#ecofriendly living

[cottagelvx]

This cozy cabin on wheels is the perfect blend of nature and comfort, where every detail is designed to bring the outdoors in. The expansive windows frame breathtaking forest views, while the warm, earthy tones of tribal textiles invite you to settle in and savor the serenity of the space. Above, the snug loft offers a retreat for restful slumber, with wood-paneled ceilings that feel as if you're nestled right beneath the canopy of trees. The thoughtful use of every inch of space, combined with handcrafted accents, transforms this tiny home into a soulful hideaway—a place where nature, simplicity, and beauty come together in perfect harmony.

[disneyirishprincessbackup]

[lomuarredi]

It's time to make a change and opt for eco-friendly furniture! Say goodbye to toxic chemicals and hello to sustainable, stylish pieces!

[gogonano]

Top 6 Myths About Microfiber Cloths Busted

This article is originally published on GoGoNano’s official blog.

Microfiber cloths have conquered the cleaning world, lauded for their versatility, efficiency, and eco-friendliness. Yet, amidst their reign, misconceptions and myths persist, hindering their true potential. Let’s dispel the most common myths and unlock the real cleaning magic of these microfiber marvels!

Myth 1: One Size (and Density) Fits All

Nope! Just like snowflakes, microfiber cloths differ in density and blend. Aim for high-density cloths (80/20 blend). The 80% polyester offers durability, while the 20% polyamide boosts static cling for superior dust-trapping. Avoid low-density cloths that scratch delicate surfaces like glass or electronics.

Myth 2: Water, Their Holy Grail (Sometimes)

While they excel at capturing dust and light grime with just water, some situations demand reinforcements. Fact: Choose ph-neutral cleaners for greasy messes or disinfecting. Water alone might not tackle bacteria effectively. Use appropriate cleaners to ensure a holistic clean. Consider gentle dish soap for greasy surfaces, vinegar solutions for disinfecting, or glass cleaner for streak-free windows.

While water excels for dust and light grime, explore advanced cleaning techniques and diverse applications in our comprehensive guide: The Ultimate Cleaning Guide: The Benefits of Microfiber Cloths.

Myth 3: Replacing the Cleaning Arsenal (Not Quite)

Microfiber cloths are workhorses, but even they have limitations. For heavy-duty scrubbing, tackling grime buildup in ovens or grills, or disinfecting specific surfaces like toilets, you might need sponges, specialized cleaners, or disinfectants. Think of microfiber cloths as your eco-friendly first line of defense, with other tools available for backup, depending on the cleaning task.

Myth 4: Washing? Never Heard of Her!

Imagine a cloth teeming with trapped dirt and bacteria. Shudder-worthy, right? Wash your microfiber cloths regularly! Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, typically after every few uses. Use warm water (around 140°F) and gentle detergent for both cleaning and disinfection. Remember, clean cloths clean effectively! Avoid fabric softener as it weakens the static cling and reduces their cleaning power.

Want to learn more about the proper way to wash microfiber cloths and extend their lifespan? Check out our Essential Guide to Washing Microfiber Cloths & Towels.

Myth 5: Fabric Softener Makes Microfiber Cloths Softer and Better (Wrong!)

This is a major cleaning no-no! Fabric softener coats the fibers, weakening their static cling and hindering their dust-trapping power. Fact: Stick to detergent only when washing microfiber cloths. Skip the fabric softener and allow them to air dry completely. Heat drying weakens the fibers, reducing their lifespan. Consider hanging them on drying racks or lines for optimal air circulation.

Myth 6: Eternal Life for Your Cloths (Wishful Thinking)

Like any tool, microfiber cloths have a lifespan. With proper care, they can last several months to a year. Watch for signs of wear like fraying, reduced cleaning power, and difficulty absorbing water. Replacing worn-out cloths ensures maximum effectiveness and prevents spreading bacteria. Don’t be tempted to hold onto damaged cloths — invest in fresh ones for optimal cleaning results.

Bonus Myth: A Sea of Specialized Cloths for Every Surface

Master Microfiber, Clean Smarter, Live Greener

Unleash the cleaning power of microfiber and discover how it can transform your home into a sparkling haven of sustainability and wellness.

Organization & Hygiene in Harmony

Ditch confusion and cross-contamination with a colorful solution! Assign different colored cloths to specific areas like bathroom (blue), kitchen (green), and general dusting (yellow). It’s organized, hygienic, and adds a fun splash to your routine!

