Happy Earth Day!! Y'all know I love nature and try to make small choices every day to lower my impact on the planet. This hit even closer to home these days. As a new mom I want my daughter to be able to appreciate all the beauty of mother nature. From the Great Barrier Reef to the Rainforests of Brazil… 

Here I am enjoying these beautiful trees in Kauai with the little peanut in my belly about a year ago :)

It may feel like the little things you do don't really make a difference but I truly believe that if enough of us make small changes they do add up. Plus, putting our money towards products and companies that make choices we believe in helps those companies invest even more in their products and grow to encourage more people to adopt them in their homes. 

I like to look at the everyday things I use and find options that are biodegradable, lower in plastic usage and help save energy. Here's three products you can try. I also like to save money, I'm an independent musician and don't have tons to spend on fancy eco friendly stuff so you'll find that not only are these products that work and are eco friendly but they will add up to some savings too. :)

1. Buy “Bulk” Dish Soap - Mrs Meyers Dish Soap 

I used to not think much about dish soap. I would just buy a new bottle of whatever soap was on sale whenever I was close to running out. But, as I started cleaning up my personal hygiene products I realized I needed to do better in more areas around the house. Buying in “bulk” like this means less plastic overall plus this dish soap is biodegradable so it's better for our waterways and healthier to have around the house when traces of it end up staying on dishes… not to mention back into our waterways and into our bodies that route. 

So, pick up this I decant the soap to a beautiful hand painted ceramic container from Mexico so it matches our kitchen -- and looks better than a labeled bottle of dish soap sitting on the counter. There's lots of glass options available on Amazon too. 

2. Ditch Laundry Detergent in Plastic Containers -  Biokleen Laundry Detergent

I used to feel so wasteful throwing away those huge containers of laundry detergent. When setting out to find an eco friendly laundry detergent that wouldn't break the bank I tried a number of things; extra concentrated liquids, laundry “strips” and concentrated pods that dissolved in the wash. This powder detergent from Biokleen was part of that trial run and the clear winner. 

Personally I like the light citrus scent but I've also used the Free & Clear unscented option too. This has been gentle enough on all my clothes but also hard working. We have a special needs cat that leaks urine and this detergent (plus a concentrated pen enzyme eliminator) is part of what helps keep his beds from smelling. And now using cloth diapers this has been working hard to keep them fresh for almost 7 months now. I've been using it for years and think I will for many years to come. 

3. Try Wool Dryer Balls - Molly's Suds Wool Dryer Balls

If you can hang your clothes out to dry that's the most eco friendly way – even just hanging bath mats or towels is helpful. But if you don't live somewhere that you can do that, the next best thing is to lower your energy usage on your dryer. Wool dryer balls help do that!

They are also a replacement for dryer sheets, you can add some essential oils to the balls to give your laundry a nice light scent I'll be honest, I actually never used dryer sheets, never liked them or found the need for them but I love these wool dryer balls. I've been using them for a few months and have noticed that I don't seem to have static anymore, my clothes rarely (or ever?) have gotten bundled up in the dryer so that they don't try since I started using them and they are so easy to use. 

This comes with a little bag to store them in but honestly I just let them live in my dryer and that's the easiest way to make sure they get used every time and I'm saving some energy every time I need to use my dryer. :)

4. Bonus Tip - Use Up What You Already Have 

The best tip I can give you this Earth Day is to use up what you already have. From cleaning products to toiletries and everything in between use up what you have before buying something new. If you don't love something or have a reaction to it see if a friend or neighbor would like it. You can also see if your town has a free give and take community to put things you don't need anymore to use or even find a “new” used treasure for yourself. 

Swap parties are another great idea… maybe you're tired of a fragrance but you can trade with a friend for a different perfume or some clothes don't fit but you can swap them out at a party rather than shopping for new things. Some of my favorite clothes have come through my wardrobe this way as well as most of my maternity wardrobe. 

I hope these couple of tips inspire you and show you how easy it is to make small changes that help the earth and don't take much from us. 

Happy Earth Day and month!
Natalie