Category: Zero Waste

bookmark_borderIdeas for a Sustainable Halloween Costume!

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Hey earth muffins! Halloween is almost here πŸŽƒ While you might not be able to celebrate the way you usually do, there are still alternative options! One of my favorite ideas from my recent post is to host a virtual costume party. But, with any costume party you need one thing – a great costume!! Never fear, there are many great tips for having a sustainable costume; in this post, I will be sharing my favorite tricks for keeping your Halloween costume ideas green! 🌎 ❀️

A picture of a person in a ghost Halloween costume

Where to Sustainably Source Your Costume

–Try to piece together your own costume from things in your closet. You don’t need to buy an actual “Halloween costume”…. Just get creative and put together a look that is awesome! Last year I did this for my Mary Poppins look – and it turned out amazing. You’d be surprised at what you can find in your closet. πŸ˜€

–If you want a full costume, look at your local thrift stores! One of my favorite secondhand shops has a whole section of used (and even new) Halloween costumes for sale. Goodwill will often carry new products that are leftover inventory from other companies; check to see if your local Goodwill has some options!

–Ask your friends and family what costumes they have. You might be surprised at what people have in the back of their closets or in the basement. I know my dad has a bunch of random costumes from themed days at work; so I bet you might be able to find a full look to borrow for the night! This is also helpful if you are looking for Halloween costume ideas for your kids. Kids grow out of clothes fast, so it even might be a relief for your friend to get rid of something taking up space in their home.

–If you have the skills, trying sewing your costume! Most secondhand stores sell fabric, which would be perfect in constructing a new ensemble. I suggest going to a local thrift store for fabric (instead of a chain like Goodwill or Salvation Army), as I’ve found they have a better selection to choose from! This could definitely make a difference depending on what costume you are creating.

A picture of two hands guiding the needle of a sewing machine through white fabric

Other Ways to Keep Your Halloween Costume Ideas Eco-Friendly!

–Try to buy items for your costume that can be worn again! If you don’t have all the pieces in your own wardrobe, thrift the rest. I did this for my Mary Poppins costume; the top and skirt that I bought are perfect to wear to work after Halloween.

–If you are DIYing, avoid things like glitter or puffy paint. You want to make sure that you can either reuse the costume again or wear it on a day-to-day basis. Puffy paints usually get brittle and break off in the wash; glitter is just horrible in general haha. Pick fabric paints or paint pens instead!

A picture of a jar of gold glitter, with the glitter spilling out

–In terms of DIYs, also try to source your supplies secondhand! See what you already have in your craft bin(s), borrow from friends, find on Facebook Marketplace, or hit up a local thrift store that has lots of art supplies. There is no need to buy anything new for a costume you are going to wear for a few hours max. πŸ‘»

–Don’t forget to think about what you are going to do with the costume after the party! DO NOT THROW IT AWAY. If the pieces can be put back into your closet, then make sure you wear them. If it is a full costume, maybe keep it for next year, donate it, or save it to pass on to a friend. Keep the reuse cycle alive!!

There are so many ways to keep your Halloween costume ideas sustainable this October 31st. I hope these tips were helpful as you brainstorm what costume you want to create. What are you going to be for Halloween this year??

Sustainable Halloween Costume Ideas pinterest pin
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Love,
Jenna β™₯

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bookmark_borderMy Favorite Books About Sustainability

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Hey earth muffins! It is no secret that I absolutely love to read. πŸ€“ I’ve written many Recent Reads & Movie Review posts in the past; now, I share my thoughts on the latest books I’ve read on my Instagram! If you are looking for some new book suggestions, I am here to save the day… This post is a list of my favorite books about sustainability. I’ll link each of them to used copies on Amazon, but you could also see if they are in your local library! Let’s jump right into it.

My Top 3 Sustainable Books

1. No Impact Man by Colin Beavan (affiliate link)

A picture of the cover of No Impact Man by Colin Beavan

This was the book that started it all for me. After reading it in May of 2018, I decided to start on my sustainable journey. 🌎 Rebranding my blog to Life of an Earth Muffin soon followed, and here we are today! This book follows Colin and his family on their journey to live with zero impact for a full year. Instead of easing themselves in (which I would highly recommend to any newbie earth muffins!), they decided to just take the plunge and see how they would do. The book is an honest “diary” explaining their successes and failures on this adventure. I think it is an awesome book to show the ups and downs of living eco-friendly; it is definitely full of great tips and information as well!

