happy earth day, cuties!

Mmmmmmm, Earth Day. How I love ya!

…And the 50th anniversary of Earth Day no less! What a beautiful day.

I think it’s important to acknowledge that Earth Day wasn’t *always* around. It’s easy to get used to holidays and not really think about their origins, but Earth Day is actually a fairly new holiday. Created 50 years ago by folks just like you and me who joined their voices in unity to demand better for the Earth.

The efforts of these average Joes resulted in the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Environmental Education Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act…it’s so beautiful to think about.

While we have a ways to go, I want to pause and acknowledge all the ordinary people that demanded better for the earth 50 years ago today…and I want to ensure that 50 years from now, I have done MY PART in fighting for this beautiful planet.

eco-friendly swaps: why it matters

SOOOOOOO here’s where I’m at with this post. The main purpose of this is to share simple swaps you can do in your life that are SO easy and can have a maaaaajor long-term impact. It truly is the cumulation of small choices that can lead to a huge reduction in pollution, waste, and chemical burden.

I fully acknowledge that these small things are not going to solve the climate crisis overnight (large-scale impact is going to come from the “bigger picture” things like the reconstruction of our hyper-consumeristic society, VOTING for those who stand up for the earth, and systems change), but that doesn’t mean that we can’t also make our own unique impact with our individual daily choices.

I TRULY believe that small actions add up, and I wanted to give simple swaps you may not have been aware of! One note: if you are able to buy these things locally, PLEASE DO. I just wanted to link to online shopping options during these quarantined times where we have limited access to in-person shopping. While not ideal, I do think an easy hack that can help cut down on waste and help the environment is worth it!

Which brings me to…17 easy eco-friendly swaps you can make today! Enjoy! (And happy Earth Day, my fellow beautiful human!)

beeswax wrap

Never buy saran wrap again! This beeswax wrap is one of theeeee easiest swaps to make and it is so dang versatile. This beeswax-coated canvas forms, molds, and covers just about anything. We use it to cover bowls of extra food, to wrap around awkwardly-shaped leftover chunks of cheese, to wrap around snacks-to-go…it’s limitless! I had this item in my cart for sooooo long before I finally bought. My only regret—I wish I was using this sooner. Sustainable, so easy, and so versatile. It’s time to say goodbye to single-use plastic saran wrap!

reusable ziplocs

Another one of those effortless switches that you have probably thought about, but never acted on. Reusable baggies! I got this set because it has everrrrrry size and I’ve never looked back. I’ve only had them about a year and I can’t even believe how easy of a switch this was from traditional single-use plastic baggies. (Make sure you get a fully silicone option like these! so your baggies aren’t full of unnecessary plastic!)

water bottle + coffee mugs

Okay, not to be aggressive…but if it’s 2020 and you STILL are not using reusable water bottles and coffee mugs, what’s holding you back sister? Most of us go through multiple servings of water and coffee per day—this one purchase could make alllllllll those servings of water and lattes sustainable. It’s amazing to think HOW MUCH waste can be reduced by the purchase of one water bottle or mug. Remember, stay away from plastic! Here’s one of my favorite glass water bottles, a stainless steel option, and a coffee thermos.

reusable paper towels

I mean, how COOL are these? Allllll the function and convenience of paper towels, but sustainable! I have been eyeing up these options (click on the photo for their link):

switch your clothing

Okay, okay—so this “swap” is anything but effortless. It can be SO hard to switch from fast fashion, but it is hands down one of the best things you can do for the earth. (….Clothing is the second biggest polluter of our earth, right after oil. Yikes.)

But I GET IT. It’s so hard not to get wrapped up in the $12 shirts and the trends and the 2-day shipping…but I promise, there is such peace in sourcing sustainable, quality pieces that are TIMELESS. I’ve compiled my favorite eco-friendly brands here to get ya started. :)

mason jars

Mason jars have always been and will always be BAE. And I have a favorite one. This XXXXXL mason jar is perfect for everything. I use it for water, for my lunchtime smoothies, to store leftover soup in, as storage for my homemade granola.. Its size is perfect and O use it more than alllllll my other mason jars combined. LOVE IT.

metal straws

Trendy? Yes. But impactful? Also, yes. Here are the ones I use (I like that it includes extra-wide options for my smoothies and thicker beverages!).

the best reusable bag

Is there anything better than an all-purpose bag? One that you can use for picnics, groceries, shopping, farmers markets, errands…you know the type of bag I’m talking about. :)

BUT. There is one that is set apart. Because one thing that I haaaaate about most reusable plain cotton bags is that they are one big bottomless pit without any dividers. This specific one has a lot of internal sleeves that create pockets. It’s weird to recommend a bag so much, but for real—grab 3–5 of these! They are honestly SO great!

