Green / Eco Companies & Initiatives in Houston, TX

As many of you know I am passionate about eco causes and like to support eco companies whenever possible. We are not perfect when it comes to all things eco, but try and do what we can when we can. I try to be pushy on our concierge and professional organizing clients when it comes to eco causes I believe in, but thankfully most are willing to recycle and donate when they can. Here are some various Houston eco companies. Some I have visited and some I have not. So many eco companies have gone out of business through the years in Houston, so it was hard finding new companies and ones that are still open. I have also included some Houston green initiatives that seem promising. I won't list them, but there are a done of If you know of any we should add, please share!

Eco Modern Concierge: shameless plug. We are a lifestyle management company that helps clients that get tasks done they don't have time to do or don't want to do. Our company offers professional organizing and personal assistant tasks to businesses and individuals in the Houston area and beyond. 

Rooted to Home: the owner is a zero waste activist and many of their items are by women and fair trade artisans. 

JJ Fords & Geauxcrates: these are plastic moving crates that are great to use instead of cardboard because they are sturdy and reusable. We have used these crates many of times for professional organizing and move management clients. 

Natran Green Pest Control: Natran is an eco pest control company in Houston. 

Refinement Houston: a local Houston company that sells various eco friendly products.

Pat Greer's Kitchen: Pat Greer is a plant based / vegan food chef in Houston that uses many sustainable practices and makes delicious food here in Houston. 

Cason Graye Homes: Eco friendly custom home builders in Houston. 

Green Cremation Services: this Houston company offers green /eco cremation services using low energy flame process or water cremation process.

Junkluggers & College Hunks Hauling Junk: I have used both of these companies for professional organizing and concierge clients here in Houston and they donate and dispose of many items in an eco way before trashing the rest. 

Gorman Uniform: they are doing various things like reusing hangers and using eco laundry services for their uniforms.

Some other green /eco resources in Houston:

Eco / green things to do in Houston

Green Initiatives in Houston

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Happy Earth Day!

 

Happy Earth Day!

What can you do today and everyday to help the planet?

Photo by Markus Spiske from Pexels

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Where to Recycle Styrofoam in Houston & The Surrounding Areas

Styrofoam is such a tricky thing to recycle because it can't be recycled at most curbside recycling pickups by your local recycling companies. Here in Houston and surrounding areas there are various places where you can recycle styrofoam. 

Westpark Consumer Recycling Center

Precinct 3 Recycling Center

If you are looking to recycle packing peanuts, many local postal stores will take them or you can search Earth911.com for places in your area. 

You can go to Foam Facts and put in your zip code

Where do you recycle styrofoam?

Photo by Luis Quintero from Pexels

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Eco Baby Products That I am Loving Right Now

 

If you have been following for awhile then you know that I am passionate about all things eco. So when I found out that I was having a baby I started researching eco baby products. There of course are things that we use that are not eco, but I try to do my part when I can. I have always been transparent that I do what I can when I can and I am not perfect when it comes to all things eco. Below are some eco baby products that I have been using and loving. 

Babyletto Crib: We have this crib and love that it is Green Gold Certified free of lots of chemicals and VOCS. It is convertible and can be used for years and years to come. 

Organic Mattress: This crib mattress is Green Gold Certified meaning it is free of lots of chemicals and it is non-toxic.

Green Sprouts Burp Clothes:We loved these burp cloths that are made of organic cotton muslin. They are the perfect size to fit into the bottom of the doc a tot and bassinet portion of the stroller. Plus, they are free of chemicals and dyes and are super absorbent. They are also the perfect size to throw over your shoulder and just have around. 

Organic Cotton Gerber Cloth Diapers: These have been awesome and we have used them daily. They are thin, but we use them to clean up spill, spit up, etc. 

Honest Diapers: So far we have found that these diapers seem to work better for us than some other brands. I know every person is different and we actually didn't try these at first. I do like that they are fragrance and latex free.

Wet Wipes: There are couple of things that I like about these wipes. I like that they are made in the USA and that they are made with just water and a small drop of fruit extract. 

Burt's Bees Products: I like that these products are gentle, fragrance free, sulfate free, free of BPA, phthalates and petrochemicals. 

Bibs Pacifier: I like that these are free of BPA, PVC and phthalates.

Evenflo Glass Bottles: I almost always choose glass over plastic. Our little boy took to these bottles really well. The nipple is free of BPA, phthalates, polycarbonates, and PVC.

