Exfoliating is one of those beauty buzzwords that promise soft skin, smooth complexion and unparalleled beauty. And that’s great, but not when it comes at the cost of the environment. A lot of beauty products contain plastic microbeads, that are quickly becoming a threat for our water systems. The problem is that they are smaller than a millimeter in diameter, which means that they can’t be strained at waste water treatment plants.
Camping is the perfect green vacation. It will make you feel in contact with nature, enjoying the wonderful world we live in. Besides, it has a low impact on the environment (just remember to “leave no trace”) and it saves you money. It doesn’t matter if you are a seasoned camper or if you are thinking of experiencing the great outdoors for the first time, these are some genius hacks to make your next camping trip easier.
Keep mosquitoes away naturally – Mosquitoes can ruin anyone’s night. They are annoying and relentless, but repellent sprays are harmful for the environment and loaded with awful chemicals. To truly keep the little pests away from your campsite, throw some sage into the fire, you will be surprised with the results.
Turn egg cartons into fire starters – Instead of throwing away your paper egg cartons, save them for your next camping trip. Fill an egg carton with light charcoal and close it. Whenever you want to get your campfire going, just lit it up. You will get a blazing fire in no time that will keep you warm and help you cook food without wasting gas or fuel like a stove. Just make sure to follow your campsite’s regulations when it comes to campfires.
Cook with natural herbs – If you are going to use your campfire to cook meats and veggies, avoid bottled marinades that are full of preservatives, take up space in your bag and contribute to the garbage problem. Instead, throw rosemary or other aromatic herbs right into the fire while you are cooking. You will get a nice smokey flavor in the most natural way, and your meals will taste amazing.
Filter water with nothing but cloth – Clean water is absolutely necessary, I don’t need to tell you that. It is recommended that you take plenty of water with you, but if you find yourself without bottled water and no other means to purify dirty water, this method can help you out. Put the dirty water into a container and stick the end of a piece of cloth in it. Put the other end of the cloth in the other container and wait for a bit. The water will filter itself through the cloth and you’ll end up with a container of clean water and another of dry sediment.
Bring a Frisbee – Never underestimate the power of the Frisbee. They are extremely fun, so you can enjoy your time outdoors by doing some exercise with your family and friends, sure, but they have some hidden uses as well. In a pinch, your Frisbee can be a cutting board, a plate, a water container and even a shovel. No camping bag is complete without a Frisbee.
We are all trying to do our part to take care of the only earth we have, but some lifestyle changes are easier than others. Here are some easy ways to reduce your carbon footprint that won’t feel like you are punishing yourself.
Driving
Driving is one of the biggest contributors to CO2 emissions, but it’s not always feasible to ditch your car. When possible, you should definitely try to walk or bike more, which will not only avoid carbon emissions, but will also make you feel healthier. If you live in a big city, stop being afraid of public transportation, as it will get you to your destination carbon-free, and it will also avoid you the daunting task of finding a parking spot downtown.
However, if you absolutely must drive your car, consider carpooling. There are websites and services that will connect you to carpoolers in your route. Your driving style can affect your CO2 emissions too: speeding wastes gas and money, reduces mileage in your car and increases your carbon footprint. Avoid traffic when possible and keep your tires properly inflated.
Food
This is something most people don’t think about, but the food you consume absolutely impacts your carbon footprint. Cut down of beef and dairy, as it takes a lot of resources to raise cows for consumption. When possible, go to your local farmer’s market and eat locally produced food. Turns out that transport and storing of food is a big contributor to global CO2 emissions.
Home
Reduce the energy your consume at home to reduce your whole family’s carbon footprint. Make sure your home is properly insulated and sealed. This will greatly reduce the energy you use to keep it warm in winter and cool in summer and it will save you money on the electricity bill as well. Reduce and recycle as much as you can and teach your kids (if you have them) the importance of separating organic, glass and plastic when disposing the garbage. Use water-efficient shower heads, faucet heads, washing machines and toilets, and wash your car less often. If you have a garden, get plants that are appropriate for the climate in your area to avoid watering them too often. It is also a great idea to install a drip irrigation system so your plants get exactly as much water as they need.
Advocate for alternative energy whenever you can. If you have the chance, install solar panels to the roof of your home. This can be expensive upfront, but many manufacturers offer financing options that will let you spread out the payments. And you will earn back that money by paying a lot less in your electricity bill. Some states even allow you to sell electricity generated by your panels back to the grid, so you will be helping the planet and your wallet.
There are as many reasons to take care of the Earth as there are people living in it. We all know that, of course. But sometimes we forget the actual impact we have in the world. And since a picture is worth a thousand words, here are some very tangible reasons to care about the environment.
