Category: Natural Living & Beauty
Have an Eco-Friendly Halloween
Like many holidays, Halloween can generate unnecessary waste as well as merriment. From pumpkin carving to party throwing, there are opportunities to make the amount of waste less frightful. With these eco-friendly Halloween ideas, October 31 doesn’t have to be scary for the Earth.
Hand out zero waste, ethical chocolate
Individually wrapped candy creates a lot of waste, but some options are better than others. A personal favorite is the Alter-Eco brand of chocolate truffles that come in a compostable wrapper. Pro tip: you’ll want to buy extra for yourself! The brand gets an “A” grade on Green America’s chocolate scorecard.
A growing concern for consumers this Halloween season is chocolate that’s farmed with child labor. Slave Free Chocolate has a list of child labor free brands.
In response to the concern over slave labor, many people are handing out toys and trinkets instead. These are often plastic items that will end up as trash. If you go this route, consider usable items such as pencils or erasers or other plastic-free offerings.
Make toasted pumpkin seeds
The slop that’s left over from pumpkin carving is edible when the seeds are separated and toasted to crunchy perfection. Methods for this vary, but the main idea is to rinse off the scooped-out pumpkin “guts” in a sieve and then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Season with salt, soy sauce, or your choice of spices and bake until crispy. It’s a packaging-free snack that’s right at home with the fall season.
Repurpose an old costume
The temptation to buy a brand new costume each year is real, but there are alternatives that are more eco-friendly—and unique. Consider shopping at thrift shops and vintage stores for one-of-a-kind costume pieces. If you prefer to buy new, support a small business by buying a custom piece from Etsy.
(Check out easy DIY costumes here.)
Be party savvy
When hosting a party, consider reusable plates and silverware in lieu of plastic. If single use is more your thing, bamboo ware is eco-friendly as well as aesthetically pleasing. And remember that bamboo ware, paper plates and napkins can all be composted for easy cleanup.
Compost your pumpkin
When the Jack-o’-lantern has seen better days, remember to chuck it in the green bin or compost pile instead of the trash. Another cleanup tip: if you don’t plan to store your decorations from year to year, thrift shops will be happy to divert your decorations from the landfill right into their store.
The 13 Stages of Zero Waste Living
If you’ve read my blog you know that I like to make Earth-friendly choices whenever possible. As it turns out, there’s a name for this trend called Zero Waste. It’s where people like me aim to reduce the amount of trash they create while making more sustainable choices overall. Looking at how my own habits keep changing, I made a list of the stages a person might go through on a Zero Waste Journey. Which stage are you in?
Stage 1
What’s zero waste?
Stage 2
You learn it’s about sustainable living and think, oh, I already do a lot of that stuff. Like recycle and shop at Whole Foods. So I’m good.
Stage 3
After watching your zero waste friends bring their own utensils to restaurants, you get inspired by them and want to adopt their crunchy, hippie chic ways.
Stage 4
Now once you start, you can’t stop. You’re shopping in the bulk section, composting, and bringing reusable bags to the grocery store. You are conquering this zero waste thing! Oh honey. Little do you know, you’re just getting started.
Stage 5
When you forget your reusable bags, you pack groceries in your purse and then take five trips to hand carry the rest to the car.
Stage 6
You shudder when you see plastic straws at restaurants. Upon seeing styrofoam takeout containers, you consider leaving a scathing Yelp review.
Stage 7
You put on a disguise when you go into a fast fashion retailer, hoping no one you know will recognize you.
Stage 8
You start buying clothes by looking at the fiber content and thinking, could I compost it when it wears out? Which fabric will eventually mulch my strawberries better-strips of organic cotton or wool?
Stage 9
You notice when your friends don’t compost and offer to help them learn how. Those banana peels aren’t going to turn into soil by themselves, Karla.
Stage 10
You start picking through the trash after your housemates throw away things that don’t belong in the landfill. Congratulations, you’re a basic zero waste bum now.
Stage 11
You break the ice at parties by starting conversations about composting toilets.
Stage 12
Coincidentally you don’t have as many invitations as you used to, but you don’t notice because you’re so busy making your own body lotion, toothpaste, lip gloss and non-toxic household cleaner, perfecting your sourdough bread recipe, weeding your organic vegetable patch, installing solar panels and tending to the family of goats you just bought.
Stage 13
While on vacation, instead of souvenirs you collect filthy plastic bags blowing around the streets of San Francisco to take home and recycle. Your family might refuse to be seen with you, but at least the ocean fish will respect you and be your friend.
Pamper Your Skin for Spring
Thanks to Biore for sponsoring this post. All views are mine.
Spring skincare
Spring is coming which means we can finally get away from that dull, dry skin. What a relief! When temps get a touch nicer, I always feel like revamping my life including my beauty routine. Here are some ways to get your skin feeling fresh as a flower.
These are some of the pretty spring flowers I see on my daily walks. Take a walk with me through this post and we’ll visit some new skincare products along the way!
Hydrate!
I notice that while I’m at home I sometimes get so busy working on projects that I forget to drink water. This can leave skin dry and lifeless, so figure out ways to fit in an extra 8 oz. during the day.
