Happy Earth Day!

In case you guys didn’t know, I have a hippie heart and am a bit of a tree hugger. So much so that my first few years of college were spent studying wildlife biology and conservation (which I later switched to public health). I’ve always been kind of a nerd when it comes to our beautiful Earth and all of it’s inhabitants.

While I may have switched my academic focus, I still hold these things true to my heart. It saddens me to see how some companies and people treat our planet with such disregard and disdain. I strive in my everyday life to be more mindful of how my actions and habits effect our world and making sure that my children grow up to be appreciative of our planet and all of it’s resources. If we were all to just take a few small steps to live a greener lifestyle, our cumulative actions could make such a huge difference in slowing down our destruction of our beautiful planet.

Today I wanted to share a few of the things we do on a daily basis to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. They are all easy and quick to do and not only benefit the earth, but also improves your families overall health and wellness.

I received PACT Clothing for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com), May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my honest opinion on my blog. The opinions posted are my own.

1. Wear Organic Cotton

Did you know that conventional cotton is the world’s dirtiest crop? It uses 16% of the worlds insecticides and 7% pesticides. Yuck! It’s estimated that 20% of the world’s water pollution is due to textile factories (from the treatment and dyeing of fabrics).  Buying and wearing clothes that use organic cotton is a step towards reducing our impact on the environment. One of my favorite companies that produces organic cotton is PACT Clothing. They participate in organic cotton farming (uses 71% less water and 62% less energy than conventional cotton), sustainable practices, fair-trade and ethical treatment of their workers. Aside from their ethical business practices, the clothes are amazing soft and comfortable while still being incredibly budget friendly (they have sales all the time!).

They have organic clothes for men, women and children and our perfect for stocking up on your basic clothing needs like, camisoles, leggings, hoodies, bras, underwear and even socks. My go-to outfit is definite their leggings, camisole and hoodie. It’s perfect for lounging around the house, yoga classes or running errands with the kids. The leggings have just the right amount of stretch, aren’t sheer, perfect length and have a wide waistband for optimal comfort. The camisole has a generous sized built-in bra and is longer than your average which I love so I’m not constantly having to yank it down. I’ve pretty much been living in the hoodie too. It’s fitted so it has a flattering, non-frumpy look and is lightweight for spring-like weather.

Right now you can save 25% off an order for their earth friendly and incredibly comfy clothes by using this link (click here) to purchase or with code: GoneHealthy25. Expired 8/31/17.

2. Compost & Garden

Cut down on the amount of trash you throw out and compost all your veggies, fruits, egg shells and coffee grounds instead. While you can reduce your waste by composting, you also enrich your soil with vital nutrients to help grow an amazing and fruitful garden. There is nothing better than walking out your backdoor and picking fresh veggies all summer long and it has a smaller carbon footprint than constantly going to the store to purchase produce that has traveled hundreds of miles (and saves a ton of $$).

3. Use Cloth Instead of Paper

Sub out paper towels and napkins and use cloth instead. For cleaning, we take old towels and t-shirts and turn them into our scrubbing, cleaning and dusting clothes. If you’re really feeling crunchy, replace traditional cloth diapers and menstrual products with cloth alternatives or menstrual cups.

4. Buy Local

Support local businesses (like your farmers market) and purchase products that have been locally made and grown. Doing so helps to reduce the amount of travel that your products undergo and also helps funnel money back into your local community.

5. Turn Your Heat Down

Instead of cranking the heat up another degree, put on another layer of clothes. We rock hoodie sweatshirts and sweaters in our house 24/7. You use less energy by keeping the heat lower (we keep ours at 66-67) which also can save you a ton of money longterm. Be sure to keep up on window and door maintenance to keep leaks minimal.

6. Use Natural Alternatives for Cleaning

I pretty avoid using caustic chemicals when it comes to cleaning by using a lot of natural alternatives like vinegar, baking soda, alcohol, and various essential oils. A quick online search will yield hundreds of easy DIY alternatives that are not only healthier for you and the planet, but easier on your wallet.

7. Bring Your Own Bags

Nix the plastic bags that take forever to decompose and are a huge source of waste, and opt for reusable canvas bags. They’re stronger, cuter and so much better for our precious planet.

8. Walk More

Skip the car and walk or bike to your destination. I love popping the kids in the stroller or baby carrier and walking downtown to play at the park, go to the library, visit our Target or grab some ice cream. We all get fresh air, exercise and reduce our carbon footprint by nixing the car out of the equation.

Don’t forget to use code: GONEHEALTHY25 at PACT Clothing to save 25% on cleaner, greener and more eco-friendly every day clothing essentials.

Do you take steps in your lifestyle to live greener? Any fun Earth Day celebrations in your area?

 

 

Spread the love