Earth Day: It’s here, and although other issues are dominating our collective unconscious, it’s never been a better time to focus on the natural resources we so often take for granted. Here at WS, it’s sustainability month—when we dial in even more than usual to reducing our carbon footprint and improving our sustainability practices. Our goals are recycling, reducing food waste and preserving natural resources. Our motto, today and every day? “Be good to the earth. Be good to each other.”
Around here, we host “Green Challenges,” which might inspire you to do the same from your own home. The first was to tweak your home routine in a way that would positively impact the planet. As Mary Martinez-Garcia in our Las Vegas store wrote in, “We’ve given up paper napkins in our home to lessen our reliance on disposable goods. We’re now enjoying linen napkins every day!” Min Min Sun in one of our Bay Area stores wrote that she was working on “less driving, more walking—especially to the store, which is so close by.”
These are excellent examples of how we can implement small changes in our daily behavior that have a positive impact. All-staff Green Challenge number two? Being careful about our grocery shopping and leftovers consumption. Sounds a bit dull, but it’s crucial: The global food system is responsible for nearly 30 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, habitat loss and overharvesting. Decomposing food waste produces methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases.
How to help cut down on food waste? We challenged our staff to try two of the following: 1) plan their meals and use lists when they shop, 2) keep perishables front and center in the fridge so they don’t go bad, 3) order smart sizes for restaurant delivery (not always the giant entrées), 4) order “misfit” or “ugly” organic produce for delivery, and 5) compost when possible!
Perhaps you’ve made similar updates to your own routine, or have a few more to suggest. Tag us on Instagram; let us know. How can we all do better by our planet? Let’s chat. Here are a few things we’re offering to help:
Reuse
Don’t be the person who has a million plastic water bottles littering her car or tote bag. Start packing your own; you can do it. Fill them with your own sparkling water, if you like. You (and the earth) are worth it. Same goes with travel coffee mugs!
Isn’t this one of the hardest ones? You love your plastic wrap; we get it. But reusable plastic bags from Stasher are smart, stylish (pick among three colors!), easy to clean, and easy to fold and store.
It’s like our Test Kitchen Director said: Getting the air out is key to maxing out the life of your frozen foods. Same goes for foods you’re just popping back into the fridge! Consider a vacuum sealer.
Composting: If your city offers public composting or you can find a way to do it at home, consider it! Composting keeps methane gas–producing vegetable matter out of the landfill and offers a natural, slow-release fertilizer in the process.
Among cooks in the know, Williams Sonoma kitchen towels are legendary for their absorptive and long-lasting qualities. But we’ve also got napkins and “un-paper towels.” Time to investigate!
Recycle
6. Nespresso Vertuoplus Deluxe
One of its many fans calls this machine a “legit game changer” for their morning cup of joe. We love it because it’s made from 54% recycled materials.
If you haven’t yet met, allow us to introduce you to Richlite, a wood fiber and recycled-paper composite you may have seen on “Shark Tank.” It’s in all our Epicurean products, including this dreamboat of a cutting board with a tray attached for scraps.
When hunting about for dinnerware, consider bamboo, particularly recycled or repurposed bamboo, such as in this knockout dinnerware collection.
Eco-friendly SCANPAN® Techniq cookware is made in Denmark of 100% recycled aluminum. This nine-piece nonstick cookware set is exactly as refined as you’d expect from Danish design.
Sustainable Food Products
10. Fair Trade Coffee just matters. So does looking around for sustainably farmed or harvested fish, meat, grains and everything else you consume. Take the time to educate yourself about what works best for you at your price point. (It’s often not as pricey as you’d expect.)
Find Companies Who Do Good
11. Seek out companies with the lightest carbon footprints, those dedicated to zero waste, and those that are carbon-neutral thanks to renewable energy. Littledeer, we’re looking at you (and your knockout kitchenware).
Happy Earth Day.
4 comments
Love the earth and the people who live on it! I like what you think about it! Do you use recycling services? I want to find a service similar to https://www.rubbishwaste.co.uk I will be grateful for a hint! Thank you for taking care of our planet. Your ideas are wonderful and made me very happy. Now I can make my kids happy!
Thx my friend!
This is such a great article. Just to contribute, here’s mine
-Fix it, don’t throw it
Repairing or fixing something is more environmentally friendly than simply throwing things away, although the latter may seem easier and cheaper sometimes. The internet gives you access to the tools and information you need to fix practically anything, and if you still can’t fix it then why not try and turn it into something else?
-Eat less meat
Being careful with what you’re consuming is at the heart of being more eco-friendly, and cutting down on the amount of meat you eat can have a huge impact. Not having red meat – even if it’s just for two or three days a week – can have quite a significant impact on reducing your carbon footprint. Instead, you can take alternative health supplements like https://goldbee.com/cbd-gummies/
-Don’t drive
If you can make the journey by foot, bike or public transport, then do it. Driving, unless you’re in an electric vehicle, isn’t very eco-friendly and can really add to your carbon footprint. When you do have to drive, make sure that you get the most out of your vehicle by keeping the speed down, ensuring tires are properly inflated and that the engine is running smoothly.
[…] Earth Day affords us stop each year to hunt spherical and survey whether or no longer we’re serving our sole planet the simplest blueprint we possibly can. (Here at WS, we’re continuously presenting “inexperienced challenges” to our colleagues.) Clutch a minute to focal point on meals on the present time. Clutch into legend the place yours is from, whether or no longer you wish a lot meat for your weight-reduction blueprint, and the blueprint your ingredients grew. It’s value taking a moment to scan the pantry and fridge sooner than your next expansive store. Be intentional in how you be pleased and stay; this might occasionally almost continuously catch you actually feel larger about yourself. […]