2. Plastic Free by Beth Terry (affiliate link)

A picture of the book Plastic Free by Beth Terry

This is another book I read in the beginning of my journey, but it is still a favorite to this day! 😊 If you have never taken an earth science class and/or are new to the whole environmentalist thing, Beth has you covered! She explains the ins and outs of plastic, including helpful tips and guides for recycling, identifying the correct plastic type, etc. On top of that, she provides personal stories about her own journey to give up plastics, which are relatable and make the book worth reading. I’d highly recommend it!

3. Zero Waste: Simple Life Hacks to Drastically Reduce Your Trash by Shia Su (affiliate link)

A picture of the book Zero Waste by Shia Su

If you are a visual learner, this one is for you! Shia does such a great job explaining the zero waste lifestyle. Instead of sticking to one thing, she covers simple tips for every area of your home. It is definitely an essential guide if you are trying to be low waste! The book is absolutely stunning in terms of visuals as well. There are many pictures, diagrams, and bright pops of color that makes the read exciting yet informational. 😍 I randomly stumbled upon this one in my local library last year, and I’m so happy I checked it out!

2 More Great Books About Sustainability

4. Garbology by Edward Humes (affiliate link)

A picture of Garbology by Edward Humes

This book focuses on one thing: what we throw away. But, it isn’t all just facts about our garbage (even though there are definitely plenty of facts to go round!). For each topic that he discusses, Edward highlights people who are solving this problem in a unique way. Instead of leaving the reader scared about the future (like many environmental books do), he offers solutions and suggestions for turning our trash into a better future for the planet. Trash is something that each individual can personally impact; the book left me inspired to do my part! I definitely enjoyed reading it, so I suggest you give it a read as well!

5. Overdressed by Elizabeth Cline (affiliate link)

A picture of Overdressed by Elizabeth Cline

While this book is definitely more niche, I thought I would include it anyway. Elizabeth investigates the true costs of fast fashion companies in this read; it is definitely very eye opening! There is no doubt about the fact that fast fashion is absolutely terrible for the planet; but, it is another to read first hand accounts of just how (and who) is impacted by these companies. While I was already buying my clothes secondhand before reading this book, it solidified my decision to thrift instead of shop new. And I have absolutely no regrets! 😊

In sum, there are plenty of books about sustainability out there. These are my personal faves, but I’ve loved many more that are not mentioned in this post! Some books about the planet can leave you feeling overwhelmed about the future; these ones leave you will action items and the inspiration to make a difference in the world! 🌎❀️ What books have you been reading lately?

A Pinterest pin about the top 5 books about sustainability
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Love,
Jenna β™₯

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bookmark_borderWhat is “Greenwashing”? ft. Examples

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Hey earth muffins! In the past I have written posts titled “What is Fast Fashion & How to Avoid It” and “What is Planned Obsolescence & How to Avoid It“. You all seem to love when I share eco-friendly information that you might not know; so, I thought I would keep this series alive and talk about something that I have been seeing a lot more of recently: greenwashing. As “sustainability” and “being green” become hotter topics (which they should!), it seems like more companies are using this technique. To protect your purchases and keep you in the know, here is the 411 on greenwashing as well as some greenwashing examples.

A picture of a rack of sustainable fashion pieces

Greenwashing Defined

Business News Daily does an excellent job of defining this term as:

“Greenwashing is when a company or organization spends more time and money on marketing themselves as environmentally friendly than on minimizing their environmental impact. It is a deceitful advertising gimmick intended to mislead consumers who prefer to buy goods and services from environmentally conscious brands.

–Business news daily

While I have been seeing this practice rise up more now, this term was actually first defined in the 1980s! Pretty sad that we have been fighting for better environmental practices even then.

Why is greenwashing bad?

For starters, I find it more difficult to support companies that actually care about the planet. While I will go the extra mile to ensure that the company is actually sustainable, many consumers shop with convenience, price, and time in mind. If they see a product that is supposedly “greener” than one at a similar price, they will purchase it… But this could be supporting a company that is actually just as bad!

