Less Waste: Blueland

This post is sponsored by Blueland. Blueland is created by a fellow mum who wished to reduce the microplastics in our oceans and landfills. When her kids were born, she realized how much these microplastics end up in the food she was feeding her kids. At the time, finding sustainably packaged household products was almost impossible. Hence, she created a company that offers everyday household cleaning items packaged in biodegradable packaging. Blueland is making refillable house products easily accessible and affordable. I partnered with Blueland to try a few of their products for this year’s Earth Day.

I started my less waste journey in 2017. It remember clearly how lost, angry, and helpless I felt after watching the documentary Plastic Oceans on Netflix. I raged on the web about the indecency of plastic products, and sought out eco-conscious companies. This was before sustainability became popularized. Ethical companies were few and far between. I struggled to grocery shop for things without plastic. A lot has changed since then. Thanks to companies such as Blueland, these products are now easily accessible everywhere.

Blueland is offering a one-stop shop for everyday cleaning supplies packaged sans plastic. My two favorite products that they offer are the toilet bowl cleaner and the plastic-less dish pods for the dishwasher. Despite the plethora of sustainably packaged products out there, these two in particular are difficult to find. I love that they come with refillable tins if you don’t already have some at home. These items arrive packaged in paper bags and the online shop makes ordering refills a jiff. I like to store mine in glass jars under the bathroom and kitchen sink.

The Toilet Bowl Cleaner Starter Pack has everything you need to keep your toilet nice and shiny. We clean ours at least once a month per our ultimate cleaning list. Other toilet bowl cleaners on the market are liquid solutions packaged in a squeezable plastic bottle. I love that these are simple tabs that you drop directly into the toilet bowl. It’s crazy to think that there is no bleach or hydrochloric acid in this product, as it does a fabulous job cleaning the toilet! Plus I love the lemony scent. You can easily order the refills here, and if you subscribe, you do save 10%.

Likewise, the dishwasher starter set is equally as amazing. Most dishwasher soaps come as pods packaged in plastic or in a plastic bottle as liquid soap. Occasionally, I see the cheaper, boxed powder version, which is great for the environment but has all these nasty chemicals in it. You can tell from the strong smell of those soaps that they can’t honestly be good for the dishes we eat from. On the contrary, Blueland’s plastic-free tabs feature clean ingredients. There is no petroleum, artificial dyes or fragrances, ammonia, or parabens. As a soon-to-be-mom, these are the things I’ve started to care about. The refill packs can be ordered here and also come with 10% off if you subscribe.

But here’s a sweeter deal!

Not only is April 22nd Earth Day, it’s also Blueland’s anniversary! The home essentials brand launched four years ago this Earth Day to to help eliminate single-use plastic and make it easy for people to make sustainable choices with no-waste, tablet-based refillable products. To celebrate, Blueland is making the first step to a more eco-friendly lifestyle/home easier than ever by offering 20% off sitewide—no minimum purchase needed. This offer lasts 4/21/23 – 4/23/23.

Other Blueland Products I am Excited About

As always, thank you for supporting the companies that support this space.

A Place to Rest with a Kind Bassinet

This post is written in partnership with Dock-A-Tot. They’ve created a sustainable bassinet option that is both affordable and practical. More importantly, they have done so without comprising good design or function. We have been gifted their Kind Bassinet to try, along with a nursing pillow and swaddle set. All opinions herein are my own. I receive no commissions for any of the Dock-A-Tot products shall you choose to purchase from my links after reading this review. I simply believe in the product and want to share what Dock-A-Tot has made. As always, thank you for supporting the companies that support this space.

A road of sleepless nights and parental unrest lies before us, or so we are told. Preparing for a newborn is much like preparing for battle. Make sure you’ve got the right gear, good training, a general idea of what you’re up against, and comrades to back you up. We are still stuck on the gear part. When it comes to gathering baby arsenal, let me be the first to say that we are of the pared-back type. It may not be your cup of tea. You can judge for yourself by looking at our curated baby registry list. However, there have been a few items that we wanted on hand right away. One of which was a place to rest. Dock-A-Tot recently released their Kind Essential Bassinet, and it fit the bill of sustainable, simple, safe and slow.

Kind to Earth

Dock-A-Tot’s Kind Essential Bassinet is fully sustainable. It is made of responsibly harvested corrugated cardboard (WHAT?!) that folds flat for portability. The light-weight allows petite mamas such as myself to carry it around the house and on travels effortlessly. Plus it ships for less! The cardboard acts as the frame of the bassinet, and a Sorona foam core mattress lies on top of the cardboard base. It comes with a machine washable, OEKO-TEK standard 1 certified cotton sheet as well. Shipped in a box that doubles as a carrying case (reuse, recycle), this bassinet is as easy to stow away as it is to assemble. Plus, with each bassinet purchase, a tree in planted on baby’s behalf.

