Earth Day! Two easy things...

Earth Day! Two easy things...

• 4.22.2012

Happy Earth Day!

I don't really celebrate the holidays most of the time, but Earth Day is one I can definitely get behind.  Of course I like to think about the health of our planet every day, and do all I can to make my impact as small as possible (helloooo, upcyclying and vegan diet!), but Earth Day is a nice reminder to improve wherever I can.

So, I'm always looking for little things I can do for the Earth.  But I thought I'd share with you a couple of my fave super simple things that we can all do--maybe you already do, but maybe these are new ideas!

First, thinking about paper towels, rags, and cleaning.  I grew up in a house with coordinating hand towels hanging on a rod by the sink, and a basket of rags in the downstairs bathroom, which we used when we had big spills to clean up.  Now, I keep torn up old towels and t-shirts in a bucket under my kitchen sink and in the bathroom cabinet, and I use them to wipe off the counters, etc. (I hate sponges. They skeeze me out.).  And I have these cool hand towels on my oven bar to dry clean hands with.  But I was at a friend's house not long ago, and a bunch of water spilled on the kitchen floor.  It was a learning moment for me when I saw her pull off tons and tons of (spendy) quilted paper towels and mop up the water!

Source: house8810.com via Kelly on Pinterest

Source: rstyle.me via Suzannah on Pinterest

I realized, oh, does not everyone use rags, and use paper towels sparingly?  I also notice when I'm at people's houses and they don't have a clean hand towel for drying hands hanging in the kitchen.  I buy the "Pick-a-size" paper towels and we use about one roll every 1.5 to 2 months.  Now, I know we don't have kids or anything, and I'm sure my consumption will go up then, but really I get annoyed when I have to buy them and I know the reusable rags and towels we use are much  more sustainable!

So, if you don't already, I highly encourage you to tear up threadbare towels, stained handtowels, and old t-shirts and give them new life as essential kitchen and cleaning rags!

Source

The other thing I wanted to talk about is... well, I guess these are both social change questions... I dunno, you can tell me what category this goes in.  I just wanna say: Can we all stop holding paper Starbucks cups in our hands for our personal style posts?!???!!

There are some blogs out there that I love, but I gotta say it: holding your latte in your disposable corporate coffee cup and sleeve DOES NOT make your outfit cuter!!  (It must be the Portlander in me. I'll calm down.)

Fox News said Starbucks cups were the "hottest accessory" in 2007.  It's been a while since then, and since when do we care what Fox News thinks about fashion?  If you must use a prop, there are some super cute reusable coffee mugs out there.  I see them at Marshall's and the grocery store and pretty much everywhere all the time, some of the nice porcelain ones, even, for only $5 or so.  Get one!

I was excited when I noticed Hannah on Pretty Little Liars holding a super cute mug in one recent episode.  Take a note from stylish Hannah's book, k?

Here are some more pics of celebs with reusable mugs, and aren't they a little cooler because of it?  Be forward-thinking, and bring your mug with you when you get a coffee.  You'll enjoy getting the 10 cents off, too! =)

Hope I didn't sound too preachy through all that.  I want to be better for the Earth, too!  What are your easy lifestyle tips today!?  How would you change your habits to be better??