Month: August 2021

bookmark_borderKeeping Your Sustainable Home In Tip-Top Condition

Posted on

There’s a lot of value in having a sustainable home – it’s good for you, other people, and the planet, after all. However, though the broader implications of having a sustainable property might be positive, it’s not as if it’s always a walk in the park. An eco-conscious house might have more going for it than a regular home, but they do share some of the same problems. And that means that you’ll need to work if you’re going to ensure that it always stays in great condition. In this post, we’ll run through some tried and tested tips that’ll ensure your home is always just as you want it to be.

What Are The Threats?

Every house is different. The problems that one person faces in their house will be different to what another person faces in their home. If you’re going to keep your property looking its best, then it’s important to be aware of the particular threats that exist around your property. These can be wide ranging. For example, the floors may be a dust-magnet, or perhaps you live in a windy area and have a lot of trees around the edge of your property. Simply taking a look at your home and recognizing what could cause you harm can go a long way.

Handle Issues

Of course, you’ll find that, from time to time, you run into problems that could seriously derail the quality of your home. The key part of this sentence is could derail your home. Whether it does or not depends on your response. If you have a major issue, then it’ll be important to handle it as soon as possible. If you don’t, then the problem may just get worse and worse. Some issues are, of course, more problematic than others. If you have water damage, then that’s something that you should address straight away (property damage restoration experts will be able to help you). You should also take urgent action if you have problems with your roof or foundations. They won’t go away on their own.

Ongoing Issues

Not every issue that you have in your home will require the services of a professional company. But that doesn’t mean that they can just be left to their own devices. The problem with the small issues is that people tend to overlook them and view them as unimportant. However, while one small issue won’t derail your home, if you have many small issues, then you’ll have one big problem. To get around this, it’s a good idea to look at picking up some DIY skills. If you know your way around a hammer and drill, then you’ll be able to fix many problems that come your way.

Scheduled Cleaning

We can focus on the big matters, but it’s also key not to overlook the everyday matters, too. If you’re not deep cleaning your home from time to time, then the quality will suffer. Most people know that they have to spend some time organizing and tidying their homes, but that’s not what we’re talking about. We mean the deep cleaning; these are the jobs where you pull back your couches and wardrobes and really get rid of the dirt that will always build up. By doing this, you’ll also be able to see if there are any other issues (such as mold) that you would have otherwise overlooked.

Invest in Quality

It’s not just the infrastructure of the home that matters, but what’s inside it. If you’re not buying quality items, then you’ll be unnecessarily putting your home at a disadvantage. They can cost more than other options, but buying cheap is usually just a false economy anyway. You’ll pay less, but the item won’t last anywhere near as long! This obviously creates a lot of excess waste. If you’re on a budget yet still want quality, take a look at second-hand markets. You won’t just find great items at an affordable price; buying stuff this way is also a sustainable way to live!

Performance Reviews and Updates

Finally, make sure that you’re periodically performing reviews and updates for your property. It’s easy to sink into a comfortable way of doing things, but sometimes it’s important to take one step back and see if your house is really all that it could be. If it’s not, then you’ll have a chance to give your home a bit of a refresh!

Take these tips, and it’s highly unlikely that your home will fall into a state of disrepair!

Love,
Jenna ♥

➡️ Subscribe to never miss a post! ⬅️

bookmark_borderHow to Be Zero Waste While Living with Your Parents

Posted on

Hey earth muffins! A month ago I moved back in with my parents after moving away from Grand Rapids, MI. My boyfriend and I made the decision that we want to purchase a house instead of renting an apartment. When deciding where this house would be, it just made sense to head back home where both our families are! The housing market is crazy right now, so we are hunkering down with our parents until we find a great first home. 🤞Moving back in with family is amazing, but it also throws a curveball on my eco living habits. Here are my tips for how to be zero waste while living at home with your parents!

Give yourself some time to feel out the situation.

