Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Spring Greening: Gifts That Keep On Giving!

Spring Greening


I'm baaaaaaaaaaaack...Ok, I was never really gone, but lets just say that the months between Christmas and Easter are typically my lowest point of inspiration, motivation, and overall happiness. I had absolutely nothing to talk about because nothing was going on! It was cold, the weather was awful, every day that was decent was rainy, and it wasn't even worth waking up some of those days. Hopefully, those days are behind us now as the northern hemisphere is gearing up for summer! Along with this changing of the seasons, I'm trying to change my relationship with some things, most of all: STUFF. I have entirely too much stuff and I am constantly bombarded with the urge to accumulate more stuff. I'm starting to see that life goes on without stuff and if you're going to get stuff, get really good stuff. And so we come to this post; guess what? It's about stuff, but it's stuff you won't have to replace for a long time, and stuff that doesn't accumulate and create a stuff problem for the earth. So, bear with me and take a gander at some stuff that could save you and the earth!

Klean Kanteen Vacuum Insulated Bottle and Tumbler: It's a well-stated fact that plastic water bottles are the root of all evil. Baby seals eat them, they seep their chemicals in our groundwater, and will probably create some sort of mecha-Hitler robot demon that will devour the earth in a fiery rage. That may be an exaggeration, but at this point in time, there is no reason to keep purchasing bottled water. These bottles and cups from Klean Kanteen are the perfect solution. They are stainless steel so they won't rust, vacuum insulated so cold things stay cold and hot things stay hot. I left my bottle in my car overnight with ice I had put in that bottle that morning (about 9 hours after I lazily left it in the car). When I opened the bottle the next morning (another 16 hours later) to take a drink, THERE WAS STILL ICE IN IT. And the same goes for the tumbler: want a cold margarita to remain cold without succumb  to the disgusting heat dissipating from your sweaty hands? Done! Want a drinking glass that wont break when your drunken friends can't seem to just not drop things? Get a 4-pack of their steel pint glasses and give that industrial touch to your favorite beverage! Using your own cup saves paper, plastic, and germs from other peoples grubby hands!

PlanetWise Reusable Bags: On the topic of reusable things, ditch your plastic sandwich bags! Get rid of your plastic produce bags and snack baggies! They just go in the trash and cleaning flimsy plastic bags is super annoying. These can be washed in the washing machine and used over and over again. They come in a bunch of sizes for every food item and will save you money and drawer space!

Patagonia Reversable Malama Bikini and Synchilla Snap-T Fleece Pullover: Why did I put clothes on this list? I thought you were getting rid of excess stuff, Emily, YOU HYPOCRITE! Calm yourself! These garments are different! Not only does Patagonia make durable, awesome stuff, but they have an even greater incentive. If your Patagonia gear gets a tear, a strap comes loose, or a zipper isn't so zippy anymore, You can send your stuff to their garment repair facility and they will fix your stuff for you, therefore lessening your need for more stuff! These pieces are also made from 80% recycled bottles, so you're doing your part , but barely trying! It's like you saving 10,000 plastic bottles from polluting the baby otters by wearing a fleece! I like a company with a message and commitment to conservation, and Patagonia fits the bill.

Avasol spf 30 Sunscreen Stick: Sunscreens are known to be laden with chemicals, and I made the effort to stay away from chemical sunscreens long ago. This sunscreen stick is fricking awesome. It's tinted (two colors: tan and dark), the tan is just light enough to match my fair skin and it covers almost like a foundation. In fact, I've been using it as a foundation for the past few weeks! No itchiness, no breakouts, this sunscreen is all natural, made with plant oils and butter and a zinc-based spf, this stuff save you time with it's convenient stick form and the planet by being ocean safe and packaged in biodegradable cardboard. Keep from killing off coral and a nasty sunburn by using a sea-safe sunscreen like Avasol! No stinging or running into your eyes; this stuff is a skin saver!

Toms "Every Mother Counts" Canvas Backpack: Toms is one of those companies who is built on giving. Luckily, the products they make are durable, stylish, and helpful to someone other than yourself. These new bags by Toms benefit women in developing countries that have limited to non-existent prenatal care and ensure their babies get the best start in life. If you like healthy, productive babies and really stinking cute bags, give these a looksie!

Yowzers, that was a lot of words! But it had to be done, the writing bug is crawling its way back into my brain to lay its eggs  only to burst forth the warmer it gets! I love to shop, but I need to get better about where my money goes. Purchases like the one above at least give me some sort of inkling that I'm making the right decision. If you're faced with a gift dilemma or want something for yourself that will stay with you forever, give these items a try and make a new friend for life! Stay golden!

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