Month: June 2019

bookmark_border6 EASY Ways to Participate in Plastic Free July!

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Hey earth muffins! For those of you who don’t know, Plastic Free July is almost here!!! 😮 To raise awareness for the plastic pollution epidemic that our world is currently facing, this global movement aims to inspire people to reduce their plastic usage. I learned a lot by participating in the challenge last summer, so I am super excited to take part in it again! If you are interested in trying to reduce your use of plastic in July, here are my top suggestions. 🥳

An image that links to the Plastic Free July website will be on the sidebar of my blog throughout July! 😁

1. Avoid all fruits and vegetables wrapped in unnecessary plastic. Why do cucumbers (or any produce item) need to be shrink wrapped when they have a skin that protects them? Put loose fruit and veg into a reusable bag instead!

PC: link

2. Refuse all plastic water bottles. This can be difficult at first, but you will get the hang of carrying around a reusable water bottle wherever you go! It is one of my top ten ways to reduce plastic consumption, making it a perfect thing to focus on for Plastic Free July 😊

3. Find an alternative to plastic wrap. You can purchase or DIY beeswax wrap or use mason jars/other containers instead! 🐝 Such an easy switch!

Purchase this set on Amazon! 

4. Be conscious of what food is packaged in and make the switch! If you can find a similar item with less or no plastic, I’d say it’s a no-brainer.

5. NO STRAWS. “I’d like a water with no straw please.” -Me when ordering a drink at a restaurant

PC: link

6. Figure out the single-use plastic you use the most and try to avoid it! Plastic Free July has a great Pesky Plastics Quiz that will tell you exactly what items you use the most… So really try to cut back on them this month (or cut them out completely!). 🎉

PC: link

Will you be participating in Plastic Free July?

Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_borderRecent Reads & Movie Reviews 🎬

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Hey earth muffins! It has already been over a month since I last shared the books and movies I have been reading/watching. As you all seem to really enjoy these posts, I thought it would be the perfect thing to write today. 😊 Let’s dive right into it!

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Recent Reads
~From the Bottom Up: One Man’s Crusade to Clean America’s River by Chad Pregracke

Creating less waste has been a huge focus on Life of an Earth Muffin ever since I started my journey towards living a more sustainable lifestyle. This book was incredibly inspiring, as it shares Chad’s story of how he dropped everything to start cleaning up the Mississippi River. Eventually, this endeavor turned into a nonprofit organization that is still picking up the trash from America’s rivers!! 😍 It was so interesting to hear his story and the impact he has been able to do, so I would recommend checking it out!
Rating:  8.5/10

~Girl in the Woods by Aspen Matis

This book caught my eye when I was randomly roaming around my library, so I figured I would give it a read… I thought it was an excellent book! It shares Aspen’s Pacific Crest Trail memoir after she left college to hike the trail after being raped on her second night in school. I read Wild a few months ago (another good read!) which was also centered around the Pacific Crest Trail, so it was interesting to see another solo female hiker’s view on hiking such a long journey. 🚶‍♀️ This book was so reflective and inspiring – definitely check it out!
Rating: 9.5/10

~Blogging for Creatives: How Designers, Artists, Crafters and Writers Can Blog to Make Contacts, Win Business and Build Success by Robin Houghton

When I was deciding to rebrand The Chic Cupcake into Life of an Earth Muffin, I realized that I should probably consult a book about blogging to ensure that I rebranded successfully. I chose this book, and it was a really great guide to blogs! I read part of Blog Inc. by Joy Cho, and Houghton’s book is much more engaging, explanatory, and interesting. I loved that it included a bunch of pictures for inspiration and tutorials; it would be a great book to read if you are interesting in starting a blog or revamping one! 😁
Rating: 10/10

Movie Reviews
~Solo: A Star Wars Story


I know, I know this movie came out a long time ago… But my boyfriend and I just recently watched it on Netflix. I thought it was decent, but not something that I would watch again. I think the Star Wars franchise needs to just put a cap to their movies after the last episode comes out, as adding more and more to the Star Wars story dilutes the series (at least it does in my opinion). No hate at all – it was still a perfectly fine film!
Rating: 7/10

~When Harry Met Sally

Is it sad that I just watched this movie for the first time after 22 years of living?!? I thought it was such a cute rom com! 😊 I got so much nostalgia from the clothes and the sets and the plot (as rom coms were my main genre of movies growing up)… I will definitely be watching this movie again!
Rating: 10/10

~Monster House

My boyfriend made me watch this movie, and I still don’t think I’m over it. WHO THOUGHT THIS PLOT WAS OKAY? What high end executives sat in a room and approved this story? For a kid’s movie, it was seriously messed up. 😬 The animation reminded me of claymation (which I HATE), which added to the weird plot of a possessed house that eats people. Definitely would not watch again haha.
Rating: 2/10

What books and movies have you been reading and watching lately? 

Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_borderThe Weekender’s Guide to Fort Wayne, Indiana!

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Hey earth muffins! My boyfriend and I spent the weekend in Fort Wayne, Indiana a few weeks ago, as I am sure you saw on Instagram. I recently made a Weekender’s Guide to Madison, WI, so I thought it would be fun to do the same for this city. Fingers crossed that I will be able to continue to travel this summer… but let’s jump right into it!

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What To Do
1. Walk around the city – One of my absolute favorite things to do in a new city is to walk around aimlessly to see the sites. As there are plenty of public parking structures in the city, it is definitely a must to ditch the car and wander! Fort Wayne is a pretty small city overall, so it was easily walkable. Fun things to look at: Embassy Theater, Tincaps Stadium, Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, Allen County Public Library and Genealogy Center.

2. Hit up any/some/all of the museums – Fort Wayne has a bunch of museums all around the city including the Museum of Art, the Firefighters Museum, and an Air Museum! I was actually impressed by how reasonably priced everything was… Make sure to take advantage of student discounts! 🙂

3. Take pictures with some murals – There are murals all over the place, and it was super fun to take some cute pictures while sightseeing. If you are looking for some cute Insta pics, check out this interactive map that points out all of the murals!

Peep the new profile pic to see another cute mural! 

4. Go to the Botanical Conservatory – I am a huge plant lover, so I would suggest checking out all of the cool florals in this conservatory! Plus, it is right across the street from the Cathedral I mentioned above. 👍

5. Do some shopping – The Glenbrook Square mall is about a 5-10 minute drive from downtown, and it had a lot of great stores! I was also really excited that there is a two story carousel in the food court…

There was a dino, so I obviously loved it…

6. Attend the Fort Wayne Air Show – While this only happens once a year, it was definitely worth it! Parking and admissions is FREE, and it was so cool to see Air Force planes (both on the ground and in the air). What a cool event!

Got to go inside this one! 😮

What to Eat
1. Fort Wayne’s Famous Coney Island (131 W Main St) – This coney island has been open since 1914, and it still sells hot dogs for super cheap. My boyfriend loves coney dogs, so we just had to go – for $1.50 per dog it was definitely a win!

2. Yummi Bunni (123 W Main St) – This ice cream shop is right next door to the coney island, and it is soooo cute inside. 🍦 Plus, their classic “bun” is ice cream STUFFED INSIDE A GLAZED DONUT. Yes. Please.

 
I ordered the Bun of the Week: Moosetracks in a Glazed Donut with chunks of waffle cone… YUM! 

Where to Stay
1. Paul’s Apartment on Airbnb – My boyfriend and I chose to stay in an Airbnb, as we wanted to have access to a kitchen and laundry if needed. This apartment was 5 minutes from downtown, and it was such a great Airbnb! It was also quite cheap (only $108 for two nights!), so I would definitely recommend checking it out. 😊

2. Hotels – There are a bunch of hotels downtown, but they would definitely be more expensive than the place we stayed at. But, it is still an option!

 

Have you ever been to Fort Wayne? What did you do when you were there? 

Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_borderReview: Ethique Boost Hair Mask 🌸

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Hey earth muffins! As the summer humidity starts to set in, my hair usually goes through a period of being extremely dry. This probably hasn’t been helped by the fact that I have been doing some traveling recently and hotel air doesn’t agree with the frizz of my hair either… To give my hair some pampering, I decided to try out a hair mask from Ethique. 😊 As their brand fits perfectly with my mission towards living low waste, I will be sharing my experience with this product today!

The hair mask that I decided to try was in the “flavor” Boost (you can find it on their website for $13.95!). I featured their other mask, Bloom, in my Sustainable Gift Guide for Mother’s Day, but I figured a little boosting would be perfect for my hair right now. This product comes with two masks in a compostable box – wow, such a great way to reduce your waste!

