Sustainable toilet paper! / Papel higiénico ecológico!

Buying toilet paper is usually a nobrainer for us humans. We go to a store or browse online, find a brand we’ve heard of, pay, use, throw away, repeat. But what if I told you that even with the toilet paper you use at home, you could become a more sustainable and mindful consumer. Yes!! Aria has created toilet paper that is not only better quality and softer than recycled toilet paper, but also better for our environment! It is biodegradable and made from local and sustainably sourced trees that are within 100-mile radius from their mill using practices that are certified by Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®). Are you in love with the sound of this already? Wait, because there’s more! The energy they use is 100% renewable and generated by the bark and wood residues from pulping. This “biomass” helps Aria reduce their use of fossil fuels, and production of CO2 emissions. And the packaging, you may wonder? The packing is made with plantbased materials and is recyclable. Furthermore, they plant 3 trees for each one they use! How about that for a toilet paper with a mission?! You can order Aria on their site or on Amazon with discount code 15PROMOARIA.

Any of you use this planet-loving toilet paper already?

_______________________________________________

(ESPAÑOL)

La compra de papel higiénico es generalmente una decisión sencilla para nosotros. Vamos a una tienda o navegamos online, encontramos una marca de la que hemos oído hablar, pagamos, la usamos, la botamos, repetimos el proceso. Pero qué pasa si les dijera que incluso con el papel higiénico que usamos en casa, podríamos convertirnos en consumidores más sostenibles y conscientes? Sí!! Aria ha creado papel higiénico que no es solamente de mejor calidad y más suave que el papel higiénico reciclado, sino que también es mejor para nuestro medio ambiente. Es biodegradable y está hecho de árboles locales que se encuentran dentro de un radio de 100 millas de la fábrica de Aria, y utilizando prácticas certificadas por Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®). Ya se enamoraron de como suena todo esto? Esperen, porque hay más! La energía que utilizan es 100% renovable y es generada por la corteza y los residuos de madera de la fabricación de la pulpa. Esta “biomasa” ayuda a Aria a reducir el uso de combustibles fósiles y su producción de CO2. Y el empaque, se preguntarán? Está hecho con materiales vegetales y es reciclable. Además, Aria siembra 3 árboles por cada uno que utilizan! Qué tal todo esto para un papel higiénico con una misión? Puede comprar Aria en su página web o en Amazon usando el código de descuento 15PROMOARIA.

Alguno de ustedes ya usa este papel higiénico en casa?

Sponsored by Aria.

Tree Pulp Sunnies & Much More. Costa del Mar has gone green!

As #plasticfreejuly continues, here’s another brand I want to share with you. For all my adventurers and eco warriors, this one is for you! You may have heard of COSTA del Mar before but their new eco-friendly initiatives will leave you speechless! COSTA is making it their mission to leave the world just as beautiful as we all found it. How?

1) For starters, they have partnered with Ocearch to preserve one of our ocean’s most important creatures: sharks! The health and survival of our oceans depend on sharks, and we depend on our oceans. As scary as they may look, we sadly kill more of them per year than they accidentally kill humans. 100 million+ per year, that is. These are sea creatures that take years to reproduce and are crucial to preserving our waters. Our waters protect us from sunrays and rising temperatures, and generate 50%+ of the oxygen we breathe. So, do the math!

2) Four years ago, they started the initiative, Kick Plastic to eliminate single-use plastic wherever they can. Plastic takes from 100-500+ to decompose and always finds its way into our oceans killing thousands of sea creatures. Plastic is one of the most toxic man-made and petroleum-based materials for our earth, animals and people.

3) COSTA uses renewable resources like tree pulp and bio resin, from the castor plant, to make their sunglasses frames. Yes! This is where we all get to chip in as conscious consumers by supporting brands that have our planet in mind! The sunnies you see me wearing in this photo are made of tree pulp and come in the cutest cork case.

4) They have also partnered with Bureo to create a collection of sunglasses from discarded fishing nets collected in the ports of Chile! The collection is called “Untangled” and this video will make your heart beat a little faster.

Stay tuned for a giveaway coming up in the next few days! A lucky soul will win a pair of sustainable sunnies and a “Kick Plastic” water bottle!

