guest post | eva's eco-friendly tips for summer

I am so grateful to have Eva of the lovely blog Four Leaf Clover here today. As we are deep in the midst of summer, I knew that Eva would be a wonderful source of advice on ways to be as environmentally-conscious as possible in these hot summer months. Eva's heart for the world is so apparent in her writings, and I am so glad to have her share a piece of that here. Thanks, Eva!

When Mary asked me to share eco-friendly summer tips on For a Life Inspired, I of course had to say yes! Not only would I be able to introduce myself to all of you, but I’d be sharing some really great and important information. The fact of the matter is, the eco-friendly way of doing something is generally more enjoyable and simpler. I hope all of you are having a fantastic summer so far! Here are a few tips to an even better and more environmentally-friendly summer. Feel free to add anything on!

Go outside – Spend as much time as you can outside to get plenty of fresh air and stay away from energy-sucking machines like the TV and computer.

Make your own food – It’s healthier and more enjoyable to make your own food. Plus you won’t be wasting as much money driving back and forth to restaurants. Even better: eliminate meat from your diet or at the very least eat much less of it.

Ride your bike or walk – Save gas, the environment, and  your health by ditching the car and sticking to bike riding and your feet whenever possible. Whatever fun things you decide to do this summer, stay as close to home as you can to cut down on your carbon footprint.

Use a reusable water bottle – Instead of buying something new to drink wherever you go, keep a reusable water bottle at your side and just refill it.

Go camping – There’s not much that gets you closer to and appreciating nature more than camping. Be as mindful as possible when you go out in nature.

Eat local and seasonal – If you’ve never been before, go to your farmers’ market and pick out the local and seasonal fruits and vegetables. It’s a great experience and makes a huge difference when it comes to how far your food had to travel to get to your plate.

Monitor your air conditioning – AC consumes a ton of energy so make sure not to use it too often and keep the set temperature as high as possible. When you’re going out, turn it up before leaving home.

Garden – Gardening is a great way to spend time outdoors, learn more about plants and how to care for nature. If you plant food, you’ll be surprised by how much you can get out of it!

Don’t overwater your lawn – Water your lawn and plants only when it’s completely necessary. With so little to go around, water is not something to be taken lightly and wasted.

Use safe sunscreens – There are so many chemicals in sunscreens that have been proven to cause a wide variety of health problems and the chemicals are just as harmful to the environment. Make sure to purchase natural sunscreens and always check the ingredients before purchasing (Check out the EWG Safe Sunscreen Guide for a great resource).

Go swimming – What better way to cool off than to go swimming? It’s fun and (usually) free. I loved these in-depth swimming tips from Design Sponge.

Line dry your laundry – Save energy and water by line drying your laundry and you’ll get healthy, fresh-smelling sheets and clothing.

Play outdoor sports – Instead of paying to go to the gym or staying cooped up inside, make the most out of these warms days and exercise outside. 

Make a picnic – Do one of the most enjoyable things (eating) in one of the most enjoyable ways (picnicking). Take your seasonable and local food, eat them with reusable items, recycle everything you can once you’re done, and take with you what you brought with you.

first image by eva, second 
by first of august, third by makr