Posts by Michelle Polizzi

12 Tips for a More Stylish, but Sustainable Fall

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Your Guide to a More Stylish, Sustainable Fall

Pumpkin spice lattes, soft flannels, and campfires—we all know fall when we see it. But as with any trend, celebrating the season of coziness can easily turn into a high-consumption period.

How much waste might you be creating with that daily Pumpkin Spice Latte? What’s the true impact of those fast-fashion boots you’ll only wear for three months?

Fortunately, you don’t have to sacrifice style for sustainability to celebrate the season.

Why Does a Sustainable Fall Matter?

It’s easy to buy into fall trends without thinking twice about their environmental impact. But research shows there’s a reason to be more mindful about your fall.

For example, Americans discard 50 billion single-use coffee cups daily—most of which are coated in plastic. The negative implications of fall doesn’t stop at seasonal drinks, either. The fashion industry consumes one-tenth of all the water used industrially, and 20% of wastewater that flows into oceans stems from toxic chemical dyes.

If we use the fall season as an excuse to buy something cheap, new, and convenient, we’re contributing to consumption and pollution that degrade our planet. While the following items promote purchasing something new to you, many are made with recycled plastics or fabrics that have been diverted from the landfill. Others are so high-quality that they’re meant to be purchased once, and used for life.

Here’s our roundup of twelve festive fall products you can feel good about:

1. A Reusable Mug for Warm Drinks

It doesn't really feel like fall without a warm, frothy drink to sip on. Whether it’s pumpkin coffee or cinnamon tea, a solid mug can ensure you’re enjoying sustainably.

The Ceramic Mug from Soma has a leak-proof bamboo lid and double-walled insulation to keep your drinks warm long after you pour them. Ceramic can last a lifetime when cared for well. Plus, unlike plastic, it’s non-toxic and made from clay that comes straight from the earth.

If you’re used to getting coffee from a big chain store, this mug offers a chance to switch it up. Either add your own seasonal autumn drink at home, or take it to your local coffee shop to have them fill it up with something warm and delicious.

Shop Soma's Ceramic Mug

2. A Soft, Warm Blanket

Few things are cozier than wrapping yourself in a giant, chunky blanket at home. Yet many blankets are made with materials like polyester and acrylic. While these fibers can be warm and soft, they’re made from petroleum products.

That’s why we’re always on a mission to find the perfect sustainable bedding and blanket brands.

Enter: Bearaby. Bearaby’s 10lbs Cotton Napper is made from organic cotton, which uses significantly less water than ordinary cotton.

The blanket comes in cozy colors like asteroid gray and evening rose, and it’s also MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® and Fairtrade International certified. The napper is evenly weighted to promote restful sleep in all seasons, so you can use it even when the weather warms up.

Shop Bearaby's Cotton Napper

3. The Perfect Pair of Sweats

Lounging at home in a cozy blanket isn’t complete without a go-to pair of sweatpants.

We love the Pact Airplane Joggers because they are made from organic cotton in a fair trade factory.

Pact is known for being a brand that makes high-quality clothing but also goes to greater lengths than most to trace the environmental impact of their products (this jogger has a carbon offset of 17.4 lbs).

The camel color is ideal for fall—and there’s even a sweater to match if you want to complete the set!

Shop Pact's Airplane Jogger

4. The Ideal Notebook for Journaling

Seasonal changes are the perfect time to reset and reflect on your goals. As we move from warmer months to shorter, cooler days, a journal can help you record your feelings, sketch ideas, and set intentions for the season ahead. So why not get started with a sustainable notebook?

Papier is a stationery company that strives for sustainability in multiple ways.

They use recyclable packaging and sustainably-sourced papers and ink.

Most of all, their journals and other products are made-to-order, which means they aren’t wasting paper by creating products in bulk (that later get sent to the landfill). We love their plain paper notebooks for doodling, visual journaling, sketching, writing, and more.

Shop Papier's Notebooks

5. A Sophisticated Fall Bag

Whether you’re strolling campus, commuting to work, or reading at a local coffee shop, a sophisticated fall bag is a must.

For a polished, professional look that still feels very of-the-season, we suggest the Sombre Vintage Briefcase by Ecosusi.

The contrasting color palettes have a uniquely vintage feel, and the vegan materials mean no animals were harmed in the process.

We also love that Ecosusi is a female-led, all vegan brand with a commitment to ethical manufacturing practices. They vet and visit their factories frequently to ensure fair wages and reasonable working hours—all things we’re happy to support.

