Your Quick Guide to Giving Up Disposable Goods

One of the easiest ways to do our part to save our environment is to make surprisingly small changes in our everyday activities. Even the simplest adjustments, like asking take-out places not to include disposable silverware and replacing plastic bottled water with a sturdy, reusable bottle can have immense effects on the amount of waste we produce. It may be easy to understand that concept, but sometimes we get busy and find it hard to remember all the different ways we can make these changes. Here's a quick guide to help to eliminate as many disposable items as possible in your home and get a little more eco-friendly each day!

Give Up: Plastic Bags, Paper Bags
Reach For: Reusable Cloth Bags

We all know by now how wasteful using plastic, or even paper bags, can be and the damage these items do to the environment when we don't recycle them. Eliminate the need to recycle, and reduce clutter in your space, by grabbing a sturdy, dependable cloth bag for shopping. 

Give Up: Plastic Bottles
Reach For: Reusable Bottles

In this case, there are a few options. You can go for BPA-free, thick reusable plastic bottles or opt for glass. Either way, you'll be sending fewer plastic bottles out with recycling or trash. If you only drink one bottle per day, switching to reusable saves the plastic from 365 bottles per year. The number only goes up!

Give Up: Ziplock Bags
Reach For: Reusable Lunch Bags

There are options here as well. We're all familiar with Tupperware, and it's a good solution over disposable bags and packaging, but there are also glass options and, in some cases, you can even use cloth (think wrapping up a sandwich)!

Give Up: Paper Towels and Napkins
Reach For: Cloth Napkins

This one's pretty easy to understand. The United States uses over 13 billion pounds of paper towels each year! That means 13 billion pounds have to be produced EACH year! Switching to washable cloth napkins can drastically reduce this number and environmental impact, even after you consider the energy needed to make and wash a set. 

Give Up: Paper or Plastic Coffee Cups
Reach For: Reusable Cups

The average American drinks around 3 cups of coffee per day, especially during these cooler seasons. That's 3 disposable cups EACH day! That means for an average American, finding a fun, personality-infused, BPA-free plastic or glass option can eliminate over 1,000 paper or plastic cups each year. Need I say more?

This list just scratches the surface of ways to replace disposable, wasteful items in your life with reusable, greener and often customizable options. If you're a Swiffer user, opt for washable pads rather than one-time use. Get your clothes dry cleaned? Invest in a quality, reusable bag and eliminate all those plastic ones! There are even more eco-friendly options for ladies when that time comes! 

Where can you make a small change in your space to eliminate some of our massive waste? Please share your ideas with us!

by Anjie Cho

Bamboo Isn't Just a Fad

As a licensed and practicing architect, I regularly take continuing education courses to stay up to date and maintain my certification. My most recent course detailed the perks and benefits of using bamboo in remodeling, renovation and building, and it's pretty incredible what using bamboo can do for your holistic space and for the environment. Let's take a look at why bamboo is hopefully here to stay. 

Bamboo is Environmentally Friendly and Sustainable

Using bamboo to build dates back at least 2,000 years in Chinese culture, and there are 1,400 different species of bamboo, all of which can be used differently. It's such an amazing untapped resource that fully engaging in a bamboo-based industry could provide jobs for up to one billion people worldwide, all without providing any unnecessary strain on our environment or ecosystems. 

Unlike the harvesting process of typical trees, harvesting bamboo does not fully release its carbon dioxide supply into the air. This is no small detail, since deforestation is one of the main contributors to global warming through carbon off gassing. Instead, the root structure of bamboo stays alive and holds onto almost 50% of the carbon it sequesters, which can be up to 60% more than fir trees.

Bamboo also releases 35% more oxygen than typical fir trees, helping to give back more to the environment, and since it is harvested more selectively, it doesn't wear out soil, which prevents the need for relocation, a common issue in traditional wood harvesting.  