While I visit home often, it has been awhile since I lived with my parents. Obviously, they have different ways of living than I am used to, especially when it comes to sustainability. Instead of just continuing to live the way you were living, I sugget laying low for awhile. Your eco journey can wait a week or so! This will allow you to see how they function and do certain things. Once you observe for a bit, then you can decide where you can continue living the same way and which areas need a bit of an adjustment for the time you are living there. Your parents are doing you a huge favor, so don’t cause any trouble!!

Don’t badger your parents to make a million sustainable changes!

I am lucky that my parents are about as sustainable as my boyfriend is. I’ve written a whole guide about how I live with someone who isn’t as sustainable as myself; I suggest you check it out if you are in a similar situation! It is never a good idea to try and change every single thing your parents do all at once. In your observation period, you may have noticed 25 different areas where your parents could easily change a habit to be more sustainable. Remember, even your own eco journey has been a slow process! Don’t expect your parents to drop everything and join the zero waste movement all at once. While you can introduce them to certain eco products slowly, just do this one small step at a time!

Lead by example.

People tend to make observations about the way other people do things. If you don’t want to directly talk with your parents about new sustainable habits they can make, I suggest just living as eco-friendly as possible in your current situation. Your mom might comment on your makeup – so talk about the latest zero waste brand you are trying out! Bring your parents to your favorite local thrift store and introduce them to the joys of secondhand shopping. There are so many opportunities to share your eco knowledge in an encouraging way once you are under the same roof!

Introduce them to your favorite sustainable documentaries and books!

When you are trying to decide what to watch for the next movie night, suggest a new documentary you have been wanting to see. They might be totally on board with watching something educational. I know my dad is always looking for good book recommendations; if your parents are similar, share some of the best eco books! Just like I was hooked after reading No Impact Man, maybe they will jump on the sustainability bandwagon on their own accord.

Live a little non-zero waste for a bit…

Living with someone who isn’t as sustainable as you can be challenging. During the time you live with your parents, you might just have to cut your losses and realize that you won’t be able to live as eco-friendly as you’d like. This happened with diet for me. I’ve shared my tips for living with someone on a different diet before (my boyfriend is a huge carnivore; I’m a vegetarian). My parents have been supportive with my choice to eat no meat; however, I recently decided I wanted to also cut out fish. But, my parents usually cook a bunch of fish when I am visiting because they aren’t too comfortable with vegetarian recipes. Now that I am living here, I will be eating fish until I move into my own house, just because it makes it easier on them. I’ve cut my losses and my eco journey is still intact! 😊

Final Thoughts on How to Live Zero Waste with Your Parents

Moving back in with your parents is just like moving in with a new roommate… It might take some time to mix your habits and daily routines, but it will eventually work out! It is important to not pressure your parents to convert to living exactly how you were before you moved in. That is never a good suggestion in a “how to be zero waste” post! Instead, lead by example and slowly influence your parents into making small changes. That being said, accept that you might have to cut your losses and be a little non-zero waste for a bit… But that is totally okay! Your eco journey will be stronger than ever again! What is your current living situation? How do you deal with living with people who aren’t as eco-friendly??

Love,
Jenna ♥

➡️ Subscribe to never miss a post! ⬅️

bookmark_border8 Amazing Eco-Friendly Products You Can Buy at Target!

Posted on

Hey earth muffins! Before I started my eco journey back in 2018, Target was one of my favorite stores. If I find myself needing to go to a “superstore”, it is often my first choice. I have noticed that they are starting to carry more sustainable items in their stores – so exciting! This is awesome because it makes eco-friendly products more accessible to the masses and gives shopper that extra push towards buying a green item instead. Today, I will be sharing a list of some great eco-friendly Target products – let’s jump right into it!

Bath & Beauty Products

Native plastic-free deodorant - a great eco-friendly product to buy at Target!

First up – we have plastic free deodorant! Target actually has quite a few options for this. They have Native deodorant (which I reviewed here), Hey Humans, even Secret and Old Spice plastic-free versions! I really like my Native deodorant, but will be trying out Hey Humans next. In terms of price, Hey Humans is more affordable, so I am interested to see how it works. It is awesome that there are now multiple options to choose from!

