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Best Everyday Carry Items To Avoid Creating Environmental Waste
To help you keep the environment cleaner and avoid pollution, there are various items that you can carry with you for your usual daily activities. Some of these items include:
Reusable Mesh Bags
Mesh bags are convenient to carry while shopping at the mall or grocery. They are a great option against plastic bags that will pollute the environment when disposed. This is because plastic releases toxic substances to the environment and does not decompose. Mesh bags, on the other hand, will assure you of longer service because you can easily wash them after use and then reuse them on your next trip. Mesh bags are also made of biodegradable material, implying that they will not pollute the environment once you throw them away.
Stainless Steel Straws
When you are out and about, be sure to carry with you a steel straw for everyone traveling with you. Plastic straws are more popular as compared to steel straws, but they are among the many plastics that pollute the environment. A plastic straw is a onetime use item that you will inevitably have to throw away after use, thereby polluting the environment further. Steel straws, on the other hand, are reusable. Most steel straws come in a package alongside a flexible thin brush with short bristles that is used to clean the straw. As such, carry a steel straw with you to keep your environment clean.
Steel Water Bottles
Every time you are about to leave the house for long periods, ensure you carry with you a bottle of water in a steel bottle. Most of the water sold in stores is contained in plastic bottles that are almost always thrown away after use, thus leading to environmental pollution. You can minimize this pollution by buying a stainless steel water bottle that you can carry with you wherever you go. With their stylish designs, the bottles are ideal for work, school, gym, park, or any other place that you frequent. Steel water bottles have a higher reusable rate as compared to plastic bottles. What’s more, having your own water means not buying water in plastic bottles from stores.
Biodegradable Food Wraps
Food wraps are among the items that we use in our day-to-day lives. Whether you are going on a picnic, a long trip, work, school, or visiting a friend, you may need to use food wraps to carry food to or from your destination. Plastic food wraps contribute greatly to pollution because they are thrown away most of the time. Using biodegradable food wraps, therefore, will help keep the environment cleaner and avoid pollution. This is because once you throw them away, they will eventually decompose. If you or your children require to use one-time-use food wraps daily, use the biodegradable ones instead of plastic to avoid polluting the environment with plastic each day.
All of the items above provide a great way of conserving the environment. If you feel like you are using too much plastic, you can start making the change today.
Most household cleaners are full of dangerous chemicals that are terrible for the overall health of both you, your family, and the environment in general. More and more people are choosing to purchase natural and eco-friendly household cleaners because of the benefits they provide for your health and the world around us. Natural household cleaners provide the same amount of cleanliness to your home, without harming your body or unleashing unnecessary chemicals into the world. If you are looking to make the switch to a better cleaner, here are some of the top ones to choose from.
1) Better Life All-Purpose Cleaner
All-purpose cleaner is a staple in every home. This spray can work on almost all surfaces to remove harmful and dangerous bacteria and grease from your home. It is a very affordable brand that provides an excellent clean to all surfaces. It does not contain many of the harmful chemicals found in other brands, and is a great choice.
Most household cleaners are full of dangerous chemicals that are terrible for the overall health of both you, your family, and the environment in general. More and more people are choosing to purchase natural and eco-friendly household cleaners because of the benefits they provide for your health and the world around us. Natural household cleaners provide the same amount of cleanliness to your home, without harming your body or unleashing unnecessary chemicals into the world. If you are looking to make the switch to a better cleaner, here are some of the top ones.
2) Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner
This cleaner is ideal for people looking for a well rounded multi-purpose cleaner. This cleaner is safe to use on many surfaces and is free of dangerous chemicals that can irritate your skin or membranes. It can easily be combined with water to last longer even if slightly diluted. This product is eco-friendly and is a biodegradable option.
3) Bon Ami Powder Cleanser
Most powder cleansers are very harmful to your skin because of the extremely large amounts of dangerous chemicals found within. This cleaner, however, is a much safer option because it contains only natural ingredients. It includes limestone, soda ash, baking soda, and sulfonic acid. These ingredients allow you to scrub all of your kitchen and bath surfaces to get them shiny and clean. It does not irritate your skin and can be used on almost all surfaces, though be careful as it can be harmful if ingested.
4) Branch Basics Concentrate
While this product may appear to be more expensive than other brands, it is not. To help protect the environment and cut down on waste, this product should be diluted with an appropriate amount of water for each use. Therefore, you are actually getting a much larger quantity in the same bottle which helps save on unnecessary packaging. This product is made of plant and mineral derived ingredients to give you a natural clean that you can feel good about. It can be used for many different surfaces, including bathrooms, kitchens, windows, detergent, and more. It is also deemed safe to use on your hands and other body parts because it is free of chemicals and irritants; as always be careful of possible ingestion however.
5) Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Multi-Surface Cleaner
This cleaning spray has a wonderful scent that will make you want to use it again and again. It is one of the most affordable options for household cleaners, and is very comparable to other popular brands in cleaning power. It is made with plant-derived ingredients and essential oils to give you an effective, but gentle and clean feel. It can be used on a variety of different surfaces throughout the home and will do a great job to help make your house clean.
If you are looking out for the overall safety and health of you and your family, you may want to consider switching to one of these incredible household cleaners. Your family, and the environment will thank you.
Best Resources For Helping To Make Ethical Shopping Choice
There are certain things in various areas of our lives that we need to change if we are to maintain a healthy environment and ecosystem. Among the areas that we need to consider, especially while shopping, include:
Money And Finance
Before you apply for a shopping credit card in any financial institution, it would be better to do research first and determine whether the bank is ethical. This means that you find out where the bank invests its money and if it supports any charity organizations.
If you are an environmentalist, you can investigate whether the bank funds projects that contribute to environmental conservation, such as projects that discourage the use of fossil fuels. Market Forces provides a useful resource that lists down all the banks that support fossil fuel projects.
Can you imagine shopping with credits cards from banks that provide funding to companies that grab lands in poor developing countries? As an ethical person, you may not want to contribute to the growth of such a corrupt financial organization. Oxfam carried out an investigation on some major banks and you may be surprised
by the number of big banks that support corrupt business deals.
Food
Food is one of the necessary shopping items that you include in most of your shopping activities. The types of foods you eat may be causing more harm than you know, especially to animals and sea life. Does this mean that you have to become a vegetarian and abandon all your meat delicacies? No. You just have to observe and minimize the frequency of your consumption of certain meat and dairy products. Majority of foods are processed, which means that they may have some impact on the environment. Production of foods like cheese, beef, and lamb produce higher emissions to the environment as compared to foods like tofu, beans, and lentils that emit less energy to the environment.
Seafood
Seafood is quickly gaining popularity all over the world, and although it may be exciting to develop a liking for the food, it is important to ensure that the type of seafood you are eating is sustainable and not growing scarce in the seas.
GoodFishBadFish is an important resource that creates awareness on the types of fish species that are in abundance and those that are scarce. In Australia, the Marine Conservation Society came up with a seafood app to help people choose sustainable fish species. These resources will guide you on your next shopping of seafood.
Eating Local
When you eat local foods, especially those that are in season, you help to reduce the stock of perishable foods in the grocery shops, which means that less food will go to waste. When you shop for more local foods that are in season, they will not have to be
transported to other towns where their demand is higher. Through this, you not only save the environment from fumes of fuels, but you also save the traders a lot of time and money.
If you are always busy with work and hardly know which foods are in season, here is a seasonal food guide that is always updated by Sustainable Table. It will be a great resource.
Best Readily Available Refillable Beauty Products
When people think about eco-friendly beauty products, they usually focus on what’s inside the packaging. If you’ve given it a bit more thought, you recognize packaging itself is part of the problem.
Soap
Follain’s refillable everything soap is… well, it’s soap. Most companies advertise a variety of soaps for use on various parts of your body. Hands? They have soap for that. Body? They’ll sell you something else.
But Follain created a soap that’s gentle enough for your entire body while still being effective.
Hair Care
OUAI’s shampoo and conditioner would be great even if you couldn’t refill them. While some refillable products (like the soap mentioned above) can be used for pretty much anything, sometimes you need a product that’s laser-focused on your specific needs.
With OUAI, you’re able to choose among products for the following hair types:
- Fine
- Medium
- Thick
You can also choose their Detox shampoo and conditioner if you need some extra oomph to wash away the buildup from other products.
The company’s owner, Jen Atkins, created OUAI to make hair care easy. She points out that, for runway shows, stylists do the models’ hair in under twenty minutes. Atkins believes it shouldn’t take longer than that for you, either.
Lipstick
Paul & Joe has come up with a refillable lipstick that you’ll love. They’ve made colors to suit any skin tone and style. You can pop the refill into your favorite decorative lipstick case. (Each case is a work of art on its own.)
You might also want to order their refillable treatment lipstick, which hydrates the skin of your lips. It works well as a primer beneath other lip colors.
Blush
Kjaer Weiss’s refillable cream blush comes in eleven different shades. The creamy texture means it blends easily into your skin, which will give you a natural-looking glow. You can apply it with just your fingers.
This blush is also certified organic. Three of its main components are vanilla planifolia, rosehip seed oil, and gardenia florida extract. Together, those ingredients moisturize while providing your skin with protective antioxidants.
For Eyes
Surratt’s Auto-Graphique eyeliner might seem a bit spendy until you remind yourself that it’s refillable. This liquid liner’s brush is inspired by the brushes used in Japanese calligraphy, making it perfect for high-precision looks.
Deodorant
The people at MYRO describe their refillable deodorant as pro-planet. The pores that make your armpits sweat are also perfect avenues for chemicals to enter your body, so you’ll be relieved to know that this deodorant is plant-based.
