Category: Zero Waste

bookmark_borderIs There Privilege Around Being Sustainable?

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Hey earth muffins! Without a doubt, we all know it is important to protect Mother Earth. She is amazing and blesses us with our wonderful home. That is why it is important for all of us to do our part to reduce our impact on the planet; every small step helps in the long run! 😊 But, there are obviously circumstances that either help or hurt living in an eco-friendly way. Yes, I’m talking about sustainable privilege! In today’s post, I will be discussing the importance of privilege to zero waste lifestyles.

What Factors Can Limit Eco-Friendly Living?

1. Money

For starters, money is a huge privilege when it comes to sustainability. It is no surprise that some sustainable products are more expensive than cheaper alternatives. I mention this fact in most of my eco-friendly product reviews! People with more money are able to purchase these “green”, sustainably labeled products without question. On the flip side, it can be hard for those with lower incomes to justify making those purchases. While I personally think you can save money in the long term by reducing your consumption and investing in sustainable things, it is definitely easier to live in an eco-friendly manner when you aren’t restricted by a budget. The same applies to those wanting to make more eco-friendly financial investments instead of products, such as looking into a solar investment company as opposed to investing in nonsustainable options. There is a privilege to being “sustainable” versus making do with what you have due to your income and class restrictions.

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bookmark_borderHow to Antique Shop: My Top 10 Tips!

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Hey earth muffins! Ever since I started my journey towards low-waste living, I try to choose secondhand shopping as much as possible. Some of my favorites include thrifting and shopping at antique stores. I have definitely been doing a lot more shopping to furnish my house after buying it this December. I’ve created a list of my top thrift shopping tips, but I have never written a post for antiquing… Until today! Here’s the ultimate guide on how to antique shop – let’s jump right into my shopping tips. 🙃

1. Make a list of what you’re looking for before you go.

There can be a lot of stuff at antique stores, so don’t make yourself overwhelmed by going in with no idea on what you are looking for. This list doesn’t have to be specific; I actually would recommend it be very broad! If you know you are looking for a lamp or key hook just leave it at that. You never know what you might find, so don’t close your mind to only super specific items.

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bookmark_borderAllbirds Flats Review: My Thoughts on the Tree Breezers!

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Hey earth muffins! Back in November I wrote a Rothy’s Loafers review, sharing my opinions on shoes I purchased for work. At the same time I ordered from Rothy’s, I also decided to order some flats from Allbirds as well. I’d seen a ton of advertisements about Allbirds’ sustainable running shoes, but they also have other types of shoes as well. Just in case I didn’t end up liking my Rothy’s shoes (which definitely was not the case!), I wanted to have another option to wear to the office. Now that I’ve worn them throughout the past few months, here is my Allbirds Flats review!

Allbirds tree breezers flats in jet black

What I Love About my Allbird Flats

First of all, I love that this company is truly sustainable. The shoes themselves are made from eucalyptus tree fiber, which is not a synthetic material. Most shoes are made from plastic synthetics which obviously isn’t great for the planet. The company is built off of good sustainability practices – they even have a 7 topic “sustainability” section on their website! You can see their attention to being eco-friendly when you receive your shoes in the mail. The box is perfectly sized for your pair of shoes and everything that is used as packaging can be recycled!

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bookmark_borderThe Environmental Impact of Working from Home: How it Helped and Hurt my Eco Journey!

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Hey earth muffins! Before I moved to my current location, I was in Grand Rapids working remotely. While I really enjoy going back to the office now, there were definitely benefits to working from home. I’m sure many of you have also experienced remote work these past couple of years… So I wanted to share a post reflecting on the environmental impact of working from home. Looking back, I think the experience both helped and hurt my eco journey – let’s jump right into it!

How Working from Home Helped my Journey

The first thing that I loved about working from home was that it allowed me to reduce my car usage. I barely drove my car at all during the week because I didn’t have to go into the office every day. This was such a great benefit to the planet! As someone who doesn’t like to drive much, it was also a big pro to me.

