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

How to Invest in Renewable Energy
Today, I want to explore how to invest in renewable energy, and break it down into an easy-peasy beginner's guide. Because investing in sustainability doesn’t have to be scary or expensive - no matter your age or your financial education.
10 Ways to Combat Wildfires and Protect Our Climate
Wildfires - both natural and human-caused - are burning longer and hotter as a result of climate change. Our global temperature is rising, our precipitation is decreasing, and it's creating the perfect storm for these massive fires to run rampant. Here's what we can all do to help.
A Drop in the Ocean Sustainable Living Zero Waste Plastic Free Blog Why Sustainable Fashion Matters + What We Can Do About It
I used to imagine our clothes were made by big industrial machines. But they’re not. They’re made by real life, living, breathing, humans. And fast fashion is creating huge problems for both our planet and those very real people. We can do something about it.
A Drop in the Ocean Sustainable Living Zero Waste Plastic Free Blog The 5 Most Impactful Zero Waste Habits to Reduce Your Eco Footprint

Zero waste doesn’t demand perfection, but it does demand we start...somewhere. There are so many little (and big) changes you can make in your life today that can bring about real positive impact, which over time cannot be understated. These are the top 5 things that we've changed in our life that have made the biggest dent on our waste generation.

Eco-Friendly Travel Tips: What are carbon offsets?
I'm a conservationist, but I'm not giving up flying. So when I talk about traveling, especially air travel, I often mention carbon offsets. But what exactly are carbon offsets, and why do they matter?
A Drop in the Ocean Sustainable Living Zero Waste Plastic Free Blog Where do we source our products?
I always say that we prioritize locally-owned businesses when we’re looking for products to feature in our shop, but I was curious what percentage of our products actually reflect those values? So...I did some math, and I'm pretty proud of the results.
A Drop in the Ocean Sustainable Living Zero Waste Plastic Free Blog Why I Don't Have Eco-Guilt {{Confessions of a Zero Waste Wannabe}}
A few weeks ago, a friend asked me if I ever feel guilty when I create trash. He was surprised when I answered that I don’t. But if there ever was a time that I would expect to feel guilty about trash, it would be now, in the time of COVID and frappuccino season colliding.
A Drop in the Ocean Sustainable Living Zero Waste Plastic Free Blog Is bioplastic the answer we've been looking for?
"Greenwashing” is when companies spend more time and money making you think they’re doing something good for the planet than actually doing good for the planet. And there's one that I see so many well-meaning people fall into...
A Drop in the Ocean Sustainable Living Zero Waste Plastic Free Blog The 5 Things You Need to Know to Recycle Right
“I feel like your recycling bins have become a main character in your life,” my friend chuckled after I relayed to him - again - the day’s non-recyclables overflowing in the community bin. I don’t talk about recycling much, but I think it's time to address the elephant in the room.
A Drop in the Ocean Sustainable Living Zero Waste Plastic Free Blog Top 10 Swaps for Plastic Free July (and all year long)
It's Plastic Free July! So this week I'm sharing my Top 10 Favorite Plastic Free Swaps. The best thing about all of these swaps is they’re mostly swaps you make once and then you’re good to go. If you don’t know me yet, I’m all about efficiency :)
A Drop in the Ocean Online Zero Waste Store How to Store Produce Without Plastic

Did you know that in the United States we throw out 25% of edible food produced? Let’s change that! Here are 4 of my favorite tips for storing produce with zero waste and zero plastic to keep them fresh, longer, so we can stretch our dollars and fight food waste.

A Drop in the Ocean Tacoma Zero Waste Sustainable Living Blog We Get to Marie Kondo the Shit Out of It All
This time has been hard. I won’t pretend it hasn’t. But, for me at least, it’s shown me what truly brings me joy, what brings value to my life, and what doesn’t. Even if I thought it did before.
A Drop in the Ocean Tacoma Zero Waste Sustainable Living Blog What is palm oil and can it be sustainable?
Palm oil has become a buzzword in sustainability, and there's a lot of messaging about how it's causing habitat destruction, loss of wildlife, and other harmful environmental impacts. But what actually is palm oil, and is boycotting it the most sustainable option?
Is eating locally actually better for the planet?
Eating locally has a myriad of benefits and aligns with the values I choose to live by - but like anything in sustainability, it's not a silver bullet. Let's dive into what the benefits of eating locally are and the easiest ways to get started.
A Drop in the Ocean Sustainable Living Zero Waste Plastic Free Blog Finding Resiliency in Mangroves
Three summers ago, I embarked on a journey that would change my life. I had just started grad school, and was traveling to Baja, California for my first study abroad experience of the program. I reopened my Baja travel journal today, and I was reminded of the resilient mangroves.
A Drop in the Ocean Tacoma Zero Waste Sustainable Living Blog Is organic worth the price and better than conventional?

There’s a lot of information surrounding organic foods and whether or not they’re actually “better” for us. Understandably, this can cause confusion and distrust. I’m hoping today not to clear up all of the confusion - because even the scientific community does not have a clear consensus - but instead provide some straightforward insight to why I choose organic when possible.

A Drop in the Ocean Tacoma Zero Waste Sustainable Living Blog What do expiration dates actually mean

There are many ways to reduce our food waste, first and foremost being to simply buy less. But once that food is in our fridge or our pantry, what do we do with all of those expiration dates? First, we must learn what these dates mean. Because we’ve been bamboozled and all expiration dates are not actually the same.

A Drop in the Ocean Zero Waste Blog: 3 Ways to Save Time and Money with Zero Waste Grocery Shopping
Have you ever felt like zero waste grocery shopping takes way too much time and there’s no way you could make it work for you? What if I told you it could actually save you time AND money? Here's exactly how I manage my time and money with my weekly grocery trip.