Today is Earth Day, and the celebration isn’t just going on at your local park. I’m celebrating Earth MONTH right here, and you – lucky, beautiful bella, you – might win an amazing prize pack from Aveda!
I already let y’all know – I’m an Aveda Water Warrior. This month I’m partnering with the eco-conscious beauty and haircare brand to raise awareness of a very important cause. Together, we can make a difference.
As a Water Warrior, I’m making changes in my life to protect and conserve clean water. I’m supporting Meatless Monday and trying to eat meatless more often, because I know this will make me feel healthier, and also it takes up to 5,000 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of meat.
I’m doing my part to conserve electricity, because I know that every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of traditional electricity that we use takes about 2 gallons of fresh water to make.
Every 21 seconds a child dies from lack of access to clean water, and through small personal acts like the ones I’ve mentioned, and larger acts, like buying the Light the Way™ candle — 100% of the proceeds will support the Global Greengrants Funds’ water-related projects.
Side note: If you buy a 2011 Light the Way™ soy wax candle and enter the code AFROBELLA at checkout, then Aveda will count each purchase towards me possibly joining them on their very special annual trip to India this fall, to see exactly how their fundraising efforts help those in need.
Regardless of that, I do respect their cause. And in order to get more of you thinking about ways you can help the planet beyond Earth Day – I happily present the Aveda Water Warrior Earth Day giveaway!
One lucky bella will get a lovely assortments of tried and tested natural hair approved products used on me during Aveda’s NYFW Tweet Up as well as a Light the Way™ candle and one of Aveda’s Chakra™ Body Mists.
That includes:
– Dry Remedy Moisturizing Shampoo:
Drenches even the driest, most brittle hair with moisture, leaving it soft, supple, touchable.
Instantly improves dry hair up to 63%, when used as part of our Dry RemedyTM Moisturizing System
Patent-pending Deep-Moisture complex penetrates hair to deliver lasting, intense moisture, powered by buriti oil, pomegranate and palm-derived conditioners
Relaxing floral aroma blend with certified organic palmarosa, ylang ylang and rose geranium, plus a hint of vanilla. One of 7 groundbreaking products honored with Gold-level Cradle to Cradle certification.Daily conditioning formula with quinoa protein helps repair and re-moisturize damaged hair—infusing it anew with healthy movement, silkiness and shine.
— Damage Remedy Restructuring Conditioner
Our daily conditioning formula with quinoa protein helps repair and re-moisturize damaged hair—infusing it anew with healthy movement, silkiness and shine.
Part of a three-step restructuring system
Helps hair weakened by chemical processes, heat styling and environmental exposure
Formula blends phellodendron, sandalwood and barley to smooth the hair cuticle
With quinoa protein—to help strengthen and repair hair from the inside out— Chakra™ 1 Balancing Body Mist
Chakra 1 is the center where we ground ourselves and take care of our basic needs. When the root chakra is balanced, one has good energy, a feeling of security and a healthy body awareness.An authentic fusion of pure essential oils blended to balance the root chakra according to Ayurveda, the ancient healing art of India. Essences of olibanum, organic patchouli and vetiver leave one feeling well-balanced.
One bella will win all of the above! How can it be YOU? There are TWO WAYS. Here’s how!
Way to enter #1 – leave a comment below telling me the environmentally friendly things you’re doing to save the planet on Earth Day and beyond.
Way to enter #2 – Follow Aveda on Twitter and send us the following tweet: “Hey @Afrobella, I’d like to win your @Aveda Earth Month #waterwarrior giveaway!”
I will close the contest on Tuesday and pick a winner next week.
Good luck, bellas! Happy Earth Day AND Happy Easter!
edited on Tuesday 4/26/2011 – and the comments on this giveaway are officially closed! Thanks to you all for entering, winner will be chosen by the end of the week!
