Costumes

• Host a costume swap

Make it into a party. Your digs won’t be new, but they’ll be new to you.

• Thrift store

Visit The Barn or another local thrift store to find costumes or recycled clothing that can help you to create your own.

• Make your own costumes

Why not be a soda bottle, spider web or snapchat filter? Use items you already have to make the perfect costume. Here are some ideas.

• Fake blood

Instead of buying fake blood with unknown ingredients, make your own at home.

• Use non-toxic face paint or make your own

If you plan on painting a face this year, know that many products out there contain small amounts of heavy metals arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead or mercury. Exposure to these products has been linked to developmental delays, hormonal imbalances and cancer. Here are some safe alternatives and a diy face paint recipe.

The Halloween party

• Email invites

To avoid using unnecessary paper, send out party invitations through email. Try Paperless Post or Punchbowl for some amazing options.

• Avoid plastic plates, cups, utensils

Even though there will be extra clean-up, use regular dishes and ask guests to bring reusable containers for takeaways.

• Buy local, organic food

Head to the markets and farms to buy fresh ingredients for party meals.

• Make your own treats

Instead of store bought cookies, cakes and treats, bake your own. Here are a few fun recipes.

Trick-or-treating

• Organic candy

Who knew that Airheads were vegan? Try to be more conscious and purchase candy that has less of an impact on the environment (and your body!) Click here for a list of vegan and organic candy options.

• Avoid cheap plastic toys

You know the ones we’re talking about that come in the variety pack at the dollar store.

• Walk, bike, carpool or take public transportation to hot-spot neighborhoods

Get your candy fix and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time.

• Bring a trash bag to avoid littering

Eating candy on the way to the next house is a given, just make sure you dispose of wrappers properly and even pick up a few that may have been dropped!

• Use reusable bags

In that same vein, avoid using plastic by bringing extra shopping bags, canvas totes or a pillowcases. (Pack more to share with friends!)

Pumpkins

• Light with beeswax candles

Use beeswax, a renewable all-natural wax produced by honey bees, instead of soy or paraffin-based wax, which is a non-renewable byproduct of petroleum, coal or oil shale. Not to mention it’s not hypoallergenic, so terribe for people with allergies, asthma or chemical sensitivities.

• Eat the seeds

Clean, salt and roast the pumpkin seeds for a yummy fall snack instead of throwing them out. Not only do they contain lots of antioxidants, but they are low calorie and delicious.

• Save the pulp

The slimy insides can be used to make delicious pies, muffins and soup that are perfect for the season. Recipes here.

• Compost, Compost, Compost

Throw jack-o-lanterns and any food scraps in the compost for great soil. If you don’t have one, check out the Earth Machine from the Ministry of Public Works for a compost bin.

• Grow your own

A great post-Halloween activity is to plant your own pumpkins and watch them grow!

This article was originally published in the October 2018 edition of the RG Green Pages supplement.

The post Go Green this Halloween appeared first on RG Magazines.

By Ashley Yearwood 

A “green” business is one that runs in a capacity where little to no negative impact is made on the local or global environment.

We can look at sustainability in terms of farming and energy, but becoming sustainable also means thinking about the products that we buy, where they are sourced and how they are packaged. The media has exposed the poor working conditions in the countries where certain products are made or their ingredients are harvested.

One of the ways people are fighting against this is by opting for natural products sourced from green businesses. Many Bermudians have created their own natural products that range from beauty to clothing and everything in between. We now have a thriving market of Bermudian-owned green businesses.

Ase Naturals

Ase Naturals is a herbal retail business specializing in herbal products such as loose-leaf herbal tea blends, herbal bath teas and soaks as well as herb-infused body oils. Each product is handcrafted in Bermuda, vegan and organic.

Island Potions

Island potions is hair product company whose products focus on chemical free ingredients. Their story started from the company founder’s own hair journey. Fed up with spending money and time looking for products, she decided to go the natural route.

Naked Zero

Naked Zero is a one-stop shop for ethical, sustainable, mind, body and health- conscious products. From beauty to food and household items, they have a wide variety of natural products for people of all ages.

Ponda Pits

Ponda Pits is a locally run 100 percent natural deodorant that comes in several authentic Bermudian scents.

 Surishae + co

Surishae + co is dedicated to the sourcing of fair-trade, ethical companies, and creating cruelty free products and bringing them onto the island. Their natural ingredients keep it pure and simple so you don’t have to guess what is in your products.

Salt and Cedar

Salt and Cedar is an online store with a thoughtfully curated collection of high performing non-toxic skincare and beauty products for the whole family –– delivered to Bermuda.

Peoples Pharmacy

People’s pharmacy is constantly bringing in new products. The focus is on natural products that work for a variety of people. They have dedicated staff who are willing to help find the products for you.

Finding and using products from socially and environmentally conscious companies is the same as doing your part. Who knew it could be so fun, easy, and trendy to help out the environment!

This article was originally featured in the August 2018 edition of the Rg Green Pages supplement.

The post Made in Bermuda appeared first on RG Magazines.

Sometimes the idea of saving the environment can seem like a daunting and almost impossible task. However, there are many things that employees can do in their daily life that can make a big difference.

1. Reusable water bottles and travel mugs:

Buying water can be a drain on your wallet and the environment, but there’s an easy alternative to save both. If your office has a Pure Water filling station, a water filter, or if the tap water is fine to drink, buy a refillable bottle to keep yourself hydrated and your pockets full. Bring a travel mug and use your office coffee machine, or the fill-your-own option at your favourite coffee shop.

2. Recycled and reusable writing utensils

Many people don’t think of pens and mechanical pencils when it comes to plastic waste. They either get lost, or end up in the trash as another wasted plastic product. Using pens made out of recycled materials, or ones that can easily have their ink cartridges replaced will help out with the amount of plastic waste.

3. Buying lunch? if you can carry it, leave the bag behind

Everything about take-out is unsustainable, from the containers to the bag it comes in. Most of the time, that bag is used to transport the food and then immediately thrown in the trash. If you can carry your food back to the office without a bag, then do it! That is one less opportunity for a plastic bag to end up in the ocean. Try leaving a reusable bag and utensils at work for your lunch time journey.

4. Think before you print and reuse paper wherever possible

Don’t let paper pile up! Digitize your files, and only print when it is completely necessary. Hard drives and programs like Dropbox and Google Drive are great ways to organize and share files without printing. Paper is double sided. So instead of throwing away a mistake print or a one-sided document, simply flip it over and use the opposite side as scrap.

5. Desk plants

Tons of plants are desk friendly and can help purify the air in the office. They are also very cute and allow you to have a little bit of your own aesthetic in the workplace. An even bigger bonus — studies show that plants improve your overall health.

6. Shut it off

When you leave your workspace, be sure to use power-saving modes on electronic devices and turn off computers wherever possible.The digital world can be great, but it has to run on energy. Energy usage, both non- and renewable, can add up to cause strain on resources.

Habits, once settled, are known to be hard to give up. Consciously doing these little things over and over will eventually turn them into subconscious acts that have a big impact on your own wellbeing, your company’s work environment, and sustainability on a global scale. Take the lead and your fellow employees will follow suit.

The post 6 habits of highly sustainable employees appeared first on RG Magazines.