CSA: support local agriculture

Probably one of the most impactful switches you can make!

Swap what you buy at grocery stores and instead get local produce! Adam and I are very committed to sourcing our food as local as possible—and that means getting our veggies, fruit, meat, and other goodies (bread, flower bouquets, maple syrup, etc.) from our local farms! We joined a CSA almost 3 years ago and have never looked back. We get 1–2 boxes per month overflowing with organic produce, pasture-raised & regenerative farmed meat, local goodies…

Not only is the quality of the food soooooo incredible, but you are also saving so much waste by having it local (you’d be amazed at how much waste and gas is generated by shipping food all over the country). If you are interested in a CSA and finding a farm near you, here’s a link to search!

TO ALL MY DULUTH, MINNESOTA PEEPS: I personally use Bayfield Farms CSA for veggies, fruit, meat, cheese, baked goods, locally produced goodies, annnnnnd even fresh flowers. :) This refer-a-friend link will save you $25 when you become a Bayfield Farms CSA member! ENJOY!

toilet paper

Okay TRIGGER WARNING: I AM TALKING ABOUT TOILET PAPER IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID-19. Jokes aside, toilet paper actually creates soooooo much waste and uses so many trees to make. (Toilet paper DOES grow on trees ya know.)

We personally use a bamboo-based brand as bamboo grows muuuuuch faster than hardwood trees and is a more renewable form of making TP. Unfortunately, the site we get it from is sold out due to COVID-19 madness, but I’ll be sure to link it when they are back up and running! (And not to be weird, but the texture is sooooo on point. It’s soft while being durable? Idk. Just trust me ok?)

menstrual cups

If you’ve been following along, you’ll know I am a huge advocate for switching to a menstrual cup for your cycle. Menstrual cups freaked me out…thennnnnn I tried one. LIFE. CHANGING. They are worth alllll the hype and then some. While I normally chat about how much I love this product from a womanly perspective—the REAL reason I tried it to begin with was to cut down on my tampon/pad waste. We often don’t even think about just how many of these products end up in the landfill due to their single-waste ways—menstrual cups can be used for yeeeeeeeaaaaaars. Think how many tampons and pads that saves from the landfill!

I use this this particular one! It is made of medical-grade silicone material derived from sand (quartz) and contains no unnecessary chemicals, toxins, or artificial coloring. (Bonus! They partner with Womena, Freedom4Girls, and WiseEconomy to empower women and girls with their period!)

reusable grocery bags

In a world that is quite literally overwhelmed with plastic, I wanted to do my part to stay away from unnecessary plastic bag use. However, I didn’t just want a flimsy reusable bag, I wanted something so great that I would NOT forget to bring it to the grocery store with me (because what’s the point of a reusable, sustainable bag if you never remember to bring it to the grocery store with you???? *face palm*).

But then I found these reusable bags and *PRAISE HANDS* omg—these reusable bags are solid (they have firm, reinforced sides that hold their shape), collapsable, and hold SO. MUCH. STUFF. AKA, instead of needing 8–10 flimsy reusable bags, I only need 3 of these bad boys. 3 bags for all of my groceries???? YES. They are amazing.

Long story short—the world needs you to start using reusable shopping bags. I recommend these, and then I use these for produce items instead of those little clear plastic bags (for things like lemons, kale, etc.).

kindle

Okay, okay—this one took me a long time to accept because I loooooove holding a physical book in my hands. But I can’t deny that a Kindle does cut down on paper waste and shipping waste in a huuuuuge way. I still buy some books in physical form (I usually get “heavier” science-based health books or self-help books in the physical form so that I can underline/take notes), but for pretty much everything else I download on Kindle. Zero waste!

