I joke about my “hippy tendencies” but it’s really not funny; it’s the truth. And I’m okay with family and friends calling me a treehugger because I know my actions affect future generations. No, I’m not out there tying myself to a tree to prevent deforestation, but we do try to enact little things in our lifestyle to help a more sustainable future. For example:
- I use sulfate-free shampoos since they are easier on the environment
- We use mulch to help with water conservation in our landscaping
- We’re trying to reduce our carbon footprint by growing our own veggies and fruits. We haven’t quite gotten there yet but we finally have a tiny veggie garden this year.
- We don’t use paper napkins or paper towels in our house– ever. We use rags and cloth napkins instead. And we reuse them many times before washing them.
- We recycle everything under the sun. I carried home four water bottles from the CrossFit comp this weekend since the gym didn’t have recycling and I knew we did.
Of course, we’re not perfect and we could be better, but I like to think that each baby step helps just a bit.
All photos by Will Rochfort
One of my old college friends is a crusader in sustainable fashion and according to her, the fashion industry is one of the leading polluters in this world. Between harsh dyes and chemicals and factory pollutants, the clothing industry is doing a number on Mother Earth. So, when I heard about tentree and their mission, I was psyched to share it with y’all!
The idea behind tentree is simple: for every garment you purchase from them, they will plant ten trees somewhere in the world. And how do you know? Because you can track it.
Featured: Fairybell Hoody
Every garment comes with a tracking tag that has a code on it. That code is unique to your ten trees for that individual garment. Once you register this code on tentree’s site, you can see when and where your ten trees are planted. Genius, right?! And obviously, the more you purchase, the more trees are planted.
tentree was generous enough to send me a few items to photograph for y’all, and you better believe I registered my code. I love the concept behind the company because it’s so simple yet dynamic. Not only does the tentree project help with reforestation, but it continues forward progress in the surrounding communities. Reforestation leads to more resources for the nearby villages, more jobs for the locals and — of course — more oxygen for the world. It’s really a win-win.
Featured: Santa Ana Tank
Here are a few more FAQs about tentree:
- All the planted trees are native species
- tentree often plants MORE than ten trees in harsh environments to ensure that ten trees actually survive for every item sold
- The goal is to plant in areas with the most need. Currently, this includes Madagascar and Ethiopia. Madagascar’s mangroves have been all but depleted, and entire forests have been demolished in Ethiopia due to the growing population. {In the early 20th century, 35% of Ethiopia was covered in trees, but the latest studies report that only 14.2% is now covered.}
- tentree promotes fair labor practices by only working with WRAP approved factories. This means fair wages and no child labor.
- They only work with factories who can source materials from local regions. This means tentree has shrunk their shipping pollution by 15%.
I could go on and on about the mission behind tentree, but I’ll end it here. If you feel inspired, check it out and maybe make a purchase for an upcoming birthday. Mama Earth says thanks in advance!
Other than the clothing, I wasn’t compensated or sponsored by tentree in any way. I planned on turning down the clothing since I was so busy, but their mission truly spoke to me and I wanted to share. I think we could all use a little more pay-it-forward goodness in this world!
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