Ditch Paper, Embrace Crystal Clarity

Say goodbye to wasteful paper towels! Achieve sparkling windows with just two eco-friendly heroes: microfiber cloths and vinegar. The static cling traps dust and grime, while the vinegar cuts through streaks. Sparkling windows, lighter footprint? We love it!

Tackle Tough Messes, Naturally

Forget harsh chemicals and embrace the dream cleaning team: microfiber cloths and steam cleaners! This dynamic duo conquers greasy stovetops, grimy oven doors, and even shower grime. Steam loosens tough messes, while microfiber effortlessly traps and removes them, leaving surfaces clean without chemicals.

Master Specific Challenges:

Appliance Expertise: Learn dedicated methods and solutions for each appliance.

Pet Hair Removal: Banish pesky fur with damp or dry cloths, paired with gloves or a lint roller for maximum results.

Delicate Surface Care: Clean with confidence using dry or damp cloths and gentle solutions. Always test first!

Microfiber is more than just clean surfaces, it’s a green choice

Reduced Chemical Reliance: Breathe easy and ditch harsh chemicals that harm your health and the environment. Microfiber tackles dirt effectively with just water or mild solutions.

Reusable & Durable: Say goodbye to wasteful paper towels! Microfiber cloths are reusable for months, significantly reducing landfill waste and minimizing your environmental footprint.

Water Conservation: Every drop counts! Microfiber requires less water for cleaning and washing, conserving this precious resource.

To learn more about our commitment to sustainability and OEKO-TEX certification, head over to our informative guide OEKO-TEX: Your Guide to Safe and Sustainable Textiles. This certification ensures our microfiber cloths meet strict safety and environmental standards, providing peace of mind for you and the planet.

[reasonsforhope]

It’s an open secret in fashion. Unsold inventory goes to the incinerator; excess handbags are slashed so they can’t be resold; perfectly usable products are sent to the landfill to avoid discounts and flash sales. The European Union wants to put an end to these unsustainable practices. On Monday, [December 4, 2023], it banned the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear.

“It is time to end the model of ‘take, make, dispose’ that is so harmful to our planet, our health and our economy,” MEP Alessandra Moretti said in a statement. “Banning the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear will contribute to a shift in the way fast fashion manufacturers produce their goods.”

This comes as part of a broader push to tighten sustainable fashion legislation, with new policies around ecodesign, greenwashing and textile waste phasing in over the next few years. The ban on destroying unsold goods will be among the longer lead times: large businesses have two years to comply, and SMEs have been granted up to six years. It’s not yet clear on whether the ban applies to companies headquartered in the EU, or any that operate there, as well as how this ban might impact regions outside of Europe.

For many, this is a welcome decision that indirectly tackles the controversial topics of overproduction and degrowth. Policymakers may not be directly telling brands to produce less, or placing limits on how many units they can make each year, but they are penalising those overproducing, which is a step in the right direction, says Eco-Age sustainability consultant Philippa Grogan. “This has been a dirty secret of the fashion industry for so long. The ban won’t end overproduction on its own, but hopefully it will compel brands to be better organised, more responsible and less greedy.”

Clarifications to come

There are some kinks to iron out, says Scott Lipinski, CEO of Fashion Council Germany and the European Fashion Alliance (EFA). The EFA is calling on the EU to clarify what it means by both “unsold goods” and “destruction”. Unsold goods, to the EFA, mean they are fit for consumption or sale (excluding counterfeits, samples or prototypes)...

The question of what happens to these unsold goods if they are not destroyed is yet to be answered. “Will they be shipped around the world? Will they be reused as deadstock or shredded and downcycled? Will outlet stores have an abundance of stock to sell?” asks Grogan.

Large companies will also have to disclose how many unsold consumer products they discard each year and why, a rule the EU is hoping will curb overproduction and destruction...

Could this shift supply chains?

For Dio Kurazawa, founder of sustainable fashion consultancy The Bear Scouts, this is an opportunity for brands to increase supply chain agility and wean themselves off the wholesale model so many rely on. “This is the time to get behind innovations like pre-order and on-demand manufacturing,” he says. “It’s a chance for brands to play with AI to understand the future of forecasting. Technology can help brands be more intentional with what they make, so they have less unsold goods in the first place.”

Grogan is equally optimistic about what this could mean for sustainable fashion in general. “It’s great to see that this is more ambitious than the EU’s original proposal and that it specifically calls out textiles. It demonstrates a willingness from policymakers to create a more robust system,” she says. “Banning the destruction of unsold goods might make brands rethink their production models and possibly better forecast their collections.”

