When implementing a sustainable/ethical lifestyle, going to the grocery store becomes a bit more of a pain than it used to be.
That is, if you don't do your research and know what you're looking for. In a day and age where most companies use harsh chemicals and preservatives to sustain their items, a few brands stand out for going against the crowd and bringing forth the initiative to promote sustainability and healthier lifestyles. It is these brands that I will focus on today to make your next shopping trip a bit easier. Before we begin though, I do have some basic tips for those transitioning into this lifestyle who find themselves browsing the supermarket aisles aimlessly... Tip #1: Before purchasing an item, attempt to read through the ingredients on the side or the back of the packaging. The general rule of thumb is that if you can't pronounce an ingredient, it most likely is not good. To double check, you can always look it up - but I will warn you, sometimes the things you read harm you more than comfort you. Knowing what we've been putting into our bodies this entire time without even realizing it, can sometimes be a harrowing experience. I would suggest sticking with the test and leaving it at that. Tip #2: When finding yourself gravitating towards an "organic" brand, before purchasing anything, do your research. Sometimes companies like to boast that they are organic and sustainable, yet are all talk and no action. Make sure that whenever you research them online, you can actually see results. Never take anything at purely face value - they like to think you're easy to trick, don't give them the advantage of being right. With that being said, let's get into a few of my favorite trustworthy brands... Clif Bars I know we have all seen are workout junkie friends lugging these bad boys around and rolled our eyes at their purported "nutritional value" - but you may want to give them a chance (especially if you are trying to build up your stamina in the gym). Not only are Clif Bars relatively healthy, but the company itself is incredibly dedicated to their sustainable efforts. If you visit their website you can find a timeline of proof titled their "Sustainability Journey" that step by step takes you through all the practices they have implemented to become more sustainable and to reduce their ecological footprint as much as possible. The good thing about Clif Bars too is that they are sold in most grocery stores, making them incredibly accessible. They are usually priced at around $5 depending on where you go, so they are a nice alternative to other less conscious brands that you could be buying. Kelloggs Now this one may come as a surprise to a lot of you, but at least it's a brand you are somewhat familiar with and can find anywhere. While yes, you do have to read the nutrition facts on the side of Kelloggs products because they aren't the most nutritional in the world, the company is actually very big on sustainability and ethical business practices. By clicking on their website, you will find that they post their full Corporate Responsibility Report, something you always want to look for when researching a supposedly ethical minded brand. They are dedicated to promoting a diversity rich company while also always looking for new ways to make their products more sustainable. The good news about Kelloggs is that it's affordable and - odds are - you are already buying their products! So don't worry, you don't have to throw anything away, continue on with your cereal driven mornings. A standard box only costs about $3, so eat to your heart's content, and take comfort in the fact that you can fully trust the brand that you're buying from. Honest Tea I figured we should wrap this list up with a brand that produces drinks as it's main product as I've given you two primarily food companies up until this point. While Honest Tea has recently been bought by Coca Cola, delving into their blog and FAQ, you can see that they have never abandoned the mission that they have had from the get go. Going to their site, you can easily navigate to both their blog and their FAQ. They are an extremely accessible company, giving you multiple ways to contact them with any questions or concerns. Many of their blog posts have to do with their dedication to sustainability and their use of organic ingredients when making their teas. It's definitely worth a read if you have the time and want to be sure you want to spend money on their products. Due to them being bought by Coca Cola, their distribution has gone up, so you are able to find Honest Tea in more locations now. Living on a college campus, I can tell you that I see it being sold EVERYWHERE here. A bottle usually goes for about $2, so right around the same price you pay for your usual bottled soda. While this list is short, just as always, I encourage you to go out and do your own research. There's something so satisfying about finding a brand and learning all about them on your own. I've given you a jumping off point, now go fly through the aisles and discover YOUR brand!