Things I like about the box. It is fully recyclable. Simply remove mattress and sheet, and place box in recycle bin. But not so fast! A better option is to up-cycle the box. This could serve as a toy bin, doll crib, pet-bed, and more. Store their favorite books for easy reach. Use it to corral their toys. I would even consider using this as an organizing bin inside the closet or pantry. With boxes, the possibilities are endless.

Kind to Mama

With this bassinet, we can walk down the street to grandparents’ house and have a place to rest baby and mama’s tired arms. That is, without lugging more stuff that would require a car or wagon. It is also easy to move from room to room. Sometimes, mama just needs her space. Being able to put this bassinet in the living room so that someone else can have baby duty while mama gets some shut-eye is heavenly. Bonus points for the fact that any of the grandparent’s can lift this, too! The bassinet weighs a total 5 pounds. Look, in my fourth trimester, I am not planning on carrying ANYTHING, if possible.

Kind to Baby

The Kind Bassinet is a safe space for baby to sleep or nap. The cotton sheet is super soft and the mattress is water-resistant. The sheet is washable in case of accidents during those early months of life. I know baby will be comfortable on the Sorona foam mattress, which by the way is made up of 37% plant-based recycled fibers! Producing Sorona® uses 30% less energy and releases 63% fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to the production of nylon 6. At the end of the day, the product you get is a firm, flat surface on which to lay baby down while being mindful of your impact.

The Kind Bassinet is compliant with US standards applicable to bassinets and meets children’s product safety standards. Just ensure that it sits firmly on the floor, and has no additional products inside while baby is sleeping. Of course, this works best in a pet-free home. Curious critters may want to snuggle along with your babe, so always keep an eye.

Kind to Our Wallet

As a frugalist, I always talk price. The price of the Dock-A-Tot bassinet is at a mere $119, thereby making it one of the more affordable bassinet options out there. Sure, it isn’t fancy. It doesn’t rock or wheel. But it is space saving, and in an urban, minimalist tiny home, that is the exact thing we need right now. It stores away quickly and well. It moves. The thing is, when it comes to adding a member of the family to a home, the question of space and whether there is enough of it will come up. This was the FIRST concern both of our parents had. But small living is a choice many young people make, because frankly, it is financially savvy. Any product that provides function given a small footprint is a winner in my world.

Final notes:

The Kind Essential Bassinet was designed well, in beautifully colored prints that engage baby’s imagination during awake time. There are many prints to choose from, all of which keep the home looking stylish. We chose to go with the Strawberry Thief print, to match my Dock-A-Tot nursing pillow (La Maman Wedge). However, I also liked the Willow Boughs print for a woodsy vibe. The prints are sealed with a non-toxic protective varnish that makes clean-up easy. Cute pedestal feet add stability and ornate detail to this cardboard box. Tool-free assembly takes me less than 30 seconds. Simply open the carboard box, lay down the base, followed by the mattress.

As we will both be partly working from home (me with the blog and dog-sitting, and him on a hybrid schedule), we need a place to set our loved one down nearby. This bassinet can be at the foot of our desks, by the couch, near the bed … anywhere else for that matter.

Bottom line: baby stuff is required for such a short period of time. Anything we can do to reduce the waste for 6 months of life is something worthwhile. I could croon all day about design and beauty, function and fit, but let’s be real. The sustainability that this bassinet option provides puts what we are doing as parents into perspective. Babies of the past have thrived on waaaay less stuff. Forego the most complicated bassinets that add to the headache, the bulky cradles that require an upgrade in living space, or the expensive tech that forces you to pick up additional work days. Your baby simply wants to be near you. You want them to have a safe space. And you want rest. This Kind Bassinet provides.

Less Waste: Cloth Diapering with Esembly

This post is in partnership with Esembly, an organic and sustainable company dedicated to making cloth diapering accessible to all families. As a beginner parent, I found the notion of using reusable diapers as both endearing and scary. Quite frankly, I wasn’t sure we could navigate this new world of child-rearing while holding onto our ideals of less waste. However, Esembly has put those worries to rest with their easy cloth-diapering system. I wanted to take a few moments to share with my audience what they have to offer. We now look forward to our diapering days with excitement and I hope you do too. If you wish to try Esembly, make sure to check out the 20% discount code at the end of the post (valid until January 30, 2023).

