Earth Day is Monday April 22nd and it’s one of my favorite days of the year. Every year I unplug for the day and do a little energy fast. What’s an energy fast? Just one day to make some small sacrifices out of gratitude for all that Pachamama (Mother Earth) provides.
I turn off my devices for the day (Gulp!), and in my home we’re more conservative with water and electricity and we do our best not to use any lights. (You’d be surprised how conditioned you are to walk into a room and flip the switch.) In the evening we play games by candlelight. (Our favorite is a wooden board game called Aggravation). It’s like the fun of a blackout without all the drama!
If this sounds like a crazy idea to you, I get it. It’s actually pretty challenging. But I use it as a day to remind myself that the Earth’s resources aren’t unlimited and that conservation is the key. Sure there’s recycling and upcycling and more and more compostable options for all of our disposable conveniences, but they still use much of the Earth’s energy. A disposable straw made from corn instead of fossil fuels is still a single use plastic. And producing it still uses up valuable resources
The Earth provides everything for us. She gives to us unconditionally. For too long now we have taken her gifts for granted, expecting her to give as if her resources were limitless. The time for action is now. The choice is ours. I invite you to “up your conservation game” this Earth Day and do just one thing more than you already do. Take an action to make a difference. Below are some obvious and maybe not so obvious suggestions plus some eco friendly brands that I love. I know, I know a lot of it is from Amazon and it’s better to try and find items locally, but if you order a lot of things at once and you’re not in a rush, you can choose to have them sent all together.
What I carry in my bag daily to eliminate waste
- Stainless steel water bottle – Hydro Flask or S’well.
- Stainless steel coffee/tea cup – Contigo leak proof and keeps it hot!
- Nylon grocery bag – Chico folds up tiny.
- Mesh produce bags – mine are nylon but Simple Ecology makes them in cotton!
- Bamboo travel utensils – I use To-Go Wear.
- Bamboo straw – Bambaw – you’ll lose them so you need a lot.
- Cloth Napkin
Cleaning Products
- White Vinegar – sooo cheap and Heinz comes in a glass bottle. Really safe to use on everything (but granite and stone). Once your bottle is empty you can put the sprayer from your Windex (or whatever) bottle on the vinegar bottle. Make your own products (see below) and labels and you’ll have very classy and earth friendly cleaning supplies.
- Baking Soda – use it for EVERYTHING. I pour a little in my bathroom sink, tub, toilet and spray it with vinegar and it’s magic!
- Glass Cleaner – THE BEST recipe 1/4 c. rubbing alcohol, 1/4 c. white vinegar, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 2 c. warm water. Shake well before each use.
- Granite/Stone cleaner – 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol, 2 cups water, 8 drops dish soap, scented oil of your choice.
- All purpose cleaner – it’s a long one so here’s the link.
- Laundry – You guys Eco Nuts are amaaaazing. Trust.
Food Storage
- Bee’s Wrap
- Reusable storage bags
- Lunchkins – great for dry snacks
- Lunch box
- Any glass food storage container
Beauty
There’s so much to say here and I’m continually looking for products that don’t contain palm oil and come in glass or little or no packaging. Here are my favorite sites.
- Unearth Malee
- Biome
- Zero Waste Store has a lot of great products like bamboo toothbrushes, deodorant sticks and dishwashing bars.
- Cotton Balls – These reusable facial rounds are perfect.
- Makeup application – Sea sponges – these come in a nylon bag (boo) but you can use them 100’s of times. (Yay!)
And some other sites with great articles and info..
https://www.selvabeat.com/palm-oil-free-brands
TIPS
For shopping
- Choose products with the least packaging. (Sorry Trader Joe’s fans. They are the WORST.)
- Choose products that come in glass instead of plastic.
- Shop bulk (in manhattan – Whole Foods, Fairway, Westerly (911 8th Ave at 54th St.) The International Market (543 9th Ave at 40th St.) Remember to bring your own produce bags.
