I am a huge fan of upcycling anything that can have a second life as something useful! These fabulous upcycled bottle glasses from YAVA Glass definitely fit the bill.
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Isn’t this a fantastic way to transform discarded bottles into something new and fabulous? Just think of the possibilities! There are so many different types of glass bottles and the colors, oh the colors! Ooh, I bet blue bottles would make fantastic glassware!Â
YAVA Glass takes 100% recycled bottles, flame cuts, and polishes them, transforming them into elegant and eco-friendly glasses for your home. This earth-friendly Etsy shop is taking something slated for the trash and making something fun and useful! I am quite smitten with the rootbeer bottle glasses! My hands-down favorite beverage!Â
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I love that they each have their own character and no two glasses are the exact same. So simple, yet so useful! Something that would usually end up in the recycled bin. Or, GASP, worse in the garbage car and inevitably the landfill.Â
I think the mister would love the upcycled beer bottle glasses – quite the conversation starter. How would I use which ones to pick for him, there are so many great options! No?
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These would also make a lovely housewarming or hostess gift. Purchase a six or twelve-pack of these and you are ready to surprise something at their housewarming party!Â
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And if you’re looking for a fun way to upcycle your glass mason jars! I still love my Halloween lanterns! It is one of my favorite projects ever!
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It’s a super simple DIY that you can do with the kiddos and the impact on your porch for those trick or treaters is huge! They look adorable lite up and are sure to wow a crowd!Â
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So tell me, which upcycled bottle glasses would you choose?Â
Happy Independence Day Weekend! The 4th of July is one of my personal favorite holidays, with BBQ’s, family, community, fairs, farmer’s markets, and fireworks to enjoy—not to mention that good old patriotic feeling. There are a lot of great, green ways to celebrate this year, but I’ve chosen four because, well, you know!
Get Outside Getting outdoors with the family instead of hanging around inside and running the AC is a great way to start greening your 4th. Since Independence Day is America’s holiday sweetheart, there should be no shortage of activities for you and your family to participate in, from historical tours and live music to farmer’s markets and pick-your-own berry patches. If you live near water or natural open, go for a swim or take a scenic walk or bike ride. Don’t forget to use DEET-free insect repellant! I personally like to use child-safe, non-toxic Bug Bam Mosquito Bands, and this DIY mosquito repellant.
Slather on Eco-friendly, Safe Sunscreen Hopefully, you’ve got plans to hit the beach, the trail, or the farmer’s market this 4th. If you’ll be outside (and especially if you’re taking little ones along), make sure to wear hats and shades and use plenty of sunscreens. The Environmental Working Group’s 2020 Best Sunscreens page lists over 100 safe sunscreens including baby, waterproof, and sport sunscreens. Don’t forget to reapply!
Pack a Zero Waste Picnic If you’re setting up camp somewhere to wait for the fireworks show to start, eliminate waste and save some cash by skipping food vendors and disposable eating ware and bringing your own zero-waste picnic. You can start by packing locally sourced fruits, veggies, cheeses, and beer or wine (bottles are recycle-able!) and bringing your own water in reusable bottles. Instead of plastic and paper eating ware, pack cloth napkins and compostable plates, silverware, and cups. If you don’t have a long haul or want to go super-green, pack reusable glasses, silverware, and plates.
View Fireworks from a Natural Setting The last year I lived in Boulder my husband and I skipped the impressive, grandiose fireworks and sing-a-long event at the University of Colorado’s Folsom Field in favor of a quieter, more intimate viewing experience with friends. We packed some drinks and snacks, hiked up into the foothills, and joined other groups wanting to celebrate from a distance. The evening (and later nighttime, flashlight-lit) hike was magical, allowing us to take in the full beauty of our town and appreciate this lovely country we call home. Since we were far enough away that we couldn’t hear the explosions of the fireworks, our group of friends was able to converse and enjoy each other’s company to the fullest. Even if you don’t have a beautiful natural setting to enjoy the 4th from, you can cut down on waste and pollution by not lighting off-street fireworks and enjoying a larger display with a giant group, instead.