We have decided to take on the challenge of cloth diapering. Pursuing a life of less waste, we teeter-tottered between convenient and conscientious and decided on the latter. When I researched options for cloth diapering, I was dismayed to find that services available to big-city dwellers in New York are not readily so in our remote area. Luckily, Esembly has created a cloth diapering system that would work well, as long as we took to the laundering ourselves.

I figured, my two siblings and I were cloth diapered 100%, back when linen loincloths were the only option and our parents had to hand-wash whites in a drum. Paddles were used to slap the cloths clean and bleach was occasionally called upon to keep them white. Fast forward 33 years to automatic washers and innovation. Cloth diapering has come a long way! I am excited to give Esembly’s Try-It Kit a go. And to share with you guys what their well-thought-out system has to offer.

The Impact of Cloth Diapering

First and foremost, let’s talk impact. There are 11.4 million babies in the United States according to a 2022 census. An average infant uses 55 diapers a week. This amounts to 627 billion diapers entering the landfills per week. This also equates to 2,860 diapers per infant per year. Compare that to 48 Esembly diapers for an infant’s entire diapering saga.

Even if environmental impact wasn’t enough to make poopy diapers enticing, there are also dollars savings to be considered. If you purchased the cheaper brands on Amazon, it would still cost thousands of dollars to get your baby through to potty training. Shall you choose to purchase Earth-saving bamboo diapers or healthier, chemical-free alternatives, the price you’d be paying can so much as double or triple. Lastly, cloth-diapering isn’t as scary as it seems!

Esembly’s Cloth Diapering System

Esembly’s cloth diapering system is organic and sustainable. It was designed with parents in mind. The company wanted to take the edge off of cloth-diapering in general, which is stigmatized as being a hassle and downright gross. However, by simplifying the steps, Esembly has managed to make it fun and stress-free. Arming parents with the right products to turn this venture into a wild success story, Esembly has lowered the bar to access cloth diapering for people who live outside of big cities and who have had zero experience with cloth diapering in the past.

Pre-prepared bundles make purchasing easier for those wishing to cloth-diaper full-time, part-time, or simply give it an experimental whirl. Or you can take the Esembly quiz if you want a custom-fit solution. A subscription model also allows products to magically appear on your doorstep as you need them.

Additional Cloth Diapering Accessories

Multiple accessories make the laundering process more manageable. A diaper pail by way of a bag can hang from the back of a door, in the laundry room, or go directly into a sturdier option such as this Dekor Pail. A pail deoderant keep smells at bay until laundry day. Esembly users swear by the detergent and agitators that turn poopy diapers into unsoiled reusable cloths. And if you breastfeed like we plan to, the clean up is even easier as breastfed babies make biodegradable poop. However, poops must be thrown own before soiled diapers enter the pail once formula and solids are introduced.

Another thing I love about Esembly is that they are organic. Esembly diapers have less reactions than other disposable brands which may contain chemicals. Esembly also provides an array of skincare products for your babe such as rash relief cream and everyday balm. Reusable, sturdy cloth wipes are available to wipe away messes with ease.

Less Stress with Esembly

There is an argument to be had for cloth diapering, and that is one that relates to a life of less stress. With the right system in place, cloth diapering shouldn’t be too different from using disposable nappies. For fully breastfed babies, there is no need to clean the diaper at all. Simply remove and store in the diaper pail until laundry day. Wipe bums with their foaming cleanser and reusable wipes, and place a new inner. Wash all used inners, outers, wipes and diaper pail on laundry day. Just throw everything in the drum!

Another thing cloth diapering does is lower the cost of child-rearing. Forty-eight reusable diapers until potty training is all one needs. Cost reduction of child-rearing goes a long way in reducing overall stress in a growing family. Any opportunity wherein we can cut costs further enables us to work less and spend more time at home. And with Esembly’s subscription system, there is no need to run to the mart for detergent, wipes, or additional diapers!

Of course, all of this with the caveat that we are still awaiting the arrival of our newborn. But with excitement and gusto! Like all other things in life, we embrace the challenge of navigating cloth diapering. I feel much better and well-equipped with Esembly. And truly, Esembly aligns with our family’s values of intentional living, less waste, and simple living. I’ll be sure to circle around with a final evaluation in a few month’s time.

In the meantime, my audience with newborns or expecting family growth can start cloth diapering with Esembly today. Esembly is gifting my audience 20% off with the code THEDEBTIST on Esembly products purchased via my affiliate link until January 30, 2023. If unsure of your commitment, I highly recommend starting with the Try-It kit.

