Let's Talk GREEN, Shall We?

Today, we wanted to talk GREEN, which is basically code for...

Let's get ECO-FRIENDLY!

In Amara's Enchanted Forest, we live in a very clean and healthy environment full of magic and wonder. We have Unicorns to oversee and limit our pollution so our fairies can fly carefree and our mermaids can swim their hearts away. But, EARTH...that's a whole other story.

The Earth is in A LOT of trouble. But, humans can all help save it by making simple, teeny, tiny changes. All of our Queens and Princesses living in the human world can take EASY PEASY steps, that as a whole, will make a such a HUGE impact. For example, stopping plastic straw use. That's a fair and small ask! We will actually cover a couple more easy adjustments below. And, we have THE CUTEST products you can invest in to help see these Eco-friendly changes through. Yay!

First and foremost, we have to cover PLASTIC. Everyone (even us magical creatures in Amara's Enchanted Forest) knows plastic is detrimental to the Earth, but humans for some reason keep on using it. According to National Geographic, the Earth's plastic pollution "has become one of the most pressing environmental issues." And, according to World Wild Life, every minute, about a dump-truck load of plastic goes into the oceans, spoiling beaches, hurting all the amazing wildlife out there, and even contaminating human food. Oh gosh!

So what's the first step?

Small start, huge impact.

We can not emphasize enough on how bad plastic straws are for the Earth. Through some research, we actually learned that the USA consumption of plastic straws alone creates enough straws to wrap around the Earth's circumference 2.5 times a day! Also, approximately 500 million straws are used daily in the USA alone, and take approximately 200 years to break down! Those are some pretty big numbers! Read more CRAZY facts on plastic straw pollution HERE.

We currently just added the Last Straw Shop brand in our store, and this mom-owned small business has made it its mission to REALLY PUSH for the replacement of plastic straws with reusable stainless steal straws. And, you have beautiful color options to choose from as well! How cute?! Are you a gold, rose gold, or silver gal? Or, would you go all out with RAINBOW stainless steel straws to really make that statement?!

Speaking of replacing plastic products, straws aren't the only silent killer of the planet. Meet, the plastic toothbrush. 

According to some research done by One Green Planet, 1 billion toothbrushes are thrown away every year in the USA. That is 50 MILLION POUNDS of waste added to landfills. Again, those are some BIG numbers! 

So how do we solve this issue? Ever heard of a good 'ole bamboo toothbrush?

Lucky for you, we carry another mom-owned small business brand that aims to better the planet for the next generation called, The Future Is Bamboo. This awesome company makes the COOLEST bamboo brushes with multicolor bristles. Rainbow toothbrushes, anyone? Yes, we know. We carry a lot of rainbow. Can't help it!

Why bamboo though, you ask? Well it's biodegradable, naturally antimicrobial, and highly sustainable. It can grow up to 91 cm in one day and the variety that The Future Is Bamboo uses is from the MOSO (Phyllostachys edulis) family. What does that mean? Well, basically that this is not the variety that pandas eat, so it doesn't deplete their food sources. The Future Is Bamboo is also certified VEGAN. How amazing?! Learn more about The Future Is Bamboo HERE.

3) Generally, opt for Eco-FRIENDLY products

This is a given. And, it's not very hard! Just try your best to opt for the eco-friendly options when shopping.

For example, we really wanted to get a Unicorn wall mount in our shop because it seemed to be all the rage in the kid's room decor world. And, we REALLY wanted to find the best of the best for all the Little Princesses shopping at Amara's Enchanted Forest. So, we looked at many brands and various versions of Unicorn wall mounts, but they seemed not-so-safe or...excessive. We finally found an option that would turn buying a wall mount into a super fun arts and crafts project for Little Princesses and their Queen moms. And, what was even more special about this Unicorn wall mount is that it's created with 100% recycled materials and is 100% recyclable itself if you ever choose to part ways. Check out this fun product in our shop by PaperCraft World:

Another great example of opting for an Eco-friendly product is when choosing chocolates. Yes, we said chocolates. Most of the finest cocoa beans are found outside of the USA, therefore we need to make sure to shop from brands that source responsibly when creating their yummy treats. 

Omnom is one AMAZING chocolate bar company from Iceland that creates the most unique and delicious chocolate bars by using Icelandic milk powder and the finest cocoa beans sourced from around the world. Since they import their cocoa beans from countries like Madagascar, Tanzania, and Nicaragua, Omnom has made it their mission to "source with care, placing ethics, sustainability, and transparency at the heart of the process." Now THAT is a true Unicorn brand! You can find their Unicorn-themed Caramel Milk Chocolate Bars in our shop. We even have JUMBO SIZE! 

So, what do you all think? Can you all make these little changes to help the Earth? Pretty simple and easy, right? Comment below and let us know of any other small hacks or trades that can help the planet. We would LOVE to hear from you!