Easy Environmentalist

Just call her Frankenpack.
I bought my backpack off Marketplace for $60. She was a steal, fits me perfectly, and we have seen more places together than I can keep track of. However, she sustained some pretty considerable damage trekking down a volcano in Guatemala. Let's just say her owner is clumsy, and she took the brunt of the (many) falls down Volcan Acatenango.
While this tear wasn't too bad in the beginning, it's gotten worse with each adventure. Rather than parting with this pack that I genuinely love so dearly, I took a spare cloth napkin (with durable fabric) and patched my little friend up. I have some pretty exciting things planned for the next few months, and I need to make sure this pack won't burst at her seams (literally).
One of the BEST things you can do for the environment (and your wallet) is to not buy new or buy anything at all. So many items can be easily mended or repaired versus tossed in the trash and repurchased. Plus, now she's got a bit more character, a GREAT story to tell, and more years of life added to this well-loved travel buddy. And that money saved is going straight towards my next adventure 🙌

Happy Earth Day, friends!
I recently moved to an area that is SUPER bike friendly, and man... what a blessing! I am averaging 30-40 miles a week right now, and it is bananas how much of a game changer two wheels has been. I've been saving a ton of money on gas, keeping miles off my truck, my butt and legs feel like they just got a face lift, I get to breathe fresh air and get sunshine every day, I'm discovering areas and sights I'd definitely miss while in a vehicle (so many flowers 🥺), I haven't felt the need to go for a run as often because my commute is my exercise, I've been really indulging food-wise because of all the extra calories I've been burning (which is good, because fried seafood is my ultimate weakness) and best of all... I'm helping our planet!
This here commuter was free, is a little squeaky, nothing fancy, but she gets me from point A to point B juuuuust fine. Growing up, I always had a bike, and it was usually from Wal-Mart. But, hey, it had two wheels, two peddles, two handlebars, a seat, and brakes that worked most of the time. The notion that you have to invest in something super fancy is so silly if you just want something to get around town for errands. Marketplace and Goodwill always have cheap bikes in stock, and with how much gas you save, purchasing a bike will pay for itself in no time.
On this here day of our Earth, consider reducing your gas consumption by either biking, walking, or taking public transportation whenever possible. Your body, wallet, and our planet will thank you for it!

can I just say thank you?!
I've been using Native's paper-packed deodorant for close to a year now and, while I love it, there's a couple things I would definitely change - the price and the design.
That's why I was SO excited to find this competing product at 🙌. Half the price AND not as long/ narrow. With Native's design, it can become a bit challenging to use all the product once it's close to running out.
I love that with this, you don't have to sacrifice amazing scents (that come from essential oils), and it's still very much cruelty-free, in addition to being free of aluminum, propylene glycol, and parabens.
At the end of the day, both products are stellar, though, and it's good to see some new players enter the alternative-packaging market. Maybe someday, this will just become the standard. A girl can dream!

I never understand why people think vegan can't be just as good, if not BETTER, than food made with animal products.
This Greek-style yogurt from has become a new staple for me. Great by itself or dressed up with some berries, chia seeds, chocolate chips, slivered almonds, pepitas, granola, or whatever else you like in your "regular" yogurt.
Here's the kicker - it's even more delicious than typical Greek yogurt. The coconut milk makes it creamier, it tastes less artificially sugary, plenty of pea-powered protein, and I feel better knowing that no moo moos were harmed in the making of this product.
Vegan doesn't mean compromising taste. Incorporating more plant-based foods has done wonders for how I feel mentally and physically, and it makes me happy to know I'm doing something so easy that makes such a positive impact on our planet (and it's fuzzy inhabitants). Seemingly-small swaps can lead to big things, y'all!

It's beginning to look a lot like CHRISTMAS BABYYYYY.
I LOVE the holidays, but I don't love how much waste the holidays can produce. My partner and I purchased a house last October and have spent the past year up to our ears in renovations. We were way too busy to decorate last year, so this year, I'm going ALL OUT.
It's a little early to put up a tree, but I've started adding some festive holiday elements, such as this arrangement made from native plants from our and (with permission) our neighbor's yard. It can be really tempting to go out and buy a bunch of stuff from Target or Marshall's, but ultimately, that stuff is going end up in a landfill somewhere.
I'm on a mission this season to decorate in a sustainable way by including using what I already have, incorporating natural elements, DIY-ing a ton of gifts, and buying second-hand decorations if I see something I absolutely have to have.
What are you doing to make this holiday season a little more sustainable? Would love to share ideas!

Balloons are the freaking WORST!
Did a photoshoot today ( - give me a follow!) and found such a lovely lakeside spot. Was super bummed to see the lawn COVERED in popped balloons. What the heck humans?!
Balloons take years to break down and are so, so, so harmful to wildlife. Animals can easily get tangled up in them or attached strings, causing the animal to be unable to move or properly get food. Wildlife also often ingest balloons thinking that they're food, blocking their digestive track and causing the animal to slowly and painfully starve to death.
Although throwing them away helps, this can still happen even if properly disposed of because, let's face it, your trash has to end up somewhere! The best way to help out wildlife is to just stop buying literal air-filled garbage in the first place. There are a ton of better ways to decorate and celebrate (evil eyeing you too, glitter) that won't hurt our fellow planet inhabitants, like flowers, cute plants, an awesome dining set, a fun costume theme, fantastic food and drinks, or confetti made from leaves. Way cuter in my opinion, and way better for our planet!

