Going Green at Easter
This Easter, you can celebrate by helping take care of Mother Nature throughout your festivities with your family. There are a ton of ways you can have fun while being environmentally conscious and promoting these values with your family, friends, and community. In this article, we are going to discuss —-
4 ways your can go greener this Easter!
The Eggs
One of the easiest ways to be eco-friendly this Easter is to choose “green” eggs. Though not cheaper, free-range and organic eggs are better for the environment and come from chickens that are allowed to roam and not be held in inhumane cages. By buying eggs like these to celebrate this Easter (and each time you go to the grocery store!), you are supporting businesses that value the environment and animals’ rights.
Second, make sure to be mindful of how you choose to dye your eggs for egg hunting. For instance, rather than using unnatural food coloring and petroleum-based dyes, boil your eggs in water, vinegar, and natural dyes. Spinach, blueberries, and grape juice are all common food items that you can use for fun egg dyeing that will yield vibrant results. Good Housekeeping.com provides an amazing resource with step-by-step instructions for the whole dyeing procedure.
Additionally, make sure to reuse plastic eggs from last year rather than buying new ones. If you are part of community egg hunting events, make sure to gather all eggs and save them for the next Easter egg hunt!
Healthier Treats
Switching up the kind of treats you’re offering your kids is a great way to go green this Easter. For instance, you can offer fair-trade and/or organic chocolate, avoiding the unhealthy components of traditional chocolate as well as its association with child and slave labor, use of pesticides, and hazard to the environment.
You also have other options for healthy treats for your children. For instance, dried fruit, mini snacks like muffins, and trail mix are popular and fun options. Even by making or compiling snacks at home, such as trail mix, you are reducing the impact on the environment of the packaging and pollution needed to make products you would find in a grocery store.
Eco-Friendly Fun
If you’re in need of an Easter egg basket or two, make sure to use environmentally-friendly options and not going to the store and buying them. For instance, you can use old book totes. Alternatively, you can go to Goodwill for lightly used options for your family’s fun. Finally, avoid the plastic Easter grass that is often included as part of Easter egg baskets; reuse it if you already own it, but if not, consider other options like blankets or towels. It is common for the plastic grass to fly out when kids run to grab eggs, leading to unintended but still harmful pollution and littering.
After egg hunting with your family and friends, you can continue the Easter festivities with other fun activities that are tailored toward environmental preservation and protection. For instance, you could plant trees. By doing this with your kids and community, planting trees could become a way for the community to come together to value Mother Nature. You can even hide tree seeds as part of the egg hunt!
Easter Dinner
If Easter dinner is a tradition for your family, you can also make it environmentally conscious! Make sure that anyone coming to join you for dinner uses environmentally friendly transportation options, such as ridesharing services, carpooling, or biking. You can also open the windows and turn off the air conditioning or heating for fresh spring air, depending on the weather where you live. Turn the lights off and switch to candles, if natural light isn’t enough. Furthermore, avoid disposable dishes for the meal; rather use reusable dishes that are better for the environment.
Finally, make the meal itself environmentally friendly as well! Choose healthy foods, like organic fruits and vegetables, and perhaps even go red meat-free, try free range organically GMO free chicken. Conventionally raised red meat or processed meat is not only bad for the environment can be bad for your health.
All in all, there are many ways to make your Easter celebration more environmentally friendly. Whether you add a eco-friendly twist to how you make and distribute eggs, or how you bring everyone together for a meal, you can help protect and preserve the environment with these simple tips.
If you have any tips or ideas on how to make your Easter celebration greener, healthier, and eco-friendly please share your ideas in the comments section below.
Sending wishes of a healthy, happy and blessed Easter to you and your family and friends!
