Easter baskets are not something I have dealt with in years, but this year, I was excited to put together something small, sweet and eco-friendly for Ariana...even if she won't remember it.
As I was brainstorming what to do, I realized that it's pretty simple to put together an eco-friendly basket for babies and children. The bonus is that I saved money in the process!
When I got married two years ago, I was determined to find an eco-friendly alternative for flowers,
rather than spending a lot of money on bouquets that would only last a
few days. I chose recycled wood flowers from a company that has since
gone out of business. (My wedding bouquet, however, still sits in my
office, looking beautiful as ever.)
These days, there
are even more eco-friendly alternatives for your wedding bouquets - and
these bouquets look so realistic, you'd never even know they are made of
silk.
There has been a lot of conversation lately about plastic single-use straws, particularly following Starbucks' plan to eliminate their use (and redesign their plastic lid for their single-use cup, but that's not where I'm going with this today.)
The conversation has brought about some counterpoints about the use of plastic straws, particularly for people who are disabled or have illnesses. The valid argument is that for some people, plastic single-use straws are the best option.
It's an interesting year for holidays, with Valentine's Day coinciding with Ash Wednesday and Easter falling on April Fool's Day. I keep forgetting that Easter is actually only two weeks away. For us, Easter mostly consists of family gatherings, church and boiled crawfish. If I could even tell you how much I am looking forward to some crawfish...
If you've got younger children, your Easter probably consists of baskets, treats and dyeing eggs. All things I loved as a child!
It's not hard these days to make Easter activities a little more sustainable and eco-friendly, thanks to natural egg-dyeing methods and reusable gifts and decorating options.
One of my favorite things about visiting Hawaii (aside from getting to visit with the family who lives there) is the abundance of outdoor activities.
My husband and I always say we would be so fit and tan if we lived there, because we could easily go for a bike ride, spend a day hiking one of the many trails, or exercise at the beach. It's kind of impossible to not spend most of your time outdoors, especially when the weather is always warm.
Although my Hawaii tan might be fading, the memories and the photos aren't. Now that the shopping and the wrapping are almost done, it's time to share some of the highlights of our vacation!
Because I've got so many photos (and ALL the words), I'll break the trip recap into two parts. Today focuses on reusable items and my zero-waste efforts.
With 10 days to go until Christmas Eve, it's time to get to wrapping gifts! I can't wait for this weekend, when I finally sit down and wrap all the gifts I've bought so far. Although I procrastinate more on shopping more as I get older, I still love actually wrapping gifts and putting them under the tree.
As I remind y'all every year, standard wrapping paper is NOT recyclable. If it is shiny, waxy or glittery, it has other materials besides paper, and it goes into the trash and into the landfill.
There are so many ways you can wrap gifts with recyclable or reusable options, and they are sometimes even more beautiful than conventional waxy gift wrap.
I'm still not sure I'm 100% adjusted to not seeing views like this every day this week. You never truly realize how flat your hometown is until you spend eight days staring at mountains. 😆
I'll have a full recap of our Hawaii family vacation coming up soon, but for today, I'll share a quick preview. A pretty good way to sum up the islands, and our trips, is with these two photos: mountains and beach.
We got in a good balance of hiking through woods and laying on the beach (although sometimes it was just too "cold" and windy to stay and work on a tan!)
Taken near the top of a mountain ridge, I love this photo for the expanse of land it shows. The sky, ocean, and layers and folds of mountains in the background, and greenery in the foreground help to show just how beautiful Oahu really is. And it shows how beautiful our planet is, and can be. When our planet gives us things like this, how can we not want to protect it!?
I had a small arsenal of reusable items on this trip, and these were some of my most handy staples. The bag was a gift from coworkers who'd visited the 9/11 Memorial in NYC a few weeks ago, and I adorned it with one of my Busy Beaver buttons. I decked out a stainless steel cup with a Reusable Is Instagrammable sticker, for my favorite motto. And while we didn't ride bikes on this trip, I still had the spirit with me as I wore my Schwinn Ambassador hat on some of our hikes.
