Editorial TeamWith the world ripping through masks, gloves and other PPE for the last year at a feverish pace, Earth Day initiatives for the year 2021 can feel almost futile. But that’s precisely the time to double down on environmental efforts. Even the smallest change can invoke a positive effect. With a little time investment and maybe a bit of an attitude adjustment you can begin your journey towards crowning yourself a green goddess.
STYLE & BEAUTY:
RW&CO offers a collection titled RWResponsible eco-friendly and fashionable pieces made from recycled materials to help reduce the brand’s environmental impact. Made from EcoVero, a cellulose fibre material created from recycled plastic bottles and fabric waste.
No Pong is a natural deodorant made right here in Canada. (“pong” is actually an Australian/British term for an extremely strong, unpleasant smell!) Now since we’re all still home, it’s a good time to transition to a natural deodorant to give your body and the underarm pores the time to adjust from being blocked all these years. Our Sonya put it to the test and found that indeed after a month of using the product, sweat became less noticeable and made the switch for good. Oh, and Annie Murphy (who plays Alexis on Schitt’s Creek) is a big fan! The line is made with premium ingredients (vitamin E, shea butter, and reduced baking soda), 100% natural, aluminum-free, paraben-free, palm oil free, triclosan free, free of nanoparticles, and cruelty free. 
TANIT is a Quebec based company that is all about reinventing the products we use everyday. Part of their mission is to help significantly reduce our water consumption at the source. Most of the personal hygiene products such as toothpaste and shampoo contain up to 80% water. Their products not have added preservatives; it is water that promotes the growth of bacteria and leads to the use of preservatives that can contaminate drinking water. Tanit’s waterless formulas, 100% natural and biodegradable, are safe to enter the waterways without accumulating and without contributing to their pollution. On Earth Day, TANIT will offer a 10% discount on its site and make a donation to the David Suzuki Foundation.
Holistic beauty that doesn’t break the bank is what we’re here for, and New Zealand heavyweight Antipodes delivers. Their heavenly-scented line of serums, creams and our fave, the Halo Skin Brightening Mud Mask, relies on green-based beauty science to get your skin revitalized, refreshed and ready to face anything. Antipodes goes the distance to ensure their product line is made with limited strain on the environment, garnering organic certifications for their vegetarian and vegan beauty finds. From $38.
FOOD:
Canadian cookbook author Liv B’s Easy Everyday checks a lot of boxes for vegans (and those opting to eat less meat) looking to create tasty and affordable meals at home. Quick meals that span from breakfast to dessert cover the usual basics like tofu and smoothies, but Liv conjures up so much more than the usual blender basics and here creates comfort food wonders like the One-Pot Mushroom Stroganoff. Many of her recipes rely on the one-pot/sheet pan/5 ingredient thread, making it accessible and attainable for these challenging pandemic times. From Indigo.
Bestselling and rightly so, these unique and handsome vessels from West Elm are made in Mexico from recycled glass. In highball or or double old fashioned, the super thick glass is imperfectly perfect, with tiny bubbles and various heights adding to the allure of each glass. Incandescent and super sparkly, this glassware is at home with water or wine, and makes for a striking mug for your next margarita.
Food waste in the kitchen is a notorious culprit for environmental waste. The brutal cycle of buying, cooking, eating and finally wasting is a routine we’re all a little too familiar with. Compound this with meal delivery kits, takeout trash and long-forgotten leftovers and you have a perfect storm of unsustainability. Break the cycle with Zwilling’s Fresh & Save, a vacuum seal set that allows you to conquer meal prep Sundays and start the week off with ready to heat and eat foods (yes, think sous-vide cooking!) and keep leftovers fresh for up to five days longer than typical containers.
HOMELIFE:
We’ve been forced to slow down in many ways over the past year. We’ve turned to baking and taking the time to learn (and appreciating) traditions and process. We’ve seen a turn to comforting activities including knitting and crocheting. Using eco-friendly materials such as recycled yarn and plastic-free packaging is what makes We Are Knitters DIY kits a win-win for us and the planet. From handmade accessories to stylish goods for the home every step with this company is environmentally friendly. Look for knitting, crochet, embroidery, macrame kits for beginners to expert as well as for kids. Each kit comes with everything you need. Tutorials are also available on their site.
Coffee lovers! We’ve been fans of Nespresso for years not only because the roasts are delicious and makes for a more efficient cup (or 3) each day but the company also made the commitment a few years ago to redirect their capsules away from landfills. Canadian consumers of the coffee company are provided with a postage-paid return red envelope where we can simply send used capsules to the recycling partner. In turn, Nespresso has partnered with companies including Victorinox to use the recycled material and turn them into new products.
We are constantly looking for ways to reduce the amount of food waste that goes to the landfills. The Vitamix FoodCycler FC-50 is one solution we found handy to have at home. If you’ve been interested in composting but looking for ways to speed up the process then this may be of interest to you. Within hours (instead of days/weeks) this handy small appliance turns food waste like coffee grounds, vegetable and fruit peels into nutrient rich soil for the garden. Bonus, while you collect your discarded food waste into the bin – there’s no stink! 
Petsmart has launched an all-new Grrreen Product Line. The sustainable line offers a variety of pet products made from recycled plastic bottles from dog tees, toys, collars and more. Each product is created with a greener environment in mind.
If you’re Spring cleaning like we are and looking for places to donate gently used kids clothing in Toronto, LODE Store (62 McGee St) is accepting donations for all kids sizes, monetary donations for gift cards, cardboard boxes and big plastic storage containers that will in turn be gifted to families in need this Spring. They will be accepting donations this Saturday, April 24 from 9 am to 4 pm. Items will be sorted, packaged and delivered to those in need the following week. LODE is Toronto’s newest online retailer offering pre-loved children’s clothing and toys.