Alicia Silverstone's Blog, page 18

Vegan Lip Balms That Soothe Dry, Chapped Lips

When the weather changes, lips can need some extra love. Yummy lip balms are fun because they’re a great three-second escape from dry, cracking, and chapped lips. But a good lip balm can keep your lips protected and help to prevent chapping in the first place.

I’ve tried so many lip balms and the main problem I’ve found is when they hit my lips it tastes waxy. Sometimes it doesn’t taste like wax initially but it does a few days later. This bums me out! My go-to criteria is lip balms need to be all natural, vegan, super smooth, not draggy, not sticky, not grainy.

If you’ve been looking for a great vegan lip balm, check out the ones I’m digging below.

PeaceKeeper: Eco Sensual Lip Balm
93% Organic spearmint & coconut oil
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Crazy Rumors in limeade, cola, root beer, bubble gum. It’s been a while since I’ve tried this one so it’s on my list to try again.
Macadamia Ternifolia (Macadamia) Seed Oil ,*Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil,*Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Wax, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Aroma (Natural Flavors), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), & Eupatorium Rebaudianum Bertoni (Stevia) *Organic
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My first choice for lip balms are vegan options (like those mentioned above), however in the past I used Makes 3 and it’s awesome. It’s delicious, lasts a long time, and does not have the waxy taste. Note it does have organic beeswax!

Makes 3: Orange Vanilla Lip Balm
Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Beeswax, Organic Shea Butter, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Orange Essential Oil, Organic Vanilla, and Organic Cocoa Powder.
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These guys look nice, I hope to them try soon!

Fanciful Fox: Black Cherry Lip Balm
(Fair Trade & Organic) Cocoa Butter, Candelilla Wax, (Fair Trade & Organic) Shea Butter, (Organic) Coconut Oil, (Organic) Jojoba Seed Oil, Vitamin E, Natural & Organic Flavors, Love
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Booda Butter: Naked Lip Balm
Coconut Oil*, Sweet Almond Oil*, Jojoba Oil*, Olive Oil* and Wildcrafted Candelilla Wax. (*Certified Organic and Unrefined)
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Ellovi: Lip Butter
Sunflower, macadamia, Hawaiian coconut, shea, hemp seed, & African marula.

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Meow Meow Tweet: Coconut Cocoa Lip Balm
Coconut Cacao -*+cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, *+theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, *rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract
*certified organic / +fair trade
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What lip balms are you loving this season?? 

Top photo credit: Clever Pink Pirate

Roasted Pumpkin With Cheese Walnut Crumble

Juicy and succulent, roasted pumpkin is a treat indeed. The combination of tangy miso and rice vinegar with a touch of nutmeg and cayenne pepper truly highlights its subtle flavor. A hefty sprinkling of a cheesy walnut crumble takes this dish from ordinary to extraordinary.

Roasted Pumpkin With Cheese Walnut Crumble

SERVES 6
Ingredients:
Pumpkin

8 cups peeled pumpkin, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes (about 3 pounds)¼ cup vegetable oil2 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar2 tablespoons mellow white miso or chickpea miso1 tablespoon rice vinegar½ teaspoon sea salt¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg¼ teaspoon cayenne peppercheesy walnut crumble½ cup walnuts3 tablespoons nutritional yeast½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice¼ teaspoon sea saltFresh thyme sprigs, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.In a large bowl, toss the pumpkin cubes with the oil, coconut sugar, miso, vinegar, salt, nutmeg, and cayenne. Spread evenly on the baking sheet and bake until the chunks are tender and golden, about 40 minutes.While the pumpkin is roasting, make the walnut crumble: Spread the walnuts into an even layer on a baking sheet or baking dish and roast in the oven along with the pumpkin for 8 minutes, or until slightly toasted and fragrant. Remove and add the nutritional yeast to the pan. Pop back in the oven for an additional 2 minutes to toast the yeast. Once done, remove and transfer the mixture to a food processor and add the lemon juice and sea salt. Pulse to create a crumble. Set aside.Once the pumpkin chunks are done, transfer to a serving dish. Serve sprinkled with the walnut crumble and garnish with the fresh thyme sprigs.