Greenwashing is also bad because it makes people think they are supporting eco-friendly companies – when they actually aren’t! This is devastating for an earth muffin but also unfair to those just trying to make small changes in the goods that they purchase.

Lastly, this practice can get people to spend more money on a product that actually isn’t “green”. There is data to support that consumers are willing to pay a premium for sustainable products; I know I fall into this category! If you think a product is better for the environment, you might splurge on it… And the company that doesn’t actually care about the environment gets extra profit in its pocket. Yikes. πŸ™„

What are some greenwashing examples?

The most prominent example that comes to mind for me is H&M; I’ve been seeing this commercial on TV a lot recently.

It starts with the statement “What we do today will define our tomorrow” – something that rings true with anyone who cares about the environment. The commerical is filled with statements that make you think H&M is doing amazing things for the planet:

  • “We will keep changing how we design, how we choose materials, and how we make our products”
  • “We are turning using into reusing and recycling”
  • “More than half of our materials are recycled, organic, or sustainably sourced” and “by 2030, it will be 100%“

At the time of writing this post, H&M has 6,018 items in the women’s department, 1,722 in men’s, 3,778 in kid’s, and 701 in home decor. If you aren’t into adding (like me, the accountant), that’s a total of 12,219 products.

In their “Conscious” line, there are 445 items in the women’s department, 31 in the men’s, 885 in kid’s, and 88 in home decor. For a total of 1,449, that is only 11.9% of their total product offering. So it makes me question if more than half of their materials are actually recycled, organic, or sustainably sourced….. πŸ€”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to bash H&M. I think it is great that they are trying to be better than other fast fashion companies. But, they still change out their products each season; they still offer way too many items which result in excess inventory; they are still a FAST FASHION company. So stop the greenwashing please!

How can I avoid greenwashing?

1. Take all “green” and “sustainable” lingo in advertisements, packaging, and marketing with a grain of salt. This is especially true if the company makes broad, non-specific statements with no evidence or support to back them up. If a product has a ton of verbiage or “green” imagery on it, this might be an indication that they are trying to greenwash.

A picture of a Seventh Generation laundry detergent, which has been criticized for greenwashing

2. DO YOUR RESEARCH! If you aren’t sure about a company or their product, then pass on it at the store. Go home, do your research into their company practices, and then (maybe) buy it next time. I like to look at the corporate social responsibility reports of companies; it is a great way to see if they actually care about the planet!

3. Don’t always trust those labels. There are many types of non-GMO, organic, Fair Trade, etc. labels out there. But, make sure you look into which are actually difficult to acquire. Some are easier to get than others, so a company might make a small investment to get certified when they don’t have the best practices in real life.

4. Don’t buy new products. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – there are SO many great secondhand options from thrifting to trading to using your friend’s to DIYing. You will never need to read about another greenwashing example if you don’t buy new things! πŸ˜€

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Love,
Jenna β™₯

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bookmark_borderHow to Celebrate a Zero Waste Halloween!

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Hey earth muffins, happy October! πŸŽƒ I’m not sure how it is already a new month… I feel like September went by too fast. But, October is my favorite month of the year because FALL and HALLOWEEN. 😍 While I’m sure the Halloween celebrations are going to be quite different this year, that doesn’t mean the holiday can’t be green and good for the planet! I’ve been adding a bunch of things to my autumn bucket list; so, I thought I’d share some fun zero waste halloween activities with you all today!

Eco-Friendly Fall Activities

Support a local farmer by heading to their pumpkin patch and picking out a pumpkin. Set up a night where you carve pumpkins with whomever you are living with! I personally like to put on an autumn themed “fireplace” on the TV and crank up the Halloween tunes (especially the Charlie Brown soundtrack) as I carve! After the carving is finished, I suggest watching a classic movie like Ichabod Crane or Hocus Pocus (affiliate link).

A picture of a girl wearing a sweater and jean jacket, holding an orange pumpkin over her face

Explore a local park and take a walk to soak up the fall colors! Don’t listen to music or a podcast; instead, take in the cool weather and the beauty around you. πŸ‚ If you are looking for some new Insta content, try utilizing the self timer on your phone for some fun fall pics.

