I wrote a list of ideas of eco-friendly things to do while stuck at home... but that was 9 months ago. I don't think I ever could have guessed that we would still be here, social distancing, wearing masks, and mastering zoom in 2021. Vaccines are starting to be rolled out, and new leadership is on the way - I couldn't be more happy to see a light at the end of the tunnel. But that tunnel is still a good distance away, and I want to do some good things with this time. 

These days of quarantine are also a pretty rare stop in our routines and busy-ness. If you are one of the lucky ones who isn't trying to desperately figure out how you are going to pay your rent and eat, then you weirdly have some time on your hands. Why not use that time to make some changes and finish some projects that can help the planet?

Every climate crisis that is coming could be just as brutal to the humans on this planet, and our most vulnerable people will suffer the most. If you are feeling helpless, here are some ways to take advantage of this strange moment and help those who need it well into the future. No one can do everything on this list, but most of us can do something. Let's help our neighbors now and help our planet for the future.

Let's get to it...

So, here is an updated list of things you can do from home, because you are awesome for staying home and taking this seriously- it helps a lot of people. 

1. Shop Local and Take a Break from Amazon

Billionaires made a LOT of money last year. Like, unthinkable amounts of money. No one needs to worry about Jeff Bezos- that guy is doing just fine. 

All the shopping leads to tons of shipping- which means higher carbon emissions, plastic pollution, and more money for Jeff Bezos. It doesn't do a lot for us, but overconsumption is a major contributor to Climate Change. So one of the best (though not the easiest) ways we can help the planet right now is to stop our retail therapy. 

We have had our bored internet shopping, emotion shopping, weird stuff on the internet shopping. Just take a break from all of it. Have you noticed that none of this stuff has actually made things much better? Does anyone else notice their home is just overfilled with stuff? Are you sick of cleaning it for the millionth time? 

You don't have to clean the things you don't buy. This is what I tell myself when I start browsing again. We are doing a No Spend challenge this January to cut off all the shopping. 

On the other hand, local businesses are hurting. Small businesses, your local restaurants- it's not pretty. 

2. Cancel that Junk Mail

This is one of those tasks that can live on your to do lists for ages. You have time now to do the kinds of things you always mean to do. Do this one. Is it a pain? Yes, but 100 billion pounds of junkmail delivered every year. If every person who is staying home more did this, we could dramatically shrink that number, save trees (more for toilet paper), and just get less terrible mail.

Want a good resource for how to do this? Eco-cycle has a simple step by step for getting off the lists for junkmail.

If you only do one thing over this time to help the planet, this is a good one.

3. Get Outside

It's winter on the other side of the holidays- not usually a time we spend outside. That said, it could be a great time to try a winter garden, pick up litter, or just talk to friends from at least 6 feet. We can't go to many of our favorite spaces- restaurants, theaters, museums, or even church, but the message we keep hearing is that it is ok to go outside. You can maintain social distance and enjoy the fresh air. We are planning to be outside for at least two hours every day to stay sane.

The bonus of doing this (beyond taking care of your mental health) is that the more time we spend in nature, the more likely we are to protect it. We protect the things we love, so get out there and fall in love with nature again. Just wear a lot of warm clothes while you do it. 

Have kids at home with you? What a perfect time to set a new normal for them! Check out this list for ideas on activities to fall in love with nature with them.

4. Switch to Bulk (and Eco-Friendly) Toilet Paper

From what I can tell, Corona Virus has absolutely no direct control over bathroom habits, yet everyone kicked this chapter off by losing their minds for toilet paper.

How are you all living on the edge of running out of toilet paper all of the time? Better options are out there, and now is the perfect time to shift your attitudes about basics like these.

First, consider getting a bidet or bidet attachment. When people switch, they cannot stop singing the bidet attachment's praises. It's cleaner, saves tons of trees and paper, and is a much easier sell than the family cloth (though that can be a good option too).

If you aren't ready to break up with toilet paper, you can still completely switch up your toilet paper routine. Consider buying bamboo or recycled options from Who Gives a Crap or Reel. We buy in major bulk (once or twice a year) to save money, avoid any plastic packaging, and no trees come down so we can wipe our butts. Even better, when people lost their minds over toilet paper, we knew we had at least 4 months supply already in our basement. Bulk buying RECYCLED paper products is a game changer for how you run your house and how that impacts the planet.

If you want to research this more, check out this post for more info.

5. Help out your Neighbors

We are finding ways to take care of each other which is pretty powerful. Our neighborhood in Seattle is rallying around each other, doing everything from making a shamrock hunt for kids to walking a neighbor's dog for her. People share food, advice, and puzzles.

Online neighborhood groups and Buy Nothing groups are as busy as ever. My Buy Nothing group is my favorite space on the internet- overflowing with kindness on regular days and blowing me away every day of this crisis. They allow people to offer gifts when they have more than they need, and to ask for things when they don't. If you aren't in your Buy Nothing group yet, now is a great time to join. Does your neighborhood not have one? This is the perfect time to start one!  Check out their website to learn more.

That said, there are people struggling on another level now. There is a huge economic divide at play and so many people are food insecure, losing their homes, or at a much higher risk of getting the virus. If this is not you, you have to help these people! Start locally- how are people doing in your neighborhood? How are the kids at your child's school? What is your church doing? Use that extra time to do some research and get involved.

6. Practice New Recipes (Without Meat)

Remember when we all started quarantine baking bread? Who is ready to reconnect with that energy?

While you have time to experiment in the kitchen, then it is time to embrace more vegetarian recipes. Trying some new things and finding meat-free recipes you love is a huge win for you (life gets boring when you aren't learning new things), but it is also a huge win for the planet. Animal agriculture is a huge source of CO2, pollution, and resource waste. The single best thing we can all do for the planet is to dramatically decrease (or cut) meat from our diets. Especially red meat.

So if eating more plant-based meals has been on your list of things you wanted to try "someday," now is a good time. If you eat meat-free for the next few months of social distancing, you can save thousands of gallons of water and multiple animals.

