April 22 is Earth Day

Hello my fellow Earth dwelling and loving friends! This April 22nd is Earth Day (aka our favorite holiday around here) and I wanted to share some fun ways we can all work on being kinder to the planet. Do some of them, do all of them, it all makes a difference! Here are things I’ve been working on over the years: 

Remove plastic from your life as much as possible. Recycling is great, but a majority of plastics that go in curbside recycling bins don’t actually get recycled.
 
Use a refillable water bottle instead of plastic water bottles. 

Bring a re-usable bag to the grocery store (or any store).

Keep a collapsible food container in your bag for leftovers at restaurants. I know this sounds super nerd, but I honestly do this and everyone at the table always says, “Wait, did you just bust out your own to-go container?” Why yes I did :-) 

Switch from toothpaste tubes to toothpaste tabs for zero waste brushing.

Use laundry detergent pods or detergent sheets. Bonus, they take up way less space than those huge laundry detergent containers. 

Wash stretchy clothing (like leggings) in washer bags to keep micro-plastics out of oceans.

Buy in bulk from a co-op or zero waste store if you have one in your area.

Try shampoo and conditioner bars. In all honesty I’ve only found shampoo bars to work for me, I have not yet found a conditioner bar I like. But the shampoo bar is awesome. 

Choose aluminum packaged goods first, and glass second for best recycling life. 

Buy second-hand and vintage when possible (furniture, clothing, anything you can). There are so many online options for this now too, you don’t have to shop in person. 

Opt for clothing made with natural fibers (linen, cotton, hemp) or choose clothing made with recycled materials (recycled polyester & rayon).

Support local food systems through CSA boxes, farmers markets, or community gardens. Or grow your own! It tastes even better when you grow it yourself. 

Plant native pollinator plants to help feed the bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. 

Buy local! The less a product has to travel to get to you, the better. 

Don’t forget to use what you already have. If you own something you now realize you want to switch out for a more sustainable option, use up the old thing first! The most sustainable thing you can do is get all of the life you can out of what you already have. And remember, you don’t have to do all of this overnight. Start with one room in your home if you’re feeling overwhelmed. It’s a lot to try and overhaul everything at once. Start with one space (closet, bathroom, or kitchen for instance) and just work on making that room more eco-friendly. Then do the next space when you can. Small changes over time make a big difference!

Happy Earth Day, thank you for caring and doing what you can.