Do some fall baking with pumpkin puree. I’ve made my own puree from pumpkins before, and it is actually super simple and fun to do! Pumpkin recipes are always my absolute favorite in the fall, from cookies to pie – I love it all! Check out my recipe board on Pinterest for inspiration, as I’ve been pinning a lot of fall things recently.

Hit up a local apple orchard and pick your favorite apples! Most places are pay by weight, so bring your own basket/bag (if allowed of course). There is a local orchard near me that also has a corn maze, so take advantage of any other fall activities you find when you get there!

A picture of an apple being picked from a tree at an orchard

Zero Waste Halloween Fun!

For starters, look into what your town is doing regarding trick-or-treating this year. If there is some option for you to participate, then pass out some sustainable alternatives to individually wrapped candy! Trick-or-treating might not be happening everywhere due to Mister Corona, so take the advice of your city/township.

To spread some Halloween cheer, make some boo-grams or Halloween cards for family and friends. I’ve found some pretty great secondhand cards at thrift stores, but homemade ones are even better! Make sure you have crafted the cards early, as you will want to send them out before the holiday. Wouldn’t want them to show up late! 😊

A picture of a homemade Halloween card being crafted

If you want to celebrate with friends on Halloween, try hosting a virtual costume contest through Zoom or Skype. Have everyone sign on wearing an outfit they think will win; take turns individually showing off the looks! Either have people set aside as judges or have each person vote for their favorite look (don’t let them vote for themselves!). Make sure there is a fun prize for the winner – I suggest a gift card or eco-friendly gift basket! πŸ₯‡

Overall, there are so many fun things to do this fall! While the Halloween parties might be at a minimum this year, there are still plenty of ways to celebrate at home. What are your plans for a zero waste Halloween this year? Get creative – I’d love to hear what you have to say in the comments! πŸŽƒ

How to have a zero waste halloween pinterest pin
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Love,
Jenna β™₯

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bookmark_borderWhat’s on my Sustainable (Christmas) Wishlist!

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Hey earth muffins! I know I know, it just started to be fall… But, Thanksgiving and Black Friday are right around the corner, which means I’ve already started to brainstorm Christmas gifts for family and friends! 😍Giving thoughtful presents is one of my favorite parts of the fall/winter seasons. While I buy most of my things secondhand, I still like to splurge and buy sustainable products every once in awhile. So, for today’s post I thought I would share what is currently on my (Christmas) wishlist!

Apartment Wishlist Items

Pela Phone Case
I have been wanting a Pela case for SO long! I got my very first smartphone back in high school and have been using it (and the same case) ever since. While the iPhone 6 might be “old”, it still works just fine. Take that Apple and your planned obsolescence! Now that I’ve started my new job, my company will be taking over my phone plan… Which includes upgrading my phone to the iPhone 11! I’m excited to say I will be purchasing a compostable Pela case soon πŸŽ‰

A picture of a hand holding a Pela iPhone 11 phone case

Almond Cow Plant-Based Milk Maker
My parents started making their own almond milk with a blender a year or so ago. Currently, I either get my milk in glass or a recyclable carton. I know there has been a lot of talk about how some almond milks aren’t actually good for the planet; so, I really want to start making my own “milks”! The Almond Cow has been on my wishlist for a long time… Looks so awesome and does all the hard parts (especially the straining) for you! 😍

Soap Nuts (affiliate link)
I’ve written about how to make your laundry room zero waste in the past; a great alternative to detergents is to use soap nuts! My boyfriend has sensitive skin so we have been using up the rest of his detergent; but, I’m hoping to try out soap nuts in the near future. We have shared laundry in the our apartment building, so I’m not sure if we will be able to this year… But hopefully when we have our own in unit!

IKEA Tanum Rug
If you have been following my Instagram (which you totally should!), I posted a few times about the virtual Zero Waste Fest I attended recently. During one of these sessions, they had a lady from IKEA’s sustainability department talk about what the company is doing to be green. She briefly mentioned these rugs, and I totally want one! 😊 They are made from all the scrap fabrics/threads of their other products – this makes every single one unique. Definitely will have to check them out whenever I find myself in an IKEA next.

