5 Ways to be kinder to the Earth for Earth Day
(This post contains affiliate links.)
Did you know that 90% of all plastic is not recycled?
It’s easy to throw a yogurt container or takeout cup in the recycle bin and forget about it, but the reality is that plastic waste doesn’t just magically disappear. Manufacturing new plastic takes lots of resources, and often the contents of our recycle bins end up in landfills despite our efforts.
A better solution is to avoid single-use plastic in the first place. In honor of Earth Day on April 22, here are five ways I’m challenging myself to be kinder to mother nature with the help of Grove Collaborative!
- Plastic sandwich bags: By 2050 the ocean will contain more plastic by weight than fish. The good news is reusable storage bags are just as convenient as their single-use counterparts — without the plastic waste. An added benefit: they’re less likely to leak all over your fridge or the inside of lunchboxes! I’m looking forward to trying these for my own lunches and quick snacks on the go!
- Disposable coffee cups: Don’t get me wrong, I love a great cup of coffee — but knowing that there are 16 billion disposable coffee cups that get thrown away every year gives me cause for concern! Some of my favorite coffee shops have even started offering discounts for using a reusable coffee mug.
- Single-use straws: Americans use 500 million plastic straws EVERY DAY. That’s enough to circle the Earth twice! Straws are such an easy plastic source to eliminate, since they’re usually not necessary in the first place. For drinks like smoothies and milkshakes that call for a straw, bamboo straws like the ones from Grove Collaborative work great!
- Plastic bottles of cleaner: Bulky bottles of window and tile cleaner are not only wasteful, they’re ugly! Glass spray bottles filled with cleaning concentrates reduce your plastic consumption and look beautiful on your countertops, too. As I finish the half-empty bottles under my sink, I’ll swap them out for a reusable glass bottle.
- Product packaging: It might not seem like much, but the plastic wrappers that our products come in can add up to a huge amount of waste. For example, paper towels almost always come wrapped in plastic. One way to avoid this waste is by reaching for reusable cloths instead of single-use paper towels.
Humans are making an impact on the planet more rapidly than any other time in history, but the good news is that we can all make a big positive difference just by making a few simple swaps. You can find all the products I mentioned above — reusable storage bags, bamboo straws, microfibers, euro dish cloths — at Grove Collaborative.
And here’s the best part: When you use my link, you’ll receive your own starter kit with 3 cleaning concentrates + glass spray bottle + cleaning caddy + walnut scrubber sponges (WOW!) with your first purchase of $20 from Grove Collaborative. (Existing customers will receive free Grove walnut scrubber sponges.)
Here’s how it works:
- Sign up for Grove Collaborative here. You will receive the Mrs. Meyers offer to try products for free when you sign up!
- To receive this offer, your order needs to be a minimum of $20. Choose the combination of products and scents you love and receive your first box within a few days.
- You made it! Click Finish & Pay and place your order.
Little changes around the house can add up to one BIG change over time! By making small steps to improve habits, we can help contribute to positively impacting the Earth and reduce the impact of our consumption over time.
Thanks to Grove Collaborative for sending me these awesome products to try out in anticipation of Earth Day!
** This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.