Shop Ecosusi's Vintage Briefcase

6. The Trendy Hat for All Occasions

Beanies are favorite for staying warm in fall, but if you want to level up the style a notch, The festival hat from Tentree is your best bet.

Reasonably priced and made from recycled wool, this fedora keeps your head warm without the itch of other cold-weather hats.

The only other material is cork, which comprises the accent band on the hat.

It’s perfect for leaf-peeping, fall festivals, dinners out with friends, and everything in between.

Tentree plants ten trees for every product purchased, which not only helps offset the impact of their production methods, but also helps directly add more greenery (and oxygen) to the earth.

Shop Tentree's Festival Hat

7. A Pair of Recycled Sunglasses

If you’re in need of a new pair of shades, MITA has a stylish selection of sustainable, UVA/UVB protective sunglasses.

MITA starts with five water bottles and transforms them into a pair of wearable, high-quality, lightweight, and super cute eyewear. Their cleaning cloths and cases are made from recycled materials, too.

The MITA community works with a few different non-profit organizations to help clean up and protect our oceans and waterways.

Many of their styles in both eyeglasses and sunglasses come in a beautiful Merlot color that will go perfectly for fall!

Shop MITA Sunglasses

8. The Chicest Cape

If you want a chic way to rethink your layered outfits, look no further than Fifth Origins.

Their cape infinity duo is handwoven from 100% organic linen.

These ponchos are one-size-fits-all, but they can also be made to order according to specific measurements (which doesn’t cost extra).

All their products are made in India by rural artisans, following fair-trade practices.

The defining feature of these capes is versatility.

They’re made with two colors, one on each side, so you can have two completely different looks. Plus, there’s more than one way to wear them, with over twenty styling options.

Shop Fifth Origin's Infinity Cape

9. A Refined Flannel

Flannels scream chilly weather, but it takes time to find one that isn’t scratchy, shabby, or ill-fitting.

The blanket shirt by Outerknown is made from brushed organic cotton heavyweight twill (in other words, it’s soft).

We love that it walks the fine line between shirt and jacket.

Designed for layering, this flannel hits below the hips for a flattering cut, and the colors couldn’t get more perfect, either.

Outerknown is driven by a passion for responsible action and courageous change, and their entire brand is committed to practicing sustainability and supporting fair labor. Their used platform, where people can sell and shop pre-loved goods, has kept 1,300 garments from the landfill.

Shop Outerknown's Blanket Shirt

10. The Best Blazer

Autumn is for layers, and blazers are arguably the best one.

We love a plaid blazer for Fall, and the Winston Blazer from Reformation is our favorite. Find it in 3 neutral plaid color combinations that will ‘fall’ seamlessly into your Autumn wardrobe.

Reformation makes its clothing using low-impact materials, like Tencel lyocell, recycled cotton, linen, OEKO-TEX-certified regenerated nylon, or recycled cashmere. It also has some pieces produced from rescued deadstock fabrics (like this blazer) and repurposed vintage clothes.

This Climate-Neutral certified company is also very transparent about the factories it works with and how the products are made. Some of its clothes are produced locally in Los Angeles.

Shop Reformation's Winston Blazer

11. A Reliable Base Turtleneck

Turtlenecks are the fashion staple of fall—especially when paired with the perfect cardigan.

The Lux Paris Rib Turtleneck from Amour Vert can be found in this gorgeous green color or a basic black - both would be the perfect layering piece.

The brand partners directly with mills to source its fabrics to ensure its supply chain remains traceable.

It also creates its clothing in limited quantities to avoid unnecessary waste and ensure the highest production standards.

Amour Vert ships its products in packaging made from compostable and recycled materials and printed with soy-based inks.

Shop Amour Vert Turtleneck

12. Your Go-To Fall Bootie

Rain showers and cooler temps mean booties are a requirement for fall. However, leather is notoriously destructive to the environment—contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, and deforestation (not to mention its ethical implications). Sustainable, vegan leather boots are an eco-friendly alternative that look just as cute as leather, without the guilt. Nae is a sustainable, USA-made shoe brand with the perfect fall boots: Irma Black.

Featuring a block heel, vegan leather, and sustainable microsuede, these side-zipper ankle booties are slightly higher on the ankle than other booties, adding a more polished appearance. These boots are made in Portugal in a fair working environment.

Shop Nae's Vegan Boots

About the Author

Michelle Polizzi is an independent writer and storyteller with 7 years of experience creating content online. Her writing has appeared in leading publications like Bitch, WELL+GOOD, Insider, and Healthline, and she covers topics like sustainable living, mental health, and intersectional feminism. Currently, she's pursuing an MFA in creative writing.

