Navigation

Archive | HOME AND GARDEN

Living Naturally and Eco-Friendly: From Skincare to Cleaning House

December 16, 2024 0

Living an eco-friendly lifestyle has never been more important. From our skin care choices to how we clean our homes, small changes to daily habits can have significant effects on both ourselves and the planet. In this blog, we’ll look at practical tips and ideas on incorporating natural practices into everyday life to form cleaner, greener living environments.

Beeswax Is Versatile 

Beeswax, an all-natural and sustainable ingredient, boasts multiple uses in natural skincare and household products. With its waxy texture and unique properties, eco-conscious people have many ways to use natural wax from bees to incorporate sustainable practices into their lifestyle. DIY lip balm or candles can both use beeswax products as a base ingredient. Beeswax offers such benefits that prioritize both personal wellbeing as well as environmental consideration.

Natural Skincare Solutions

Cleanse, Nourish and Protect

When choosing skincare products that will benefit both you and the environment, look for natural and organic ingredients that are gentle on both. Use natural cleansers on your face, plant-based moisturizers to nourish skin from within, and mineral sunscreens as additional layers of defense from UV radiation.

DIY Beauty Treatments

Put your creativity to use in the kitchen and try creating your own natural beauty treatments at home. From homemade face masks using ingredients such as honey, yogurt, and avocado to body scrubs made with sugar and coconut oil, DIY beauty treatments not only give you greater control over what ingredients go into them but can help cut waste due to excessive packaging.

Sustainable Fashion Choices

Consider Secondhand and Vintage 

When it comes to fashion, consider opting for secondhand and vintage clothing as a smart way of saving both money and reducing textile waste by prolonging the life cycle of clothing production. Thrift stores, consignment shops and online marketplaces provide an abundance of unique finds at greatly reduced costs. This can help extend its useful life while simultaneously decreasing textile waste from production processes and lessening environmental impacts associated with the fashion industry.

Consider Sustainable Fabrics

When looking for clothing, opt for brands that prioritize sustainable fabrics like organic cotton, linen, hemp, or recycled materials, as these tend to offer superior comfort and durability while being eco-friendly.

Eco-Friendly Home Cleaning

Natural Cleaning Products

Opt for non-chemical cleaners like vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, and essential oils for effective home cleaning solutions. You can easily create an all-purpose cleaner by mixing vinegar and water or make an aromatic citrus cleaner by combining lemon peels with vinegar.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Adopting sustainable cleaning practices also involves minimizing waste. Instead of disposable paper towels, try switching to reusable cleaning cloths. Consider refillable containers for cleaning products or purchasing bulk so as to limit packaging waste. Be sure to recycle whenever possible and search out eco-friendly options for items like plastic bottles or packaging materials.

Conclusion

By making intentional choices in our daily lives, we can all contribute to creating a more sustainable world. From using natural skincare from bees wax and sustainable fashion choices, to eco-friendly home cleaning practices, every small step counts towards building an eco-friendlier future. Commit yourself to living more naturally and sustainably.

Green Gatherings: Tips For Planning A More Sustainable Thanksgiving

November 18, 2024 0

 

This time of year is all about gathering with loved ones and expressing gratitude. And in the U.S., gratitude is best expressed in the form of food. Thanksgiving is the embodiment of this tradition, and this time of year is full of more friends, family, and food than most people know what to do with.

Even the most well-intentioned holidays can lead to excess, and this excess likely goes against your sustainability goals. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal while keeping it green and eco-friendly. The following are some of the many ways to throw a sustainable Thanksgiving dinner.

Buy organic meat and produce.
Whenever possible, purchase locally-grown organic produce for your delicious Thanksgiving dishes. As for the meat, grass-fed is generally best. This may be tough if you’re committed to turkey, but there are lots of sustainable meats to choose from. Beef from grass-fed cows has higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as vitamins A and E. As for the turkey, opt for a free-range bird.

Use reusable plates and utensils.
While paper plates and plastic utensils offer convenience, these items are a significant source of waste. Instead, serve food on reusable or ceramic plates. Whoever didn’t help with the cooking can clean them. Easy, right?

Decorate with natural materials.
Store-bought Thanksgiving decorations tend to adorn the table for one day before landing in the garbage. This year, try decorating with natural materials instead. One of the best decorating tricks is to choose three colors for the event theme and then use them for all of the decor items. The oranges, browns, and greens found in nature are perfect for your entire Thanksgiving color scheme and centerpieces.

