Happy Earth Day 2016! To celebrate such an important occasion, I have curated a special selection of mouth-watering items that will make your life easier and more environmentally-conscious. Who said that green couldn’t be chic?
(Psst… Follow the pretty bold pink links to learn more about the products!)
1. Lavender aromatherapy candle by Lather ($10): This gorgeous candle is made exclusively with natural ingredients. Manufactured with paraffin-free and 100% natural soy wax, a spun cotton wick, lavender essential oil and lavender buds, this wonderful candle quickly scents the room with a soothing and calming fragrance. This is one of my personal favorite candles to pair with a relaxing bath or for burning after a stressful day, right before I go to bed.
2. Organic Manuka Honey Lozenges by Wedderspoon ($11.99): Want to bring some USDA Organic Certified goodness in your life? These eucalyptus lozenges are a life saver. Chock-full with manuka honey and bee propolis, they are great to soothe raspy throats without synthetic nasties. Since I discovered them, I always carry a few lozenges in my purse- with this crazy New York spring weather you never know what to expect!
3. Organic mini bath bombs by G2 Organics ($15): The perfect companion for the lavender aromatherapy candle, these small bombs are big in natural contents. One bath bomb is enough to draw a relaxing bath that also soothes and calms the skin (mine is extremely dry, and I have found these beauties also leave it hydrated. Yay!) The set of mini bath bombs includes six amazing scents: Amber, Passion fruit, Mango Cilantro, Aqua Blueberry, Pink Sugar and Fresh Apple (my personal favorite.)
4. Garden-in-a-can by Back to the Roots ($23.96/ 4-pack): Do you have a green soul but lack the skills to keep your plants alive? Well, you’ve just found your soul mate: I sometimes believe I left my green hand back in Spain. This wonderful invention by Back To The Roots allows you to plant non-GMO/ USD organic-certified basil (shown in picture), cilantro, sage, and dill in the comfort of your own windowsill. As easy as opening the can, putting the seeds, and watering them, this cute kit allows makes it fun and easy to harvest your own organic herbs. With no chemicals and no messy drainage holes, this garden–in-a-can is the perfect companion for my wardrobe-sized apartment in Gotham, and makes it the ideal companion for families who want to initiate their kids in the wonders of healthy agriculture (and healthy eating!).
5. Pure Castile Rose Liquid Soap by Dr. Bronner ($10.99/ 16 oz.): This liquid soap boasts one of the cleanest vegetable oil-based formulas out there. Made with organic and certified fair-trade ingredients, Dr. Bronner’s soap is created after the original formulas originating from the Castile region in Spain, with which I’m personally acquainted. Vegetable oil-based Castile soaps have been used in my country for centuries, and I’m really glad to report that Dr. Bronner’s formula is very much what I expected.
This is a genuinely ecological and simple soap that can be used for almost anything: To clean your face, your body, or even your home – it’s a great ally to wash food, do the dishes, get a sparkling laundry, mop your floors, or clean your pets– with no synthetic preservatives, detergents or foaming
agents. This means no Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate, a common chemical detergent to which I am extremely allergic. I personally use Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Liquid Soap to clean my kitchen and my bathroom; by mixing it with baking soda, it attacks the toughest grease stains. However, and because it is a very concentrated formula, you need to dilute it to get the best results. You can visit Dr. Bronner’s blog here for suggestions on how to make the most of this wonderful product.
6. Hanging Air Plant Terrarium by Maker’s Kit ($24, featured here with a black display stand from Amazon): This cute DIY green kit includes a hanging glass bubble, preserved moss and lichen, decorative rocks, a water atomizer, a Tillandsia plant, and an easy-to-follow set of instructions to take care of the lil’ guy. You only need to provide a sunny spot for your new friend!
7. Green terrain notebook by Word. Notebooks ($9.99/package of three): This gorgeous notebook is small enough to fit in the daintiest of purses. Made in the USA with recycled materials, Terrain features a map pattern that unfurls like a landscape. Stylish and highly functional, this lil’ guy features the brand’s unique organizational points that make life much easier.
8. Morganite blanket knitting kit by We Are Knitters ($125): We Are Knitters is an Eco-conscious do-it-yourself brand from Spain that promotes a Slow Life attitude. This kit is ideal to create a heirloom-quality 100% peruvian wool morganite blanket that will accompany you for years to come. Fueled by your own force and creativity, this kit will help you rediscover the value of handmade items that don’t end up in landfills after the end of a trend.
9. Star Master unisex canvas sneakers by Novesta ($89): Novesta is an ecological footwear brand that originated in Slovakia in 1939. Extremely well-known in Europe, it is now available in the United States thanks to Marubeni America Corporation. What makes Novesta unique is its manufacturing process that follows
the highest environmental standards, and mixes machine-pressed
techniques with precise traditional manual work by skilled craftsmen.
The Star Master unisex sneakers are made of crude natural rubber and 100% cotton canvas. Available in a myriad of colors, they are ideal to do any outdoor activities. In my opinion, these shoes are extremely comfortable shoes thanks to their flexible sole, and their unique design makes them trendy enough to use and reuse them with many different outfits.
10. Insulated reusable 24 oz. bottle by Hydro Flask ($29.99): Plastic is one of the biggest offenders in our landfills. Arming yourself with a reusable bottle for your hot or cold beverages is a great way to avoid contributing to the waste generated by disposable cups and containers! This BPA and phtalate-free vacuum-insolated bottle is a great ally for an Eco-conscious lifestyle on the go; it keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours and hot for up to 6 hours.
11. Canby Wood prescription glasses by Shwood Eyewear ($350): Made with sustainably-harvested wood, these eyeglasses are handcrafted to suit all face types. With a classic timeless wayfarer styling, these frames boast a low carbon footprint and are designed with longevity in mind, avoiding the unnecessary waste of resources. Check out their latest novelties- I saw them at Vision Expo East and they’re mind-blowing!
Disclosure level 1: The author received NO compensation
to write this article. The author received samples of some of the products featured to test, which did not influence the author’s decision to feature any item. To learn more about our editorial policies, please click here. This post contains NO affiliate links; links are provided to inform the reader.