The Redhead's Green Thumb

Convenience items at the grocery store urge us to buy their products, designed to be used then tossed, so that we can make our lives oh-so-much easier - AND keep giving them money, of course.
Better to pay for something handcrafted and reusable!

These reusable "Swiffer-style" dry cloths are AWESOME. QuiltingMama makes these cloths from easily washable flannel - you get four in this listing for a reasonable price, and you can remove all the dust from your house without guilt. There are several other Etsy sellers who make different swiffer covers, too - check out littlebigmamma for reusable Wet Jet covers made from crocheted cotton!




Boxwoodgoods has my next suggestion elegantly and ecologically covered! Made from 100% organic flax and cleverly stamped to reveal the material used, these are a fantastic way for you and your family to wean yourselves from paper towels or paper napkins. These are also suitable as a housewarming, hostess, or wedding gift - no matter if your recipient is eco-friendly or not, they can't help to be charmed by these adorable and affordable linen napkins.
The same shop also offers cocktail napkins - and both sorts of napkins are currently available in flax or hemp/soy.

In this same spirit, using cloth towels in your kitchen is recommended, as well as washcloths - please consider that every disposable item you purchase has to end up somewhere... and that's most likely in the dump. Cloth dishtowels, napkins, and dusters will last a very long time and save you tons of money, too - so what's not to love?

Labels: earth day, eco-friendly, etsy

I missed posting ON Earth Day. I'd say that's a bit lame of me, considering my treehugger stance on pretty much everything - but I was instead actually enjoying the day instead of sitting on my wide butt blogging about it, so I feel okay. *grin*
What did I *do* for Earth Day?
Well, mostly I prepared for the Beltane Brouhaha, an event that I'm vending at this weekend.
I decanted vinegar and infused oils. I did inventory. [boooooring] I made a necklace. [photo forthcoming, hopefully] I added labels to packages. Oh! I also packed up a lot of orders to mail out. Thank you, lovely Etsy buyers, for making this weekend delightfully busy!

For those of you who are new to my blog and life, Etsy is how I do a majority of my business. And that's important, because this is my only job! To bring it back around, this is part of my commitment to the Earth - working a job doing something that helps to educate and support people in learning how to use natural products, things that don't pump chemicals and plastics back into the precious environment. Not to say that this industry is perfect - ask me about overharvesting, or how difficult it is to find pump bottles in glass or recycled plastics - but at least removing the often petroleum-based chemical crud from one's life is making a start. It's better for your skin and body, too!
One of the best things that anyone's ever said to me was something that my pal Melissa recently told me: you opened my eyes to the world of natural products. She changed her shopping to reject chemical cleaners, soaps, and cosmetics, especially ones tested on animals. I'm SO proud, and I'm really touched that I brought this awareness, just by what I do. Sometimes things like that really bring home the idea that you don't have to preach - just put your money where your mouth is. ;)

So that's my Earth Day piece, uncharacteristically late. I've got some more things to write about, but I'll save that for another entry. That's how I keep you coming back, you know!

Labels: brouhaha, change your life, earth day