Reprinted from Mississippi Vegan by arrangement with Avery, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. You can follow Mississippi Vegan on Instagram here: instagram.com/mississippivegan
Copyright © 2018, Timothy Pakron

Non-Toxic Hair Dyes: What You Need to Know Before Coloring Your Hair

Guest blog by our friends at Branch Basics.

If you’re a health-conscious person who colors your hair, you’ve probably experienced the struggle of trying to find a safe, natural hair color that actually works. And make no mistake, it is a struggle to match your color with a non-toxic brand that lasts, covers gray, works with your natural tones and highlights, and truly contains no (or very few) harmful chemicals.

It’s no wonder so many just give up and hope their healthy lifestyle will buffer the regular onslaught of chemicals. Some of these include cancer-causing PPD, formaldehyde, and ethanolamines; endocrine-disrupting phthalates, fragrance and ammonia; as well as heavy metals, and different forms of toluenes that impact the nervous system, and many more poisons.

I get it because I’ve been there. I also understand that feeling your best isn’t just about eating well and avoiding toxins, you also need to feel good about how you look, which makes the temptation to compromise perfectly understandable. However, thanks to new innovations in non-toxic hair color, you may not have to turn a blind eye to have fabulous hair any longer. While truly chemical-free hair colors are few and far between, our team has managed to find a few impressive products we’re comfortable recommending for all hair types.

1. Green Hare Mud

Green Hare is not a well-known brand, but a member of our team stumbled upon it while researching natural hair dyes—and she was pretty excited about the results.

According to founder Jeannie Wrightson, “Green Hare Mud is pure ground plant materials. We use zero fillers, binders, thickeners, preservatives, or anything in our product or packing that is not clearly listed.” This product is not a hair “dye” per se, because it contains “no lift”. “Lift’ is the chemical reaction required to actually change your hair’s color and thus, requires chemicals. Rather, it’s a 100% natural permanent hair stain made of a proprietary blend of all-natural herbs, barks, berries, teas, and other ingredients that will permanently stain your hair…and cover gray.

According to our in-house source, the application is very easy and the results—in color, gray coverage, and durability—are worth the 30-90 minutes processing time. You can apply this product yourself after familiarizing yourself with the instructions or direct a trusted hair professional. Another thing we love is that it contains virtually no plastic packaging, so there’s very little waste. The only downside is their color palette is somewhat limited, but they cover all the bases (blonde, dark blonde, red, dark brown, very dark brown, etc.) and you can mix and match to create a custom stain. There’s even a “red remedy” if your hair tends to grab too much red from color.

Learn more at the website.

2. Hairprint

Hairprint is another good option for those with brown or black hair. This product is not a “dye”, rather a patented repigmentation product that returns your hair to its original color with no dyes, chemicals, or harsh toxins. It uses only 8 food-grade ingredients, claims to cause no damage to hair, and boasts the “Made Safe” certification—which we know from experience, is pretty hard to get. This treatment is directed to be applied at home in about 75-90 minutes.

It’s been featured in several beauty publications including Glamour and Goop, and some people swear by it. We haven’t tried it personally, but from our research, it looks like an excellent option for those with darker hair color who don’t have more than 50% gray. However, based on Hairprint’s website and customer reviews it will not work on every type of hair—especially if you have a lot of gray and/or if you have white hair which is apparently very difficult to re-pigment. And some people found the hair preparation and coloring process a bit cumbersome…but we’d say it’s worth the trade-off to avoid the chemicals!
Hairprint states that their product will not re-pigment blonde or red hair (but they’re working on it), and they have helpful instructions for getting the best possible result. They also have hair specialists to help you troubleshoot as you get the hang of the system, and some salons do carry the product.

