Fave 5 Ways to Save the Planet Everyday

We have all heard that if we don’t take care of our planet, who will? In an effort to help each of us reduce our carbon footprint in a little way, we developed a really easy list of ways to not only help the environment, but your water and power bill as well, everyday.

• Turn off water while brushing your teeth. So simple, yet most of us don’t do it, why not? Saving even a cup full of water a brushing adds up!
• Unplugging unused electronics. Even with the power turned off, your appliances and electronics are using up energy just by being plugged in AND you are paying for that!
• Turning off A/C during the day if feasible/ opening windows. Again, you are paying to cool the house while you aren’t in it. Unless it’s the summer and your home will be unbearable hot unless you do this, try turning it off or to a higher setting and opening the windows. Fall is the perfect time to utilize this energy saving trick!
• Use re-usable bags and containers for lunch. Easy enough right? Just get a pack of Tupperware the next time you are at the store and bring your lunch from home. Not only are you saving money by doing this, but by using reusable containers you are reducing the amount of waste. Need a lunchbag? Try using one of your reusable shopping bags!
• Turn off the lights when you leave a room. We’ve all heard our parents say this but now we really know why. Not only is that adding up on your electric bill but it is a total waste of energy and resources. If you’re not in the room, chances are, you don’t need the lights to be on. Food for thought.

We hope this has been an informative blog on really simple ways to reduce your energy consumption. Do you have any tips to share?

Summer Gardening Tips!

Want to spruce up your lawn and garden this summer but not sure what you should do? Here are a few gardening tips to put into practice this summer!

• Watering: The summer heat can be deadly to your grass or flowers if you aren’t watering them frequently enough. If you have sprinklers, be sure to check that they are hitting the right areas and not watering your driveway or wasting water. This is not only great for your water bill, but for water reserves as well.

• Plant Bulbs/Vegetables: Summer is the perfect time to plant your annuals or vegetables so that they are ready to bloom come fall. What better addition to your fall feasts, like Thanksgiving, than homegrown veggies!

• Summer Flowers: If you live in a warmer climate, it’s not too late to plant some summer flowers. Hibiscus, daisies, birds of paradise, calla lilies, and chrysanthemums are just a few bright and beautiful flowers that like the summer heat and sunshine.

I hope these tips help you with your summer gardening, do you have any tips you’d like to share?

Green Goodies

We’ve been talking about simple ways to “go green” in your everyday life. Today I wanted to share three of my favorite eco-friendly products with you, and maybe it will help kick start your own drive to be more Earth friendly with your purchases and activities.

1. Green Works by Clorox Cleaning Products. The same powerful cleaning associated with Clorox cleaning products, but with no chemical residue or smell. This product line is all naturally derived.

2. Reusable Shopping Bags. If you haven’t noticed yet, I LOVE reusable shopping bags. They are easy to store and come in all different shapes,sizes, and patterns so you can be stylish and eco-friendly!

3. Eco-friendly Doggie Bags. If you have a dog, you know how many of these baggies you go through in one week, let alone a year. One of my favorite brands for eco-friendly doggie bags is Earth Rated, they are biodegradable and scented so I’m not sacrificing my sense of smell!

What are some of your favorite eco-friendly products?

Bike for a Better You

Everyone is always looking the *new*activity or way to improve themselves and their lives. I have your answer, take it old school and bike! Summer is the perfect time to dust off that old bicycle, or to purchase one. Here are just a few reasons why you should become an avid biker this year:

• On-going use of a bicycle has virtually no carbon footprint
• Great exercise and cardio; biking works your whole body and will result in better muscle tone and a healthy heart
• Fantastic way to get a natural tan (but don’t forget to apply sunblock liberally)
• Cycling can be therapeutic and has been shown to improve mental health
• Biking is great for improving your coordination skills
• Perfect way to slow down from your busy life and enjoy the scenery and fresh air!

As you can see biking will benefit your life in numerous ways! When is the last time you went for a ride?

Farm -> Table

This movement is growing in momentum in cities across the globe, have you heard of it? Been wondering what it is? 

The “Farm-to-Table” movement is all about consuming locally grown food, and not just at home, at restaurants too. This idea of sustainable food production will help make citizens more self-reliant. Ya know like back in the old days when things were simpler and we didn’t have other countries or even states to depend on for anything.

Restaurants that choose to buy from local farmers usually produce healthier, better quality meals for their patrons. No longer will chefs and diners have to worry about the freshness of the ingredients, or the nutritional value – these items are coming directly from local farms, no processing required.

You might already be partaking in this movement without realizing it. Do you buy produce or goods from a farmer’s market? Congratulations! You have contributed to the farm-to-table movement. That’s exactly what it’s all about, not only are you getting the freshest of foods, you’re also supporting local small farm economies.

What’s your favorite item to buy from a farmer’s market?

Fave Five: Easy Eco-Friendly Tips

Everyone is becoming more eco-friendly these days and with good reason. If we don’t take care of our Earth now, what condition will it be in for our children and their grandchildren? Be considerate my Modern Girl’s and follow these tips to make it easy to swap everyday products for earth friendly goods!

Easy Tip 1: Swap out your light bulbs for energy efficient ones. It cuts down on how often you need to change them and its easier on your bill!

Easy Tip 2: Use reusable shopping bags. This eliminates the need for plastic bags which as we know is a great thing for the environment!

Easy Tip 3: Substitute paper coffee cups and water bottles for reusable containers like the ones below. Each is insulated to keep your beverage the optimum temperature and there are tons of cute designs out there.

Easy Tip 4: Carpool or walk/bike when you can and plan your errands in advance to maximize efficiency and minimize fuel emissions released. Think of all the time you’ll save!

Easy Tip 5: Turn off lights when you leave a room and unplug electronics that you aren’t using. Sounds simple enough but many of us don’t do this. This is another easy way to conserve energy while lowering your electric bills!

We hope these tips have helped you become a little more aware of the impact you each have on the future and convinced you to be eco-friendly. What are your tips for greener living?

Welcome to Modern Girl’s Martha!

Hello, friends! This blog is being brought to you by Nadia and Amanda. We’re two best friends who are so excited to be sharing tips and advice with you about how a modern girl views and tackles today’s world. From food to fashion … from crafts to relationships … we’re here to help you navigate these waters with poise, grace and a little modern flare!

As ladies in our late 20’s, and avid blog readers, we found ourselves reading 5 – 6 different blogs each day just to keep updated on all the topics we’re interested in. Then we thought to ourselves, “why isn’t there 1 place where we can find all these things?”, and decided to start up Modern Girl’s Martha. And by “girl”, we don’t mean you have to be a teenager to enjoy this blog. We’ll be focusing on topics geared toward our peers – women in their 20’s and 30’s. But we think women and girls of all ages can find something of interest here… and guys, you can pick up a few things as well!

Check back daily for new posts covering a variety of topics that are relevant to today’s modern girl! Is there anything you’re dying to hear about?