One of the outstanding questions is over enforcement. Time and again, brands have used the lack of supply chain transparency in fashion as an excuse for bad behaviour. Part of the challenge with the EU’s new ban will be proving that brands are destroying unsold goods, not to mention how they’re doing it and to what extent, says Kurazawa. “Someone obviously knows what is happening and where, but will the EU?”"

-via British Vogue, December 7, 2023

[digitalipsum]

Eco-Friendly Living: How Small Changes Make a Big Difference for the Environment

[forestkodama]

I will forever be amused by the fact that, when asked about what first tipped him off that my partner and I are "hippies", the independent contractor we hired to drywall our basement didn't say the rotating composter in our garage, but the fact that we drive subcompact cars.

[cvt2dvm]

Primal Chic: The Princess Saves Herself & The Planet in this It Girl meets Survivalist Lifestyle

If you think it girl, you may think of high maintenance, high consumption, pampered, luxe living. I want you to take a step back from that idea with me and introduce a new mindset, Primal Chic. Borrowing from the Clean Girl, GORP Girl, It Girl, Stoic, Survivalist, and Prepper, Primal Chic is all about minimizing your impact on the planet, maximizing your self-sufficiency, and building meaningful sisterhood.

Primal Chic in 3 Words is: Sustainability, Self-Sufficiency, & Sisterhood.

Body: Fuel, Movement, & Beauty

Fuel: Our bodies and minds need high-quality fuel, and that's offered by a whole-food, paleo diet. Many of the foods on the market are heavily processed and loaded with low-quality fillers that drive calories and macros up without meeting our micronutrient needs. On top of this, a huge segment of the market is imported from outside of our local communities, adding heavily to the carbon footprint of our foods. Choosing locally grown, non-GMO, organic produce and proteins from fair trade, regenerative, or woman-owned agri-businesses is a fantastic stepping stone if you can't generate your own food due to time, space, or monetary constraints. I love shopping locally owned health food stores, farmers markets, and farm stands. The price of organics also goes down if you shop store-brand organics. There are also Facebook groups and Pinterest boards dedicated to Paleo recipe swaps. You also want to make sure you're honoring your body's needs in all of it's areas, rest, relaxation, movement, and nutrition.

Movement: Functional, outdoor movement benefits body, mind, and soul. A good hike, a lake swim, or even just a good jog with your pets are all great ways to get your cardio in. Outdoor yoga, rucks, rock climbing, and calisthenics are low-cost, high-reward strength and conditioning exercises that help you to keep toned and ready for action in your day-to-day life. Don't forget ROM either, active recovery walks, daily yoga, and deep stretches ensure you remain flexible and reduce pain from tight, stiff muscles and joints. Adding in a few friends allows you to build sisterhood and meet your social needs too, and being outdoors helps with the chronic vitamin D deficiencies most modern women face.

Beauty: Choosing clean, sustainable beauty and reducing the number of products used is good for your body due to fewer toxins, your mind with lower body and facial dysmorphia from high glam makeup looks, and the planet with less harsh manufacturing processes. Consider switching to multi-use products, reducing the number of products in your skincare & makeup routines, and swapping to washable/reusable body, skin, and feminine hygiene products to care for yourself and our planet. I'll be going into more detail on the swaps I made personally in a blog post next week.

Side Note: Planning a girl's weekend yoga retreat or having a buddy to do the Whole30 (a great intro to Paleo eating) with you is a great way to build up your sisterhoods and your own resolve for this new lifestyle.

Mind: Clarity, Wisdom, and Continuous Growth

Stoicism: The serenity prayer is a fantastic example of the basis of stoicism, letting go of the things you can't control or change, courageously sticking to your values and virtues and changing or controlling the things you can, living in harmony with nature, practice emotional mindfulness and emotional chastity, and practice resilience, learning to bounce back from failures and misfortune. With all things in life there is a learning curve, and allowing yourself to be ruled by algorithms, propaganda, and impulses reduces your own personal power.

Minimalism: Cut out overconsumption to help save the planet, save your wallet, and save your space. Choosing quality, durable, practical, and multi-purpose items allows you to spend less time organizing and cleaning and more time with friends and family, and doing the things that truly feed your soul. You don't have to have a spartan, sterile, white living space to embrace minimalism either, you can still inject your own personal style and personality into your choices, but be more mindful about where and how you're spending your hard-earned money.