Have a safe, green, and happy Independence Day! How are you celebrating?
It’s certainly no surprise that a lot of people are becoming increasingly concerned about their homes on an environmental level. It’s impossible to deny that climate change is having a very real impact on the world and the vast majority of people, very understandably, want to try and do everything that they can in order to make their homes more sustainable. However, for a lot of people, they assume that doing so is going to be incredibly difficult or expensive. While it’s true that some methods of making your home greener are more expensive than others, there are enough methods that almost anyone can try at least some of them in order to lessen their environmental impact. With that in mind, here are a few ways that both you and your home can go green.
Go natural
One of the very best ways that you can reduce the environmental impact of your household is to try and go natural as much as possible. The most obvious way of doing this is to grow your own food. Even if you only have a small garden, you almost certainly have the space to grow some fruit and vegetables. Perhaps consider using some of the space that you currently use for your lawn to grow things that are actually useful. Not only will you save money but growing your own food makes a big difference to your overall carbon footprint since you’ll be buying far less from supermarkets. You should also look into reducing the amount of water that you waste by using a water filtration system to make things like rainwater safe for drinking. It might seem like all of this is a lot of effort, but it’s far less than you might expect and not only that, but you’ll find that the results often make it all worthwhile. There are few moments in life where you feel more proud than when you first bite into a piece of food that you grew from a single seed.
Install solar panels
While this might be one of the more expensive options available, it is also one of the very best. Solar panels are becoming increasingly popular on many houses because they not only benefit the planet, but they also benefit homeowners. Not only do solar panels allow you to use far less electricity than you otherwise would, some local governments actually pay you for producing energy. Essentially, if you have solar panels on your home, you may be able to sell the energy you produce which means that not only are you reducing your energy bills, you’re essentially converting them into profit. Even with the, admittedly steep initial cost of having them installed in the first place, it’s undeniable that solar panels can be a fantastic deal, both for you and for the earth. Of course, it’s important to think carefully about whether or not you’re going to get that much out of solar panels in the first place before having them installed. As with any serious alteration to your home, it pays to do as much research as possible.
Change the products you use
We all have to buy various products and it can be difficult because, to put it mildly, some brands really aren’t as interested in taking care of the environment or being eco friendly as many of us would like. As nice as it would be to make everything from scratch yourself, that’s really not a realistic change that most people can actually make. However, one thing that you can do is to make sure that you’re only buying products from brands that you can trust. There are plenty of ways you can find out that kind of information online with just a little bit of googling. Simple things like switching from traditional soaps and body wash to something like colloidal oatmeal can be a great start. What is colloidal oatmeal? Well, simply put, it’s a way that you can use regular oats to create a natural skincare routine. It’s also available in many products from companies who are dedicated to being more eco friendly. This is a small and simple change that you can make but it’s a great starting point for you to make some genuine changes to your shopping habits.
Make simple changes to your behaviour
The best thing that you can do if you want to live a more eco friendly life is just to make simple changes in your day-to-day behaviours. These kinds of things aren’t particularly life-changing on their own and they’re not all that glamorous. However, they are often the things that can end up making the biggest change on your environmental impact. Incredibly simple things like trying to save power by reducing the number of appliances that you have running at once or simply turning off lights when you leave the room can make a huge difference and really don’t take that much effort to do once you’re in the habit. The same goes for how much water you’re using or how often you have your heating and air conditioning on as the weather changes. Sure, you doing these things alone isn’t going to change the world, but if we all did our part with these small and simple changes then it could well have a pretty significant impact on the world around us. Plus, these kinds of things could end up saving you a fair amount of money too.
