Category: Zero Waste

bookmark_borderHow to Be a More Conscious Consumer This Holiday

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Hey earth muffins! The holiday season is upon us, which means there is a rise in consumerism with all of the holiday shopping. 🎅 It is extremely important, especially now, to make sure you are being a conscious consumer. What does it mean to be a “conscious consumer”? It means supporting businesses that support your values – companies that care about the planet and making the world a better place! I love to buy gifts for my loved ones this time of year, so I thought I would share my top tips for how you can be a more conscious consumer as well. Let’s jump right into it!

1. Make a list and check it twice

You can’t be a conscious consumer if you overconsume this holiday! It is important to remember to only buy what you actually need. Just like Santa Claus, I suggest making a long list. Think about each person you will be shopping for and write down what gifts you will be buying them. As you are shopping, keep looking at the list to avoid impulse buys.

2. Buy locally and support small businesses

As you are doing your holiday shopping, make sure to support small businesses in your town before hitting up the mall and other chain stores. The pandemic has been hard on local business, so do your best to support them first. Many local products are more sustainable as well; if you have local eco-friendly stores, even better!

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bookmark_border5 Additional Ways to Be More Sustainable!

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Hey earth muffins! I was recently asked by the amazing USB Lighter Company to write a post on their new blog. You might remember them from the review I did on their rechargeable USB Candle Lighter – such a great eco-friendly product! In the post on their blog, I shared five ways you can be more sustainable on a daily basis. I decided to continue with that theme and share five more ways to be sustainable on Life of an Earth Muffin. Let’s jump right into it!

6. Reduce your overall consumption

While I mentioned in my guest post over on the USB Lighter Blog that it is important to know your local recycling rules, it is also important to remember that the saying is “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” for a reason! The best way to reduce your impact on the planet is to only consume what you actually need to. Once you do this, it is important to reuse and repair what you already have so that the waste you do create is at a minimum. At the end of an item’s life, hopefully you are able to recycle or compost it – but at least the amount of trash you create has now been reduced! Another great bonus of reducing your overall consumption is an increase in spending money – I personally suggest putting it into a savings account!

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bookmark_borderFemometer App Review: How Accurate is it Really?

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Hey earth muffins! If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you know that I use a couple of different natural birth control methods. I have been using my trusty Femometer with the temperature method for many years now. This thermometer takes my temperature each morning, which helps track my cycle. Read this full guide on the Basal Body Temperature method if you are interested in learning how it all works! 😊 Now that I’ve used the Femometer and its app for many years now, I thought I would write a full post of its pros and cons. Let’s jump right into my Femometer app review!

Femometer app chart of basal body temperatures

What I Love About the Femometer App

For starters, the app is super easy to use and connect to your thermometer. Once you purchase the Femometer device (affiliate link), you just have to connect it via Bluetooth. Even if you don’t purchase the brand’s thermometer, you can still manually enter temperatures as well. I love that the free version of the app includes everything I need; I know there are other apps that actually make you pay a fee each month just to use it!

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bookmark_borderHow to Eat Less Plastic

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Hey earth muffins! When you read the title of this blog post, you might have thought I made a mistake… Unfortunately, you read it correctly. Whether you know it or not, you actually ingest microplastics on a daily basis. This article suggests that we might eat a CREDIT CARD worth of plastic each week. 😳 Scary, right? Our society’s obsession with plastic is resulting in it everywhere – even the fetuses of unborn children! In today’s post, I will share some of my top tips for reducing the amount of plastic that gets into your body. Here’s all my thoughts on how to eat less plastic!

Avoid plastic water bottles at all costs.

Going completely plastic-free is a challenge because we use plastics in many aspects of our lives. However, I think this is a simple step everyone can take to reduce the microplastics we consume. Plastic water bottles are bad because (1) they cause a ton of pollution and (2) they leach microplastics into your water. Instead, opt for reusable water bottles! Always choose metal bottles over reusable plastic ones as well; I have a trusty Hydroflask that I carry with me everywhere. Reserve single-use plastic water bottles for emergency situations (a great example of when plastics aren’t all bad)!

