How to Be Green While Saving Green Like the Amish

Repurpose: When we find a new use for an old thing, rather than just throwing it away, we’re keeping it out of a landfill and also cutting costs., Recycle: If your town has a recycling program, participate!, Hand-Down: Small children don’t stay...

12 Steps 1 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Repurpose: When we find a new use for an old thing

    Craker suggests: turning old clothing into a quilt or rags; saving empty plastic jars, egg cartons, and fabric scraps for kids’ craft projects; repurposing old cans in your garden.
  2. Step 2: rather than just throwing it away

    But also consider recycling yourself: use old cans or glass jars to store nails, screws, and other odds and ends; clean out plastic containers to reuse for food storage.

    One thrifty/green secret Craker shares in her book, thanks to a reader’s tip: take old jeans and make them into pillow covers, using the pocket to hold a tooth for the tooth fairy! , Most Amish families have at least half a dozen kids, so they naturally clothe the younger ones with hand-me-downs.

    If your family is slightly smaller, find other families you can trade with, or at the very least, donate used clothing to charity instead of them hitting the landfill. , For example, Craker interviewed Ella Yoder, a fabulously thrifty Amish woman, who among other things uses gallon metal apple butter cans (minus both ends) as seedling protectors in her garden. ,
  3. Step 3: we’re keeping it out of a landfill and also cutting costs.

  4. Step 4: Recycle: If your town has a recycling program

  5. Step 5: participate!

  6. Step 6: Hand-Down: Small children don’t stay small for long

  7. Step 7: so they typically outgrow their clothes before they wear them out so consider reusing them for the next child.

  8. Step 8: Plant a garden and put a dent in your summer grocery bill

  9. Step 9: reduce your carbon footprint

  10. Step 10: and make the world a little greener — literally.

  11. Step 11: Buy from a local farm or farmer’s market if you don’t have a green thumb

  12. Step 12: but still want to be green.

Detailed Guide

Craker suggests: turning old clothing into a quilt or rags; saving empty plastic jars, egg cartons, and fabric scraps for kids’ craft projects; repurposing old cans in your garden.

But also consider recycling yourself: use old cans or glass jars to store nails, screws, and other odds and ends; clean out plastic containers to reuse for food storage.

One thrifty/green secret Craker shares in her book, thanks to a reader’s tip: take old jeans and make them into pillow covers, using the pocket to hold a tooth for the tooth fairy! , Most Amish families have at least half a dozen kids, so they naturally clothe the younger ones with hand-me-downs.

If your family is slightly smaller, find other families you can trade with, or at the very least, donate used clothing to charity instead of them hitting the landfill. , For example, Craker interviewed Ella Yoder, a fabulously thrifty Amish woman, who among other things uses gallon metal apple butter cans (minus both ends) as seedling protectors in her garden. ,

About the Author

Z

Zachary Martin

Zachary Martin is an experienced writer with over 12 years of expertise in education and learning. Passionate about sharing practical knowledge, Zachary creates easy-to-follow guides that help readers achieve their goals.

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