Next up, toothpaste in aluminum tubes! I absolutely love David’s Natural toothpaste; check out my full review here. Hey Humans has also jumped on the aluminum tube train… I am currently giving their toothpaste a try and will share my thoughts with you all once I use it up. 😁 Don’t forget to properly recycle your metal toothpaste tubes – check out the step-by-step guide here!

While they don’t carry these in my local store, Target has quite the selection of shampoo bars! I’ve been trying out a bunch of bars throughout my eco journey. Most recently, I use the Montalbano bar from Lush. Target carries shampoo bars from HiBar, Spring & Vine, Faith in Nature, and Love Beauty and Planet. I hope they carry these at my store soon; I have been wanting to give these brands a try!

If you want to buy some “tree-free” toilet paper, see if your local Target carries Reel TP. Their toilet paper is made with 100% bamboo. Bamboo is a great natural resource – a much better option than typical TP. Unfortunately, the Target in my city does not carry this brand either… But I am hoping they will soon!

Hey Human body lotion in an aluminum bottle - a great eco-friendly product to buy at Target!

The next item on this eco-friendly Target products list is body wash and body lotion in aluminum bottles from Hey Humans. This is awesome, as metal is easily recycled without reducing its quality. There are so many nice sounding scents to choose from as well! While I personally prefer bar soap to bottles, this is a great option if you are looking to reduce your plastic usage in the shower! 🎉

Things for the Kitchen

Interested in trying out composting? I love that Target carries a kitchen compost bin! This container isn’t very big; so, you will need to figure out what to do with the compost once it is full. There are many options: get a compost pickup service, have a backyard bin, or these other options. Such a great way to combat your food waste from heading to the landfill!

A stainless steel kitchen compost bin - a great eco-friendly product to buy at Target!
A pack of reusable snack bags - a great eco-friendly product to buy at Target!

I have been seeing Stasher bags all over my TikTok recently… And I love that they are getting more people to try reusable snack/lunch bags. I saw these bags in the school supplies area – such great placement by Target! If I would have seen these as a child, it would have been a no-brainer to opt for the reusable. Definitely check these out on your next Target run!

Last but not least, Grove has concentrated cleaners… And reusable glass cleaning bottles! A bunch of cleaning products were produced during the pandemic, so I love that brands are coming up with ways to make cleaning a little more eco-friendly. If you don’t want to make your own DIY cleaners, this is a great alternative. Just be careful with the glass bottle – wouldn’t want to break it!

A Grove Co multi-cleaner box of concentrated cleaner - a great eco-friendly product to buy at Target!

Final Thoughts on Eco-Friendly Target Finds!

Overall, I absolutely LOVE that huge companies like Target are putting sustainable products on the shelf. There is a long way to go, but it is a nice step in the right direction. While it is still important to look into items marked as “sustainable” (to avoid greenwashing!!), I hope this eco-friendly Target products list inspires you to try out something new the next time you find yourself at Target. If these items aren’t carried at your local store, ask the manager when they will be. Make it known that you want eco-friendly alternatives! 😊 What have I missed from this list? Comment below your favorite eco finds at Target!

Pin now to read later!

Love,
Jenna ♥

➡️ Subscribe to never miss a post! ⬅️

bookmark_borderGenusee Sunglasses Review: The Amazing Eyewear with a Circular Economy!

Posted on

Hey earth muffins! When the summer sun starts shining extra bright, it is important to bust out your sunglasses to protect your eyes. 😎 I personally wear them any time I am outside during these warmer months or driving somewhere in my car. This summer, don’t just head to a local store to purchase a pair of cheaply made sunglasses… Instead, invest in a pair that is eco-friendly that will last you many years! In this post, I want to share a company that creates awesome eyewear that is both sustainable and fashionable for the summer months. Genusee sent me a pair of sunglasses to try out, and I am so excited to share this Genusee sunglasses review with you all!

What I Love About the Sustainability of Genusee Sunglasses!