If you have been staying home for the benefit of others and want to make the most of this time, check out our Meatless Monday page and start broadening your recipes! If you have stocked up on food and don't have much access to more, you can even read some cool vegan recipes that use standard canned goods. If you have some meat already in the fridge, check out our Half-Meat Meals post for ideas on how to make what you have last more meals.

7. Use Single Use Plastic When It's Necessary 

(Skip it the Rest of the Time)

The big downside of Covid-19 is that we have seen a returning surge of single use plastics. The drinking straw as a regular part of life actually took off last time as a response to disease as well. Sometimes, single use plastic can be a Godsend to keep things sterile and safer; sometimes, it is just perception.

Months into this, we know that your grocery store really doesn't need those plastic bags for safety reasons. On the other hand, in medical contexts, PPE is so important, and that includes plastic! 

Single use isn't always necessary and if you are quarantined, you may not need it all the time. Still use your water bottle at home. We have lost some control over things, access to things like bulk shopping, and are getting way more of what we need shipped. Some of this plastic is just going to happen, but you can spend this year pushing back where you can. So please don't bring back the straw.

How are you spending quarantine now? Everyone doing alright? I hope you and your loved ones are staying healthy and safe! 

I am so glad you care about the environment. That is a big freaking deal, but it can feel scary and intimidating, because there are so many things to change or you KNOW you are still getting things wrong. Maybe you don't know the science enough. Or you don't feel involved enough. Or you still get a pop in a bottle once in a while (ok, all the time).

This "not enough"ness is a classic marker of the way our culture teaches us to think about ourselves. It perpetuates eco-concious cultures and activism as well, but I think the scrutiny does more harm than good.

It has been an amazing fall for the growing visibility of environmentalists. Between the massive climate strikes, Greta Thuneberg's media-covered travels, and even the British royal family taking a stand for the environment, you don't have to look that far to see someone caring about the planet.

But with all of this positive movement, there comes a lot of critique. The internet has become this hotbed of "think pieces," and if you are trying to make progress, there is always someone writing to say why the progress isn't good enough.

Harry and Meghan got a minute of press about their environmental work, and weeks of coverage about their hypocrisy and privilege in using private planes for travel.

In the days after the climate march (and even on the signs there), some vegans said you couldn't really be an environmentalist if you still eat animal products.



The assumption here is that if you aren't doing everything right, that your shortcomings undermine your efforts. That it all boils down to hypocrisy. It makes it scary to stick your neck out and say you care, because our links to the wellness of the planet links to everything we do. It can feel like caring makes you vulnerable to critique in every part of our lives. The list of things someone will criticize you for seems nearly endless:

-too much meat - too many children - too much plastic - not political enough - not informed enough - using too much energy - wasting too much time- not zero waste enough - not vegan enough - too much flying - too much shopping -  and on and on and on.

All of these arguments are valid, and we have plenty of reason to take them seriously. We should consume less animals and fly less! But if we haven't totally tackled that part of our personal lives, have we already failed?

When it comes to getting people involved, if we make it all or nothing, we will end up with nothing. 

Ok, so to move forward, let's start on a shared assumption that we are almost all terrible hypocrites. I am. You are. Let's assume we are all making mistakes or doing harm in our personal lives every damn day.

We all still participate in a consumer/capitalist system that is destructive to the environment because there is really very little way out on our own. In fact, the chances we have to avoid this hypocrisy depends ENTIRELY on our privilege.

Want an example? Our tiny blog gets criticism most every day, but one day was my favorite. After writing a blog on eco-concious shoes, I took major heat from vegans for mentioning leather options. And I got criticism from zero-waste friends for including vegan options that used all synthetic (plastic) materials.

Both criticisms are totally justified! And it can be incredibly difficult to find the perfect options that are faultless to everyone. But most of us can't walk barefoot everyday (as much as I would love it). Shoes become an apt (though small) metaphor for our individual decisions- perfect doesn't always exist, and different priorities are at play, so it can be hard to get it 100% right.

This can make things feel pretty hopeless, but our personal decisions are only a part of the story.

What matters most is that the pool of people who care, who are getting involved, who are paying attention is constantly growing. I have only been involved for a few years, but I have watched the pool of people deeply invested in taking care of our planet grow exponentially.

When you thought of environmentalist even a decade, you probably imagine one of two things- a scientist or a super crunchy hippie. Now, so many of us don't fit either description and that is GOOD. In fact, it is the best possible thing that could happen, because it shows that anyone and everyone can care about the planet.

There isn't one right way to be an environmentalist. 

That means that you absolutely belong and are needed here. The things that make you think you aren't good enough are exactly why we need you- everyone from every walk (and every kind of hypocrisy) needs to get involved.

Our individual choices are nothing compared to the power of our voices in collective action. You are enough, and we all can do more. 

The sheer numbers of people paying attention needs to scare the pants off of people in leadership in government (and in business). This is the most important thing going on right now, so if someone makes you feel like you aren't good enough to be in the club, fuck'em. Because they don't get the real point, which is that no individual perfection will get us nearly as close to saving our climate, our biodiversity, and humanity itself as collective action.

We want a big club. We need a big club. We can't survive without a club of millions. People with different bodily, mental, and cultural abilities. People with different cultural and class backgrounds. People with tons of time to give and people with very little time to give. People who can never reach that "perfect" mark.

We need you to care. We can worry about perfect later.

I love this quote from the Zero Waste Chef, and I think it resonates with all forms of enviornmentalism:

from zero waste california

Worried about not doing enough? These are the four questions to keep circling back to:

1. Am I putting my convictions into action? 

If you care about the environment, you need to do something about it. Something that reaches out past your personal choices and participates in collective action. THAT SAID, this can take about a million different forms. Let's name a couple:

- Joining environmental organizations.
- Go participate in marches and other actions when they come up.
- Giving money to environmental causes.
- Calling your representatives.
- Holding businesses accountable.
- Joining campaigns.
- Starting an environmental group where you are.
- Go to a Beach Clean Up
- Writing letters.
- Planting Trees.
- Making green changes in your workplace, community centers, or places of worship.

This list goes on and on. You can do something in rural and urban areas. You can do it with loads of time or very little. The more you do from this list, the better.