The reality is that making your home, and your life, more eco friendly can often be something of a challenge. It’s something that requires commitment and often requires you to make sacrifices. However, it’s so important that you remember the importance of making adjustments to our impact on the world around us. Sure, living in a more sustainable, environmentally friendly way isn’t always easy and can sometimes come with its fair share of short-term inconveniences, but the trade-off for that is being able to do your bit to help the world around you, not just for yourself but for future generations as well.
There are a lot of different cars on today’s roads — and with a PwC forecast estimating 107 million vehicles will be manufactured globally in 2020, there are going to be even more in the next few years. And while having a vehicle is often necessary, CO2 emissions are at an all-time high, partly due to vehicle use. This is one of the many reasons more and more people are choosing to purchase electric vehicles (EVs). But if you’re traveling this summer, you may be wondering how to plan your trip with your EV. Lucky for you, we have a few great tips in this article.
Drive Smart and Save Your Battery
EV drivers have to make the most of a charge — this is why it’s important to drive smart. When you’re trying to get the most out of your car’s battery, you should accelerate and brake carefully. If you slam on either the gas or brakes regularly, your charge is going to go down more quickly. Don’t forget to use your accessories wisely, too. Additionally, you should always charge your vehicle right before you leave so you can start off with a full charge. And remember to keep charge times in mind to ensure you stay on schedule. With U.S. manufacturing producing 18.2% of goods globally, EVs have improved drastically over the past few years, but you still need to treat your car with care.
Plan Your Stops Ahead of Time
When you’re on a road trip, you’re usually rushing to get to your final destination in excitement. But when you’re driving in an EV, you need to plan to stop frequently. So when you’re planning your route and travel time, make sure to account for multiple stops. Not only will EVs require more stops than regular cars, but the stops will probably take longer — it takes more time to charge an EV than to fill up a gas tank. But with the global specialty gases market expected to exceed $14 billion by 2026, EV drivers can enjoy saving money and going green compared to regular vehicle drivers.
Go Where Charging Stations Are
Unfortunately, much of the country is still not equipped with electric vehicle charging stations. This is especially true in less populated areas. So when you’re deciding where to travel to in your EV, be mindful of where charging stations are located. Cities and urban areas are a great choice because they’re more likely to have multiple charging stations you can utilize. While there are plans in place to get more EV charging stations in place in less populated areas, for now, you should stick to high-traffic areas. This way, you won’t have to worry about being stranded without a way to charge up.
Expect the Unexpected
When you’re driving a traditional vehicle, it can be fairly easy to simply hop in the car and take off with no plan in mind. But this isn’t a smart thing to do with an EV. Running out of battery juice far away from a charging station can be bad news. This is why you need to plan for the worst and expect the unexpected. You should always have a backup plan, like knowing about a charging station before your planned stop, just in case. With 5.5 million car accidents occurring every year and millions of cars breaking down on the roads, there’s no telling what may happen. So be prepared for anything that may come up along the way.
Driving an electric vehicle is a great way to do your part to help the environment. But because road trips in an EV can be a little more tricky, keep these tips in mind to ensure everything goes according to plan.
As you already know, my family loves the ocean. We spend the majority of our free time paddleboarding, swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, surfing, and free-diving. Our love for the ocean includes everything that lives in the ocean. There are many creatures that inhabit that ocean that humans may find dangerous – especially after all of the media coverage surrounding some recent shark attacks. While I understand that some people may find sharks to be terrifying, the ocean is their home and we are simply visitors. However, as a family, we have a realistic view of these animals and follow the rules of the ocean to help ensure no harm comes to the sharks or our family.
Eben learned how to swim before he could walk or talk, he was almost 6 months old. He is a natural in the water – it is the one place where he feels completely at ease. When it comes to the ocean, he has no fear – he has been stung by jellyfish, bitten by countless creatures, stepped on a sea urchin and even tore his leg open kneeling on the ocean floor. However, all of these incidents have not changed his view of the ocean, it is still his favorite place on Earth.
