Its springtime in Knoxville which means enjoying the fresh outdoors and doing activities you love in the cool Tennessee air. By making simple changes to our daily lifestyles, we can make a positive impact in our communities and to the environment. Here are four ways to enjoy a more sustainable spring!

1. Garden. Growing your own fruits and vegetables is a great way to get outside and avoid harmful pesticides found in grocery store foods. There are easy, tasty greens you can grow in your own home or garden for springtime eating! Also, growing fresh flowers around your home is a great tip for adding color and beauty to your property. Choose native pollinator plants to revive the health of our local bees and butterflies!

https://www.treehugger.com/lawn-garden/6-easy-spring-vegetables-you-can-start-now.html

http://www.costafarms.com/get-growing/news/tennessee-gardening-guide

2. Clean with green products. When buying cleaning products, make sure they are environmentally friendly! Cleaners that contain harmful toxins, like chlorine and bleach, can be harmful. Eco friendly cleaners use citrus based solvents, vinegar, and essential oils to clean.

Here are some simple cleaning mixes:

Combine liquid soap, lemon juice, borax and water to make a general cleaning spray
Combine baking soda and liquid soap for a tub-and-tile cleaner
Combine borax, washing soda and grated bar soap to make laundry detergent

For more recipes and product ideas:

https://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=1073

http://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/natural-eco-friendly-cleaning-products-for-the-conscious-home

3. Donate any unused/unwanted items to a local thrift store. When spring cleaning, sort out the clothing or furniture items taking up space in your home. This will not only help you de-clutter, but also provides used necessities for other families or people in need!

Local thrift stores:

Goodwill: http://www.gwiktn.org/

KARM: http://karm.org/karm-stores/

Community Chest Knoxville: http://communitychestknoxville.org/index.php

4. Reduce paper use.Paper towels and napkins are used in most households, but these create lots of waste. There are more sustainable options such as switching to cloth towels for cleaning up around the house!

Share with how you are making your spring more sustainable, please comment below! Keep Knoxville Beautiful would love to hear from you!

Spring Sustainability