Guilt-Free Water.

As I write this post, I take a sip from my stainless steel souvenir water bottle from Alcatraz Island. I didn't buy this to remember my trip there (come on, it's like a forty-five minute trip INCLUDING the ferry ride), I bought this because I can drink my water in peace this way. 


Does anyone ever think of the effect of plastic water bottles on our environment? Yes, most of us do. But most of us believe that when we responsibly throw our plastic water bottles into a recycling bin, the next bottle we buy will be made out of those old bottles. Not true. With the technology today, water bottles can never be made into new water bottles. The plastics that actually are recycled are made into plastic conglomerates, such as the materials that make up play structures, park benches, and the rubbery turf that make up tracks and the ground of children's parks. Some plastics put into recycling bins actually are NOT recycled and are sent to out-of-country landfills, such as in India. Recycling your bottles is good, but it is not enough.


Glancing up at my stainless steel water bottle, I can give you five reasons just off the top of my head why those are better; there's no annoying crushing noise, they won't spill in your bag, they cost less in the long run ($5-$8 for an average stainless steel bottle, filtered water from the tap is close to free), they can be stylish and come in many different looks/colors, and they're better for the environment. Talk about the total package! So tell the plastic water bottle distributors "begone!" and grab a guilt-free, stylish stainless steel water bottle. 

(these are examples of the popular Klean Kanteen BPA-free stainless steel water bottles)

Cleaning Green

Now, I'm sure everyone who's reading this uses cleaning products all the time. From the soap you wash your hands with, to the cleaning products you clean your house with, to the washing fluids your clothes and dishes are soaked in, soaps and the like are a huge part of our everyday life. What not everybody knows, though, is that many cleaning products include harmful ingredients which are very bad for our water system. Many chemicals included in simple things, such as body wash or our shampoo, are extremely harmful, and stay in the water even after filtration processes. There are products becoming rapidly more popular nowadays which are paraben, phthalate, EDTA, or silicone free. Or even a combination of those. And the feeling you get, knowing that your shower isn't harming a thing except the dirt you're washing away, is refreshing and amazing.


One of the best brands to buy is Method Products, a small name brand with some big ideals. They call themselves the "people against dirty" and all their products are friendly to our planet. You can read more on their website or on their blog. I definitely recommend their Marine Naturals Body Wash, I will never buy another body wash.


Also, I love Garnier Fructis hair products, and they have just come out with a line called Pure Clean. These hair products are light, great smelling, and leave my hair (literally) squeaky clean. Both their shampoo and conditioner are over 90% biodegradable (the shampoo is 94% biodegradable, the conditioner is 92%), and they contain no harmful ingredients.

These are both great brands, but there are thousands of others on the market. It's just important for you to look at labels (most products will proudly label themselves as "green" if they are), and ingredient lists. It's not hard to make the switch, and it will ease your conscience to the max!