Earth Day 2016 Odds and Ends

(My neighbor’s roses after the rain. A little battered, but still beautiful.)

Today is Earth Day and, after a week of heavy rains in central Texas, the sky is blue and it’s definitely feeling like late spring. My younger son and I took a nature walk through our neighborhood one afternoon after a storm, and I was struck by the beauty of the trees, grass, and flowers against the dark sky. We came home with handfuls of tiny wildflowers to brighten our day.

To commemorate Earth Day, the members of the Ethical Writers Coalition have compiled a list of ways we honor the earth every day, and I’m sharing a few of my favorites:

I honor the Earth throughout the year by using cloth menstrual pads instead of disposables and washing them with eco-friendly detergent. —Leah Wise, Style Wise

I honor Mama Earth every day of the year by always being mindful of my actions, asking questions before I purchase, and appreciating the beauty of life. —Faye Lessler, Sustaining Life

I honor the earth every day by treading lightly on her resources and inhabitants as I practice minimalism, veganism, and use public transportation as much as possible. —Elizabeth Stilwell, The Note Passer

You can read the entire list here at Leah’s lovely blog, Style Wise.

Keeping with the Earth Day theme, I’m a new natural beauty reviewer for EcoCult and my first review was published yesterday. It’s a really fun writing gig for a beauty junkie like me!

We’re also nearing the end of Fashion Revolution Week, and the actual day marking the anniversary of the collapse at Rana Plaza is Sunday, April 24th. This is the time to find out, “Who Made My Clothes?” by posting pictures of your clothing tags on social media and asking your favorite brands about them. You can read more about Fashion Revolution at their site.

And I turned on the radio yesterday just as Prince’s death was announced. His music was part of the background to my childhood and teenage years, and he definitely leaves an impact on those of us who grew up during the 80s and 90s. My favorite song is probably “Raspberry Beret.” What’s yours?

Have a wonderful Earth Day and I hope you’ll take a minute to consider your own impact on our planet.