Dedication to Continuous Growth: Instead of doom-scrolling or watching brain-rotting television, try switching out social media for micro-learning, soaps for documentaries, and limiting screen time to 1-3 hours per day. Try switching out happy hour for a self-defense or first aid class. Get involved with book swaps and information databases or group PDF sharing.

Heart: Love Thyself, Love Thy Neighbor, Love Thy Planet

Self-Love: Forming a sisterhood and meaningful community starts with loving yourself. You can't draw from an empty well, so being honest and vulnerable with yourself and taking care of yourself is the first step in being able to be there for others at your most authentic. Reminding yourself of your inherent value is important.

Earth: The frequencies of the earth are often interfered with by our man-made surroundings, taking time to ground yourself and connect with the world around you, either on your own, or in a group, is good for the heart. Try and take an hour or two per day and spend it outdoors, really soaking in the beauty you may have been numbed to by having it become mundane.

Connection & Community: Not everyone you meet deserves your whole heart and mind, however, they do deserve basic human dignity and respect, for those closer to you, they do deserve having a reliable friend who they can turn to in times of need and times of victory. Forming meaningful connections across generational divides makes us stronger as women and enriches our lives.

Soul: Mindfulness, Purpose, & Resilience

Mindfulness: Meditation, nature walks, situational awareness, and group activities keep the mind and soul well-fed and the senses sharp should the need arise for defense. Live in the moment as much as you can, rather than drift aimlessly through life without a plan of attack. Spontaneity can still exist here, as you should have a balance of routine and flexibility.

Purpose: What drives you? Who drives you? What values are at your core? Answering these questions allows you to live a purposeful life where you are true to yourself and your community. If your values don't align with the life you're living what changes do you need to have them align?

Resilience: You don't have to make your life harder, but preparing for life's rough times through mental, spiritual, physical, financial and material preparedness is still important. Building a solid community will help with this, but ensuring you yourself have the tools and skills necessary for survival will help even more so.

Planet: Stewardship, Sustainability, and Conscious Consumption

Stewardship: Bring a bag with you on walks and hikes to collect trash and follow the old Girl Scout principle of leaving things better than you found them. Encourage sustainable practices with where you shop and invest your time and resources, and take advantage of your local parks and wild spaces.

Sustainability: Opt for natural materials in clothing, decor, & home goods. Choose materials like wood, cotton, real fur, leather, and linen rather than plastics and petroleum-derived products or "natural" materials with harsh production processes like viscose or bamboo fiber. Reduce your consumption of new products, and shop thrift or vintage where you can, and go as ecologically friendly and durable as you can afford when buying new.

Conscious Consumption: Shop local, woman-owned, small business, and fair trade products wherever you can, skip out on mega polluters like Amazon or Shien, and avoid sweatshop and slave labor wherever you can. Before making purchases, ask yourself if you truly need an item or if you're just looking for a quick dopamine hit. Mend your things if possible rather than trashing them, and opt for donation of things in good condition that no longer fit with who you are.

All in all, the Primal Chic lifestyle is attainable for everyone, and about making conscious, cognizant steps toward a more meaningful, impactful, and mindful life where you live sustainably, & self sufficiently while building meaningful community and sisterhood.

[lunarpunkwonder]

LunarPunk 🌙

Lunarpunk is Solarpunk for the night dwellers. Similar philosophy and movement but with a darker, bioluminescent, celestial aesthetic. With a focus on Community, Sustainability, Reducing Light Pollution, growing Native Flora and creating a livable and thriving home for the night dwelling Fauna (nocturnal animals, insects, and people too), and obviously, don't forget the Punk.

Lunarpunk is a very new and slowly growing subgenre and community, please continue to add new ideas, add to the conversation of sustainability, do research in your own area about the local flora and fauna, what you can do to help reduce light pollution, even if it's just coming from your home, how to be more energy efficient, how to reduce waste, save money on electricity, see if you can switch your lights to LEDs, speak with your neighbors about switching as well.

Any little bit counts.

[byler-alarmist]

Do people know most paper receipts are harmful to their health?

I'm going to get up on my soapbox for a minute, but do people realize how pretty much everyone is being overloaded with endocrine disruptors like BPA/BPS on a near-daily basis??

I don't think many people understand that ever since most of the world transitioned to thermal paper receipts (cheaper than ink), almost every receipt you handle from the gas station to the grocery store to the Square terminal printer at the local co-op is coated with Bisphenol-A (BPA) or its chemical cousin Bisphenol-S (BPS).

