Happy, Healthy Earth! Here are our top 10 important tips about doing your part for the planet: 1. Help restore natural spaces. Nature depends on wilderness, wetlands, forests, prairies and even deserts to sustain the animals, plants, and resources ecosystems need to thrive. But the natural world is quickly disappearing. Volunteer for a beach, highway, or even a stream clean-up in your area, pick up litter in your own neighborhood, and let your government officials know that you support local, state, and natural parks, refuges, and habitats. And something you may not even realize: you should never release balloons outdoors because they frequently find their way to open water (even from hundreds of miles away) and can harm or kill turtles, whales, and other marine mammals. 2. Go to your own backyard. (Or frontyard.) A “naturescape” can be created in your own yard and a miniature version can even be created on your patio or deck that benefits wildlife. Instead of manicured lawns that need a lot of water (and mowing) for upkeep, fill your landscape with native plants and especially, trees. Our tree friends renew our air supply! Whether or not you can plant a tree though, you will probably have other flowers and bushes in your yard. As much as possible, skip the exotic species in favor of native plants that help restore nature’s balance to your community. And help stop invasive species. Non-native plants and animals threaten native wildlife and ecosystems and wreak ecological havoc. (If you can plant drought-tolerant plants for your region, you are also being extra water wise.) Growing your own organic food in a natural garden removes some of the by-products of the agricultural industry too. Just think of all the things that “run-off” (or go down drains) and end up in our waterways. You can collect rainwater to use outside. And finally, if you create a little compost corner in your own backyard you can nourish your garden and cut down on fertilizing costs. 3. Go loca for the locavore movement. If you support your local economy and shop at your farmer’s markets, eat at local restaurants that use food derived less than a 100 miles away, and buy other goods made or upcycled by local craftspeople and artisans, you cut down on the environmental impact. Another suggestion to keep in mind outside your zone: purchase only shade-grown coffee with the “Fair Trade” label. The same is true for chocolate! (And buy dried goods in bulk too.) 4. Transportation is an eco-killer. There are the obvious concerns about non-renewable elements like gas, oil, and coal. Not everyone can afford a hybrid vehicle, but a lot of people can do simple things like carpool whenever possible, combine all your errands for the week in one trip, walk or ride a bike to your errands that are 2 miles or closer, remove extra weight or junk in your car trunk that decreases fuel efficiency, and go to a mechanic regularly to get a tune-up for your car to avoid excess wear and tear on your automobile, ensuring your vehicle runs cleaner. 5. Natural light is all the rage. Open up your curtains and blinds and let the (free) light in whenever you can. And while it’s important to illuminate your home, leaving the lights on can be an unnecessary waste of energy. Purchase a few timers and program them so that the lights come on and turn off at the most beneficial times. And turn switches off every time you leave a room. You can switch all your light bulbs to compact florescent light (CFL) bulbs, which last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, or light-emitting diodes (LED), which last even longer. 6. Speaking of energy…have you every had an energy audit of your home? There are many ways to Rethink your energy usage: research whether you can sign up for green power from your utility company; during the winter, turn down your thermostat to 68 degrees F when you’re home and 55 degrees F at night and while you’re away; switch your appliances to an energy efficient model (look for the “energy star” label); lower the temperature on your hot water heater; unplug unused chargers and appliances; turn off your computer completely at night; buy rechargeable batteries; wash laundry in cold water instead of hot; and line dry your laundry, weather permitting. As long as we’re talking about “upgrading” your bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room habits…you can also fix or tighten leaky faucets, replace toilets and shower heads with low or dual flow models, and only run the dishwasher with full loads. 7. We’re in the middle of a paper crisis. As in, we consume way too much of it. So how can you Revisit your paper rituals? Pay your bills online and go “paperless”. Put a stop to unsolicited mail—sign up to opt out of pre-screened credit card offers. Get the most out of scrap paper. Print on two sides and let your kids color on the back side of used paper. Try cloth diapers for babies or at least do a combination with disposables. Definitely use rewashable cloth or fabrics instead of paper towels to clean your house. Be frugal, and make these rags out of old towels and t-shirts. Don’t forget cloth napkins and handkerchiefs. Switch to post-consumer content toilet paper. Cancel your newspaper subscription and read the news online. Buy used or e-books instead of new. And invest in glass or metal instead of cardboard (or the dreaded styrofoam) or aluminum containers. Pack your lunch in an insulated lunch bag. 8. Opt for e-tickets for events and boarding passes when traveling. You can even customize eco-friendly vacations and weddings nowadays. For the ultimate in going green, check out the growing movement in eco-friendly burials and conservation burial. Also, eco-friendly recycled paper coffins are becoming available. Learn more through the Green Burial Council. 9. Determine your individual impact and then offset it. The Eco Footprint, Greendex, and Water Footprint calculators give you a great way to determine how you are personally impacting the environment. Learn about the effect your diet is having on the environment with the Eating Green Calculator. Also see how your food choices impact climate change. Find a building contractor who will follow the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Homes Program. Locate a “green building” professional through the Green Building Council Directory. Do you think you could one day even go zero-waste? 10. You know to Reduce, Reuse (like shopping bags), and Recycle, but how about Repair, Repurpose, and Refuse? You can single-handedly cut down on the overwhelming plastic pollution by rejecting many disposable items offered to you (or tempting you with clever advertising and marketing). Take your own mug to the coffee shop, some shops will even give you a discount for bringing your own cup. Pack your own cutlery with you to wash when back at home. Skip certain single use products like pens, razors, and even feminine hygiene products (silicone menstrual cups are an alternative). Our society encourages mindless consumption unfortunately. Many things we bring into our lives are not necessary (or even functional or truly beautiful to us) but we have been taught that we should want the next best thing, the newest technology, or the latest styles. That’s when a fully reflective reevaluation of your priorities may be beneficial. You CAN become a conscious consumer. You CAN make a difference. You CAN “Shop Wisely” and create relationships with companies that honor those values too. From Shaklee Corporation: “We recognize that a healthy individual and a healthy planet go hand in hand. Environmental sustainability is something we strive for every day, and we have discovered that choosing the healthiest ingredients for our products also means making the best choices for our planet.

Backed by five patents, Vivix® contains a scientifically advanced, proprietary, all-natural blend of powerful polyphenols designed to help protect and repair DNA to Slow aging at the cellular level®*. Our patented extraction process concentrates and preserves these bioactive polyphenols from the world’s most potent sources, including the rare muscadine grape. To ensure eco-friendly use of the muscadine grape, Shaklee has developed a long-term partnership with Paulk Vineyards in Georgia, started by Jacob Paulk—a fourth-generation farmer who is committed to the highest standards of green and sustainable farming.

Our Get Clean® products feature super-concentrated formulas and biodegradable, recyclable, or reduced-waste packaging that eliminate 23 million pounds of packaging waste and 54 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.† Get Clean products are natural and nontoxic, with no harmful fumes, phosphates, phthalates, or bisphenol-A (BPA).

The carbon block filter in our Get Clean Water Pitcher is certified to reduce up to 99% of lead and over 50 other contaminants, and is sourced from coconut shell carbon—recognized as the highest-quality because its pore structure allows it to trap a wide variety of contaminants. The coconuts are sustainably grown and our filters are produced in a closed stainless steel vessel that releases no emissions into the environment during processing.

The fish oil found in OmegaGuard® comes certified by Friend of the Sea®, an international conservation organization that follows strict criteria for sustainability. Friend of the Sea tracks fish populations and works with fishermen to set catch limits and avoid harvesting during spawning seasons.” Read about ALL of Shaklee’s Environmental Achievements.