A few weeks back, my column in the Times of Acadiana looked at creative ways to reuse glass containers...in "honor" of the fact that Lafayette no longer takes glass in curbside recycling.
It's always important to try to reuse items as much as possible before throwing them out. Especially with glass jars or containers, they can withstand being reused for a long time before they need to be discarded.
Recycled and painted bottle vase at Taco Sisters Freetown
Most of the glass containers found in homes come from
pasta sauce jars, spice jars, baby food jars, candles, mason jars, and
beer, wine and oil bottles. Forget buying new glass jars for storage
purposes — reuse what you’ve probably already got!
While I feel like I honestly haven't been doing very many "green" things in my own life, especially ones worth talking about, I realized that maybe I can take a step back. My husband and I spent most of this past Sunday cleaning around the house and tackling a lot of different chores we've been needing to.
At the end of the day, I snapped a few photos of our living room looking clean and cozy, and I realized how eco-friendly the room actually is.
So, I'll give you a tour of our fairly small, yet incredibly cozy living room!
Isn't there a saying about what's in a woman's purse tells a lot about her personality? Whether there is or not, my own purse certainly does express my personality pretty closely!
Because I like to use my own journey as an example when sharing ways you can go greener, I'm sharing the items I carry in my bag all the time. Not everything in my purse is eco-friendly, but these are my most important staples.
The purse
First things first, my everyday purse is not inherently eco-friendly. It's from TJ Maxx, but it's more than four years old and I plan to use it until it's literally falling apart (and it's starting to get there). Staying honest to show y'all that even I still have a ways to go on my sustainability journey. I don't intend to replace it until it really needs it and I find an eco-friendly option.
On the flipside, my "small purse" that I use on occasion is a secondhand find from my great aunt's closet. I love it for the crossbody style and the fact I can't shove too much stuff in it.
Wallet
My wallet is actually a recent replacement of an older, recycled-material wallet. Thanks to Natalie at Sustainably Chic, I discovered this vegan cork wallet from Friluk. Of course, I love anything that reminds me of wine corks, so I was excited to pick up this wallet for myself. I seriously needed a replacement, and the longer size felt like a more grown-up option than my previous bi-fold wallet.
My older wallet was a six-year-old recycled billboard style from Plywood People. It held up well over the years of being banged around in my purses, which is understandable given billboard vinyl's durability. The cloth edging was starting to fray, and it was starting to feel a bit young for me. I do love that I've had some form of eco-friendly wallet for a few years now.
Makeup bag
My makeup pouch is probably about four or five years old and is from GAIA Empowered Women. The style itself is no longer available, but there are plenty of other cute ones! GAIA is based in Dallas, Texas, and the items are handmade by refugee women resettled in the city. They use vintage, artisan-made, and sustainable materials.
They aim to empower refugee women through employment, encouragement, and dedication to their long-term success in local communities.
I usually keep my chapstick, lipstick, mints, hand sanitizer and any medicines or vitamins in this pouch, and it makes the transfer from my large purse to small purse pretty easy.
Cell phone
My phone is almost always nearby, for better or for worse. However, I love my iPhone 7+, and don't tell my husband that I really don't regret jumping ship from Android to iPhone.
When I got this phone last December, I looked around for eco-friendly phone cases, and chose this wood style from Carved. It's held up really well to all of my abuse! The ridged edges are so useful, and the wood is very durable - I haven't noticed spots or stains from my hand being in the same place, or from water hitting it. Although I got a plain wood style, there are tons of gorgeous designs and patterns. Plus, the cases are made in Indiana before being shipped out.(Get a 10% discount code here!)
Chapstick
True story. I'm addicted to lip balms. I always have at least one in my purse, and although the brands sometimes rotate, I mainly stick with Burt's Bees. They score well on the EWG chart for their ingredients, which is a good thing for how much I use them.