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The Best Produce Delivery Services in 2023

Produce delivery boxes have become a go-to way to save time on grocery shopping and make nightly dinner prep a little bit easier. But it’s also true that food subscription boxes are notorious for creating lots of packaging waste, not to mention the impact of shipping them or keeping them cold.

So how do you know which food boxes best suit your tastes? What boxes are best for couples, and which are better for families? Even more importantly, how can you be sure that your produce delivery box choices are having a positive impact on the environment, rather than contributing more waste to landfills?

These are all questions it’s important to consider when signing up for a produce delivery box — and that’s where we come in. We’ve rounded up some of your best options, which can help you choose a box that tastes great for you, and has a great impact on the world.

How to Choose a Produce Delivery Box

Produce boxes vary greatly, from their driving mission to the goods and services they offer. For example, many boxes are dedicated to fighting food waste and diverting perfectly-good fruits and vegetables that would’ve gone to the landfill. Other companies create boxes with a mission to reduce food insecurity or foster regenerative agriculture.

You’ll also want to consider your own driving forces. Do you want to save time and money, or are you just hoping to try new things? Do you want to support local farms, or are you just interested in what tastes good?

Other factors to consider when choosing a produce box are frequency and price — and how many people will be eating — plus how much variety and personalization you prefer in your box. Certain boxes have their items set based on seasonality, which simplifies the process if you don’t want to deal with choosing items. But if you want more say in what you get, and you’d like a mix of snacks, condiments and pantry items, you might want to look for a box that you can personalize before every delivery.

Overall, produce delivery boxes create less waste than meal kit boxes, because most of their items are fruits and veggies, which don’t need to be packaged in plastic. When they do provide packaged items and snacks, they offer the full-size version, which results in less waste than a meal kit that has tiny packages of individually-wrapped ingredients.

Once you’ve gotten clear on your purpose and desires, you can better choose the best box for you.

our favorite produce delivery boxes:

1) Misfits Market

Best for: Reduces food waste and saves you up to 40% on your grocery bill; customizable boxes and flexible shipping

Price: Starting at $35-$40/week

Misfits Market is on a mission to reduce food waste while making fresh, organic food more accessible to all.

They work directly with farmers, food hubs and other suppliers to source food that might otherwise be thrown away due to excess or cosmetic imperfections.

In addition to sourcing fruits and veggies, Misfits Markets boxes offer pantry staples, healthy snacks, cooking essentials, and high-quality meats and seafood.

These top-tier items are cheaper than what you’ll find in the grocery store, since they’re from the extra inventory that couldn’t be sold to grocery stores. That, and the fact that they are delivered in eco-friendly packaging, ensures that Misfits Market is a produce box you can feel good about.

Shop Misfits Market

2) Melissa’s

Best for: Specialty fruits and vegetables, seasonal produce, plant-based eating

Price: Varies according to consumer purchase

Melissa’s Produce has been delivering specialty fruits and veggies nationwide since 1984. This delivery service is a great way to discover new seasonal produce you may not have tried before, including green-skinned pineapples, finger limes, and goldenberries. The family-owned business is also a trusted source for recipes, food storage tips, and many more ideas for eating — and feeling — your best.

Melissa’s is a top choice for plant-based eaters who are looking to expand their palette to include new foods while also testing out gourmet recipes that have been tested by actual chefs. They also have some pantry items such as beans, salsas, and other staples to round out your options.

Shop Melissa'a

3) Imperfect Foods

Best for: Diverting food waste, flexible options for plant-based and meat eaters

Price: No monthly fee; varies according to consumer purchase

Similar to Misfits Market, Imperfect Foods is on a mission to fight food waste by diverting foods that might have otherwise gone to the landfill. They categorize their food with different labels, such as “cosmetic imperfection,” “made with ugly produce,” and “made with rescued ingredients,” to show all the ways they’re repurposing goods.

Buying a box from Imperfect Foods can save at least six pounds of food waste per week while conserving over 200 gallons of water. Since Imperfect Foods offers farm-fresh produce, curated grocery items, gourmet snacks, plant-based proteins, dairy products and more, you’ll always have variety in your Imperfect Foods box, making it a great foundation for healthy, creative meals.

Shop Imperfect Foods

4) Hungryroot

Best for: Planned meals with flexibility; gluten-free and other allergen-friendly

Price: Starting at $65/ delivery

Hungryroot combines the convenience of meal kits with the personalization of produce boxes. They’ll send fresh fruits and veggies, meats, and plant-based protein, but also sauces and other accouterments, which you can use to make specific meals while also mixing and matching your own delicious creations.