Happy Earth Day to you!
Y'all our oceans are HURTING. Bleached reefs, overfishing, oil spills, islands of floating plastic... it can definitely start to feel hopeless. However, there are so many things we can individually do that will collectively make a HUGE difference. In honor of Earth Day, here's 5 EASY AF ways to help our oceans and their inhabitants.
1. Say no to plastic bags. Bring your own if you have a lot of groceries, buy your produce without a plastic bag, or just carry a couple items to your car. The phrase "I don't need a bag, thanks!" does WONDERS.
2. Walk, bike, or take public transportation when possible. That oil doesn't spill for nothing. Reducing demand reduces potential spills.
3. Resist single-use plastic items. I'm talking beverage containers (aluminum or glass over plastic or BYOB - bring your own bottle), cutlery, cups, plates, straws, K-cups, plastic food storage bags, shampoo and soap bottles (hello, bar soap is where 👏 it's 👏 at 👏), etc. Buy in bulk when you can. Single-use items add up and seem to just end up in our waterways.
4. Think before you buy. Do you really need that cheap knick knack that will probably just end up donated or in the garbage? Do you really need a plastic-packaged snack that, let's be honest, isn't doing your insides any good? We as a society just buy, buy, buy without considering where these "things" will live for the next couple hundred years. Bonus here - your wallet will also thank you!
5. Never stop learning. Never stop trying to be and do better. Follow sustainable social media accounts (and share 'em with your friends 😘😬), watch documentaries, read books, read articles, discuss sustainable practices with friends... actively work to be a part of the solution, not the problem.
There is no Planet B. It's up to us to be accountable for how we treat our Mother to ensure she's around not just for us, but future generations. It all starts with YOU!

North Florida has an abundance of these seasonal friends!
I actually had no idea what these caterpillars were a week or so ago when we started seeing them ALL OVER our house. I thought they were bitey boys until picked one up and told me what these guys are - Eastern Tent Caterpillars.
These fuzzy crawlers are harmless. They show up, do some munching on crabapple and cherry trees, and turn into Lappet moths. At some point, in either crawly or flappy form, they will provide a meal for a whole slew of wildlife, including robins, blue jays, red-winged blackbirds, cardinals, stink bugs, hornets, yellow jackets, predatory beetles, squirrels, foxes, raccoons, white footed mice, chipmunks, shrews, bats, eastern box turtles, garter snakes, copperheads, skinks, water turtles, frogs, and toads. In other words - these dudes are super duper important for our ecosystem!
Not all insects are pests. Blindly killing these means one less meal for another creature, and our wildlife needs all the help it can get! According to the World Wildlife Fund, our planet has "seen an astonishing 60% decline in the size of populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians in just over 40 years." We are responsible for working with Earth's wildlife inhabitants. To help them. To ensure their continued survival. This is a shared planet, and its ecosystems are incredibly fragile. The only way for all of us, fuzzy, scaly, and slimy included, to continue to live here is a constant reevaluation of our daily actions. ❤🌏

When you buy secondhand, you save money. And when you save money, you can buy more plants. It's science really.
This plant stand was purchased from a friend when she moved, the basket was picked up from Goodwill, and most of these clay pots were found on either Marketplace or at Goodwill.
One of the biggest things we can do to help our planet is to stop buying so much junk. This solid wood stand will be around for decades. Like fast fashion, purchasing quality pieces means having to buy less new stuff, which saves money and natural resources. No new trees had to be cut down to make this stand or excess fuel used to ship it to the store. Additionally, buying from friends, family, or on Marketplace is a great way to keep funds cycling through your local economy.
You can find so many quality secondhand furniture pieces at thrift stores, Marketplace, Craigslist, and local individual dealers like . Happy hunting, y'all!

Natural deodorant without the plastic THAT ACTUALLY WORKS.
The best natural deodorant that I've tried just released new cardboard packaging, and I am obsessed. I've tried pretty much every natural deodorant brand. While some are pretty good, nothing compares to products. This is my favorite scent, and I'm so stoked to see it in a whole new dress.
Typical deodorant packaging can be partially recycled, but often times that means cleaning the plastic before putting in the bin (water wasted), figuring out whether or not that plastic can be recycled in your area (potential to contaminate the load), and using the most precious resource to do both... your time!
What I really love about this, besides the new packaging, is that this is an effective product that's not laden with chemicals. Parabens and aluminum have been linked to breast cancer, but this baby is free of both.
I ordered these online (came in a cardboard envelope), but is also carrying them at select locations. Shoutout to Native for their packaging evolution! Keep it up, y'all!

Why buy more plants when you can make more more (who am I kidding - I definitely do both).
Office Baby Rubber Plant was looking a little unkempt. But, according to the YouTubes, these babies can be easily pruned and propogated in water (thanks for the vid ❤).
If I'm going to make new plants from my existing Mama Peperomia, why pay for a new propagation station when Goodwill is right down the road? For 8 bucks, found these simple + cute + classy glasses. Not only is this option cheaper than ordering a new station, it reuses and repurposes something that's already in existence AND eliminates any packaging waste associated with buying something new.
Stay tuned to see how these little dudes root over the next few weeks! One step closer to turning my work home into a jungle 🌱