We’ve already shared how we try to embody Earth Day year round, so we’ve put together a guide for you on steps you can take to help clean up your act. Whether it’s big or small, the changes you make can have a tremendous effect on our environment. We challenge you to clean up your by following this 5 Day Challenge! Stay committed and watch your impact grow!

Day 1: Banish Plastic Bags for Good

Take all of your plastic grocery bags to your local grocery store for them to recycle. If they don’t have a recycling center, you can always call 311 to find where you can take your stash of plastic bags to be recycled. Investing in reusable bags is not only more eco-friendly, but it’s also more convenient. We love all the patterns and colors ChicoBag offers. ChicoBags are bigger than the plastic bags at the grocery store so you can also cut down on trips to the car when unloading groceries. Keep a few bags stashed in your car for spur-of-the-moment shopping trips. ChicoBag also has a variety of bags including shopping bags and produce bags so you can stop using those plastic produce bags at the grocery store, and start taking your own to cut down on use of plastic. You can also stop buying sandwich bags. No, that doesn’t mean stop packing those cute snacky lunches for your kiddos, it just means you should make the switch to Stasher! Stasher bags are perfect for packing lunches, storing your meal prep and marinades, and hiking adventures.  Throw them in the top rack of the dishwasher when you are done using them. Or consider transporting lunch and hiking food in

Day 2: Clean Up your Body & Beauty Routine

Ditch soaps, sunscreens, and other skin care products that have harsh ingredients that can end up in the water system. Yes, bath bombs are SO fun, but read those ingredients wisely! Some bath bombs have harsh dyes to turn your bath purple added to them Instead, opt for biodegradable options like our Hydrating Seaweed Bath that uses organic Seaweed with sea salt and natural essential oils. All of these things are found in nature, so you can feel good about what’s going down your drain. Also think about what you are using on your skin. It’s important to protect your skin from UV rays, but so many sunscreens use harsh ingredients that are not eco-friendly. Make the switch to an organic sunscreen like Manda Naturals. Manda uses organic ingredients to make their sunscreen and sources their ingredients from sustainable resources. It’s non-toxic and reef-safe.

Day 3: Clean out your closet

No, this definitely does not mean throw away clothes. Host a clothing swap or donate your clothes to a local thrift store or shelter. Cut down on your “fast fashion” purchases. Many major clothing chains produce clothing cheaply, with harsh dyes and harsh impacts on the environment, wasting water and emitting CO2 emissions. Instead, focus on the mentality that less is more. Stock your closet with basics and classic colors.  Grab some essentials from eco-friendly clothing brands, like Arvin Goods. Arvin Goods recycle and reuse cotton to produce their clothing saving water and reducing CO2 emissions. If you need something flashy or unique for an occasion, instead of buying clothes, consider renting them. Many rental clothing companies now exist so you can find that dress or suit you may only wear once to a wedding or another event. This too can help reduce the purchasing of fast fashion.

Day 4: Start composting

It’s amazing how many food scraps we throw away each day. Most of these organic materials can be broken down and used for composting purposes. Using naturally decaying organic materials as compost is way more environmentally friendly than using harsh gardening soils full of pesticides or chemicals. Did you know our Whole Seaweed Detox Bath makes a wonderful composting agent and fertilizer? Even after you use it in your bath, instead of throwing away the leftover seaweed, mix it in with your compost to extract the nutrients from the bladderwrack seaweed. Additionally, egg shells also help to aerate soil, so consider dumping some of those in too!

Day 5: Limit one-time use items

Okay, we’ll admit this might be one of the harder things to implement regularly. We live in a world of convenience. Because of this it can be challenging to completely cut out one-time use items. Ease into this by being mindful about one-time use items. Invest in a reusable coffee container and water bottle from MiiR. Most coffee shops are happy to make your double-shot, coconut milk latte in your own coffee container. Some coffee shops may even give you a discount for bringing your own. This can help cut down on the use of paper, plastic, or styrofoam cups depending on what your local coffee house usually serves your morning cup of joe in. Carrying around a reusable water bottle ensures that you won’t only stay hydrated throughout the day, but you will also save plastic by foregoing the one-time use plastic water bottle. Plus, part of MiiR’s proceeds go back to organizations focused on sustainability efforts.  If you were that student in college that always went above and beyond the class project, this next tip might be for you. When you go to a restaurant, take a reusable container from To-GoWare with you. You can stash leftovers in these containers or use them to carry your lunch in rather that using plastic zip-lock bags. Lastly, if you must use a one-time use item, look on the packaging to see if it’s compostable or made with post-consumer recycled plastic. Choosing one-time use products more wisely can have a huge impact and cut down on plastic waste.

Lastly, we leave you with this, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” -Margaret Mead  

Stay committed and although these changes may be little, they will prove to be mighty in the long-run!