In 2006, Americans threw away over 250 million tons of trash and it is growing states US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This equates to around 4.5 pounds of trash per person, and this does not include industrial waste. In 2015, the EPA estimated that U.S. generated over 260 million tons of municipal waste with more than half of it sent to the landfill.  EPA has collected and reported data on the generation and disposition of municipal solid waste (MSW) in the U.S for more than 30 years. The most current data for the year 2017 shows that the U.S generated approximately 284 million ..read more

With the Covid-19 pandemic, farmers’ plight and food waste at the farm came to light. The closing of restaurants, hotels, and schools led to more than half of the fresh produce to be destroyed as they were no longer able to be sold. This is not a one-off case. Around 20 billion pounds of produce is lost on farms every year. With that goes the energy and resources that is used to farm. Food production in the US uses 15.7 percent of the total energy budget, 50 percent of all land and 80 percent of all freshwater consumed.  At the farm level, food loss falls into two categories: (1) food th ..read more

The United States is world's largest producer of beef. While there are a growing number of vegetarians and vegans, the beef’s consumption is still increasing. In 1960, U.S. produced 16 billion pounds of beef whereas in 2018, 27 billion pounds was produced. The average American consumes nearly three times the global average, at 57 pounds per capita. Stages of beef production: There are three main stages in Beef production: cow-calf operations, backgrounding, and feedlot operations. Cow-calf farming or ranching consists of maintaining herds of mature cows, mating t ..read more

There are now over 150 million coffee drinkers in the U.S consuming 2 billion pounds of coffee beans a year. Twelve billion pounds of coffee is consumed around the globe annually.  It wasn’t until the 13th century that people began to roast coffee beans, the first step in the process of making coffee as we know it today. This natural stimulant also serves as an inborn plant pesticide, protecting the coffee fruit from insects. History of coffee in the U.S: In the mid-1600's, coffee was brought to New Amsterdam, later called New York by the British. Though coffee houses rapidly began to ap ..read more

1. Be an eco-conscious consumer - When shopping, try to go for options which have the lowest impact on the environment. For example, does the item come in easily-recyclable packaging? Is the item locally sourced and produced? Or is it energy or water efficient? If more people start being environmentally aware of the products they buy, companies will have to gradually take steps towards green practices to remain competitive.   2. Use the car less - For short distance travel opting for other transportation options like public transportation, carpool, walking or bicycling is environment fri ..read more

Although fast fashion makes shopping for clothes more affordable, it comes at an environmental cost. The fashion industry produces 10% of all carbon emissions created by humans and is the second-largest consumer of the world’s water supply. On average, individuals purchased 60% more garments in 2014 than they did in 2000, leading to this ever-growing market putting increasing amounts of pressure on the environment. Moreover, 85% of all textiles are found in landfills each year, with each item taking from 40 to 200 hundred years to decompose depending on its material. That is the equivalent of ..read more

Going completely zero-waste may look like a task; however, small sustainable swaps will be easy on your pocket as well as good for the environment. 1)      Keep a check on what you eat: The Covid-19 pandemic has made many of us cook more at home and keep a closer tab on our trash production. Gradually, however, the offices and schools will reopen and return us to the standard day-to-day work schedule and house chores. To take a load off of your to-do list as well as a load off your wallet, it’s best to start meal planning and take your lunch to work instead of eating ..read more

Knowing what to keep where in the fridge can help in extended shelf-life of the food items and lead to less food waste. People often make mistakes by stuffing the fridge too full. Too much food in the fridge blocks the flow of air and leaves certain areas of the fridge warmer than others. Try to avoid foods against the back or sides of the fridge and aim to keep all of the food separated by about half an inch. This ensures that air can flow between its spaces, and foods will be less likely to become rancid. Keep the refrigerator temperature at or below 40° F (4° C). The freezer temperat ..read more

Clothing: Pact is an excellent company that we highly recommend. Their products are made from 100% Organic Cotton. They secured the esteemed GOTS certification. They don't use any toxic chemicals or toxic dyes. They are Fair Trade Certified. They provide Carbon Offset Shipping. They use less water in production. They use Recyclable and Biodegradable packaging. You can check them out here. Use promo code CARBONLYFE to get 20% off the first purchase Food: Thrive Market provides Vegan, Gluten Free, Organic, Non-GMO, Healthy and Affordable Groceries. Everything gets delivered to your doorste ..read more

Eco-anxiety refers to a fear of environmental damage or ecological disaster. A sense of anxiety based on the current and predicted future state of the environment and human-induced climate change. A 2018 national survey stated that almost 70% of people in the United States are worried about climate change, and around 51% feel “helpless.” Here are 7 ways you can reduce your eco-anxiety Having a stronger connection with nature: Being close to nature, like spending more time outdoors in nature, may help alleviate eco-anxiety by encouraging a positive personal connection with the envi ..read more