Reusable straws
I try to always remember to keep at least one reusable straw in my purse at all times. The key is remember to move them from the sink or dishwasher back into my purse. I've also been working on sewing a small carrying pouch (out of some scrap fabric) to hold my straws...for about the past three months. So if anyone wants to send me some motivation to finish that project, I would appreciate it!
Also, this is a reminder that I need to be better at carrying a cloth napkin too.
Essential oils
I carry a travel container of essential oils all the time, but sometimes I start to collect the full-size bottles too. I try to keep the ones I need on-the-go, like peppermint for headaches or On Guard for the sniffles.
This summer, I've also been carrying my essential oil bug spray, just in case! This one comes from a local shop, Aromatic Infusions.
Eco Cajun business cards
You never know when you might need to give one out! Okay...it's rare that I actually do, but they're always in my purse, next to my actual work business cards.
Sunglasses
Although my TOMS sunglasses aren't necessarily made with recycled or sustainable materials, they do help contribute to TOMS giving back to communities in need.
Reusable Mug
No, they don't go in my purse, but one of them is always with me. I should really look into a purse with a built-in cup holder...
Although not everything I have in my bag is eco-friendly, these items make the majority of my most frequently used items. And as I need to replace things, then I can make the switch if I haven't already!
This month is known as Plastic Free July, and my column in this week's Times of Acadiana focuses on the basic principles of a zero-waste lifestyle.
The thought of living a truly zero-waste lifestyle can be very overwhelming. Even I think so! While there are many people and bloggers who successfully live by generating only a mason jar's worth of trash in one year, it can be a daunting and unrealistic goal for others.
I won’t judge you if you’re not at a level of “I can fit my entire
family’s year of trash into a mason jar.” I’m not at that level either! I'm not an expert by any means, but I try to stay conscious every day of the packaging I use or
purchase, and my household has definitely been able to reduce the trash
we put out on the curb each week.
The key is simply becoming more aware of the waste you generate, and the mindset behind what you use and what you throw away. If you can become aware of your unnecessary waste and take a few actions to cut down on that waste, then you're already working toward a zero-waste lifestyle.
“It’s not about perfection. It’s about making better choices.”
- Going Zero Waste blogger Kathryn Kellogg
Joining the challenge is quite simple...choose to refuse single-use plastic during July.
Plastic Free July aims to raise awareness of the problems with single-use disposable plastic and challenges people to do something about it.
You’ll be joining a million+ people world-wide from 130 countries in making a difference.
Next week, I'll be publishing a more in-depth post on the basics oftransitioning to a zero-waste lifestyle, and my column for next week's Times of Acadiana will also cover the topic.
This weekend, I'll challenge you to look around your home and see where most of your plastic waste comes from. Is it in your kitchen? Bathroom? Once you can identify the source of most of your waste, then we can start to figure out how you can shift to wasting less.
We made our way downtown last night by bike, enjoying the perfect evening weather. It was inspiring to see so many others doing the same.
Working on my own sustainable Festival style, I went for my new favorite Amour Vert top, made of organic cotton and modal (a sustainable material made from beech trees). My shorts are secondhand from Plato's Closet and my shoes are from TOMS. I packed a reusable water bottle, cloth napkin and metal straw, and I've got my natural bug spray ready for the rest of the weekend.
After getting a white sangria from Pamplona in a reusable cup, I requested no straw, and used my own instead, and used my cloth napkin to wipe the cup dry in order to bring home and reuse.
And of course, a reminder to please recycle correctly while you're at Festival. There are almost 300 recycling bins throughout downtown Lafayette, and these blue ones loaned from Bayou Vermilion District clearly specify which items to put in them.
Although I snapped this photo to show the recycling bins, I later noticed that already, the bag is contaminated with items that cannot be recycled, like Styrofoam bowls from a food vendor.
