My friends always get on me about eating foods after their "best by date". These articles confirmed what I already assumed about shelf foods. If it doesn't look/smell/tase funny, then it's fine to eat. I did learn my canned tuna and pickles are not as resilient as I had thought though. This past month I've been focused on eating the shelf foods instead of buying new.

I learned about different types of bees and the importance they have in our environment. Seeing them up close, learning how they see the world, and even getting to pet a live bee! All of this helped me better understand them. The following day we had a bee fly up to our ring camera to say hello. Pretty cool if you ask me ;)

Planting a tree helps you feel connected with nature. You get that good feeling knowing you've done something good for the environment. It's my way of saying "thank you" to our planet for all that she does!

Ohio is one of the top contenders (per capita) with unnecessary waste in our landfills. Big cities much like Columbus, with its high traffic and many factories, continue to contribute to air pollution. Typically seen as "smog" and at times leading to unsafe air quality. Ohio is also a major farming state. Animal farms, more so than crops, are another leading cause to the greenhouse effect. Through recycling programs done at work and home, ride sharing/carpooling, walking/biking more, and moving more towards a plant predominant diet; every individual has the ability to make a change starting today. These small changes help make a big difference in our day-to-day living. Less trash, better health, happier environment. Cleaner air, reduced risk of some cancers, and overall, the feeling of doing something good for yourself or others. These are all benefits we experience from following an ecofriendly lifestyle!

I didn't realize living a healthy life as an individual (something the healthcare system promotes) could have such an impact on our environment. Walking more, avoiding smoking, recycling at home and in the office, eating a mostly plant-based diet, and avoiding processed meats/foods as much as possible. These are all things good for you and the environment.

I feel good knowing I'm doing something to help others without expecting anything in return. Knowing doing something as simple as showing up somewhere where I'm needed is making a big difference to someone in need of help, gives me a warm butterfly feeling in my stomach! I signed up to help give away free native plants three days this month.

It's so easy to get caught up in routine so you need to think outside of the box and be resourceful to make those changes such as repurposing blankets or furniture. I have been working on decluttering but do not want to just throw stuff out filling up a landfill. I had a plant stand that I no longer needed so it is now in the bathroom holding my curling iron and blow dryer.