_______________________________________________________________________

(Español)

Continuando con este mes de Julio sin plástico, quiero compartirles otra marca ecológica que esta cambiando la industria de la moda. Para todos mis aventureros y guerreros ecológicos, esto es para ustedes! Es posible que ya hayan escuchado de COSTA DEL MAR, pero sus nuevas iniciativas ecológicas los dejarán sin palabras. COSTA volvió su misión el dejar el mundo tan hermoso como todos lo encontramos. ¿Cómo?

1) Para empezar, se han asociado con Ocearch para preservar una de las criaturas más importantes de nuestro océano: los tiburones! La salud y la vida de nuestros océanos dependen de los tiburones, y nosotros dependemos de nuestros océanos. Por más temerarios que puedan verse, nosotros (los humanos) matamos más tiburones por año de lo que ellos matan accidentalmente a los humanos. 100 millones + de tiburones por año. Estas son criaturas marinas que tardan años en reproducirse y son cruciales para preservar nuestros mares. Nuestras aguas nos protegen de los rayos del sol y el incremento de las temperaturas, y generan el 50% + del oxígeno que respiramos. Hagan los números! 

2) Hace cuatro años comenzaron la iniciativa, "Kick Plastic" para eliminar el plástico donde sea posible. El plástico tarda de 100 a 500+ en descomponerse y siempre encuentra su camino a nuestros océanos, matando a miles de criaturas marinas. El plástico es uno de los materiales más tóxicos (hechos por el hombre y derivados del petróleo) para nuestra tierra, animales y personas.

3) COSTA utiliza recursos renovables como pulpa de árbol y resina biodegradable para hacer sus gafas de sol. Sí! Aquí es donde todos podemos ayudar como consumidores conscientes apoyando a las marcas que tienen a nuestro planeta en mente! Las gafas que me ven usando en esta foto están hechas de pulpa de árbol y vienen en un estuche de corcho divino.

4) También se han asociado con Bureo para crear una colección de gafas de redes de pesca descartadas y recolectadas en los puertos de Chile! La colección se llama "Untangled" y este video hará que sus corazones latan  un poco más rápido.

Estén atentos para un sorteo en los próximos días! ¡Un persona afortunada ganará un par de gafas sostenibles y una botella de agua "Kick Plastic"!

Happy Earth Day! #GoGreen 101 Tips!

“What can I do?”. “Que puedo hacer yo?”. These are questions I get asked every day! "What can I do to fix, save and protect our planet?" "How can I, as a single individual, make a difference if millions of others are not doing it?" Well, I’m here to tell you (and show you) how easy, important, fun and beautiful it is to incorporate consciousness into your lifestyle. Four years ago, these words never crossed my mind! I used to order 3 to-go coffees per day to stay awake in the corporate world without thinking about the waste I was creating on a daily basis. Over 1000 cups per year to be exact! (Do the math). And don’t even get me started on my plastic bottle consumption! I lost count. I was one more human caught in my own world, not paying attention to anything going on outside of it, until the day I woke up and began looking at life with a different lens. I started reading more about sustainability, watched many films, and understood that every action I take can either continue to exploit our home or can help heal it. Easy steps and little shifts in routines and mindsets that CAN have a positive and healing impact on our planet. Think about these facts for a second:

• We, globally, use and discard 1 million plastic bottles PER MINUTE. 91% of this is NOT recycled.
• In the US only, we use and discard half a BILLION plastic straws per day! This is plastic that takes over 400 years to decompose. Plastic that always finds its way into our oceans; killing and poisoning sacred animals needed for our survival and to keep our oceans healthy. Why are our oceans so important? Simple. They absorb 93% of the CO2 emissions we produce, making our oceans our main protector against global warming.

Now, what can YOU do to protect your home? Our mother. Here are some simple steps  I apply on a daily basis, and so can you:

1) Carry a reusable water bottle and coffee mug and say no to plastic ones. The ones I use are in this photo. You can buy your entire "Go Green 101" kit here. 

2) Carry reusable utensils and a straw, and a cotton tote in your bag. 