2. Do the people who know and love me see how important this is to me? 

One of the most important things we can do to fight Climate Crisis is to simply talk about it. It doesn't have to be constant facebook posts or Thanksgiving throwdowns with your relatives (though I'm not opposed to either of those things). We know that people change their minds about environmental issues through their interactions with friends and loved ones. That means that you have the most impact with the people you already deal with everyday.

I know for a fact that these efforts have MAJOR impacts on the world. Every pebble you toss has ripples. So if you change Bob's mind, he can go on and change Francine's mind. And she could change someone else's mind. It goes on and on.

When you are talking to other parent friends, be brave and mention you are worried for your kids future. When your favorite grocery cashier asks if you want plastic bags, tell them you are trying to give them up because you read how bad they are for the environment. Buy water bottles as birthday gifts.

All those little efforts and conversations add up, and they are powerful.

3. Can I tell a difference in how I am living my life? 

Personal choice and collective action play into each other constantly, and they both make a difference when done in mass. So much of these things is closely tied to gross income inequality, and I will never have as much individual power as a billionaire to turn this sinking ship around. BUT, I would never say that what we do as individuals doesn't matter; it's simply not true. Our personal lives are the sphere where we have the most control! So let's think about how to measure personal progress without getting discouraged.

Ok, you aren't a perfect vegan living shoeless in a cabin in the woods. Me either. Rather than judging yourself against an (impossible?) ideal, judge yourself against where you were last year.

Have you changed your habits as a consumer?
Eating a lot less meat? Creating less food waste?
Flying less? Started buying carbon offsets?
Shopping secondhand? Joined Buy Nothing?

We know that some personal choices pack the most punch- our diet, our travel, and our consumption all have clear links to the environment. Rather than looking for perfection in any of these categories, how can you measure your progress?

Sit down and think back to where you were a year ago. Start a list of the positive changes you have made. Think forward to your next year- what would you like to accomplish in the next year? Use these three categories- Diet, Travel, and Consumer Habits to break it down even more.

No one can really see if you are making progress but you, because we all start in our own spot and move forward with our own abilities and priorities. Every inch gained absolutely matters. And it's good you have more growing to do. If we were all doing our best and the planet was in this state, we would really be fucked.

4. Is the world better off because I am in it? (Hint: Yes, it is)

My dream is that when I die, my tombstone can say the world was a teeny, tiny bit better because I was in it. The older I get, the higher a bar I realize this is. Most of us aren't going to be Greta, and that is ok, but we can ask ourselves from time to time if we are making our world a better place. It's a good way to stay motivated and to keep moving.

But I want you to know that the world is better off with you in it, with you trying, and with you caring. I am so glad you are here.

Doing something is always better than letting hopelessness take over and doing nothing. The trick is to feel good about what we are doing now and let that momentum push us to try harder, speak up louder, and just keep going. 

You are enough, and we all have work to do.

The state of our planet is a big complicated problem, and it will take a big complicated solution. To really save our planet and the biodiversity on it, we need what everyone has to give. So whatever you have to give matters, and it adds up when placed next to the person next to you. 

Did I mention I am so glad you care about this at all? Keep caring, keep making progress, and know that I am so grateful to be fighting for this planet next to you. Neither of us have to be perfect to make a huge difference.

This week is the one year anniversary of the Women's March, and many of us returned to marches and community events to renew our energy and remind our leaders that we aren't giving up. This year has been ROUGH. It could not be more pivotal that people find rewed energy to fight the good fight to keep our democracy in tact.

Every day it is something new. Something terrible. Even if you started out ready to give this president a chance, it is hard to buy into that after the year he has had. That is even truer if you care about the environment, because his twin devil secretaries Pruitt and Zinke have had extreme success in deregulating, destroying, and generally being douchebags (like robbing the wildfire funds to charter their private planes, having secret phonebooths put in their office for direct lines to big oil, I mean, I can go on and on).

So it feels like a time to reflect, to look at what tactics are working and where we can push harder.

Now, before you accuse this blog of hating conservatives or coming purely from a place of liberal tree huggerness, check out this post from MONTHS ago about how to Make America Great Again with your money. This blog's first priority is that you start changing your personal consumer choices, no matter who you vote for, and we believe EVERYONE has a stake in taking care of the environment. Though, if we are being honest, I do love hugs (including tree hugs-why not?).

Having written for both, I now notice that in conservative and progressive camps, our ideals are consistently compromised by what we spend our money on. 

If progressives are fighting inequality, why do we invest DAILY in companies and corporations that fight to uphold it? This sounds like a petty critique, but I see so much potential in it. The things we spend our money on from food to gas to paper plates all come with political baggage. But that means we can manipulate our participation to pack political punch.

Changing what we buy and how we spend our money is another opportunity to resist.

To resist climate change (since the EPA won't do it).
 To resist injustice  and mistreatment all over the world.
To resist Big Oil and Big Agriculture.
To resist the continuing distribution of the wealth to the wealthy.
I see it as another opportunity to make our voices heard. To stand up to this nonsense when our politicians are standing for Big Money's interests, not the American people.

Lots of materials have come out about avoiding Trump companies, but boycotting Ivanka's casual workwear is just the tip of the iceberg.

Now, I am not suggesting we can right every wrong simply by changing our approach to groceries. And so much of our access to avoiding some of this stuff depends completely on the privilege we have already. But if you have the privilege to buy groceries, you have enough privilege to spend your money well, so many of us can follow through with it. And we KNOW that many of these issues, especially unethical labor practices and climate change effect poorer populations exponentially more, so if you are invested in intersectionality (as we all should be), you can't avoid labor and environmental practices. I will own that there is privilege written all over this post, but there might be some helpful ideas too, and tell me when my own blindspots are getting in my way.

Our purchases really ARE votes for the kind of world we want. Are we as progressives undermining ourselves with our "votes"?

Let the rest of our lives reinforce the ideals we are fighting for politically. Let's see some more opportunities to make our voices heard and to stand up for the world and country we want. I will list lots of ideas and issues, pick what resonates with you. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.

Let's get started.