Please, please, please don't throw non-recyclable items into the recycling bin! I included it in my guide on Tuesday, but here's a quick refresher for you:
RECYCLE:
Aluminum cans
Plastic drink cups
Plastic drink bottles
Dry paper
Straws
TRASH:
Styrofoam
Wet paper
Plastic utensils
Napkins
Anything with grease
Food
Any paper or cardboard contaminated with food remnants
I'm looking forward to getting back out there tonight, tomorrow, and Sunday (rain, please stay away!), eating some of the delicious food, checking out the artists and vendor booths, and of course, catching new and beloved Festival bands!
AmeriCorps is no longer running the Cinderella Project in Lafayette, but the program lives on. It's now known as the Butterfly Effect Project, organized by New Day Community Outreach. Visit them on Facebook, and donate your old prom and homecoming dresses!
ORIGINAL POST
I've been out of high school for 14 years now, and I'm kind of sorrynotsorry about something: I still have my prom dresses from junior and senior year. I've mentioned before how I aspire to live a minimalist life, but in reality, I'm far from that. I'm very much a sentimental collector...which is why I still have two prom dresses I've worn a total of three times. (The bonus to wearing your prom dress for your dance school graduation is that you get to wear it twice!)
So in all honesty, these dresses have lived at my parents' house since 2003, along with a variety of other dresses from homecoming dances, until about February of this year, when my mother unloaded them on me. They're now hanging in my own house, which is really inspiring me to do something with them.
Enter the entire point of this post: prom dress donations. Organizations around the country lead prom dress donation drives, collecting barely worn, gently used prom dresses for girls on limited incomes or no means to purchase a new prom dress. Your old dress gets a second life, and can truly make a difference to a girl who may not otherwise be able to attend her prom.
Here in Lafayette, UL Lafayette AmeriCorps members run the annual Cinderella Project, making prom dreams come true by providing beautiful dresses to local high school girls at no cost! The event, which just celebrated its tenth year, gives away hundreds of dresses, shoes, and accessories to juniors and seniors from all walks of life.
Each February, the Cinderella Project conducts a dress drive, by partnering with local businesses to collect dresses. Businesses have included Deano's, Bevo's, Cabelo Salon and Lafayette Lanes. While most dresses are gently worn, there is a selection of dresses with tags still on that are donated.
Once the dresses are collected, a huge event is held in March at Blackham Coliseum in Lafayette. AmeriCorps members and volunteers take the time to steam the dresses, then set them up by size and color. White dresses are reserved for seniors. A large variety of shoes and accessories are also available.
On the day of the event, high school juniors and seniors are let in with a valid school ID, and are greeted by a volunteer personal shopper to help navigate them toward their ideal style and color dress. Students can try on up to three dresses at a time and can choose one to take home at no cost.
Cinderella Project organizers and volunteers don't just see girls come from around Acadiana, but even from Baton Rouge, Natchitoches and New Orleans to look for the right dress.
"Anyone can come to the event as long as they're a junior or senior with a valid school ID. We see girls from every walk of life come in to look for the right prom dress," says Brittany with UL Lafayette AmeriCorps.
One thing I especially loved learning about the Cinderella Project is that they gave out between 350 and 400 dresses at this year's prom event. Through this initiative, thousands of dresses have found a second life just in Louisiana alone - most dresses that are worn once, and some not at all. That means thousands of dresses that don't just take up space in the back of the closet, or worse, in a landfill.
If you've still got a prom dress or two in storage, consider donating it to the Cinderella Project next year! The initiative is nationwide and local events are run by local groups, for those of you who don't live in Louisiana. I'm already ready to drop off my two prom dresses for next year!
Learn more about UL Lafayette AmeriCorps and the Cinderella Project, and stay up to date for next year's dress drive and distribution event:
Y'all, April starts in four days! Full-fledged springtime, 400 events happening each and every weekend, Festival International, and of course, my favorite - EARTH MONTH.