Based on the ingredients and their “made safe” certification, Hairprint appears to be a great non-toxic option for all you brunette beauties out there. Check out the ingredients and learn more here.

3. Natural dyes: henna & indigo

Henna’s been around forever and is a tried and true non-toxic semi-permanent option. It won’t damage your hair and real Henna contains no harmful ingredients. And unlike the Henna bars of yesteryear, there are now many pre-mixed Henna-based hair color powders, which make the application a lot easier. The only downsides are it won’t always cover grays, it’s not always permanent, and its color tends to be on the red side—though you can play around with it and even add indigo (see below) to achieve a more neutral tone. This is a great option for all hair types and colors, especially if you’re seeking a non-permanent color change.

One misconception about Henna is that once you use it you can’t apply any other hair color until it grows out or you get it stripped out. The truth is you can dye your hair with regular color after the Henna has faded for 2-3 weeks, but check with your stylist for their recommendations.

Indigo is a plant-based dye from the indigo plant which is used in conjunction with Henna to create dark browns and black tones with less red. Some people also have success using it to cover gray, especially if it’s left to process long enough. The downsides of indigo are it can take a long time to achieve your desired color, and often requires two steps to use in conjunction with Henna depending upon the color you’re looking to achieve. The good news is, there are a lot of companies that have made the henna/indigo application process a no-brainer, so it’s worth looking into for those with dark hair.

4. All-Nutrient

All-Nutrient is an organic hair coloring line I’ve used with great success for several months. Their permanent hair dyes are free of sulfates, parabens, formaldehyde, phthalates, propylene glycol, MEA, DEA, and other toxic fillers. However, we want to be clear that this is not a 100% non-toxic, clean option, so we highly recommend weighing the pros and cons of using hair dyes before jumping in!

For instance, during the years of healing my endocrine system, normalizing my menstrual cycles, getting pregnant, and nursing my newborns, I chose to skip all hair dyes in effort to heal and strengthen. Only after my body was stronger, did I make the decision to use hair dyes, and even still I take precautions. After researching many “non-toxic” brands, I settled with All-Nutrient as it seems to be the cleanest out there.
A few tips to lessen exposures if you do decide to dye your hair: going lighter is less toxic than going darker, and obviously doing only partial highlights is much better than doing a full color.

I recommend going to a salon that only uses non-toxic/cleaner lines like All-Nutrient and does not do perms, as these contain a lot of toxic VOCs that should be avoided.

5. Naturalique

Naturalique is a professional coloring brand that a hair colorist can utilize. They have some PPD (Paraphenylenediamine)-free color options. Sensitive individuals with mild to moderate gray should begin with just coloring the roots of the visible gray on the part and next to the face, and then color approximately an inch away from the roots in the rest of the hair. This gentler method reduces the amount of product being absorbed directly into the scalp.

The Radical Idea That Children Deserve Respect

In a world struggling with mental health and well-being, and controlled by those who seem to lack empathy and heart, how do we ever achieve any form of the elusive ‘world peace’?

“Society’s destiny rests on how it treats its children.” – Robin Grille

Let’s start with “childism”.

This is prejudice against children in which it is socially acceptable for adults to treat children in disrespectful ways, in order to gain control of them. It’s also the idea that having control of your children is a sign of successful parenting. Yet when parents focus on control, manipulation, punishment and shame, or resort to other more aggressive if not violent forms of communication, inevitable problems occur.

In short, children begin to develop an identity around feelings of failure and worthlessness, which contributes to the ever increasing rates of depression, anxiety and self-harm among our young people. In other words, childism is basically a socially accepted form of bullying.

Children who have these experiences, will often feel the need to bully others in their life, to gain back the control they lose at home. It’s a vicious cycle.

Once we accept the radical idea that children also deserve respect, we can begin to make positive changes in our own homes.