3) Support sustainable fashion, and fabrics that are organic and biodegradable. Some brands you see here which I love are: 

• Monkey Sunglasses: Biodegradable sunnies made of cotton fibers and recycled materials, supporting a non-profit that protects orangutans. The sunnies in this photo are by MonkeyGlasses.
• Bohempia: They make comfy t-shirts and shoes from hemp. Hemp is a biodegradable, sustainable, and antibacterial natural material. The tees in this photo are by Bohempia. 
• Miakoda NY: an ethical and fair-trade fashion brand using bamboo, soy and organic cotton fabrics. The bodysuit I'm wearing in this photo is by Miakoda.
• To find more sustainable brands, click here.

4) Reuse and get creative! The jean jacket you see here, I’ve owned for over 7 years. Styled it and painted it myself instead of throwing it away. The skirt I’m wearing, is a tablecloth transformed into a skirt! I had unused tablecloths from Bali and India in my closet for over two years, so...I took them to my seamstress and asked her to give life to a skirt and a pair of pants from those unused fabrics! 

5) Suport zero-waste brands. One I adore is Hungry Harvest. They recover fruits and veggies that were rejected by big grocery stores based on their aesthetics, and deliver them to your door for a small fee. Reducing waste, creating jobs, helping farmers, and feeding people worldwide! Organic options available! Use code "waterthruskin" for discount.

6) Support eco-friendly hotels when you travel and offset your CO2 emissions by donating to Climate Care. This is what I do every time. They calculate your CO2 emissions per trip and tell you how much you need to donate to projects that are protecting and healing nature. 

7) Go vegan! I know. So hard! I used to love meat too! It's in my culture. I'm a latina who was raised eating meat and chicken on a daily basis. 7+ years ago I went pescatarian, later vegetarian and then vegan and never looked back. I've been vegan for 3+ years now and love it! As long as you make sure you are getting your daily dose of nutrients and vitamins from superfoods, alongside a healthy diet, you will thrive as a vegan while saving 1,100 gallons of water, 45 pounds of gran, 30 ft2 of forested land, 20 pounds of CO2 equivalent, and 1 animal's life EVERY SINGLE DAY!

8) Inspire others by example! Never forcing. Never criticizing. Never judging. Let your pure light and uplifting energy draw those around you to want to learn more about what you are doing differently. ;) 

Ready to make a difference? It's easier than you think! A non-profit I've partnered with is Sachamama. You can find a lot of information about sustainability on their website. They educate students and families about the importance of protecting mother nature and the devastating effects of global warming. Their site is both in Spanish AND English. Just hit the button on the top right corner to change the language.  

Go Green in 2018! It's this easy!

I’m sure a lot of you woke up on the first day of 2018 asking yourselves “how can I make a difference?”. Well, it’s this easy! It doesn’t matter if you are a girl or a guy, this information is for absolutely everyone! Read it, digest it and share it with your loved ones.

1) Did you know we use and throw away enough plastic PER YEAR to circle the earth 4 times?! Or that this plastic and waste takes approx 500-1000 years to degrade, which means it will sit on landfills for that long or will find its way into our oceans and kill sea earthlings precious to human survival? Solution? Reduce your consumption and plastic use! I carry my bamboo utensils and metal straw in my bag at all times and say no to plastic ones whenever I’m on the go. That easy! If you have them with you, you'll never have to ask for plastic ones when eating at restaurants or buying ToGo food. 

2) Did you know tampons and pads carry chemicals, odor repellents, plastic, petroleum, bleach and other life-threatening and cancer-inducing ingredients? Yes, I know...talking about a woman’s period is “gross” but it should NEVER be a taboo! What’s gross is everything we are putting in our bodies without knowing about it! Women, in their lifetimes, will use 16,800+ tampons and pads! Some of these pads are made with plastic equivalent to 4 plastic bags! A woman uses 2-4 pads per day during her mother-nature-called days.... Do the insane math! And yes, there’s the option to buy organic feminine products but those products, once used, will eventually find their way into our landfills and oceans too. Solution? Menstrual cup! I know it looks scary but it was the best advice I received in 2017! I love it, I take it with me everywhere (even on my trips), it takes my cramps away every single time, and it is safe, hygienic and eco-friendly. Plus, you buy one and it lasts for... YEARS! Protecting your body from toxic chemicals, and helping you- beautiful goddess- produce LESS waste! The brand I use is called GladRags, and they donate feminine products to girls in need with each purchase you make. They also sell pads made of cotton fabric.

These are just a few of my green secrets. What are yours?