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Having just returned from a Spring Break trip myself, I am no stranger to the struggle of having to find ways to remain conscious of maintaining my sustainable lifestyle while traveling. New Orleans is pretty much a city that lives off the use of disposable cups and paper plates. That's why while I was there, it was hard to stay true to myself and to my lifestyle.
Just because it was hard though, didn't make it impossible. While vacationing, I found several ways to maintain my status as a sustainable living junkie, while also truly enjoying my time in NOLA. There were some things that were unavoidable when going out to restaurants, like the beignets served on flimsy, disposable plates, but there were other things that I found that made up for that. So, without further ado, here are a few things you can do to support a sustainable lifestyle while traveling... 1. Reduce your travel time This sounds like a weird and impossible tip, but let me explain. If you are planning on taking a flight to your destination, there are always a few options. You can take a non-stop flight or you can choose to have a layover. Now, you would think flying non-stop for hours would be bad for the environment (it is, there's no way around that), but taking connecting flights means that you are using even more gas since two planes require more gas than one. While taking a non-stop flight is usually a bit more expensive, it really is worth it when you think of the pollution that is released getting two planes off the ground as opposed to one. I myself took a non-stop flight to New Orleans and actually always choose to fly non-stop. Yes, it is a tad bit more expensive, but for me the benefits outweigh the costs. What's a few bucks to an air full of pollutants, am I right? 2. Buy locally made goods Souvenir shopping is always high on the to-do list when one travels anywhere. Everyone always ask for you to bring back gifts and usually we choose the tackiest gift stores we can find in order to buy them. While these items are certainly cheap, they are in fact, not ACTUAL souvenirs. Yes, you do buy them in the place where you are traveling, but a majority of them aren't even made there. I was browsing a gift shop in the French Quarter this past week and found several little gifts I liked. I went to check on the price at the bottom of a coffee mug I particularly liked and was surprised to find the words "Made In China." Here I was, in the middle of Louisiana, thinking about buying a mug that wasn't even made there. So what's my suggestion? Usually if you are going somewhere that is known for tourism, flea markets are a popular spot to find local items that are cheap and affordable. These gifts usually are hand-made or manufactured close by, meaning that they spend less time (and gas) on the road. Plus, they are more special because they were ACTUALLY made in the place you are buying them from. What could be better than that? 3. Buy your food from the Farmer's Market or Local Stands Just like with the flea market option I mentioned up above, Farmer's Markets are becoming quite popular nowadays. I won't go on and on about the reasons why you should shop for locally grown produce whenever you travel as I mentioned most reasons up above, but I do want to emphasize that choosing this option does not take away from the cultural experience. Whenever we visited the market in New Orleans, my friends and I were really only expecting to see fruit and vegetable stands. We were surprised to see that there were several stands set up that prepared cultural specific foods like New Orlean's famous crawfish and gumbo with things that had been grown or caught locally. So, not only did we get a nice taste of what the city is known for, but we did so in a very green way. 4. Reuse hotel towels This one is a no brainer, but I love talking about this sweet and easy tip. Hotels are now giving occupants the option of reusing their towels and I LOVE it. Towels do not usually need to be changed everyday unless they are being used for a particularly grimy job, so I like that you are now given the option of being able to deem what is reusable and what is not. When on my trip, I noticed that the towels I used on the bathroom floor to mop up water and the one I used to wash my hands, had nothing on them after a day of use, so I thought to myself "Why waste the time and energy on having them cleaned when they aren't even dirty?" It's amazing how much unnecessary waste we recognize when we begin to live consciously and sustainably. Out of all the tips, I believe this is the easiest one to follow! So, there you have it! Now go forth into the world and practice all the good you can. The next time you travel, try to keep these tips in mind, and enjoy your time! I have had a lot of friends show interest in living sustainably and ethically. I usually tell them about some of the tricks I have learned and how much better I feel since committing to the lifestyle, but something always stops them in their tracks - the money. The reduced washing is no big deal for them, the less spending isn't either, it's just the thought of purchasing from brands that make much more expensive clothing than what they are used to buying. They are used to being able to buy more for their money and suddenly they are being asked to pay the same for less. It seems pretty logical as to why someone would put on the brakes after being told such a thing.
