So much to talk about, where to begin?  Biggest thought on my mind is sustainable products… Let’s go there!

“What are sustainable products?”

Sustainable products are those products that provide environmental, social and economic benefits while protecting public health and environment over their whole life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials until the final disposal. – Wikipedia

This week closed the Global Climate Action Summit 2018 #GCAS2018  #StepUp2018  which took place in San Francisco Sept 12-14 and if you haven’t heard about it then please find loads of information here. 

They covered some fantastic topics: Healthy Energy Systems, Inclusive Economic Growth, Sustainable Communities, Land and Ocean Stewardship and Transformative Climate Investments. Mind you, the message is clear – “individual action counts” and science is science folks – believe it!

So, I started to think about more products that I can put to use in my day to day life that are sustainable to replace the non-environmentally friendly ones that I’ve become all too familiar with. Now that the products choices are becoming more readily available, I did a little habit searching and decided that the first area I could work on is in my kitchen. It also seems to be the area where I find myself throwing a lot away / recycling.

I remember my Nana always used aluminum foil for nearly everything. I think that’s a great start because it is recyclable but not always reuseable. I do try but you know sometimes you just can’t. Same for freezer/storage bags – I honestly wash those out and reuse them but I’m not a fan. I want to build up my sustainable products in my kitchen so that I can stop using these items to store my food in.

I did a search on Amazon for sustainable products and found some items that I think look worthy of a try. Click on the images to find more details on Amazon.

Here we go! – 

Plastic straws are in process of being banned across the U.S. which is great and I completely support all efforts to ban plastic.  I don’t use straws much but on occasion I have and feel awful about it. I actually clean them, cut them lengthwise in half, bend them backwards, crush them overnight and then put them into the recycling bin – ugh… it will be nice to get these reusable ones in the future – guilt free straws! They even come with a little carrying pouch which is great because most of the time I have ever used a straw is because I’m getting take out. With these I can say – Hold the Straw!

• Reusable Stainless Steel Straws by Home & Harvest | Set of 8 Including 4 Extra Wide Smoothie Straws + 4 Rose Gold Straws | Includes 2 Cleaning Brushes + Handy Travel Carrying Case 

I took a look around and saw my completely plastic scrubbing tool for dishes and it’s definitely cringe worthy. I found this little scrubber to replace it with which  is made from bamboo, ceramic, recycled plastic and recycled stainless steel. The dispenser is spring loaded to get your brush nice and sudsy and comes with a replaceable bamboo dish brush. 

Full Circle Bubble Up Ceramic Soap Dispenser & Dish Brush w Bamboo Handle, Green/White  

I have been wanting some sustainable produce bags for awhile now. Just kills me to put beautiful produce in those plastic bags. I did a lot of research and purchased the below. There are many reusable produce bags to choose from but these are made from natural material and fully sustainable. 

• Simple Ecology Reusable Organic Cotton Mesh Grocery Shopping Produce Bags – Set of 6 (2 ea. L, M, S) (heavy duty, washable, produce saver bags, food storage, bulk bin, tare weight tag, drawstring)

A few other features that I like here are:

1. They have a tare weight tag on the outside which I’ll be sure to double check at the grocery to ensure it’s correct. If it isn’t I’ll let you know when I do my review.
2. These do not have plastic toggles which many of the other choices offer.
3. They are netted so you’ll be able to see the produce in the fridge. 
4. These are a Zero Waste product ❤ and the manufacturer states that the fabric meets “Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS) certified organic cotton muslin fabric for both ecology and social responsibility”. 

I bet a lot of people will ask me where I got these when I go to the store. I know I would if I saw someone with them. I’m super excited to use these!!  Such a great item but I will need to wait until after my order arrives, on September 26th, to try them and write a review.

I feel like these are baby steps but that’s okay – I’m researching, learning and sharing to help make a difference. I did stop buying cranberry juice in bottles and now buying the frozen concentrate. I always dilute the juice anyway so I’m not fussy and it tastes just as good. Plus I don’t have plastic bottle guilt! But… We would all be better off buying fresh produce for flavor instead of packaged goods… so I promise that when I get my new produce bags I’ll be on it! I’m excited to get shopping for them!

Stay informed, do the work and things will turn around. We all play a part today in determining what the future holds. Stay positive and remember…

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. – Aesop

-Purr Out!