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Made in the USA + Eco: Green Toys

Long before I ever had a baby, I would often gift friends kids Green Toys. They are eco-friendly toys made from recyclable materials. There is a wide selection of toys that you can choose from locally and online. If you're local toy store sells Green Toys, I highly recommend purchasing from those local toy shops because it helps support small businesses and stimulates the local economy. Besides being eco toys, I love that Green Toys are made in the USA. 

What are some of your favorite made in the USA and eco products?

Photo from Amazon.com

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Local Eco / Green Resource: The Woodlands GREEN

 

When I was online looking for the best places to recycle styrofoam, I came across The Woodlands GREEN (GrassRoots Environmental Education Network). It is a non-profit education organization that focuses on all environmental things. They are full of resources, events, and opportunities. You can even join as a member to support them. I highly recommend you checking out their website &/or their Facebook page for more information. 

Photo courtesy of: The Woodlands GREEN

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10 Simple Eco Changes You Can Make This Week

Since it is Earth Month here 10 simple, eco changes you can make this week. What are some eco changes you will be making this week? 

1. No driving
2. No dry cleaning
3. Use cloth napkins
4. Fewer towels
5. Use actual dishes
6. Replace plastic items with glass
7. Switch to eco cleaning supplies
8. Buy only what you need
9. Unsubscribe from mail
10. Try to limit disposable items

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Photo by Dmitry Zvolskiy from Pexels

2021 Earth Day Events in Houston & Surrounding Areas

I love writing this post every year, but this year is a little different because the pandemic still going on & there are not very many Earth Day events happening. That is ok because you can celebrate Earth Day in so many other ways, but if you are up for venturing out since more people are now getting vaccinated here are some events that are happening in Houston and surrounding areas.

March 20th Earth Day GreenUp 2021 in The Woodlands

April 17th Earth Day at Houston Arboretum

April 17th Richwood Earth Day 2021

April 18th Earth Day at Discovery Green

April 22nd Painting with a Twist

April 22nd Earth Day Picnic at Smithers Park

April 22nd - 28th Earth Day at Houston Museum of Natural Science

Photo by Tara Winstead from Pexels

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Eco & Natural Cleaning Supplies

I have been using eco cleaners for many, many years and have switched up products I don't know how many times. Honestly, you can make a lot of great cleaning with baking soda and vinegar as well.

7th Generation Granite Cleaner: I love using this cleaner on my granite counter tops. I really like the smell of it as well.

Bon Ami: This is perfect to use in sinks, bath tubs, etc. to get that built up soap scum off.

Branch Basics: I have been using these products for years and even add some essential oils in them or  squeeze lemon in them to give them a fresh scent.

Pumice Stone: These work great to get rings around toilet bowls off.

The Laundress Stain Solution: I have mentioned The Laundress on here endless amounts of times through the years and love them! This stain solution works miracles, especially on armpit stains.

Dryer Balls: Dryer balls really do work at drying clothes so much faster because it absorbs a lot of the  dampness from the laundry.

Glass cleaning bottles: Perfect if you buy bulk cleaning concentrates and then you can refill. This waste less plastic from individual bottles.

Sal Suds: Great when making your own natural cleaner.

Cleaning brush set: These brushes are made of bamboo and natural fibers and are great for cleaning the dishes or washing of fruits and veggies.

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5 Eco Changes You can Make This Weekend

Making eco changes can be hard for many people, but here are several small eco changes you can make this weekend to make a difference in your life. Do what you can when you can. If you try to do everything all at once you will become extremely overwhelmed.

• Replace plastic items with glass. Start with water bottles or food storage containers these are usually things that you use often so you will likely notice a difference.
• Switch to eco cleaning supplies. You don't have to overhaul your cleaning supplies all at once, but maybe switch to an eco all-purpose cleaner then to a glass cleaner and so on and so forth.
• Buy only what you need. Don't buy just to buy. It can be hard when you are influenced by a lot of different accounts and sites, but try to only buy what you need.
• Unsubscribe from mail. Save a up a pile of junk mail and start calling various companies or going online to unsubscribe from their mailing list. This will greatly reduce the amount of waste.
• Try to limit disposable items. Don't have disposable items be your go to, try to only use disposable items when you need to.

What eco changes are you currently making?

Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash

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5 Tips to Green Your College Dorm Room or Apartment

I wrote this article back in college well over 10 years ago for The Daily Cougar, The University of Houston's on campus newspaper. When decluttering my office space recently I came across this article again and I thought I would share because I think all of these eco dorm room tips still stand true. I did tweak just a few things like the brands of certain items.