I can understand this completely. Being a college student, I get the whole saving money bit. I also understand the perception of quantity trumping quality, because that used to be my view as well. Coming home with multiple new purchases always feels better than coming home with one, or at least that's how it seems. However, once you realize how rewarding purchasing ethical clothing can be and practicing sustainability, suddenly the money matters a little less and you focus on the feelings these good deeds inspire within you. Realize that I said the money matters less, but not that it doesn't matter at all? That's because that's not true. Money does matter. So, good for you that living sustainably and ethically in the long run actually ends up saving you money. Let me give you a few examples. As I mentioned before, people tend to think in the fashion world that quantity trumps quality. They believe a good deal is walking away with five shirts for $50 - while in the ethical fashion world, that would only be the price of one. But there are many things that go into that shirt that you don't get from fast fashion brands such as the guarantee that it was made with quality materials and by people who were treated fairly by their superiors. While you may be able to purchase 5 shirts for $50, will they still be wearable in the next year? I have had shirts from Forever 21 that have lasted me maybe through three washes before being completely unwearable due to fabric tears or sometimes even mysterious staining. Keep in mind, fast fashion is designed based off trends in the moment. What you buy today could be out of style next week and that's the whole point of the industry. They want you to be impulsive and buy the hot trends at the moment, knowing that you'll be back in the store next week looking for the next big thing. It truly is an endless cycle. Now when it comes to ethical fashion, if you have ever have browsed a website classified as such, you may begin to notice a trend as well. This isn't like the trends you see on fast fashion websites that constantly change, but a common thread that seems to be the norm across all of them. You'll notice that all their clothes are very versatile and easily customizable, meaning you can wear them for several different occasions for many years to come. They aren't based off the brand new trend of the week, but the trends that never went out of style to begin with. They are tried and true designs that can be worn for years due to the quality of their fabric and the versatility of their style. So, what do you feel like is a bigger waste of money - the 5 pieces of clothing you'll get maybe three wears out of? Or the $50 shirt that could last you for years and be worn on several different occasions? I think the answer is pretty much a no brainer. But that's not all! (Don't mind the salesperson voice, I'm just excited to teach you a few tricks of the trade) Another way you can save money by living sustainably and ethically is by reducing the amount of times you wash your clothes. I have mentioned this in a previous post before since this is something I practice, but I feel like I can't stress enough how beneficial this is. When you wash your clothes less, you increase their longevity. No matter how high of quality material an item is made out of, it can only withstand so many washes in the end. While for ethically made, quality pieces this may be a substantial amount of washes, it would still be better for the fabric and your wallet if you just learned to chill when it came to washing. This does not mean I do not think you should do your laundry - however, reducing your loads could save you a lot of grief when it comes time to receive your electricity bill at the end of the month. Instead of doing three to four loads of laundry a week, try giving two a try. If you find that isn't too hard to do, try one. The goal is to start paying attention to what ACTUALLY needs to be washed as opposed to things that could be worn again. Something you could also try to cut down your electricity bill even more is hand washing. You would think that doing so would raise your water bill, but if you leave things to soak, this is a whole lot better than leaving the washer on for 30 minutes and then the dryer on for another hour. You can also hang your clothes on a line as well to completely do away with the dryer from the process all together. So, while I totally understand people's hesitancy to completely commit themselves to a sustainable/ethical lifestyle due to the subject of money, it really begins to make sense how this ends up saving you money in the long run when you just take the time to research it. I hope this has maybe cleared up some of your doubts! Keep in mind, I only really touched on two ways that this lifestyle can save your cash, but there are many other ways as well if you are willing to go look for them. Happy researching and happy saving! Another week, another set of tips to make life easier for those attempting to live an ethical and sustainable lifestyle. In my first list documenting 5 Affordable Brands That I Have Found Are Both Trustworthy And Affordable, I talked mainly about sites and brands that sold clothes and didn't really mention anything else like shoes or accessories. Shame on me, right?
