A Few of My Favorite Earth-Friendly Products
Columnist - Kristine ValenzuelaI thought I’d depart from my usual informational post to talk about some of my favorite organic/earth-friendly products. To get the technical stuff out of the way - I’m not paid to endorse any of these products and I’m not affiliated with the makers of these products in any way. They’re simply products that I use regularly and quite frankly, I really like them. In most cases, they’re also Bargain Mama-friendly because they’re inexpensive, which is key to helping those of you who may be gun-shy about going the organic route due to the cost perception. Sun Life All-Purpose Orange Cleaner: This is the store brand carried at all Henry’s Farmers Markets. This is not organic but it is biodegradable and made with natural ingredients and is free of all the harsh chemicals found in most cleaners. I clean everything with this. I mean *everything*. Cost = approx $3/bottle. Purely Decadent Ice Cream: No list of favorites is complete without ice cream. I’ve been on a gluten-, dairy- and egg-free lifestyle for the past 8 months so this was discovered out of a refusal to give up ice cream. It’s made with organic coconut milk and a handful of other organic ingredients and it is delicious! Cost = approx $5/pint. West Elm Organic Cotton Blanket: I realize there are a ton of less expensive blankets out there but since ours is used every night, it has to be good enough quality to withstand daily use. Since 70% of everything that comes in contact with your skin is absorbed into your bloodstream, you might want to think about what your sheets and blankets are made of. Cost = $50 on sale for a king size blanket. Simple Shoes: I love this brand which makes a nice cross between a casual work shoe and tennis shoe. All I need to say about this natural, vegan company is that they use every earth-friendly material imaginable to make their shoes: recycled carpet padding, organic bamboo, unbleached hemp, organic cotton and recycled cork among others. Cost = $60 and worth every penny! Generic Recycled Plastic Shopping Bag: These are available at almost every grocery store these days. I use mine all the time because I want to do my part to keep plastic out of the landfills and from harming wildlife. The facts of using plastic bags are startling (for more information, read here reusablebags.com. Using them is as simple as remembering them before you walk into any store. I keep mine on the passenger seat of my car so I don’t forget. Cost = $1-2 per bag. This is a very short list of some of the products I use regularly - there are a lot more than this - but hopefully it will help establish the idea that not everything organic and/or earth-friendly has to be expensive. Until next time... Email: thegreenkernel@gmail.com |
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