Peace at home has the potential to infect the world with happiness. Never doubt the power of a peaceful home.

Five suggestions for peaceful and positive communication with children:

RESPECT – The most basic human right. Think about what you say to your children. If it’s not respectful to say (or do) to your closest adult friends, it’s also not okay to say (or do) to your children. This means; acceptance of your children by allowing natural growth and development, not trying to force them by use of manipulative or punitive measures. Let them look up and see inspiration, not intimidation. Respect them so they know what respect feels like. Respect yourself so they know what self-respect looks like.EMPATHY – The ability to see life from your child’s perspective. Children want and need to feel heard and understood. If you can learn about their level of development and learn to understand their behaviour, emotions and needs, this will have the most positive outcome in your relationship. By being empathetic with your children, not only will they develop empathy, they will learn to understand people instead of judging them. Empathetic people feel and think; just what this world needs more of.CONNECTION – Our modern world finds endless ways to be entertained and kept busy through the use of technology, however, nothing can replace the connection and affection of a human being. Quality time together, even 5 to 10 minutes a day, helps us reconnect and feel valued. When we truly connect with someone, respect and compassion is naturally, unavoidable.COMFORT – Everyone feels comfort in their own way. A good start is to listen and acknowledge your child’s emotions and remember all emotions are valid because behind every challenging behavior, is a need. Show empathy, even if you don’t understand or agree with them completely, because what they’re feeling is very real for them. Offer comfort and respect their response; not everyone feels like a hug in the middle of an upset and that’s their choice.SELF-ACCEPTANCE – If we don’t get the chance to be ourselves during childhood, to develop self-worth and self-respect, we might spend our entire adulthood searching for it. Your personal growth is just as important as your child’s growth. Treat yourself with the same gentleness, understanding and respect, that you would treat your child with.  Children don’t ask for perfection; they want happy parents to journey with.

The best way for children to learn any of these qualities is by seeing us modelling them, living them, being them, and normalizing them in every relationship, including the one with ourselves. It begins with loving the person we see and being the person we love.

Kirsty Lee lives in Victoria, Australia, with her husband and two children. She is the founder and creator of Gentle Parenting Memes, on a mission to ‘Be the Change’ and normalize gentle parenting.

 

Vegan Stir Fry With Arame, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Zucchini

This vegan stir fry is a super-yummy way to sneak sea veggies into your life. I promise if you like sun-dried tomatoes and basil and zucchini, then you will love this dish!

Arame is a species of kelp that’s packed with calcium, iron, vitamin A, and loads of minerals. These gems from the sea have a slightly nutty, sweet flavor and give depth and heartiness to a simple veggie stir-fry.

This dish is delicious with or without tofu, so you could have it as the main event or as a great veggie side to complement another protein. It’s the arame you’re after, so you only need 1/2 to 1 cup on your plate to keep your meal balanced. This recipe will last you a few days!

Ingredients

1 pound firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2” cubes3 tablespoons tamari + more to taste1 cup loosely packed arame1 cup boiling water1 tablespoon olive oil2 large cloves garlic, minced1 pound zucchini, sliced into 1/4” half-moons (about 3.25 cups)1/3 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes1/4 cup fresh basil, minced

Marinate the tofu by placing it in a shallow dish or container with the 3 tablespoons tamari and letting it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. If you have a tight fitting lid, cover the dish. Shake occasionally or simply turn the tofu.
Put the arame in a bowl and cover it with the boiling water. Let it sit for 15 minutes, then strain out the arame and reserve the soaking water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the tofu and marinade plus the arame and cook for another minute. Stir in the zucchini and 2 tablespoons of the arame soaking water. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and additional tamari to taste and cook for another minute. Take off the heat and fold in the basil. Serve hot or at room temperature!

Top Photo: Amy Neunsinger
Video: Kristin Burns

3 Budget-Friendly Back-to-School Shopping Tips That Make It More Sustainable

Summer is such a magical time for all the obvious reasons. And now our babies go back to school! 