So, this time around, I am here to bring you a list of 5 more brands that I trust that can be used to help you find shoes, bags, or other accessories. (Just as a reference though, the brands I spoke of in my first article sometimes also sold accessories and shoes but focused more on their clothing than anything. If you find you don't like any of the brands I list below - keep in mind - you can also consult the websites I talked about before!) Now, on to the list... 1. Made The first brand I feel like is worth mentioning is Made. Made is an online accessories store that sells both jewelry and bags made in Kenya. The brand is big on transparency as well as educating the workers who work for them. Taking a glance around the website, you can see that they put a lot of effort into promoting what they believe in with videos and detailed statements talking about their mission. Not only is every piece unique on the site, but everything is relatively affordable as well with accessories as low as $27 and bags as low as $69. For uniquely made, ethical items - this is quite a good price considering what you are getting. 2. Vavavida I hadn't heard of this site until recently, but when I read up on it, it was almost impossible to skip over when I was creating this list. Not only did the owner's story get me thinking, but the brand's mission had me applauding their actions. Vavavida is an online site that sells accessories (jewelry and bags) that focuses on empowering women and supporting fair trade practices. On top of all that, all items are incredibly affordable (with free shipping anywhere in the US, might I add!) with the cheapest pieces of jewelry being sold for as low as $10 and bags being sold for as low as $20. The site is definitely worth a look and the owner's story is also worth a glance as well. 3. Earth Brands This one is also a site I just recently discovered that I'm already in love with. Since Planet Shoes has decided to go MIA, their site redirects you to this interesting brand that seems to have very similar values to their own. The Earth Brands is dedicated to making sure that all levels of production are being operated in a way that does the least amount of damage to the environment. By browsing their website, you can see that they lay out all of their production techniques clearly and are very transparent when it comes to their operations. Their shoes can range anywhere from $50 to $100 and come in array of fashions and colors. After looking at the site, I'm tempted to pick a few pairs for myself given their cute designs and the brand's dedication to the environment. 4. Matt and Nat Now it's time for a brand dedicated to bags (personally, one of my favorite accessories for every day!). Matt and Nat is a brand that I have been aware of for awhile now and that I have been deeply in love with for the past few years. The brand is dedicated to "living beautifully," which means they pay particular attention to the environmental impact of their brand and also the impact it has on people too. While they also sell shoes, which I would definitely urge you to check out as well, it's their bags that really capture my attention as they are versatile and can be used with several different outfits all throughout the seasons. The lowest bag can be purchased for $45 and all come in a variety of colors making it easy to find one that is perfect for you and your style. 5. Nisolo Rounding up my list is a brand that is dedicated to following fair trade practices and promoting them as well. Nisolo has an incredible dedication to it's workers and making sure that they are being paid well and treated fairly. Nisolo is so confident of it's efforts that they even publicly post their impact report directly on their website, something you don't see often for other companies. On top of all this, their shoes are well made and diverse in style for wear all year round. You can get shoes for as low as $48 and have the pleasure of knowing exactly where they came from as there is a description of their journey whenever you go to click to purchase. This company is about as transparent as it gets and I love it! I hope this list has been of some help to you. I know that at the beginning of my journey, I was overwhelmed by all the different brands that people were pointing me towards. Just like my first list, this is only meant to point you in the right direction and give you a bit of a jumping off point. Once you know what to look for in different brands and have a better idea of where you stand when it comes to your ethical lifestyle standards, it becomes easier to shop consciously. Until then, I hope this list can at least give you a bit of an idea of how and where you want to shop. |
About MeA marketing student passionate about green marketing and attempting to live a sustainable lifestyle. Archives
June 2018
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