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bookmark_border10 Tips on How To Start a Plant-Based Diet!

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Hey earth muffins! January is here, which means Veganuary starts! What is Veganuary, you might ask? It is a month-long challenge to push yourself to try a plant-based diet. If you aren’t sure what I mean by “plant-based”, check out this full guide on the different plant-based diets. 😊 As a vegetarian, I love the idea of this challenge… But I also know that starting a plant-based diet can be overwhelming at first. To make it easier for any of you interested in participating in this challenge, here are my top 10 tips on how to start a plant-based diet this January. I adapted this list from the official Veganuary guide, so sign up to participate in the challenge to get even more helpful hints!

1. Focus on planning before you start!

Changing your diet is going to take some preparation. You can’t just decide that you are going to be vegan one day and expect to be successful. It is going to take some planning! I’m a huge fan of journaling, so I suggest writing out a plan for yourself. Make lists for the grocery store (bonus, this prevents food waste too!), ideas for meals, and set goals to help ease yourself in. If you have a plan before you start, you increase the likelihood that you will stick to your new plant-based diet!

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bookmark_borderHow to Be More Eco-Friendly in 2022!

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Hey earth muffins! I can’t believe 2021 is almost over. 😅 This year has been full of a lot of life changes for me, from a new job to buying my very first home. I am excited to see what lies ahead in 2022! Last year, I shared all the reasons why you should go green in 2021. If that post didn’t convince you to start on an eco journey, I hope this post will do the trick! This is the season of making New Year’s Resolutions, so I challenge you all to add “be more eco-friendly” to your list. Here are 5 ways to be more sustainable in the new year!

*Evaluate your current eco journey!

The end of a year is the perfect time to reflect back on what areas you found success in your eco journey. I personally love to sit down with my journal before a new year and write out every success and failure. It is a great way to visually see a list of where you are struggling. Plus, you can look back on this list throughout 2022 to remind yourself as well. In order to be more eco-friendly in the new year, it is important to first evaluate how far you have come.

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bookmark_borderThe Environmental Impact of Returns: What To Do Instead!

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Hey earth muffins! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday full of family and fun – I know I sure did! Now that the gift giving is over, you might find yourself with things that aren’t exactly what you were hoping for… 🎁 Maybe your grandma thinks you are three sizes smaller than you are or your mom bought you a set of mugs that you actually already bought a few weeks ago. There is ALWAYS an increase in returns after Christmas; and there is a huge environmental impact of returns because of this. To be a bit more eco-friendly this year, I suggest avoiding returns as much as possible. Instead, here’s what to do with those unwanted Christmas gifts!

What is the Environmental Impact of Returns?

About 30% of the items bought online are returned… And that doesn’t take into account products purchased at the store. Did you know that most companies just throw away returned items? Five BILLION pounds of returned goods end up in landfills around the US each year. 😳 This is highly confusing to me, as there are plenty of secondhand places that could easily find new homes for these items. It’s also really upsetting that huge corporations don’t care to even TRY to re-distribute what they have already produced. It proves that they only care about producing more and more goods to make a profit. Instead of supporting the destruction of the planet by making returns this year, I suggest the following options instead:

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bookmark_borderWhich is Better: Reusable Pads vs Menstrual Cups?

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Hey earth muffins! 2021, for me, was the year of trying out different ways to zero waste my period. While I haven’t tried all the methods to have a zero waste period, I focused my time on menstrual cups and reusable menstrual pads. These are some of the most popular options when it comes to making your time of the month more sustainable. So, which do I prefer? 🤔 In today’s post, I will be sharing my thoughts on reusable pads vs menstrual cups… Let’s jump right into it!

Why Reusable Pads Are Better

The first thing that makes reusable pads better is that they aren’t as invasive as menstrual cups. One of the major concerns I had when trying out a cup was that it required me to insert it and remove it… Which can be pretty terrifying at first! Once you get the hang of it it isn’t scary anymore; check out my tips on how to insert and remove a menstrual cup if you still struggle! Overall, reusable pads are way less invasive even when you get the hang of cups.

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bookmark_border7 Uses of Peppermint Essential Oil – What To Do With It

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Hey earth muffins! There is no denying that essential oils are awesome. Not only do they smell amazing, but they can be used for so many other uses as well. I have just recently been getting into essential oils more… And peppermint oil is perfect for the holiday season! ☃️ Thanks to a gift from Public Goods, I have been able to try out a new oil these past few weeks. In today’s post, I will be sharing 7 of my favorite uses of peppermint essential oil. Let’s jump right into the post!

1. Use peppermint oil in the diffuser

My boyfriend and I have an oil diffuser on our bedside table; I love to diffuse a few drops either in the morning or a couple of hours before bed… It makes the room smell heavenly! Peppermint oil wakes up your senses unlike other oils like lavender that are perfect for bed time. I suggest diffusing your peppermint essential oil in the morning to help your mind get alert for the upcoming day!

2. Prevents against bugs (and mice)

In our last apartment, we had GIGANTIC centipedes that were absolutely disgusting to look at when they crawled out of the floor… My favorite on this ‘uses of peppermint essential oil’ list is this – use it to prevent against bugs and mice in your home! Fill up a cup of water and mix in 4-5 drops of peppermint oil. Then, take a paintbrush and line the areas where the bugs are coming in (around floorboards, windows, etc.). Your house might smell like a peppermint forest for a few hours after, but it definitely does work!

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bookmark_borderClean-Faced Cosmetics Foundation (and Concealer) Review: My Honest Thoughts!

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Hey earth muffins! I have been using makeup from Clean-Faced Cosmetics since the very beginning of my sustainable journey. I absolutely love their mascara and have tried out the foundation powder during my college years. Before I started my new job a couple of months ago, I figured I would try out the Clean-Faced Cosmetics foundation (which also can be used a concealer!). It was my first time going back to the office in a year, so I hadn’t been wearing foundation in awhile… I’ve had some time to test out this product, so let’s jump right into the review!

Clean-Faced cosmetics zero waste foundation in Light

What I Love About the Clean-Faced Cosmetics Foundation

Obviously I love that this company is zero waste! It is run by a woman named Laura in Grand Rapids, MI – and she has been seeing so much success on Etsy that she recently opened up her own website! 🎉 Her products are made with natural, eco-friendly ingredients which is important to help your skin stay chemical free. All the makeup products come in some sort of metal or glass container; if you ask for a refill of a product, she will mail it over in a compostable bag instead! Supporting small businesses like this is great because I know the products are all top notch AND zero waste as well.

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bookmark_borderSustainable Wrapping Paper Alternatives for the Holiday Season

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Hey earth muffins! There is no doubt about it, December is the season of wrapping paper. 🎁 While pretty wrapped gifts are exciting and festive, they aren’t necessarily the most eco-friendly option. A lot of wrapping papers aren’t pure paper, which makes them non-recyclable. On top of that, many of them also have glitter and other 3-D effects that are definitely fit for the landfill only. To make your Christmas more sustainable this year, I want to share my top suggestions for sustainable wrapping paper alternatives – let’s jump right into it!

1. Old gift bags, wrapping paper, and tissue paper

Once you decide you want to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle, it is important to use up what is already in your house. That includes all that leftover wrapping paper! People tend to buy new rolls every holiday which results in a stack of half used rolls in the back of some dusty closet. Reuse all the old gift bags, tissue paper, and wrapping paper that is already in your home!

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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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