My Favorite Sustainable Must Have's Pt.1

I had to start off my very first blog post with the good stuff.

You guys know I’m a sucker for anything sustainable, especially if it involves the home. As a matter of fact, I’m so passionate about the two, that my business, KarmaNutra, sells a number of sustainable items for the home.

Sustainability is more than just a habit for me, it’s a lifestyle. It’s weaved into the very fabric of all that I do, and the decisions I make. So from home, to business, I make sure that these same values, and practices are at the forefront.

I get a lot of questions on some products that I use, and what are my favorites. So, here’s a quick round up of a few of those items, what they do and where you can find them at.

Being green is more than just buying ‘eco’. It is an unshakable commitment to a sustainable lifestyle. – Jennifer Nini

We all love a good candle situation. Once that house is clean, clothes washed and dishes put up ....all that's left is to light a good candle. It’s celebratory lighting of the flame when you’ve accomplished all your home cleaning goals. So imagine my excitement when I found a rechargeable electric lighter. Not only is it sustainable, but it’s also aesthetically pleasing as well (my two favorite things). Now, no need to buy commercial plastic lighters, just to toss them out one after the other when they go empty. A quick 15 minute charge on this girl, and you are good for up to a week, even longer with less use.

Info:

A blue indicator light at the bottom will let you know when it’s ready for use. You can turn this off for safety. The lighter will automatically shut off after 10 seconds of being ignited, this ensures safety when the lighter is not in use.

Microfiber Cloths

I know I know… we have a strong choke hold on our paper towels when it comes to clean up, but hear me out. 51,000 trees are cut down to support North America’s paper towel habit, and 254 million tons of paper towels are discarded globally every year.

I know these numbers sound intimidating when it comes to providing a solution, however, a few simple conscious choices can create the change we wish to see. There the flip side, if every household in America replaced just one package of conventional toilet paper, paper towel, napkins and tissue with products made from recycled materials, we would save about 10 millions trees.

So with those numbers and facts out the way, I introduce to you the microfiber cloth. Meant to be washed and reused, these little ladies can take the place of those paper towels, and save you numerous trips to the store. They are 10x’s more absorbent than standard paper towels, and can be used for just about everything.

I have a set I use for spills and clean up in the kitchen, glass and window cleaning and even a set to give the fur babies a quick wipe down when entering into the house from outside. Get jazzy with it and get different colors for different jobs to keep things organized.

Info:

Microfiber cloths that are used daily should be machine-washed every week. Rinse them first to flush dirt from the fibers, then toss them into the washer with your regular wash. Do not use bleach (it will damage fibers) or fabric softener (it will clog fibers). (For cloths that aren’t used that often, wash them when they look dirty or leave behind traces of lint or dust.)

Glass and Bamboo Tupperware

One of my all time favorites of the kitchen, glass tupperware with bamboo lids. These babies are one of the most efficient, and useful ways to store your dry goods and leftovers. The KarmaNutra assorted glass and stackable containers are what I use to display all my foods items so I know what’s on hand. They can go from the fridge, to the oven and to the microwave.

Glass is one of the most sustainable, and eco friendly products you can have in your home. It can used infinite times, and has one of the longest lifespan of any material. The days of the stained, and plastic tupperware are long gone ....oh and don’t you even think of holding on to that country crock butter container either.

Info:

The thing to remember when using natural products, and sustainable items is, they often time require some sort of maintenance when caring for them. This routine maintenance is what will help the lifespan of your products.

Bamboo is a natural fiber, so that means it can be prone to mold or mildew if your tops are raw, or unsealed. You will know if your tops are raw and unsealed if they have the feel similar to wood, and little to no sheen. If that is the case, after washing your tops, make sure to air dry them. Also do not place your lids in the dishwasher, hand wash them only.

Silicone

Silicone is my favorite ride or die. It can be reused, misused, abused and still keep ticking. This amazing material can be made into just about anything, which makes it's all the more sustainable, and effective in the 3R department.

We have a great line up for you today, and keep in mind the list is long, but we will keep it short and sweet. First up, silicone ice cube trays - a new favorite in the my kitchen. I love using them for my oat milk to go in of my ice lattes. It keeps your drink from becoming watered down with traditional ice.

Next up, we have silicone oven mits, I mean come on, I didn’t even know this was a thing. Low key, mine were on their last leg, so I was glad to bid them farewell. What I love most is they can be rinsed off when they accidentally come into contact with food. And since silicone can handle temperatures well up to the 400’s, you never have to worry about heat transfer once they are in contact with your pots and pans. Also check out the silicone dish scrubber and kitchen counter mat.

Glass Spray Bottles

Last, but not least on the least, glass spray bottles. As mentioned earlier, glass is the Queen of sustainability, and if we have to keep our home and kitchen clean we might as well do it with style. Glass spray bottles have been my favorite ov-

er the year for making my favorite all natural household DIY cleaners (we will talk about these recipes in an upcoming post). These bottles help keep your all natural products sanitized, and free from bacterial growth.

If you decided not to make your own natural cleaning products there are still plenty of options. There are numerous companies now that offer refill cleaning products in recycled and compostable material. I will make sure to list a few so you guys have options.

This list will resurface quite often as I find more and more products and companies to recommend. So prepare now for PT2, PT3 ETC…. you get the idea. In the meantime, if anyone in the tribe has questions, or product recommendations let me know in the comments.

See you next week!