Sustainability Tip #22
How to Make Your Stainless Steel Cookware Nonstick Naturally. There is plenty of information about the toxicity of nonstick cookware to humans and the environment. The chemicals used, the production process, and the lack of durability of nonstick cookware add a layer of damaging complexity to our bodies and planet that we need to do…
Sustainability Tip #21
Biodegradable Dental Floss For proper oral hygiene, we need to floss daily. Ever wonder what happens to used plastic dental floss like Glide? Ever wonder why it “glides” so easily? It is coated with toxic Teflon like materials. This end up in our bodies and oceans. Killing us slowing on all fronts – directly and…
Sustainability Tip #20
Composting without the Fruit Flies Composting kitchen food scraps and yard waste is the law in California. Correct composting lowers emissions of a potent greenhouse gas, methane from landfills. The bonus is we create compost fertilizer for agriculture. Initially we used a covered bin on the kitchen counter. Soon, we had fruit flies everywhere, even…
Sustainability Tip #19
Read this before purchasing hiking footwear. With all the recent rain we had in Southern California, hiking can mean crossing many streams. So, I decided to purchase a pair of waterproof hiking boots. Hiking in wet shoes is nasty. The hiking boots I first liked had Gore-tex waterproofing. Gore-tex used to be my favorite waterproof,…
Sustainability Tip #17
The importance of eating local produce: earth, economy, longevity I saw this interesting poster hanging in a small neighborhood grocery store in Portugal. It reminds us of which fresh vegetables and fruit are in season. This chart, in turn, helps us with our meal planning. For multiple reasons, eating local seasonal produce is a more…
Sustainability Tip #16
Greenwashing. Greenwashing is misleading or giving false information to consumers or investors about the negative environmental impact of a company’s products and operations. It’s a form of false advertising. This blog aims to alert consumers who want to be sustainability responsible and prevent being duped by false claims. If you are paying extra for something,…
Sustainability Tip #15
Sustainable Skin Products. Remember – What you put on your skin gets absorbed into your body as if you ate it. Natural, non-synthetic products are likely going to be more environmentally friendly. For instance, look for reef safe, chemical free sunscreens. Also, be mindful of the containers and packaging. Look for containers made from paper/cardboard,…
Sustainability Tip #14
Time to clean up your in-box. Composing, sending, receiving, and storing emails leaves a carbon footprint. Even though email energy usage is 1/60th of paper mail, we send many more emails. If you take a long time to compose or read your emails or send pictures and videos, these all take additional energy. In a…
Sustainability Tip #13
Connecting with planet Earth. To have a sustainable planet, not only do we need to take care of our Earth, we need to take care of ourselves. Both our bodies and our minds need to be sustainable. By not connecting with the Earth, we can build up energy that makes us feel off balance. We…
Sustainability Tip #12
Bars (not the drinking kind). Please consider switching to natural ingredient bar soaps, shampoo, and conditioner. Bar hand soap, dish soap, shampoo, and conditioner consumers, reduce plastic waste and fossil fuel consumption used during transportation. Weight for weight, and volume for volume, the bar products provide more washes, hence less fuel used during and for…
Sustainability Tip # 11
Why leather alternatives. Cows make 40% of the world’s most potent greenhouse gas, methane. It is hard to justify leather goods in an era of rapid global warming. Methane has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide. Vegan leathers that mimic natural leather are mostly plastics and petroleum-based. Unfortunately, not eco-friendly, does…
Sustainability Tip #10
Laundry. Who doesn’t like fresh-smelling, soft, and clean laundry? This luxury comes at a cost: water, detergents, softeners, energy, and plastics. To reduce water use, use water efficient front loaders and wash a full load each time. To reduce pollution, use earth-friendly detergent sheets instead of pods. The sheets can be torn into smaller sizes…
Sustainability Tip # 9
Change your diet to a plant-based. You can do this slowly, one meal a day or one day a week (meatless Mondays or at least avoid sugar, red meat, and dairy). Or jump right in and change 100% to a plant-based diet overnight like I did. It is good for your health, the planet, and…