A picture of a Tanum rug from IKEA

Bidet Toilet Attachment (affiliate link)
I traveled to Italy a few years ago and was introduced to the bidet… It is an uncommon thing here in the States, but they are such a great way to reduce toilet paper usage. I talked about them in my How to Zero Waste Your Bathroom post; it’s totally on my Christmas wishlist! This specific one has almost 16k reviews on Amazon, so it must be pretty good!

Sustainable Body Care Products

Yay for Earth Lotion
I’ve been following the lovely earth muffin who runs this company (@stevieyaaaay on Insta) for quite some time now… Her lotion has so many great reviews and a cult following; so, I definitely want to try it out soon! I was going to get it awhile ago but my skin started to break out a lot for some reason. I thought I would wait until my skin was clear to give it a try – so I need to buy it soon!

Reusable Makeup Remover Pads (affiliate link)
As I just mentioned, my skin is finally going back to normal after freaking out for a bit. I don’t currently use a toner, but I want to start using one at some point (as I hope it will help with my dry skin). These pads are amazing for toners and taking off makeup, so I think it is such a great sustainable product.

Razor Blades (affiliate link)
Switching to a safety razor is still to this day my favorite sustainable swap. Shaving with a safety razor is easy and uber effective – I’ve only gone through about 4 blades in the two years I’ve had the razor. Because I have my last blade on, I need to get some new razor blades soon. This pack has 100 for only $7 – what a bargain!

Dental Lace Toothpaste Tabs
I recently reviewed Dental Lace’s refillable silk floss, and I’m 1000% a convert! The company was so much fun to work with! 😁 They recently came out with toothpaste tablets to replace toothpaste in plastic tubes… I haven’t tried out any tooth tabs before (I did try a tooth powder from Pretty Frank once), so I definitely want to give these a try! What is currently on your Christmas wishlist?

What's on my sustainable product wishlist pinterest pin
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Love,
Jenna β™₯

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bookmark_borderReview: LUSH Honey I Washed My Hair Shampoo Bar

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Hey earth muffins! Back in August I reviewed the JR Liggett Original shampoo bar when I ran out of my typical Lush Jumping Juniper bar. As you can probably tell from the review, I wasn’t too happy with the JR Liggett bar I tried… So when my local Lush allowed for pickup after quarantine I decided to try out another. Honey I Washed My Hair seemed like a classic Lush product with many good reviews, so I decided to give it a try myself! πŸ˜€ I have been using the bar for a while now, so let’s get right into my Lush shampoo bar review!

A photo of a Honey I Washed my Hair Lush shampoo bar

What I Love About “Honey I Washed My Hair”

The first thing I absolutely love about this product is the smell; it is heavenly!! I thought that a honey shampoo bar would have a subtle scent… But it transports me right to Willy Wonka’s factory. It makes my bathroom smell great, which I love. 😍

Of course I love that this product is sustainable! Shampoo bars are a great way to reduce plastic usage and avoid those ugly bottles. I’ve also found that they last a longer time because the product itself isn’t watered down. Usually I bring my own bag into Lush to have absolutely no packaging; but, because of the pickup procedures during the pandemic, I ended up with a paper sleeve as well. No worries – I will be reusing it before throwing it out!

After using the Jumping Juniper bar for a couple years, I love that Honey I Washed My Hair doesn’t leave a mark in my shower. Because the Juniper bar is purple, the water drippage under my Ethique soap container created a purple puddle. This was actually pretty difficult to get off my shower, so I am quite happy that Honey I Washed My Hair doesn’t leave any colored residue behind!

As I’ve mentioned in all my shampoo bar reviews, my scalp gets pretty oily. That is why I tried out the Jumping Juniper bar first. Even though this bar isn’t specifically for scalp problems, I still found that it leaves my hair soft and clean! I haven’t had any issues with excess oil or scalp residue, which is a win-win for me.

Lastly, I’d like to point out that this shampoo bar has a hilarious name. Enough said.

A picture of a magnifying glass
A subtle nod to a great film!

