We bet we can guess what your morning routine looks like: You gently click off your solar-powered alarm clock, crawl out of your hemp sheets, and shuffle across your bamboo floors to the bathroom, where you bathe in rainwater and botanicals harvested from your own garden.
Not quite? Good. Our mornings look a little different too. But if you find yourself questioning the greenness of your routine, a few changes can help lighten your impact—and maybe even assuage some of that guilt hanging over your bedhead.
You”re Soaking in It: Wondering which wastes less water—a shower or a bath? The answer will vary depending on factors such as how long your showers are and how high you fill your bathtub. But tuck this into your robe pocket: A five-minute shower uses a third as much water as a full bath. Whichever route you choose, there are simple things you can do to ensure your bathing experience is as water-friendly as a sea turtle:
-Fix leaks around the faucet or showerhead (even small tricklets add up to gallons of water per week).
-Buy aerators (mesh faucet ends that can cut water usage) for all your faucets.
-Get a low-flow showerhead.
-Make sure you have an efficient water heater.
No Vinyl. That”s Final: One way to improve your bathing experience immediately is to get rid of your vinyl shower curtain. PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, is the fancy name for vinyl, a type of plastic. PVC creates dioxins during manufacture, use and disposal. Dioxin is a known carcinogen that can also disrupt hormonal systems and may cause reproductive and immune system damage. So don”t bring any #3 plastic, vinyl or PVC into your life. Rip down that shower curtain and seek out a cotton or polyester replacement.
Is Shaving Misbehaving?First and foremost, stop using disposable plastic razors.
A permanent razor that uses refillable blades is a reasonable option for both men and women; granted, the handle is plastic, but you can use it repeatedly and thereby reduce both your guilt and your garbage.
Makeup: Look Good, Feel Good: Toweled off and feeling fresh? Good, because it”s time to talk about greening your makeup. As for buying "natural" cosmetics, read the fine print. While splashy terms such as "earth-friendly," "organic" and "nontoxic" can occasionally be helpful, the ugly truth is in the ingredient list. To find out more about the ingredients in your favourite products, as well as the companies that are turning things around, visit : http://www.safecosmetics.org/
Clothes Encounters: If you”re concerned about your wardrobe, think about buying more natural fibers like wool, hemp and cotton. They don”t generate much static electricity in the dryer, they generally require less toxic dry cleaning, they””re made from renewable resources, and after you”re done with them, they can be composted.