Even if your kid has very limited screen time like mine (well at my house at least), they’re inevitably being marketed to. In fact, a lot of the content they can be watching is nothing more than marketing disguised as entertainment. 

Do you hear something like this? “Mom, Mom, Mom (or Dad, Dad, Dad!) I really need this new….” fill in the blank. If it’s not something they saw on their device, it’s perhaps something a friend has. Or, maybe you’re shopping with your child and you happen to find yourself right smack in front of a giant display of “the thing.”

It’s so easy to be at the store and in that moment just grab whatever it is the kid tells you they need. But do they really need it? 

Of course, back-to-school time can bring some necessities. And now that Bear’s in 5th grade, he has suddenly taken an interest in school supplies. 

There’s nothing wrong with these things on the surface. But in our stuff-filled world, well, there are some problems. From the new resource-intensive materials to the plastic (so much plastic!)  to all the waste year after year after year.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

I want to share a sweet, thoughtful conversation Bear and I recently had on the subject that went really well.

He said he needed supplies for school, but he also understood that we don’t want to be wasteful, we want to be kind to the earth.

I was proud that he also recognized that these companies are marketing to us, seducing us.

It’s normal and natural to be seduced into thinking we need more things than we need in actuality.  And I want him to feel safe in knowing that he will have whatever he needs. 

And so I offered him a plan and asked him if it worked for him:

We will start by getting a list of recommended and required items from the school.

(I asked his teacher, and it turns out they don’t actually need anything! lol.)

Then, we go through our art supplies and other school supplies, and see what we already have—how many piles of pencils are there in the house? We have pencils for sure.

 Do we have sharpeners and erasers? How about the correct notebook?   I asked Bear if his backpack is still good.

Anything else we need we will get sustainably made. 

He liked this plan. And it seemed to satisfy all his needs.

So, we decided it would be fun to set aside some time to get ready and focus on this project—it’s a  sort of back-to-school/spring cleaning where we suss what exactly it is we need. Plus, we’re not just looking for what we need, but what we don’t need, too. What doesn’t fit goes to donation—older clothes, books, supplies, et cetera.

Bear is so excited to go back to school. I hope your kiddos are too!

Here are some suggestions that may be helpful for you, too.

Courtesy Decomposition Notebooks1. Take inventory

From the undies and socks to pants and sweaters—what do we need?

We are minimalist around here. So Bear usually has about seven to nine pairs of any item. That way, I don’t have to do laundry too often. And the t-shirt drawer gets pretty full. So we look at what he actually wants to wear versus what Mommy thinks is so cute and wishes he would wear, and then I let go and send it off to donation. (This is a great exercise in mindfulness, and as a parent, it’s an excellent reminder that kids have their own lives to live and their personal style is part of that!)

We look at the supplies, too. 

Do we have enough water bottles? 

Courtesy Hanna Anderson2. Shop sustainably

You’ve got your list of what you absolutely need—if anything!  Now, it’s time to shop. Luckily, there are so many incredible options for reducing your back-to-school footprint. 

For clothing, secondhand shopping is such a great way to reduce your impact. Kids grow out of clothes so fast that there are lots of resale shops just for kids. You can find some really great stuff, too! Just like your kid may have clothes they never wear other people have the same. Secondhand shopping keeps these items out of landfills and reduces the amount of new stuff being made every year.

There are also parent groups on social media where you can find gently used items. You can even host a clothing swap for kids and grown-ups as a fun get-together with a purpose.

You won’t likely find everything you need secondhand, and some things you’ll just want new, like undies. For that, you can shop sustainable, healthy brands. (We’ve got a list of them below.) This goes for school supplies, too.

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash3. Offset your purchases

Sometimes, you just can’t find what you need in your own closet or from a sustainable alternative. If you’ve run out of options, go ahead and buy the thing your child needs—be it a pair of shoes (but there are lots of eco shoes out there! and great used ones, too)  a new eco lunch box, whatever. 

