Earth Day Tips & Tricks to save Mother Nature and save you money!

Bring Your Own Mug
I keep a bagful of clean, reusable tumbler mugs in my car so they’re at the ready when I’m out and about. Many convenience stores and businesses will offer a discount if you use your own clean cup and price it as a “refill”.

You save a disposable cup from being tossed into a landfill and you save some money in the process.

I think keeping a bagful of the clean mugs and cups at the ready in my car is key because then I don’t have to remember to bring one along- I always have a few to choose from depending if I want a cappuccino, a coffee, or an iced tea.

Plant Natural Deterrents Around Your House
I know bugs are a key part of our eco-system but I HATE spiders. I realllllly hate them inside my house. They need to be outside where they belong.

So as a way to naturally deter spiders from wanting to be near my house, I planted lavender bushes around the foundation. Spiders usually don’t like the smell of lavender. Plus, lavender smells sooooo good in the spring and summer and it’s a perennial plant- so plant it once and it’ll reward you by coming back year after year, bigger and bigger!

Plus, you save on expensive chemical bug sprays that could pollute your soil and deter beneficial bugs (like bees).

Spiders also hate mint so keep mint plants in a pot for the same reason. Mint can also be planted in the ground much like lavender to come back year after year- BUT it spreads and can quickly get take over your yard.

Other good spider deterrents: Lemon Balm, Marigolds, Eucalyptus, and Rosemary.

Re-use Your Baggies
I learned this from my Granny. There’s no reason that single use snack baggies and gallon bags need to be single use. Many times they can be simply washed out, left to air dry, and used again.

You’ll be surprised how much you’ll save on waste and save on money.

Re-Use The Water You Cook With
When boiling pasta, save the water.

When soaking fruits and veggies to clean them, save the water.

When boiling veggies, save the water.

Use that cooking “waste” water to then water your plants. Obviously let it cool. Never pour hot water onto any plant unless it’s a weed and you want a natural way to kill it. Let the now nutrient rich “waste” water cool and then water your outdoor plants in the garden, in your flower beds, or in your patio pots. It’s a way to save on your water bill because that perfectly good water doesn’t need to go down the drain, re-use it!

Save Your Scraps & Turn Them Into Plant Food
You may remember me mentioning my Witch’s Brew in the past using banana peels. Click here for my “recipe”.

I keep a bag in the freezer and toss everything in there until it’s full: avocado rinds, onion skins, orange peels, apple cores, potato peels, etc.
Then when the bag is full I dump it into a pot and boil it. Let it cool, strain out the scraps (and place those in the compost bin to further break down and turn into dirt again), and then water your plants with that nutrient rich “Witch’s Brew” water.

Who needs to buy synthetic plant food when you can make your own?

Want to contact Laura McKenna about something you do to re-use, recycle, or reduce your waste? Anything else on your mind? Email anytime, she’d love to hear from you: Laura.McKenna@civicmedia.us
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