1. The Maldives
The Maldives are probably the most vulnerable populated area when it comes to global warming. Rising sea levels threaten this little islands and eating away their land. Some very bleak predictions estimate that the Maldives will disappear below sea level in less than fifty years. People are already emigrating in preparation of losing their home.
2. Java, Indonesia
This is the world’s most populated island and as such, the world’s most polluted one. People produce so much trash and waste that it completely surrounds the island and it’s not even possible to practice water sports without a wave of pollution taking the fun out of it.
3. Accra, Ghana
Electronic waste is growing every day and we don’t even notice it. We’ve become accustomed to changing our computers fairly frequently as they develop faster and cheaper. But the other side of the coin is landfills all around the world filling up with our electronic waste. Nothing wrong with a new computer, we just need to learn to recycle the old ones.
4. Willamette National Forest
Only less than 1% of Willamette forest in Oregon, US remains intact. Most of it was cut down for agriculture and urbanization and the rest was lost to fires. Forests like this take multiple generations to grow, and now it’s not likely that we will ever get back even a fraction of what was lost.
5. The Amazon, Brazil
This rainforest is considered by many as the lung of the world. It plays a key role in the production of oxygen and climate regulation all around the world. And yet, every year we are losing a bigger part of it. Companies want to cut it down for farming land, urbanization and mining, and local governments are doing little to stop them.
6. Ken River, California
This is what an oil field that has been active since 1899 looks like. Drilling for oil has devastating consequences for the local environment that won’t just go away once we stop. And this is on top of all the other evils of fossil fuels we are so familiar with, like increasing emissions of greenhouse gasses.
7. Svalbard, Norway
The increase in temperatures because of greenhouse gases causes glaciers around the world to melt at an accelerated pace. This introduces large amounts of fresh water into the oceans, causing shifts in currents and climate. And, of course, a rise in sea level, which affects land close to the water, such as The Maldives.
You have your garden, you have your house plants. Maybe you have floral arrangements everywhere in your home. But do you ever feel like you want more? Do you love your plants so much that you wish you could take them out for a walk some times? Because even if you don’t, you might change your mind after you see this artist’s work.
Colleen Jordan, a designer and artist based in Atlanta has created Wearable Planters, a truly unique fashion statement that combines jewelery and plants. Basically, you can now wear your garden. In style.
She creates every planter by 3D printing. They are all made out of nylon and dyed by hand, to later be sealed with acrylic varnish, so they are weather-proofed and keep their vibrant hues over time.
The planters are also designed with a flat bottom, so you can take them off and decorate your desk or your table with them. They actually are the tiniest, most adorable flower pots in the world.
But still, the most interesting thing about these little planters is that they are basically living, breathing jewelery. And you get to grow the plants yourself.
Every planter comes with its own seeds and thorough instructions to grow the tiny plant in it. And you don’t even need a green thumb, the creator says it takes no effort to grow the little guys. They can’t ship them with the plants ready to wear, as that could get them sick.
On her Etsy page and on her website, you can browse and buy Colleen’s beautiful designs. You’ll find necklaces, lapel pins, brooches, rings, and even decorations for your bike.
Carrying a little plant around your neck is not only a truly unique fashion statement. It can also be a nice way to be in contact with nature, even as you go around your city life. They are a reminder that the world is a better place when we take the time to take care of it. And even if that wasn’t the case, at least wearing plants is an excellent conversation starter. Plants bring us happiness, after all.
If you are reading this, you probably care about the environment. But even if you do make an effort to reduce your carbon footprint and live a green life, you are human and there are some not-so-green habits that are hard to change. Instead of feeling guilty, follow these tips to stop repeating the same green sins.
1. “Bottled water is so convenient!”
We all know plastic bottles are bad. They use a lot of energy when created, they fill up landfills, they take forever to break down… Plastic bottles are bad. And yet, the convenience of being able to buy a bottle of water whenever you are thirsty is hard to give up. The only way to change it is with a reusable bottle. Find one that is made out of stainless steel or BPA-free plastic. They come in many different sizes, so you can find one that fits your needs. And if you don’t like the hassle of cleaning, find one with a wide mouth, that will make clean up easier. Get in the habit of carrying your bottle around and using it instead of plastic cups.
2. “Energy-saving bulbs are so ugly”
Compact fluorescent bulbs save an incredible amount of energy. Trading some of your incandescent for fluorescent bulbs can prevent the emission of 400 pounds of greenhouse gases. That’s nothing to scoff at, and yet fluorescent light can be so depressing. The good news is that not all bulbs are created equal, so you just have to shop around to find the shape, size, color and brightness that works best for you.