You can offset the impact of your Amazon shipping or the plastic in the product in a number of ways. Hopefully, you’re already donating your child’s old items—that counts! Perhaps you can plant a tree or two, or do a beach or river clean-up with your child. 

Be sure to involve your child in the process so that they understand why this is an important part of being a consumer in today’s world. 

Here are some brands making sustainable kids’ clothes and school supplies. There are lots of brands out there with great options if this list doesn’t have what you’re looking for. 

Clothes

Conscious Step
Firebird Kids
Hanna Andersson
Mightly
Mon Coeur
Mini Mate
Pact
Ten Little

Supplies 

Onyx + Green bamboo pencil sharpener
Sprout pencils
Recycled newspaper pencils
Decomposition notebooks
Recycled binder
Cork laptop sleeve
Eco lunch box
One Movement water bottles
Eco backpack
Terra Thread backpacks

The Case Against Eating Fish

Often times when people decide to stop eating meat, many continue to consume fish. What’s up with that? Why is it common practice to disassociate fish with the madness of the animal suffering? There are so many reasons fish are just as important to keep off our plates.

Health

Fish contain mercury, other industrial toxins (organochlorines, polychlorinated biphenyls aka PCBs), and plastic. Coal-burning power plants release mercury into the air, which falls into the ocean. Bacteria consume this mercury, which then is consumed by little fish and is concentrated up the fishy food chain.

Smaller fish and seafood like salmon, cod, shrimp, and trout have lower levels of mercury, while swordfish, tile, mackerel, and tuna have the highest. But they all contain mercury, which has been shown to damage the brain, kidneys, and lungs – and is particularly dangerous to pregnant women and their growing babies.

The same cycle occurs for industrial toxins and plastics, they become a snack-size particle for little plankton-eating fish to consume and make it’s way up the food chain until it hits our bellies. Organochlorines, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and other environmental toxins are known to be major offenders in fertility, increasing the risk of endometriosis and altering hormonal function.

So are farm-raised fish any better? Well, besides the fact that they are pumped full of antibiotics, farmed salmon were found to contain levels of industrial toxins called PCBs 16 times higher than their wild counterparts, so neither choice can be considered clean!

What about omega-3s?  Omega-3 fatty acids (found in some fish) are good at lowering the risk of heart disease, improving blood vessel function, and improving the overall health of people with diabetes, but we can also get these health benefits from omega-3-rich sources like walnuts, chia, hemp, and flaxseeds, without any of the fishy stuff.

Environment

Once thought to be an inexhaustible source of food, the ocean today is overfished. As a result of commercial fishing, 90 percent of large fish populations have been exterminated in the past 50 years.

Because there are fewer fish, we’re having to go deeper and deeper into the ocean to find them, and we’re displacing all sorts of marine creatures and plants that are essential members of the food chain in the process. It’s easier to ignore the reality of fishing since the ocean is so vast (70% of the planet!) but truthfully, industrial fishing is madness.

Large commercial trawlers aimlessly scrape and haul up everything from the ocean floor, no matter if it’s their targeted species or not. Scientists say that the destruction caused by bottom-trawling is similar to that caused by clear-cutting old forests, only on a far greater scale. Roughly one-third of what is dragged in is not profitable fish, but other sea animals, including turtles, whales, dolphins, seals, and seabirds. These beings are referred to “by-catch” by the fishing industry. Severely traumatized and wounded, these “by-catch” animals are subsequently thrown back into the ocean, dead or dying.

If this makes your brain lean towards fish farming, it takes 2-5 pounds of small wild fish to produce 1 pound of farmed salmon, which is totally unsustainable!