Bamboo is a rapidly renewing resource, and due to its tight hold on carbon and the fact that it travels via sea and train for much of its journey to us from Asian countries, it's actually a carbon negative product, which means that yes, it is more sustainable in every way than traditional wood. All of this, without even mentioning that relying on bamboo for building can not only avoid the devastating effects deforestation has on some indigenous species, it can actually help us to provide more solid economies for these people while we still have everything we need in building supplies. 

Using Bamboo Adds Nature to Your Space

Recent research shows that using natural wood in indoor environments actually has positive impacts on our health, much like that of spending time out in nature. In fact, using natural wood like bamboo for our building needs can lead to decreased blood pressure, lower levels of stress and increased emotional wellness! Talk about benefits!

What's more, some other studies have shown that physical contact with wood products, as opposed to other materials like aluminum and plastic, actually produces positive physiological responses. We feel safer when we're surrounded by nature, even if it's in our homes and not outdoors. These studies also show that imitation wood doesn't have the same effects. 

It's not difficult to see why choosing bamboo for renovations and other indoor needs is a good move all around. In fact, we'll share even more benefits soon! With plenty of perks and almost no downside (as long as you get quality, properly aged product!), bamboo is potentially an amazing tool to move us forward in sustainable, eco-friendly building and green design. Would you consider using it?

by Anjie Cho

Everything You Need to Know About Thieves Essential Oil

We're fans of essential oils, especially in the cooler seasons, when the change of weather and increase in stressful situations can wreak havoc on immune systems. You can check out our list of fall favorites here, but one oil that deserves a post of its own is Thieves. Thieves is a combination of several other oils and has an interesting back story as well as a laundry list of uses for both the body and the home. So why the name "Thieves"? The story goes like this:

When the Black Plague hit Europe, four spice traders found themselves forbidden to trade and had to find another way to generate income. Since the plague was claiming many victims, and most were afraid to touch the bodies of those who had died or were dying, these spice traders began to enter homes and loot the bodies and homes of the victims. To prevent themselves from becoming casualties as well, the four thieves rubbed a mixture of vinegar, oils and spices on their feet and bodies before entering the homes. 

When the king found out about these four thieves who had somehow managed to find immunity, he threatened to have them killed if they didn't share their recipe, which they did. Once the king had the recipe, he shared it with the kingdom and it eventually made its way all the way here!

Of course, we don't have to worry about the Black Plague in our modern day, but we do still get the sniffles and have to watch our immune systems closely when the weather begins to get chilly! Just like in days past, Thieves oil can help us to fight off sickness and maintain a healthy body! 

While there are many recipes for Thieves oil, depending on who you ask, the ratio of oils is generally very similar. 

For a small amount of oil, try:

10 drops of Clove oil
9 drops of Lemon oil
5 drops of Cinnamon oil
4 drops of Eucalyptus oil
3 drops of Rosemary oil

If you need a much larger amount, use:

80 drops of Clove oil
70 drops of Lemon oil
40 drops of Cinnamon oil
30 drops of Eucalyptus oil
20 drops of Rosemary oil

 

You can use these basic recipes to adjust for the amount of oil you need, but be sure to always use therapeutic grade essential oils, as other kinds may be toxic. We recommend seeking out Fair Trade as well! 

Once you've mixed your oil in a glass container, how do you use it? Thieves has a wide range of uses, but these are some of our favorites:

  • Mix Thieves in a 1:1 ratio (1 drop to 1 oz) with Witch Hazel or water to use as a general disinfectant and all-purpose cleaner

  • Mix in a 1:1 ratio (we like 9 drops of each) with carrier oil and massage on feet, back and chest to support a healthy immune system

  • Add one drop of Thieves to at least a cup of water and drink, cool or warm, to support immune system and lung functioning. You can even add a drop of lemon oil to make a great tea for throat pain!

  • Add a few drops to steaming water and use as a steam facial to support head, chest and lungs

  • Diffuse or add a few drops to a cinnamon stick to make your holistic space smell warm and welcoming, like the autumn and winter seasons, and to purify your indoor air!

We'd love to hear your favorite ways to use Thieves in your holistic spaces. Happy mixing!

by Anjie Cho