Love Mother Earth with these healthy eating habits, workout clothes

by Brittany Anas · April 22, 2014

(Buying your food local at farmer’s markets means you’ll have the freshest produce — and also help reduce the carbon footprint as your food doesn’t have to travel as far).

By Brittany Anas

Sure, today is Earth Day, but you’ve got to love your mama Earth year-round, right? Earth Day began more than forty years ago when Americans became concerned about their children swimming in contaminated water, workers being exposed to dangerous chemicals and residents living underneath thick, hazy smog, according to the Presidential Proclamation of Earth Day – 2014.

Since then, more and more brands have become eco-friendly, taking an environmentally conscious attitude toward everything from the fabrics they use in our workout T-shirts and tanks to the ingredients placed in our make-up. We can do our part, too, by being aware of where we get our food and what materials are in our clothes.

Here are some healthy eating habits and workout clothes, all dedicated to Mother Earth on her big day (but that we can, of course, incorporate into our daily routines).

Eat local: Farmer’s Markets are opening up this time of year — and we love grocery shopping in the outdoors as opposed to bumping carts in the busy supermarket on a Saturday morning. When you buy local, that means that your food didn’t need to be shipped and trucked to your grocery store — reducing the footprint. Bonus: When you buy fruits and veggies that are in-season and local, you’re guaranteed to have the freshest produce. And, go ahead, talk up the farmer — we bet you’ll learn more about the food, how it was grown and what foods complement it. Find farmer’s markets near you.
Re-use your Tupperware: Chalk this tip up as a money-saving one, too. Save money by rinsing out your food containers and re-purposing them as food storage container. Those yogurt or cottage cheese containers are perfect for storing leftover sides. Also, invest in some sustainable, re-usable tupperware so that you’re not tossing out the cheaper, plastic ones after a few uses. While you’ll pay a little more up front, you’ll save money — and the landfills — over time.
Shop eco-friendly fabrics: One of our fave shops for eco-friendly workout gear and casual apparel is Gaiam, where you’ll also save up to 6 percent when you shop with ShopAtHome.com. A few pieces that we’re eying for spring: An earth-friendly watercolor tunic, made with an eco-friendly blend of rayon from co blend of 57% rayon from sustainable bamboo and scoop-neck tanks made with organic cotton.