Just Buy Less This Year

People in power gauge our attitudes daily by how we spend our money, and politically speaking, we may not be sending the message we intend-

Us, at marches, in conversation, on facebook- "I am extremely concerned..."

Us, holiday shopping: "Everything is great! No complaints. What's on sale?"

This past November and December, spending was OVER projections (even though paychecks are about the same across the board and layoffs are on the upswing yet again). Analysts and companies were pleasantly surprised at just how much of our money we handed over.

Wait... what?

This has all sorts of bonus dramas. Overconsumption is a key component of climate change, because our stuff tends to waste fossil fuels traveling long distances. Most stuff now comes with some sort of packaging as well, which means lots more plastic waste.

Lastly, and this is HUGE, if you are concerned with extreme inequality and injustice in the world, you have to stop investing in it by buying cheap things that were most likely made with unethical labor. People all over the world are in sweatshop and slavery situations so we can keep up our consumption at record rates. Are you ok with someone being mistreated, raped, or even killed in unsafe conditions so you can have that t-shirt? We collectively have to pull back the curtain, even though it hurts.

So the answer for 2018 is simple- just stop shopping so much. Let 2018 be the year we vote no with every dollar we can spare. We all need to do it, myself included. Buying is not an effective way to spend our time, and apparently we got everything in the stores back in November and December.

Stop paying into a system that is built to disenfranchise us.The nice thing about this is that it not only costs nothing, but it can actually save us major money. Consider paring down your clothes shopping with a capsule wardrobe, or start a "need" list and never buy anything when you spot it on the shelf. Buy secondhand (you can even do it online). Even better, borrow and swap. You know where you might tend to overshop, see where you can change up your approach to stuff.

One great way to do this is to join the Buy Nothing Project. This amazing project has groups all over the world. You join the group for your local area, and then you can gift or request any item you want to get rid of or need (everything from shoes to furniture to lotion). It builds community, helps you dramatically cut down shopping, AND it saves you major amounts of money. If you haven't yet, join one. If your area does not have one, think seriously about starting one. This may not seem like it, but it is a positive political action that builds up your neighbors and helps everyone rethink their relationship to their stuff.

Want more information on just how important it is to stop shopping? Check out the Story of Stuff Project.

When You Shop, Shop Small and Local

No year has made it more clear that the Big Guy is out to Stomp you. Look at the tax scam- who benefits? Not the majority of the American people. So why do we continue to give these people are money every day?

Now, I will own this comes from a place of privilege- lots of us are barely surviving, much less getting to make slow and informed choices about each of our purchases. But if you feel your area is suffering, one of the best things you can do is support local smaller businesses. Maybe try buying your first round of groceries from a local grocer and then finish up at the big chain you usually shop at.

In a perfect world, when we pay a store, that money stays in our community, because the staff and the owners also pay local businesses. When we shop somewhere like Walmart, that money leaves the area completely, and it continues to get stockpiled by the Waltons into their ocean of money somewhere. When you shop at Walmart, you send your money off to never be seen or enjoyed again by your community- we can do better, and even small communities usually have some local shops worth supporting.

Over the 1%? Gah, me too. So we have to put as much of our money into the other 99% wherever we can.

Want to stick it to fossil fuels another way? Stop shipping your stuff all over creation. Buying local and Made in America can get burdened with xenophobic, boobs on a mudflap kind of values (though it seems most people with those "values" don't actually buy American), but we need to make it a progressive ideal. Call out companies that don't carry American-made or fair-trade options. Even if the administration won't listen right now, if they lose enough money, businesses will. If you need a place to start, I have an epic number of lists on Made in America and eco-friendly items. Easiest is to start with your basics you buy all the time, like paper towels, toilet paper, etc. There are eco-friendly and American-made options out there, it's just a matter of getting in the habit of looking.

Stop Investing in Pipelines

Our attitude about what is going on reveals our own hypocrisy. It would be like going to see Walter White for some meth and chiding him for misbehaving at the same time. You don't really have the right to ask "Why are you being so awful?" He is being terrible because you are paying for it, You have made his terribleness extremely lucrative. We all have.

The same is true for our relationship with Big Oil. They are buying our politicians and destroying our environment because we are paying them to. So if we want change to happen, we have to change ourselves.

Easier said than done. But not impossible. Here are three key steps to take-

1. The straightforward part of this is to look where you bank. Wells Fargo and other ubiquitous American banks are key investors in these projects. You can read all about it at 350.org. Do a little research on your banks and their involvement in big oil. If your bank is involved, divest. Maybe try a credit union instead. And be sure to tell them why you are doing it. Seriously, banks need to know you do not approve and that you have lost their business.

2. If you can drive less, you should. If you can get solar panels, you should. If you can take public transit, you should. We can all do these things at low levels, but to go all out it takes money, location, and a certain amount of privilege. Not everyone has public transit to use or a network to carpool with. But if you have those things, then use them. Let 2018 be the year you get really good at taking the bus or riding your bike. Set a goal of how many times you are willing to fill up your car, and then keep to it.

If your city or town doesn't have good options for this, start thinking solutions. This could be a huge way for you to make a difference this year.

3. We all need to stop buying other products that use petroleum, from Dove dish soap to plastic bottles. More on this...

Push Away All the Plastic

 If you think this isn't political, check one simple, presidential move. He reinstated disposable plastic water bottles in National Parks. Now, this seems like a pretty dinky move compared to Secretary Zinke's reign of terror over the parks, a full out assault where he shrinks monuments and uses funds to fight wildfires to fund his private flights (what is wrong with these people). But this move to help plastic bottles shows exactly where the administration's loyalties are- to big plastic.

Big plastic is an aggressive and prominent lobby in the US, and the administration is on its side. It's why even though we know plastics are poisoning our land and filling our landfills, double the plastics are slotted to be made in 2018.

And that will hurt us all. Plastic is poison. Studies continue to show its connection to hormonal changes in children, to certain cancers, and to severe damage to our digestive and endocrine systems. Americans create unbelievable amounts of plastic waste every single day, polluting our water, filling our landfills, and becoming part of the giant trash island.