Forest-free Flushing with Cloud Paper

We started our green journey back in 2018. If I am being completely honest, our efforts are as much about reducing waste as it is about saving money. I have talked before about nixing paper towel use altogether, as well as using bidets to clean bums without paper. But 100% abstinence from waste is simply exhausting. Despite my environmental efforts, I have learned that grace is a big part of sustainable living. So although zero one-time-use paper products are ideal, perfection isnt the goal. Risking talking about paper ad nauseum, I want to revisit with a new option for a forest-free flush: Cloud Paper.

What is Cloud Paper?

Cloud Paper provides soft, strong, and sustainable paper that can withstand the toughest of jobs. Their paper is made from bamboo, the fastest growing plant in the world. It grows up to 3 feet per day! In addition, it is efficient at sequestering massive amounts of carbon during its growth. Bamboo reaches harvest maturity in just three years, unlike trees which could take decades. And unlike trees, bamboo does not need to be replanted once harvested, as it continues to grow just like grass does!

Why is Cloud Paper Better?

Traditional toilet paper companies source their paper from old-growth forests. These trees are essential to existing eco-systems. Deforestation of these areas affect more than just the trees themselves. Not to mention, big trees are crucial for storing enormous amounts of carbon. Switching to bamboo keeps these forests intact!

Cloud paper arrives at your door in fully compostable and recyclable packaging. Each toilet roll is individually wrapped in paper, protecting it from the environment during storage. The box does not have excess plastic packaging or bubble wrap!

And Cloud Paper makes it easy with their subscription system. You never have to run to the store for ’emergencies’ ever again. Managing a subscription is as easy as going online and signing into your account. Once you place your first order, they will send an ‘account activation’ to your email. After that, it will automatically ship to your house at whatever interval you choose. If you worry about receiving an unwanted batch, rest assured. Cloud Paper will send confirmation emails three days prior to shipment.

Cloud Paper’s Impact

As a young paper company, Cloud Paper has already saved 17,208 trees and planted 6,912 trees. They work with One Tree Planted to fund reforestry projects in the Pacific Northwest. They also have partnered with CarbonFund to 2x offset all carbon emissions from transportation through reforestation programs. The Natural Resources Defense Council releases an annual report that ranks toilet paper brands by sustainability. This year, Cloud Paper got the highest score possible for bamboo-based paper. Lastly, they have partnered with Food Lifeline to distribute over 120,000 donated rolls to food banks and shelters throughout their community.

If your community is in need, you can always reach out to them at hello@cloudpaper.com.

And if you shop Cloud Paper in July, you can receive 10% OFF with the code CLOUD10. This offer is valid 7/1/22 to 7/31/22. Purchasing through my links could result in me receiving a small commission. Cloud Paper kindly gifted me their product to try, but all opinions are my own.

Natural Nail Rituals with Bare Hands

I have always loved simplicity and a humble aesthetic. Even when it comes to fashion and beauty, I lean towards function and comfort. It has to look good too, but we can all find beauty in the mundane, everyday things. I have a penchant for the unappreciated as you may well know. So it’s only natural that my interest was piqued when I came across the brand Bare Hands, founded by Suzanne Shade who hopes to create an alternative to routine manis and pedis. Finally, I found a person glorifying the beauty of our nails’ most natural state.

We are not taught to love natural nails.

When I was young and going to dental school, there was a cardinal rule that applied only to women: Nails must not be painted with chemical color lest someone has an allergic reaction to any ingredient. I remember the rule feeling constrictive as a twenty-something year old female. Friends my age were just making their first paychecks, and taking care of themselves through manicures and pedicures. Attending social gatherings where girls were dolled up, sipping cocktails with their glossy nails made me feel what Anna Delvey would only describe as ‘poor‘.

I was embarrassed by my naked nails. They looked grungy after working with putty, plaster, and stone all week. My nails were dull, ragged, and downright ugly. I caught myself occasionally hiding them in my pockets or under the table. When Friday came around, I reserved an hour in the evening to paint them, only to remove the color by Sunday night. There was no way I could afford a mani/pedi, which runs at around $50 with tip. Beauty, it turns out, can also be expensive.

But the definition of beauty is changing.

Historically the idea of beauty has been elevated to unnatural levels. For some women, that also makes it unattainable. Just like makeup hides our natural facial features, polish hides our natural nails. We are always told to hide. Or reach for better. We are never enough.