- Buy loose produce instead of bagged, or shrink wrapped. Yes, you’ll have to peel and chop your veggies but you can make it a meditation!
- Shop farmer’s markets
- Compost! Okay, I’m still working on this one so this is my Earth Day resolution for 2019.
For eating out
- Look for places that serve food on real plates with metal silverware and choose them more often.
- Find places that use eco friendly or compostable materials. Think Coffee is excellent, Le Pain Quotidien works to have zero carbon footprint.
- Bing your bamboo utensils
- Skip the straw!
- Try not to order more than you can eat to avoid the to-go container. If you need to take away, ask to use aluminum foil whenever possible and then recycle it.
- If you need a beverage on the go, look for ones in cartons or glass bottles and then recycle
- Ask yourself if the food, snack or beverage is something you really need in that moment or if you can wait until you get home. I notice how often I’m just looking for immediate gratification and don’t honestly NEED that afternoon matcha/mocha latte. Not only is it better for the environment to wait and make a cup of tea when I get home but it’s also better for my budget and my health!
At home
- Unplug any appliances when they’re not being used. The convenience of leaving your devices chargers plugged in isn’t worth the cost.
- Shut the light off in rooms you’re not using! Last month I saved 10 bucks!
- In the summer put the shades down early in the morning to reduce the need for AC
- Clean your altar and freshen up your home by bringing nature inside. Get a new flowering plant or fresh cut flowers at the farmers market and skip the cellophane or paper wrapping.
- If you get delivery, ask for no utensils. If you get them, save them up and return them or bring the ones wrapped in plastic to your local bodega. They’ll love you.
You can make these little changes one at a time. I know Marie Condo would have you toss everything and start fresh, and though I love her we’re looking to be conservative. When something in your home runs out simply replace it with the more eco-conscious option. Small steps, big difference!
A meditation practice to set an intention to serve the great goddess Earth.
Sit in a way that allows you to connect to your root. Breath in and follow your breath from the space in front of you all the way down to your Muladhara Chakra, the space at your perineum. Let your left hand rest on your left thigh, palm down. Take Bhu mudra, gesture of Mother Earth by placing the first and second fingers of your right hand on the earth next to you, allowing your right thumb to rest on the ring and pinky fingers.
As you breath in feel yourself draw energy up from the earth. As you breath out, allow yourself to feel supported by the earth. Repeat that a few times, energy rising on your inhale and grounding on your exhale. Now breathe from your root to your heart center and see the boundaries of heart begin to expand in love, moving outward in all directions. As your heart expands, take some breaths of gratitude for the air you breathe, the food you eat, the water you drink and the earth that supports you. Breathe in the gratitude and breathe out compassion for the Earth and all the living beings she supports. Feel the qualities, the elements of planet Earth as part of you; the earth as your muscles and bones, the water as your blood and tissues, the fire as your transformative energy, the air as the breath that sustains you and the space as the ever expanding openness between all the parts of you. Imagine that the perimeter of your physical form softens and expands as the edges of your shape begins to merge with all that surrounds you. Resonate here with the mantra Ham Sa. The eternal mantra of the breath. Inhale Ham, meaning “I”, and exhale Sa, meaning “that”. As you continue with the mantra that connects us to the pulse of the universe, perhaps you begin to understand that you and the Earth and all of her gifts are one and the same, emanating from the divine creator. Rest in that truth.
Now slowly bring your awareness back to your physical from, seeing the edges of yourself become reestablished, returning to your solid form. Feel the earth under you, the weight of your body on the floor and shift your hands to prayer at your heart. Take a deep breath and release an easy sigh. Set the intention to honor the Earth with your actions and with gratitude for all of her gifts, take a deep inhale and chant Om Ma.
Happy Earth Day!
Jai Ma! (Victory to the Mother!)
Love. All. Ways.
-Sarah
