How We Show Earth Love

by Juliette Baumann

Giselle: 

Just like I love taking care of my home, I have been trying to make changes in my life that also help having a more positive impact in the home that we all share: the planet. This is what I do on a regular base to achieve my commitment.

  • I separate plastic, cardboards, metal, and glass. I clean all plastic, metal and glass containers and placed them on separate bags until is time to take them to the designated place in my building.
  • I recently started separating food waste from the rest of the garbage. 
  • I don’t use straws anymore
  • I have almost completely replaced all the plastic containers I used to have in the kitchen with glass.
  • I have also switched from regular cleaning, dishwasher and laundry products, to environmentally friendly brands.
  • I only use the dishwasher at night to save energy. Also, I make sure the dishwasher is full so there’s no waste of resources. 
  • I stopped using the dryer machine when I do laundry, hoping to conserve more my clothing.
  • When shopping for new clothing, I now select items that are 100% organic Cotton or that are made with fabrics that are environmentally friendly.
  •  I now carry recycling bags in my purse in case I have to run to the supermarket.

Sue: 

I live in an apartment in NYC and have a house in the Catskill mountains, so I have a lot of opportunities to make my homes and my life more eco-friendly and show more love to the planet!

  • Conserving water – I really try not to let the tap run unnecessarily.
  • I have never used straws, but I also encourage others not to. I don’t have them in my home.
  • I like to buy used items for my upstate home, or items made out of recycled materials. There are so many unique artisan pieces available.
  • I am a bit of a hoarder when it comes to clothes and I take very good care of them, so am able to bring out pieces that are 30 years old and wear them, people think they are new. Clothes I don’t want I give to charities or thrift stores. If they are falling apart, shirts and sheets get cut up for dusters.
  • As I like to cook a lot, any plastic containers that I get when I order in food, I reuse them for items I cook in bulk and freeze.
  • Glass jars and bottles are thoroughly cleaned and used for storage and even in place of a vases, especially if we are eating outside on the deck – they look so pretty filled with wild flowers.
  • You can find some amazing things at local auction houses and garage sales. As I do a lot of food photography, I don’t need six matching anything. A lovely plate, a beautiful spoon, antique linens, items that others have lived with, loved and cherished, they are my favorite props. It’s great to give them a new home and save them from being thrown away.
  • I like to grow flowers in the garden at my mountain house. No nasty chemicals, organic items and things from the kitchen to keep the critters away – like lemon juice, red pepper, black pepper, and for the weeds, salt works really well.

My big upcoming renovation project for the house is going to be very eco-friendly. I’m in the process of looking for contractors, appliances, painters and furnishings. I plan to document it for the blog with tips and suggestions. 

Michael:

Since last Valentine’s Day, I have begun expressing my ❤️ for 🌍 by recycling my daily contact lenses.  When I first started, I placed them in a small box in the medicine cabinet which quickly overflowed.  It’s amazing how one small act per day can pile up, and reminds us of all the waste we don’t see daily.

Sara: 

It’s important to show the Earth some love! Some ways I’ve taken steps to become more sustainable and eco-conscious is by using reusable coffee mugs / thermos water bottles to reduce the waste of plastic bottles and to-go coffee cups. I’ve also stopped using plastic straws, and recently purchased a stainless-steel reusable straw! Little daily efforts such as using cloths instead of paper towels / napkins to clean up messes, and consciously separating recycling between paper/cardboard, plastics and glass, go a long way to help spread the love to our planet.

Juliette:

Showing love for the Earth is something I make an effort to do each and every day. The earth provides us with a beautiful home, and it is our job to preserve it. I try to avoid plastic at all costs. I have stopped using straws, the plastic bags for fruits and veggies at the market and have started carrying my food in an eco-friendly pouch. I also have become more aware of my use of paper and plastic cups – especially for coffee! I use reusable cups to cut down my wastefulness. 

Rachel:

I love using my reusable grocery bags to lessen my plastic use. Every bit I can do to keep plastic out of our landfills and oceans helps me do my part for loving the planet every day! 

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