What Could Be Improved with this Lush Shampoo Bar

After switching to this shampoo bar, I noticed that I have a tiny bit of dandruff. I’ve never had that before! I moved to a new apartment (with pretty intense water pressure) around the time I started trying out this bar, so I’m not sure if this is due to water or the bar itself…. πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ

I think it is important to mention in this Lush shampoo bar review that (of course) there are cheaper shampoo options on the market. From bottled shampoos to even some bars, it might be out of your budget to spend $12. BUT, these do last about 80-90 washes… So I think they are worth the price!

I’ve also noticed that the first ingredient of this bar is sodium laureth sulfate. This is one of the “Dirty Dozen” but seems to be used in about 30 of Lush’s products (including basically all of their shampoo bars). I haven’t noticed any negative effects from this; but, if you are trying to be 100% sulfate free then this product is not for you.

Overall, the Lush Honey I Washed My Hair shampoo bar has been working great for me! Now that the oils in my scalp seem to be managed, I might try to wash my hair every other night…. I’ve always wanted to do that, but my scalp refused the idea. πŸ˜‚ It will be a great way to save some water as well (even though my average shower time is about 5 minutes already). Have you been trying any new shampoo bars recently?

Honey I Washed My Hair shampoo bar review pinterest photo
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Love,
Jenna β™₯

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bookmark_borderHow to Live with Someone Who Isn’t As Eco Friendly

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Hey earth muffins! When my boyfriend and I moved in together back in July, we knew that it would be a huge step in our relationship. We had been doing long distance for 5ish years, so going from not seeing each other very often to seeing each other every single day was an adjustment. The fact that I live a more sustainable lifestyle was another thing we had to worry about. But, so far it has been great! 😍 Living with someone who isn’t as eco-friendly might seem like a challenge, so I thought I would share my personal tips to keep the household at peace. Let’s jump right into it!

A picture of two people looking out over a lake

Tips 1-3 for Living with a Less Eco-Conscious Person

The first thing I recommend doing is thinking about your relationship with who you are living with. It is important to classify them as a stranger/roommate, friend, partner, parent, etc. Now that the relationship is defined, you can think about what household things can be done separately and what must be done together. An example: if I was living with my parents they would be buying most of the groceries which could increase the amount of plastic I would want from the grocery store. But, if I was living with a friend at college we might buy our groceries separately, which would help my eco journey! Even if there is a possibility of doing everything separate, make sure you keep the economic feasibility in the back of your mind. It might be better to save some money and just create a bit more waste until you get your own place or live with someone who is willing to live more eco friendly!

Once you have identified areas that you do together, sit down with them and have a nice chat! πŸ˜€ Tell them all about why you are trying to be more sustainable and see if they might be testing out the sustainable waters too. Definitely don’t keep them in the dark about the way you are trying to live, as they won’t understand why you are doing certain things. This could lead to them growing annoyed with you, which could produce some unnecessary roommate drama!

After talking with them, you have probably identified certain things that you both want to improve on. This could be eating meat less or switching the cleaning products to something more “green”. It is important to set goals for the household! Personally, I did this a while ago when I laid out what I wanted for my sustainable apartment. There is a lot of evidence out there that writing down goals helps you achieve them; so, try writing them down and hanging them on the fridge!

Final Tips for Living with Someone Who Isn’t as Eco Friendly

A picture of the words Small Steps are Still Progress

Even though you might have listed multiple goals, try to implement small changes one at a time! Every small change matters and helps the planet; if you try to change too much at once, there is a higher probability that your roommate will get overwhelmed and stop trying. My boyfriend’s first change was to switch from plastic water bottles to his Brita. After a few weeks he has accomplished that! πŸŽ‰ Now we are on to plastic soda bottles…

It is important to note that you will most likely not be able to convert all their habits. That is okay! You can’t force your ideal way of living onto them, which might end up with making compromises. Do not pester them and do not feel guilty if you have to make concessions in certain areas. Remember, every little thing makes a difference, so it’s better to make small progress than none at all!

Lastly, make sure your roommate knows that you are noticing the changes they are making. If you see them opt for a glass container over plastic at the grocery store, call them out on it! 😊 People love being complimented and appreciated; it is important to tell them that their efforts are making a difference.

