It’s spring cleaning time, and with most people sheltering at home due to COVID-19, I have a feeling a lot of you are digging into some deep cleaning projects!
Over the years, I have found more sustainable options to replace my conventional cleaning products. The cleaners I used to use were full of chemicals that were bad for me, my pets, and the earth. And all the paper towel waste? Not good! I have gradually transitioned to a more eco-friendly cleaning routine.
Read MoreI first met Cathy Gomes of 700 Rivers at a sustainable fashion event. To meet Cathy is to immediately love her–she is enthusiastic, kind, and incredibly passionate about her work to empower women living in poverty in Bangladesh. I am so excited to share a Q&A with her in the latest installment of my Southerner Spotlight series!
A guest post from Zola.
Reducing waste may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you start planning a wedding but after realizing that a single wedding can create 400 pounds of garbage, you may want to think twice. Like many parts of American culture, we go big or go home on our wedding days with fabulous decorations and tons of food and drinks. However, a lot of it goes to waste after your big day.
If you’re looking to host a more sustainable, yet beautiful celebration of your love, check out some of these tips on planning an eco-friendly wedding from Zola. From decor to your send-off, don’t skip the details either — right down to the cutlery you use.
Most couples start the planning process by picking a date and then a venue, but before you even get that far, follow our first tip:
Having your ceremony and reception at the same venue means you are saving guests on travel costs and double the decorations. When touring venues, look for things like LEED certifications, energy-saving appliances, and sustainable dining options.
Similar to the first tip, cut down on carbon emissions by renting a shuttle (or stylish trolly) to charter your guests from their hotels to your venue. This will also encourage guests to celebrate the night away without worrying about finding a safe ride back to their room.
When it comes to wedding bands, look for ethical jewelers or lab-created materials to source earth-friendly options. Bonus points if some of the proceeds got to a sustainable organization or cause!
Reuse and repurpose antiques, vintage finds, and funky decor for your reception. From lighting to table accessories, you can create a magical night with second-hand purchases. If thrifting isn’t your thing, consider renting furniture and accessories to cut down on one-use items.
Look for outdoor ceremony spots or indoor spaces lined with large windows to take advantage of natural lighting. You’ll look beautiful and your photographer would appreciate it! Once the sun goes down, switch to candlelight to help light up your venue (assuming they allow it).
Similar to renting furniture, you can minimize waste by either shopping second-hand or renting tuxes. Look for options with tailoring and dry-cleaning to save money and materials.
Set up appetizers like cheeses, fruits, veggies, and crackers for your guests to visit during cocktail hour. This hip option cuts down on serving ware too! Just don’t go overboard on the amount of food.
Depending on your caterer, ask about using real silverware and plates that can simply be washed rather than thrown away. If this isn’t an option, opt for biodegradable plates and cutlery.
Your guests probably have a million magnets and koozies, so chances are, your favor might wind up in the garbage. If you want to give out a favor, think about reusables items like honey or candles in a glass jar that can be repurposed.
Typical confetti send-offs can leave a mess behind. Instead, choose natural confetti options like leaves, flower petals, or birdseed for local animals. Double check with your venue to make sure you’re leaving behind only memories, not waste.
From the venue to the decor, there are so many chances to make eco-conscious decisions about your big day!
Disclaimer: This post is NOT sponsored and is my unbiased, independent review. All opinions are my own. This post does contain affiliate links. Read my full disclaimers/disclosures here.
Sometimes Instagram advertisers miss the mark (I am SO not interested in the long sleeve, giant avocado print swimsuit that keeps popping up on my feed). Other times, they score a slam dunk. I first learned about Pela phone cases from an Instagram ad! I’m really glad for that advertising, because I absolutely love my Pela case. I’m excited to share more about it with y’all, including my own list of pros and cons.
I’ve been using a Pela case for almost a year now, so I’ve truly put it to the test!
Reduce, reuse, recycle. So many of us are familiar with this slogan! If you’re like me, you most often think of this phrase when you’re talking about recycling. But let’s not forget the first word of the phrase: reduce! That’s the first and most impactful step in lessening impact on the environment.
An easy thing we can do to live more sustainably and responsibly is to reduce the amount of food that we waste. In developed countries, people tend to waste A LOT of food. In the United States, it is estimated that we waste 30-40% of our food supply. This is incredibly sad considering that there are 795 MILLION people in the world who don’t have enough food. Not to mention, this food is then piling up in landfills where it is taking up space, releasing toxic gases, and keeping perfectly good organic material and nutrients from returning to the soil and food chain.
I was really excited recently to learn about a free app called Food Companion that helps people reduce food waste by tracking the food you have in your household. It also allows you to build a grocery list and helps you figure out what to eat for dinner, which is a LIFE SAVER (typed by someone who, just today, spent 30 minutes agonizing with my husband about what we wanted to eat for dinner. #indecisive. This app is for us.).
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Somehow, November is almost halfway over, and the holidays are quickly approaching! There are lots of opportunities to make more sustainable choices during the holidays. One of my favorite ways is by choosing to send an electronic holiday card rather than a printed one!
You can read more here about why I think electronic holiday cards are better than printed cards, but in short: They are less expensive, easier to send, just as attractive, and of course more environmentally friendly.
Today I’m sharing 10 holiday greeting e-cards that I’m crushing on this year over at Greenvelope. I hope this will give you some inspiration as you start to think about your own holiday card this year!
Read MoreThis post is not sponsored. I received a Tavia box in exchange for my honest opinions.
Did you know that in some parts of the world, up to 50% of girls drop out of school due to consequences of their period?
Many people haven’t heard of this or even considered it because periods aren’t something we talk about much outside of middle school health class.
I recently learned about a company, Tavia, that provides a period box subscription service to women in the U.S. with a “buy 1, give 1” model that also delivers products to girls in developing countries. Such a win for everyone involved!
Read MoreA guest post by Wes, my Fairly Southern husband.
We all know that person in the neighborhood who complains about the neighborhood dogs doing their business on their lawn. They almost always live in the house with the perfectly manicured grass that resembles an Augusta National fairway. But the irony is that this same person who is so worried about what is being put on their lawn is the same person who is also spreading buckets upon buckets of harmful synthetic fertilizers and chemicals on their yard–the same yard where their kids and pets play.
But these chemicals are just a necessary evil that you have to use to have a perfect lawn, right? I beg to differ. Having an organic and sustainable lawn is not only good for the health of you and your family, it is also not as hard to achieve as one may be led to believe.
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This year, I wanted to make a sustainability statement with my Halloween costume.
I wanted the costume itself to be sustainably sourced, and I thought it would be fun for it to be sustainability-themed as well.
Enter my Greta Thunberg Halloween costume!
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We are just two days away from World Vegetarian Day on October 1, so it seems like the perfect opportunity to share some of my favorite, tried-and-true vegetarian recipes!
I’ve been cooking exclusively vegetarian for several years now. There are so many reasons why I decided to make the switch: it’s better for the environment, it’s better for your health, it’s kinder to animals (living conditions for livestock tend to be pretty deplorable), and it saves a lot of money!
All of these recipes are relatively healthy and easy. I work full-time outside the home and don’t have tons of time to spend cooking. I try to balance convenience, health, flavor, and cost when making my grocery list and deciding what to cook. These are also all recipes that have gotten a stamp of approval from my (previously) meat-loving husband!
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