3. “I know batteries are bad, but it’s so much easier to throw them out”
Recycling batteries is one of those things where we can’t compromise. They are incredibly dangerous and contaminate absolutely everything. And yet, some times we all end up hiding a couple of batteries at the bottom of our trash bags. That’s bad. The good news is that recycling batteries is getting easier by the hour. Just Google recycling places near you and you’ll see that you can take your used batteries to a lot of places, including your favorite grocery store, and they will do the recycling for you. And, of course, invest in rechargeable batteries. They are recyclable too and they last so much longer.
4. “I can never bring myself to carry around a market tote”
Plastic bags are so wasteful, and carrying a reusable cloth grocery bag will prevent a lot of waste. But it’s so hard to remember to bring it whenever you go to the market. The solution is to buy a couple of totes you like and keep them in your car. If you don’t drive, buy those totes that fold up into tiny pockets and keep them in your purse or regular backpack. You will always have them with you, and you will barely notice they are there.
Every house with a garden or a backyard should have its own compost pile. Why? Because organic materials make up 30 percent of what we throw away. If you compost them, we turn them into precious nutrients for your plants and vegetables. If you don’t, then they end up as trash and take up space in landfills, where they also release greenhouse gases.
Basically, composting is an essential way to reduce your carbon footprint significantly. Not only does it reduce methane emissions from landfills, it also enriches your soil, to help your plants grow stronger. You will need to use less chemical fertilizers (or none at all), and, since it suppresses plant diseases and pests, you will use less pesticides as well. So why isn’t everyone composting yet?
It’s not difficult to start your own compost pile at home. You already have all the ingredients, you just have to create a new routine, instead of throwing them away, you add them to your compost pile. Compost has three basic ingredients: Browns, which include branches, twigs and dead leaves. Greens, which include vegetable waste, fruit scraps, coffee grounds and grass clippings. And water, that will help break down the other materials and turn them into compost.
The first step is to select a dry, shady spot for your pile or bin. If you don’t have space outside, you can use an indoor compost bin that you can find in any hardware store. Don’t worry, a properly-made compost pile will not smell nor attract pests. If you decide to do an outdoor pile, place it on bare ground, so worms and other organisms can enter your pile and help it along.
The second step is to add to the pile. Try to keep an equal ratio of green and brown ingredients, and make sure your pile is always damp. However, keep in mind that there are ingredients you should never compost, such as oils, meat products, milk, eggs, manure from meat-eating animals and plant clippings that have been treated with chemicals or diseased.
Once you have your compost pile going, you’ll want to keep it covered to retain moisture. You should also turn the material every too weeks at least, to help speed up the decomposing process. Use a pitchfork, a shovel or any tool you think will help, and mix and invert your pile. If you consider it seems a little bit dry, you can spray it a bit with a hose as you are turning it, to keep your pile moist. When the material at the bottom is dark and rich in color, with a texture similar to soil, then it will be ready to use. The time it takes depends on the size of your pile and the materials you add but it usually takes from a couple of weeks to months.
Not all of us can afford organic produce. Sure, it’s healthy, clean and a better choice over mass-farmed vegetables, but it’s also more expensive. And as much as we’d love to eat exclusively locally sourced, ethically farmed, organic produce straight from the farmers’ market, sometimes Walmart’s produce section will have to do. Luckily, we can still avoid pesticides by choosing the right ingredients.
The Environmental Working Group releases a report every year on the state of organic produce and food in America. The paper examines the pesticide content in more than 48 food items, both locally produced and imported. But even if the report goes well into detail, people usually just pay attention to its two master lists. The “Dirty Dozen”, that recounts the twelve more contaminated products, and the “Clean Fifteen”, with the fifteen items with less pesticides. These lists are a great guide to eat healthy on a budget. If you can’t afford to buy all your produce organic, you are better off splurging on the products that normally carry more pesticide content.
The Dirty Dozen
Let’s start with the vegetables you want to avoid unless you know their source. The EWG found traces of pesticides in two thirds of all produce, but who are the worst offenders? Apples. Innocent, delicious apples tested positive for agrochemicals in 99% of the samples. They were closely followed by 98% of peaches and 97% of nectarines. Samples of grapes and bell peppers showed traces of 15 different pesticides each, while potatoes had more pesticides by weight than any other vegetable. The list is completed by strawberries, celery, spinach, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas and cucumbers.
While not in the traditional dirty dozen list, the EWG found several leafy greens like kale and hot peppers tested positive for extremely harmful insecticides. They do not have a high enough concentration of pesticides to be on the list, but the toxicity of the chemicals pushed the EWG to recommend buying organic as well.
The Clean Fifteen
On the flip-side, avocados proved to be the cleanest product, showing detectable pesticides in only 1% of the samples. More clean produce includes 89% of pineapples, 88% of mango 82% of kiwi, 80% of papayas and 61% of cantaloupe, that showed no residues of agrochemicals. If you want to stock up your pantry, you should also look for sweet corn, cabbage, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, onions, grapefruit, cauliflower, sweet potatoes and eggplant.