Conclusion
We also love runners-up like Clove and Hallow pressed mineral foundation or Isle of Paradise self-tanning water. The products we’ve listed here are just the beginning, though. The world of refillable beauty products is growing bigger by the day. Go explore it!
Best Eco-Friendly Hygiene Products
4 Best Eco-Friendly Hygiene Products
Our responsibility to our health and the environment has never been more important than now. Imagine how much waste is left behind after every purchase of whatever item. Is there a smarter and more eco-friendly way to shop? Yes. There is, and I’m about to show you how. Here are four of some of the best eco-friendly hygiene products you can use right away!
Bamboo Toothbrushes
The best feature of a bamboo toothbrush is that it gets rid of unwanted plastic waste while giving you the quality cleaning of its plastic counterpart. These brushes also have bacteria-resistant properties because of the natural chemicals in the wood that kill bacteria and prevent them from spreading in the first place. That’s one of the reasons why kitchen utensils such as cutting boards and knives are often made with wood and bamboo.
However, on the flip side, you have to be wary when purchasing these products—especially if you have eco-friendly intentions for choosing to buy them. Some companies are scrupulous enough to advertise their toothbrushes as having nylon bristles, which have been observed to be biodegradable. However, not all nylon bristles are. They might also still wrap their wooden brushes in plastic. If you’re looking into supporting eco-friendly companies, do your research so you can be sure that you’re supporting the right business. Try these bamboo brushes from Hello Boo.
Plastic-Free Soaps
380 million tons of plastic waste are produced each year, and half of it is from single-use purposes such as plastic wraps for soaps. One way you can reduce your plastic footprint is by supporting businesses producing plastic-free items. For example, some really great selections are produced by a company called byhumankind.
Their soaps come in variety of choices: Kavebderm Tea tree and Grapefruit. Their formulas are ethically-made, sulfate-free, gluten-free, and vegan. Byhumankind is one of the eco-friendliest companies you can find. Its goal is to offer great personal care products that don’t come at Earth’s expense. It’s also a company that invests in restoring forests as part of its programs to reduce its carbon footprint.
Shampoo Bars
Most of the carbon footprint of shampoo comes from heating water while using it. The rest is because of its packaging. One way you can get rid of some of its carbon footprint is by supporting the business that has gone plastic-free. You don’t even have to sacrifice your hair’s quality as there are more and more selections to choose from.
For example, you can buy plastic-free shampoo bars from Ethique. They have selections for Dandruff and itchy scalps that are plastic-free and sustainable, pH balanced, vegan, zero-waste, 100% compostable, vegan and plant-based. Ethique is on a mission to eliminate plastic-waste while offering their customers ethically sourced and 100% sustainable products from effective and natural ingredients.
Zero-Waste Toothpaste
The growing number of eco-friendly companies producing hygienic products is a pleasant trend. The carbon footprint of toothpaste is twofold: production of single-use plastic for its containers and pollutant ingredients. Not only that, you eventually release these pollutants down the drain every time your brush. So what your dentist
says is effective in cleaning your teeth may not necessarily be effective in cleaning the environment. But it’s not easy to find eco-friendly substitutes for the general commercial tooths. Taste, effectivity, and health concerns are only some of the factors that you need to consider.
One of the zero-waste toothpaste products you can try is made by Etee. It’s a company that says goodbye to plastic by simple, daily actions that make meaningful and lasting change. Going 100-plastic free is overwhelming. Try a day without it, and impossibilities will flood you. That’s why Etee’s mission is to get rid of plastic in increments—and it starts by changing our most basic habits and routines like brushing our teeth. This is a small action that can snowball into huge efforts to save planet Earth. Not only that, but you save your teeth, too.
To live sustainably and conserve our environment, we must avoid the use of plastic as much as possible. This is because when plastic items are disposed, they release toxic wastes into the land and atmosphere as well as take forever to decompose.
Replacing plastic products with recyclable products or eco-friendly items, therefore, will go a long way in conserving our environment and saving the eco system. Here are some great cheap alternatives that you can use instead of plastic.
Cheap Reusable Alternatives For Plastic
Mesh Produce Bags That Are Washable
Washable mesh bags are a great alternative to plastic bags when it comes to grocery shopping. Mesh bags are incredibly cheap, especially when bought in sets of multiple bags. The best part is that mesh bags are durable and you can rewash them when they get dirty instead of throwing them away. The bags are also foldable and compact, meaning that they will occupy minimum space in your kitchen when it comes to storing. They also come in different colors and designs; a variety of options for different shopping occasions.
Reusable Wraps For Food
Plastic food wraps may be the most common type available, but you can opt for better reusable wrap foods as an alternative. Food wraps are important and necessary items to have in your home, helping to cover bowls of food, pack snacks, or use as place mats.
Nowadays, you will find reusable non-plastic food wraps made of cotton, tree resin, jojoba oil (organic), and even beeswax (harvested). The wraps are more durable compared to plastic wraps because they are easy to wash, implying that you can use them over and over again. The eco-friendly ingredients used to make the wraps also make them compostable, thereby ensuring that they would not pollute the environment once they have outlived their usefulness.
Steel Containers For Grains
Most people have different plastic containers in their homes where they store things like beans, rice, pasta, and other types of grains. If you have such plastic containers in your home, you can easily replace them with better reusable options, such as high-quality steel containers.
Steel lasts much longer than plastic does, which means that steel containers will help you continue to store your food over long periods of time before needing replacement. You should look for steel containers that have narrow glass windows built into one of the sides to help you keep track of the level of food in the container without having to climb up the kitchen shelf, opening the lid, and checking the food.
Stainless Steel Bottles
Instead of using plastic bottles for drinking water, juice, or other beverages, you can switch to using stainless steel bottles. Although some plastic bottles may be fancy, they also tend to be incredibly expensive for what they are and can be a plague to the eco system. Some higher end stainless steel bottles have the benefit of a double wall insulated vacuum chamber to ensure that your drink remains in its original temperature as long as possible, whether hot or cold. With regular cleaning, you can also reuse these eco-friendly bottles essentially for as long as you need.
Wooden Disposable Cutlery
A better alternative to using those plastic disposable cutleries is using wooden forks and spoons. The wooden cutlery are compostable, which makes them infinitely more friendly to the environment. Wooden cutlery also has the added benefit of generally being cheaper and with appropriate cleaning, you can reuse them as much as you want. The FDA approves wooden cutlery above plastic types because they are biodegradable.
Bamboo Tableware
Bamboo is an easy, fast-growing alternative that will hopefully soon replace plastic and other non-environmentally friendly options. To get started, you can choose bamboo tableware instead of plastic ones the next time you are shopping. Items made from bamboo are reusable and renewable in addition to being almost as light as plastic. Bamboo is always biodegradable so your home will not only be filled with reusable items but also safe non-toxic ones.
Paper Cups
If you work in an office that uses disposable plastic cups for water or coffee, you can replace them with paper cups. Paper cups are cheaper as compared to plastic and will minimize some of the office expenses. Another reason why you should opt for paper cups is that they are also safer to use. Unlike plastic cups, they will often not burn your hands if the liquid in them is too hot (though this obviously depends). Paper cups are also reusable materials because they can always be recycled instead of throwing them away.
Steel Drinking Straws
Drinking straws are among the most common type of plastics that pollute the environment in modern times. If you own a restaurant, you can provide drinking straws made from stainless steel to your customers to do your part. The straws are not only reusable but also end up being cheaper in the long run. They are also classier as compared to plastic straws and can add a certain level of sophistication and awareness.
Many eco-friendly products for pets are currently available in the market place that you can confidently use to care for your pet, while also doing your part to make the world a better and healthier place. Most eco-friendly pet products are made from recycled materials by brands that are conscious about the state of the environment.
Here are some great pet products that are not only great at what they do, but have an environmentally friendly outlook as well.
Keeping a healthy pet depends largely on the quality of food, bedding, gear, and treats that are available to it. Fortunately the majority of environmentally friendly pet products you will come across are also better quality and better for your pet as well!
Here are some eco-friendly products to consider for your pet that will also help keep the environment safe:
Cat Scratching Post
It is important to provide your cat with enough toys to play with and scratch to keep them healthy and entertained. To ignore this will basically guarantee at least some of your furniture and other items will get damaged or destroyed. Cats usually have a lot of pent up energy and one way of releasing the energy is through scratching and active play. This scratching post from Delxo will help save your furniture from the claws of your feline friend, as well as help them exercise their claws in a healthy way. It also comes with a fish toy attached to a string that your cat will also enjoy playing with.
Rope Play Set For Your Dog
Do you have a puppy that enjoys a good game of tug of war? If you do, then this 12-piece rope set will be bring a smile to both your faces. The play set has 12 different toys that are made from materials that are non-toxic and sustainably sourced, thus making both friendly to the environment and fun.
Ball Toys For Cats And Kittens
Cats absolutely love toys that they can chase and pounce on. Kittens notoriously love these types of games and if you own a cat, you have probably discovered their love for strings and woolen fabrics.
These ball toys are made from materials that are non-toxic and renewable. This is an eco-friendly toy you can be sure that your cats will be having a great time playing with every day.
Dog Harness With Maximum Comfort And Control
This dog harness is designed to help you control your dog without harming it. It has a no-pull design to protect the torso of your dog, and a no-choke design to prevent the dog from choking through constriction of the trachea.
The harness is made from materials that are friendly to the environment in general with straps made of recycled materials. The product is available in different patterns and colors, allowing you to pick the ones you like depending on your preference.
Bamboo Toys For Dogs
Some pet products contain substances like lead and other toxic substances that may cause underlying health conditions in your pet. Unfortunately these problem develop over time and often the damage has been done when you start to notice symptoms.
It is important to start off your pets with non-toxic toys and surroundings at as early an age as possible.