Sustainability Tip #8
Those Who Plant Trees Under Whose Shade They Will Never Sit Understand Life Plant a tree. What type of tree? Start with what grows locally and grows fast. Young trees absorb CO2 as they grow. Trees cleans our air, absorb heat, prevents erosion, provides wildlife habitats, and rebalances our soil. If planting a tree is…
Sustainability Tip #7
What to say to the Climate Change Deniers Some people argue for the status quo. They demand to stay on the same course. They think the threat of climate change is BS. They claim that the history of our planet has naturally cycled through temperatures of highs and lows. Coincidently, many of the same people…
Sustainability Tip #6
Save the Bees. A few years ago, my lavender bushes used to be swarming with bees. But now it is bee-less. This disappearance is a wake-up call to everyone. Without the bees, the world will not survive as we know it. Bees have been declared The Most Important Living Being on Earth. They are now…
Sustainability Tip #5
Capsule Wardrobe Inspired by Laura de Jong, a capsule wardrobe expert. She writes: “WHAT IS A CAPSULE WARDROBE?” A capsule wardrobe is based on the idea of having a limited number of quality garments in your closet. Items that fit you well, are timeless, fit your personality and fit your lifestyle. Fewer items doesn’t mean…
Sustainability Tip #4
When purchasing products, if you cannot find them pre-owned, check if the materials used are recycled or biodegradable. Check if the manufacturer is eco-friendly or socially responsible. There are companies that plant trees for every sale made or make a donation to charity or nonprofits. Find corporations that are socially responsible. Shop at stores and…
Sustainability Tip #3
Commit to not buying any new clothes for a year or more. This will help both sustainability and curb inflation. Be a Jane Fonda. She has made a commitment not to buy any more new clothes. https://www.prevention.com/life/a34041085/jane-fonda-vowed-to-never-buy-new-clothes/#:~:text=Jane%20Fonda%2C%2082%2C%20revealed%20that,bringing%20awareness%20to%20climate%20concerns.
Sustanibility Tip # 2
Donate your clothes and paraphernalia that have served their purpose with you. How do you decide which clothes to donate? Use this Marie Kondo method: Take all your clothes and hang them on hangers with the hook facing out. After you wear them, hang them back with the hook facing in. Do this for a…
Sustainability Tip #1
GO THRIFTING… Instead of buying new, buy it used. This action will reduce the amount of garbage on our planet. Producing new products generates greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Go shopping at a thrift store, garage sale, flea market, or eBay. Other benefits are, you can find beautiful retro or vintage clothes with even…
Looking for a New Year’s Resolution?
Plant a tree. What type of tree? Start with what grows locally and grows fast. Young trees absorb CO2 as they grow. If this is not practical for you then contact your mayor’s office to plant some trees in parks, empty lots, or to line streets. If they say they don’t have the money then…
Zero-Waste Holiday Gift
Happy holidays my friends. This year’s gift-giving intention is pro-environment and zero-waste. These gifts are focused on reducing our plastic consumption. Instead of wrapping paper, tape and ribbon, I used Furoshiki wraps. These are square-shaped Japanese traditional wrapping cloths. To stay with the eco-friendly theme, I used 100% cotton fabric, purchased at JoAnne Fabric and…
Water Saving Holiday Gift Idea
Conserving water is paramount. If everyone made even one or two water-wise changes, it would help. Here are some examples of what you can do: 1. Bucket, pot or plastic garbage bin to collect shower water especially when you are waiting for it to warm up. This water can be used water plants or mop…
Mother Earth has Given Us So Much. It is Time to Take Care of Her
We have taken so much from Mother Earth. She has always provided and nurtured us. She has sustained us. It is time we take care of her. We have used her resources. Her abundance has always been there for us. We took it for granted. We wasted and destroyed. It has caught up with us.…
Reusable Straws
Headline: Los Angeles County to ban Plastic Straws. About time. These images of plastic straws polluting our earth’s water ways and hurting wild life are disturbing. Since I last wrote about using metal reusable straws, I discovered silicone and bamboo straws. Straws are useful if you have sensitive teeth, want to keep your teeth from…
Blogging about What It Takes to be Healthy 
You must be logged in to post a comment.