First off, I obviously love this brand because it is sustainable (or I wouldn’t be sharing it with you all!). The company is based in Flint, Michigan, which is infamously known for the Flint Water Crisis. During the height of this crisis, the city of Flint used more than 20 million water bottles a day! This is a great example on how all plastics aren’t “bad” – just imagine how many plastic water bottles were used out of necessity. Instead of producing eyewear using new materials, Genusee prioritizes the use of pre-exisiting materials in their supply chain. This means each pair of sunglasses are upcycled from 15 plastic water bottles from the crisis; that is just incredible! Not only are the glasses made of recycled materials, their suppliers are all located in (or near) Flint as well. This supports local businesses in Michigan as well as reduces carbon emissions during transportation.

Genusee also has a circular economy for their eyewear. Once you are finished using your sunglasses, they actually buy them back from you – and give you a credit towards purchasing your next pair! 😊 After receiving your glasses, they evaluate the quality of them and decide between three things: recycling the material back into the supply chain, refurbishing them and reselling at a value, or donating to people in need. This Buy-Back Program is everything you would want for a closed loop system. I am so excited to know that my glasses will be responsibly put back into rotation instead of sitting in a landfill for thousands of years! 🌎 ❤️

What is Great About My Sunglasses

When picking out my glasses, it was hard for me to pick what color I wanted… Because there are so many great options to choose from! I like that the frames of the sunglasses are all the same shape (called the Roeper frames), but there is still a lot of variation. A color of the frame (such as Black) has many different colored lens to choose from. From vibrant mirror lens to Water Warrier Green frames, there is something for everyone in terms of color! After pondering what color to get, I settled on Classic Black frames with brown lens… Boring, I know, but I love a nice pair of neutral sunglasses!

I also love how these sunglasses fit. They aren’t super large and oversized like some can be, and I think the frames would look good on many different face shapes. Similar to other eyewear brands, Genusee has the option to virtually try on glasses before you purchase them. Definitely take advantage of this feature! It is helpful to see how the frames will look (hint hint: they are going to look super cute!). Plus, it can help you decide between colors as well.

Other Things I Admire About this Brand

Their sunglasses are amazing, but the company also does some pretty awesome things for Flint, Michigan as well. Like I mentioned above, the Flint Water Crisis was devastating. Genusee works with the MADE Institute in Flint to employ returning citizens/displaced workers. While there are 5 colleges in Flint, over 88% of the city’s population does not have a college degree. Genusee knows that sunglasses can be manufactured with a basic understanding of the machines used; so, they strive to creating living wage jobs to help support more Flint workers. On top of this, 1% of their profits are donated to the Community Fund of Greater Flint. These donations help the Flint Promise & Child Health and Development Fund to combat the effects of exposure to lead in drinking water. Definitely another reason to support this brand!

What Could Be Better

This Genusee sunglasses review would not be complete if I didn’t talk about price. When I review sustainable products, I always remind my fellow earth muffins that eco-friendly products are often on the pricier side. These sunglasses are no different. Each pair will cost you around $100. This is much higher than those cheap-o glasses you can find at Walmart (that break after two uses though)… But it is actually in line or cheaper than other high-end sunglasses! Plus, if you use the code LIFEOFANEARTHMUFFIN10 at Genusee, you get 10% off your purchase! So, I would suggest supporting this circular economy instead of buying your next pair of Ray-Ban shades!

Pin now to read later!

Final Thoughts on this Genusee Sunglasses Review!

Overall, Genusee is a brand I would highly recommend checking out. Their circular economy is honestly what every company should strive for. I have never been more proud to share this company with you all! The sunglasses are amazing quality and come in colors for any taste. Plus, this brand actually cares about Flint and is doing its part to help those impacted by the Flint Water Crisis. While the price can be considered high, just compare it to a Ray-Ban and realize that these sunglasses are SO much better in terms of sustainability and social impact. Plus, you can get 10% off using the code LIFEOFANEARTHMUFFIN10! 🎉 The Genusee goal is simple: to do good for people and the planet using design and collaboration to be the change we want to see. Are you going to support this awesome company this summer? What sunglasses are you currently rocking?