These chemicals have not only been proven to cause reproductive harm to human and animals, they've also been linked to obesity and attention disorders.

Not sure if your receipt is a thermal receipt? If you scratch it with a coin and it turns dark, it's thermal.

BPA/BPS can enter the skin to a depth such that it is no longer removable by washing hands. When taking hold of a receipt consisting of thermal printing paper for five seconds, roughly 1 μg BPA is transferred to the forefinger and the middle finger. If the skin is dry or greasy, it is about ten times more. 

Think of how many receipts you handle every day. It's even worse for cashiers and tellers, who may handle hundreds in a single shift. It is also a class issue, since many people who work retail and food service are lower-income and will suffer worse health consequences over time from the near-constant exposure.

Not only that, receipts printed with thermal ink are NOT recyclable, as they pollute the rest of the paper products with the chemicals.

People don't know this and recycle them anyway, so when you buy that "green" toilet paper that says "100% recycled"? Yup, you are probably wiping your most sensitive areas with those same chemicals (for this reason, I buy bamboo or sugarcane toilet paper as a sustainable alternative to recycled paper).

This page from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has some good links if you want to learn more.

As consumers, we need to demand better from our businesses and from our governments. We need regulation of these chemicals yesterday.

If you are a buyer or decision-maker for a business, the link above also contains a shortlist of receipt paper manufacturers that are phenol-free.

If you work at a register, ask customers if they want a receipt. If they don't and you can end the transaction without printing one, don't print one!

As a consumer, fold receipts with the ink on the inside, since that's where the coating is. Some more good tips here.

And whatever you do, DO NOT RECYCLE THERMAL RECEIPTS

[disneyirishprincessbackup]

[a-strawberry-mouse]

Another one done.

I'm not sure if I'll be starting another patch or working on something else.

I was around someone who was sneezing and they said it was allergies. I didn't suspect anything because same.

Unfortunately they had a cold or something. It knocked me clear on my behind but! I seem to be past the fever portion of it.

All will be well with rest!

[chalogreen]

Exploring Eco-Friendly Packaging

What is Sustainable Packaging?

Sustainable packaging uses materials and production processes that yield a minimal environmental impact. The aim is to be environmentally friendly.

Benefits of Sustainable Packaging

Biodegradable - They are made from either plant-based or recycled materials that naturally degrade without leaving toxic waste.

Compostable - Decomposes naturally through commercial compost processes. Leaves no trace of plastic.

Recyclable - Commodities consisting of post-consumer recycled paper are recyclable.

Accountable Materials - For example, mushroom fibers, banana leaves, and algae reduce the over-reliance on plastic and the excessive processes involved.

Ethical production - the use of sustainably sourced, locally produced, and fairly traded materials has proven to improve lives while having a lighter impact on the environment.

Small Carbon Footprint - Eco packaging vastly reduces the carbon emissions resulting from traditional manufacturing and waste.

Simple Swaps

Paper or Plastics - Go for paper envelopes, boxes and filler made from recycled content. Don’t use plastic poly bags and bubbles.

Glass vs Plastic - Choose glass bottles over single-use plastics because glass is infinitely recyclable.Support plastic reduction initiatives.

Compostable vs. Styrofoam - Replace styrofoam peanuts with compostable corn starch alternatives. Support the ban on non-recyclable products.

For stylish, zero waste, environmentally friendly packaging solutions pay a visit to Chalogreen. They manufacture their products which are entirely plant-based thus saving the planet.

[catrocketship]

fighting my personal feelings about dandelions ATM to draw this little illustration in the name of fighting lawn culture

[bitstitchbitch]

I find it very fascinating that there are two separate movements among the youth (gen z / younger millennials) embracing traditional crafts and hobbies - knitting, crocheting, mending, gardening, baking, basically anything that involves slowing down and making things from scratch. one is the mostly Christian evangelical conservative “tradwife” movement. They’re not only embracing the crafts and skills, but also traditional gender and social roles.

the other is the sustainability, slow-fashion, save-the-earth movement which is mostly progressives / socialists / anarchists (using US frame of reference here). This group embraces the crafts and skills but not the traditional power structures.

I guess that it just goes to show that across the political spectrum we are recognizing an inherent instability in the way we live our lives and are searching to slow down and live more sustainably. Gen Z in particular seems very focused on the long-term (we have more retirement savings than older generations did at our age).