Terra Thread's Bumi Eco Duffel Bag is made from 14-oz Certified Fairt Trade Organic cotton canvas. The perfect size for weekend getaways, it has a large main compartment and an exterior and interior pocket. Zippers are lead-free. They are handmade in a Fair Trade factory in India and contain no plastic except for the zipper tape and thread, which are polyester. Terra Thread is looking for an alternative to this. They are shipped plastic-free. 

No need for toxic plastic funnels with this eco-friendly stainless steel funnel. Plastic kitchen products can leave microplastics, BPA and other chemicals on your food over time. These steel funnels will not. It is ingeniously-designed with a removable strainer, adding versatility for different uses. Stainless steel is considered sustainable because it is 100% recyclable into the same product with no reduction in quality.

If you're looking for earth-friendly plastic-free make-up it really doesn't get any better than Axiology. The cardboard housing is dreamy. It's vegan, plastic-free, non-toxic, palm oil-free, cruelty-free and made in the U.S. These hydrating color cream multi-sticks are for eyes, lips and cheeks and come in 12 different shades. They are made from naturally-derived ingredients like avocado and coconut oils, and other plant oils, some of which are organic. Axiology is also women owned and run. 

This plastic-free pet bowl is made from stainless steel and rubber. Set of two. Non-slip base.

Deodorant in cardboard housing! The best. And it will biodegrade within one year. This natural stick deodorant with a light pleasant scent is made from non-toxic plant-based and mineral ingredients like organic coconut oil, magnesium hydroxide, ylang ylang oil and arrowroot powder. It's sold by Axiology which is vegan, cruelty-free, plastic-free, and bipoc and women-owned. 

We are increasingly exposed to RF radiation from cell towers and antennas, wifi routers, cell phones, laptops and smart devices. Wireless radiation is linked to cancer, neurological diseases, sperm damage and reproductive damage, immune and endocrine system disruption and more. In addition to common sense steps like hard-wiring computers and never putting your phone against your head, there are a lot of products offered by businesses like Defender Shield such as hollow-tube headphones, laptop shields, phone cases and pouches, clothing and blankets and blue light glasses.

8000 Kicks' Everyday hemp backpacks are made from industrial hemp, which has been used since 8000 BC. Its properties include being anti-bacterial, needing no fertilizers and to grow, and it cleans and restores nutrients in the soil. It's also so strong Henry Ford once built a car out of it. The backpacks are waterproof and PFC-free (free of fluorocarbons). The carbon footprint of 8000 Kicks' products (shoes, bags and accessories) is far less than non-hemp and many other similar products .They do this by using hemp, using factories that are powered in part by renewable energy and by investing in hemp farms. 

Grimm's solid wooden toys are all handmade from  alder, lime, beech or maple wood. And stained with brilliant non-toxic dyes. They are fabulous toys. They are ideal for encouraging color play, stacking, sorting, sensory and open-ended play. Variations in wood grain, color, knots or texture are all natural occurrences in Grimm's hand-stained wooden toys.

This eco-friendly dish scrubber is made from natural  biodegradable coconut fibers and rubber. It's back yard compostable. Most kitchen scrubbers are made from plastic which means they shed off tiny amounts of microplastics into the environment, including waterways. They are toxic to aquatic life and to us. Choose non-plastic alternatives whenever possible. 

Our beloved pets need non-toxic beds too. Naturepedic's organic pet beds are made with organic materials instead of polyurethane foam, toxic waterproofing and questionable chemicals. That means any materials used are grown (or made from materials that are grown) without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, GMOs and more – and toxic chemicals aren’t added in the manufacturing process, either. They are GOTS-certified  which means that beyond  ensuring the organic integrity of your pet’s sleep space, GOTS ensures sustainable farming practices and fair labor conditions, too, for an all-around safer, healthier, better product for everyone. 