I feel like I say that every environment-related holiday is my Christmas, but Earth Month really is my favorite time of year. I love spending as much time as possible outside before it turns into a steam room, and of course I love promoting ways to protect our environment.
A little housekeeping here - I encourage you to go like my Facebook page if you do not already, so you can keep up with all the buzz and events happening around Acadiana during Earth Month.
I'll be listing many of those events on the blog later this week, but in this post, I want to tell you about something I'm really excited for. Project Front Yard is hosting its very first Festival of Service, called the Gr8 Acadiana Cleanup. It's 8 days of giving time, giving back, and making Acadiana better!
Every day has a different challenge and a different focus - learn about each of them through Project Front Yard's Facebook page, or in the press release, and find out how you can participate - there is plenty to get involved with!
And I might be biased, but I'm most excited for next Wednesday, April 5, which will be #WasteFreeDay. Along with two awesome ladies, Amanda and Catherine of No Waste Louisiana, I will educating y'all on making the transition to a zero-waste lifestyle, starting with the basics. On Wednesday, we'll challenge Acadiana to pack a waste-free lunch - for yourselves and your family!
In addition to the posts on Project Front Yard, I'll have a blog post out next Monday with some more detailed scoop on how you can pack a zero-waste lunch. It's not as hard as you think, and I'll be joining in on the fun myself.
How does packing a waste-free lunch contribute to a Gr8 Acadiana Cleanup? The most prevalent litter found in Acadiana and especially in Bayou Vermilion and the surrounding coulees are single-use items: fast food containers, plastic bags, soft drink, sports drink and water bottles, styrofoam containers, napkins and straws.
If even just a few people make the conscious choice to cut down on the amount of single-use packaging by choosing unpackaged or reusable alternatives, we can make a serious impact on what's left behind in our community. If we simply don't use it, it won't have a chance to become litter. And Acadiana will be cleaner and better for it.
Because we ARE better than a river full of styrofoam cups and plastic bags!
And who knows, we might make #WasteFreeDay a weekly Wednesday tradition!
Some of the most prevalent pieces of litter I tend to find on cleanups are plastic straws and straw wrappers, going along with the rest of the fast-food trash tossed out the window. Since straws and wrappers are so small, they are easily washed into storm drains and then our waterways. Very much a single-use item, we use 500,000,000 straws every day, on average, according to the National Park Service.
So, let's talk about reducing straw waste. There are two easy options:
Refuse straws
Carry reusable straws
Seriously. That easy.
When
you order your coffee, ask the barista not to give you a straw. When
you order at a restaurant, ask not to be given a straw. At the gym, skip
the straw for your water cup.
If you prefer to drink
with a straw, or your children need straws, invest in a set of reusable
straws. Made of food grade stainless steel, glass, or BPA-free silicone, the
straws can be reused countless times and carried with you so you're
always prepared. While I'm personally a fan of stainless steel, the
silicone options are proooobably a little safer for the kids, from a safety standpoint. If you're even a little clumsy, don't go for the glass straws.
When you choose a set of straws, make sure to get one that comes with a tiny brush, to keep the insides clear of gross stuff. Stainless steel straws are also dishwasher safe.
I
admit, I'm super late to the get on the reusable straw train. I don't
use straws at home or at the gym in general, but at restaurants, they would've come in handy a long time ago. I've had my set for a few weeks now, and I'm happy with the
assortment I picked up - four bent ones for regular use, a tall one for
larger mugs, and a wider one for thicker drinks.
Another bonus to
stainless steel is that your cold drink stays cold all the way through the
straw! I'll do a little field research to let y'all know how much better a margarita tastes through a stainless steel straw and report right back.
My next step is to find a convenient carrying case for the straws, so I can keep them protected in my bag without making a ton of noise everywhere I go.
And of course, sometimes, there are drawbacks. I
was recently out for a group lunch, and the waiter put a handful of
wrapped straws on the table. I had a reusable straw with me, so I gave
the waiter mine and asked him to take it back because I didn't need it.