The toys made from bamboo are among the best eco-friendly toys you can get for your dog. Bamboo is a highly renewable substance that is ideal for many uses. Using these types of toys and products can keep your pets entertained and still safe. Non-toxic and renewable toys that are friendly both to the environment and to pet health are widely available and a great way to keep your pets and your planet safe.
Best Uses For Castille Soap
If you have been looking for natural soaps to try on your skin, you might want to try out castille soap. Natural skin products are gaining more favor with people because they are safe to use and tend to nourish your skin much more than chemical based ones. Some chemical based skin products and soaps may react with your skin and eyes, especially if you have a sensitive skin, causing irritation, allergic reactions, and break outs of acne.
What Is So Great About Castille Soap?
Castille soap is primarily made of olive oil and a variety of other natural oils such as almond, walnut, hemp, and coconut oil. All these oils are known to nourish, smooth, and moisturize your skin. Castille soap also contains lye, which creates the individual molecules of the soap when it mixes with the oil. When you add the castille soap to water, the soap reacts by forming charged atoms that help to capture the dirt and grime on your skin, and get rid of them, leaving you with clean, healthy skin.
Why Would You Consider Castille Soap Over Other Soaps?
Most normal soaps contain tallow, an ingredient that is a type of animal fat. Castille soap on the other hand uses all natural vegetable and nut based oils, making it a vegan option that is cruelty free. There is much awareness in the world now about how thousands of animals suffer at the expense of fashion and skin products. As a result, cruelty free products are more available than ever before.
Pure castille soap does not contain any toxic chemicals that may damage your skin, thus making it a great biodegradable, natural, non-toxic option for you and your loved ones.
What Are Some Of The Best Uses Of Castille Soap?
Castillie soap has an incredibly wide range of uses. Some of the common ones include:
Face Wash
Castille soap contains natural oils that make it mild and safe to use on your face. It is also strong enough to eradicate any harmful bacteria and help prevent any breakouts of acne.
Use it by rubbing a few drops of the soap on your face or washcloth then rinsing it off with water.
Shaving Cream
If you run out of shaving cream, you can use castille soap as the cream instead.
Just lather up the soap in your hands then apply the lather on the part of skin you want to shave.
Decongestion Of The Sinus
You can use steam from castille soap to clear up your clogged sinuses.
Add a tablespoon of the soap into hot boiled water in a bowl. Place you head over the bowl and breathe in the steam for a natural and relaxing way to clear your sinuses.
Tooth Paste
With this soap, you do not need to skip brushing your teeth regardless of how chaotic your morning is. When you are running late and you cannot find your toothpaste, you can just use the soap.
Place a drop of the soap on your toothbrush and brush your teeth. I just hope that you can handle the taste!
Makeup Remover
You can use the soap to remove your facial makeup before you go to bed.
All you need to do is mix the soap with carrier oil and witch hazel. Using a cotton ball, gently rub the mixture on your face to remove the makeup.
Ideas For Reusing And Repurposing Your Glass Jars
In order to help live more sustainably, we all need to start thinking about different ways that we can reuse and repurpose everyday items. Some of the most commonly thrown out items are glass jars and glass containers. These everyday jars hold many food and drink items, like sauces, pickles, cheeses, and more. To help protect our environment and reduce our waste, we can repurpose these jars in many unique ways. Here are some of the top do it yourself ideas for glass jars.
1) Planters
One of the best ways to reuse glass jars is by turning them into planters. You can grow small flowers and kitchen herbs in these jars and display them throughout your home. Some of the best flowers to grow are succulents because they require only minimal water and can grow in small places. Try decorating the outside of the jar with some paint for a one of a kind planter or gift.
2) Arts And Crafts Storage
We are always looking for ways to store arts and crafts items. You can use these glass jars and their lids to hold a variety of items, including paint brushes, markers, paints, tacs and more. You can decorate the outside or leave them blank to see the inside of the containers.
3) Bath Storage
Another great way to repurpose these jars is to use them for bath storage items. For example, you can place all of your q-tips into a container and display them on your counter or in a medicine cabinet.
4) Potpourri
Everyone wants a fresh and clean smelling house. One of the best ways to achieve this is by using potpourri. Try adding these scents into a glass jar and displaying it in a bathroom or bedroom. The glass container will hold the smell and keep it looking nice in any area of your home.
5) Tools
If you are a handyman, you likely have hundreds, if not thousands, of loose nails, screws, bolts and other miscellaneous items. Try using small jars with lids to hold all of your tools. If you have a workbench, you can screw the lids onto the bench and then hang the jars onto the bench. This will allow you to nicely display and organize all of your miscellaneous tool items.
Whether you are a handyman, have children, enjoy DIY crafts or simply want to help reduce waste, there are endless ways that you can reuse and repurpose glass jars of any size. Rather than tossing them into the trash or putting them out for recycling, try taking on one of these craft ideas. Be sure to thoroughly rinse out and wash each jar before reusing them. Remember that you can always involve your kids in the repurposing projects. They will love helping to paint the outside of the jars with you. It will be an ideal way to bond with each other and to talk about the importance of protecting the environment through recycling and repurposing.
DIY Hygiene And Beauty Product Ideas
Hygiene and beauty products typically cost a fortune and can be a huge unnecessary waste of money if they are not used fully. In addition to the high price tag, they are often terrible for the environment because they are usually not eco-friendly and fill up landfills with non-biodegradable containers. If you are tired of spending money on these things, you may be looking for ways to make your own products. Here are some simple do it yourself ways to keep up with your hygienic needs and make your own beauty products.
1) Soap
One of the best ways to start making your own hygiene products if you do not have a lot of experience is to start with a simple soap. You can make soap easily, make it to fit your exact needs, and maybe even have fun during the process.
To make a basic bar of soap you need to add 1/4 cup of coconut oil, 1/2 cup of melted lye and pour soap, 3 drops of your favorite essential oil, and 1 cup of sugar to a double boiler. Heat the ingredients together and stir. Let them remain on the double boiler for about 15 minutes and then pour the mixture into a silicone mold. Let the mixture cool for about six hours and then wrap it in your favorite paper.
This is an ideal way to save money on store-bought soaps and improve your overall hygiene. You can experiment with new scents and even gift these soap bars to family and friends.
2) Body Lotion
There are many lotions available in stores and online, however many of them do not work the way they promise. If you are tired of spending money on lotions and not having the soft and smooth skin you desire, you can always try making your own.
To make your own lotion you need to combine 2 tablespoons of almond oil with 1/4 cup of coconut oil, 2 teaspoons of ginger, and 1/2 cup of shea butter. Microwave these together for about thirty seconds and let cool. Then, use a hand mixer to combine the previous mixture with two teaspoons of vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons of vitamin E, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Mix this until it resembles a whipped lotion.
You can fill small jars with this lotion and gift to friends and family. If you prefer to keep it all, you can put it all in one big jar and use it as needed.
3) Lip Balm
If you are looking to make your lip balm, you can use this basic recipe to do so. You can add together different ingredients and essential oils to give you the exact flavor and scent that you want.
Simply use 1 tablespoon of cocoa butter, 1 tablespoon of beeswax, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, 2 cups of water, and about 10 drops of your favorite essential oils. Combine and melt these ingredients into a double boiler and heat for about ten minutes. Then, pour into silicone molds and let cool. After drying, you can place them into lip balm holders and use them as needed.
Top 5 Websites For Buying Eco-Friendly Household Products
Today, you can shop for eco-friendly products from a huge variety of online as well as local stores. Eco-friendly products are great because they help keep the environment clean and healthy by minimizing the buildup of toxic chemicals and wastes ,while still doing a great job. Today, you can’t beat the convenience of online shopping and here are some of the best sites for researching and buying environmentally friendly products:
The Ultimate Green Store
This online store offers some of the finest eco-friendly household products for your home at reasonable prices. The owners believe that it is possible to make the world a better place for animals, people, and nature in general by being more conscious in the products we make and how we use them. Their website is devoted to that ideal.
A tour of the website reveals a wide variety of eco-friendly products that they sell at competitive prices. The products range from organic home spas, organic mattresses, organic cotton beddings, organic baby clothes made from cotton, eco-friendly toys for kids, safe cookware, and PVC yoga mats and much much more.
Organic Aromas
One great way to make your home more appealing and enjoyable is by infusing it with different smells that calm and energize at the same time. Do you know that some scents can have actually have verified relaxing and therapeutic benefits? The online storefront sells essential oils that are pure certified organic oils and blends gathered from the finest flowers, plants, natural materials, and tree barks.
Visit the site to review the many perfumes and essential oils that they have in stock. With their wide variety, you are sure to find something that you can use for your aromatherapy right at home.
Organics On A Budget
As the name claims, you will get many eco-friendly products here to use in your house at affordable prices. The store is there to show you that you do not need to drain all of your savings trying to make the world a better healthier place. They sell all kinds of non-toxic household products. Whether you need products for cleaning, appliances, pet care, DIY projects, laundry, or aromatherapy, this store has you covered.
Green People
If you are looking for an online store that offers a wide variety of organic products that are all certified, Green People is the store for you. From their inventory, you will find products dealing with body care, skin care, baby and childcare, mouth care, and even pet care.
All the products sold at Green People are 100% cruelty free as the organization aggressively does not support or take part in animal testing. Instead, they use ingredients from plants to produce their products. The natural skin care products sold at the store are all verified to be clinically proven to provide your skin with the care it needs.
Biome
This online store sells eco-friendly products that range from personal care to household items. The products from the store are advertised as free from toxins, free from gluten, are vegan, have zero waste, conform to fair trade, and use ethically sourced raw materials.
