Guide to an Eco-Friendly Summer!

Guide to an Eco-Friendly Summer 

Summer is here! The sun is out and the days are hot! During all of the excitement of warm weather and summer vacations, it can be easy to overlook the importance of staying environmentally conscious. If you aren’t sure where to start, here are some simple tips and switches to start off your summer right!

Summer afternoons can be HOT. 

1. To save energy (and money) on AC, check up on your insulation and make sure there are no opportunities for air leaks in your home. Also, turn the thermostat up when you are sleeping or going to be away for more than a couple hours to give your AC a little break throughout the summer months.
2. To reduce heat from sunlight, place shades or blinds on your windows to block out some of the light. Shades facing the west or south will block out the most light during the day.
3. To use alternate means of cooling, use floor or ceiling fans to circulate the air from your AC so the system does less work and pop open a window at night to let cool breezes come in and cool off your home.

Especially after the year we’ve had, take a vacation and visit somewhere new.

1. Try taking a train instead of flying, and once you are at your desired location, take public transportation, rent a bike, or walk to take in all the views.
2. Support the local economy and buy souvenirs at small local businesses. 
3. Wherever your travels take you -- whether it's to a local eatery or up a mountain trail -- bring a couple of eco-friendly materials to reduce your footprint. To assist in your adventures, we carry reusable tote bags, bamboo cutlery sets, metal straws, leak-proof stainless steel lunch boxes, and Stasher snack and sandwich bags.

The most essential summer-time sustainable product:

Reusable water bottles! There is so much plastic circulating in our consumer culture, the switch to a reusable water bottle is an easy way to eliminate a lot of plastic from your lifestyle. Also, it is important to stay hydrated in the warm weather, so keeping one on you at all times is extremely important.

Let us help you have a sustainable summer by providing you with the tools you need to live eco-friendly!

1. Sunscreen is so important in the upcoming months to keep your skin healthy and protected. By coming in to refill empty containers with our sunscreen product, you are reducing the waste generated by using single-use plastic bottles which get thrown out when you are done. We carry sun sticks as well that are easy to apply on your face and in biodegradable containers. Also, our sunscreen is all natural which is a big deal! Many sunscreens being manufactured right now have chemicals in them, which can be harmful to marine habitats and ocean life. Help to save the coral reefs!
2. After being outside all day, it is important to take care of your skin post-sunscreen and post-sun, to keep it moisturized and happy. We have refillable aloe and jojoba lotion, and lip balm and vegan lip butter. (The lip butter warrants the title “vegan” because it is made from plant wax as opposed to beeswax, and cocoa butter, avocado oil, and an herbal, essential oil blend.) The tubes for the lip balm are recyclable cardboard and the lip butter is in recycled paper that is 100% compostable! As always, you can bring in whatever container suits you best for our refillable lotion.
3. Last, but certainly not least, plant some trees! Our planet can always use more saplings to keep oxygen circulating and carbon dioxide out of the air. Trees will also filter out pollutants in water through their roots and store it to prevent soil erosion and flooding. They also provide a safe habitat for a lot of organisms on our planet. A sad fact is about 18.7 million acres of forest are lost a year! Go outside on a nice day and plant one of the tree kits we carry from Modern Sprout: for every tree kit purchased, a donation is made to plant a tree. Take a look at our kits for the American Sycamore or Loblolly Pine -- you won’t believe how easy they are! The container is 100% biodegradable and provides nutrients to the soil. 

I hope you enjoy the summer sun and warmth! Remember that every little bit counts -- planting one tree, reusing one container, and switching to one eco-friendly, every-day item -- it all helps! 

Thank you for taking steps towards a greener future!

Citations

"Summer Sustainability Roundup | Green Home Guide". Greenhomeguide.Com, 2021, https://www.greenhomeguide.com/know-how/article/summer-sustainability-roundup. Accessed 10 June 2021.