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bookmark_borderRothy’s Loafers Review – How to Add a Bit of Sustainability to Your Shoe Collection!

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Hey earth muffins! If you have been following my blog for a while, you will know that a month or so ago I started a new job. With this position I was required to head back into the office after a year of remote work… Which left me realizing that I had absolutely no shoes to wear! 😬 I wanted to stick with my sustainability morals; so, I ended up purchasing a pair of loafers from the brand Rothy’s. This company has been on my radar, and I thought this was the perfect opportunity to try out a pair of their shoes. Here is my Rothy’s loafers review – let’s jump right into it!

A pair of solid black Rothy's loafers

What I LOVE About My Rothy’s Loafers

First off, a huge plus is that this brand is extremely sustainable! They create the shoe material from recycled plastic water bottles. The foam in the insoles is algae-based – which is a renewable resource. The shoes are made in a process that minimizes waste. AND the brand is starting a recycling program this year to reduce their shoes from going to the landfill. It is quite impressive all the things Rothy’s is doing to stay true to its sustainablility values! Even when they ship your shoes, the box is perfectly sized to fit your pair without having any extra packaging or padding. I love to see brands that care so much!

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bookmark_borderGo Green for the Holidays – How to Have an Eco-Friendly Season

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Hey earth muffins! Whether you are prepared for it or not, the holiday season is upon us. Thanksgiving and Christmas are some of my favorite times of year. It is important to stay eco-friendly even when we are busy celebrating with family and friends! If you prep in advance to stay sustainable, you will be more likely to stick to these values even during the busiest times. In today’s post, I will be sharing my top tips on how you can go green for the holidays. Let’s jump right in and get ready to celebrate! 🎉

Go green by reducing your food waste!

Especially with Thanksgiving just around the corner, take actions to reduce your food waste over the holidays. This can be as simple as planning your meals or shopping your pantry before the grocery store. But, you can even push yourself to cook more vegetarian dishes or start composting in your backyard! Check out this full guide on how you can reduce your food waste. You’d be surprised on how much food you can divert from the landfill by following these simple tips!

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bookmark_borderExamples of Sustainable Fashion – How To Join in the Movement!

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Hey earth muffins! On my journey towards living a low waste lifestyle, I was introduced to the sustainable fashion movement. It is pretty exciting that more people are opting out of fast fashion to explore other, more eco-friendly, options. I absolutely love sustainable fashion, so I wanted to share a post of all the ways you too can participate in the movement. Before we jump into examples of sustainable fashion, I thought it would be best to briefly explain the term “sustainable fashion“… Let’s jump right into it!

What Exactly is Sustainable Fashion?

According to the Internet, “sustainable fashion is a movement and process of fostering change to fashion products and the fashion system towards greater ecological integrity and social justice.” One of its main goals is to encourage the use of eco-friendly (possibly biodegradable) fabrics that have less of an impact on the environment. It isn’t just about the actual clothing though. The movement cares about the whole production process, who produces it, and the life span of the piece before it reaches the landfill. You don’t just have to buy from sustainable fashion brands to participate in the movement! There are many other great ways that I love to embrace it as well.

Examples of Sustainable Fashion Include:

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bookmark_borderHow to Turn On and Off the Google Maps Eco Route Feature

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Hey earth muffins! Did you know that Google Maps has a feature that shows you the most fuel-efficient route? I heard about this recently and thought it was a great way to reduce your carbon footprint while driving to places you need to go. I use the Google Maps app all the time, as I’m usually anxious I will get lost 😅 If you also use Google Maps religiously, this post is for you! Keep reading to learn how to turn on and off the Google Maps eco route feature.

How to Turn On Eco Route

On your cellphone, open up the Google Maps app. Type in where you are looking to go like you usually would and hit the “Directions” button. At the top right of your screen, tap on the ellipsis symbol. A bunch of choices will appear – select on “Route Options“.

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