Welcome to the A Drop in the Ocean blog!

Every Monday we're popping into our EcoWarrior community's inboxes with practical + actionable tips for living more sustainably, and we're always working hard to add those emails to our blog as well. But we're a small team and sometimes we get behind because, hey, we're human.

So if you want these kinds of tips every week, without even leaving your inbox, join the EcoWarriors for Make Waves Mondays - because that's one thing we don't get behind on. Pinky promise.

Blog

5 Things You Didn't Know About A Drop in the Ocean Zero Waste Store
Sometimes I can’t believe it’s already been 5 years since I launched A Drop in the Ocean. So much has changed since then, but our core values and mission has always remained the same. In honor of this significant milestone, today I'm sharing 5 things you probably didn’t know about A Drop in the Ocean.
A Drop in the Ocean Zero Waste Store: Liquid Refillable Shampoo and Conditioner Ingredients

Let's talk ingredients! I recently did some digging into the ingredients in our liquid, refillable shampoo and conditioner, and even thought I knew they’re all healthy, natural, hair-loving ingredients, I wasn't sure what they actually *do*. And you know what I found out? They do a LOT. Let's get into it! (Plus 4 tips for how to use them!)

A Drop in the Ocean Zero Waste Store 2023 Year-End Sustainability Report
Today, I'm sharing with you our first ever full, year-end report! We're pulling the curtain WAY back on what's happening behind-the-scenes at A Drop in the Ocean - including our sustainability impacts, donations, financial summary, and goals for 2024. Let us know what you think!
A Drop in the Ocean Zero Waste Store: I wish I didn't care about sustainability

Living a zero waste lifestyle is about living in alignment with your values. And I am so here for that. It makes me feel good to know that the choices I make every single day reflect the core values that I hold true. But over these last couple of weeks I sure have missed the ease and the mindlessness of my pre-zero waste days. I wouldn’t go back to those days for anything, but let's talk about why this feeling is important.

A Drop in the Ocean Zero Waste Store: 5 Lessons Learned from Plastic Free July

This week marked the last day of Plastic Free July, and instead of our usual blog format, today I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past month and some of the lessons I’ve learned from it. Some of these are new lessons for me, and some are simply reminders that were brought to the surface again, but all of them are so valuable, and might resonate with you, too.

A Drop in the Ocean Shop: How to Host a Zero Waste Business Shower
A Drop in the Ocean celebrated its 4-year anniversary in February 2023, and we just had to celebrate! Between the venue, food, drinks, and party games, we managed to keep the whole event nearly 100% zero waste (and learned a lot in the process). Here's how we did it.
Plastic Neutral: Greenwashing or Actual Waste Solution?
There are some pretty major players in the "sustainable" and "zero waste" space that brag about being certified plastic neutral. But what does that really mean for sustainability? Is plastic neutral certification greenwashing, or is it an actual solution to our ocean waste problem?
A Drop in the Ocean Zero Waste Store: Why you should switch to a natural laundry detergent
Conventional laundry detergent contains toxic chemicals that are being banned for their effects on humans. By switching to an all-natural laundry detergent, you'll not only protect your family from these chemicals, but our waterways, too. Here's everything you need to know about why you should make the switch to natural laundry detergent and how.
A Drop in the Ocean Blog: Why Small Businesses Should Always be Held Accountable
Listening to feedback and staying transparent is critical, but sometimes we can forget that when our business is our baby. So today I'm sharing with you a really important lesson I learned as a small business owner on a mission to do things differently - and how it impacts you. 
A lesson in doing nothing: A Drop in the Ocean Shop
Yesterday afternoon I arrived in San Diego, a few days ahead of the start of our annual Baja EcoWarrior Retreat. Arriving in a new place, completely away from product inventory, house chores, and the people I spend all my time with, everything in my soul told me to stop moving. And yet, I felt guilty...
How zero waste is A Drop in the Ocean Shop?

For every pound of waste we, as consumers, throw out, seven more pounds are thrown away upstream. So you may be wondering, if you’re buying a zero waste product from us, is it actually zero waste for us, too? Or are we just taking things out of packaging and reselling them as “zero waste”? Take a peek behind the scenes with us!

A Drop in the Ocean Why transparency is essential for sustainability

As a consumer, it can be so incredibly difficult to sort through what’s actually sustainable and what’s greenwashing. And I am always trying to help you cut through the noise to make the best choices for you and your family. I know that going up against greenwashing is just part of this job. I’ll step up to the big guys any day. But I neverever… imagined that it wouldn’t just be the big guys we’d have to watch out for.

A Drop in the Ocean Tacoma Zero Waste Store How we keep our market booth zero waste

While standing behind my display at a recent market, I realized just how sustainable our booth setup is. We’re committed to zero waste in all ways, but it wasn’t until this moment that I fully realized how much our zero waste values are translated into our display. So here's a peek at some of my favorite booth setup essentials and how we keep things zero waste.

How "green" are specialty recycling programs?
Specialty recycling programs like TerraCycle and Ridwell pick up the slack when it comes to hard-to-recycle items not accepted by our municipal recycling programs. When we're trying to live zero waste, this sounds like a great solution. But are these programs actually sustainable, or are they greenwashing us and letting corporations off the hook?
A Drop in the Ocean Tacoma Zero Waste Store 5 Swaps I Didn't Know I Needed

Today, on our third anniversary, I'm looking at our little zero waste shop and I’m reminded of this journey - and how you have helped shape A Drop in the Ocean into what it is. So I thought I’d take some time to share five zero waste swaps we've added to the shop because you, our EcoWarriors, asked for them.

A Drop in the Ocean Zero Waste Store Ocean Conservation Partner Vermilion Sea Institute Field Station
You already know at least 1% of our sales are donated to our ocean conservation partner, Vermilion Sea Institute. But have you ever wondered, “Why VSI? Who is Vermilion Sea Institute? Why did we choose them to be our ocean conservation partner??” I'm about to tell you all about it.