Today is the first day of seventh grade for my son Nicholas and the first day in the new Bigger Sprouts classroom for my three-year-old daughter Lydia!  Even if you’re not in school and have no kids in your life, this is a great time of year to start something new.  As the leaves begin to turn red and yellow, why not make your life a little greener?

One change you could make is to take reusable tote bags to the store, instead of bringing home plastic shopping bags.  Get lots of tips on making it easy, and lots of information on what’s wrong with plastic bags, in my article at Kitchen Stewardship!

Here are some other changes you could make in the new school year:

• Switch to reusable containers for packing your lunch, or your child’s lunch.
• Walk to school, or work, or wherever you’re going.
• Eat less meat.
• Start composting.  This is not the wrong time of year to start!  Your compost will decay slowly through the winter, then perk up in the spring, giving you free fertilizer for your flowerbeds all next summer.
• Kick the K-cups and choose a low-waste, affordable method of making coffee.
• Start recycling something you’ve been throwing away.  If you’re already doing all you can with your curbside recycling program, start recycling something trickier, like coffee bags or markers.
• Put those autumn leaves and last year’s school papers to work sheet-mulching your garden to nourish the plants all winter.

Or, if you didn’t make these changes earlier this year:

• Use greener cleaners in your home.
• Buy better milk.
• Green your hygiene routine.

What’s your new school year’s resolution?  Visit Waste Less Wednesday for more great green ideas!