Use charcoal in your routine
Charcoal has been creeping into beauty products lately, and with good reason. Its clarifying properties are fabulous for drawing impurities from the skin. Both products in this post include charcoal.
Try a mask
Once or twice a week you can pamper your skin with a mask to combat blackheads and blocked pores! Bioré Self Heating One Minute Mask comes in a box with individual packets for easy use. It heats up gently to purify pores better than a basic cleanser in just one HOT minute! It really only takes one minute-leaving more time to go smell the flowers (with a nose full of clean pores, of course).
Bioré Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strips work in a similar fashion, with individually wrapped strips that you place on wet skin and leave on for 10 minutes. Follow me on Instagram and check out my Instagram stories to see them in action.
Get ’em at Target and Amazon.
5 Eco-Friendly Wrapping Paper Ideas
5 Ways to Make Recyclable Gift Wrap
This holiday season, you may be wondering: is wrapping paper recyclable? Before you wishcycle it, you should know that no, most gift wrap is NOT recyclable. But if you do want recyclable gift wrap, or to wrap gifts in something that’s reusable or reused, look at these five ideas.
Brown paper bags
Reuse parcel paper or paper shopping bags by wrapping your gifts in them. Add a sprig of greenery and scraps of ribbon if you’re craving something decorative. Here’s a closer look at how you can wrap packages with recycled paper.
Old maps
Reuse old maps by turning them into gift wrap. Yours will be the most unique one under the tree, guaranteed. I added scraps of yarn and sprigs of greenery for an extra touch. And just like brown paper bags, this gift wrap is recyclable and compostable.
Fabric bags
Reusable cloth bags are a gift unto themselves. I know some people sew their own to use as gift bags. I didn’t have the time or patience to fight with a sewing machine so bought a few at a craft fair. This is the most popular zero-waste way to wrap presents this season!
Newsprint and old books
Ok so you know how I found a source for free antique books, right? Well I got a few that were totally falling apart beyond repair. I thought the pictures might be good for collages, and it turned out that for small gifts the pages could be used for gift wrap! I absolutely love the look of these. If you don’t have any books beyond repair, try the pages of a newspaper or magazine for a similar look. Again, this gift wrap is recyclable.
Old wallpaper scraps
This one is at the end of the list because who even has old wallpaper scraps? But I did find some at the local ReUse center, so I guess I do. All the ribbon in the picture below came from the there too. Design studios donate all their old fabric and trims to keep it out of the landfill, and people like me can use it!
What are you doing this holiday season to live more sustainably? Check out ways to decorate with books to see my New Year’s Resolution!
In Praise of Old Books
Appreciating the many uses for old books
I didn’t choose the old book life, the old book life chose me. It all started when I found a monthly community book fair that liquidates its leftover merchandise-for free. I love a good Little Free Library, and this was like a Big Free Library. So I checked it out. There were childrens books, novels, non-fiction, business books, art books, travel guides, even media like VHS tapes (which in case you were wondering, weren’t exactly flying off the shelves).
I gravitated to the shelves of old, vintage and antique books. I started collecting them not for the content (I haven’t even read one yet) but for their visual value. The leather covers, torn and stained. The imprinted letters of the titles and the rough, uneven cut of the discolored pages. Each book is one of a kind, not something that can be ordered on Amazon. Each copy of one of these books could be the last ever in existence, you never know.
So I have a generous collection now-some might say too generous. So here’s how I’m putting them to good use.
Decorate with antique books
These books can be used as a display item, on a mantle or coffee table. They’re more than just books-they’re a little piece of the past. Plus it makes you seem highly cultured to have some distinguished volumes on the shelf to balance out those copies of Bergdorf Blondes and The 4-Hour Body or even How to Build a Car. Not that those are real titles I just saw on the shelf or anything. Hm. Moving on, here are some displayed on the mantle above the fireplace. Right now, the heavy volumes are actually playing a nice role holding up Christmas stockings.
Antique books for event centerpieces
I coordinated a wedding this fall at the James J. Hill Reference Library in St. Paul, and the couple used old books to create centerpieces! It went nicely with their Beauty and the Beast theme, with a little Chip teacup perched on top of the books!
Find old, vintage and antique books
In addition to used book sales, I’ve also seen older books pop up in Little Free Libraries from time to time. You just have to be in the right place at the right time. Most of these old books come from people’s personal collections, so hit up estate sales as well.
And of course, my all time favorite online shop for handmade and vintage goods, Etsy! (affiliatel link)
New Year’s Resolutions
Appreciating the decorative value of decades-old books has helped me with my goal of living more Eco-conciously this year. By rescuing these old books from going into the landfill, I also gained something that can’t be bought at the store. So if you’re looking for a sustainability-focused New Year’s Resolution, try this: This year, I will strive to use something already in existence instead of buying new. Even if it’s just once, it’s a fun thing to try.
Other New Year’s Resolutions to check out
I’ve linked up with some other websites to share more ideas for eco-centric New Year’s Resolutions.
Sustainable New Year’s Resolutions
DIY New Years Resolutions
Zero Waste Home
16 Ways to Save Money Every Month
12 Sustainable Goals for the New Year