Living a green and sustainable life is something that a lot of people want to do, but do not know where to begin. College is costing students more money every year, and you think, “How could I possibly make green changes in my life without breaking the bank?” There are actually plenty of small things you can do whether you are living the dorm life or live off campus. Let’s start with a few simple inexpensive things you can do:

1. Donate. People tend to collect stuff as time goes on. Being green usually means less is more. Go through what you have and if you haven’t used it in the past 6 months donate it to a local shelter or thrift store. You can take it to places like The Women’s Home, Goodwill or Salvation Army. 
2. Hand wash. Whether it is dishes or clothes, hand washing can be a very eco-friendly thing if it is done correctly. It will save energy and water, but you can not be constantly running the water the whole time you are washing. Also, hang dry your clothes after you have washed them. This does not necessarily have to be done outside; you can also hang dry clothes by putting them underneath a fan. 
3. Go paperless. Many companies are giving you the option to go paperless. This means everything is done electronically instead of receiving paper bills. You can also read most newspapers online now. If you do choose to receive paper bills see if the company has an eco option where they use recycled paper.
4. Use eco cleaners. They do the same job as any other household cleaner just without all the extra harmful chemicals. There is a variety to choose from, Seventh Generation, Branch Basics, Mrs. Meyer’s and Method are just a few of them. You can find these brands at places like Whole Foods, Kroger’s, Target and online.
5. Recycle. You can always recycle no matter where you are at. It is one of the easiest and most effective things you can do to help the environment. You can separate your recycling using boxes, small trashcans or any type of storage bins. You can recycle just about anything. For a list of recycling centers in Houston that recycle a variety of items go to: www.houstontx.gov. 

These are all small, easy chores you can do to becoming a greener person. No matter who you are or what you do, taking the smallest of steps to do your part for the environment helps more than you could ever imagine. You can not just become green overnight it is a process which takes time. Whether you do all the things on the list or just one, you are still making a world of difference for yourself and the environment.

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Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels

5 Tips for Eco Dorm Room Living

I wrote this article back in college well over 10 years ago for The Daily Cougar, The University of Houston's on campus newspaper. When decluttering my office space recently I came across this article again and I thought I would share because I think all of these eco dorm room tips still stand true. I did tweak just a few things like the brands of certain items.


Living a green and sustainable life is something that a lot of people want to do, but do not know where to begin. College is costing students more money every year, and you think, “How could I possibly make green changes in my life without breaking the bank?” There are actually plenty of small things you can do whether you are living the dorm life or live off campus. Let’s start with a few simple inexpensive things you can do:

1. Use power strips for all your electronics. Besides saving a ton of energy, they will save you money in the long run on your electric bill. Just turn the power strips off when you are not home and this reduces the amount of vampire energy that you could be wasting. Also, power strips help protect your electronics in the case of a storm. You can pick these up at your local hardware, grocery and home goods store.
2. Buy Organic. Whether it is linens or food, organic is better for you and the environment. Organic materials have become less expensive throughout the years and are now very affordable. You can buy reasonable organic linens at Target and Bed, Bath and Beyond. For organic food, go to your local farmers markets. Farmers markets carry anything from fruits and vegetables to homemade crafts. You can find a list of farmers markets in the Houston area at: http://www.visithoustontexas.com.
3. Use eco cleaners. They do the same job as any other household cleaner just without all the extra harmful chemicals. There is a variety to choose from, Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyer’s and Method are just a few of them. You can find these brands at places like Whole Foods, Kroger’s and Target.
4. Recycle. You can always recycle no matter where you are at. It is one of the easiest and most effective things you can do to help the environment. You can separate your recycling using boxes, small trashcans or any type of storage bins. You can recycle just about anything. For a list of recycling centers in Houston that recycle a variety of items go to: www.houstontx.gov. 
5. Buy used. There are many of great, used items that people are constantly getting rid of. You buy, sell or trade with others in order get what you are looking for and by leaving a smaller carbon footprint. You can use websites such as: www.houston.craigslist.com or www.freecycle.org (I think this is currently on hold due to COVID-19)

These are all things that you can do for $50 or less. No matter who you are or what you do, taking the smallest of steps to do your part for the environment helps more than you could ever imagine. You can not just become green overnight it is a process which takes time. Whether you do all the things on the list or just one, you are still making a world of difference for yourself and the environment.

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Photo by Gabriel Beaudry on Unsplash

Eco: Air Plants + Benefits

****I originally wrote and started this blogpost over 6 years ago and and am just now publishing it and trying to get old blogposts published. 