Cruel

It’s not just the cows and pigs that suffer, farm-raised fish are kept in cages with 40,000 other fish, enjoying the equivalent of half a bathtub of water each. But really in order to acknowledge the cruelty behind fishing all you have to do is take a look at a fish coming out of the water and see it fight for it’s life to breathe.

If you think that fish brains are too small to feel pain, think again. Fish are super sensitive creatures with highly developed nervous systems. They feel pain! Here is a great example that vegan yogini Sharon Gannon gives to demonstrate fish sensitively: “If you were a fish and you were to touch a doorknob, you would be able to feel the presence of every person who had touched that doorknob during the course of a day.”

Dr. Culum Brown, an Australian behavioral ecologist, has conducted experiments with rainbow fish and found that they have longer memories than we assumed (months as opposed to seconds), the capacity to learn, and that they transmit their knowledge to other members of their school. Another Australian study found that when fish are chased, confined, or otherwise threatened, they react as humans do to stress: with increased heart and breathing rates and a burst of adrenalin. Like any other animal, fish feel pain and have a will to survive.

So next time a fish looks at you from inside a tank at a Chinese restaurant, read his lips; he’s probably yelling, “Get me out of here!”

Photo by Fernando Maté

Down the Drain: How Doing Laundry Can Contribute to Ocean Pollution

Many of our closets contain clothes made from synthetic materials such as polyester, nylon, and rayon. These synthetic materials make our clothes more stretchy and less wrinkly and can be found in everything from yoga pants and leggings, to dress shirts and socks.

When you wash clothes containing these materials, they shed up to millions of microfibers—tiny strands of plastic. These microfibers are often too small for many filters to catch, so they travel down the drains and into the wastewater system. Experts have found that these microfibers heavily contribute to an already huge issue in our waterways—microplastic.

What are Microplastics?

About 2.41 million tons of plastic waste enter the oceans every year, and about 94% of that plastic pollution is made up of microplastics—these tiny plastics are created by larger plastic waste products breaking down in the environment, but many of our everyday household products already contain microplastics. Most common laundry detergents contain microbeads and microplastic fragments. Some tests found that one of the most popular brands of laundry detergent contained roughly 178,000 microbeads in one milliliter of detergent, which leads to over 2.5 million microbeads per load of laundry! And that’s not even counting the microfibers!

The newest laundry detergent pod packets are worse, with many pods not fully “dissolving” and contributing further to microplastic pollution. Additionally, Laundry Pods are often made of Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) or other derivative chemicals—which have been found extremely damaging to aquatic life. Pods are another scheme by Big Oil and their plastics company offshoots whose profits increase with the proliferation of more single-use products—at the expense of choking our waterways and killing aquatic life.

The Impacts of Wastewater

Our community’s wastewater is “treated” and then discharged into our waterways, but these microfibers and microplastics slip through the treatments and end up in our natural waters such as rivers and streams.
These microplastics are then consumed by microscopic organisms called zooplankton, which are then eaten by small aquatic animals, which are then eaten by larger aquatic animals, and so on up the food chain.

This process is called bioaccumulation and can result in large aquatic animals containing dangerous and often deadly amounts of plastic in their systems. Scientific studies have shown humans are ingesting thousands of these microfibers annually from our water, air, and food. Textile fibers are often found in seafood and fish on sale for human consumption.

So, what can you do to ensure you are not contributing to the problem? The easiest thing is to adjust your buying and washing habits. Buy clothes made from plant-based materials such as orgANIC cotton, bamboo, hemp. Support organic. Buy used. Repair clothes. New apparel sheds more than old. Use cold, quick wash cycles. Avoid delicate cycle. Avoid “pods.” Support additional filters such as GuppyFriend or Cora Ball. Wash less.

Best Laundry Detergent to Use

To avoid microplastics, it helps to pick clean detergent brands—Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap (100% plant-based since the beginning!), Eco Nuts, and Dropps are all cleaner options. Dropps is the original plastic-free laundry detergent pods packaged in a compostable and recyclable box. There’s also Ethique that makes waste-free bars
You can also DIY your own detergent if you want to control the ingredients.