Hungryroot has its own line of branded sauces, dips, grains, and other goods, but you’ll also find common organic brands like Kite Hill, Banza, Lightlife, and Califia Farms in their boxes. Overall, if you’re hoping for a faster way to buy your favorite foods, plus a little bit of inspiration for quick, healthy meals, Hungryroot might be your best bet.

Shop Hungryroot

5) The Fruit Company

Best for: Premium hand-picked fruit, hard-to-find fruit and gourmet baskets

Price: Monthly box starting at $139/ box (~$35/week)

Based out of the beautiful Hood Valley, Oregon, The Fruit Company is exactly what it sounds like—a company selling fruit. But their fruit is beyond the average bananas and apples you’ll find at the grocery store. They grow some of the most coveted fruit across the nation, from Rainier Cherries and Seckel Pears to Honeybell Citrus.

You can curate your own box of fruit, or you can sign up for The Fruit Company’s monthly fruit club, which has an assortment of seasonal and best-selling items. As part of the monthly club, you can choose from four tiers, including an exotic box and an organic box, all with varying offerings and price points.

Shop The Fruit Company

6) Farmer Jones Farm

Best for: Supporting regenerative agriculture and farm-chef relationships, herbs and flowers along with fresh veggie variety

Price: Farm fresh boxes starting at $79

Farmer Jones is a regenerative agriculture farm and market based in Huron, Ohio.

The family-run farm is on a mission to provide people with delicious fruits and vegetables, microgreens, herbs and even edible flowers, all while helping the planet.

Their regenerative farm techniques enrich the soil and reduce the need for chemicals, working in harmony with nature to grow delicious and healthy food for the masses.

You can make your own vegetable box, or choose from curated options like the Eat the Rainbow Box or the Gourmet Vegetable Box. They also have a chef-curated box as part of their The Chef’s Garden program, in which they collaborate with chefs to inspire their growing season.

Shop Farmer Jones Farm

7) Good Hill Farms

Best for: Exotic fruit, nursery trees, lemonade kits

Price: Variety boxes starting at $42

Produce boxes from Good Hill Farms include hand-sorted exotic fruit, nursery trees, and fruit variety boxes. All produce comes from a subtropical farm in California, where the sunny conditions allow them to grow fruit like guava, pomelo, dragon fruit, caviar lime, and other varieties that don’t grow in most other parts of the contiguous U.S.

If you’re new to exotic fruit, variety boxes from Good Hill Farms can be a fun way to try different items and discover your new favorites. Their variety box options include a mystery fruit variety box, tropical avocado variety box, summer’s best, and cherimoya variety. Another unique offering from Good Hill Farms are their exotic lemonade kits, which include everything you need to make a fresh, nutritious lemonade using their secret recipe.

Shop Good Hill Farms

8) Hungry Harvest

Best for: Delivery on the east coast, adventurous and plant-based eaters, diverting food waste

Price: $17 minimum for mini boxes

Hungry Harvest first rose to popularity by garnering a major investment on the show Shark Tank, which they have used to further their mission. Similar to other boxes on this list, Hungry Harvest aims to fight food waste, claiming that about 10 pounds of food is saved with every harvest.

What makes them unique is their commitment to food equity—Hungry Harvest has a reduced-cost grocery offering. They also deliver to hunger-solving organizations, and they have an emergency box to help those in crisis. In the box, you’ll find fruits and veggies along with specialty items like Baltimore Cold Brew and arugula, beet and goat cheese ravioli, plus vegan favorites like Beyond Meat.

Currently, Hungry Harvest delivery is restricted to the East Coast, with produce and grocery delivery across Maryland, Washington, DC, Greater Philadelphia, Southern New Jersey, Northern Delaware, and Raleigh, North Carolina, but the company has plans to expand.

Shop Hungry Harvest

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How are Books Made?

Understanding the ecological impact of books starts with knowing how they’re made. The majority of books today are mass-produced on giant presses weighing hundreds of thousands of pounds. These presses are operated by employees, who help ensure quality as the printer moves through each stage of the process.

The biggest resource used in the printing of books is paper — which comes on giant spools before being loaded into the machine. It’s not just a little bit of paper used, either: 32 million trees are used to produce books in the United States. This reduction in trees accounts for nearly half of a book’s overall environmental impact. Ink, too, is an important ingredient in book printing, especially when it comes to printing color covers and books with images or illustrations. Many conventional inks lead to pollution of air, water, and soil, as do the compounds and solvents used in the process.

Once the book pages have been printed, they are then bound with large amounts of glue/ That glue may also be made with toxic chemicals, like hazardous air pollutants (HACs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), some of which can be carcinogenic (among other dangers to human health).