Biome not only offers their natural products line but also carries out a social good campaign. Moreover, it vocally maintains a strict standard when picking ingredients to ensure that animal cruelty is avoided.
Eco-friendly products are a safe, reusable, durable, and non–toxic to ensure your home is a clean healthy space for your family. Nowadays, there are so many options that you can feel good by doing your part to keep the world a healthy place while being financially conscious as well!
A Beginner’s Guide To Growing Your Own Food
Living sustainably is something that everyone should strive to do. More and more companies are producing and manufacturing food with high levels of chemicals and artificial colors and preservatives. These things are terrible for our bodies and for our children. To help prevent the terrible intake of these chemicals and to improve our overall health and well being, it is time that we all start thinking about growing our own food.
When you grow your own food you know exactly what you are putting into your body. You do not need to question if you sprayed it with chemicals or if there is a possible runoff in the water your crops are getting. While it may be a little challenging at first, it is well worth the effort to grow your own food. Here are some of the best tips to help you start growing your own food.
1) Think About What You Eat
One of the most important things you need to do before you start to grow your own food is to think about what you will actually eat. When you walk into a store you will likely become overwhelmed with the thought of all the different seeds you are able to purchase. Make a list of the different kinds of fruits and vegetables that you actually eat. Do not purchase things that you know you will not eat because this will likely be a waste of time and money.
2) Start Small
When most people think of growing their own food they may become overwhelmed. Try to avoid taking on too much at once. There is no reason that you need to try and grow everything in the first year. The key to having a successful yield is to start out small. Make sure you are able to manage the foods you want to grow. If you plant too much, you will be forced to do all the work or give up. If you start small, you will be more likely to follow through until the end of the season. Therefore, it is recommended that you pick about three foods you want to grow and then work your way up from there, year after year.
3) Decide Where To Plant
If you want to produce as much food as possible with a small number of seeds, it is critical that you understand where to plant. Pick a place in your yard that gets an adequate amount of sunlight. If you plant fruits and vegetables in the shade, they may not grow. And, if you plant them in the pure sun, they may get too much heat and will not be able to flourish either. Before you start to plant, you should observe your yard for about a week and determine which areas get the best amount of sun. Also, some fruits and vegetables require a different amount of sunlight so be sure to read the package or ask a professional.
Another thing to remember is that you do not need a yard to grow your own food. You can easily grow food from a balcony or entryway. Try using buckets or recycled plastics to grow a few fresh foods. The nice thing about growing on these types of containers is that you can bring them into your house during cold weather. This allows you to have fresh food all year long.
4) Find The Right Season
Another critical thing that you need to remember when you start growing your own food is knowing what time is best to grow. Some foods may need to be planted in May, while others can wait until June. Look at the packages of seed that you buy to find the optimal time to plant.
5) Get Others To Help
If you are unsure about what you are doing you can ask friends and family for help. The more people that you have to help, the more likely you are to have a successful season. More people means more help. While you will have to share your crops, you will also be able to share the work. This means you will have help with watering and wedding when you need it.
6) Consider A Raised Bed
One of the most underestimated ways to have a successful yield and reduced work is to put in some extra time up front. If you take a few days before planting season to build your own raised garden bed, it will pay off.
A raised garden bed allows you the ability to get the garden off the ground. This reduces the number of pests and wildlife that will enter your garden. It will also make planting, weeding, watering, and harvesting much easier. It allows you to get off your knees and prevents injuring your back and legs.
7) Keep Track Of What Grows
If you are going to take the time to plant your own garden, you should take the time to keep track of what food actually grows. Record how many fruits and vegetables you get. Once the season is over you can refer back to this journal to decide which plants are worth trying again the next year and which ones you may not want to grow the following year.
8) Buy Reputable Seeds
While it may be tempting to buy cheap seeds from a dollar store, this may not be ideal. While they will likely grow into something, they may not produce the best tasting food possible. If you are going to take the time to grow your own food, make sure you get the best. You may even want to consider skipping seeds and purchasing a plant that is already in a mature stage. This will guarantee that you get food earlier and that it will likely be better tasting.
There are tremendous benefits to growing your own food and it is never too late to start. This year, try using some of these tips to help you get started on living a healthier lifestyle.
Easy Zero Waste Gift Ideas
In many people’s minds, presents and consumerism are the same. You can’t separate one from the other!
Actually, you can. Here are a few ways to do it.
Experiences
Experiences create memories that last a lifetime. Some experiences, like lessons, are useful for years to come.
- Dance classes
- Music lessons
- Foreign language classes
- Museum tickets
- Concert tickets
- Tickets to the ballet or orchestra
- Ziplining gift cards
- Massage gift cards
Charitable DonationsWhat cause does your loved one care about most? Whatever it is, there are bound to be numerous relevant non-profit organizations. Donate in your loved one’s name.Research charities before giving. Try CharityNavigator.org to peruse each charity’s financials and see whether donations are being used appropriately.Turtles And TreesThese gifts are charitable, but they have an added twist: The person you’re donating for can “adopt” and maybe even name something.Sea Turtle AdoptionThe Sea Turtle Conservancy allows each donor to “adopt” and name a sea turtle. The turtle will then be tagged. The STC posts online about beach sightings of adopted turtles.- Tree AdoptionThe Orangutan Project will plant a tree in Sumatra and send a certificate of adoption. The trees help reforest the natural habitat of orangutans.Adopt A FishThe World Animal Foundation allows you to choose among a variety of sea life when you adopt. Whether you pick sea sponges, sharks, starfish, barnacles, or something else, the WAF sends an adoption certificate and in-depth information about the chosen species.FoodFor a more tangible—and delicious—gift, make something tasty.
- Cookies
- Cookie mix or other baking mixes
- Jarred tomato sauce
- Jarred salsa
- Custom spice blends
- Sourdough starter
- Handmade FashionAre you crafty? If so, try making the following gifts.
- Knitted or crocheted mittens, scarves, or sweaters
- Jewelry
- Hand-sewn clothing
- Candles
- Quilts
- Wall art
- Tree AdoptionThe Orangutan Project will plant a tree in Sumatra and send a certificate of adoption. The trees help reforest the natural habitat of orangutans.Adopt A FishThe World Animal Foundation allows you to choose among a variety of sea life when you adopt. Whether you pick sea sponges, sharks, starfish, barnacles, or something else, the WAF sends an adoption certificate and in-depth information about the chosen species.FoodFor a more tangible—and delicious—gift, make something tasty.
Easy Changes You Can Make Today To Help Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
You’ve decided you want to lower your carbon footprint. But how?
It can feel overwhelming—after all, you’re just one person. Reducing atmospheric carbon should be the entire world’s concern. Still, it starts with individual people doing their part. You can make a difference.
Eating
Changing the way you purchase and use food is one of the simplest ways to lower your carbon footprint.
Eat Local
Instead of heading to a chain grocery store, get your food from local sources as often as you can. While it’s true that you can’t find locally grown Pop-Tarts, you can probably find farms in your area that sell meat and produce.
Search for farms in your area. Go to local farmers’ markets. You might even find foods that surprise you, like local olive oil, jam, honey, and more. You’ll know that gas-guzzling trucks didn’t transport your food across the country (or from other countries). Here’s another bonus: Since you purchase local produce when it’s in season, it tastes better.
Don’t Waste
Food waste is a problem that arose along with modern life. In the past, and in some places even today, it would have been unthinkable. Nowadays, it’s easy to let things rot in your fridge before you remember to eat them.
Keep track of the food you already have, and make a point to use it in creative ways before it goes bad. Meal planning can help in this area. And always eat your leftovers.
Clothing
Skip Cheap Trends
Inexpensive clothes that follow current trends aren’t made to last. Called fast fashion, they live up to their name: They deteriorate fast and often look dated within months. Classic, higher-priced clothing is a more significant investment but costs less over time.
Go Thrifting And Buy Vintage
The easiest, least expensive way to reduce your carbon footprint in the fashion realm is to buy used clothing. Some people worry that it’s dirty, but there’s a simple solution: Just wash it. Others fear that used clothing will already be worn out, but you’d be surprised what people get rid of. If you go thrifting regularly, you’ll find barely-used clothes that people donated after only a few wears.
Buying
Minimalism
Give minimalism a try. If you follow lifestyle trends, you’ve probably heard of Marie Kondo, an organization expert. She advises people to pare down their possessions. Her advice is to keep only items that are regularly used or spark joy.
Reusable Bags
Why collect or throw away hundreds of plastic bags a year when you can use the same cloth bags over and over again?
Packaging
Choose items that have less packaging instead of more. Buying in bulk often helps with this by reducing the proportion of packaging to product.
At Home
Light Bulbs
Use LED bulbs. They cost a bit more when you purchase them, but they last far longer than incandescent bulbs while using less energy.
Lights Off And Electronics Unplugged
When you were a kid, your parents probably chastised you if you left the lights on when leaving a room. They had a good reason! Even LED bulbs eat up energy. There’s no good reason to leave them on when you’ve left the room.
You should also unplug electronics when you aren’t using them—even if you’ve turned them off. Many people are surprised to learn that, even when you’ve pressed the off button, electronics still take up energy if you leave them plugged in.
Water
- Turn your water heater down to 120 F°.
- Install low-flow showerheads.
- Shorten your showers.
- Wash your clothes in cold water.
Heating And CoolingThe human ability to control our environmental temperature is pretty new, and people survived long before we could do it.- Turn down your thermostat.
- Don’t turn your air conditioning too low.
- If you’re hot, use fans. They don’t gobble up much energy.
- You won’t have to get repairs as often—which means you won’t need to replace parts as often.
- If your car uses gas, a car in tip-top shape will stay gas-efficient longer.