Raw Vegan Candy Chocolate Apple Wedges

Like a healthier spin on candy apples, these 3 bite snacks are ideal for after-school bites or late-night nibbles when your sweet tooth hits. Organic, vegan, raw, dairy-free, soy-free, and delicious, these popsicles are going to be your new go-to decadent snack.

Raw Vegan Chocolate Candy Apple Popsicle Bites

INGREDIENTS

2 large red apples10-12 wooden ice pop sticks1/2 cup dried pitted dates2 tablespoons vegan milk1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil, melted1 tablespoon pure maple syrup1 tablespoon nut butter of choice1/4 teaspoon cinnamonpinch of sea salt1/2 cup organic dark chocolate chunks or chipsdash of coconut oilyour choice of crushed nuts, shredded coconut, or any other garnish

Makes 10-12 Wedges.
Cut each apple into 5 or 6 equal sized wedges. Put the ice pop stick through one end. Line a large plate or tray with parchment paper. Set the apples aside.

To make the caramel, add the dates to your food professor and blend until they are broken down. Add the milk and coconut oil and blend into a paste, occasionally using a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides. Add the maple syrup, nut butter, cinnamon and salt, and blend until thoroughly mixed.

Use a knife to coat each apple wedge with the sauce and place back on the parchment paper. Put in the freezer to set for 25 minutes or so.

Just before removing the apples from the freezer, melt the chocolate in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Make sure water does not come in contact with the chocolate or materials, or it will spoil. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula so it does not burn. Add a dash of coconut oil to thin it out a little. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a minute or two.

Remove the apples from the freezer. Take one at a time by the stick and hold it over top of the bowl of chocolate and use a spoon to pour chocolate over top. Allow to set for a minute before sprinkling garnish on top, or else it will slide off. Put back on the plate and repeat for each one, before putting back in the freezer for 10 minutes to set. Store in the refrigerator and enjoy!

Jessica Milan is the founder of LookBook CookBook and the author of the book by the same name.

Cheesy, Oozy, Easy Vegan Guacamole and Bean Dip

This vegan guacamole and bean dip is quick, easy, and delicious — the perfect thing to bring to a party. Make it in a glass dish to display all the pretty layers. Great for meat-eating friends.

Serves 8.
Ingredients:

 1 (16-ounce) can refried beans3 large avocados3 tablespoons fresh lime juice2 (8-ounce) containers nondairy sour cream (or you can make your own cashew sour cream*)1 packet taco seasoning (I use Bearitos, but if you are avoiding all white sugar, make your own mix with chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, hot paprika or cayenne, and salt)1/2 cup diced mild green chiles, drained1/2 cup sliced black olives, or more if you like 5 tomatoes, chopped 2 cups shredded vegan Cheddar cheese

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spread a layer of refried beans in the bottom of an 8-inch by 8-inch quart glass baking dish.
Pit and peel the avocados, and place in a bowl. Mash the avocados together with the lime juice, and spread on top of the refried beans.
Stir together the sour cream (or cashew sour cream*) and taco seasoning, and spread over the avocado.
Sprinkle the chiles over the sour cream, and top with a layer of black olives.
Add the tomatoes, and sprinkle with the cheese.
Heat the dip for 15-30 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is a bit melted.
Serve warm or at room temperature!

*if you prefer making your own cashew sour cream: 
1.5 cup cashews
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt to taste
Soak the cashews overnight in a bowl filled with water (ideally for 8 hours, or you can quick-soak for an hour in boiling water). Rinse and drain.
After soaking, blend the cashews at high speed with the remaining ingredients in a blender.  You may want to pause and scrape the cream down as you go, to make sure you get it all mixing. Add a little water when you need (albeit very little!)
Place the cream in a container and pop it into the fridge. This makes 2 cups and will keep in the fridge for 1 week!