5 Tips for Living Sustainably
At Peekaboo, it is incredibly important to us to teach our kids how to protect the planet so they can enjoy the marvelous wonders of the world for years to come.
Being based in Miami, FL, we spend a lot of time going to the beach. Recently we had a family beach day, and my son Leo pointed at something in the water and asked, very concerned, “Mommy, what is that?” It was a floating plastic bag. I told him that when we see litter, we pick it up. So we proceeded to take the bag to the trash together. When I told him he just saved a bunch of fishies, his whole face lit up.
The whole encounter reminded me that there are so many little things we can do in our everyday lives to live more sustainably. And like anything that might seem daunting at first (like getting your kids to eat their veggies), we can make it fun! So we put our heads together at Peekaboo HQ and came up with our top 5 tips for reducing waste and showing our kids how to preserve their environment:
1. Bring reusable bags when going grocery shopping:
Bringing your own plastic bags to the grocery store is a no brainer when you realize how much plastic you will be avoiding. It is also more efficient because unloading groceries is much easier when they are consolidated into a few larger bags, as opposed to many small ones. More still, when you use reusable bags, you can shop in style! Checkout some of our favorite reusable grocery bags here!2. Grow your own herbs at home:
Herbs are so easy to maintain because they can be kept either indoors or outdoors, and depending on the plant, most do not require much maintenance. What is more, gardening makes for a wholesome and fun afternoon activity with the kids, and teaches them the value of patience, shows them where their food comes from, and gives them that oh so gratifying feeling you get from taking care of something. Not to mention, growing your own herbs reduces the amount of plastic you would get from store-bought herbs. Lastly, using fresh herbs to cook with will make your culinary concoctions extra delicious!3. Ditch the Ziplock bags:
Using reusable bags, tupperwares, and jars whenever you can goes a long way, both for the planet and for your annual grocery bill. Doing so will also keep your kitchen spaces organized and satisfying to look at. Checkout some of our favorite reusable bags and containers here!4. Go through what you have before buying something new:
We all have those days when we feel like we have nothing cute to wear, nothing delicious to eat, or nothing new and exciting to make us feel good. But the truth is, we always have more than we think. Instead of browsing Amazon when we need a pick-me-up, try getting over that hump by tapping into your creativity. Maybe whip out an old dusty cookbook you have been meaning to use, or ask a friend to borrow something to wear. Appreciating what we already have is a start to appreciating the Earth.5. Support brands that do good for the planet:
As a certified B-Corporation, it is our mission to not just sell delicious ice cream with hidden veggies, but to benefit people and the planet in any way we can. We do this by educating our kids on the value of veggies, and by donating ice cream that might ordinarily get thrown away to local hospitals, schools, and non-profit organizations. In fact in 2020, we donated over $30,000 worth of ice cream! If you would like to support brands that are doing good for the world check these out these amazing B-Corporations we love! BeautyCounter, HappyFamilyBrands, StasherBags, UncommonGoods, Bombas
Remember that nothing happens overnight, and we are all doing our best to be better. Everyone is different, so do what works for you while also keeping the planet in mind where you can. We want to teach our kids to stay positive. The Earth has the ability to heal, if we let it. We are in this together! Let’s leave it better than how we found it, and have fun while we do it!
