Journal

4 Conscious Choices for a Cleaner, Greener Routine

We’re all about creating sustainable routines that are great for us and great for the planet. And when we make small, intentional shifts to things we’re already doing that don’t require much thought, we believe we can make a big impact on our wellbeing.

We know it’s not always easy to live a clean, low-impact lifestyle, but starting small can make the process more manageable. That often means swapping out the products we use for ones that contribute less waste, are made with healthier ingredients, and compliment our values.

Here are some of our favorite ways to cultivate sustainable habits:

1). Reduce plastic!

This might seem like an obvious one, but plastic is so pervasive, it can be easy to forget how often we use it in our daily rituals. We started running through our routines to see where plastic popped up. Cooking, eating, drinking, and showering are often big ones.

In the kitchen, we opt for glass containers instead of tupperware and choose wood or bamboo cooking utensils.

In the bathroom, we pick brands that utilize non-plastic containers and non-plastic packaging. At umanos, our eco-friendly bodycare products come in sleek and sustainable BPA-free aluminum bottles that are free of single-use plastic. 👌

2). Read the ingredients

It can be easy to go crazy checking ingredients. After all, we’re not all organic chemists and who has time to obsess over the details?

But we’ve found that the more we read the ingredients in anything that goes on or in our bodies, the easier it is to identify which products are safe and which are potentially harmful. We started by learning the big ones.

For personal care products, we avoid these “Dirty Dozen” ingredients that have proven to be harmful and opt for clean and natural body and haircare products that are plant-based and made with 100% clean ingredients. And since we believe in full transparency, all umanos product ingredients are listed on our website and on the bottles.

3). Shop locally

The more local we shop, the fewer steps in the supply chain it takes for our products to reach us. That means less waste, less energy, and an overall smaller carbon footprint.

When possible, we love walking or biking to local shops (anyone else working on their step count? 🙋‍♀️), combining many of the ideas on this list.

To further reduce our carbon footprint, we look for biodegradable products that are made with renewable, sustainable energy. At umanos, our bodycare products are biodegradable and manufactured in a 100% solar-powered facility!

3). Invest in your values

We believe that when passionate people–the movers and shakers in all of us–come together, we can drive change for the better. And one of our favorite ways to do that is to invest in businesses that invest in our values.

Also care about supporting ethical businesses? Here are a few conscious brands we love!

At umanos, we’re particularly passionate about clean water so we donate 1% of our net proceeds to sustainable, community-owned water projects in developing countries.

Resources that can help

The Umanos Difference

“People First. Planet Focused. ”

At umanos, we believe in caring for ourselves, for others, and for the world around us. That’s why we’ve set out to create the most lovable, sustainable bodycare collection, using 100% clean and natural ingredients and responsible packaging that eliminates 90x more plastic waste. You won’t find any harmful chemicals in our products—just clean, sustainable, effective ingredients from the power of plants. Join us today in going clean and green to give your body and the planet the love they deserve!

Want endless inspiration? Join our Instagram community of passionate people sharing the different ways we can foster cleaner, greener, more mindful routines.

References and Further Reading

Here’s the David Suzuki Foundation’s list of “Dirty Dozen” ingredients often found in personal care products.
This is the Environmental Working Group’s list of “Dirty Dozen” food additives that are potentially harmful.
The Environmental Working Group also came out with a guide to shopping for produce that is least likely to be contaminated with pesticides.