Easy Peasy Plastic-Free(sy)

Happy National Period Day everyone! Never heard of it? That's because this is the VERY FIRST National Period Day, and you, my friend, should feel extra special you're alive to bear witness (kidding, lol but not really). I know what you may be thinking: "ugh, they'll make a National XX Day out of anything!" Yes, they will. And I for one will always support National Grandparents Day, National Puppy Day, and National Donut Day (not sure if that exists yet but it should). But in all serious, National Period Day is something that NEEDS to exist!! Why? Because believe it or not, menstruation is still considered taboo and highly stigmatized, even in first world countries. I threw down some facts on my Instagram page from  https://www.period.org/  if you are interested in some examples of how creative society can get with stigma. For more information on National Period Day and how you can get involved in organizing/participating rallies or donating, click on the link a...

My family and I just returned from a 3-day getaway to Marble Falls, TX. My youngest one just turned 1, so we thought we'd hit the road rather than throw the usual Pinterest birthday blowout (I did it for my first one and though it was fun, left me exhausted and knee-deep in decorations and balloons). And boy, is traveling zero waste (let alone low waste) hard, especially with a 3 year old and 1 year old! I'll be honest, this trip was a mix of successes and failures, mostly due to lack of proper planning, time, and in many instances, patience. Our successes included bringing reusable water bottles, our own toiletries (rather than resorting to the hotel's), and opting for environmentally-friendly activities like hiking and visiting nature preserves and parks. Some of our failures included forgetting reusable coffee cups, utensils (which I stuck in the dishwasher and conveniently forgot before we left), and failing to snatch plastic straws away from my kids before they could ...

The "green" movement is catching on like wildfire! And that's great...but you know who else is noticing the trend? Corporations. The companies you buy your household products from. Many of these companies know that customers value products that are safe and non-toxic, but don't really want to put in the work to change the formulas of their products to cater to those customers. If you're a busy mom like me, chances are you don't have the time or energy to research every ingredient in every product you buy. Obviously, this is a great opportunities for companies to "trick" people into advertising their not-so-eco-friendly products as eco-friendly. A lot of them don't outright lie, but can easily (and legally) disguise their products by simply changing the colors (to green most likely) or adding images of flowers, trees, and even go so far as to rename ingredients to make them seem more sustainable ( I'M LOOKING AT YOU, PALM OIL USERS! ). This t...

It's been a long time since I've posted on my blog, but I finally get to share a homemade toothpaste recipe inspired by Trash is for Tossers ! I love this recipe because it is so easy to make and only uses 3 ingredients:  baking soda, coconut oil, and peppermint essential oil. I also throw in a dash of Himalayan pink salt, because I don't think this recipe is hippie enough...but let's talk toothpaste ingredients! Along with hard-to-recycle packaging, a lot of commercial toothpastes contain ingredients that just aren't necessary. But I'm not a dentist, so if you ever have any doubts, you can always check with yours. 1) Fluoride - this is used for cavity prevention, but it's already available in tap water in most locations. Also, if you brush/floss your teeth regularly (2x a day) and avoid excessive sugar (basically don't have the fantasy diet of a 5-year-old), you should be OK on cavity prevention. 2) Glycerol - just makes the toothpaste smooth so ...

When I imagine my ideal life, it's a lot like Bea Johnson's : I'm a zero waste goddess with a loving and cooperative husband and children who are totally supportive and fully embrace the zero waste journey with me. We compost everything, shop at thrift stores on weekends, and always remember to bring our reusable bags to the grocery store. Alas, fantasy is much different from reality. Although my family is loving and supportive in most other aspects, I don't always get the unconditional support I desire when it comes to pursuing a fully plastic-free or zero waste lifestyle (but my older one is 2 years old and the younger one is about to be 5 months, so I'll cut them some slack). My in-laws are also living with us temporarily (all I can say about that for now is "yay!"), which adds even more interesting lifestyle preferences to the mix. My husband and I have different opinions when it comes to what we consume on a regular basis. Although he's 100% su...

I personally feel that it's important to know what you're putting on and into your body, especially with the products you use everyday. Keep in mind that not all chemicals are bad, and just because you can't pronounce something on an ingredients list doesn't mean it's harmful, not naturally occurring, or should be avoided. With that being said, I prefer to make a lot of the products I use because I don't have time to research every ingredient of every brand I use, but I do want to be in (almost) total control of what my body ends up absorbing. I already use natural and/or homemade soaps, shampoo, lotions, lip balm, etc. But what about household products? Even though many of them aren't directly applied onto your skin, you do end up becoming exposed to them (either by inhalation or physical contact). One of those big items is laundry detergent. This is actually a big deal, because you wear clothes every day, and obviously what you wash your clothes in ca...