Well-Rounded Eco Friendly Choices
Last night I went out to ice cream with a friend who told me about how her brother had just switched to solely eating raw foods. It has made him extremely healthy, and creative in his dishes. His diet is limited and takes many more conscious decisions than one would think (raw food diet is about 2 degrees more intense than vegan- can’t have meats other than some types of sushi and fish, and uses a dehydrator instead of an oven or stovetop to solidify foods). While we talked about how living on our own has made us much more conscious and healthy eaters (not to the extent of raw foods, but my friend is a vegetarian) it made me think about how your dedication to healthy living and healthy products doesn’t just end at food: what you put in your house and clothe your body with are important as well.
Beginner Steps on Well-Rounded Healthy Living:
1. Use only reusable grocery bags. Often stores will give discounts now (between 5 to 10 cents, per bag) for using your own instead of the plastic or paper bags supplied by the store. Bags reduce waste and hold more weight than plastic bags, so you don’t have to double up. Try the Blue Avocado Blueberry Everyday Kit for $49.95
This 4-piece kit comes with a Vegetable/Produce bag, a Stuff n’ Go bag, a Pak Carry-all bag and a Chill Insulated Bag. All of the bags are collapsible into a single pouch.
2. Look for everyday products made with recycled materials. It will eliminate waste and promote recycling in your area. The rule of thumb is if you’ve thought of the product, you can find a version of it made out of recycled materials. Example: Check out these Recycled Glass Tumblers- 12 ounce in Green by Tag for $8.99.
The translucent green of the recycled glass will even make you feel like a greener person! The product is made from mouth blown glass and is dishwasher safe—who said recycled products couldn’t be durable!
3. Always use ceramic or reusable dishware and silverware. Plastic and paper plates and plastic forks and knives are so wasteful. If you want a product that’s a little less breakable and not as heavy, look for wood plates and serving spoons, forks and dishes, like the All-Occasion Bamboo set of 8 Veneerware Plates for $6.95.
Made from 100% bamboo, these plates are great for indoor and outdoor use and naturally stain-resistant. The product is not microwave-safe.
4. Look for organic produce in your local supermarket and support local vendors at weekend craft fairs and farmer’s markets. It’s highly beneficial to not eat foods with pesticides, but by buying locally grown produce you’re insuring that it didn’t have to waste a lot of fuel to travel across the country to get to your doorstep. This is what you should really be watching out for, because it is possible to buy organic foods, but the benefits of non-pesticides are outweighed by the potential of how far they traveled to get there.