No matter what your situation in life is, you can phase some plastic out of your life. It's one of the easiest steps we can take. Some liberal out there can get some f you solar panels on her roof, but most of us can't afford it. Some of us can walk or take the bus, but that's not always possible.

Plastic feels equally unavoidable, but it isn't.

1. Cut the Big Four (straws, water bottles, coffee cups, and plastic shopping bags) out of your life. It costs no money to say "No straw please" when you go out to eat.

2. Prioritize Low Packaging, Low Waste Options. Shop around the outside edge of the grocery store- that's where the most package-free food lives there. Consider thinning out your meat consumption, or bringing a container the meat counter can put your food in. Shop secondhand, because all the clothes in stores have traveled in individual plastic bags. Buy reusable basics like cloth napkins and

3. Put Pressure on Businesses. At this moment in history, we know that putting pressure on businesses is as effective, if not more, than political action. For example, asking your community's grocery stores to stop carrying plastic bags vs. doing a plastic bag ban. We know that businesses are starting to take these things seriously, some more than others. Even brands as big as McDonald's are switching to


Want more information and inspiration? Join a group like the Plastic Pollution Coalition.

Fight Climate Change on Your Plate

Climate change is the biggest problem a government has ever fought to deny. We know it isn't a myth, as we have seen one disaster after another this year. Even if the environment isn't your regular political interest, you are probably seeing how it is effecting every other issue, and we all have to get involved. Because nothing else matters if our planet doesn't survive. When we first left the Paris Agreement, I wrote about many ways we can continue to fight climate change, but this is one of the most important.

We know one of the most effective ways to do that (besides buying a Tesla and solar panels (pretty out of reach for most of us) is to change our diets. Americans' eating habits, from wasting food to using too many pesticides is having a dramatic effect. So we can make a big positive difference just by changing our own eating habits. Here are some of the easiest steps-

Eat Less Meat. You don't have to give up meat completely, but even giving up one day of meat a week can save thousands of pounds of CO2 from going into the atmosphere every year. Meat production costs an insane amount of water and resources, and beef production comes at a particularly huge environmental cost. It's so dramatic that a vegan diet keeps almost as much CO2 out of the atmosphere as giving up your car.

If we as progressives wanted to turn the tides until this presidency is over, none of us should eat a bite of beef until that man is out of office. Until someone is taking active steps to offset CO2.

Eat Local. I just learned that the AVERAGE distance traveled by our food, from farm to the table, is 1,300 miles! What!?!? This is partially because our food is so processed, so our food goes through 6 different hands on average before it reaches the store. That is an extreme waste of fuel and resources. If you haven't yet, look up a seasonal calendar for where you live. Plan around it and try to buy the food that is most local to you. Fall in love with local brands. The shorter our stuff and our food travels, the less fossil fuels we are using, the better.

Eat Organic. Ack, ok, to be totally honest, I have mixed feelings about this one, because this doesn't tend to be cost-effective and organic produce travels in more plastic. That being said, we all need to be concerned with bee populations and the effects of pesticides on bees (do you know 1 in 3 bites on your plate only exists because of bees?). If bees go, we all go. So when you can, buy organic. Or, put more pressure on grocers and growers to stop using such harmful pesticides because (surprise!) the EPA is deregulating this area and encouraging pesticides. If you can afford to eat organic, do so. If not, consider trying out CSA boxes or nearby farmer's markets which sometimes have more affordable options.

Stop Wasting Food. Americans waste an astounding !()@*!()@ pounds of food a year. This wastefulness is just another form of overconsumption. Start meal planning or eating leftovers first to cut out more waste from your life and diet. So simple, but it actual does shift your footprint and fights climate change.

Want more information on food and climate change? Check out this information from Sustain.




Alright, I know this is big. What I am asking for is a paradigm change, but where we can change, we should. Because on the days where we aren't getting through politically, we can still be constantly shifting the tides of public opinion, market norms, and business standards by pushing in these directions. What else should I add to the list?

So most of the people reading this blog are probably already making some great decisions for the environment- you recycle, you avoid plastic like the plague, you are going easy on shopping. Making our own personal consumer choices better is hugely important (I mean, this whole blog is devoted to it), because it is the first step toward systemic change.

Today, even if you have resolved to help in so many ways, I am going to ask you to help move this systemic change along faster. Become an environmental activist (and there are so many ways to do this).

Because it has never been more important.

Because 2018 is a turning point for our world.

Because your voice matters, and it really can help.

Because getting involved in the fight to save our environment and our world will make your life better. No, really. It will. I promise.

I think we all know, deep down, that our world, our country, and our lives have reached a crossroad, and there is no room to be a passive observer. We are all part of this, whether we like it or not, so why not be on the side of good?

How It's Good for You

We are all already busy. We have plenty to worry about in our own lives. Why would we get involved in problems that are just so big?

Well, first, because these issues matter, and we can see that people (even a small but vocal group) can make a real positive difference by speaking up and showing our leaders that people are paying attention. That greed will not go unchecked.

Second, it's good for each of us to care about something bigger than ourselves. Sure, this last year caring has mostly meant incredible stress, but in general, helping others and being a part of something bigger than ourselves are listed as key components of happiness in research.

Third, it is the fastest way to make things happen. Talk about reaping real results. If I never use another plastic bag, I have saved a couple thousand plastic bags out of landfills and water. If I can convince everyone who reads this post, it's like 2,000 times that (so low millions- pretty awesome!). If we get plastic bag bans across the US, we are in the billions. 30 billion plastic bags a year. So, if you have an environmental ax to grind, changing your own choices is important, but taking a stand has even more impact.

Most importantly, because we are part of nature, and it's destruction is our destruction. Humans historically tend to separate ourselves from nature. But we are nature. As much a part of it as any leaf or rain or animal, we live in nature, nature moves through us in our food, and we are even home to billions of micro-organisms. So if biodiversity goes, we go with it. If water is polluted, we are poisoned. If the air is unclean, we breath that nonsense in.

There is no nature "out there," it is you, your body, your life, so the environment's health is your health as well. 