The problem with covering ourselves in paint and powder is that we create a facade that’s a difficult standard to maintain. It complicates things. It keeps us from doing real work. More importantly, it keeps us from being ourselves.

I am grateful to see a shift in that thinking.

Simplicity is beautiful.

There is beauty in simplicity. We see that today, as more people turn towards minimalism, slow living, and intentional lifestyle choices. It started with the popularization of a natural looking brow. Then followed the revered diastema, a gap between the front two teeth. Makeup became more neutral as fashion styles veered towards chromophobia. Today, the rich aesthetic encompasses those along the greige spectrum of browns and greens. Think of stone-colored Porsches and neutral Yeezies. And we see this aesthetic translating to the nail industry.

Enter the era of natural nails.

Bare Hands is a brand revamping what the nail industry would consider beautiful. Gone are the days of bright colored polish, long fake nails, and glittery coats. If it isn’t neutral, it just isn’t posh. At least, that is the current consensus. But what of unpolished nails altogether? Suzanne has created a natural, healthy, and sustainable method for nail care.

As a dentist, baker, and dog-walker, having painted nails is problematic most of the time. And while I love getting fancy with my collection of curated J. Hannah polishes, I go without polish for more than half of the month for the sake of simplicity. Painted nails chip on oft used hands. Moreover, no one wants synthetic oils in their mouths or their dough. For many us who work in kitchens, studios, farms, and medical offices, painted nails are just not a sustainable option.

Additionally, maintenance is a pain. The amount of time it takes to put on and take off polish is significant if you add on dry-time. If you paint your nails weekly, this could be one and a half hours per week spent on upkeep. And it is expensive. Some women have reported spending $200 a month or more on nail care alone!

Suzanne created an alternative.

Suzanne is a woman after my own heart. She has always loved the look of natural nails. And as a frugalist, she could not fathom spending a fortune to keep up with the Joneses’ social standards. Her penchant for bare nails stems from her studies in art school. After learning that certain oil-based paints are not healthy for fine art use, she started to question why it was accepted for nail color.

So began her quest to get to the root cause of why women feel the need to paint their nails. Part of it is social, yes. Seeing others at that heightened level of beauty is a factor. However, she also discovered that most women simply did not like the appearance of their nails. And none of them had methods to care for it in a natural way.

Take me for example. Every week, I am baking sourdough, working on a farm, doing dentistry, and picking up dog poop. My hands take a beating. My nails are shot. It’s easier to cover up all that wear and tear. Polish is my pretend way of making my nails pretty. But after discovering the Dry Gloss Manicure from Bare Hands, I no longer have to hide.

The Dry Gloss Manicure by Bare Hands

The Dry Gloss Manicure kit is very simple and easy to use. A tutorial on their website taught me how to use it within minutes. The routine includes caring for your cuticles, buffing your nails to reveal a natural shine, and moisturizing with a citrine oil. You can soften the cuticles using sugar and coconut oil, ingredients already in your kitchen pantry. The kit provides a unique buffing tool and a citrine oil pen packaged in a beautiful leather case, shipped without plastic in a cardboard box.

I have actually made a habit of using the dry gloss manicure each night while I am watching TV or listening to a podcast. It has made a huge difference. I admire my nails often nowadays. I open my palm and try to catch a glint of natural light. On top of that, I am obsessed with the citrine oil, that I just might buy a bottle of it by itself from the site. It smells amazing and really moisturizes the dry skin around my nails!

Join the Movement

I think it’s time we embrace natural nails. Doing so will not only save us time and money, it will also save us from the related stresses. Namely, we no longer have to keep up with the Joneses, limit our movements and tasks, and hold ourselves to an impossible standard. We can embrace ourselves, do more of what we love, and feel confident in our skin.

Deep, deep gratitude to Suzanne for allowing me to try the Dry Gloss Manicure kit. As always, the thoughts and opinions are my own. If you wish to try the manicure yourself, feel free to use my code DEBTIST15 to receive 15% off all products. This is a one-time use code per person, and any links provided in this post are tied to my audience, although I earn no money from them. There is also a newly released Natural Pedicure Set which has a verbena balm for your heels. I can only imagine it being as lovely as the citrine oil. These two are great small gestures for the hard-working girlfriends in your life, but if you wish, there is a Mani Pedi Pairing that makes a grand gift. It also saves you $6 by buying the combo.

