The Honest Root

Check out my new site!

Hey, friends. This has been a long time coming.

I have recently renamed my site to The Ethical Edit and redesigned it to be easier to navigate. I would love for you to check it out!

5 things I got wrong about minimalism

A little while ago I realized that one of the best ways to reduce my personal impact on the earth is to simply stop buying so much crap. For someone who used to be a total shopaholic like me, embracing minimalism seemed impossible at first (spoiler, it wasn’t. It was totally possible!). I just needed to figure out a way to make it work for me… and I think I’m finally getting there!

So since it’s…

5 things I learned after using soap nuts for 9 months + liquid detergent recipe

I’ve been using soap nuts from Nature’s Supply for about 9 months now (if you’re scratching your head and wondering what the heck soap nuts are, read this post). I’ve used them in multiple types of washing machines with several types of clothing and have used the suds to hand-wash several items. At this point I feel I can give you a pretty robust idea of what these babies will and will not do, so…

What's the deal with these JORD watches, anyway? If you're like me and you wanted the scoop on this brand that's popping up everywhere, you're in for a treat! An honest review + giveaway (scroll to the end!)

I’m a gigantic fan of making the old new again, rescuing and repurposing, and finding creative solutions for diverting waste… which is why I am so excited to partner with JORD, who sent me this beautifully sustainable wood watch in exchange for an honest review. So here we go!

The gist

In terms of look and feel of the watch, I love it. My watch is the Frankie Zebrawood and Champagnewith…

I recently watched the Marie Kondo Netflix special, and I had some thoughts. It’s great that people are embracing living with less, tidying up, etc after watching the Marie Kondo videos. It’s clear that overconsumption is a problem in a lot of developed countries. It causes us to waste money, and it doesn’t seem to make us any happier. Plus, the poor freaking planet.

HOWEVER. Just dropping off…

I’m not convinced Marie Kondo’s method is a good long-term thing…

I have pretty mixed feelings about Marie Kondo’s method. I’m happy that people are waking up to the fact that we don’t need most of the stuff we have are taking action on that. However, I worry that this could cause us to place even less value on our stuff in the long term. “Welp, it’s not giving me joy any more, bye-bye!” and in the bin it goes. Obviously not everyone is this flippant, but at…

Why I didn’t replace my car after my accident

A couple months ago I was rear-ended on my way to work. As I slammed on my brakes to avoid hitting a pedestrian who suddenly walked out into the road, a large work truck, which apparently had big blocks of cement in the back and was probably going too fast, swerved and clipped the back of my car. It basically scooped a big chunk of metal out of the back right side, broke the suspension (or…

How TF to be less awkward when asking for sustainable stuff

Why is it so awkward asking people to put away the plastic bag, plastic coffee cup, etc when they’ve already pulled it out and switch it for a reusable or compostable thing? Is this a Canadian politeness thing? Is this a “women are socialized to be pleasers” thing? Maybe I’ve finally lost it? Help me out here.

I don’t really believe in New Years’ resolutions, but if I did, and if I were to make…

Well, it’s been a while. If you’ve stuck with me during my break, thank you so, so much. I won’t get into what’s been going on, but I did need a rest. Now I’m easing back into this writing thing, which I love to pieces, with a chill post about a sustainability item that I’ve been putting off for a very long time – books. Not only does it use up resources when you purchase a new book, but it’s…

Resting...

SO remember how I said a little while ago on my Instagram how things would be back to normal soon?

Yeah. Famous last words.

Well, life came up and hit me like a semi truck after I posted that… so I’ve been resting.

I’ve been resting from social media in general and from posting to the blog or Instagram, which mean so much to me but do take a lot of energy, which I’ve been short on recently.

So I…

Interview with Leah Wise of Style Wise Blog – thoughtful, sustainable fashion

Hey, friends! If you’ve been hanging around the sustainability sphere for long enough, you’ve probably come across Leah’s blog – Style Wise. I’m excited that she opted to be part of the interview series because I think hers is a blog that everyone should check out. Her articles are thoughtful, challenging and deep, you’re bound to learn something about both ethical fashion and yourself. So, enjoy…

Interview with Devonne of MATTER Prints

Hey, friends! Today in the questionnaire/interview series, I switch it up a bit. So far we’ve heard from the founders of a brand (Saalt Cup) and a fellow blogger/influencer, Ethically Kate.  Today we have a hybrid – I sent the interview to Devonne, who works for MATTER Prints, a brand I’ve proudly represented here on The Honest Root. I love the pants I have from MATTER (wore them over the weekend…

Interview with Kate Hall of Ethically Kate - one of my favourite internet friends and biggest inspirations.

Hey everyone! For the second instalment of my interview series, I want to introduce you (again) to one of my fave internet friends – Kate Hall, the wonderful human behind the blog Ethically Kate. I’ve featured her before on my Instagram (psst follow me at @thehonestroot if you aren’t already!) and on my blog post about fashion for the conscious traveller. She is so upbeat, so creative, so…

Interview with Amber Fawson + Cherie Hoeger, the boss babe Founders of Saalt Cup

Hey, friends! If you’ve been following my Instagram, you might have noticed a giveaway (ends tonight at midnight, go enter if you’re a lady in the USA!) involving Saalt Menstrual Cup, a brand recently started by two ladies – Cherie and Amber. You might have also heard through my IGTV that I am starting a weekly written interview series with other creatives and business owners in the…

Hi, friends! Today I am excited to bring you a new line of clean living home essentials, made by brand Natures Supply, which was recently launched by the lovely Becca, a friend to our family. Of course, when I saw that she was heading on a path that’s near and dear to my heart, I reached out to her and wanted to share Natures Supply with you all. Becca was kind enough to send me some fair trade…

Participation, not assimilation: trying to understand dominant culture without losing my morals

It’s really crazy how we can accidentally find ourselves in echo chambers. I go out of my way to interact with people, find opinions and understand lifestyles different to my own, but apparently, I’m not doing enough.

Recently I went to an event that brought together about 10 influencers for a good cause. We were meant to sell clothing in order to benefit a charity. We each brought articles that…