How It's Good for the Earth

We know that participation in environmental groups and movements greatly increases their effectiveness. Organizations and groups run a pretty wide gamut, from Greenpeace to The Story of Stuff to The Wilderness Project all attend to different areas of the Earth's help. Their work is vital and has saved so much (including human lives).

These groups need money and they need people power. And if you live somewhere where they aren't as active, they need you even more. Giving your enthusiasm, your ideas, your talents, your time, and your money takes these groups from dinky and struggling to thriving and effective.

I try not to say negative things here, but we all know that the EPA is working against the environment's protection right now, which means we citizens have to step up to help, or things are going to look seriously dire after this administration is done. The bottom line here is that people and groups who care about the environment are solidly out of power, so the only way we can win here is with numbers. So you may not feel like your signature or ten bucks matters, but these groups need it more than ever.

How to Do It

There are so many options here that you may have never thought of. These are just my ideas to get you started.

Join One Large Organization and One Local One

There are tons of groups out there to join, but you can really figure out how many you can handle and still do some good. My advice is to join two groups- one that is really large and can produce big numbers in demonstrations, donations, and petitions. The other should be something that is local, that can use your time as much as your money. Don't get caught in a bind where everything you're doing is far away and invisible.

For your local group ( I would say within 2 hours for rural areas, so you could show up for a demonstration if needed), you will have to do your research yourself. Ask around, and check bigger groups for local branches. You can do it.

For your larger organization, this is my list of some of the biggest environmental groups. But there are definitely more! So look around.


There are so many more- thank goodness, but they need your help to survive.

Sign 10 Petitions This Year

If you don't have the money to become actual members of organizations, you can still be a BIG help. Pick any of these guys on the previous list, and join their facebook page. These organizations need signatures for their petitions and letters to politicians ALL THE TIME. We are looking for broad participation. One of the goals is simply to let those making decisions know that we do care and we are paying attention. So care, pay attention, and every time someone asks for a signature, take 30 seconds and do it.

This one is SO EASY. And it really does make a difference. Even if the environment isn't your primary battle, plug in enough that you can be backup when they need it.

Call One Representative a Week

I know for a fact that politicians have the sense that the environment is just not that important to people. They don't get that much pushback about it. When you look at what has actually been accomplished in the last year, the vast majority of their successes are pushing back environmental regulations. Part of this is because Scott Pruitt is a nasty weasel of a human being without a shred of integrity (I don't hate anyone, but I would let that guy hang out on the side of the road with a flat tire. I would not help that man). The other reason they have made those changes is because they could. If we don't want public lands to be sold off to big oil, we have to show we are listening.

Before this wonderful political climate, I had no experience talking to politicians or their office. Now, every Thursday while my eldest is at pre-school, I walk laps with my baby and call political offices. I still am super awkward, but I like the 5 Calls website, because I can pick an issue and read their script before I call. Again, still awkward, but less so. Such an awesome resource. Try it!

Hold Your Businesses to Task

Your neighborhood businesses want your money- why not reach out to them about making better choices? Want to put an end to plastic straws? Then ask them to switch to paper! Want them to bag in paper not plastic, send them a link to the studies on how much it can help the world.

Some people will recommend bringing this up somewhere like Yelp. I have mixed feelings about that, because I personally have not found people respond well to being publicly called out. At the very least, go into it gently, because people respond to being backed into a wall with defensiveness, and that doesn't help anything.

Another option is to write them a letter or a note on facebook. Or ask if you can talk to them about it in person. The Last Plastic Straw even has print outs you can leave at restaurants with plastic straws.

Even better? Start a local group that sends letters together or starts local petitions. Just one voice is kind of annoying nagging. 100 voices starts being concerning. Every voice added tells them they could potentially lose a customer, so pick a goal (no more plastic bags, no more plastic straws, stop triple wrapping things in plastic, etc), get a few friends together, and make it happen. It's never been easier with the internet to have a lot of impact and to really wake people up.

Plant Trees... Lots of Them

If every American family planted one tree this year, we could reduce one billion pounds of air pollution per year. One billion pounds. Know a place where some trees could be planted? Make an event! Host a picnic/ planting party! Again, planting one tree is AWESOME. Figuring out ways to encourage MANY trees being planted is even better. Resolve to plant 12 trees this year, and ask your friends to join you!

Clean Local Rivers and Beaches

We already know that our water sources are being polluted by our waste. It's one of those ways that our poor stewardship is hurting us RIGHT where we live, because it is killing off 100,000 mammals and even more birds a year. Luckily, since this is a problem all over the place, you may not have to go far to get involved.

You can find some local events on this map (also you can register something if you plan it!). The EPA used to have a resource to help find river clean ups, but Surprise! it's gone. But I would poke around and see what you find, because there are lots of special local organizations - such as Riverkeeper and Surfrider among others- doing this work as well.

Be Honest, Open, and LOUD About Caring

No one has ever been cool for caring too much or too deeply. These issues are especially ones that people would rather ignore, because they are complicated, difficult, and very uncomfortable to accept responsibility for. Caring loudly is powerful. Caring is absolutely contagious, especially when it comes in the form of positive enthusiasm.

I see this all the time. For every person I am sure I have turned off, I have also slowly helped people notice things they maybe never would have seen before. Friends and family tell me almost everyday about a new recycling program they heard about or something they bought at a thrift store or hey did you see this video about such and such thing. I love it. Because even if all they think is "Hey, B would love this," they are still thinking about it.

Enthusiasm and caring catches on slowly, one person at a time, and then in big waves. This is why grassroots works. Because you can't build something from nothing. But your caring is not nothing. It's powerful, it's big, and it's important. You could be a domino that tips a thousand more dominos. But only if you are brave enough to be open about your caring. I won't tell you it's always easy (I certainly have gotten over the worry I am annoying people), but nothing is more important.


Ok, so what are you doing to help save the world in 2018? Share your ideas with me!

So you have a family member or friend who is starting to really think about the environment. Maybe they are outraged by the unlawful shrinking of national monuments for the sake of fossil fuels. Maybe they had a baby and are thinking more seriously about the future. Maybe they saw the video of the sea turtle or the photos of the gigantic garbage patches. Maybe they don't even realize they give a shit yet, but they are just starting to notice how off things are.

