3 Ways To Be Kinder To Your Country

If you want to show your patriotism or simply be a better citizen, finding ways to be kinder to your country is a surefire way to help you to do that. Below, we have 3 ways you can be kinder to your country – take a look and see what you can do today.

Buy From Small and Local Business

Make sure you buy from small and local business rather than chains owned by corporate giants. Small and local businesses are better because you’re putting money back into the economy, as well as directly contributing to somebody’s livelihood. You should also make sure that your purchases support your values. If you want to reduce plastic usage, don’t buy items with a lot of plastic packaging. Make sure your purchases reflect what you believe in. You ‘vote’ with your money, so make sure you’re voting for the important things, like less plastic, organic food, and cosmetics that are cruelty free. You do have more power than you think when it comes to spending your money.

2. Don’t Litter

Littering is something you should never do. You should wait until you find a bin, even if it means putting the litter in your bag or car somewhere. Make sure you use the correct bins to dispose of litter so that the right materials go to recycling, too.

3. Get Involved In Important Causes

Spread the word about various causes in the community and get involved. You could even volunteer at a local polling station.

Many people wonder if there’s anything they can do about the country’s infrastructure – the infographic below can help.

credit to Norwich University

Ready to Go Green? Here are the Areas of Your Home to Tackle

If you are ready for a lifestyle change, would like to reduce your environmental impact, or your carbon footprint, maybe do something for the environment, there are plenty of ways you can get started on a budget. There are various areas of your home where you might be wasting resources, polluting the environment, or using things that are hard to recycle. Below you will find a few tips on how to make small green changes make a difference long term for you and the future generations.

Insulation

We lose a lot of heat and cold air if our home is not well insulated. You will need to check your walls for cavities, cracks, and gaps, and make sure that the structural issues are addressed before you can tackle the rest of the house. Chances are that if you live in an older house, your insulation is not as efficient as it could be. You can invest in secondary insulation boards to save money on your heating and stop heating the street.

Loft

Image via Wikimedia Commons

If you are ready to start a green lifestyle, it is also important that you tackle the area where you lose the most heat; your loft. You can get a thick insulation layer installed for free, if you successfully apply for homeowner grants and get government funding. You can insulate the roof and the loft space, as well. This will make it cheaper and easier to keep the warmth in your home and make your house more sustainable.

Windows and Doors

In case you still have single pane windows, it might be time to modernize your home. While changing them will require a professional to install and fit the new units, the latest designs last for decades. It might even be worth to look into installment loans no credit check to finance your investment. After all, new and more efficient windows will increase the value of your home for many years to come, so your investment will pay off.

Heating

An inefficient HVAC system can burn a hole in your pocket and increase the carbon footprint of your home as well. Make sure that you deal with this issue first. You might get solar heating or a heat pump that will use much less energy than traditional furnaces. Depending on your climate and the size of your home, you can also power your heating with natural gas. Talk to an HVAC installation expert to get an overview of the different green heating options and the costs associated with them.

Natural Light

The more natural light you allow to enter your home the better you will feel and the less you will need to spend on electricity. You might also want to invest in solar powered lamps in the house, which can charge during the day and light up your room at night without having to use non-renewable energy. You can open up your space, get rid of the dark and depressing corridors, install roof lighting, or glass bricks over the door.

Waste Management

Image via Flickr

One of the things we need to teach our kids today is the impact our plastic use has on the living environment. If you have a recycling service at your home or nearby, make sure that you collect and separate the different types of waste so everything can be recycled that is suitable for being reused. On the other hand, you might want to create a compost bin as well, so you can avoid using artificial and synthetic fertilizers in your garden and start growing your organic vegetables.

Renewable Energy

Image via Wikimedia Commons

There are plenty of ways of installing devices that will create renewable energy for your home. You can get solar panels installed on your roof, provided that the structure of your home can support the weight. It is always better to talk to an expert to find out more about the different options. You might even set up a small wind turbine at the bottom of your garden, and generate some electricity that way. You will, however, need to make sure that you are not damaging the environment and endangering nesting birds in the area.

Energy Saving Features

If you want to keep an eye on the energy use of your home every day. This means that you have to avoid wasting it whenever you can. A smart thermostat will make sure that you always have the right temperature and are using your heating and air conditioning system in the most efficient way, and you are not heating an empty home. Some of your devices can even be controlled through a smart app, so if you have to do overtime at the office you can change the time when your heating is turned on.

Sustainable Materials

When renovating your home, it is important that you focus on long term. Avoid materials that are hard to recycle and are likely to end up in the landfill sites or toxic waste management systems. You might be better off buying a real goose feather blanket instead of one that is filled with synthetic materials that will be hard to reuse. Likewise, when choosing your furniture and your kitchen units, try to focus on natural materials, and upcycle instead of buying cheap.

Toxic Free Cleaning

Image via Stair Parts USA

We flush down too many chemicals and toxins the drain, and these all end up in the sewage system. Unfortunately, water treatment plants are not able to get rid of all chemicals, and we will end up meeting them again, including medication flushed down the toilet. You can live a greener and healthier life if you switch to toxic and chemical free, natural cleaning products. Bicarbonate soda, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar leave your bathroom, kitchen and just as shiny as the top brand cleaning products.

Starting with a green lifestyle should not mean that you have to make huge drastic changes. Focus on one area of your home at a time, and you will be motivated to go on and improve your life while reducing your carbon footprint.

Prose

Customized hair care

Personalized hair care products, including a hair mask, shampoo and conditioner. Yes please!

Prose is a hair care company that works with YOU to create products suited to your hair. Prose assigns the customer to a professional stylist to collaborate on the hair products that suit your particular hair style, how amazing is this?!

