Each year St. Patrick’s Day inspires people to celebrate Irish culture with a whole lot of green. This year, I encourage you to choose a new way to celebrate. By going environmentally green you can improve the quality of your life in so many ways. Below are just a few of my favorite ways to truly “green” your life.
Green Your Clothing
Instead of buying a colorful shirt, consider buying one made from materials grown without the use of pesticides and herbicides that degrade soil quality and leave other negative impacts on our planet. Additionally, look for apparel made by companies with a commitment to fair trade goods. Fair trade certified goods ensure that producers and laborers are paid just wages for their work and contributions. This is a change you can truly feel good about. One of my favorite brands is PACT apparel. Their Fair Trade Certified™ apparel line includes the brand’s famous underwear, as well as leggings, camisoles, t-shirts, and long johns. Their fabrics are deliciously soft, quality made, and their colors are rich and long-lasting. (You can save 20% with this link!)
Green Your Meals
Eating a healthy diet is important for you, your family (they love you!), and the planet. By choosing healthy foods you are letting companies know that you don’t want junk and they are listening. 81% of American families are already choosing organic foods at least sometimes, according to an Organic Trade Association market analysis.
If you haven’t already, I encourage you to consider trying a whole30. It’s a month long commitment to eating no processed foods, no sugar, no dairy, and a few others. While it does sound a bit extreme, I found that my experience with the whole30 gave me a renewed appreciation for the ritual of cooking (maybe not the dishes so much, but I’m thankful none the less) and also a deeper care about what I put into my body and how much “flex” I truly okay with. You can check out my Lazy whole30 Pinterest board for a bit of mealtime inspiration.
Green Your Meal Prep
In addition to cleaning up your diet, one of my absolute favorite ways to green mealtime is to use no plastic and no waste. While I do appreciate the appearance of being budget friendly, plastic cookware and storage can leech toxic chemicals food and it rarely stands the test of time. Lids warp, things melt, pit, discolor, etc. Glass and stainless storage and cookware cost a bit more on start-up but they are with you for the long haul, and there’s no reason you have to buy it all at once. Buy what you need to get started and build from there. These are a few of my favorite storage and preparation items:
- Planetbox lunch boxes – These bento/lunch tray style lunch boxes are offered in sizes for the whole family. The divided trays make lunch packing a breeze (and sometimes a bit fun too). Planetbox lunch boxes are offered with a wide range of carrying case options and colors, accessories, and even meal ideas!
- Wean Green glass storage – These are my absolute favorite glass storage containers. Wean Green cubes and bowls come in a huge assortment of colors, shapes, and sizes. They are perfect for storing leftovers, holding sauces, homemade hand scrubs, and an endless list of other things. Though they are glass, don’t let glass’s fragile reputation fool you. Wean Green cubes are tough! I’ve seen them bounced off the concrete floor of a trade show and survive every time.
Green Your Body Products
Last, but not least, on my list is bath and body products. Your skin is your largest organ and highly absorptive, you want to be sure that you’re putting products on your skin that are nourishing — or at the very least, not harmful. Synthetic fragrances and compounds can irritate skin and even disrupt your hormones. Yikes! These are just a few of my favorite brands:
- Grace Green Beauty – I’ve never been big on face washing in the traditional sense. Soaps and lotions tend to leave me dry, irritated, or even broken out… that is until I was introduced to GGB (which is another story altogether). I’m pretty sure that I would be entirely lost without their CLEAN oil cleanser and PEACEful Face facial moisturizer.
- Taylor’s Pure & Natural – I completely adore this company – the people, the products. I am so in love with their amazing pump toothpaste and PITS! deodorant especially. Their toothpaste is just the right balance of work and yum, and their natural deodorant was the first non-commercial deodorant to ever truly work for me. I honestly can’t say enough good things.
- Afterglow Cosmetics – I have been using afterglow for years and I love their line. I have found their products to be gentle on my skin, easy to use, and all around great coverage. I most love their silky soft, vegan kabuki brush, powder foundation, perfecting under-eye concealer, and eye liner.