How To Make Your Own Natural Cleaning Products
If you are tired of using harsh chemicals in your home, you may be looking for a safer alternative. Rather than using a variety of different brands and searching for the one that fits your needs, you can actually easily make your own cleaning products.
Making your own cleaning product ensures that you know exactly what is being used in your home. You do not need to try and decipher labels and try to figure out what each thing is or isn’t. ThisIt is definitely nice to have the peace of mind knowing that you are not exposing yourself and your family to harsh chemicals and irritants.
If you are looking to make your own cleaning products, you can use this simple guide to mix basic ingredients to make the perfect concoction.
1) White Vinegar
This natural ingredient is one of the versatile ingredients that you can use in all areas of your home. White vinegar can help you get rid of rust, water stains, and build up. It works great in all areas of the home that you eat or prepare food at. For instance, you can use white vinegar in your dishwasher or coffee pot to help cleanse them with minimal work. This reduces the exposure that you have towards harsh chemicals but still makes your home a clean and fresh environment.
2) Baking Soda
Another great and natural cleaning product is baking soda. This ingredient naturally absorbs odors in the air and works as a gentle surface cleaner. This inexpensive ingredient can be immediately found in every grocery store you walk into. You can add a box to your refrigerator, trash can, or bathroom to help remove odors from the air. You can also mix this with water to make your own whitening toothpaste or mild surface cleaner.
3) Borax
If you are sensitive to bleach and other chemicals, you may want to use borax as an alternative. This is a natural bleach that can help you remove surface stains from carpets, laundry, and other areas. It can act as an irritant if not used properly, but is much less harmful than chemical bleaches in general.
4) All-Purpose Cleaner
If you are looking to make your own all-purpose cleaner for household use, try mixing 1/2 cup of white vinegar, 1/4 cup baking soda, and 6 cups of hot water. Mix this in a bottle and use it around the home. If you want a stronger solution only use four cups of hot water and if you want a weaker solution try using 8 total cups of water. You can add some lemon or orange peel to the spray bottle if you want a citrus scent and a little extra cleaning kick. If you plan on storing this cleaner for an extended time, try using essential oils instead to give you a fresh scent.
While all of these homemade products are considered to be natural cleaning products, they should still be kept away from children and pets. If they are consumed, it could cause harm to them. While they can still irritate sensitive areas, they are much less harmful than the toxic chemicals found in most cleaners.
How To Get Rid Of Pests Naturally Without Chemicals
Have you been wondering how you will get rid of pests in your home or garden without using pesticides? If you have, you aren’t the only one bothered by the use of pesticides. This is because although pesticides may be effective in getting rid of pests, they also leave a lot of toxic substances behind that get absorbed into the plants. This means that eating produce from such plants results in one ingesting the toxins.
Since ingesting the chemicals present in pesticides over a long time could have adverse effects, it is imperative to find out how you can get rid of pests without using harmful chemicals.
Here are several natural methods that you can apply to eradicate pests from your home and garden.
How To Get Rid Of Pests Naturally
Using Barriers And Repellents
Repellents and barriers are a great natural way of keeping pests from your garden. The barriers will act like a wall and keep out all the crawling insects from gaining access to your home and garden. One great idea of implementing barriers is by planting carrots while wrapped in toilet paper rolls. Pests like cut worms will be unable to attack the carrots while the toilet paper rolls do not have any toxic effect to the carrot.
You can also use other plants as barriers to protect your plants. For instance, you can plant your vegetables alongside plants like peppermint, pennyroyal, and spearmint because they repel pests like aphids and ants.
Cedar twigs will also come in handy because all you need to do is simmer them in water then pour the water over your vegetable garden to prevent corn earworms, cutworms, and other pests from attacking your crops.
Other barriers that may come in handy include a line of lime, which snails cannot stand leave alone cross, cayenne pepper to keep out those pesky ants, and iron phosphate, which will keep slugs a good distance away from your garden.
Using Other Insects
There are several beneficial insects that are useful in getting rid of the harmful pests that you do not want near your home or garden. Good insects like the praying mantis, green lacewings, and lady beetles will treat the harmful garden pests as prey and eradicate them from your environment.
How will you get insects like the praying mantis into your garden? Easy. All you need to do is lure these good insects into your garden using the food they like to eat, water, and shelter. If luring the insects into your garden proves to be challenging, you can always purchase them and release them into your garden. Before releasing the insects into your farm, however, make sure that your garden provides a habitat in which they can survive.
Beneficial insects are the best option for your garden in the long run because they will not release any harmful chemicals into the plants. Once you have enough information about the type of pest creating a nuisance in your garden or home, you can research which beneficial insect will solve the problem.
Biological Pest Control
Do you know that there is a way you can infect the pests in your garden or home without affecting the health and development of your plants, pets, children, or other beneficial insects? Biological pest control involves introducing diseases to the insects using various strains of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi.
The biological pest controls are also non-toxic and organic. This means that they will break down easily in the soil and will not cause any pollution.
Chemical pesticides are known to be rendered powerless after using them too frequently because the targeted pests often build resistance against the chemicals. With the biological control measures, however, the pests will not be able to build up any resistance. This means that the method is a more effective, safer way of getting rid of pests.
How To Dine Out More Sustainably
Most people enjoy the experience of being able to dine out, but it can be difficult to dine out in an eco-conscious and sustainable fashion. Many of your favorite restaurants may not offer the most sustainable way of dining out unfortunately, so it is important that we all look for eco-friendly restaurants in our area. Once you find restaurants you enjoy that are environmentally friendly, you should do your best to support them and help them in their mission. If you are looking to make this world a more sustainable place future generations, you may also want to share some of these ideas with your local restaurants to see if they will get onboard with achieving that goal. Here are some of the great ways to help dine out more sustainably when you are deciding where to spend your dollars.
1) Eat Seasonal Dishes
One of the best ways to eat sustainably is to simply eat the foods served at restaurants when they are in season. If you are looking to eat fresh fruits in your meals, you will likely get the best fruit in Summer, when it is likely fresh and grown locally. If you are trying the same dish in the Winter the fruit is probably frozen or shipped from a faraway country. All that travel and the pollution it creates is not what is best for your taste buds or the environment. Therefore, whenever possible you should try to eat the foods that are in season so you know they are fresh, more local, and more sustainable.
2) Eat Local
As referenced above, another great way to dine out more sustainably is to eat locally. Try to find restaurants that support local farmers. If you can find restaurants that purchase their food from local farmers the food will likely be fresher and taste much better. This also prevents the need for food to ship hundreds of miles and pollute the environment during transport.
3) Bring Your Own To-Go Bags
Most people are unable to finish an entire meal when they go out to a restaurant because portion sizes may be too large. If this is the case, you may want to bring your own reusable bags and containers with you to the restaurant. You can bag up your own food and eliminate the need for plastic and styrofoam containers at the restaurant. This helps reduce pollution and trash in the landfills.
4) Eliminate Straws
Straws are one of the most dangerous items to use because they end up all over the landfills and in the ocean. They create an immediate danger for the wildlife and can cause serious damage and even death. Straws are not a necessity in this world and should be eliminated whenever possible. Try using metal straws if you must use one. Try talking to your local restaurants and asking them to avoid using straws. This will help them cut down on their operating costs and better the environment at the same time.
If you enjoy the experience of dining out, you should highly consider these tips for dining out more sustainably. They can make a huge difference in the world and help others.
How To Reduce Energy Use In Your Home
Are you looking to reduce energy use in your home? Has your home’s electricity bill spiked of late? Would you want to save some money from the bill or are you an environmental enthusiast who wants to live more sustainably? Whatever your reasons for trying to cut your homes energy consumption, there are different methods that you can use to meet your home’s desired energy consumption.
How To Reduce Energy Consumption At Home
Replacing The Bulbs
Most of the ordinary bulbs tend to consume more electricity. One major way of minimizing the consumption of energy in your home, therefore, is by changing all the incandescent bulbs in all the rooms. Replace them with bulbs that use less electricity such as halogen bulbs, light emitting diode bulbs, and compact florescent lights, all which last around 25 times longer than traditional bulbs do and can help you save up to 80% of electricity.
Traditional bulbs may be cheaper when compared to the energy-efficient bulbs but the bulbs that help you save energy are definitely cheaper in the long run. This is because they are durable and will consume less electricity.
Use Appliances That Are Energy Efficient
Do you know that the electric appliances in your home make up about 13% of the total energy use? This means that when buying appliances, you should check their annual cost of operation in addition to their cost.
It is worth noting, however, that many stores price appliances that save energy higher than the normal electric appliances that guzzle energy. This means that you will need to consider which cost is worthy. Either you incur the initial cost when purchasing the energy saving item, which allows you to enjoy its durability as well as low utility bills, or you save money by buying cheaper electric appliances, which will end up using too much electricity and result into higher utility bills.
Look for appliances that have an energy star because the star is a federal guarantee that the appliance will not consume too much energy.
Minimize Expenses Like Water Heating
One major factor that leads to high energy consumption in your home is water heating. There are various methods that you can use to reduce the expenses that result from heating water in your home. One of them is using less heated water. If you have been using heated water when showering, you can reduce your expenses by showering with cold water occasionally.
Another effective way of reducing the energy consumed from heating water is by turning down the thermostat feature in your water heater. You can also use insulation as a way of consuming less energy. For instance, you can insulate the water heater for best results.
You could also purchase a more energy efficient water heater if the one you use is consuming too much power.
Use Windows That Conserve Energy
The windows in your house contribute to about 15% of the energy bills in your home. This is because a lot of heat escapes from your home through the windows. You can prevent this heat loss by installing new double pane windows to replace the single pane windows. If you live in regions where the weather is mostly cold, you can use windows filled with gas and have low-e coatings in order to preserve the energy within your home better.
