Howdy there folks and welcome back to the PNWN blog! I missed y’all so much, hopefully you guys are staying safe out there in this crazy BEAUTIFUL world we live in!
Today we are talking about 10 life hacks that are eco-friendly and will change your life I promise you! I say that because these things absolutely changed mine, and they may seem small, but they can make a huge difference! Anyway, enough of my blabbing let’s just get to it!
Dryer Balls
YOU GUYS, dryer balls are an absolute game changer! You may be thinking, “Emily, why would I buy dryer balls when I could buy dryer sheets?”. There’s a very important difference, dryer sheets cause a ton of waste! On top of that, they have toxic chemicals in them, that may not necessarily be harmful to us humans, but it is harmful to our planet. Dryer balls do the exact same thing as dryer sheets, but they are reusable and usually don’t have any fragrances or harmful chemicals. Here’s a little tip: use your favorite essential oil on your dryer balls to make your laundry smell amazing! Also, try to find dryer balls without palm oil in them, since that specific kind of oil is harmful to the environment.
Detergent Sheets
Well, we talked about dryer balls so obviously we have to talk about detergent sheets! Detergent sheets are single-use dissolvable sheets with laundry soap in them! All you do is load your washer, add the sheet (may have to use two depending on how big the load is) and start her up! These are a great alternative to buying liquid or powder laundry detergent. While the original detergents come in large cardboard or plastic containers, detergent sheets come in small cardboard boxes and usually are 100% biodegradable. A lot of detergent sheets are pretty affordable, and they actually get those tough stains out! This is a change definitely worth looking into y’all.
Glass Storage
This one is pretty simple y’all, switch all of your plastic Tupperware/storage containers to glass storage like mason jars and glass containers! It’s true that plastic is recyclable, but it can never be 100% recyclable, a portion of the plastic is always lost. As for glass, it is 100% recyclable therefore it is INFINITELY recyclable! Do you know how many mason jars you could find at your local Goodwill? I’ll tell you right now, A LOT. This one is a super easy change, and it can make a bigger difference more than one would think.
Reusable Coffee Cups
I don't know if you guys know... But I am a coffee FIEND. Like a lot of you, I have to have my coffee every morning, if not multiple times a day, (I know I have a problem). What a lot of people don’t realize is that you can take your own reusable mugs/coffee cups to cafes and they will usually put your drink in your cup for you! Now listen, we are still in the middle of a pandemic right now, so a lot of coffee shops are temporarily not taking people’s personal cups. We are slowly getting back to normal everyday life though, and some coffee shops are starting to take personal cups again! The paper cups that most cafes provide can’t be recycled half the time and ultimately, they are just extremely wasteful. I see plenty of paper coffee cups that just end up getting littered everywhere, it hurts my heart! Next time you go to your favorite coffee shop, ask if they take personal cups, (sometimes places even give a discount for doing so).
Switch to Bar Soaps Rather Than Liquid Soaps
Okay, before y’all come at me calling me a hippie, hear me out! I used to be a bar soap hater too, but bar soaps have gotten so much better over time! There are also different kinds of bar soap for different uses now, such as shampoo, conditioner, face wash etc. Not only are bar soaps generally cheaper but they produce less waste since they pretty much just come in a small cardboard box! It’s a cheap and easy switch that’ll be keeping you just as fresh! Check out the brand Ethique for bar soaps, their soaps are definitely top notch and they have a wide array to choose from. If I piqued your interest, I’ll link them here for you guys to check out: https://ethique.com/
Castile Soap For EVERYTHING!
Castile soap is no joke folks, let’s talk about it. Castile soap, is a vegetable oil-based soap that is free of animal fats and is also biodegradable. What is extremely interesting about Castile soap is that not only could you use it to clean the nastiest of grime, but you could also use it to wash your body or clean your wounds, and honestly so much more. When I say she’s all-purpose... I mean she is All-purpose. Castile soap is a greener option compared to most other soaps, and you can pretty much use it to clean practically anything you can think of!
Think About Investing In Some Form of Electric Transportation
Now I’m not telling you to try to save up for a Tesla anything, but electric transportation has come such a long way! They make almost any form of transportation electric now. Bicycles, scooters, cars, you name it, they all have electric options! I’m not saying they are cheap; some options can be a bit pricey from the get-go, but once you take the leap and make the purchase, you end up saving a lot more money than you realize. Ultimately all you have to pay for after that is the electricity you use to charge whichever mode of transportation you choose! It helps save the planet, and it helps save you money, it’s practically stealing right?
UTILIZE YOUR THRIFT STORE
Hi there, my name is Emily, and I am in fact a Goodwill addict. How could I not be though? Thrift stores are an incredible way to find the things you need at a low price, where it would have originally been ridiculously expensive in a retail store. Not only that, it is a great way to recycle items as a whole! Rather than buying something brand new, you could buy something used for almost half the original price if not cheaper, and it stays out of a landfill! You can find clothes, kitchen appliances, toys, shoes, décor, really just anything your heart desires and some things are still brand new, never been used! All I’m saying is that pretty much my entire wardrobe is from thrifting, but y’all would never know unless I told you... Which I just did, DRAT! In all seriousness, just give the thrift store a try, I promise you won’t regret it!
Remember to Unplug!
Have you ever heard of phantom energy? Yeah, I hadn’t heard of it either until Shelby gave me the low-down on its vampiric ways. Basically, phantom energy is when you have kitchen appliances or plug in devices that if left plugged in, those devices will go on standby and continue to use energy. Phantom energy is not only a waste of energy but it costs you more money, and I really don’t like spending more money than I have to. Moral of the story... Try to unplug whatever you can when you aren’t using it! A little trick I recently learned is using power strips rather than individual outlets, that way you can turn everything off at the flip of a switch!
Make The Switch to Reusable Products!
Now before you guys come at me like, “Emily you’ve already talked about reusable products” listen, there’s more than just reusable products” listen, there’s more than just reusable dryer balls and detergent sheets. SO much more believe me, like I don’t even think y’all are ready. I’m talking paper towels, coffee filters, sponges, dusters, mopping pads, sandwich bags, etc. Pretty much anything you can think of that you use in your everyday life, has a reusable or low-waste option. These reusable options are just as effective as the original products and they help the cause! They also just save you money y’all, and I know you guys definitely care about that. Who doesn’t love to save you money? Need a place to start your search? Start looking at PNWN, baby! We sell unpaper towels, facial rounds, reusable sandwich bags, sponges. We even sell certain reusable baby products such as, reusable wipes and nursing pads! Stop by our shop and browse for a bit!
My point here is, even just utilizing a few of these tips or even relaying them to a friend can make a huge difference. Not only in your own life but for our queen, you guessed it, Mother Earth! Some of these tips are so simple that they really don’t cost you much if anything at all. I know if y’all take the leap and make some of these changes in your lives, you won’t regret it! Hey, it may even give you the confidence to try some of the other tips that you’re a bit wary about!
Thanks for visiting friends, that’s all I really have to preach about today! In the next blog we will be dishing about electric transportation! Electric modes of transportation help bring down our carbon emissions and saves you some dough. This blog is definitely one you’re going to want to keep your eye out for! Remember to take going eco-friendly at your own pace, stay safe out there, PLEASE be kind to our Queen Mother Earth, and I’ll see you guys next time.
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