Hardcover books have a cardboard cover attached, while paperback books use a heavier weight of paper. After the cover, books are then added to boxes where they are shipped to distributors via all forms of travel and sold to customers around the world.

While book printing innovation has come a long way from the hand-powered printing press, the massive machines today use a significant amount of energy, not to mention the resources used in the process.

The Environmental Impact of Books

Many people associate book production with deforestation—and that is a major cause for concern. But did you know that the paper production required in bookmaking is also a major contributor to water degradation? Paper mills have long been a source of water pollution, with chemicals and byproducts being released into the streams and rivers nearby. Water contamination isn’t only damaging not only for nearby ecosystems and animals, but also for people who live in the area.

Another aspect of the environmental impact of books: the waste they produce. The EPA states that books and other paper products, like newspapers, are recycled at a rate of around 50%. The other half of books may wind up either composted and made into other paper products, but millions of books wind up in the landfill each year. The saddest part about that is many of the books going to the landfill haven’t even been read.

So how do so many books end up going to waste? One of the major reasons is that the publishing industry has a practice of producing too many books that don’t wind up selling. If a book is anticipated to sell a certain number of copies, for example, a publisher might make those books ahead of time to meet the forecasted demand. And while it would be much more sustainable to print books on demand as they sell, the production and distribution would likely take too long to meet modern customer’s laser-fast delivery expectations.

So, when those extra books don’t wind up selling, retailers can find themselves with an excess amount of books and no place to put them. When that situation arises, shipping the books back to the publisher can incur too much additional cost on behalf of the retailer. So instead of giving them to someone who can use them, the covers are ripped off the books as proof they didn’t sell, and they’re either dumped to the garbage or sent through pulping—a manufacturing process which breaks down paper products to recycle them into new products. This recycling process is better than books being sent to the landfill; however, pulping, like paper production, requires a great deal of water and produces wastewater pollution.

Sustainable Steps in Publishing

Books can negatively impact the environment throughout their lifecycle. Fortunately, some publishers are taking steps to make book publishing more sustainable. For example, John Wiley & Sons uses 100% renewable energy and is carbon neutral certified, and MacMillan went fully carbon neutral in 2017. Harper Collins is using a significant amount of recycled paper, with a 2025 goal of using either all recycled or certified paper ( meaning the paper is certified as responsibly sourced by the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®).

You may still wonder why major publishers don’t use all recycled material, or why it’s taking so long to adopt more sustainable practices. It’s because there are many barriers preventing publishing companies from being more green. For example, publishers have stated that recycled materials simply aren’t plentiful enough to use in mass book production, and that the cost to acquire them is too high.

That’s where organizations like the World Wildlife Foundation Forest Forward program can help. Forest Forward exists to help companies that produce paper products learn to reduce their environmental impact. Specifically, this consultancy teaches businesses how to meet their financial goals while also being more sustainable in the process, which negates the argument that sustainable steps are too costly.

Additionally, some organizations are helping authors have a greater say in how their books impact the earth. Tree to Me, created by the Society of Authors, offers free resources to help writers and authors request more sustainable steps from their publisher.

These are just a few examples of what major publishers are doing, and since 80% of all books in the US are created by these major publishers, their sustainability improvements go a long way.

How to Read More Sustainably

Despite the positive sustainability steps of major companies, there is still a great deal of work to be done. We may not have control over how many books publishers produce or what they do with unread books, but as with any consumer good, readers do have a lot of power in which industries and practices they support. How you choose to buy books, in what format, and from whom can make a major difference in reducing the impact of reading.

Audiobooks and eBooks

Switching to audiobooks and ebooks can reduce your personal impact when it comes to reading. The impact of audiobooks is much less than a physical book. While it still takes energy to store them and to charge the devices you use them on, you’re probably using those devices in other ways, anyway.

As for ebooks, It’s obvious that they also don’t use paper, but did you know that e-readers also take up less space when shipping? This reduces the CO2 impact of distribution, especially because they only have to be shipped to you once. E-readers, like other electronics, do emit carbon emissions in their production. But again, your ebook is only being created one time in exchange for many books.

The other truth: Many people just prefer holding a physical book. In that case, there are still ways to be more conscious about where you buy books and what organizations you support in the process.

Local and Used Bookstores

Local bookstores are a great place to find new and used books. Used books, in particular, are one of the best options for sustainable reading, because you’re not contributing to new trees being cut down or supporting industries that add CO2 to the atmosphere.

