Happy Earth Day 2026!
I am in love with the planet. The mysteries of the flora and the fauna will forever intrigue me. I am fascinated equally by the creatures deep in the sea to our feathered friends high in the sky and everything in between. I’m sure it all started with Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, which was further nurtured watching my grandmother in her vegetable gardens and her love of animals. I love nature and wildlife. I feel it deep in my soul and believe with all my being that we have an obligation to protect the wonder we are lucky enough to be a part of. Perhaps I’m being a bit dramatic, but I can’t help but wax poetic. Seriously, I LOVE NATURE!
I have some amazing news coming in eight days (oh, the drama!), but in honor of Earth Day I wanted to share some of my newest, favorite finds. These recommendations come from the heart and I am not being compensated. Simply sharing for educational purposes since education is knowledge.
Tare Market is a woman owned Zero Waste Store that has two physical locations in Minneapolis and an online store. Their commitment to zero- /low-waste and plastic-free options aligns with my personal goal of eliminating as much single-use plastic from my life as I can. Favorite products:
Huppy Foaming Toothpaste Tablets. No more plastic toothpaste tubs to throw in the trash and the tablets are available in bulk in their physical stores.
Mother Earth Compostable Electric Toothbrush Head. Bamboo! Completely compostable! Works with most “click-on” Philips Sonicare electric toothbrushes. No more guilt throwing the plastic toothbrush heads in the garbage.
HiBAR Natural Deodorant. Made in St. Paul, Minnesota from sunflower wax and free from aluminum and paraben ingredients. It’s also packaged in recyclable cardboard. Talk about win-win!
Grove Collaborative. Maybe you’ve seen some of their products in a big box store, but their online store is amazing and overflowing with everyday essentials with carbon offset shipping. One of my favorite areas in their website is The Unplastic Shop which is perfect for helping find ways to reduce plastic and plastic exposure. Favorite products:
Dirty Labs Bio Laundry Detergent with Phytolase® + Bio Enzyme Laundry Boostermade from non-toxic ingredients and comes in plastic-free packaging and recyclable aluminum bottles. Between the large dogs and the grim I create working on the flower farm I make a lot of messes. These are the BEST laundry products I’ve found to clean my dirty, stinky fabrics.
Plaine Products Body Wash. Yes, I could use bar soap, but with this option I can continue to use a body wash without guilt. It is shipped in an aluminum bottle that can be returned for free and then reused! The product itself is free from bad stuff, is vegan and cruelty-free, and made of ingredients that restore nutrients and provides antioxidants without drying out your skin. So good!
Marley’s Monsters Unpaper Towels. No more money wasted on buying rolls of paper towels and and no more unnecessary waste going into the landfills. Once used, simply put the towels in the washer and then roll them back up for use time and time again!
Who Gives a Crap. According to their website, the organization reports that “every day, 1 million trees are cut down to make traditional toilet paper.” Whoa!! That’s a lot of trees. I was also extremely bothered by the plastic wrap that toilet paper roles are packaged in. Too. Much. Plastic! I’ve tried the bamboo roles from Who Gives a Crap and will be trying the recycled fibers rolls next. I’m so excited to find TP that is made from renewable sources and packaged in paper. To paraphrase the Lorax, if you don’t give a crap, who will?
Trashie. Do you have a pile of clothes, shoes, accessories and home textiles in the corner that bothers you every time you see it? I donate reusable clothes and shoes to local charities, but there’s still a pile of stuff that can’t be reused. I don’t want to put it in the landfill and Trashie is my new solution to responsibly getting that pile out of my house. Buy a bag or a subscription. Fill the bag. Print out the free shipping label. Drop it at your local UPS or FedEx location. Get a reward! So easy!
Peace Coffee. Large scale coffee production has been tied to deforestation, water pollution, and labor exploitation. Knowing that your favorite morning beverage has real environmental consequences is hard to swallow. (Pun intended.) But fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way. I now have a subscription to Peace Coffee based in Minneapolis, MN. Peace Coffee is a certified B-Corporation and their coffee is 100% certified organic, shade grown from fair trade certified cooperatives, and then handpicked and artisan roasted. Good monring Sunshine!
Hopefully this information is helpful and not overwhelming. Perfection is NOT the goal, but every little change helps. I applaud you wherever you are on your journey to a more earth-friendly lifestyle. Happy Earth Day!