There are a million reasons people start to care, and they are all good. We need everyone to care.

If you know and love someone interested in making some changes, it might be hard to know what they want or how you can support them. Are they cutting down on meat? Becoming minimalists? Do you have a baby zero-waster on your hands?

 There are lots of helpful gifts you can give them to get moving in the right direction. And can you think of anything better to celebrate than someone brave enough to step out of the mainstream and help save the world!? Even if they are just starting to think about it, that's pretty awesome.

Ok, so approaching green gifting takes three steps:

1. Buy Less

 No one buy everything on the list! One thoughtful gift is plenty, especially because almost everything on the list can be kept for a long, long time.

2. Buy Used

 Want to gift cloth napkins and have some sewing skills? Head to Goodwill for cloth and make them yourself. Buying secondhand (or finding things through community sharing groups like the Buy Nothing Project) is one of the greenest things you can do, because it prevents things needlessly being sent to the landfill.

3. Buy Local or Fair Trade

 Yes, you can find reusable bags anywhere, but there is a pretty wide spectrum of responsibility and ethics behind those bags. Look for things that use ethical materials (always steer away from synthetics), ethical labor (fair trade or made in a country with high labor standards), and ethical use of fossil fuels (have you ever though how much is wasted by shipping water bottles or straws across the world?) Local is better for the environment and better for your world. It's always worth it.

Some of this seems banal or almost too practical to be gifts, but wouldn't you rather spend your money on something that gets used instead of something that gathers dust?

This blog does have affiliate links for Amazon and Etsy, but I strongly recommend you see if you can find the same stuff locally. Amazon is the Walmart of the internet, and you can keep your money in your own community, doing way more good, if you shop local. 

Last but not least, someone is going to read this list and say "but where is the family cloth?" No friend, this list is for rookies, for people who don't have the simple basics you need to shift away from plastics and disposables. We want people to start with what they can keep up with and move from there. Don't get mad everyone isn't diving in; let's all just be psyched that they are even sticking a big toe in the pool. Maybe they will get to a family cloth, but just switching to paper-wrapped recycled or bamboo toilet paper is still a huge and important step.

This blog firmly believes that no one can get it 100% "right", but we all can do something, and we all can do more. Let's focus on changes we can make and attitudes we can shift.

Ok, preaching done- who wants some gift ideas?

1. Reusable Water Bottle

People who care about the environment tend to be deeply committed to their reusable water bottles. Americans used 50 billion water bottles last year (38 billion of those were not recycled). So even if the person only cares a little, they probably care enough to use a great reusable water bottle. Plus, you can save them SO MUCH money!

Two tips- focus on what is easy to clean, because the easy to clean ones are the ones that last. Secondly, steer away from plastic bodies if you can. Even the best plastic has proven to leech nasty chemicals after time, and we want this to last.

Here are a few of my favorite water bottle options (and if you see them secondhand, snatch them up)- Lifefactory (we use them AND our kids use them) and  Liberty Bottleworks (Made in Washington, aluminum, and you can get replacement parts). I know a lot of people are big Yeti fans, though most aren't made in the US- I would recommend Laken instead, as their manufacturing is more transparent,

If you are going plastic, I recommend Nalgene's simple bottles (not Contigo or Camelback). These are easy to clean, BPA-free, and still made in the US.

2. Recycled Paper Goods

Have you ever bought someone toilet paper for a gift? How about paper towels? They may not be the most glamorous gifts, but getting someone started on recycled paper basics can be a big help that saves them money! I mean, if you buy them bulk toilet paper, they can save that money for something fun or unexpected. Why don't we all buy each other basics for holidays?

If you want to see my best options for basics, check out this blog.

In fact, you can get any and all paper products recycled. Everything from gift wrap to printer paper to tissues. If you want paper inspiration, check out this blog.

3. Cloth Napkins

What nasty trickster convinced us all that we needed to use a disposable napkin everyday? They are so small that they never cost an extra load of laundry, and they are such a simple switch any novice can pull them off. Plus, they can be really pretty and fun.

We have the impression cloth napkins are for fancy events, but they are actually best for low key everyday use. You can break someone's habit and help them switch over.

You can find thousands (15,000 to be exact) of cloth napkins on Etsy. My favorites are ClearSkyHome, GreenLittleNest, and ohlittlerabbit. If you just want to gift something simple to start a collection, check out moocowmomma's collections. CHOWwithMe, KitchStudios, and foxyandwinston are worth checking out too.

I received napkins as a gift once, and I absolutely loved it. We still use them ALL the time. Seriously, cloth napkins are the best.

4. Seeds

So simple, so perfect for someone you know who is really thinking about where their food is really coming from. Gardening can provide food, but it also promotes real moments of calm. And it is hard not to feel damn proud of making the food you eat.

Not everyone has room for a garden- maybe gift a few potted plants? They are proven to make people happier AND filter the air! Indoor herbs can also be a big winner.

Go to a local nursery and hear their recommendations, look for classes (if your person would like that), or pair this gift with something from the Gardener Wish List.

5. Unsponge and Dish Brushes

Those ScotchBrite sponges are usually made with plastic and wrapped in plastic. They don't have a long use life, but they don't decompose either.  Not great. You can get a recycled version, but the best option we use are these unsponges, which are made of cloth, can be washed in the laundry, and reused again and again. We got our first ones last year, and they still look and work as good as new. I LOVE the unsponges from marley'smonsters. These are the best- but there are plenty on Etsy so feel free to browse the 400 available.

Unsponges can't do all the work alone, so gift them with a great scrub brush. I like dishbrushes with wood or bamboo handles- no reason to use plastic when a healthier material will do. This one is so cute. Tiny yellow bungalow has zero-waste and stylish brushes and scrubbers too.

Another cool thing for cleaning- these hemp eco-clothes. Reusable cleaning clothes, that I think are supposed to remind you of Norwex or microfiber clothes, but they use hemp instead of microfibers (that shed uncleanable plastic into the ocean). Want more eco-friendly cleaning ideas that might make great gifts? Try something from this blog.