Overall, it might seem like living with someone with different values means that you can’t continue on your sustainable journey…. But that just isn’t the case! I’ve had plenty of success with my boyfriend so far, and I bet you can too! What are the best ways you have found when living with someone who isn’t as eco friendly?

How to live with someone who isn't eco-friendly
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Love,
Jenna β™₯

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bookmark_borderThe Best Sustainable Apps for Your Eco-Friendly Journey

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Hey earth muffins! There is no doubt about it – our cell phones play a large role in our day-to-day lives… So why not utilize them when deciding to go green? While it might be fun to follow your favorite sustainable bloggers on Instagram or Twitter, I suggest checking out some apps as well! In this post, I will be talking about some of the best sustainable apps on the market. These are all awesome resources for anyone going green; so, let’s jump right into it!

A picture of an iPhone

Top 3 Sustainable Apps

Olio – The Olio app is a great resource for a newbie low waster! After creating an account, your location is used to find unwanted food (and non-food) items in your neighborhood. Alongside finding free things, you can also offer up extras from your garden, excess baked goods, etc. It is such an amazing way to reduce the amount of perfectly good items from going to the landfill! 😍 Unfortunately, the app is only as good as the number of users in your location; thus, I haven’t been able to use it much because there are only 30ish people in my area using it. I still recommend downloading, following on Insta, and using the app, especially if you are in a larger city!!

A picture of the listings in the Olio sustainable app
Sadly, my app usually has no listings near me…

IKEA Better Living – I learned about this app during a virtual Zero Waste Festival session put on by a Calgary based nonprofit called Plastic-Free YYC. Many Scandinavian countries are great at sustainable practices, and IKEA is a Swedish company. IKEA has created a whole app dedicated to sustainable living – such a great place to learn when you are trying to change your habits! The app shares tips for eco-friendly living, allows you to track your new habits, and even participate in challenges with your friends. So cool to see a company as big as IKEA pushing green living! πŸ’š

Refill – If you have been following my Instagram, you woud have seen me talk about this app during my posts during Plastic Free July. The app allows users to mark all the places where you are able to refill a reusable water bottle. Such a great way to encourage others to ditch plastic water bottles! Again, this app is really dependent on how many people use it in your area; it is more popular overseas but is gaining popularity in the US. A great app and resource when you are new to carrying around a reusable water bottle!

Apps to Help Pick Sustainable Companies

Good on You – Once you decide to start a sustainable journey, many people avoid fast fashion companies and opt for ethical, slow fashion brands. While shopping secondhand is an even better (and my favorite!) option, shopping at sustainable companies is a good start for newbies. 😊 This app ranks these ethical fashion brands from “We Avoid” to “Great”; a perfect tool for selecting companies that are actually sustainable!

A picture of the Good on You app

Think Dirty – While there are many DIY recipes for cleaning supplies, makeup, and other personal care products, most people opt to purchase “green” options at the store when just starting out on their eco-friendly journey. This app allows you to scan barcodes of products and will rank every single ingredient from 0 (the best for you) to 10 (the worst for you). This is a great way to see which companies are greenwashing and what products are actually natural/green. πŸ˜‡

Other Eco-Friendly Apps

Cycl – I saw this app featured on a Goodful video, and it looks really great! Cycl allows you to input how eco-friendly nearby restaurants are by sharing if they accept reusable bottles/containers and what the food comes in (for both takeout and dine in). This is a great way to avoid excess plastic if you can choose a restaurant that uses paper containers over one that uses three layers of different plastic tubs and bags. Again, this app is only as good as the number of users in your area so be a trendsetter and update your favorite local restaurants in your area! πŸ₯³

YourLocal – This app allows you to locate excess food at local restaurants and cafes towards the end of the day. Then, you are able to purchase the food at a lower price. Saves the food waste and allows the establishments to still make a bit of money! 😍 Such a great idea; however, the app is currently only able to be used in New York City (and possibly Boston?) right now… But I hope that it expands soon!

Overall, there are so many great apps out there that can help you on your journey towards eco living! I’m sure I haven’t mentioned a bunch of great ones, so let me know your favorites in the comments! πŸŽ‰

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Love,
Jenna β™₯

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