If you want to eat cleaner and healthier every day, your grocery shopping has to change. Try to buy your produce from different sources, which will limit your exposure to a single pesticide. Besides, if you try to buy seasonal veggies from local markets, you are guaranteed to get fresher produce with less chemicals. Once you get home, remember to always wash your fruits and veggies thoroughly and, if you are not buying organic leafy greens, it is best to cook them for consumption.
One of the most underrated threats for our local ecosystems has been allowed to go unchecked for too long. And there’s probably one near you right meow. I don’t want to alarm you, but it could be anywhere, on your lawn, inside your house, under your bed… it could even be on your lap right now as you are reading this. That’s right, I’m talking about the domestic cat. I’m sure Mr. Mittens is incredibly cute and cuddly, but he could be terrorizing your neighborhood without your knowledge. It’s not his fault, of course, he’s just following his instincts. But, the cat’s out of the bag now and we’ve got some ‘pawsitive’ news.
One of the stronger instincts for cats is to hunt. It doesn’t matter how well-fed your cat is, he will still want to hunt and kill prey. Even if you give Dr. Fluffkin home-cooked meals every day, he will still go outside and ruthlessly murder some birds. And probably won’t eat them afterward. Studies have shown that cats are killing billions of animals every year, which makes them a hazard for local wildlife.
Studies estimate that cats are responsible for the deaths of up to 3.7 billion birds and 20.7 billion mammals each year in the US alone. Globally, 33 species were drove to extinction by cats. Stray and feral cats are the worst offenders, but pet cats are not free of blame. Luckily, there are ways in which you can mitigate the effect of your pet in the local environment.
First of all, you can keep Princess Furrypaws indoors. This will stop her from killing birds, squirrels and rabbits. This will also keep your cat safe, away from cars, other animals and cruel or careless people. If you want to let your kitty enjoy the sun and fresh air, you can always get him a leash and a harness, and take him outside under your supervision. It will probably take a while until your cat is used to the leash, but it can be done. Simply make him wear the harness for a few minutes a day until he moves normally, and then add the leash to the equation.
If you don’t want to use a leash and your cat still goes outside, then you can try buying a well-fitted collar with a big bell. This is by far the least effective route, but it has been proven that a bell can reduce a cat’s success when hunting by a third.
But wait, you say, Captain Whiskers never goes outside, he only hunts laser pointers and plastic mice. If that’s the case, then your cat is probably very eco-friendly, you’ve done your part to save the Earth. Just remember to play with your cat for twenty minutes every day to keep him stimulated and make him feel loved. Unless you’re looking forward to raising a serial killer kitty cat.
Have some extra space in your garden? Some empty pots you want to put to good use? Start growing aromatic herbs if you are not doing it already. And if you are, keep doing it. And maybe grow some more. There are a million reasons why having your own little herb garden, but I will list only a few of them. You will find your own reasons to love your herb garden, I can promise you that.
1. Taking care of plants if therapeutic
It’s been scientifically proven that gardening is very relaxing. Taking time out of your day to pause and care for your plants can help you reduce stress and anxiety. Using your hands and clearing your head for a few minutes a day will make you feel renewed and energized, and it will improve your mood for the rest of the day.
2. Growing plants that you can use is rewarding
There is no feeling as satisfying as knowing your hobbies are both fun and useful. Sure, all plants look nice, but when your plants look nice and are a great addition to your cooking, it’s clear who the real winner is. An aromatic herb garden can give you a sense of accomplishment every time you cook, knowing you are using something you grew with your own hands.
3. Fresh herbs taste a lot better than the dried stuff
It doesn’t matter if you are a fantastic chef or if the kitchen is a new and mysterious land for you. Any dish can be improved with fresh herbs. Basil, parsley, thyme, mint, bay and oregano can add a lot of flavor, and take your meals from “okay” to “amazing”. You can even experiment with different flavors to see which addition works best with every dish.
4. They just smell good
Aromatic herbs are, well, aromatic. They smell fantastic without being overwhelming. A lot of flowers smell nice, of course, but they can be overly sweet for some people. And flowers bloom only for a while. Herbs, on the other hand, always smell fresh, and they keep their smell all year round. Basil, mint and lavender are especially good for this, especially if you are growing them indoors. They mask unpleasant smells and keep the room smelling fresh and clean.
5. You can save money
If you normally use herbs and spices in your cooking, they can add up in your budget, especially if you choose to use fresh leaves as opposed to dried ones. With your own little herb garden, you can scratch that item off your grocery list indefinitely.