6. Bar Soap

Bar soap is a simple gift that can perfectly fit their taste, support a local business, AND cuts down on plastic waste! Skip Bath and Bodyworks (the gift that says "I don't know you") and get your loved one something made nearby that smells amazing and saves the world. Bar soap beats liquid hands down, so your budding environmentalist might be all about the saved plastic. If you want something you can get online, Kiss my Face's olive oil soap (wrapped in paper) is my favorite face soap.

Bar soap yields over 100,000 finds on Etsy, so narrow it down by geography and see what is being made near you. Or ask at local shops and grocery stores. I would LOVE this gift, as I love trying new soaps.

7. Toothbrushes

Ok, toothbrushes could be the lamest and most amazing gift ever. We all get enough gifts that we never use, so why not buy something that is guaranteed to get use? Buy your loved one an ethical brush and a few more self-care tools.

Plastic toothbrushes put all sorts of nonsense chemicals in your mouth (and it isn't regulated particularly, so it is worth it to be wary), you have two better options- bamboo or Preserve's recycled foodsafe plastic. toothbrushes.

One BIG tip- If you are trying to gift without plastic (GO YOU!), really look at the reviews of the bamboo toothbrush you choose. LOTS of people complain of buying a bamboo toothbrush only to have it arrive in plastic. If you shop somewhere mainstream like Amazon, you can find that information, so take the time to do so (but try a shop like The Refill Revolution or Tiny Yellow Bungalow instead- it takes hutspah to run a small business and even more to serve the Earth at the same time).

8. Reusable Grocery and Produce Bags

Really, how are we all not using reusable bags by now? Still, produce bags aren't as common and might be a great choice for your loved one. If nothing else, a reusable tote makes great, zero-waste wrapping for gifts.

I have a few favorites, but mostly I have a few simple tips (me? be bossy?? Unimaginable). Try to steer away from synthetic fabrics, as you are still spreading plastic around.  If you are going to use them, go recycled!

 For grocery and produce bags, I recommend keeping it simple; a cotton tote- you can get thousands of them (21,000 just on Etsy), so you can gift a sassy one or support one of their favorite businesses or organizations. These extra large ones make a lot of sense, These mesh ones are pretty cool too. Produce bags have tons of mesh and natural fiber (from OrganicCottonMart and ohlittlerabbit) options too.

from inhabitat.com

Want to give the absolute coolest reusable bag? I am obsessed with these embroidered taffeta bags from Lauren DiCioccio. Come on! Tell me this isn't the coolest gift for an eco-nut? I saw one in the Seattle Art Museum shop years ago, and I still want one.

9. Dryer Balls

Those dryer sheets are instant garbage. They basically have nothing going for them, so instead, try these laundry balls, which you can use for hundreds of loads. I got these a few years ago as a Christmas gift and LOVED it.  You can see my list of dryer balls here. Don't want to poke around? Ok, buy these.

10. Reusable Straws

Giving up straws is one of the easiest things many of us can do to cut down on our plastic use. Seriously, all you have to say is "no straw please" but some people need to use straws or just really like them. Luckily, you can gift them glass straws (like these ones from Hummingbird glass) or steel straws that they can reuse again and again.

11. A Co-op Box Subscription

So many places have farm subscription boxes or co-op boxes now. Our small town we grew up in even has one. If a person you love wants to live a greener life, this is an awesome way to hook them up with local food. Plus, the boxes can be really inspiring when there are new foods to try! The more a diet hinges on plants instead of animals, the better it is for the environment, so you can help to shift that focus.

You can't go wrong with consumables, and the more local, the better. Think about what local goodies are available and maybe you will get inspired too!

12. Reusable Coffee Cup

Have a coffee lover in your life? Get them a reusable cup. You can find all sorts of great designs and ideas out there, but the most important thing is that it helps them get disposable cups (one of the big 4 sources of plastic pollution) out of their life.

I am not a coffee drinker (it tastes like dirty water!?), so I am not an expert at this, but here are a few Etsy cups I thought seemed really special. I also think these mason jar lids could make life simpler (great for kids too!).  Or, help a Keurig-loving baby environmentalist by getting them a reusable pod.

Think they are covered on cups? Why not gift them fair trade coffee! You can even buy it in bulk some places. The ethics of coffee can be very sketchy, so getting them something they can feel good about would be a simple and perfect present.

13. Laundry Soap

Laundry soap from grocery stores are almost guaranteed to have plastic packaging and sketchy ingredients. You may not have ever thought of laundry soap as a gift, but getting a nice laundry soap and avoiding plastic can be a huge gift for someone trying to be eco-friendly!

You could make them laundry soap yourself (what a neat gift!!), you could find homemade soaps on Etsy, or you could set them up for refillable laundry soap from The Refill Revolution. No matter what, this is a thoughtful, practical, and memorable gift!

14. Epicurean Spoons

I love Epicurean. Such a great brand where you can find cutting boards made of recycled materials and spoons and turners made of wood composite, resin, and recycled paper. We have used these turners for years, and they still feel smooth and work like new. A perfect option that isn't too expensive but will be useful for a very long time.

15. To Go Utensil Kits

Being environmentally-conscious in practice means living slowly and being prepared. So often we end up using things like plasticware because we don't have another option. A small set of bamboo utensils, like these from RePEat, can be a perfect gift to avoid that much more plastic.

16. A Donation to an Environmentalist Group

If the person you love is trying to be a minimalist or already has these things (because the beauty is you mostly only have to buy them once), why not support what they care about by making a donation to fight for biodiversity, or ending plastics, or planting more trees. So many options and really, if they care about this stuff, this will please them to no end. If you want a list of possible options, check here. 

17. Sign Up to Help the Earth Together

If you know that this is really pressing on a loved one's heart lately, the best thing you can do is commit to being part of the solution with them. Are there groups near you planting trees or taking care of native plants? Sign up for a work day. How about beach clean-ups or even adopting a highway to clean up litter?

It doesn't have to be something huge. Just commit to doing something with them. You will probably make amazing memories and get to feel that warm fuzzy feeling from helping someone!









Ok, I hope this helps! Be sure to poke around for tons of ideas for holiday gifts that can help the world!