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bookmark_borderThings to Give Instead of Valentines: Sustainable Valentine Alternatives

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Hey earth muffins! It is crazy to think that Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Not sure about you, but January flew by for me! I wonder if the same will happen for February… Valentine’s Day is such a fun day to celebrate with your loved ones. It is totally possible to have a zero waste Valentine’s Day, but what about actual valentines? From kids to adults, it is common to hand out valentines to the people you love. While not the most eco-friendly tradition, it begs the question – are there sustainable valentine alternatives? And there are! Here are my top suggestions of things to give instead of valentines this year.

❤️ An experience or dinner

Don’t be afraid to give your loved ones something that isn’t tangible. While valentines are fun to keep for a few months, they often end up in the trash after that. To avoid excess waste, treat your partner to an experience that they would love. This can be a fancy dinner out, a home cooked meal in, or some sort of event in your community. Pick something that you know they would absolutely love! I personally would love to hit up the local roller skating arena, the ice rink, or get some boba tea with my boyfriend. (hint hint if you’re reading this 😊)

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bookmark_borderAmerican Cream Lush Review: A Sustainable Conditioner Bar!

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Hey earth muffins! Whenever I try out eco-friendly products, I always try to share a review on this blog. I hope they are helpful in sharing hits and misses in the growing sustainable products market! 😊 I have tested out multiple shampoo bars ever since I made the switch from plastic bottles to bar products in the shower… But, I have never shared my thoughts on conditioner bars – until today! When winter started, my hair was feeling a bit dry. I had to reorder shampoo bars from Lush, so I figured I would try out a conditioner bar as well. Let’s jump right into my American Cream Lush review!

What I Love About the Conditioner Bar

As I’ve mentioned in all my past shampoo bar reviews, I love that these products cut out any plastic packaging. Plastic is not only bad for the environment but the hideously colored bottles never fit the vibe I’m going for in my minimalist bathroom. The naked bar looks much nicer in my shower! While the product still had to be shipped to me, you could always hit up a Lush store if you have one in your area. Unfortunately, I no longer have a Lush near me. To save on shipping emissions, just make sure you order a huge haul of bar products so that you will be stocked for a long time. 🙃

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bookmark_border6 Eco-Friendly Products You Can Find at Walmart!

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Hey earth muffins! A couple of months ago I shared a list of eco-friendly Target products that you can find at your local store. I really like the idea of picking “normal”, non-sustainable stores and sharing the planet friendly products that you can purchase there. Even if you are limited by the stores in your area, you can still shop sustainably! 😊Walmart is definitely not the most earth conscious brand; but, they still have some options to choose from. Here is my list of 6 eco-friendly Walmart products!

First up – plastic free deodorant! Target carries Native and Hey Humans which I have tried (and reviewed). If you are looking for brands you already know and trust, Walmart carries Secret and Old Spice in plastic free containers. They also have refillable options, but I’ve heard that the design isn’t the best… Plus, why buy a plastic refillable one when there is a plastic-free option??

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bookmark_borderHere’s Why You Should Have a Constant Reminder of Your Sustainable Values

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Hey earth muffins! With a new year upon us, it is important to try to be more eco-friendly in 2022. In a previous post, I talked about how you should evaluate your current eco journey and set some goals for yourself. I have found that setting goals that align with my sustainable values makes it easier to achieve them. I’m the type of person who also loves a constant reminder of what I stand for. I recommend that you all also have a constant reminder of your core values as well! Here are my thoughts on ways you can continue to inspire yourself every day.

What Are Your Values?

Taking time to think through your core values is super important! When my boyfriend and I took a staycation last summer, I spent a few hours journaling and writing down what values were important to me. There are plenty of online value worksheets that can help you with this if you aren’t sure where to start! Once you have a bunch of your values written down, I recommend grouping them into similar categories. For myself, I picked 5 overarching themes that encompass what my core values are.

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