I am not as adventurous as Eben or the mister, I am the cautious one – the one always on the lookout for possible dangers. We have swum and snorkeled with sharks many times and we have never felt threatened by them. In fact, we have nothing but love and respect for these amazing creatures. Since I am so cautious and a natural planner, I have tips that I live by to keep my family safe in the ocean. I am not trying to scare you, you are more likely to be hurt by a toilet than a shark! However, if you are hitting the beach this summer, read on and take note, these tips can help to keep your family safe.
#1: What’s Going On?
The first thing to consider before even getting into the water is to stay on top of what is happening in the ocean in your area. A great place to start is at the lifeguard station – they will have a sign that will outline any dangers for the day. Check the news, have there been reports of whale migration, baitfish or seals in the area? If so, stay out of the water. Also, if sharks are migrating through the area, it is a good idea to steer clear of the water too.
#2: It’s All in the Sky
Waters tend to be cloudy at dusk and dawn – and if you can’t see well through the cloudy water, a shark won’t be able to either. Many causes of shark bites happen simply as a case of mistaken identity. Also, if it is overcast or stormy, going in the ocean isn’t recommended – again the water is usually cloudy and incoming storms can stir up bait fish, the last thing you want to do is get between a shark and its prey.
#3: Watch for FishermenÂ
I don’t recommend being in the water anywhere near fishermen. Whether the fishermen are simply fishing, cleaning the fish in the water, dumping fish guts into the water, or chumming, it’s a good idea to steer clear of the area. Sharks have an amazing sense of smell and taste and fish guts in the water may attract them to the area. Some sharks have been known to hang around areas where fishermen fish, snatching the fish from their lines too. So as a rule, we do not swim near anywhere near a fishing pier.
#4: Stick Together
As with many things in life, there is safety in numbers when in the ocean too. I don’t recommend swimming far offshore or even hanging out in the water by yourself. Sharks come into all depths of water. We have seen them in knee-deep water and 30-foot waters – swimming or playing in the water as a group is a much better option. Stick together.
#5: Skip the Shiny
Shiny or metal objects can attract sharks – they are curious creatures, they may just want to check out your bling. When heading out to the sea, remove all of your jewelry – and skip swimsuits with any shiny metal embellishments.
#6 Keep Noise to a Minimum
Stick to playing Jaws at the swimming pool only! Splashing around, yelling and thrashing about may attract sharks to the area. They may think you are a struggling prey or may just be curious to see what all the ruckus is about.
#7: Keep a Safe Distance
Most of the times that we have encountered sharks have been on a reef. We always respect their space, put a lot of distance between us and them, stay close together, all the while remaining calm and still. They have always just swum past or under us – never giving us a second look. Again, I don’t recommend snorkeling or diving at a reef alone and when you do see a shark, don’t freak out and frantically try to swim back to the boat. Stay calm and still, and most likely the shark will just swim by.
#8: Pick a Guarded Beach
If you are on vacation, not familiar on how to read the ocean or just want a little more protection, hit the guarded beach. The lifeguards are not only there to keep us safe from drowning, but they will also alert you as soon as they see sharks, baitfish or other dangerous creatures or weather conditions. As soon as you hear that whistle blow, get out the water until the lifeguard says it is safe to go back in. Also, when you arrive at the beach make sure to read the signs at the lifeguard station if there is baitfish in the area or they have a red/no swimming flag – follow their recommendations.
#9: Don’t Feed the Fish
There have been documented cases of people being bitten by sharks after feeding them. Sharks are highly intelligent creatures if you feed them once they will remember it and come back to the area for more. What happens when someone else swims in that spot and doesn’t have a treat to offer them? They may bite someone on accident simply looking for food. As in all cases, do not feed the wildlife, it isn’t a good idea for you or for them.
How do you keep your family safe from sharks at the beach? Are there tips I may have missed?