If you’re seeking a new book, buying from a small bookshop rather than Amazon or another chain retailer can have a positive effect on your local community. IndieBound, a website from the American Booksellers Association, has a search tool where you can find local bookstores near you.

You can also use Bookshop.org to support local bookstores and help them stay afloat as Amazon continues to edge out small shops. Bookshop also has curated lists put together by bookshops and organizations, so it can be a helpful place to find new books to read and discover underrepresented voices or stories you might not otherwise have known about.

Libraries and Library Cards

You’re no stranger to the library, but did you know that you can rent ebooks and audiobooks with your public library card, all without stepping foot inside the actual library?

Libby is an app that takes your library card information and allows you to browse books digitally. You can also add yourself to a waitlist for a popular book, or save books to your wishlist. This is perhaps the most low-impact way to read books, because you’re not contributing to the production of a physical book, and you’re only borrowing something that many other people will read.

Another way to get books from the library is from a library sale. Public libraries and their associated nonprofits often hold book sales seasonally to clean out their inventory and make room for new books. These books have been read multiple times, and you’re supporting your local library in the process. This is also a great way to find books from local authors.

Books are an essential element of human culture, and the stories they tell have the ability to unite us, help us, and heal us. Taking steps to make your own reading more sustainable can ensure that you enjoy these benefits while reducing the major environmental impact of books.

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What is Mindfulness and Why Does it Matter?

Mindfulness can have many meanings. But at its core, being mindful is about cultivating greater awareness. In fact, the dictionary defines mindfulness as “the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.”

That something, often, is both one’s internal state and one’s surroundings. This is important to understand, because a common misconception of meditation—the ultimate state of mindfulness—is that it requires thinking about nothing. But that’s not really possible for our brains to do. Instead, mindfulness means taking note of the simple, tangible things we can interpret with our senses in a given moment.

This is where the age-old phrase, “stop and smell the roses,” actually comes in handy. Taking note of the simple elements in your environment, whether it’s the buzz of the air conditioning, the sound of birds flitting by, or the smell of flowers and trees, can help you feel more regulated and is proven to reduce anxious thoughts.

Mindfulness asks us to assess our inner worlds, too. For example, many beginner meditations start by asking you to notice your breath. That’s it—the simple inhale and exhale. Tuning inward to your breath can make it easier to notice how you’re feeling mentally and emotionally. That doesn’t mean trying to analyze or judge how you feel; instead, meditation simply means noticing your current state, then moving on.

Mindfulness and Non-Attachment

Mindfulness requires that we let go of what we’re clinging to and embrace the present. This is where we can draw help from aparigraha, or non-attachment—a yama from The Yoga Sutras of Pantajali, an ancient text. Aparigraha teaches us that a mindful moment of focusing on our breath and noticing our emotions can help us learn to become less attached overall, and therefore at greater peace with the world around us.

As mindful non-attachment is explained by Eckhart Yoga: “When we let the moment be what it is without either trying to cling to it, or to push it away, we can really say we’re living in that moment, allowing things to come and go, without the need to possess any of it.”

The reason we meditate and practice mindful awareness is so that we can ultimately be free of the negative thoughts, regrets, and anxiety that tend to fill our minds and cause us suffering. Research also shows that this is why meditation helps depression—which tends to pull us deep into the past or into worry. To be mindful is to be present, and when we’re present, we can set ourselves free.

Mindfulness and Your Surroundings

Being mindful means having awareness of your inner world, but also of your surroundings. In addition to taking note of your breath, cultivating awareness of your environment can help pull you deeper in the present and set you at ease.

Being in nature is a great way to practice this skill, because it not only activates your senses, it supercharges the benefits of meditation. Research shows that nature-based mindfulness meditation decreases symptoms of depression, and simply walking barefoot on the ground can improve sleep, reduce pain, and elevate overall wellbeing.

Taking a barefoot walk outdoors is an easy and effective way to try meditating. Walking meditation is especially great for beginners, because it doesn’t ask you to sit still, which can be a challenge. Instead, walking meditations engage all the senses as you move your body, helping you tap into the sounds of nature and your own body within it.

While there’s no right or wrong way to practice mindful walking, you might start by moving slowly and mentally labeling each action. For example, “right foot forward” and “left foot forward.”

Getting Started with Mindfulness

One of the best ways to bring mindfulness into your daily life is to add it to everyday habits. This might mean waking up every day and meditating on a specific cushion; however, mindful living can come in many different forms.