Cook outdoors.
In a recent study, the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association found that 60% of grillers cook outside throughout the entire year. This can be a great way to cook more sustainability, as long as you stay away from gas-powered grills. Instead, try cooking over a fire or woodstove. Food tends to taste better when it was cooked outdoors, so your taste buds and the environment will win.

Compost any cooking scraps.
The simple act of cooking is one of the most significant sources of Thanksgiving waste. When cooking a big meal, food scraps pile up. Instead of throwing them in the garbage, compost them instead. If you don’t already compost at home, contact your local compost companies about pickup and dropoff services.

Remember to say thanks.
Gratitude does not produce any waste. Take the time this year to pull the focus off of material items and onto the act of giving thanks and cherishing the people you love.

“If distance or circumstances prevent you from spending Thanksgiving with some of the people you love, call, email, or write them a letter (on recycled paper) to tell them why they mean so much to you and how they make your world a better place,” Larry West writes in ThoughtCo.

By spreading the love to both your dear ones and the planet, you will have a wonderfully nourishing Thanksgiving Day.

Green Your Thanksgiving With Edible, Organic Place Cards

November 16, 2024 2
Styled Stock Photos for Instagram and Social Media, Flatlays, Social Squares from the SC Stockshop

I am having a lot of fun planning how the dinner table will look this Thanksgiving. Especially since it will be super small which means less pressure and more relaxing! 

First on my list of things to do to prepare is to decide on place cards for our tiny family. I really love, love, love these pear place cards from Sunset. I think a beautiful, delicious organic pear with a lovely recycled name tag would be perfect. I am also considering giant pomegranates with recycled name tags attached. (You know how I feel about pomegranates!)

What type of place cards will you be using on Thanksgiving?

5 Eco-Friendly Ways to Plan for Thanksgiving Dinner

November 15, 2024 2

Hello, Friends! I am pretty excited, Thanksgiving is right around the corner. To get you started, there are many eco-friendly ways to green your Thanksgiving dinner – all of which are easier to implement if you plan ahead. Many of these ideas will save you money and time while cutting down on the amount of waste that can accumulate from a big family dinner. Read on to learn my 5 favorite eco-friendly ways to plan your Thanksgiving dinner and start planning today!

1. Decorating 101
You don’t have to spend any money when decorating for Thanksgiving, instead use items that you already have or consider bringing natural items indoors. We always have a handful of pumpkins leftover from Halloween that we use as Thanksgiving decorations. And Eben and I like to take a nature walk to collect natural elements (pine-cones, acorns, branches, and leaves) to display as our Thanksgiving table centerpiece.

2. How Much is Enough?
It is really easy to go overboard when planning the Thanksgiving menu. Consider the dishes that you will be serving and ask yourself if you are making more than is necessary. Choose a few dishes that you are sure your guests will love and skip the rest. Also, consider which parts of Thanksgiving dinner you want to or can afford to purchase organic and whenever possible, avoid pre-packaged items.

3. Consider the Table
Do you have enough dinnerware for everyone at your dinner party? If not, consider borrowing place settings from close friends or family members instead of purchasing new. If you aren’t a china and tablecloth kind of family and choose to go with disposable place settings, choose a great compostable version that is made from 100% recycled materials.

4. Think Seasonal
When choosing fruits and vegetables for your Thanksgiving menu, think seasonal. You want to avoid purchasing produce that is imported from far away. You may consider joining a local CSA for the holiday season – not only will you have delicious, local foods to serve this Thanksgiving, but you will be supporting a local farm too.

5. Plan for Leftovers
What do you plan to do with the Thanksgiving dinner leftovers? If you are planning on sending goodies home with your guests, have glass reusable storage containers ready to go. If you made more than your family can consume, you could donate some of the leftovers to a local food bank, freeze them for later or have a menu plan for the days after Thanksgiving so all of the leftovers will be used.

How do you green your Thanksgiving dinner? I would love to hear – please share your thoughts in the comments!

How to Upcycle Wine Corks into Thanksgiving Place Card Holders

November 14, 2024 0


When Eben was little, I would encourage him to spend some time creating something fun for the Thanksgiving table. Over the years, he has made apple printed napkins, pine cone turkey centerpieces, and floral arrangements. Several years ago we really wanted to utilize the corks we have saved – so we started brainstorming fun crafts. We decided to use the corks along with a handful of other supplies from the recycling bin and craft closet to make turkey inspired place cards.

This project is super simple and will keep your child busy Thanksgiving morning while you are cooking, baking, cleaning, and getting ready for the big day. At the end of the project, your child will have these fun colorful place cards to offer as part of the Thanksgiving table decor. Then, as your guests leave after the feast, they can take their turkeys home with them as a memento of a cherished day together.

Older posts Newer posts