Happy Earth Day, Bare Beauties.  Every year, I get mixed emotions on this holiday.  On one hand, I feel very depressed, angry and guilty.  Laziness and greed are causing so much damage to our beautiful planet.  More and more of us are becoming conscious citizens, but there is always so much more we can do.  I feel sick every time I throw something away that isn’t biodegradable or cannot be recycled (#shamespiral).  On the other hand, I want to celebrate and express my gratitude for my beautiful home and this beautiful life.  I want to show my daughter the natural wonders of this world.  Indulge me for a moment, and hop on this roller coaster ride of mine.

Recently, The Guardian published a short, informational slideshow that exposes the overpopulation and overconsumption burdening our planet.  It took my breath away.  See it for yourself.

When it comes to the environment, I am always thinking about what I can do better, especially now that I have given birth to the next generation.  We don’t have to give up consumerism altogether and go live in teepees in the wilderness, but we do need to make some serious changes.  The number-one change we all have the power to make is to consume less plastic.

• Plastic is made from petroleum, a non-renewable resource that nations literally go to battle for.
• Many types of plastic cannot be or simply are not recycled.
• Plastic can take up to 1,000 years to decompose.
• Plastic waste pollutes our land, water and kills wildlife.
• Consuming food and beverages from plastic containers is hazardous to our health, as it contains phthalates and other endocrine-disrupting toxins.

Stay with me…

One thing that’s been particularly haunting me is plastic grocery bags and plastic produce/bulk bags.  In Charleston, they are not recyclable – our facilities do not yet have the ability to sort them.  I do bring my own reusable grocery bags, but sometimes, I just don’t want wet lettuce in my cart and I grab a plastic produce bag… and later, when I’m throwing it away, I hate myself.

But, wait.  There is a solution.

Enter: Bag the Habit.  They make reusable bags for groceries, produce and just about anything else with 100% recycled eco-textiles.  To celebrate Earth Day, they are offering 50% off their entire site with code EARTH2015.  A pack of 4 produce bags is normally $20, but for $10 this is seriously a no-brainer, people.

Now, go outside, fit nature into your schedule, and celebrate this beautiful day.

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