Being “Green” Earns You My Business

Sea Rocket Bistro is a restaurant here in SD that is what is so trendily called “green.” But they’re legit. The difference between them and the other green contenders is that when Sea Rocket says they care about the environment, they can tell you each and every way they’re saving the planet for your grandkids. The food waste they create gets turned into composting for local schools. They even went out of their way to get bio-degradable trash bags that cost more money than regular trash bags just to be eco-friendly, if not business savvy. Guess who will be getting my business soon? Talk is cheap, and these guys back their sh*t up.

Side Note: Being environmentally friendly is a lifestyle choice, not a one day feel-good-about-yourself-athon. This isn’t a zero-sum game, so just because you do something good one day doesn’t mean you’re given a free pass the next. Although a recent study found in Psychological Science suggests that quite a few people do in fact act that way.

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day!  Like many others, I’ve become increasingly aware of our environment and doing my part in preserving Mother Earth.  I’ve been under the impression in the past that living a green lifestyle is inconvenient and expensive, but I’ve got a few little changes I’ve made in efforts to become more green that I’d like to pass on to you!

1.  We’ve heard the old use a Brita and reusable water bottle advice. I know this is hard for many, because let me tell you- If I have the wrong water bottle I will forget to use it, and it will go to waste.  I’ve had Nalgenes, Camelbaks, and considered buying the pricey Sigg aluminum water bottle.  However, I’ve finally found one that I love and it happens to be the cheapest one I’ve bought at $5.99!  I found the Oggi Aluminum Sport Bottle at my local Marshalls for $5.99, so this is a worthy item to look out for next time you’re out.  Even on Amazon, it’s only $10.00 which is still relatively cheap.  The reviews may be a bit mixed, but I personally highly recommend this water bottle.. it’s not flimsy, holds the perfect amount, and has the perfect size opening to drink out of.  Also I’ve had it for about a month and have had no issues with a leaky cap.  I used to like the Camelbak Better Bottle with Bite Valve but I hated cleaning the bite valve.  If you don’t mind that, then that’s another water bottle I recommend.  I’ve found that I generally don’t like plastic water bottles though – I don’t like the smell of them.  The aluminum water bottle I use now has no smell and is easy to clean.  On the same wavelength, I also keep a mug at work so I refrain from using styrofoam cups.

2.  Use Reusable Grocery Bags – I know, I have issues remembering these too.  But I have found a system that more or less works for me.  First, I found these great bags that I can fit in my purse so I almost always have at least one grocery bag stashed in my purse.  I keep one in my car for those occasions I forget one in my purse.  The RuMe bags are great!  At first I wasn’t sure what to think because they turned out to be a lot thinner and flimsier than I expected, but boy do they hold a lot and they are surprisingly sturdy… I’ve been using them for months and they’re still in great shape!  I get compliments all the time about how great they look and how much they hold.  Additionally, I love the long handles that fit comfortably over my shoulder… I walk to/from the grocery store a lot and these bags make it MUCH easier to carry groceries on the walk home than any other bag I’ve tried… especially those plastic ones from the grocery store :)  They’re currently on sale at Delight.com which is where I got them :)

3. Buy from those who support green living. For example, I now buy all of my face care stuff from Acne.org – the name of the site is a little misleading, as they actually sell great products for everyone – not just those with Acne – ranging from cleansers, lotions, and of course acne treatments.  I’ve completely ditched the drugstore stuff and use their cleanser, as well as jojoba oil and alpha hydroxy cream as moisturizers.  The only thing I get from the store is sunscreen.  They package their products as environmentally friendly as they can, they’re reasonably priced, and they work well for me.  Etsy.com is also a great place to shop- many sellers there create and sell items keeping the environment in mind… I can spend hours upon hours browsing that site :)

4. Read up! There are many websites nowadays that offer great tips, articles, and discussions on green living.  It is no longer necessary to feel like you’re going out of your way to make eco friendly changes to your life.  Check out Daily Eco tips, Green Living Tips, and Eco Village Green to get started.

There are also other changes that are worth looking into such as making your own green household cleansers and detergents, as well as recycling -aside from the usual paper/plastic/alumimum, many things can now be recycled such as light bulbs and even yoga mats!  It is something to consider before throwing something out.  Another thing to take into consideration is reusing something before throwing it out.  Be creative!  It will make a difference.

-debs