Carbon Moms
Lower-carbon family living, one small change at a time.
Practical guides for moms who want a lighter footprint and have no spare hours to find one. Home, food, kids, style, travel, and the holidays, written by a mom of four.
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The changes that count most
- Home
How to cut the carbon from family laundry
Family laundry never stops. These five changes cut the energy behind every load, from water temperature to the dryer, without adding work to your week.
- Food
How to cook lower-carbon family dinners kids will eat
Cut the carbon from family dinners with easy beef swaps, a weekly meatless night, bean and lentil meals kids like, smarter cooking habits, and a menu plan.
- Transport
How to cut the carbon from the school run
The school run is a short trip made twice a day. Here is how to cut its carbon with walking, a walking school bus, carpools, bikes, and better driving habits.
- Kids
How to buy secondhand kids' clothes and cut carbon
Kids outgrow clothes before they wear them out. Here is where to find secondhand kids' clothes, what to buy used, what to check, and how to pass pieces on.
Topics
Pick the part of family life you want to change
Home
Heating, hot water, laundry, cleaning, and the energy a busy house uses.
Food
Meals kids eat, less waste, smarter shopping, and cooking with less energy.
Kids
Clothes, toys, gear, parties, and raising kids who care without the worry.
Style
A mom's wardrobe, skincare, and self-care with a lighter footprint.
Shopping
Buying less, buying used, borrowing, repairing, and reading the labels.
Transport
The school run, errands, bikes, buses, and the family car.
Travel
Vacations, road trips, camping, and visiting family with less carbon.
Garden
Growing food with kids, building soil, and a yard that asks for less.
Holidays
Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, birthdays, and summer with less stuff.
About
Written by a mom who does the math
Mary Jane Howie is a civil engineer and a mom of four in BC, Canada. Carbon Moms is where she works out which changes at home matter, which ones do not, and how to fit the ones that matter into a full week. No guilt, no gear you do not need, and no invented numbers.
Latest
New on the site
- Food
How to batch cook on a Sunday for a lower-carbon week
A couple of hours of cooking on the weekend can feed your family all week with less energy, less waste, and fewer takeout nights. Here is how to do it.
- Shopping
How to borrow instead of buy with libraries of things and local groups
Most families own tools, gear, and party supplies they use once a year. Here is how to borrow them from libraries, lending groups, and neighbors instead.
- Style
How to break up with fast fashion when you have no time
Fast fashion is quick and built to be replaced. Here is how a busy mom can step away from it with a few habits that take less time than shopping does.
- Travel
How to bring home memories instead of souvenirs
Most trip souvenirs end up in a drawer. Here is how to help kids keep the memories of a family trip with photos, journals, and small finds that matter.
- Kids
How to build a kids home library with used and borrowed books
Kids need lots of books, but not lots of new ones. Here is how to build a home library from the public library, swaps, and used books.
- Style
How to build a low-carbon capsule wardrobe for busy moms
A small wardrobe of clothes that all work together saves time in the morning and cuts the carbon from buying. Here is how to build one in a few weekends.
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