Zero-Waste Produce Storage Tips

Going from being a regular consumer to a zero-waste lifestyle can seem daunting at times. In reality, adopting a zero-waste lifestyle is simple and easy. After experiencing it myself, I realize now that it helps to have a place to start. Looking back on it, I wish I had a guideline back then that told me exactly how to go zero-waste. Especially when it came to the kitchen! That’s why I want to share with you guys my zero-waste produce storage tips today.

In order to avoid waste in the kitchen, we make most of our items from scratch. Meaning, we need to buy a lot of produce in order to have sauces, dips, and snacks readily available. However, I have learned through trial-and-error that produce needs to be stored in certain ways in order to stay fresh. Reusable storage bags like those made by W&P are the perfect solution to storing produce, especially veggies.

I, myself, own W&P’s porter bag starter pack in Cream, and I love it. It comes in other fun colors so that you can coordinate food items in the kitchen if you wish. The bags are heavy, durable, and sturdy. The starter pack comes in different sizes and shapes, making it ideal for different types of foods. And the zip-lock feature works really well. It seals out air as needed, and is easy to open and close.

I also love that these bags are dish-washer safe. I think that ease of use is the number one barrier to entry to a zero-waste lifestyle. It’s so easy to flip these bags inside out and wash them in my dish-washer.

I use these bags to corral my veggies together. It keeps my fridge organized and clean. The front of the bag is see-through, allowing me to know the contents of the bag at first glance.

Today, I will share with you a few zero-waste produce storage tips featuring the W&P starter pack.

Zero-Waste Produce Storage Tips

Lettuce

I remove the leaves from the stem of the lettuce head and rinse each one thoroughly in cold water. Instead of using a knife to do this, tear each leaf off the head. This will avoid a reaction with the knife that could turn leaves brown. After a good rinse, I dry each leaf with a kitchen towel. You can also use a salad spinner if you have one. Then I place them in a W&P bag, sometimes with a dish towel in it to absorb more moisture, and half-seal the bag closed. For lettuce, never seal the bag all the way. This will keep for 5 days.

Spinach and Arugula

Similar to lettuce, I rinse each leaf thoroughly, spread on towels or spin until very dry, then pack loosely in a plastic bag with a layer of towels to absorb moisture. Arugula will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about a week.

Kale

Wrap the dry kale bunch in a paper towel and store in a half-sealed bag in the coldest part of the refrigerator. If kept dry, kale will stay fresh for up to 6 days.

Chard

Wrap unwashed chard in a paper towel and store in a half-sealed bag in the refrigerator crisper for up to 7 days.

Radicchio

Wrap the whole, unwashed head of radicchio in a dampened paper towel and store in a half-sealed bag in a refrigerator crisper for up to 4 days. Wilted leaves can sometimes be revived by soaking in cold water.

Radishes and Turnips

Snip off leaves about ¼ inch from the top of the radish, clean off any soil with a vegetable brush. Wrap in a cloth or paper towel, and store in an unsealed bag or container in the refrigerator crisper for up to 2 weeks.

Alliums

Garlic, shallots and red onions will keep in the kitchen for two to three months in a basket or open bowl in a cool location; sweet (yellow) onions will keep for one to two months. Make sure they receive good air circulation to prevent rot. Store spring alliums, green onions, and leeks in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for 10 to 14 days. Don’t store any alliums in the same container as potatoes.

Parsley, Cilantro and Herbs

Snip off ends of the stems, place in a jar with 1 to 2 inches of water, and store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. I like to throw a W&P bag over the leaves, as it helps keep them fresh.

Celery

Wrap a whole, uncut celery in aluminum foil in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for up to four weeks. Don’t wash or cut until ready to use. To store cut celery stalks, place in a container and submerge with water with a lid for up to two weeks. Replenish the water every couple of days. To store cutting celery, place in a jar with clean water and store in a cool place for up to a week. Celeriac will last several weeks in the fridge, and can also be chopped up and frozen to preserve.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.

This post was sponsored by W&P, who kindly gifted us their porter bag starter pack so that we may continue to live a sustainable lifestyle. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

World Water Day with Pact

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.

World Water Day is an annual day of observance by the UN which highlights the importance of fresh water. The lack of available fresh water has been apparent to me since birth, since I was born in a third world country that depends heavily on plastic bottled water as the main source of clean drinking water. Of course, not many people in the country had access to it at the time. This was in the late 1980’s, but even when I returned as a dental missionary in 2015, I found that the people still largely had limited access to clean water. In fact, soda and juice was cheaper to buy at restaurants and stores, which resulted in a high proportion of dental caries (cavities) in the anterior region (front teeth) -a location of tooth decay that is uncommon in other nations.

