You may think why bother? Gardening is a lot of work, I don’t have the time and I don’t have the space, but just look at how many have taken

So you love to follow the fashion trends and dressing up in fresh styles, but environmental concerns are getting to you and you are wonderin

Okay, I was having a bit of a slump yesterday and couldn’t get an article together. You know, when you have one of those days, where there is too much going on and your head is in a spin. So I thought instead of rushing to get something typed up, I gave myself some breathing space to think. Something we all need from time to time, with life being so hectic running a house, going to work, being a mother/father, good partner and friend. It can all feel like a juggling act. Once

How do you pack your child's lunch? Or even your own? Do you consider the packaging? For many, I am guessing you may have a sandwich, along with some fruit and some packaged items. For others, it may be a case of grabbing what you can get on the go, but these options are not always eco-friendly or even healthy. Your first priority is to make it a healthy meal, but sometimes this seems too hard. There is all the shopping, the prepping, not to mention what to carry the lunch i

I know I am saying it again, but where has this year gone? If you are like me, you have been too busy to think about Christmas, and yet it is only a few weeks away. Yikes! I thought I better get my act together and started buying some presents this weekend, but the problem I have run into is what to get everyone? I’m sure I am not the only person who has this problem. So I started looking into what presents can I get that are either eco friendly, ethical and/or support devel

Okay, so I have been a bit slack lately getting some posts out. It has been a bit hectic here at earthly passion and although I have been on my laptop a lot, finding the time to start a post has been a bit hard. This time of year we get so busy with the business and family activities. It can feel like there is too much going on. The same can be said when trying to be eco-friendly. It seems like there is so much you have to do to make the change to an eco-friendly lifestyle. Y

Like the kitchen and the bathroom, the laundry is another area that needs Spring cleaning. For many the first thing that comes to mind is all the detergents and chemicals lurking in your cupboard, but you may be surprised there are a few other changes when washing clothes that can make a huge difference, particularly if everyone takes these steps. Use an Energy efficient Washer Control the Temperature: If you need a new washer, look at getting an energy efficient model. Make

With Spring’s arrival, you are probably thinking about spring cleaning your home, but have you thought about spring cleaning your cleaning. We use a lot of detergents and disinfectants to clean our homes, hoping they will speed up the cleaning process, by removing all the dirt, stains and bacteria, but we don’t give much thought to what we may be coming in contact with or what we may be leaving behind. And that is only the cleaners we use on hard surfaces around the home, but

Tonight's blog is a short one, but I think it is an important one. I have been thinking about what holds people back from making the steps to being eco-friendly. I know there can be many things that can influence people and they can be wide and varied. So what has being holding you back from making the change to being eco-friendly? If you have made some changes, why can't you go further? I think I know some of the reasons. Lifestyle - are you afraid your lifestyle will chang

Your skin is the largest organ on your body and it can be seen by everyone. When your skin looks good, you radiate health. We assume most of you shower daily, use cleansing products, before applying at minimum some moisturiser and at most, many other products and cosmetics. You have good intentions, keeping your skin clean, protecting and enhancing it, but do you really know what you are putting on your skin? Or what affect using these products has on the environment? If you

Just a few quick words about shopping and being a more conscious consumer. Grabbing a few items in the supermarket and placing them in a plastic bag may seem harmless…what can one bag do to the environment? However, over a year it builds up. If you do a weekly shop, you will have collected up to 2000 plastic bags or more in five years which ends up in landfill. Hard to believe. On the other hand if we reused or recycled one ton of plastic bags, that is like saving energy that

I was hoping to post this yesterday, but as most parents will understand school holiday time can be a bit hectic. It is good to be around the kids and their friends, and it still amazes me how grown up they are getting, but you do have to keep them occupied. Another way to help eliminate plastic from your life is to buy in bulk. Buying in bulk makes sense, as not only will you save on packaging, but you’ll save money (as bulk food often comes at a discounted rate) and, if you

So it looks like Winter has arrived a little early and we are starting to feel the chills. Are you all set for it? I actually love the change in seasons, but that doesn't mean I like the cold. I know some people will think I am daft, but there something great about the change. Maybe it is the Irish person in me! Although it is a lot colder, there is a freshness in the air and the world seems to be a lot quieter or even still. This doesn’t mean we neglect our eco lifestyle. In

I am always looking for ways to make it easier to become eco-friendly. I know we all need help at some stage to encourage and motivate us. For people that are new to an eco-friendly lifestyle, they often don’t know where to begin. There are many things to learn and having help in this area can really go a long way. So where to start? 1. Read There are so many great eco-friendly books out there, but here are a few you might like to pick up: Down to Earth - Rhonda Hetzel Balanc

If you are trying to be eco-friendly one of the ways you can make a change is with your cleaning products. We need cleaners around the home, yet a lot of the household cleaners we use get flushed down the sink without much thought for the affect that the mix of chemicals and biologicals will have on our waterways. Toxic chemicals affect the health of many marine life, animals and us humans. The biologicals, like added nutrients, in some cleaners promote the growth of some org

Where has this year gone? If you are like me, you have been too busy to think about Christmas, and yet it is only a few weeks away. Yikes! I thought I better get my act together and started buying some presents this weekend, but the problem I have run into is what to get everyone? I’m sure I am not the only person who has this problem. So I started looking into what presents can I get that are either eco friendly, ethical or support developing communities. A few things I hav

When kids are young they are influenced by their parents and can be guided to make the right decisions. However, as they get older and more independent the parents influence lessens, but that doesn’t mean it is hopeless cause. No matter what stage your children are at, your actions is what will encourage and affect how your kids grow into the sort of adults that will acre for the planet. So how do you support your children make more eco-friendly decisions? Here are a few tips

What chemicals are lurking in at your Kitchen and Laundry cupboards Cleaning comes naturally to some and for others it can be a real chore, but for most of us all we want is a clean house as quickly as possible. Many companies producing detergents, cleaners and sanitisers will tell you that their products will get rid of all the dirt, stains, mould, bacteria and viruses without too much rubbing or soaking. How can they do this? Of course, most have to include a concoction of

I know for many of you, you want to be more environmentally conscious and you want a better future for the planet we live on. Every now and then you buy natural or eco-friendly products and you recycle, but you don’t class yourself as an eco-warrior, as you think you’re not doing enough or it is too hard. You might be afraid that being truly eco-friendly you need to be an activist and that you need to be part of a group like Green Peace or live on the Sea Shepherd. I love wha

How do you pack your childs lunch? Do you consider the packaging? Reducing the plastic can be a big deal. Not only are you reducing the waste that goes to landfill, but you are showing your child there is a more eco-friendly way to prepare food. ontest and you could win a Contigo Insulated One way to do this is by using food jars, like the Contigo vacuum insulated stainless steel food jars. They make having lunch simple, keeping lunches hot for 6 hours or cold for 7 hours. Ea