On Community: The only way to gain community and friends is through some sort of payment. Buying a membership to a gym, joining a regular yoga class – shoot, even our local book club is held at a brewery. To participate in society, please be ready to pay up. Mother or Money: In the book …
Dear Apartment 9F – To My Kids’ First Home
Dear Apartment 9F, To my childrens’ first home—I guess this is goodbye. I didn’t know I’d grow to love you as much as I did. I remember walking in, newly married, seeing the empty walls and the few pieces of furniture we had brought over from the US. We started and grew our family here. …
Climbing Mt. Fuji
O snail, Climb Mt. Fuji, But slowly, slowly! Kobayashi Issa Yesterday my husband, Kris, and I climbed Mt. Fuji. Since we have around 1 year left in Japan, this is the last climbing season we’d be able to climb her. We haven’t done much hiking in Japan other than hiking Mt. Takao, but we knew …
My Favorite Zero Waste Baby Essentials
With baby #2’s arrival rapidly approaching (only 4 weeks to go!), I’m realizing just how much stuff I don’t need. That being said, there are some things I’m so glad I kept from Ariana’s baby days that I’ll be able to use the second time around. Time to challenge myself to having a “zero waste …
My Maternity Capsule Closet
If you were around last year at this time, you might remember I worked with Martine from Martine a La Mode. She’s a professional closet stylist who is passionate about secondhand shopping and sustainable fashion. When she asked if I wanted to do a maternity capsule closet, I jumped at the opportunity! Martine provides an …
Toxic Food Additives to Avoid (That You’re Eating Right Now)
If there’s one thing I hold near and dear to my heart, it’s healthy eating. Since we live overseas and don’t have access to an exclusively organic market or health food store, we have to make do with the commissary (grocery store) on our military base, as well as local Japanese grocery stores. You can …
15 of the Best Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas
It’s that time of year–the holiday season! Sometimes it can be challenging to find the right eco-friendly gift for your loved ones that live up to your criteria–whether you’re trying to reduce waste, lower carbon emissions, or shop fair trade. Or maybe (hopefully) all three! That’s where I come in! I also think it’s important …
Why We Need to Save Water
The need to save water may seem counter-intuitive at first glance. It rains all the time, the earth is covered in water, there is water all over the place! Why is conserving water SO important for our future? Let me break it down for you. Ninety-seven percent of the water on Earth is salty, leaving …
Race: the main predictor of clean water access
Race is the single strongest predictor of whether US residents have access to safe, potable water, according to a recent report. Since most of us don’t have to deal with it on a firsthand basis, it isn’t really on our minds. However, having access to clean water is a basic human right. It’s important to …
Eco-Friendly Mother’s Day Gifts
Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and boy did I procrastinate with gifts this year! Usually we send flowers back home to our moms, but I recently learned just how unsustainable cut flowers can be. In my online shopping frenzy to come across the perfect gift for my mom and mother-in-law, I decided to …