BONUS POINTS:

If you are wanting some of my favorite books about the environment…in the spirit of Earth Day, I highly recommend these reads:

The Food Fix by Dr Mark Hyman (About nutrition as a whole, but the correlation between our food choices and the environment are SO powerful.)
The Death and Life of The Great Lakes (To all my Midwest people…you HAVE to read this.)
The Uninhabitable Earth: (Warning: this book is HEAVY. But I don’t think a book has ever inspired me to be better more than this one.)

plant bee-friendly flowers

Okay this swap may not apply to everyone, but if you are a gardener, please swap some of your normal plants for bee-friendly, pollinator friendly options! Save the bees!

wool dryer balls

Hands. Down. One of the easiest switches you can make for the environment. Say goodbye to dryer sheets and use these wool balls instead! It will be the easiest, most mindless switch of your life!

linen bowl covers for leftovers

The days of saran wrap are gone. Instead, cover your bowls with linen cloth covers like these options.

this suitcase made of recycled material

The time had come…my trusty old bargain suitcase had lived its last day. After a few years of wrestling with a terrible, broken zipper—the wheels officially jammed up and stopped spinning. Self…it’s time to buy your first “real” suitcase. Adulthood beckons.

Insert: a Googling rabbit hole. Trying to find a sustainable suitcase that would last me for years to come. Insert Paravel—soooo timeless, unique designs, and material made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic water bottles. I am absolutely obsessed with my suitcase and ramble about it to anyone who will listen. Check them out here!

plant-based cleaning products

Let me guess, you keep an extra close eye for that “organic” symbol at the grocery store…but have never once thought about the thing you’re “sanitizing” your cutting board with. Those bleaches and artificial scents and antibacterial compounds are going somewhere…and that includes the air, water, (…and our bodies). If you want to ensure that you are keeping your body’s toxic load down (and not contributing to pollution), I highly recommend switching over to natural products. Because yes, friend, it really does matter.

Don’t know where to start? I hiiiiiiighly recommend starting with Branch Basics. You buy one allllll-natural cleaning set that covers EVERYTHING (laundry, bathroom, kitchen, hand soap…literally everything!). It lasts FOREVER, and is soooo versatile— BONUS: you can save 10% with the code KATE10 at checkout. I’ll stop rambling, but trust me when I say that nontoxic doesn’t have to mean noneffective! (Find some of my other favorite natural cleaning swaps here!)

washable cotton rounds

This is a switch that I haven’t quite yet made as I still have some disposable organic cotton rounds to go through, but once they run out, I intend to switch to reusable rounds like these for a more sustainable option!

cut down on showers by doing this…

It is soooo important to reduce our consumption of water—shorter showers, fewer loads of laundry, etc. But the thing that *actually* cut down on my shower frequency? This specific dry shampoo. I can go sooooo long between washes (and it’s 10000% all-natural!) This dry shampoo is not only gonna lower your shower frequency (and therefore how much water you waste), but it is genuinely one of my best-kept beauty secrets and I hope you love it! (Save 10% when you enter KATE10 at checkout!)

glass tupperware

Glass tupperware! It’s time to ditch the plastic, friend. It’s not good for the environment…or you. (Don’t even get me started on microplastics…) Not only is glass tupperware good for the environment, but it’s good for your HEALTH. We bought this set 2 years ago and it has held up great! Bonus idea that people often don’t think of: bring your tupperware to restaurants! If you typically need a to-go box at the end of the meal, save that plastic container from the landfill by thinking ahead and bringing your own storage!

last but not least…

If you are like me and want efficiency and bang for your buck—here are a few great kits I found. All of these support small businesses and could be the perfect thing to get you started on your eco-friendly journey!

one last thought—

Just think if every single person reading this blog made 1–2 of these switches…

…what the cumulative impact of those small choices would look like:

1 year from now
5 years from now
50 years from now…

How are you going to step up? How are you going to make a difference decades from now (by the choices you make today)? Are you going to be proud of your eco-footprint years from now?

I hope you find the beautiful opportunity in this…

Happy Earth Day, friend.