Summer is here!

Summer is here, and on top of the sun and the longer days it means the farmers' market will be back in town. We're so fortunate to have a huge farmers' market that sets up right around the corner from our house. It's been a part of our Saturday routine to take a trip out to the market to get the food we need for the week ahead.

Taking these trips has played a huge part in our efforts to be more "green" and has improved our diets at the same time. Foods sold at farmers' markets are locally grown, not shipped from across the country - using valuable gas and resources to get it here. If helping out the environment isn't enough to convince you to take a trip to your own farmers' market, the prices and health benefits certainly should be!

Most stands at this particular market offer a choice of three baskets of fruits or vegetables for only $5! This is typically how much I would spend on peppers alone, buying from the nearest grocery store. The cheaper prices have made eating healthy less of a burden on our family's budget. Buying from the farmers' market also takes away the temptation to buy junk food - you won't find bulk packages of Oreo's being sold at one of the stands.

While every market is going to be a little different, I highly encourage everyone to at least check out the nearest market, it could end up being a great, new part of your weekly routine!

Tips and Tricks

Here are a few of the ways we're being more environmentally conscious (and saving money too!)

1.) Ditch the sandwich baggies - having a reliable set of Tupperware will save you money and spare the landfills from your bags when you're done with them. 

2.) Buy a timer - Time your showers! I know how hard it is to avoid taking long, hot showers, but setting a timer should help remind you to turn off the water!

3.) Invest in a Brita - Unfortunately, I'm one of those people that gets grossed out by tap water. So instead of buying tons of bottled water, I've bought a Brita filter to handle it.

Happy World Environment Day!

June 5th is World Environment Day! It's a day every year dedicated to taking action to improve the environment. To tell you the truth, I hadn't even heard about this day until last year when my son's school celebrated.

There are stakeholders around the world dedicated to raising awareness about efforts to save our planet, but it's also encouraged that we use the day to do something good for the Earth. It can be as simple as taking a shorter shower, or skipping on the store-bought spring water for the week.  I'd love to hear what everyone else is doing to help out!