Stack a Mindfulness Habit

If you’re wondering how to make mindfulness stick, consider stacking it onto a current habit you already have. This is explained in the book Atomic Habits by James Clear, who says that it’s much easier to stick to a habit if you do it before something you’ll do anyway. A good example of this is getting your coffee every morning. Can you add a mindful moment before you get coffee, or make the practice of actually making your coffee, or waiting for it to brew, more mindful?

Insight Timer, Calm, and Balance are all meditation apps that allow you to set reminders on your phone for daily meditations. You can start super small, with just a few minutes per day or even per week. Setting this time to go off a few minutes before you make your morning coffee can make sure you find time to squeeze it in and start your day off on the right foot.

Add Mindfulness to Current Activities

Another idea is to take a current activity and infuse mindfulness into it. Let’s say you go for a run multiple times a week. Insead of popping in your headphones and hitting the sidewalk, perhaps you can find a nearby nature trail and listen to the sounds around you as you jog, at least for part of the time. You’ll be enjoying the benefits of nature and actually staying present during your run, rather than tuning everything out, as you may do with headphones.

Even better, investing in sustainable materials to power you through these habits can make sure they’re mindful from start to finish. If you’re on that jog, for example, opt for eco-friendly shorts and trail running shoes that won’t contribute to the damage of people or places. The Craft Endurance Trail Running Shoe features proprietary Px Foam that’s made without chemical cross-linking agents or other processes; additionally, all raw materials in the shoe are reusable (not to mention the company’s sustainability efforts).

Start a Bedtime Routine

You might think bedtime routines are only for young children, but think again. Adding a mindful moment before bed can help you unwind for the day and sleep better, which in turn helps the following day start off right.

A bedtime stretching routine, listening to calming music, and journaling are all great ways to wind down for the day. Unlike scrolling through your phone or catching up on the latest TV show, a bedtime routine asks you to turn inward and take note of how you might be feeling after a long day.

Another way to make your bedtime more mindful is to switch to eco-friendly sheets that are both soft on the skin and easy on the planet. Ettitude is one brand that makes amazingly soft, sustainable and long-lasting CleanBamboo® sheets that are cooling and free from chemicals.

Practice Self-Regulation

Self-regulation is another skill set that’s often taught to kids, but it’s a great practice to visit in adulthood when things get stressful. After all, we may not have all been taught how to do it. Moreover, cultivating mindfulness doesn’t mean you don’t get stressed, it means you know how to rebalance yourself after life inevitably knocks you down.

Self-regulation can come from any practice that helps you feel soothed and at-ease. Many people find this in coloring, for example, but it can be simple, like going for a walk or taking a deep breath. Many people also find regulation in self-care practices, like taking a bath, practicing a gentle yoga flow, or even cleaning or organizing your home.

The most important aspect of self-regulation is ensuring that it, too, becomes a habit. That way, you have a skill to turn to when you’re feeling anxious and overwhelmed.

Leading a Mindful Life

Lastly, remember that anything you do can be made more mindful. You can take time to eat more slowly and savor every bite. You can spend longer in the garden, watering each plant and noticing its leaves and color. You can decide to take a deep breath every half hour throughout the work day to re-ground yourself.

Whatever it is, know that we’re all capable of developing different mindfulness practices that work for our needs and our life. There’s no right or wrong way to be mindful—as long as you’re tuning into the present and making an effort to slow down, you’ll be well on your way toward reaping the many benefits of mindful living.

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Why You Should Avoid Talc

It’s time to talk about talc. In its most well-known form, Baby Powder, corporations claim it can diminish body odor, ease rashes, minimize sweating, treat sunburn, improve freshness, and more. Talc is used in consumer products like makeup, chewing gum, paints, polymers, vehicle construction, and appliances, making it hard to avoid.

Despite the supposed benefits of talc, it can cause a host of problems for human health. The inclusion of talc in personal care and cosmetic products has been linked to asbestos exposure, cancer, lung disease, and more. So why is talc still included in so many everyday items?

Here’s what to know about what talc really is, how it can negatively affect you, and how to avoid it in your daily routine.

What is Talc?

Talc is a naturally-occuring mineral composed of magnesium, silicon, and oxygen. It occurs in soft, layered sheets that are easy to harvest. Talcum powder is the result of talc that’s been finely crushed and blended. Once it’s in this state, the smooth, buttery composition makes it perfect for inclusion in a range of products (see this comprehensive list).

Talc is primarily used to enhance the consistency of cosmetics. It’s also an anti-caking agent, making blushes and foundations easier to blend onto the skin. A wide range of cosmetic products include Talc, including eyeshadow, blush, face powder, foundation, bronzer, lipstick, lotion, mascara, and mineral powder.