In 2014: I just recently discovered air plants. I had a friend who had some and then I saw them at the farmers market and decided to pick some up. They are super easy to take care of. You just let them sit in or on whatever you want and then you spritz them with water or leave them in a bowl of water for an hour every week or two. I have had them since the beginning of April and still have not killed them, so I consider that a success. 

Benefits of air plants:

• They are air purifying
• Easy to care for
• They are no mess
• Bring happiness and less stress because plants usually do!
• You can find them in nature or purchase them at places like Amazon and Etsy.

Image from Amazon

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Eco: 5 Tips on Composting + Composting Bin Options

One thing that I have seen several people posting about lately during quarantine is eco changes they are making because they have the time, effort and ability to make these changes. One thing I am seeing an increase in is composting. I think this is because so many people are cooking at home a lot more than they were in the past. Here are some reasons why you should compost:

• The soil that compost makes helps fertilize plants
• Reduces the amount of waste getting put into landfills and reduces emissions
• It is really easy to compost and takes basically no effort
• As long as you are composting the right things, there is no smell or bugs
• Anyone can compost, whether you live in an apartment or house

Personally I have a mini kitchen composter that I use to take to our larger warm composter in our yard. Here are some various composting bins:

Expandable Composting Bin

Tumbling Composter

Kitchen Stainless Steel Composting Pail

Kitchen Counter Compost Bin

Worm Composter

Wood Composter

All product images from Amazon

Worm photo Photo by Sippakorn Yamkasikorn from Pexels

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Made in the USA: Thrive Mascara

I have tried I don't know how many different mascaras through the years and there are some that I like, but so many I don't like. I am definitely not a beauty blogger, but after seeing this Thrive mascara from an actual beauty blogger I decided to try it. I like that it is made in the USA, it's vegan and cruelty-free. It really does lengthen lashes a lot, it's easy to come off with make-up remover and it doesn't smear. So far I really like it. Have you tried it? Do you like it?

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Made in the USA + Eco: Scotch Flex and Seal

Since we do so many concierge tasks here in Houston we are constantly shipping items for clients. I love this Scotch Flex & Seal because 1. it is made in the USA 2. it saves on boxes and shipping supplies. All you do it lay your product on the shipping roll, measure how much you need, cut, fold and seal. It's super easy and efficient. Have you tried it yet?

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Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day!

Photo by sheri silver on Unsplash

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Eco Modern Concierge Featured on the bareMinerals Blog

Eco Modern Concierge was featured on the bareMinerals blog last month. I contributed eco organizing tips for beauty supplies. Since it is earth month I thought this would be the perfect time to share this article. I am always happy to contribute to various publications.

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15 Eco Things You can Do This Month & Always to Celebrate Earth Day

There are so many different things you can do on a regular basis to be eco and green. Since it is Earthy Month I thought I would highlight 15 easy things you can do to help your planet day-to-day.

1. Start a recycling program.
2. Make small eco changes like using reusable shopping bags, produce bags, sandwich bags, etc.
3. Donate or giveaway items you no longer need or want. 
4. Volunteer your time. 
5. Incorporate or use green beauty products. 
6. Use glass containers instead of plastic. 
7. Use eco cleaning products or make your own cleaning products.
8. Buy produce from your local farmers market.
9. Eat seasonally.
10. Compost.
11. Plant an herb garden.
12. Ride your bike where you can.
13. Organize a clean up day in your neighborhood. 
14. Buy from resale shops.
15. Use air purifying house plants.

Photo by Photo Boards on Unsplash

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5 Eco Things You Can Do During the COVID-19 Quarantine Time

If you are like most others right now, you are self quarantining or your city has a "shelter in place". Now is great time to start to make some eco changes.

Switch to cloth cleaning rags. Since there is limited paper goods at most stores right now, instead of using paper towels to clean, use cloth rags, old clothing, etc.

Start recycling. If you have never been much of a recycler now is a great time to start recycling and teaching kids to recycling.

Compost. A lot of people are at home and cooking much more than they did before, so now is the perfect time to start composting.

Do an energy audit. Call your electric company and do an energy audit to see where you are using the most energy in your house and how you can save on energy costs. Don't forget to turn off lights and electronics when you are not using them.

Ditch plastic disposable water bottles when you can. If you are at home start using reusable water bottles or actual glasses instead of grabbing for disposable water bottles if you have a good water source. It reduces on waste a TON.

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Photo by The Honest Company on Unsplash