Natural ingredients

I think the concept of this company is amazing. I love that they use natural ingredients that are either organic or eco certificated. All made from sustainable resources. Plus the products are made fresh in New York City.

Using natural ingredients is so important for numerous reasons. It benefits the environment and our own health. It is so important to be aware of what we using on our bodies.

How it works

Step one:

The consultation. This can be done either online or by booking in with a stylist located close to you. You will discuss your type of hair and determine the factors that may be harming your hair, such as the local climate, your diet, your exercise habits and styling habits.

Step two:

Preferences: Here you can discuss if you have a favorite fragrances or if you would rather no fragrance. You can also request particular ingredients, I opted to use all vegan ingredients for my products. Also, if you require more volume or shine ect

Step three:

Production: The lab will produce your hair products with fresh and natural ingredients accommodating your preferences.

Step four:

Your new customized hair products are delivered to your door. The box also contains a copy of your consultation. Listing what my hair needs, my hair goals, the routine and the ingredients in each product.

Results

I am really impressed. The consultation process was smooth and I learnt a lot about what my hair needs and I can’t wait to try and reach my hair goals. I love the use of natural ingredients. The products smell amazing, feel great to apply and my hair already feels smoother with more volume.

For more information click here

Amazonliss

DIY Smoothing hair kit

So from traveling, color treating my hair and living in various climates my hair is, well not that lush. It is a mix of wavy, dry and frizzy! The only time my hair feels soft and smooth is after a trip to the hairdresser, which I cannot afford to do all the time. So I was happy to receive the Amazonliss home hair smoothing kit from Nautree professional.

Keratin

The main ingredient in this kit is keratin. Keratin is a family of fibrous structural proteins, and the key material of making hair. Keratin can be used to restore broken and damaged hair. Other ingredients include, acai extract, cacao extract and hydrolyzed protein (Rice, soy, wheat and corn).

Additional benefits of Keratin

A great moisturizing method for hair
Straightening of hair
Can prevent grow outs
Keratin adds glow, leaving you hair feeling soft and smooth

Results of Amazonliss

So what are the claimed results of using the Amazonliss smoothing hair kit?

Smoother hair
Brighter hair
Deep moisture and nutrition
Thermal hair protection
Results that last up to four months

Kit contains

Anti residue shampoo, used to open up the cuticles in preparation for the absorption of the keratin.
Brazilian smoothing, Easy application keratin treatment
Intensive repair mask, this is the closing step, and provides intense hydration and softness

Step one

Use the anti residue shampoo to wash your hair, leave the shampoo on for five minutes
Dry your hair to 85% dryness
Section your hair into six equal parts

Step two

Apply the Brazilian smoothing treatments in one section, starting from the base of the head. Continue method for each section.
Using a hair dyer set to cool, and dry each section.
Use a straighter to straighten each section.

Step three

Rinse your hair
Apply the intensive repair mask
Leave the mask on for three to five minutes
Rinse hair
Last step, blow dry your hair

Results

Did it work? Yes, after the treatment my hair felt hydrated, was smooth, shiny and straighter. However, I do have to point out that step 2: The Brazilian treatment had a strong chemical smell, and I only completed about 80% of this step as I had to stop using it. Step one – the shampoo actually smells really nice! And, step three the intensive mask works a treat.

I did see results, and this is much more affordable option to a hair saloon. I continue to use the shampoo and the intensive mask, as these products make my hair feel and look shiny and smooth.

For more information and to purchase the kit click here

Wear Pact

Sustainable fashion

Having a minimal carbon footprint is so important to me. I try to limit my environmental impact where ever and when ever possible. I choose to favor “slow’ fashion over ‘fast fashion”. Fast fashion is the second biggest industry polluter, behind the oil industry! In recent years people are becoming more aware of the drastic impact fast fashion is having on the environment, and companies have been making the move to the eco friendly movement. A movement that is trying to limit fashions negative impact on our planet.

So what is ‘slow fashion’? Slow fashion represents our social responsibility and limits our carbon footprint. By choosing quality over quantity. By being clean, using organic and natural resources, and not using harmful toxins and dyes. By being fair, providing fair working conditions of employees and providing workers with decent pay.

So how do I include sustainable fashion into my lifestyle?

I reuse and recycle my clothing. I never put my clothing into landfill. If I no longer need a certain piece of clothing I will donate it to charity. If the clothing item is not in a decent condition I will recycle this piece.
Thrift stores. I will usually buy my clothes from a second hand/ thrift stores.And, as we have so many decent thrift stores in NYC it is so easy to stay “fashionable”.
For new items of clothing, I will source sustainable and ethical brands.

Pact

I was so happy to discover Pact, a sustainable clothing company. With their goal “to create the comfiest clothes in the world without destroying the earth, or harming people” I knew I had found a great company with similar values to my own. Pact use organic cotton, this is so important as organic cotton uses 95% less water than regular cotton to manufacture. Their clothes are made with sustainable ingredients/ fibers, so don’t contain any toxins of pesticides! Pact have sourced fair trade certified factories as they care for the well being of their employees.

I was sent three pieces of clothing to review.

Black relaxed fit tee
Black lightweight eco-blend wrap cardigan
Black wrap dress

I am so impressed with the quality of all of these items. The material feels so amazing. The clothing certainly does live up to the companies motto of “clothes that don’t just make you feel, you can feel good wearing them”. I wore the tee shirt and cardigan together for a weekend trip away. I can’t wait for the weather to warm up so I can start wearing the gorgeous wrap dress.

Pact is a clothing brand that I can get behind, their clothes are of great quality and I love their values, check out their online store here Pact