We love camping and the occasional off-grid trip. But here’s the thing. We also like being clean. Don’t get us wrong, we don’t need to shower every single day, but if it’s super humid and you’re starting to smell a little funky, being able to shower comes in handy. And if you’d prefer to shower with hot water out in the wild, then you should check out these solar showers. All they need is some sunlight, and you’ll be able to have a nice hot shower pretty much anywhere. To make it onto this list of the best solar showers of 2021, the candidates had to pass a few eye tests. They had to be reason ..read more

Out of all the garbage that we put out on the curb every week (or push down the chute if you’re living in an apartment, how much of that do you think could be… well, just not thrown out at all? Nah, we’re not talking about just keeping a pile of garbage in your home. We’re talking about zero waste products. Hold up. What are “zero waste products?” Zero waste products are pretty much what they sound like: things that you buy and use that don’t produce any (or very minimal) waste. Now, you don’t have to live off the grid (although if you’re interested, you can learn more about that here) or crea ..read more

Some folks say that switching out your old light bulbs for high-efficiency LED bulbs is one of the easiest ways (and most impactful for the level of effort needed) to conserve electricity and cut down on your utility bill. To take that one step further, another simple thing you can do is to swap out your outdoor garden, pathway, or yard lights for solar lights—especially if you have them turned on regularly every evening. It’s a win-win: You don’t have to compromise on safety around the outside of your home, and you can keep the lights on using clean energy, pretty much for free. (And for seni ..read more

One of the simplest ways to have a positive impact on the environment at home is to use eco-friendly laundry detergent. Why? Because it’s a regular (for most people) chore that has a relatively significant output. For one, the water that gets drained from your washing machine goes right back to—you guessed it—our waterways. And that includes any toxic chemicals you toss into the machine to keep your whites blindingly white and rid those soiled clothes of dirt. That’s also not counting the actual physical waste from our laundry detergent: mainly, the plastic jugs they often come in. (Learn more ..read more

The terms “environmentally conscious” and “environmentally friendly” have been popping up more and more. You might have seen them being used to describe a whole range of products from clothes to soaps to furniture, and there are even companies that have built their whole brands around the mission of being environmentally conscious. But what does being environmentally conscious actually entail? Do you have to be vegan in order to be environmentally conscious? (We don’t think so.) Do you have to only buy second-hand stuff? (Nope, not either.) In this article, we’ll take a deeper look at the conc ..read more

If you like going on extended hikes, or backpacking—or just need a bag to bring to work—and you often find yourself needing to charge your phone, wireless earbuds, or other mobile devices… then might we suggest a solar backpack? (And if you’re living off the grid and like to go exploring a lot, then this would be great as well.) Let’s face it, we have to charge our phones pretty much every day (even if it’s relatively new, which is crazy), and unless you’re stuck to a wall with a charging outlet 24/7 or have access to other sources of power like a solar generator (more on those here), then you ..read more

Like most people, we got into sustainable living like a bottle of gin. Slowly at first, and then we’re just looking for ways to get into it anywhere we can. Just joking. Sort of. But there are so many neat tips for living more sustainably that we’ve come across (and a few that we’re really excited to try), so we thought, why not compile a list—and keep updating it as we find out about more ideas? Sustainable living isn’t always simple, of course. And it’s definitely not easy to change long-ingrained habits. Either way, hopefully this list of actionable tips will be a good rule of thumb if you ..read more

Whether you’re shopping for Christmas gifts or birthday gifts, there are more cool sustainable gift ideas than ever. And no matter if your lucky gift recipient is a super environmental enthusiast or just interested in learning how to be more eco-conscious, there’s a range of different eco-friendly gift ideas that aren’t all made of hemp. That’s great, because Americans throw away 25% more garbage between Thanksgiving and New Year’s compared to non-holiday time periods. And even though that may not sound like a significant amount, it equates to about a million extra tons of garbage each week. B ..read more

If you, like us, have always thought that composting was for people who lived in actual houses with actual yards, then today’s going to be a game-changing day. That’s right, even if you live in a smaller space like an apartment or condo, you can still compost! So, if you’ve ever wondered, “Can you compost if you live in an apartment?” then keep reading. In this post, we’ll look at three common ways of composting in an apartment that are simple and relatively easy to do. Skip ahead if you’d like to get right into the how-to-do-it part: The benefits of composting—why do it? What can I actually ..read more

Whether you want to live off the grid for a while or just have a backup source of power, a generator is a must-have. And traditionally, gas generators have been the go-to. But with solar power generators making serious gains in terms of capacity and technology overall, more and more people are finding them to be a better, environmentally friendly alternative at home. Plus they’re safer than gas and don’t emit harmful fumes. So, in this deep dive, we’ll look at the best solar power generators out there. Here’s what we’ll dig into: 6 essentials to consider when choosing the best solar generator ..read more