Why should we care about living plastic-free anyway?

 

We've all seen that video of a turtle with a straw stuck in its nose. It's heartbreaking, right? But how many of us realize that plastic—and not just straws—is one of the biggest contributors to ocean pollution and marine life mortality?

When Too Much Planning Holds You Back

You know that wonderful feeling of making a list, writing down everything - EVERYTHING - you could possibly need to do, getting it all laid out and organized in front of you? Ready to go, all planned out, time-estimated, calendar-blocked. And then what? Nothing.

We all know that feeling, that resounding feeling of stuck that sometimes creeps in after seemingly getting all your shit together and ducks in a row. You know exactly what you need to do, and now it's time to go and do it. But then, you're suddenly hit with "that's a whole lot" and thinking you couldn't possibly get it all done. So why even bother, right? You just spent all that energy thinking and writing and planning it all out - you deserve a break.

NO!

That's the resistance crawling into focus in your mind from that back corner where it lives. Don't feed that beast. Don't give in to the resistance. I know it is hard, but push forward as best you can. Accomplish the smallest task on the list, the easiest, most minuscule victory will give you enough dopamine to quell that ugly beast and pull you forward.

Tips for Decluttering your Closet + Depop shop

I have finally completed a long-awaited closet declutter, after having let unworn, ill-fitting, and just-not-my-style clothing pile up in my closet for months. Not to mention the fact that I was so overwhelmed that I moved with all of this, knowing that at least 1/3 of it needed to go. Just imagine that for a second - carrying 30 lbs of clothing down 3 flights of stairs, and then up 5 flights of stairs, just to be decluttered. Please, for the love of all that is good, don't be like me.

Now that you've been scared straight, you can do well for yourself (and your back) and declutter your wardrobe down to the pieces that you use regularly and absolutely love to wear. It will lighten your load (mentally and physically) and make the daily question of "what do I want to wear today?" so much easier to answer when only the right answers are hanging in your wardrobe and none of the wrong.

Finding Balance with Nature

Often we go about our lives - driving to work, buying the newest, coolest brands, reaching for pre-made, pre-packaged, on-the-go foods for our on-the-go lives - and don't think twice about what effects those easy, quick choices have on our health and the health of our Earth. And we don't think twice, simply because we don't have time to.

But it’s time we should. Our planet is heating up too fast. Our weather is trying to restore balance and return our concrete to rubble. Our animals are dying and our health is declining. Our people are living in garbage.

This planet needs a change. But change can only happen one person at a time, like a ripple effect through a pond, slowly growing until everyone understands what great change that small differences can make.

Farmers Markets in St. Louis, Missouri

Shopping locally is a wonderful way to support your neighbors and local farmers. It can often be daunting to figure out when and where you can shop from local sources, so I've compiled this handy schedule of some local St. Louis Farmers Markets for you! You can find the Google Calendar at the bottom of this post, or go straight to it here.

Local Harvest Grocery

Aside from Farmers' Markets, one of my favorite sources for local produce, bulk goods, and other products is Local Harvest Grocery south of Tower Grove Park. It's a grocery store that's open every day, so you can simply shop as you would in any other grocery store. They have a seasonal selection of local produce, locally-made products, a bulk section that also includes spices and household products (yay!), and a little bakery counter with vegan treats to satisfy all of your delicious and nutritious food needs.

They also have Weekly Harvest subscription boxes that they assemble with goodies from local sources and have ready for you to pick up each week. They are customizable based on your diet and food preferences. How amazing is that? They even offer a 10% discount on your store purchase if you ride your bike there through the nation-wide Bicycle Benefits program, which I did not know was a thing, but am so happy that it is. Now I can put my bike basket to good use!

Joining my First Community Garden

I've finally done it! After years of keeping houseplants in tiny apartments (which is now overflowing with plants, I might add) I've finally decided to join a community garden in my city.

This was inspired in part by my ever-growing compulsion to plant and grow things, but also because of some of the Youtube channels I've been watching - check out Roots and Refuge and Bealtaine Cottage - that have me itching to grow my own food, even just a small portion, and participate in my community. And most importantly, to nurture Mama Earth.

As a preparatory effort during the frosty season still alive and well, I've been starting to research local gardens and seed libraries that I can be a part of. I've yet to decide on a specific garden location, but I've got a couple to scout out and see which works the best for me. I'll have more updates on my community gardening journey coming soon, which will all be under the "community gardening" tag on the blog.