He didn't want to take it back, saying something about how the
restaurant wasn't worried about wasting a straw from a financial
standpoint. So, I kept it and put it in our break room at work for
someone to use.
If you still prefer to use plastic straws, do us a solid and don't litter them along the roadway or in parks, or anywhere.
Have you made the switch to reusable straws? How do you deal with restaurant servers automatically providing straws for the whole table?
It's taken a few days, but I'm getting back into my regular work week/real world rhythm...so of course, let's reminisce on our holiday trip to Hawaii!
My husband and I ended up waiting until the Christmas holiday to take our honeymoon, and we chose Hawaii because his brother, sister-in-law and niece live there, and we could combine a honeymoon with a family visit for Christmas. We spent the first three days by ourselves exploring Kauai, then the next seven days on Oahu, where Phillip's dad and stepmom joined us.
Phillip and I love to maximize our vacations, exploring and doing as much as we can. Our goals were to hike, go to the beach, find awesome views, and eat all the poke bowls, and I'm pretty satisfied that we accomplished everything.
In addition, I was determined to make the trip eco-friendly, especially since Hawaii is committed to a clean environment and preserving their natural areas.
Traveling
Airports can certainly be some of the most wasteful places and parts of a trip. Although I'm not great about packing snacks ahead of time (although I did bring home a half-empty bag of sweet onion-flavored mac nuts), I was prepared for drinks with a water bottle and insulated kanteen. My insulated kanteen held lots of much-needed coffee courtesy of the United Clubs. Filling my water bottle at airport fountains saved me from needing a single-use cup of water while on board.
One time I still had single-use? An airplane bottle of sparkling wine. Hey, it was 11am, and we were on our way to our honeymoon! #treatyoself As long as United actually recycles everything in those blue bags like they promise they do...
On our trip home, we had a layover in San Francisco, one of my favorite cities. I love that SFO has not only recycling bins next to the trash cans, but also compost bins and waste water bins.
Yoga
Now, y'all know yoga in Hawaii was on the top of my personal goals list. As soon as we booked those plane tickets, I had a Google Keep checklist (go paperless!) started with the different poses I wanted to photograph during our 10 days.
As much as I love my regular hot yoga classes in the little dark room at my gym, not much beats doing a few poses against a Christmas morning sunrise, on an empty beach, or on a zip line platform (and in an international airport's little dark yoga room).
Each morning, I started off on the lanai doing a few sun salutations before we got started with our daily adventures, to warm up and clear my head a bit.
Hiking
One of my favorite parts about our last trip to Hawaii were all of the different hikes we went on, so I was extremely excited for a few new trails, and some of the same ones. While on Kauai, we had plans to hike a portion of the Kalalau Trail on the famous Na Pali Coast. However, the trail was closed while we were there due to construction.
So instead, we headed to the southern part of the island to hike the Canyon Trail in Waimea Canyon. It was incredibly worth it. Having never been to the Grand Canyon, it was amazing to see the place known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. It took Phillip and me about an hour to drive the road leading to the trailhead, because we kept stopping at every small lookout to take pictures. The trail itself was challenging enough to be fun, but not too intense.
Back on Oahu, we hiked Kokohead as a family, and enjoyed the Christmas tree placed at the top of the mountain. And that's how you know you're in Hawaii hiking on Christmas Eve. However, going down the stairs proved to be more difficult than going up, ha.
And on Christmas morning, my husband, brother-in-law and I got up ridiculously early to hike the Lanikai Pillbox trail. But when you're rewarded with a spectacular sunrise, you know exactly why you were awake at 4:45 and walking a trail at 6:15 by the flashlight on your cell phone. Did I play Mele Kalikimaka three times on the way back down the trail? You bet Santa's butt I did!
Can I pick a favorite of the three hikes? Definitely not.
