?? Making Small Changes for Earth Day

Captain Planet was my childhood hero, and he rocked a mullet like no other. ????The cartoon was my first introduction to the idea that small changes could create a big impact. As a kid, I felt I was doing my part by tossing plastics into our new recycling bins.

Fast forward years later, I'm still trying to do my part. I won't bombard you with images of landfills or trash islands. Instead, I generated a middle-aged Captain Planet, surrounded by garbage.

I still hold onto the belief that minor shifts in our behavior, multiplied across millions of people, can make a significant difference. While recycling has made some strides in terms of participation going from 7% to 32% recycling rate in the US, a measly 5% of plastics are actually used for creating new things. The best way to make an impact is to reduce consumption.

Here's how we've saved over $250 a year and cut down on waste:

• Swapped paper towels for cloth napkins and reusable cleaning cloths . We can even use the cloths for putting in salad bags to cut down on moisture and keep the salads lasting longer. Yes, it means more washing, but it's a trade-off. We still use paper towels, but more sparingly and have the napkins at the table.
• Ditched dryer sheets for dryer balls . Our clothes might not have that fresh laundry scent, but it's no biggie. The balls work pretty well and you can keep them in the dryer.

• Replaced those flimsy one-time use plastic produce bags with reusable ones that can still be scanned easily. We keep a few reusable bags in the trunk in case we go grocery shopping. Depressing fact of the day - did you know even after the single use plastic bag ban , Californians threw away more plastic bags, by weight, than when the law first passed.
• Started bringing our own to-go containers for the inevitable left overs from our kids. Works like a charm for our favorite ramen shop. ??

Next on the agenda? Cutting down on plastic fruit containers from Costco and replacing our gas stove for an electric one. And, of course, more walking and biking whenever possible. These are some easy changes you can start making now and save some money to boot.