This natural hemp dog toy is made entirely from hemp. Strong, durable, safe and made in the U.S. from one of the most eco-friendliest plant fibers available. Hemp is grown without pesticides and is naturally antimicrobial and antibacterial. 

 Scorching temperatures are setting records around the world and experts say this deadly trend is accelerating. One significant source of global warming that we don’t hear a lot about is plastic. It's a major player in the warming trend that is rapidly affecting every aspect of life on Earth -- causing deaths and serious health concerns, troubling ecological shifts, sea level rise, and myriad other changes. Around the world, the plastics industry is the fastest-growing source of industrial greenhouse gases. (Continue reading)

You’ve probably heard of the discovery of toxic PFAS chemicals in water supplies across the U.S. and around the world. The so-called “Forever Chemicals” are, sadly, everywhere. Their health impacts are numerous and are believed to include cancer, damage to the endocrine, immune and reproductive systems, and much more.
The Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit watchdog group that studies the toxicity of thousands of chemicals and products, just tested  a number of popular water filtration systems for their effectiveness at removing PFAS chemicals. Their top choice was the Travel Berkey Water Filter. (Continue reading)

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of widely-used, man-made chemicals that are likely all around you. They can accumulate in both the environment and the human body. Studies have found that PFAS may cause serious health problems, including cancer. PFAS include around 5,000 chemicals. They have been produced since the 1940s, but their health and environmental risks only gained widespread attention after the chemicals were found in drinking water in 2001. Nearly everyone has come in contact with these forever chemicals through water, food or consumer products. Here is an informative article on this important issue from ConsumerNotice.org. 

Yes, we all do. We are increasingly surrounded by RF radiation from our own devices, like cell phones, computers, smart devices, baby monitors and routers and, involuntarily from cell towers and antennas in our cities and towns. Children are even more vulnerable to the effects of radiation due to their thinner skulls and still-developing brains. In addition to most children having wifi at home, they are also exposed to wireless radiation all day long in the classroom, at libraries and out in public. (Continue reading)

For years, most mass market upholstered furniture, including mattresses, has been filled with polyurethane foam. Don’t buy it. It’s toxic. Sure it’s cheaper, it's out of sight hidden under a layer of fabric, it looks nice, from a distance. But the health risks are huge. As Darin Olien notes in his eye-opening new book, Fatal Conveniences, furniture was once made with natural materials. Real wood, real natural fibers. It was so solid and well-made it was passed down to younger generations like heirlooms. Starting around the 1960s all that changed. Now it’s full of toxic petroleum-based materials, plastics and pressed wood. (Continue reading)

Why is buying organic cotton so important? Won’t the pesticides just wash out of non-organic cotton clothing and other fabrics? 

No, they don't, not completely. Pesticides are imbued in the cotton’s fibers from the very beginning of its life and they continue to be slowly released for years, exposing us to these toxic chemicals as we wear them and sleep on them. These include insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and defoliants. (Continue reading)

I don't recommend aluminum cookware due to increasing evidence suggesting a link between aluminum and neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, and also breast cancer. Data so far is inconclusive but the there is enough evidence to warrant avoiding unnecessary exposure to aluminum, including that found in antiperspirants, pots and pans, foil, sunscreen, cosmetics, antacids and baking powder. (Continue reading)

You’ve probably seen numerous initialism throughout my recommendations here, most followed by the word “certified.” GOTS, GOLS, FSC, etc... I’ve started linking these abbreviated certifications to websites explaining in detail what they mean and why they’re important. But here’s what they are in a nutshell. They all mean a product or raw material such as cotton has been tested or verified to ensure it is indeed as eco-friendly or non-toxic or organic as the manufacturer says it is. Many also look at a business’s ethical practices and philanthropic activities.  (Continue reading)

 Plastic is deadly to people and wildlife and harmful to environment. Here are just some of the numbers and and how they result in tragic consequences. This is why I recommend rejecting plastic wherever possible and buying biodegradable and non-toxic materials instead. (Continue reading)