Exterior or interior storm windows can also be of great use in reducing the amount of heat lost from the house by about 20%. Storm windows are the best option for people who live in areas that encounter extreme weather conditions regularly.
Seal The Air Leaks In Your House
Loss of heat from your home could also result from air leaking from your house. The main common sources of air leakages from most homes are the roof, vents, doors, and windows. As such, be sure to seal all the leaks in your home by covering all the cracks and openings between the vents and the walls, doorframes, and even windows.
How will you seal the gaps between solid objects like the window frame and the wall? The best way to seal air between such stationary objects is by use of use of caulk. If the cracks are between mobile objects, such as doors and windows, however, you can use weather stripping to solve the problem.
Openings made in the floors and ceiling to aid in electrical wiring, plumbing, or ducting could lead to heat loss. As such, you will need to cover them too.
How To Set Up And Stock A Kitchen Pantry
Stocking your pantry is a skill. Maybe you’ve never had space for a pantry, or perhaps you find yourself always running out of what you need. Either way, it’s time for you to stock up.
Purpose
Why do you want to stock your pantry? Having the food you need is the obvious answer, but there’s always a more specific motivation. If you don’t want to go shopping as often, you’ll buy different things than if you’re going to stock up for the zombie apocalypse.
If prepping for emergency food scarcity is one of your goals, include the following considerations when you buy:
- Calorie density
- Nutrient density
- Adequate water supply
What Do You Eat>
The first step to stocking a pantry is knowing what you eat. It’s worth putting a little effort into making sure you know what your family actually consumes.
Spend a week or two documenting the following:
- What the people in your household eat each day
- Everything you purchase at the grocery store
What Don’t You Eat?Food waste is common. One reason is that people buy aspirational food items (ingredients they want to use someday) instead of ingredients they know they’ll use.Take a look at everything you already have. Has that cardamom been unopened in your cupboard for years? Do you have cans of green beans that expired in 2017?Write down all the things you bought but never used. That’s your “Do Not Buy” list.Purchase Over TimeYou probably won’t be able to think of everything you need in one go. Stocking a pantry is a learning process. Also, things go on sale at different times. Pantries are, above all, about practicality. Overspending isn’t very practical.Less Expensive VersionsGet more cost-effective versions of the things you already eat.Dried foods are outstanding pantry staples. For instance, though canned beans are inexpensive, dried beans are even cheaper. When your pantry is fully stocked, you’ll have more time to plan for and complete tasks like soaking dried beans before cooking them.Store brands are another pantry hack. Often, the store brand comes from the same manufacturer as more expensive brands. The store just slaps on its own label.Shopping sales is a classic method for saving money—as long as you don’t let sale prices trick you into buying things you won’t actually eat.Bulk BuyingNot everything should be bought in bulk. Things you don’t use often? Get small amounts.But many things are a great choice for bulk buying. Spices, peanut butter, and rice are just three examples of shelf-stable foods with excellent bulk prices.ConclusionSetting up a pantry takes thought and thriftiness. Once you’ve done it, though, you’ll be happy you did. Assess your habits, budget, and motivations to curate the perfect pantry for your lifestyle.
How To Make Your Produce Last Longer
Up to 30% of all food in America is wasted. Much of this waste comes as a result of a failure to properly store the food. Thankfully, there are solutions to this, and particularly for produce, which tends to go very bad, very quickly. Here’s an overview of some of the best ways to make your produce last for longer.
First: Do your homework. Every food needs to be stored in different ways, and particularly at different temperatures. You may think that throwing food in the refrigerator is a good idea for all food, but this simply isn’t true, as making food colder than it should be can actually contribute to it going bad. Every food is different, and if you want to make sure that your food lasts longer, research best practices on how to store it. This can involve something as simple as a quick Google search or asking someone at the grocery store.
Second, buy less! One of the biggest reasons for food waste is that far too many people buy far more food than they will use before that food goes bad. Buying less food means that you will actually use everything you have before buying more, and this cuts down on the chances of you actually wasting the food. Yes, this may mean more frequent trips to the grocery store, but it also means more saved money and less food waste.
Make sure you purchase high-quality containers. Leaving your food exposed, in the open air, may be contributing to its waste, as oxygen and light will lead to produce going bad, quicker. Purchasing a good container or bag can help seal your produce from these harmful components and ensure that your food lasts for longer.
Make sure to time your purchase right. If you know that you won’t eat the produce for a few days, don’t buy food that is already ripe or overripe. Instead, buy under ripe food. This will ensure that the food has an extra few days in its life cycle, giving you time to eat and prepare it. Sometimes, it may be obvious if a food is ripe – other times, you may need to do a bit of homework in order to make this determination. Make sure you do your research before purchasing the food, not after.
Speaking of research, remember, some foods have odd tricks that can make them last longer. For example, asparagus should be trimmed and kept in water. Look into what weird tricks can help make food last longer.
As you can see, making your produce last longer can involve a bit of homework or the expense of buying higher quality storage products. However, this expense can be well worth it, as it can help you save a ton of money on the cost of food.
How To Start Composting
If you always seem to have too much green waste in your home, you could get rid of it inane eco-friendly way easily by composting. You won’t need to throw away the leftover foodstuff from your home, or pile it in the garbage cans where it ends up attracting rodents and pests to your compound and smelling up the place. Composting is an easy and effective way to dispose of waste in a way that actually benefits the environment.
Which Types Of Foods Are Best To Compost?
If you want to create compost, these foods tend to be the best to use:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Egg shells
- Rice
- Grains
- Tea bags
- Flowers
- Coffee grounds
- Food cooked without dairy, oil, or milkAre there types of foods that are not suitable for compost? Yes, there are various foods that you should not use in your compost. They include:
- Meat
- Fish
- Dairy
- Bones
- Butter
- Oils
- Food cooked with oil, milk, or dairy.
Tips For Eating More Sustainably
Sustainability has become more and more important, especially as awareness has increased over the past decade or so. More and more people have come to the conclusion that they have an obligation to make the world a better, healthier place – or at least not actively make it worse. That obligation has been largely internalized, meaning that more and more people are trying to figure out what they can do as an individual to make the world a more sustainable place. One of the most immediate impacts one can make is directly related to how and what they eat. Here are some suggestions that anyone can do to help make the world a more sustainable environment for everyone.
Become A Vegetarian
It may be uncomfortable to hear, but it is none-the-less true: Our reliance on meat is not particularly environmentally friendly. Many reports have noted that the processes involved in meat production – the manufacturing, emissions, water use, and more – are all devastating for the environment. As such, people who are looking to eat more sustainably should start with their own consumption by shifting to a more plant-based diet. It doesn’t have to happen all at once – you can start by just reducing the amount of meat that you actually eat in small steps. The good news is that this also comes with health benefits, and much less expensive although it may involve more preparation time.
Increase Your Variety
One of the little-discussed ways to eat in a more sustainable manner is to increase the variety of what you eat. Eating the same thing – and the same thing as everyone else – can damage nature and create agricultural problems for future generations. By eating a more varied diet, you’re committing your wallet to practices that are more environmentally sustainable and friendly. Make sure to do your research and find what other foods may work for you. Like becoming a vegetarian, you don’t have to move all at once: Instead, substitute out one common mass produced item for a different option to help shift the focus.
Reduce Waste
Up to 30% of all food is wasted. This, of course, is a tragedy on many levels, including from agriculture, food security, and financial perspectives. As such, you should do whatever you can to reduce your food waste. There are many things that can help you accomplish this goal. First, buy smaller products – particularly those that will expire quickly. This may mean more frequent trips to the grocery store, but at least you will save money on wasted food and help sustain the environment by not wasting resources. Second, develop a good system for tracking your leftovers. This will ensure that you don’t put something in the refrigerator and forget about it. It may mean that you need to plan better, and more often, but it is a good thing to do for the planet as well as your wallet.
Grow Your Own Food
There is no better way to ensure the sustainability of your food than to grow it yourself! Of course, this doesn’t mean that you will be able to grow every meal, but if you can even grow some fruits and vegetables, you will reduce the burden on your wallet and on the agricultural system by just a hair. This is a good thing environmentally and can help you become more comfortable at growing your own food supply.
Buy Fair Trade Products
Fair Trade means that a product has been certified as being environmentally friendly and sustainable. There are many types of Fair Trade products that you can purchase, such as coffee. There are also more than a few Fair Trade certifications, so make sure that you do your homework about what each different certification means and how it can be beneficial to you. When it comes to Fair Trade, keep in mind that the benefits of this type of food practice also applies to how a company treats their workers. This is obviously an added and important bonus!
Do Your Homework
If sustainability is a big issue for you, you should take the time in order to do research into the brands you are purchasing regularly and the types of stores you are buying from. What are their sustainability practices? Do they have any special certifications that can allow you to buy their food with comfort? What types of agricultural products do they sell, and what types of practices do those brands use? There are also some apps that you can download – like Giki – that can give you additional information on certain brands and what their practices are. This can be time-consuming, but it can give you a much better idea of how sustainable your products are.
Cut Out Wasteful Products
Remember, sustainability in your food practices is about much more than what you buy, but also pertains to the packaging of what you buy. The environmental damage caused by plastic has been well documented. Do whatever you can to cut plastic out of your food shopping. This means monitoring the packaging of what you buy in order to ensure that it isn’t plastic. It also means bringing your own bags from home or buying those reusable ones from grocery stores and actually reusing them. There’s at least one easy way to start: Don’t buy water bottles anymore. Instead, purchase a reusable mug or thermos that you can reuse over and over again. You can also stop buying disposable silverware and pack your own, even if it means buying travel-friendly items. You can also bring your own cups to coffee-to-go places, like Starbucks.
