Making a difference right in our back yards. Learn more about local families who are putting significant efforts towards sustainable living practices; one eco friendly swap at a time.
Planet Protectors is brought to you in partnership with the Stark Tuscarawas Wayne Recycling District
You don’t need a house with acreage to make a difference
Right in town in our local city of New Philadelphia, The Cunningham’s are a homeschooling family making every effort to implement the teachings of environmental consciousness and the importance of caring for the earth.
Jamie Cunningham told me of their efforts to teach their kids the ins & outs of growing and preserving foods. Teaching them self sustainability, while explaining the importance of being conscious of electricity and water usage. Jamie also told me of several eco-friendly swaps they’ve made as a household..
The Cunningham’s environmentally conscious household swaps
- Use water filters in place of purchasing plastic water bottles
- Use eco-friendly cleaning products
- Often choose to walk to the local market in place of driving.
- Support local businesses whenever possible in place of shopping big box stores or having things delivered.
Similar to the Cunninghams..
The Lowery’s grow/ preserve their own food, shop local & seasonal as much as possible and believe in instilling conscious, eco friendly values in the next generation.
Recycling, properly disposing of and reducing waste are huge ways to reduce your families’ carbon footprint. When speaking to Kayla Lowery, the thing that stood out most was her family’s many stacked efforts to reduce their waste.
To mention a few..
- Buying durable, long lasting products.
- Taking care of and mending what they have.
- Thrifting; buying as much as possible second hand and donating anything they no longer have a use for.
- Using reusable containers, shopping bags, and water bottles.
- Avoiding impulse or excess purchases.
Between Kayla and her mom, the family even makes their own cleaning products, soaps, body butters and laundry detergent!
Kayla told me that she has been on this “awakened” journey for 8 years now. After sharing her efforts with me, she seemed shocked at just how much she does in the name of eco friendly living. Being an environmental champion doesn’t have to mean changing your entire life overnight..
..It’s making one small difference after the other until, like Kayla and Jamie, you’re looking back to see you’re a local Earth hero!
The Recycling District assures safe and sanitary disposal of solid waste for the residents of Stark, Tuscarawas, and Wayne Counties. Their goal is to reduce reusable or renewable wastes from entering landfills within the district. The Solid Waste District accomplish this through the development of residential and industrial programs that educate, promote, provide, implement, and improve recycling opportunities that will preserve landfill space now and into the future. Visit www.timetorecycle.org for more information.
Alyssa Harbold, Reporting
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