Living a greener lifestyle is something you do in little ways instead of big ones. The reason is that the small shifts you make to using and consuming products that are responsibly made eventually turn into big ones. It’s a ripple effect as your one decision combines with all the others you’ve made. The next thing you know, you’re living a greener lifestyle without having to make a major change. The more you go green, the better for you and the world. Here are four products to help you live greener.
Responsibly Made Beauty Products
Beauty products are made from minerals and plant products. In some cases, man-made materials are added. Prior to the movement for more responsible manufacturing, makeup and beauty products were made with chemicals that could cause allergic reactions or even burns in some cases. And because the effects of certain ingredients weren’t well disclosed, the end user wound up suffering.
The beauty product industry has been transformed over the years. Many manufacturers have moved away from animal testing of chemicals and turned toward natural resources instead. They’ve also gone back to the well to use ingredients that are proven safe for use on the skin. There are still companies that use cheaper materials in their products along with sending production to countries where safety measures aren’t well enforced. Look closely at the label to make sure the product you’re buying is made responsibly.
Another thing to consider when shopping for beauty products is looking for brands that are cruelty-free. Check out companies such as W3LL People and Credo Beauty for cruelty-free products and organic options.
Locally Sourced Foods
Farmers markets and CSAs (community-sourced agriculture) let you get access to foodstuffs grown closer to your home. It doesn’t matter if you live in an urban or suburban setting; chances are good that there’s a CSA, farmers market, or even a farm stand for you to go to for locally grown food.
Using local foods impacts your environment in many ways. The money that’s earned by the farmer stays closer to home, boosting the local economy. Food isn’t flown or trucked in from other areas, which lowers the amount of fuel needed for transport. You buy food that comes fresh from the farm, isn’t “improved” through the use of food-grade wax to preserve color or bolstered with saline to extend the life of meat, and this keeps small farmers in business.
If you can’t find a farmers market or farm stand near you, it doesn’t hurt to check out a grocery chain like Whole Foods. Most of their locations offer locally grown products from your area, that can be found by asking a store employee for help.
Pure Health Supplements
It seems that there is no end to the number of health supplements on the market. But did you know that many of them aren’t monitored or approved by the FDA? A supplement can use FDA-approved ingredients and say so on its label, but it doesn’t mean that the end product has the approval of the FDA. Reading labels is very important in order to make sure that a supplement isn’t mostly filler. For example, Nutrilite vitamins are made to a high standard with high-quality ingredients that deliver what the label claims. Use a product like this to compare against others on the market.
There are plenty of companies that sell pure health supplements online, such as a business like Amway. Amway sells various health supplements made with high-quality ingredients, such as Nutrilite Vitamins.
Sustainably Grown Textiles
Cotton and flax are two fibers that are made from plants. They’re both renewable resources, but only when grown in a responsible manner. All too often, farmers become overzealous about the products they grow, don’t rotate their crops, and exhaust the soil. Over time, this results in lower crop yields. It also causes farmland to lie fallow until someone comes along and invests the time and money into recovering the soil.
Sustainability has also come in the form of innovation that helps textiles last longer. Recycled materials and alternative plant fibers are made into clothing that doesn’t wear out easily. What this means is that your clothes can be worn longer, and you won’t be replacing them until you’re tired of their style. Manufacturers of sustainable clothing make it a point to put a tag on their products so that you can make a conscious choice. There’s currently a rise in the use of sustainable fibers in the fashion industry, and you can shop with brands such as Patagonia for organic cotton products.
These are four products to help you go greener and make a difference in the world. It may not seem like a lot, but every little bit of effort helps. Look at labels, read the research, and buy products from companies that work toward a greener world.