Cut Out The Paper Products
There are some paper products – like napkins, plates, and paper towels – that can be hugely wasteful. Cut them out if you can and switch to reusable alternatives. This will help to cut down on the amount of waste that you generate.
As you can see, living in a more sustainable manner is about more than just the food you literally put into your body. It can be a large lifestyle change, and it may take some time and effort to turn into a habit. However, there’s no doubt that it can be very, very beneficial to your peace of mind, your wallet, and the planet.
Tips And Tricks For Shopping Secondhand Clothing
Each month the average person spends about 160 dollars on clothing related items. If you are looking to save money and better the environment, you may want to consider shopping for clothes at a secondhand store. Here are some of the top tricks and tips you can use to help you get the best clothes for the best price.
1) Try Clothes On
One of the best ways to ensure you get the clothing that you will love is to simply try them on before you purchase them. Remember used clothing is different than new clothes because they have been worn and washed before. This means that the sizes could be a little off and may not fit you like you would anticipate. Make sure that you try on the clothes before you leave the store so that you can save the money and only walk away with the items you truly love.
2) Don’t Feel Pressured To Buy
Remember, if you do not find something you like you do not need to buy something just to buy something. Some people feel the need to purchase something when they go shopping simply because they cannot walk away empty handed. Do not let this be you. Save your money until you find something you really want or need.
3) Know What You Have
Another thing that you need to be aware of before you go shopping is what you have in your closet. Know what you have, and more importantly, what what you actually wear. Try to find simple items from a secondhand store that you know you use with the items you already have in your closet. It is unlikely that you will be able to find an entire outfit you love at one secondhand store, so shop for separates.
4) Know Your Style
Another way to get the best deal at a secondhand shop is to know your style before you even start shopping. Know what you like and how it fits your body. Look for unique pieces that will fit you well and look great on you. If you find something you like, but are unsure if you will actually wear it, walk away. Go home and think about what you want and if you would really use it or if will just sit in the closet. It will likely be there the next day so you can go and buy it then.
5) Shop Around
There are several secondhand stores in all towns and cities. Shop around and make a whole day out of shopping. Enjoy the day and take your time going from store to store. If you don’t find something at one place, you may find it at another.
6) Bring Friends
To make shopping fun and to make sure you get what looks good on you, you should bring some honest and fun friends with you. They may know your style and clothing better than you. They can help you figure out what looks best on you and help you find unique and one of a kind pieces you will be proud of.
Eco-Friendly Tips For Your Next Grocery Trip
Making the world a better place doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, you can contribute to the health of the environment even while grocery shopping. All you need to do is ensure you always use eco-friendly products whenever possible. Did you know that plastic shopping bags are nearly impossible to recycle and that only 9% of all plastic has ever been recycled so far?
Here are some tips that will make your shopping eco-friendly:
Reusable Bags For Shopping
When you go grocery shopping, consider using reusable bags, such as mesh bags, to carry your items. Plastic bags are more expensive as compared to mesh bags over time, and they are not as durable. Mesh bags even come in different sets, sizes, as well as in different colors – so you can pick the ones that make you happy. You can also rewash a mesh bag and use it over and over again for several other shopping activities. unfortunately, plastic bags will most likely have to be thrown away after use.
Bulk Buying
A great eco-friendly tip for grocery shopping is buying in bulk. When you buy groceries and foodstuffs in small quantities, you will end up using more plastic bags and containers usually by default. Bulk buying, however, helps to save you double or triple trips to the grocery store, and you can carry reusable bags for the shopping instead of using wasteful plastic bags. Shopping in bulk will also have the added benefit of helping you to organize and maintain a clean pantry.
Avoid Individual Product Packages
Do you know that individual product packages are more expensive as compared to buying in bulk or larger portions? During your next grocery trip, avoid buying small packages of things like sugar, coffee, tea, snacks, yoghurt, and other things. Small packages contribute to environmental pollution and increase packaging waste. Think about it; picking a 100 ml of yoghurt is better than buying five 20 ml yoghurts. If you do the math, you will also find that the 100 ml yoghurt is cheaper than the accumulated cost of the individual 20 ml yoghurts.
Avoid Impulse Buying
Impulse buying can have a negative impact on the environment because most of the time, people end up throwing away a good amount of the things that they bought on impulse. Before you go shopping, write a list of the items that you need and make sure that you stick to the list when in the grocery shop.
Always note that you will find many amazing items on offer that are not on your list. If you are not careful, therefore, you might end up wasting money on things that you do not really need. Writing a grocery list beforehand, and sticking to it, will reduce the amount of food you waste later significantly.
Another important factor to pay attention to and consider is the amount of food you actually use per week or per month. This will help you avoid buying too much that may go bad before you eat it, wasting money as well as contributing to environmental stress.
Buy More Vegetables
One good way of being eco-friendly is by simply eating more vegetables. Vegetables are not only healthy and nutritional for you, but they will also help you save animals as well as sea life from animal cruelty if that is important to you. Some types of seafood may put more marine life at risk due to over farming and hunting – if there is higher demand for the food than the productivity rate of the sea, there will be negative ramifications either today or tomorrow. Eat a vegetable and help keep the ecosystem in balance.
Pay Attention To The Labels
Have you ever taken time to read what the labels on the items you are buying say? Some products could be harmful to the ecosystem without your knowledge. Focus on what the label says. Is the product organic, non-GMO, biodegradable, and non-toxic? Find out whether the product is good for the environment and try to stick to the brands that commit themselves to these practices.
Buy Things That Are In Season
Food is a highly perishable commodity. One way of being eco-friendly is by buying foods that are in season. If you go to the grocery store and discover that tomatoes, onions, or pineapples are in season, you will find they are at their best prices as well as full of flavor. Failure to purchase foods that are in season leads to wastage because the food is perishable, as well as incurring all the environmental cost of transporting etc.
Another easy way to avoid food wastage is by supporting local farms and shops in your area. When you buy most products online from distance stores, the stock in the local shop can have increased risk of going bad before getting into customers hands, especially the more delicate perishable commodities like fruits and vegetable. Strive to be more than just an eco-warrior; be a friend to local businesses too.
Tips For Buying Secondhand Items Online
Research has shown that people are purchasing more second-hand items today than they did in the previous years. This tendency doesn’t only help the environment as people go about reusing and recycling various items, it is also because people are very practically looking into their investment’s additional return. It’s an economical way of shopping for new clothes, furniture, and other things. The market for second-hand items has grown stronger as online platforms establish strong and reliable avenues where buyers and sellers can easily exchange.
CDs, toys, furniture, and cars are among the most popular items sold in the second-hand industry because people don’t really have to fit them – one size fits all. Of note, women often prefer to buy second-hand clothes, shoes, and bags for a variety of reasons—in fact, they are more willing to purchase second-hand items than men are. Of these men and women, those in the younger age group are more fluid and have a more positive view of the industry. So how can you shop for second-hand items online at the best prices and for the best values?
Browse And Browse Some More
Don’t get hung up on one item from the same seller. Shopping online has never been this enjoyable and timely. If you’re found an item you fell in love with, don’t buy it at the first instant. Instead, try to compare prices from a range of sellers. If you can’t find a better deal, try to substitute a similar item by looking at various websites and browsing through different shops. The key to finding the best deal is patience, so don’t jump at the first opportunity you get. Wait for the better one to come next!
Ask
Ask the seller if the item is still for sale. The reason behind this is because a lot of sellers leave listings up even though the item has been sold already. It could be that they forgot to update the listing, or they have failed to manage the business as well as they should. The point is you don’t want to raise your hopes for anything by falling in love with an item that is no longer available. This is also where you may have to move fast because you compete with so many other invisible buyers online. You might not get the best prices this way, but you can guarantee that you’ll get the item you want.
Slow Down And Think
When you’re deciding whether to buy an item or not, consider shipping or pick-up prices as well as logistical struggles you may have to deal with. Buying online is great because you can second-hand items from all over the world, but is it worth it if the shipping is more expensive than the item itself? Are you willing to wait for 2-4 weeks for the item to arrive? Are you willing to trust the item’s integrity will stay intact over the course of shipment? These are only part of the considerations you have to make when buying second-hand items—or any item, for that matter.
Haggle, But Don’t Be Cheap
Don’t be shy to ask for a lower price. The thing about second-hand items is that sellers are more amenable to lowering down the prices for your benefit. The only thing you need to do is ask. One of the things you shouldn’t do is fall in love with an item if you are looking to successfully negotiate pricing. If you want to haggle, you have to be prepared to let go of the item entirely. The first price is not always the final price, so you can work your way down as low as you can. You also have to do your research. Know the value of the item and compare prices. And of course, you have to pick the time to haggle. And if you’re wondering when the perfect time is, looking at the store’s closing hours. These are just some of the haggling tips you can use to get a great deal.
Tips For Creating A ‘Greener’ Household Cleaning Routine
Green cleaning routines are all the rage nowadays—as they should be! Effective, eco-friendly cleaning takes extra thought, so here are some tips to get you started.
The Right Products
If you want to make your cleaning routine greener in the easiest way possible, buy eco-friendly products. With so many people interested in keeping themselves and the earth healthy, lots of green brands have popped up.
The Environmental Working Group, otherwise known as the EWG, assesses a wide variety of products. This organization tests cleaners and rates ingredients. Check out the EWG guide to earth-friendly cleaning products.
Be Careful With Trash
When you replace your old cleaning products with green versions, you’ll have to get rid of the old ones. Don’t just throw them in with the rest of your trash. They could easily contaminate the environment once they leave your home. Definitely don’t pour them down the drain.
If you’re not careful, toxic chemicals could wind up in the ground or the water supply.
Look up local recycling programs. Your town likely has days when you can safely turn in toxic items like cleaning materials, batteries, electronics, and all sorts of other hazardous materials.
