Pasta with beans and mussels? I’d never heard of this Southern Italian combination until I took a beautiful, early summer trip to Ischia – one of the picturesque little islands in front of Naples. Capri is its more famous neighbor but, as I learned, Ischia is more laid-back. I took the trip with my husband, […]
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Clean Blue Paros: The Reality of Greece’s Plastic-Free Island
The island of Paros is small, rocky, and just slightly under-the-radar, as Greek islands go. And it’s just starting to develop a reputation as a plastic-free travel destination. My husband and I arrived on a blustery day in October, picked up our delightfully toy-sized rental car, and headed for our first hotel, which I’d chosen […]
16 Low-Waste, Sustainable Gift Ideas for the Reluctant Gifter
In all my years of blogging, I’ve never written a gift guide for two reasons: First, because I’m not much of a gifter. And second, because I kind of hate the over-consumption-promoting media frenzy of everyone telling us what to buy for the holidays. And the obligation to BUY THINGS, even when we have no […]
“Safety” Razors vs Leaf: Painful Reviews from My Adventures in Sustainable Shaving
Thinking of upgrading your shave to a sustainable safety razor? After testing lots of (much easier) plastic-free toiletry swaps, I decided to do the same. So I’ve thoroughly tested three plastic-free razor brands, and reviewed them in this post. (TL;DR: The Leaf is the only one that didn’t hurt me.) These are the razors I […]
Tilted Map Declares a Climate Emergency (And You Can Too!)
I have some big news from this little travel and sustainability blog: Tilted Map is declaring a climate emergency. What does it even mean for a travel blog to declare a climate emergency? Tilted Map is joining (so far) 324 other sustainable travel businesses in a community called Tourism Declares. It’s an initiative that helps […]
The Lazy Guide to More Sustainable Travel [Simple Tips & Resources]
In this guide, you’ll find practical tips for making any kind of travel (not just “eco-travel”) more sustainable through small mindset changes and just knowing what to look for. Let’s play a game: What do you picture in your mind when you read the words “eco-travel,” or “sustainable travel”? Does it involve gorillas, kayaks, or […]
What is TerraCycle? [& Why Going Low-Waste Matters More Than Recycling]
I’ve briefly mentioned TerraCycle before in some of my sustainable product reviews, but there is so much more that needs to be said about them. So I wanted to explain here what TerraCycle is (including its legitimate criticisms and limitations), how to use their recycling programs, and some long-term solutions that are even better. I […]
Earthling Co. vs HiBAR Review: the Winner of my Year-long Shampoo Bar Quest
It’s been exactly one year since I published my first shampoo bar review. (Actually the first of all my sustainable product reviews!) While I’ve learned a lot in that year, and added a few brands to my original review, none had swayed me from my favorite – until this spring. So I’m declaring a new […]
Thinx Review, Discount & Alternatives [8 Styles Compared, No Detail Spared]
This is my detailed review of my latest sustainability upgrade on the slow road to zero-waste: Underwear that absorbs your period, from Thinx. Read on for my comparison of lots of Thinx styles, and a discount. Wait, what are Thinx? Thinx and other period underwear brands are designed to absorb your menstrual flow, and then […]
Alaska Stories from the Before Times (& Covid-Safe Travel Ideas with UnCruise)
This post is sponsored by UnCruise – a name on my short list of sustainable travel companies that I’m looking forward to adventuring with! My first and, so far, my only visit to Alaska was a long, winding road trip just a few months before travel went on hiatus. My husband and I flew into […]
PAPR & byHumankind Deodorant Reviews [Why They Beat Other “Zero-Waste” Brands]
Reviews of two natural, plastic-free deodorant brands: PAPR and byHumankind. (And why they’re better and more sustainable options than Dove, Native, Myro and Ethique!) If I’m being honest, here’s how most of my other sustainable product reviews have worked: I tested pretty much every plastic-free brand I could find for whatever the category was, and […]
What It Was Really Like Visiting Maui During COVID-19
This is my personal experience of visiting Maui during the COVID-19 pandemic, in December, 2020, including testing options and requirements, mask rules vs. reality, and what we can learn from Hawaii about travel during a pandemic. At the end of a year mostly spent in quarantine in the cold climates of Chicago and Montana, two […]