Overall, I thought the mask was extremely easy to use. Just plop the adorable heart shaped product into a mug, pour 150 ml of boiling water over top, stir until smooth, and let it thicken for about 15 minutes. Then, apply to dry hair for 20+ minutes and rinse out in the shower. 👍

For me, the process was extremely easy; however, I found that 150 ml seemed like too much water. After only 15 minutes the mask was still a bit watery, but after letting it sit for longer it was fine to apply into my hair. Maybe the water was too hot? Or maybe I just added too much? I’d say shoot for about 130 ml 🙂

I think this hair mask did boost the shine of my hair, as it felt extremely soft after my shower. My hair tends to be on the greasier side, so I was glad that it didn’t seem to make my hair appear like it had more oil in it. I am excited to use the second hair mask in this package, and I love that I am able to pamper myself while still reducing my waste! 😁 I would definitely recommend checking out Ethique’s hair masks!

What are your favorite hair products?

Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_borderSustainable Gift Guide for Father’s Day 🧔

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Hey earth muffins! Father’s Day is right around the corner… As in, it is two days away! 😬 Never fear – if you are still in need of a gift for your padre, I hope you are inspired to purchase some of these presents that will make both your father and the planet happy. I wrote a similar post like this for Mother’s Day, so it only seemed fair to write one for the second half of the amazing parent duo. 😍 Enjoy!

1. Grill him his favorite dinner – It seems that many Father’s Day gifts are themed towards grilling and BBQs. This may just be because the weather is finally getting nice, so why not have a grill out celebrating the big man himself? Instead of making him do the cooking, give it a shot yourself!

2. Ties – My dad has been complaining recently that his ties have been wearing out, so I bought him some new ties for this holiday! When tie shopping, try to find sustainable fabrics (organic cotton, silk, etc.) instead of polyester blends, as they are obviously better for the environment but also look way better! 👔 I suggest checking out the ties from General Knot & Co. – they use vintage or scrap fabric and produce everything in the US!

 

3. Alcohol sampler – If your dad likes to try new beers or alcohols, why not get him a bunch of interesting kinds at a liquor store? Even though I am not a big drinker, I love to look at all the cool glass bottles that can be reused or recycled later.

4. Bulk coffee beans – Both of my parents love to drink their coffee on the porch together, but my dad especially loves to brew different types. We have a french press, Nespresso, normal coffee maker, and Italian cappuccino maker, so it is safe to say that he would LOVE a selection of ground coffee beans from the bulk bins. Pick out the flavors that you think he would enjoy best!

5. Tickets to an event – While a check might sound like a lame gift, find two or three different events around your city that you think he would enjoy going to (with you or his wife!). Then, let him pick which one he would like to attend. 😀 Look at anything from sporting events to cooking classes – I am sure you will be able to find something cool close by!

What are you getting your dad for Father’s Day? 

Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_borderYou MUST Buy These Items In the Bulk Bins!

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Hey earth muffins! One of the easiest things I started doing after beginning my journey towards a more sustainable lifestyle was to shop in the bulk bins. I have previously explained how to shop in bulk and where I suggest shopping in bulk, but I have never really talked about what foods are most cost effective when you buy them in the bulk bins. This is valuable information that could benefit you all even if you aren’t looking to be more sustainable when grocery shopping (as saving money is amazing all the time), so I hope you enjoy this post! 😀

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1. Oats – When shopping in bulk, you pay a price based on the weight of how much you purchase. As oats weigh basically nothing, you can purchase a whole bag full for about $1-2. 😮 This price is so much better than the packaged alternatives, so I would recommend stocking up from the bins!

2. Lentils – As I mentioned in my Non-Meat Protein Guide, lentils are a great way to substitute meat in cooking if you are looking for a plant based alternative. Again, the packaged versions are almost double the price! I love to store mine in a mason jar, and they last for a long long time.

3. Dried beans (including chickpeas) – If you are looking to save money, dried beans are usually only a tad cheaper in bulk… But at least you can avoid any unnecessary packaging! I think buying dried beans is much better than beans from a can because you are able to rehydrate the amount you need and continue storing the rest.

4. Spices – Not only can you purchase spices for a cheaper price, but you can also buy the exact amount you need without having a whole container that will just sit in the cupboard after making a new recipe. 🙂

5. Dried fruits – Just like beans, these can be hit or miss compared to packaged versions. I have found that lighter fruits (like dried apples and unsweetened banana chips) are cheaper. These make delicious bulk bin snacks!



What foods do you buy from the bulk bins?

Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_border7 Things I’ve Learned One Year Into Zero Waste

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Hey earth muffins! I find it hard to believe that I started my journey towards living low/zero waste a year ago! 😲 This blows my mind, but I have had a really great year changing my habits in order to live a more sustainable lifestyle. To reflect on the journey so far, I thought it would be fun to share the most important things I have learned one year zero waste. 😊

When looking back on this year, I think the most important thing I have learned is that people get really sick of you talking about your sustainability efforts. At the start of my journey, I wanted to share all of the cool things I was learning with my family and friends; however, I feel like I talked about it too much. This made people not want to hear what I had to say, no matter how helpful the information was. To combat this, I now try to lead by example instead of forcing my opinion on others… And it actually works wonders! My family and friends now ask me about the things I am doing with genuine interest, so I think this is the approach everyone should take!

Leading by example has proven to me that your small steps towards sustainability WILL affect those around you. When my parents and I were sitting on the porch a few days ago, they started talking about what they should do about the plastic problem. These conversations were never brought up before, so I am so happy that my new mindset has impacted theirs too! 🥰

The journey will be hard at first, but it does get easier. It is difficult to change habits because they are habits after all, so stay patient with yourself! Every person who is “zero waste” does it differently, so find what works for you! There are many misconceptions on what it means to live low waste, but I have found it the most effective to figure out the places where you can reduce your waste and where you cannot.

I have found that grocery shopping is an easy place to start!

Even if you know you won’t be able to cut out the waste in one area of your house, just know that every little thing counts! Just imagine if every single person on the planet reduced their waste in the kitchen or the bathroom; there would be monumental change! 🙂 Alongside this point, it is important to remember that it’s okay to have bad days. If you have to use plastic bags at the grocery store one day or need to purchase a plastic water bottle from the vending machine, don’t beat yourself up! Many people aren’t doing anything to be sustainable at all, so be proud that you have been trying your best 😚

Lastly, this past year has taught me that living a sustainable lifestyle will definitely make you feel so good inside! I am so happy with the way I now live my life, and I absolutely love my new mindset in putting the planet first. I look forward to another great year ahead!! 🎉

What have you been doing in the past year to be more sustainable? What are your own zero waste successes and failures?

Love,
Jenna ♥

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bookmark_borderWild Woods Natural Deodorant ft. Primal Pit Paste!

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Hey earth muffins! Back in March I reviewed Primal Pit Paste’s Tough Teeth Charcoal Whitening Tooth Powder for you all. In that post, I mentioned that I was also excited to try out the company’s natural deodorant (especially since I LOVED the tooth powder). As Primal Pit Paste (now Pretty Frank) products come in glass jars, they fit perfectly with my journey to live low waste! 🎉 My old deodorant finally ran out, so I have been using the Wild Woods deodorant for about three weeks now – the perfect amount of time for an in-depth review 😁 Let’s jump right into it!

The Pros
*Easy to apply – While you can’t just roll it on like a typical deodorant, it is still so easy to apply! Using the small wooden stick that comes with the jar, you take out a pea sized amount and roll it between your fingers a couple of times to make it soft. Then, just rub into your armpit! I have found it easiest to apply my deodorant before I put on my shirt for the day as I can see where I am applying it 😊
*Smells amazing (and keeps ME smelling amazing!) – I don’t usually smell unless I am seriously sweating, but this deodorant has never let me down! 🎉 The Wild Woods scent is earthy and smells like a forest, and I love it!
*Dries fast and doesn’t become sticky during the day – Before switching to this product, I was using Tom’s of Maine deodorant. This would often become sticky during the day, so I am so thankful that this natural deodorant stays dry all day. You can’t even tell that it is there!
*Doesn’t stain clothes or leave residue – I was worried that it would leave white stains on my dark clothes… But it does nothing of the sort!
*Comes in a glass jar – In my Zero Waste Successes and Failures post, I mentioned that I was having a hard time finding a zero waste deodorant. While Tom’s of Maine was natural, it still came in a plastic container and there were no TerraCycle places near me to recycle it properly. Therefore, I LOVE that Primal Pit Paste products come in glass jars. I will be able to use the jar for something else after I finish up the product or recycle the glass.

The Cons
*Difficult to get the same amount each time – As you need a wooden stick to get the product out of the jar, it is hard to get the same amount each time. This isn’t a huge deal at all, but it was the only con I could think of! 😝

Overall, I would recommend checking out the Wild Woods deodorant from Primal Pit Paste (or any scent of their deodorants really!). As mentioned in my last review, I also still have a tooth powder that I haven’t been able to start yet (as I still have some of my toothpaste tube). Keep a lookout for a review of the tooth powder when I start using the product!

Have you tried anything from Primal Pit Paste? Will you give their products a try??

*The Primal Pit Paste products were sent to me for free, but all opinions are my own!*

Love,
Jenna ♥

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