Janet Freisen Rienstra

As a busy and active mom, it is very important for me to make sure that my family and I live a healthy and well balanced life, not only for us but also for the environment. Around my house, we try to stick to a few simple guidelines that not only help save the environment, but energy and money too.

First and foremost, my son and I are vegans. We do not consume any animal products, and we eat foods that are as low as possible on the food chain. We don’t eat meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products -- rather, we eat soy cheese, soy yogurt, vegan burgers, etc. Many people have asked me why I chose to become a vegan, and the three main reasons are: to prevent animal cruelty, to sustain the environment, and to protect my personal health.

My family and I also recycle. In my house, it can be difficult at times trying to get everyone to do this... But to help, I placed recycling bins in various locations (not just the kitchen), which makes it easy and convenient for anyone to throw away things like plastic, glass bottles, metal, and paper and cardboard. I even posted signs on the recycle bins to show what is recyclable and what isn’t. This has really helped my family and me, and by simply recycling, we can save a lot!

Another way I conserve energy is by driving economical and affordable cars. Nowadays, we see people driving vehicles that are gas guzzlers and are extremely wasteful. By simply switching to an economical and affordable hybrid, we can save on gas money and help the environment. Personally, I have a two year-old and two dogs, and I drive a Ford Focus Hybrid.

Another simple way we conserve is by using ultra-violet light bulbs, which saves a lot of energy and money. We place these light bulbs in rooms such as the storage room and our workroom, which is often used for cleaning, ironing, and other projects. It isn’t the best lighting, but using these light bulbs means we are saving in areas that use a lot of energy but which people, like our guests or friends, normally don’t even see.

I also use newspaper bags to throw away my son's diapers. Instead of purchasing wasteful plastic bags, I simply reuse the bag that comes with our daily paper. Doing little simple things around the house can benefit everyone in the long run, and it is important to keep in mind that there are alternatives that can help save you money and make your home much more energy efficient.