Easy Ways to Live More Sustainably
“To walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles.”
- Mary Davis
With the arrival of spring, I feel the magic of Mother Nature igniting an infectious joy within me. It’s amazing how so much life can lay dormant, buried in ice and snow for so many months, and then come to life as if by magic. I love going out to my garden and seeing so much coming to life.
I’m always filled with such surprise and wonder.
I have a deep reverence for our magical earth and believe I have a responsibility to care for and protect her. It’s miraculous how seemingly effortlessly she gives us fresh air to breathe, clean water to drink, an abundance of delicious food to eat, and vibrant colored flowers, birds, butterflies, and animals to delight us each day.
I’m in awe of her and her beauty so I try my best to be a good steward and advocate for her, to help ensure that her beauty and resources will be preserved not only in my lifetime but for many generations to come.
I believe even the tiniest things we do add up.
Simple Changes to Live an Eco-Friendly Lifestyle, in Harmony with the Earth
In my Art
I’m deeply inspired by nature and her vibrant colors and try to celebrate this in my paintings, the photographs I take, and the stories I share. Everything from the many shades of flowers in my garden to the way the waves crash on the beach inspires my work. Anytime I am in nature I’m energized and feel alive.
This feeling of aliveness is what I most wish to share with you through my artwork.
In the studio
I cut up and repurpose old tee shirts and towels that are too far gone to donate and use them in the studio in place of paper towels as much as possible.
I use Golden Crash Paint Solid Water Waste Kit to safely dispose of acrylic paint solids. The kit walks you through the environmentally safe process, which reduces the build-up of paint deposits in household plumbing and septic systems. Preventing acrylic paint build-up will keep your plumbing and septic systems clean and in running order.
I’ve been experimenting with handmade watercolors that are made with a binder of organic honey. I love Aloha paints, especially the shimmery turquoise colors.
I use EZ Invisible Care Barrier Hand Cream while painting. It's environmentally friendly and specially formulated to create a barrier that protects your skin and pores against paints, grease, ink, and numerous other materials that stain.
In my home & garden
PLANT LOVE
I probably (ahem...know) I have a plant addiction. I just can’t help myself! Plants are SO pretty. I love finding exotic plants to add to my home and decorating with them. I think they make a house feel so comfy while also adding a layer of beauty.
On the practical side, I’ve learned how beneficial they are in our homes. Because we keep our homes tightly sealed for many months, gasses from carpeting, paint, laundry products, cleaners, and even candles can build up. Adding a variety of indoor plants will provide fresh air to your home.
GARDEN JOY
I have a beautiful garden that brings me so much joy. I continue to add to it every year, intentionally planting things not only for their beauty but that support wildlife. I’ve included flowers, trees, berry bushes, herbs, birdbaths, and birdfeeders to name a few. Even the smallest plot of land or patio can enrich and enliven your life.
In Life
REUSE
We try to reuse when and where we can. Everything from water bottles, reusable straws, wine tumblers for the beach, reusable K cups for our Keurig (I find a richer coffee works best in these), grocery bags, produce bags, reusable silicone bags, and wine shopping bags (because you can’t just buy one bottle, right?).
I also love these nature-inspired bowl covers to use instead of plastic wrap for storing leftovers or for covering my drinks in the fridge. The silicone lid creates an air- and water-tight seal on any smooth rim. I have the lilypads💞.
RECYCLE
I just learned how to recycle my old sneakers! I think I always kept my old sneakers way too long because I felt bad putting them in a landfill which could take up to 40 years to decompose. Got Sneakers will repurpose or recycle your old sneakers for FREE! and depending on the shape they are in they may also pay you a little something for them. How cool is that? They send you a bag to ship them in and even the shipping is free!
CLOTH NAPKINS
I love the look and feel of cloth napkins. They always look nice on the table and make me feel “fancy” any day of the week. If I have to use a paper napkin or paper towel I usually split it in half and share it with my husband. He humored me at first but now admits that we rarely need more than that.
THE BIG TURN OFF
It’s such a simple thing but I try to switch the lights off when I leave the room and shut the water off while I’m brushing my teeth. I also use LED bulbs which typically use about 75% less energy and last up to 35 times longer.
ORDER RESPONSIBLY
Whenever possible, I say no to plastic straws (in the U.S. alone, 500 million are used every day), Styrofoam®, and other disposable plastic containers. I also forego plastic cutlery. In addition to being one of the most deadly items for birds, sea turtles, and mammals who mistake it for food, the shape and size make it difficult or even impossible to recycle.
INSPIRATION
I love the amazing sculptures by Aurora Robinson which draw awareness to the plastic waste stream in the most beautiful way. Here is a lovely video showing her process and her TEDx talk that I think you will enjoy.
The documentary “The Biggest Little Farm” is an incredibly inspiring, beautiful film.
The vision?
It follows two dreamers and their beloved dog when they make a choice that takes them out of their tiny L.A. apartment and into the countryside to build one of the most diverse farms of its kind in complete coexistence with nature.
The film chronicles their nearly decade-long attempt to create the utopia they seek, planting 10,000 orchard trees, and hundreds of crops, and bringing in animals of every kind.
The couple documents their quest to work in harmony with the land as well as ward off pests, predators, and wildfires to protect their crops and animals. SO INSPIRING!
SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS BUSINESSES
I try to lower my carbon footprint by intentionally seeking out and supporting brands and businesses that share this same vision as me. One example is using bamboo sheets & towels. They are SO soft!
I’ve become a HUGE fan of Norwex which offers safe, sustainable cleaning products. I’ve grown my collection over time and literally love EVERYTHING I’ve tried. They’ve made cleaning way more fun for me as it’s so gratifying.
Some of my favorite products are the enviro cloth, window cleaning cloth (these work SO good and save so much time. I use mine on everything from my countertops to my stainless steel appliances), makeup remover cloths (you literally just use water), dusting mitt, mop system, laundry detergent, dishwashing powder, and dryer balls. There are tons of demos on all the products on YouTube if you are curious. I totally went down this rabbit hole and fell in love with how clean these products were and how much less of everything you need.
We also love and contribute to Charity Water through a monthly gift. Their mission is to make sure everyone on the planet has access to clean water. This is actually possible in our lifetime if we all help where we can. Here is a beautiful video explaining their inspiring story and mission. 100% of your donations go to fund clean water.
THRIFTING
I love the thrill of thrift shopping and repurposing vintage items. So fun!
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Natural Deodorant
I finally found a natural deodorant that works and smells amazing! I love Corpus Nº GREEN with bergamot, pink lemon, orange blossom and cardamom
Natural Toothpaste
Happy Gums Natural Toothpaste is a nice alternative to the many toothpastes filled with chemicals.
Maybe you do many of these things already or perhaps I’ve given you a few ideas to try on that may shift your habits and lifestyle to be a bit more earth-friendly. Be sure to PIN this post for reference later as there are many helpful links and I will be adding to this list as I learn more.
I’m always trying to improve so please share your favorite ways to be more eco-conscious. Let us inspire each other with all the beautiful ways we can love and honor Mother Nature. After all, we are all connected through her.
Sending you the most beautiful day, today and every day!
💞 Laura
“The environment is where we all meet; it is the one thing all of us share."
- Lady Bird Johnson
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