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Talc in Baby Powder

Talcum powder is the base of Baby Powder, which has been marketed as a freshening, moisture-wicking material that boosts hygiene. Johnson & Johnson is the main producer of Baby Powder and has come under the most scrutiny for causing harm.

Baby Powder was originally sold to combat diaper rash in infants, but its use evolved over time. Since mothers were the ones buying Baby Powder, Johnson & Johnson saw an opportunity to sell their product to a new target market: women.

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By 1975, Baby Powder was being sold as a trustworthy, freshening agent meant to improve women’s personal hygiene. Meant to keep women “cool and dry,” advertisements from the time feature taglines like, “It’s for when you’re alone...and when you’re not” “There’s only one smell I can wear anywhere,” and “Stay baby soft all summer through, baby.” These slogans furthered the belief that women needed to sprinkle Baby Powder into their underwear in order to stay fresh, dry, and, most of all, desirable.

Like all cosmetics and personal care products marketed to women, Johnson & Johnson capitalized on the societal notion that women must enhance and alter themselves in order to feel worthy and accepted—no matter the consequences.

Talcum Powder and Your Health

Given the name and intended use, Baby Powder should be safe for humans. And while it may deliver on its promises to ease rashes, reduce moisture, and promote freshness, evidence shows that Talc can also cause a flurry of health issues.

For example, inhaling talcum powder (which is especially dangerous for babies) can cause difficulty breathing, lung damage, respiratory disease, and choking. If swallowed, talcum powder poisoning can lead to eye and throat irritation, wheezing, low blood pressure, and in serious cases, coma.

Baby Powder and Cancer

Talcum Powder (aka Baby Powder) is harmful because it can be contaminated with asbestos, a known cancer-causing agent. Asbestos is a highly toxic and regulated material that can result in the buildup of scar tissue in the lungs, the loss of lung function, and Mesothelioma, a serious form of lung cancer.

One study looked at a group of women with mesothelioma, tracing their illness back to their daily use of a specific powder foundation brand. When the foundation was dusted onto their faces with a makeup brush, it released asbestos particles that were then inhaled—resulting in the development of the disease. In other research, women who regularly used Baby Powder in their underwear and between their legs to prevent chafing were three times more likely to develop ovarian cancer.

Still, the findings linking talc to cancer are refuted by Johnson & Johnson, who said in a 2020 lawsuit they lost: “we remain confident that our talc is safe, asbestos free and does not cause cancer.” (They then appealed their $2.1 billion verdict, and were denied by the judge.)

Such statements contradict the company’s internal memos, which reveals Johnson & Johnson has been aware of potential asbestos contamination in their products for fifty years. These issues were first raised in 1958, and in 2011, asbestos was found to be a direct cause of ovarian cancer. Asbestos has been found in Johnson & Johnson baby products as recently as 2018. Since ovarian cancer is both aggressive and rare, such findings are important for helping keep children and women safe.

It’s also important to note that the carcinogenic effects of talc have not been assessed thoroughly by The US National Toxicology Program (NTP), a conglomerate of consumer protection agencies including The National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to the American Cancer Society, “The NTP has not fully reviewed talc (with or without asbestos) as a possible carcinogen.”

Staying Safe from Talcum Powder

Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder has since renewed its formula to contain cornstarch instead of talc. However, talc is still used as an enhancement agent in a range of cosmetics, and Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder still could be contaminated with talc at the factory level. Given their history of non-disclosure, it’s likely best to steer clear of it all together.

If you do want to use a product similar to Baby Powder, look for products labelled with cornstarch instead of Talc. For makeup, know that leading brands like Maybelline, L’Oreal, COVERGIRL, Stila, Dior, NARS, Black Radiance, and Laura Mercier all sell products that contain Talc. In contrast, brands like Pacifica, Glossier, Burt’s Bees, Mineral Fusion, and TheBalm all make some, or all of their products without talc and talc derivatives.

You can also look at the ingredients list of a makeup product to avoid buying and using talc-containing cosmetics (In addition to looking for talc and talcum powder, it’s sometimes called magnesium silicate). You can find a list of clean makeup brands here.

Whether you personally have used Baby Powder and talcum products, or you know someone who does, this information can ensure you avoid its dangerous side effects.

Click here to read Michelle’s other Dirty Ingredients Series on Petroleum Jelly

About the Author
Michelle Polizzi is an independent writer and storyteller with 7 years of experience creating content online. Her writing has appeared in leading publications like Bitch, WELL+GOOD, Insider, and Healthline, and she covers topics like sustainable living, mental health, and intersectional feminism. Currently, she's pursuing an MFA in creative writing.