Love,
Jenna ♥

➡️ Subscribe to never miss a post! ⬅️

bookmark_borderI Tried the Plastic Free July Challenge – My Thoughts

Posted on

Hey earth muffins! Plastic Free July is over – how did you do?? 😊 This month long challenge is a great way to push yourself to reduce your plastic consumption. I have participated in this event for a few Julys now; I feel like each time I do it I learn new things! Now that the challenge is over, it is important to reflect on what went well (and what didn’t). If you were collecting all of your plastic waste during July, now would also be a great time to do a deep waste audit. These are awesome ways to identify where plastic sneaks into your daily life. Here are my thoughts on the Plastic Free July Challenge this summer!

The Plastic Free July challenge 2021 logo

Did I Achieve My Goals During Plastic Free July?

If you are subscribed to my newsletter, you will know I was focusing on two goals this year. First, I wanted to reduce plastic during my move. Moving across a state can create a ton of plastic waste if you aren’t careful. While I didn’t want to go into the Plastic Free July Challenge with unrealistic expectations of avoiding all of this waste, I still wanted to challenge myself! Overall, I think I did a fine job making my move as eco-friendly as possible. I reused boxes from the mail and opted for wrapping my fragiles in clothing instead of bubble wrap. But, I did use plastic tape too… Check out this guide for more tips on being sustainable during a move!

Along with the goal of reducing plastic during the move, I also wanted to stop eating out so much in July. During the move preparations, my boyfriend and I got in the habit of ordering food. This was partly because we didn’t have many groceries in the house but also because we were too tired (and lazy) from packing to want to cook meals ourselves. The week of the move, we ate out three times… Not too bad for 6 days, as we made sure to eat up all the leftovers to reduce our food waste. Now that I am living at my parents’ house, I haven’t eaten out since the move! 🎉

Why I Love this Challenge!

There are so many great things about this challenge that I listed in my “Why You Should Participate in Plastic Free July” post. For me, I love to push myself to see what I am capable of! Whether I am tracking a new habit in my planner or refusing to go on social media during Lent, I find it fun to see the positive impacts on my life during challenges like this. Plastic is an obvious problem to our environment, so I love that one month of the year the Plastic Free July Challenge inspires people to make a difference.

What Could Be Better About Plastic Free July

While a month long challenge is a great place to start reducing your plastic, it is important to remember that you should be reducing your plastic all year. I’ve seen many people join this challenge for the month and then just go right back to their typical usage of plastic when it is over. While they technically are doing the “Plastic Free July Challenge”, its main goal is to teach people about how much plastic they use – and make those lessons stick! I remember I was very new to eco-friendly living when I participated in my first challenge… And it definitely added fuel to the fire to continue my eco journey! Make sure you also strive to reduce your plastic after the challenge is over.

I think it is worth mentioning that with every popular movement, there is the opportunity for brands to take advantage of the good intentions behind it. This is true for the Plastic Free July Challenge. With so many people participating in this challenge worldwide, many companies use it as a marketing ploy to greenwash their not-so-sustainable products. It is important to look out for greenwashing during challenges like this, as you want to support the actually eco-friendly brands over ones that just flood their Instagram with green messages during the month of July. It is annoying to me that companies take advantage of newbie earth muffins during this challenge, but the best thing you can do is learn how to identify greenwashing so you can avoid it!

Pin now to read later!

Final Thoughts!

I absolutely love the Plastic Free July Challenge; it is my favorite month of the summer! This year, I wasn’t able to participate as much as I would have liked. But, that just means next year I will be ready to go all in! There are many great reasons to push yourself in July, from the alarming plastic statistics to the joys of challenging yourself to accomplish something pretty cool. Fingers crossed the lessons of the month stick with you, as you don’t want to just jump right back into living with a bunch of pesky plastic. We are looking for long-term changes here, earth muffins! Did you participate in the Plastic Free July Challenge? What are your thoughts?

Love,
Jenna ♥

➡️ Subscribe to never miss a post! ⬅️