It might horrify you to learn that the cleanest water they hope to drink is fresh rainwater from the sky collected in buckets during rainy season. It might surprise you to hear that toilet paper is not used in public bathrooms, but rather, a murky tub of communal water is splashed onto dirty bottoms. Nearly 5 million people in my home country, The Philippines, rely on unsafe and un-sanitized water. Additionally, over 9 million people live in places of unimproved sanitation which increases the risk of water-borne illnesses and disease. The few that do have access to clean water are contributing to the massive pollution of the islands’ surrounding ocean with plastic bottles while also littering the land. So when Pact reached out to me to be an advocate for World Water Day, I decided to take on the challenge.

Pact produces clothing and home textiles using organic cotton. Organic cotton uses 91% less water than traditional cotton. Globally, only .93% of cotton grown is organic, and farms can save 58 billion liters of water in a single year from growing with these standards versus conventional cotton. Not only is water saved, but the water is then reusable and not polluted. Cotton farming consumes 16% of the world’s pesticides and only utilizes 2.5% of cultivated land. Lastly, the fashion industry currently uses 4% of all fresh water. Those are percentages that should make anyone stop in their tracts.

I have been an advocate for Pact for a long time and have talked about their undergarments as well as their towels on this blog and social media. My husband loves his Pact boxers and I absolutely love their sports bras. Additionally, Pact’s beautiful waffle towels are the only ones we use. I am excited to share that in 2020, Pact consumers saved 35+ million gallons of water by choosing to shop Pact over other companies that use traditional cotton. Pact believes whole-heartedly in water conservation. In fact, they share their company’s conservation efforts on product pages, at checkout, within brand content, and through emails. So next time you need to buy clothing, underwear, bedsheets, and towels, consider Pact.

In an effort to promote Pact, TheDebtist readers can use the following code at checkout to receive 25% OFF of any order from March 19 to 25: thedebtist20. Of course, the best solution and practice is to buy less and use more. But shall you choose to buy, choose wisely what companies you support. I am an advocate for mitigating environmental damage by creating the smallest carbon footprint in living a minimalist life.

In case you’d like to make a difference through action, here are a few easy ways to reduce water waste in general.

Take shorter showers. When I was young, my mom grilled into our heads to take only five minute showers so as not to waste water and time. She also had us turn on the shower to get wet, then turn off the shower to shampoo our hair and soap our bodies. Then we turn on the water to rinse and that is it. Whenever we took too long in the shower, she would start timing it and come in to tell us when shower time was over.
Turn off water whenever possible. My mom was also very adamant about turning off the water when we washed dishes. We would rinse dishes on one side of the sink, then turn off the water while we scrubbed and soaped the dishes in another part of the sink. Only after we’ve scrubbed and soaped ALL the dishes did we rinse them in one go. It was not only water efficient, it was efficient overall. This doesn’t only apply to washing dishes, however. We turned off water to brush our teeth as well. You can also do the same when washing your hands.
Wear clothes more than once. My mom disliked it when we wore our clothes only once and then threw them in the hamper. She wanted us to wear shirts, pajamas, and pants multiple times. Of course, if we ever wore clothes to school or out, we would wash them. But clothes worn at home should be worn a full week. I know that seems dramatic, but she was obviously very water conscious.
Use a dishwasher. Studies have shown that green dishwashers waste less water when they are filled with dirty dishes than handwashing does. I first learned this volunteering at a regenerative farm in South Orange County. Treehugger posted a very good post explaining what it would take to make hand-washing more efficient than dishwashing here. What you want to avoid is running a dishwasher that isn’t full of dirty dishes. In a two-three person household, this may mean not running the dishwasher every night. Of course, using less utensils overall will help as well.
Consider xeriscaping. Xeriscaping is a way of landscaping your backyards and front yards with plants that require very little water. Green lawns are pretty to look at but they use a lot of water to maintain. Desert plants such as cacti are more water efficient and look good, too.

There you have it! Ways to celebrate World Water Day every day.

Photo by mrjn Photography on Unsplash

How to Save Money and Create Less Waste with Tushy

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure to learn more.

I am going off-grid from the PC charts here as I digress to talk about tushies and Tushys – as in human ones and bidets. I have been meaning to make the switch to bidets for a few years now. One of our closest friends has been raving about its usefulness and environmental friendliness at every opportune moment, but I never did like that big clonker that was sitting atop his toilet. So I have been putting it off for the sake of aesthetics, which we all know is an important part of my intentional life. However, as more and more of our friends made the switch, the urge to get one increased, and finally, my less-waste self came across the most minimalist, affordable, pretty bidet I could find: Tushy!

