Part of a series featuring green moms, the new Chief Eco Officers.

Kirstin Aadahl, new mother and a former special education teacher of 14 years, writes the Trying To Be Greener, a blog about safe, eco-living one day at a time.

How do you eco?

Everyday, I work at finding out a new way to make safer choices that will make a difference in being healthier and saving Earth’s resources. It can be as simple as learning where to take rechargeable batteries to be recycled, how to bank online to cut down on resources, and why to grab a BPA-free reusable water bottle when I head out the door. Safer, eco-living can be done one day at a time.

Why did you go eco?

After I became pregnant last year, I thought a lot about how small amounts of chemicals, whether in food, soap, or a mattress, could affect a little baby. Having a daughter inspired me to research safer soaps, toys, cleaning products, and food which also helps me to make better choices for myself. I can’t eliminate all hazards but I can try to reduce them. These changes haven’t made a huge impact on the world’s pollution or waste but it’s still progress. Small substitutions over time will have a bigger impact on our family’s health. By spreading the word on what I’ve learned, perhaps I can inspire others to want to do the same and all of us making safer choices for ourselves and the environment add up to measurable differences.

What’s your favorite eco tip?

There’ s one small, inexpensive thing we can do on a daily basis that would make an incredible difference if everyone adopted it - bring your own bag. Each year 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are produced and only 1% are recycled. Keep reusable bags in you car, under your stroller, or in your handbag. Use them often and see the great response you get from people when you pull them out to use!

EcoLinks

• Trying to Be Greener
• Grean and Clean Mom
• Safe Mama
• Tree Hugger
• Chief Eco Officers
• HomeEco
• PlayEco