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 […]
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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 & Best Alternatives Compared [Including B-Corp Brands]
This is a detailed review of several kinds of period underwear. The most famous brand is Thinx, but I’m also comparing several Thinx alternatives (with better sustainability credentials), including Wuka, Saalt, Knix, ModiBodi, and other top brands. If you’ve seen the product reviews I’ve been writing, you know I’ve been gradually ridding my routine of […]
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 & Bite Deodorant Reviews [Why They Beat Other Zero-Waste Brands]
Reviews of what I think are the best natural, plastic-free deodorant brands: PAPR, byHumankind, and Bite deodorant. (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 […]
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 […]
Review: Bite vs Everyone (All the Plastic-Free Toothpaste Options Compared)
Toothpaste tablets are a fairly new, very travel-friendly and eco-friendly alternative to standard, non-recyclable tubes of toothpaste. Here, I’ve reviewed the top plastic-free, sustainable brands in detail: Bite Toothpaste Bits, Crush & Brush (from Nelson Naturals), byHumankind, UnPaste (AKA DentTabs), Mouthful, and Georganics. I’ve already mentioned my favorite brand of plastic-free toothpaste tablets in my […]
Pasta & Broccoli [A Well-Loved Recipe Stolen from My Italian In-Laws]
This is one of my favorite Italian family recipes – Pasta with Broccoli. It’s healthy, easy, meat-free, and can be vegan or vegetarian if you want it to be! When the pandemic started, and everyone started cooking at home for the first time, and realizing they didn’t know how to make anything that was both […]
How Hard Is It to Go to Hawaii Right Now? (And Should You?)
This is a timeline of my experience traveling to Hawaii from the mainland US in December, 2020, plus current COVID-19 restrictions for Hawaii, the pre-travel test I took in the airport, and whether the trip makes sense during a pandemic – ethically or otherwise. A long, long time ago, I wrote a pair of posts […]
Plastic-Free Toiletries: The Best Zero-Waste Brands [That TSA Won’t Steal]
Look no further for plastic-free toiletries that feel like a treat to use – not a sustainability obligation. This is my entire travel-friendly, reusable, refillable toiletry routine – after years’ of testing for my other sustainable product reviews. This is what I call my “travel” toiletry routine because it’ll definitely stop leaks in your luggage […]
Why is Cruising THAT Bad for the Environment? (A Simple Overview)
An overview – in plain English – of the biggest sustainability problems with cruise ships, and some solutions for how to fix them (from interviews with experts). Among other foiled travel plans this year, I had scheduled a dreamy sounding trip in Mexico with UnCruise, a company that bills itself as a sustainable alternative to […]
LastSwab vs EarthSider Review [How to Avoid Zero-Waste Greenwashing]
A detailed, honest review of the pros and cons of all of LastObject’s reusable products (LastSwab “cotton” swabs, LastRound cotton pads, and LastTissue) and exactly why they’re more sustainable than the competition. What’s your biggest pet peeve? If you know me, you probably know that I can’t stand anything fake. Things, people or companies that […]