I want to talk to you about our family’s journey towards becoming more eco-friendly and the process that got us here. “Going green,” if you will :) I thought I would start with what sparked this change, and share with you some awesome information that really helped us in the beginning.

A few years ago I became concerned with the chemicals in our health, beauty and cleaning products. I started to worry about the amount of waste we were producing. I also started reading more and more food labels and became uneasy about what we were putting in our bodies. I started to do some research and that’s when I discovered Gorgeously Green by Sophie Uliano.

Since I wasn’t about to, like, stop wearing deodorant or insist each family member only use one square of toilet paper per visit to the restroom (gross, Sheryl Crow), this book with all of her tips and advice was perfect for me. She is amazing. Check out her website here. Reading this book was the kick in the butt that I needed. We have been making changes as a family ever since.

Charley has been super supportive (about most things) throughout this whole process. He even helps me load up the car with all of our recyclables so we can schlep them over to the recycling center, since our town doesn’t offer recycling. Gasp, I know. And the kids were soooo excited to get on board too. It is very important to Charley and I that our kids have a love for the Earth and a solid understanding of how we can do our part to take care of it.

If you are interested in starting to make changes in your life and home, I recommend first doing what I did – research. Here is a list of resources to get you started:

1. Gorgeously Green by Sophie Uliano. Find it here.

2. Green Chic: Saving the Earth in Style by Christie Matheson – This book shows you how to go green without giving up great style. You can find it here.

3. Environmental Working Group – the nation’s leading environmental health research and advocacy organization. Check out their amazingly informative website here.

4. Safemama.com – the original one-stop child safety, product recall, health, well-being, non-toxic, eco-conscious resource for parents.

5. Honestly…The Honest Company Blog – This blog provides information on nutrition, travel, kid style, and eco and healthy living. The Honest Company also has great products for your family and home. We love them!

We have been making eco-friendly changes, both big and small, over the years, and continue to do so. Is there still more that we can do? Absolutely. And we will. At our own pace. I think that is the key – make changes at your own pace, and do whatever is best for your family.

This is the first post in our Going Green Series. I want to share with you how our family became more eco-friendly, from changing our eating habits to converting all of our cleaning supplies to reducing waste. I hope that you will share your tips and advice as well!