waste Free Lunch website tries to sell us on how much less it costs to pack a lunch, saying that cloth napkins, lunch bag,
reusable containers and thermoses don't cost anything while tabulating the cost of paper / disposable versions... but there is an initial layout, so that argument doesn't hold my attention.
Spend less with more by filling
reusable baskets with stocking stuffer-esque
items like chocolate, ornaments, candles and / or wine — many of which you can
buy in bulk.
We also use the
reusable bags, got an extra recycle bin,
buy furniture exclusively from local resale and antique shops and paint or recover to suit our needs, use all green cleaning products, and we limit the amount of conventional toys that we bring into our house (opting instead for repurposed household
items that entertain just as well).