Green Living: Green Your Easter

Easter takes place during Earth Month this year. You can make your Easter green (a lovely, springy shade) by following these tips:

1. Make your own food dye for colored eggs: With the rampant rise of food dye allergies, families are looking for natural alternatives to commerical colorings made from dangerous chemicals that can harm our children’s bodies. Instead of purchasing natural food colorings at a grocery store, why not make your own? All you need is turmeric, beets, and spinach, and some spare time in the kitchen!

2. Reuse your Easter baskets – You likely reuse your holiday stocking, so why not do the same with your children’s Easter basket? This will help cut down on waste year after year. While you’re at it, skip your purchase of plastic Easter grass. Instead re-use the shredded paper cuttings from your home office shredder.

3. Stock your Easter baskets with natural and organic candy - from companies that care about the environment.

SunRidge Farms, one such company, has been dedicated to providing authentic, natural and organic confections, snacks and trail mixes for the past 30 years. In addition, SunRidge Farms uses solar power for 30-40 percent of its energy needs, pays its employees $5 to ride their bikes to work to reduce car usage, and is sustainable in a number of other ways. Their Easter selection includes All Natural Milk Chocolate Rainbow Drops (free of food dye, titanium dioxide, GMOs, preservatives, hydrogenated oils, artificial ingredients and artificial colorings); Organic Jolly Beans; and Organic Sunny Bears.