When I think of the phrase “Zero-Waste,” I think back to why I started Naples Soap Company in the first place: I wanted to help my daughter, and myself, with our skin problems which I believe were impacted by the pollutants in the air, in the water and in the foods we consume. Those pollutants seem to come from everywhere and the waste out there is a big part of it. I didn’t want that for my family and I sure don’t want it for others out there. Society is very susceptible to the pollutants that are out there, and they manifest in a myriad of ways from basic allergies to even auto-immune type diseases.
Wellness is a big priority to me and one of the four cornerstones of wellness is mindfulness. Many people think mindfulness is about breathing, yoga, taking a mindful minute to reboot our minds, and that is all true, but it’s also the process of staying in that precious, present moment. Notice your surroundings. It needs to be a priority for our mental and physical well-being to have a space where we can relax and renew. I remember when I first Feng Shui’d my home and decluttered the tangible items – I felt instantly lighter and free. And once I uncluttered my home, my thoughts started to branch out to all the rest of my home… and to our planet.
We need to take care of earth, we really do. By taking care of the earth, our environment, our surroundings we are ultimately taking care of ourselves and protecting ourselves from the harsh pollutants that are out there. When I started Naples Soap Company, it was because I had a real vision for change in the way we take care of our bodies in terms of living clean. And I want that vision to also impact the environment in terms of not impacting the environment. Small actions add up to big changes over time and if I can be a part of the solution then that will have a ripple effect starting with my community and branching outwards.
There are hundreds and thousands of little ways we can start to Feng Shui our surroundings, but here are my top five favorites that you can start doing today:
My Top 5 ways to Feng Shui our environment.
- Bring your own reusable bags when you shop. That can mean more than just the grocery store. People may joke that I am the “bag lady,” but what do I really do with the plastic bags I get from the stores anyway? They go into the recycling bin to get repurposed, so I nixed the plastic bags altogether and use my own.
- Buy a re-usable water bottle. Plastic bottles are the bulk of landfills, and there is an entire aisle at the grocery store dedicated to just bottled water and juices which is kind of absurd in a way. It’s easy to buy a decent reusable water bottle and carry that around with you in the fabulous shopping bag we talked about above. If your concern is that tap water isn’t clean, then read my charcoal blog and buy a filter.
- Shop at your local Farmers Market. Farmers markets may seem like an odd way to go to zero-waste, but think about it! The produce is picked fresh and put in big bins without the plastic bags or packaging. Plus you’ll be eating seasonally which is better for your nutritional health.
- Surround yourself with fresh houseplants. It helps to keep the air around you fresh. And if you combine those houseplants with some herbs for the garden or a tomato plant or two… then you are getting double the benefit. My dad always had the best vegetable garden and we were inundated with tomatoes for months on end.
- Buy Shampoo Bars & Condition Bars. Our Shampoo & Conditioner Bars have zero-waste and they last up to 75 washes! I wanted Naples Soap to have a positive impact on our environment, so many of our core products have zero-waste, like our bath bombs and loofah soaps. What better way to set a mindful intention to get on the zero-waste train than to take a relaxing, calming bath with one of our therapeutic bath bombs?
It’s ok to realize that going Zero-Waste does not happen overnight. It is a process, for sure. It’s our small steps that create that great ripple effect. It starts with one small choice which then leads into another, and we can use that mentality for other parts of our life as well, especially when it comes to our overall wellness. Earth Day is approaching on April 22nd this year. What is one small commitment you can make to yourself and your home?