sustainable living Archives < From Under a Palm Tree

10 Uses for White Vinegar

April 20, 2018 by Lisa 7 Comments

As a parent, keeping my children safe is always a priority. We think about external factors but what about the toxins in our own homes? Most of the time we have control over the products we use so why are we using cleaners full of toxins? Our homes should be a safe haven from toxins!

Over the past couple of years, I’ve given up using almost all synthetic and toxic household cleaners and detergents in favor of more eco-friendly and natural products. One of the products I use a lot of these days is vinegar. It’s all natural and extremely versatile.

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7 Eco-Friendly Products to Replace Plastic Disposables

April 18, 2018 by Christina 7 Comments

This weekend is Earth Day! I’m always excited about Earth Day because it brings out everyone’s inner Lorax! I wish that every day was Earth Day (my friends used to call me the Lorax in high school). The fact is that keeping our earth healthy by living a green lifestyle, no matter how small or large scale, is important.

Last year, we went to an Earth Day Festival in Tampa and we got to see how local communities are really trying to improve their environmental impact. It’s inspiring because it shows how individuals working together towards a common goal can make a difference. Even if it’s just doing something simply at home, we’re all working towards the goal of minimizing our environmental footprint.

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Quick and Easy DIY Laundry Pods

April 6, 2018 by Lisa 5 Comments

If you only have the time or desire to try 1 DIY project right now, be sure to try these Quick and Easy DIY Laundry Pods. Not only are these laundry pods super simple, they’re also inexpensive to make and they save so much money on laundry costs.

Another big benefit to these Quick and Easy DIY Laundry Pods is that their ingredients are much safer for your family and the environment than the standard laundry detergents we’re all so used to using. With so many perks to these DIY laundry pods, why not give them a try. I know I love them so much, I can’t imagine ever going back to using regular detergent.

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Tips for Child Proofing Your Home

April 2, 2018 by Meagan 5 Comments

As a fairly new parent, I worry incessantly about my 2-year-old getting hurt, sick, bullied, abducted, or drowning. Sometimes I forget about how dangerous my own house can be. Chemicals, hot stoves, pools, ponds, electrical outlets, and heavy furniture are just a few of the looming dangers lurking in plain sight. As my son gets older and becomes more curious, I fear less about bumps and bruises, and more about ingesting chemicals or wandering to the pond behind our home. This is why I baby proof everything! [Read more…]

Progresso Soup Stuffed Peppers

March 26, 2018 by Meagan 7 Comments

It’s almost Easter and bell peppers are in season in sunny Florida. That means I’ll be whipping up one of my go-to summer favorites on the regular—Stuffed Peppers. I don’t cook dinner often, thankfully my wonderful husband has a knack for it, but when I do, this Progresso Soup Stuffed Peppers recipe is always in my rotation. [Read more…]

How to Recycle Mascara Wands – Wands for Wildlife

March 21, 2018 by Christina 19 Comments

Last year I saw a viral video on Facebook all about a nonprofit organization that uses mascara wands to clean baby animals #wandsforwildlife. It’s called Appalachian Wildlife Refuge and they rescue and rehabilitate injured and orphaned wildlife in North Carolina.

This organization, in particular, caught my eye because of their unique approach to not only helping animals but also recycling, literally two of my favorite things.

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10 Reasons to Choose Cloth Diapers

March 19, 2018 by Meagan 11 Comments

Babies and diapers go hand in hand, right? Dirty diapers are an inevitable part of raising children, right? Those slim, plastic lined disposable diapers are your only option, right?

WRONG!

I’ve been wanting to do a post for a while on cloth diapering but after working on My Breastfeeding Journey for nearly 6 months I needed a breather. I knew, much like that post, there was much to be told. So, I’ve decided to break it down into a series of posts that I will put out over a period of time—for my sanity and yours!

Since the invention of disposable diapers in the 40’s, parents have adopted a dependency on them. Their convenience and portability have made daycare, traveling, and life with children more obtainable and just plain easier. In some families, disposable diapers have allowed fathers to be more actively involved in the early stages of parenthood—dirty diaper duty isn’t all on moms now! And as early disposable diapers models evolved, usage skyrocketed. [Read more…]

My Reverse Bucket List

March 14, 2018 by Christina 6 Comments

I’ve never really made a bucket list before. For me, I’ve just always done the things I wanted as they come along. If an opportunity comes up to visit a friend or do something fun, I take it without thinking I’m going to cross it off a list later. However, with my trip coming up, I thought it would be fun to start a bucket list (among my many other lists) to drum up ideas and get even more excited about our adventure.

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Tips to Help Moms Stay Happy and Healthy

March 12, 2018 by Meagan 8 Comments

Nothing has turned my world upside down like having a child. In the best way, I feel like my life has done a complete 180. Suddenly everything revolves around eating and sleep schedules, dirty diapers, mounds of laundry, potty training, human training, cars and trucks, boo-boos, Mickey, and Blippi. Sometimes I feel like there’s no time for myself. My “me time” now consists of scheduled bubble baths and stolen moments of quiet on the swing-set. And that’s ok because as long as I fit them in, I’m making progress. Progress that’s necessary for me to stay happy and healthy as a mom. [Read more…]

Why Traveling is Good for Your Soul

March 7, 2018 by Christina 8 Comments

I was born with a wayward heart. My entire life I have loved to travel. Some of my first memories as a child are those of a family vacation. I truly believe that traveling is not only good for the soul but necessary to have a full life.

As a kid, my parents always took vacations and trips. When I was a teenager I was fortunate to be able to take a trip to Europe. Since the beginning of my adult life, I have always made it a point to find a way to travel at least once a year whether with my family or my now husband. We’ve been up and down the east coast and bits of the west.

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