Kestrel Two Feet

A large part of my spiritual journey is finding ways to return to nature. And to help her heal and stay healthy. This can be accomplished by many actions.

Most people are familiar with the concept of the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. But how many actually try to live by it. I have started in a few small ways to reduce my use of environmentally harmful items.

1. I have stopped using plastic utensils at work. Opting for the stainless steel that are washed and reused. My workplace runs the dishwasher daily regardless of how full it is, so my use of these utensils does not add water or soap use to the company. This not only lowers the water consumption (used to make disposable utensils) but also reduces the amount of plastic going to landfills.
2. I have switched my normal shampoo and body wash to shampoo and conditioner bars and bars of soap. I found a company online that sells all-natural body and hair care products. Not only do they come in paper boxes (no plastic waste), but they are also better for my hair and body. My hair is cleaner and softer than it has ever been.
   • Here is their official site if you would like to check them out. I do not currently get any incentives from them. I just really love the product. The Earthling Co.™ Official Site | Clean Personal Care, Real Results
   • Another switch I’ve made in the shower is to use washcloths instead of poufs. (Those plastic mesh body scrubbers everyone likes.) The washcloth is all-natural cotton and washable. So, I have less consumption and lower my plastic use at the same time.
3. When I go shopping, I look for products that either have no packaging or come in paper or glass containers. One example would be the olive oil I recently purchased. There were several brands of similar prices. However, a few brands were bottled in glass bottles while others came in plastic bottles. I purchased one of the brands which used glass bottles.
   • By trying to purchase mostly fresh fruits and vegetables, I also reduce packaging. Many of these products are sold without any packaging. This is especially true when shopping at farmers markets.
   • I ask for paper bags at checkout when possible. This serves two purposes. I can reuse the bags to collect yard waste and then place it on my compost pile. They add nutrients to your compost while reducing plastic waste. Win/Win!!

These are just a few of the ways I’ve been trying to be more environmentally friendly. I would love to hear from everyone any other ideas they may have. Leave me a comment and let me know what you do.