Other Adventures
After we hiked the Canyon Trail, we stopped at Glass Beach on the southern side of Kauai. It's a small beach in an industrial area (and near a solar farm), and some of the "sand" is actually small, smooth bits of sea glass, from glass bottles and whatnot. It's not much, but it made for a few good photos.
While I know I could have done more, I did pick up litter that we came across to do my very small part!
On our first evening in Kailua, we encountered a group riding Christmas light-decorated bicycles, making me highly jealous.
And, because we're totally cat people, here is our sweet Air BNB kitty. She lives outside at the home and greeted us every time we arrived back. She's totally Dax's new long-distance girlfriend.
Shopping
Last year, Oahu became the last island in the state of Hawaii to ban single-use plastic bags in grocery stores, although this article states that thicker plastic bags are considered 'reusable' and are still given out. I had packed one cloth shopping bag for the trip, and ended up buying another in Kailua, so we were able to conserve on many of our shopping or errand trips.
Many stores we visited promoting patrons bringing their own reusable bags - and the selection of cloth bags in stores was to die for. I seriously could have bought another 30 cute bags and donated all my existing ones.
Just as at home, I like to shop local while on vacation. On both Kauai and Oahu, we found a lot of great local stores for our souvenirs and gifts. Some of my favorite items are my Project Aloha super-soft t-shirt, my organic cotton Dwell on Positive Thoughts tank top from Lily Lotus, recycled newsprint gift wrap from Wrappily (a company based in Maui), and locally made soap and chapstick, macadamia nuts and macadamia honey coconut peanut butter from the different shops at the Waialua Sugar Mill.
Travel Tip: If you visit Oahu, take a trip to the North Shore, eat at Dat Cajun Guy (it's legit), and head out to the Waialua Sugar Mill. The former sugar mill now houses a variety of small, locally owned retailers, and it's super peaceful and charming. When we went, it wasn't crowded at all, making us feel like we'd stumbled upon a true hidden gem.
Eating
Dining is probably the area where we were least eco-friendly. While we ate at local restaurants (many of them awesome little hole-in-the-wall places), many of the places used disposable trays and containers. But...at least none of it was styrofoam. I certainly ate my weight in poke bowls and regret none of it, so I was glad that the plastic containers were at least recyclable.
The menu at the Kona Brewing Co. pub in Hawaii Kai shared some of the many ways the brewery reduces, reuses and recycles.
Beyond the packaging and single-use chopsticks, I have to say, all of the food we ate was incredibly delicious. In Kapaa, Kauai, we had lunch at Kenji Burger, and I am still dreaming about the furikake fries. We had this Japanese seasoning blend atop a poke bowl and these fries, and it was enough to send me to the grocery store for a jar to bring home (where I then sprinkled it on egg salad and grilled chicken. #noregrets)
And I discovered a local Hawaiian brew whose mango saison is incredible (and only available in variety packs, of course.)
Organizations
Ever since our last trip to Hawaii, I've been following Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii and 808 Cleanups. Both groups are incredibly active in cleaning up both popular and remote beaches and trails, for the health and beauty of the islands. They do so much good work, although it's not glamorous or easy. They also work to educate children about the importance of cleanliness.
This pile of fishnet was sitting at Flagpoles in Kailua, and volunteers with 808 Cleanups came by a day or two later to cut it up and haul it away. The groups do a lot of work rescuing litter like this from the water and beaches around the islands.
Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii also worked successfully to bring a trash water wheel to the Ala Wai canal, a very polluted waterway in Honolulu.
Although I didn't get a chance to meet anyone from the organizations, I did show my support by picking up a SCH canvas tote bag from the Kailua General Store. I used it as my shopping bag for the remainder of the trip, plus, it served as a beach bag one day, and as a carry-on for a few extra items on the trip home.
Tomorrow, I'll share more about our favorite activity from the trip: zip lining through the forests, over farms, with a view of windmills and the ocean! Okay, maybe I'm the only one who was in awe of zip lining with a view of windmills.
