In the continuing celebration of Earth Month, and the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we highlight the positive steps that brands are taking to protect and preserve our planet—and how you can take part in tackling the biggest challenges facing us today. Environment
Minimize single-use anything
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the average American produces about 4.51 pounds of trash each day. Waste from one-off products, such as bottled beverages, single-use toiletries and items with excessive packaging, make up a large portion of this daily tally.
Built-to-last containers help reduce the amount of packaging waste by encouraging that people refill them instead of chucking them once empty. Stainless steel water bottles are ubiquitous, but you don’t have to stop there: Beast's toiletry dispensers and three-ounce-sized capsules from Cadence, are practical options for storing daily-use items.
From left to right: Beast Bottle, Reusable Capsules
Source sustainably
Knowing where the food that we eat comes from is as important as making sure that it doesn’t get thrown out once it’s in the refrigerator. Patagonia Provisions, the food branch of the popular outdoor brand, offers delicious products from both ethical and sustainable sources. The company utilizes regenerative organic growing methods—a holistic approach to farming where soil health, animal well-being, and community welfare are always part of the equation—in producing their meal kits and snacks.
Alaya Tea follows a similar approach: The teas are sourced from organic estates and farms, and there’s no tilling and the inclusion of anything synthetic.
From left to right: Alaya Tea Loose Tea Leaves, Patagonia Provisions Seafood Sampler Gift Box
Environment
Support eco-fashion
The fashion industry—the second-largest source of pollution on earth, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)—has continued to find ways to minimize the number of pollutants that each apparel generates. Theeco-friendly approach to fashion is multi-channel: Organic textiles are recommended, as are carefully monitored supply lines (to ensure that materials are renewable) and mindful manufacturing processes (e.g. paying a living wage and providing humane working conditions).
From left to right: Royal Robbins Desert Pucker Shirt, H&M Merino Cardigan, Prana Bridger Jean, Mountain Khakis Patio Polo Shirt, Free Country Aerobic Soft Shell, Duer No Sweat Pant. Modeling by Georgiy Soltanov
Environment
Donate to keep the machine going
One of the most straightforward ways that companies and private citizens can help save the planet is through monetary donations, and 1 % for the Planet does exactly that. Members such as Proclamation Goods and Avocado Mattress pledge to give at least one percent of their sales, which is then funneled to initiatives in climate, food, and water to name a few.
From left to right: Avocado Green Mattress; The Proclamation Duo Cookware Kit
Environment
Recycle
In simple terms, reuse and recycling is breathing new life to a product that has reached the end of its original intended use, instead of it being thrown in landfills or our oceans.
California-based Bureo sources discarded fishing nets from coastal communities in South America. These nets are then cleaned, shredded, and formed to pellets. The resulting pellets serve as the raw material for sunglass frames and Jenga playsets.
Sunski’s SuperLight recycled polycarbonate resin material came from scrap plastic.