Be honest. Do you feel like the bar for green living is set so high that it’s not practical for the way you live?
Do you feel pressured to make your own toothpaste, deodorant and all your cleaning supplies? Maybe you secretly feel shame when you reach for that box of Tide™ or serve your family frozen pizza?
Now I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with making your own toothpaste or any of the rest of it, if that’s what you truly want to do. But I am saying we shouldn’t feel guilty if we choose not to do those things. That includes any ideas I share here on the blog: I invite you to adopt or try what makes sense for you and just breeze by the rest of it (or pin it for later).
What You Can Expect to Find Here
My goal is to make Honest + Simple a different kind of space. I’d like to help you sort through some of the confusion and overwhelm and encourage you to do what feels right for you at your current stage in life. There’s no judgement here; we should all start where we are with what we have and aim for small wins.
Small Steps Make a Difference
I believe even small steps make a difference — a point that became more real for me when I first read Atomic Habits by mega-best-selling author James Clear. He says that even if you only improve by 1 percent a day — over the course of a year, you’ll end up 37 times better than when you started. That idea sounds encouraging to me!
What Do I Mean by “Green Living,” “Natural” and “Healthy?”
There’s no universally-accepted definition of green living or all the related terms out there– like eco-friendly, sustainable, zero waste, natural or conscious living. But because I use these three phrases most often, I want to take a minute to explain how I’m using them. I’d love to hear your take on this in the comments. Do my ideas fit with yours?
What is Green Living?
I think of “green living” as making choices that help to preserve the limited resources on our planet. If we’re attempting to live green, we’re going to think more about reducing, reusing, and recycling; buying items that are biodegradable and doing less to pollute the environment. Some of the ways we can live green are : taking shorter showers to conserve water; reducing aerosol sprays to protect the ozone layer; shopping local to reduce our carbon footprint and reducing plastics (like straws, cups, toothbrushes and bags) so that we don’t overwhelm our landfills.
What do I mean by Natural?
As you probably know, “natural” is an unregulated marketing term. But I equate “natural” with using a raw material or ingredient as close to its natural state as possible or that has had minimal processing. Natural products usually have fewer harsh chemicals that may be harmful to our health or the environment. I apply natural choices to my soapmaking and other skincare products in a big way — because it feels right and makes sense to me.
What is Healthy?
When I talk about being healthy, I’m referring to getting enough restorative sleep, exercising or moving our bodies more, managing stress and making food choices that we all know are good for us. When it comes to food, I lean toward the Mediterranean Diet — which encourages more fruits and vegetables; less meat, more fish and fewer saturated fats. Even if you have a different approach to healthy eating, I’m pretty sure we can still be friends. The snack and drink recipes I share here are very simple with less sugar and saturated fats than many store-bought options.
Let’s Take Baby Steps
Can we agree to focus on taking just one step — really just one at a time? Once we’ve done that — then and only then — should we think about taking another step. Taking small steps helps us avoid overwhelm, builds new habits, and gives us momentum to keep moving forward.
That’s why I started Green Living Tips to provide a little inspiration and to kick-start your efforts.
With thousands of healthy living blogs out there, I’m honored you’re here and hope you’ll become a regular visitor. Feel free to introduce yourself in the comments and let me know your biggest pain points or where you’ve found the most success on your path to green living. Namaste!
I am not a licensed nutritionist, medical professional or cosmetics expert. The information provided on Honest + Simple is for general informational purposes only. The statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food + Drug Administration and are not intended to treat, prevent or cure any disease. Before making decisions about your health or other concerns, please consult a qualified professional and do not rely on this website for medical advice.