Open Windows
Environmental scientists keep track of air quality outdoors, but only you can control the air quality in your home. Since health and safety are two of the big motivations behind creating a green cleaning routine, you should think about everything you might be breathing in.
If you live somewhere with a lot of pollution, opening your windows won’t fix the problem. (In that case, purchase an air purifier.) However, in most places, the free flow of air outside is fresher than the stagnant indoor air.
Open your windows to help disperse mold spores and other harmful substances.
Skip Antibacterials
If a cleaning product has the word “antibacterial” on the label, research the product carefully. Though some items have natural antibacterial properties, many cleaning products have decidedly harmful ways of killing bacteria.
Triclosan is just one example. Some studies show it can harm your liver and thyroid. Though the FDA banned its use in hand sanitizers, it’s still an ingredient in many other cleaners. Not all products with triclosan even list it as an ingredient.
Another problem caused by antibacterial cleaners? They can create stronger bacteria strains by killing off the weak organisms and leaving behind the strongest ones.
Homemade Cleaners
Humans were cleaning their homes long before labs cooked up the things many of us use today.
The following ingredients are great in homemade cleaners:
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
- Natural soaps
Sometimes, people recommend borax as a natural cleaning product. You might want to steer clear of it, though. While it is a natural mineral—otherwise known as sodium borate—it’s not very safe.
Though it can kill microscopic critters, that’s because it’s also useful as a pesticide. Borax is especially harmful to young children and should never be used in the kitchen.
You might also see tips recommending lemon or lime juice as natural antibacterials. Though they’re helpful in cleaners, they’re not sufficient. Plain citrus juices do not kill bacteria such as E. coli.
Natural Air Fresheners
Avoid store-bought air fresheners. Instead, spruce up the scent of your home naturally. Try boiling sticks of cinnamon or using all-natural soy candles.
Be careful, though.
If someone advises you to spritz essential oils all over your home, do some research first. And by research, we don’t mean reading articles by a business that sells essential oils. Some companies care more about profits than safety.
You need to water essential oils down a lot because they’re so potent. Many of them smell horrible to the sensitive noses of cats and dogs. Some can actually kill your pets.
Slip Off Your Shoes
This might sound like a weird tip, but you shouldn’t wear shoes inside. By the time you get home, the bottoms of your footwear are filthy. You can track feces, chemicals, and countless other harmful things indoors.
If you have pets or children who play on the floor, this is an especially urgent guideline for you.
We hope these tips are helpful! Green cleaning is easy once you get the hang of it.
Tips For Reducing “Throwaway Culture” – Repairing, Repurposing, Donating Items
In today’s society, there are too many people who participate in the “throwaway culture.” We purchase things because we think they are going to use them and then we simply throw them out. Many of us buy things and use them for a month or two and then realize there is something better out there. So, we throw the old thing away and get the newest and best thing on the market.
The throwaway culture also has many of us purchasing everyday items, like straws, bags, and more. These items are only used for a day or a few minutes and then they are discarded. They are left to fill up landfills and never thought of again. While these items have helped to make our lives more convenient, they are causing irreversible harm to your planet and future generations.
The throwaway culture has created harm that many of us never thought possible. In the past, we truly believe that we were just creating innovation to make life better and easier. Today, we are starting to see the many repercussions of our actions. If you are looking for ways to stop the throwaway culture and change our world for the better, here are some simple steps you can take.
1) Find Alternatives To Everyday Items
One of the best ways to help reduce your overall waste is to find alternatives to the everyday items that you use. For example, straws are one of the most discarded items that cause pollution and harm to animals. These things are used for only a few minutes of your day and are not actually necessary. Try to eliminate straws by asking for no straws or bringing your own reusable metal straw with you.
You can also use reusable shopping bags instead of the traditional plastic bags you get at a store. These are terrible for the environment and are already starting to be phased out of many states. Bring your reusable bag with you. This may take an extra thirty seconds for you, but it will be well worth the small amount of time.
2) Donate Clothing
We live in a culture where people have closets and dressers full of clothes that they will never get the chance to wear. If you have more clothes than you could ever wear in a month, it is time to start thinking about donating your clothes. Do not put them out on the curb for trash. Instead, think about where you can donate them. There are millions of people around the world that do not have enough clothes to wear. You can help society by donating your clothes. Try giving them to local organizations or even requesting that someone come to your house to collect them for you. If you have any sheets, blankets, or pillows, that you want to get rid of, you should also consider giving these items to a local animal shelter.
3) Shop At Secondhand Stores
Another great way to help stop the culture of throwing away perfectly good items is to shop at secondhand stores. Not only will this help give life to others peoples goods, but it will also help save you money. You can find anything from clothes to baby toys to home decor and more. There are an endless number of items you can find and give new meaning to.
The items that you buy can be redesigned and rebuilt to add functionality and character to your home. For instance, you may decide to purchase an outdated bookshelf and turn it into a work of art that can serve as a bookshelf, entertainment stand or dresser. Look for the numerous possibilities that come with shopping at a secondhand store. You can save money and help reduce waste.
4) Compost
Another great way to reduce waste is to start composting. If you take on this journey you will be able to better understand how much you and your family really waste. It will help you appreciate what you have and may encourage you to do more for others.
When composting you can take your leftovers, scraps and unwanted food and add them to a garden. The soil will absorb some of the nutrients and help you grow a better garden. It allows you to reuse the nutrients in a different way and give life to new food that will benefit both your mind and body in countless ways.
These ideas are just some of the ways to help get you out of the throwaway culture.
Sustainable And Eco-Friendly Fashion Tips
The words “fashion” and “eco-friendly” don’t always sound like they go together. After all, how could they overlap when fashion changes every season? But there are a lot of creative ways to stay fashionable while doing good for the planet.
High-Quality Classics
Make classics the foundation of your wardrobe. Something you wear for five years is fundamentally more eco-friendly than something you wear for a few months. For instance, cheap winter boots tend to fall apart after just one snowy season. A trendy dress will look dated within a year at most.
Thrifting
Thrift stores are perfect for finding clothes that keep your carbon footprint low. No matter what a shirt’s production did to the world, the earth doesn’t suffer when you buy it used. You also won’t be contributing to whichever company made the item.
If you love fashion, there’s one especially exciting reason to thrift. People don’t just donate worn-out stuff from cheap stores. They also donate high-end designer items. Anyone who’s gone thrifting often enough can tell you: They’ve found clothes with original prices in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars… for the cost of clothes from Walmart.
Get Crafty
This tip dovetails nicely with the one above.
Learn to sew. Learn to make your own jewelry.
Instead of using new beads and fabrics, get whatever supplies you can from a thrift store. That dress that doesn’t fit you? The cloth might be perfect for a handmade blouse. A pile of unimpressive necklaces? You can put the beads to better use.
If you want to knit or crochet, buy eco-friendly yarn.
Avoid these yarns:
- Polyester
- Acrylic
- Nylon
- Instead, stick to yarns like these:
- Wool
- Silk
- Tencel
- Organic cotton
- Secondhand
- Fairtrade International
- Fair Trade USA
- World Fair Trade Organization
- Fair Trade FederationSome brands, like Patagonia, use recycled materials as often as possible. Other companies put a percentage of each purchase towards environmental activities like planting trees, recycling plastic bottles, or removing trash from the ocean.ConclusionEnvironmentally positive fashion takes extra effort. Whether that means more time or money, you’ll have to change your buying habits. On the bright side, as more people bring the earth’s health into their fashion decisions, the market will grow. Eventually, eco-friendly fashion will be available everywhere because consumers like you will demand it.
Tips For Creating A Low/No Waste Kitchen
Typically, the largest trash can you find in your home is in the kitchen. The reason for this is because most trash is often produced from the kitchen. From food scraps to containers to spoiled food and more, there is an abundance of waste produced in this room. To help reduce the waste, there are many ways that you can work to create a low waste or no waste kitchen.
1) Avoid Plastic Bags
One of the most often purchased products in a grocery store is the plastic bag. These items make life more convenient because they are a quick solution for taking food on the go. They allow you to fill them up with your favorite food and then throw away the bag. This prevents the need for washing any containers.
While plastic bags are convenient, they are terrible for the environment and make up the majority of our kitchen waste. Try eliminating these bags from your shopping list and purchase reusable containers instead. They make take extra time to wash, but they are worth the little extra effort.
2) Shop In Bulk
Another great way to reduce waste in your kitchen is to shop in bulk. Shopping in bulk allows you to bring your own containers with you and fill them with the food ingredients you are looking to buy. You can find everything from pasta to spices to flour to coffee and more. If you choose to shop in bulk make sure you bring your own containers so that you can avoid using the plastic bags that are offered at most stores.
3) Use No Waste Containers
We all have leftovers at some point during the week. Since it is very hard to cook the exact right portions of food, we often cook too much. Rather than throwing away your leftovers, it is important to save them and eat them later. Leftovers make a great lunch the next day or even another dinner. If you do have leftovers it is important to save your food in no waste containers.
This means that you should avoid using one time containers, like plastic bags. These items will get thrown in the trash and not allow you to have a no-waste kitchen. Try using tupperware or other containers that can be washed and reused over and over again.
4) Compost
Another ideal way to help reduce the waste that you have in your kitchen is to compost. You can easily dispose of your food waste, like banana peels, by composting them. Simply fill a trash can or other container with all of your leftover food waste. You can even add in some materials, like coffee filters. Plant this in your garden and let the nutrients naturally release into the soil. This will help you achieve more nutrient-rich soil that you can use to grow your own foods.
If you are looking to do what is best for the environment and want to help reduce the amount of food in the landfills, try using these tips for a low or no-waste kitchen.