“It is often difficult to judge how our actions and their impact on the environment are likely to affect others. What is clear is that we are the only species with the power to destroy the earth. Birds and insects have no such power, nor does any other mammal. And yet if we have the capacity to destroy the earth, we also have the capacity to protect it. I believe we have an urgent responsibility to do so.”
– Dalai Lama
Happy New Year!
A new year always brings excitement and hope, quickly followed by a sense of feeling overwhelmed by all the things you resolved to change, start, or do more of. So the last thing I want to do is add more to your list! Hopefully one of your resolutions this year is to be a little “greener” in your everyday life, but even if it’s not, here are 5 quick and easy things you can do that will make an impact!
1. Recycle your Christmas Tree.
If you are anything like me, you enjoy keeping your Christmas tree and decorations up a little after the holidays end to enjoy the happiness that they bring. Or, if you are even more like me, you keep putting off taking all the decorations down until it’s the end of January! If this sounds like you, don’t worry, there is still plenty of time to find a place to recycle your Christmas tree. Checkout this website to find a place close to you.
2. Give Away, Give Back.
It’s likely you bought or were gifted new clothes or housewares during the holidays. Instead of throwing away that old toaster or that older pink sweater that was recently replaced, think about donating! Plan a clothing swap with your close friends – everyone brings items they want to get rid of or no longer fit. Throw in a bottle of wine just for fun! 🙂 Take the items that no one picks to Goodwill to give back to community while also lightening your load.
3. Go Vegetarian Once a Week.
So much bang for your buck with this one! Reducing your meat intake and increasing your plant based food intake is good for your health and the environment! A diet with too much meat can contribute to health issues and if you’ve forgotten how I feel about plant based eating, re-read this post. According to Scientific American, a report from 2006 showed that “our diets and, specifically, the meat in them cause more greenhouse gases…than either transportation or industry.” If you’re feeling spunky, try one meal a day without meat.
4. Replace your Light Bulbs.
Go ahead and take the plunge if you haven’t already! Replace all the regular light bulbs in your home with compact florescent bulbs (CFLs). You won’t notice much of a difference until the Fall or this time next year, since that’s the first time you will have to replace them! CFLs last 10-25 times longer than regular bulbs and require 70-90% less energy to run over their lifetime, meaning you’ll also notice a difference in your electric bills. You’re welcome. 🙂
5. Take 20 Minutes to Watch “The Story of Stuff.”
This is a short video that points out how our consumerism and consumption patterns are connected to current environmental issues. After you’ve watched it, share it with your friends or on social media! Help spread the word and educate others!
Photo By: JessF26
I was at a great local vegetarian restaurant in town last weekend, looking stylish while I ate my delicious veggie burger – the one and only veggie burger I’ve ever liked! I was alone, people watching and realized that a lot of the women in the restaurant looked like your stereotypical “hippie mom.” Wild untamed hair, baggy and plain clothes, minimal if no makeup and it hit me – you don’t have to look like a vegetarian to be a vegetarian, you don’t have to look like a farmer to have your own garden and grow your own food, and you don’t have to look basic and recycled to live in an environmentally friendly way!
So I’ve decided that this will be a reoccurring destination on my blog – a place to revisit often and discover new products and information to incorporate into your daily lives to be environmentally friendly and keep your quality of life! 🙂
Let’s start today with someone that epitomizes this idea: Miranda Kerr. You know, Miranda Kerr, the supermodel. The Victoria’s Secret Angel. Google her. If that’s not a perfect picture of glamorous, I don’t know what is!
In 2009, Miranda created Kora Organics, her own line of organic skin care products. Not satisfied with any of the organic skin care lines on the market back then, she decided to start her own using ingredients that she had raised around in rural Australia. She understands the impact of what we put on our skin can have not only on our beauty, but our body and health. According to the Kora website:
“Did you know that the average woman applies more than 200 chemicals to her skin by using her skin care products in one day? Did you know that 60% of these chemicals are further absorbed into your bloodstream? These are two of the main reasons that organic skincare is one of the fastest growing areas of the beauty industry today. The more we learn about the bitter side effects of unhealthy skincare, the more quickly we will seek out other options.”
The ingredients in her products include many natural essential oils, Noni fruit (a powerful antioxidant and one of the key “secret” ingredients), aloe vera, and water that is infused with the energy of Rose Quartz. Not something you would expect from a Victoria’s Secret Angel huh? Throw those stereotypes out the window! Green can beautiful. Green can be smart. Green can be glamorous!!
I think this may be my first purchase:
SassyRecycler 