Related Posts:

What is a bidet?

Tushy was founded by Miki Agrawal in 2015, the same co-founder of Thinx. It has since then revolutionized the way young people doo their business. Bidets have become a sort of fad, but it is nothing new. Many countries around the world use bidets, and my friend who I mentioned earlier got his after visiting Japan and using bidets in the public and personal restrooms. In a more primitive sense, I, myself, experienced butt-washing in my youth, having never used toilet paper until I was thirteen years old. In my country, we use buckets of water to rinse our bums or simply hop in the shower. In fact, I remember first immigrating to the United States and being told by my mom that “toilet paper does not do the job.” To her, a bum’s not clean until it has been washed with water. This, of course, wasn’t the reason I got on my hands and knees to add a bidet to my toilet. The real motivation came from the environmental effects of making the switch.

Tushy Helps Save Money

The average non-bidet user uses 57 sheets of toilet paper a day. This adds up to about $10 worth of toilet paper a month, or $120 of toilet paper a year. A tree produces about 100 pounds of toilet paper, and one person uses up about 50 pounds of toilet paper a year. For a family of four, this adds up to two trees per year. Because it takes 37 gallons of water to create one roll of toilet paper, 4884 gallons of water is wasted per person per year.

It takes no statistician to confirm that switching to a bidet results in saved money, trees and water. However you also save yourself time from having to buy toilet paper. You save yourself stress during no-TP emergencies. You save your bum from chafing and your significant other from skidmarks. You save yourself the embarrassment.

The Cost of a Tushy

Is this all feeling a bit too much? Well your wallet won’t think so since Tushy is quite the affordable bidet, costing only $109 (although my readers can receive 10% off of their Tushy purchase using any of my affiliate links within this post as long as they enter the code: THEDEBTIST at checkout).

Does that sound too little? Tushy is the perfect minimalist bidet, with a sleek white frame and simple adjustable knobs in neutral colors (ours is Bamboo!). We own the Tushy Classic and as baby bear says, it is juuuuuust right! For those who want a little more, the Tushy Spa has a water temperature control making those cold mornings more comfortable.

Tushy Makes Installation a Breeze

So I know some of you are hoping I spill a few dirty details. However, the only thing dirty might be your toilet seat cover when you remove it to place a Tushy underneath. No worries though! Seeing all that gunk is the most difficult part of this set up. And hey! What a great time to clean up!

Here are, however, a few things we came across during installation that you may appreciate. The manual says to turn off the water using the water shut-off valve behind the toilet. Some knobs, however, no longer function due to disuse. In which case, one would need to turn off the water to the entire house. Which is what we had to do.

Secondly, have plenty of towels around. You want to catch any water that comes out of the toilet, in case the shut-off valve doesn’t work. Also, wear gloves. When you get to the part that requires toilet seat removal, you want to make sure you won’t feel any surprises. Hopefully you clean your toilet regularly, but we won’t judge!

Lastly, adding the bidet underneath the toilet seat cover may make the screws that once clamped the toilet seat down too short. The added height of the bidet will require longer screws. No worries, I simply trekked to Home Depot and went down the bathroom and toilet aisle. There’s a section for toilet repair and you’ll need to buy two very long screws, which costs about $3.

Overall, I think the installation is super simple. I was able to do it by myself. If I didn’t have to run to Home Depot to get more screws and if my toilet’s water valve actually shut off, it would have probably taken me 15 to 20 minutes. Which means I would have been using Tushy within the hour. But instead, it took me a good hour due to the “complications” I came across. It’s taken me longer to build Ikea cabinets.

My Honest Review of Tushy

It has only been less than 24 hours but I absolutely love Tushy! I feel suuuper fresh and squeaky clean. Mike gave me a thumbs up as he exited the bathroom this morning. That’s a HUGE sign. In addition, I have had a lot of positive feedback from people in this space. I’ve had people reach out to me to tell me they received this for Christmas. I’ve heard stories about moms installing this in every bathroom in the house (including the trailer!). I have friends who just moved in together literally this weekend saying they are getting one for their new space. And that one friend that has been raving about bidets for ages? He said, “Welcome to the first day of your new life.”

I feel it.

This post was in partnership with Tushy. They gifted me the Tushy Classic with a bamboo knob and I am straight-up IN LOVE. It’s the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your bum. To get 10% off your new Tushy bidet now, use this affiliate link made especially for TheDebtist readers, or enter THEDEBTIST at checkout! All thoughts, opinions, and content are my own.