Next yr my son will be taking a litterless lunch to school for Kindergarden (reusable snack bags, cloth napkin, water bottle), I have started using reusable water bottles, recycle more
Reuse and recycle daily. We also shorten our shower time and water grass a few times weekly.
I brought a tankless water heater which is conserving water buy heating the water as it is used, versus keeping a giant tank on hand for days. I also do most of my shopping vintage, and we don’t use any aerosol cans.
I’m a vegan and I’ve committed to not using products made of plastic.
I’m staying in the house today, so I won’t be contributing to the exhaust out there on the roads. Actually I never contribute because I use public transportation and walk everywhere. Also, I have all the windows open for a breeze instead of turning on the A/C and keep showers at about 5 minutes.
We recycle cans & paper (I wish we had curbside recycling here). I hang laundry out to dry, have a huge veggie garden, keep the air between 80 & 82 in the summer. I’m thinking about a rain barrel. We’re trying!!
I Follow Aveda on Twitter and tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/Mrspoofa/status/61441579814096897. Thanks
My family recycles and reuses everyday. We only use lights that are necessary, turn off water during showers, brushing teeth.
I take reusable bags to the grocery store. And I find a use for everything before it becomes trash. I reuse paper bags. And I get my coffee in my own reusable tumbler!
Using less paper products, buying reusable water bottles instead of disposable bottles of water, energy saving light bulbs, trying to potty train my little one so we don’t need diapers!
Where do I begin? I unplug any and every electronic device when it isn’t in use, I recycle anything recyclable, I utilize public transportation when traveling long distances & walk when it’s convenient. I support eco friendly companies when they are available & have recently transitioned from a pescetarian to a vegan. By limiting or abstaining from meat consumption, less of our limited resources would be consumed.
I recycle my plastic bags that I get from the grocery store to use for everything from hair wraps, trash bags and lunch bags.
Also…I’ve also made a financial contribution recently to GreenPeace to help their organization. I am committed to GreenPeace’s fight against nuclear power plants in the U.S. and throughout the world, as well other forms of energy (like coal power) which cause sickness and increased rates of cancer and pollution.
I encourage everyone to do support environmental organizations dedicated to preserving our planet. We have two oceans that are toxic and polluted (the Caribbean from oil, and now the Pacific from radioactivity), and an entire northern hemisphere. The oceans cannot dilute all the damage we do it, nor can the ecosystem. The Earth is still our planet and mother to many. We share this planet with other life forms, and have to care for it, because it’s the only home we have.
GreenPeace is sending a boat called the Rainbow Warrior to Japan to monitor radiation levels in the sea waters outside of Fukishima since the International Atomic Energy Agency, General Electric, Tokyo Electric and the U.S. Government refuses to tell us how polluted the Pacific is.
I contribute to saving our earth by reduce/reuse/and recycle. All of my family members have their water bottles that the take with them to school and work (and mine is a breast cancer water bottle!) I love eating the foods of the land, so I am a great believer in composting our natural foods to put back into the earth. As a matter of fact, today my company and I planted a tree in honor of Earth Day!
We recycle, I am TRYING to teach the kids to turn off everything behind them and not use anything if they don’t need it. We switched to water filters last year instead of bottled waters. Of course we switched all our lightbulbs over a few years ago and we try to buy all eco friendly soaps and detergents. Also, recently we started trying to download movies instead of buying them to reduce waste and packaging.
I’m late to the game, but started recycling. I’m off to @starbucks with cup in hand. Got to start somewhere.
I’m using reusable bags when i go to the grocery store today.
I recycle the newspaper when I’m done with it, I have stopped purchasing disposable water bottles, turn the lights off when I leave a room, and use reusable bags when I go grocery shopping.
We recycle everyday, and I use reusable bags when I go grocery shopping. Thanks, Davina@ Davina916@aol.com
I’ve begun recycling at home and at work. I’m also making sure that I try to purchase items that are earth friendly.
I try not to leave the water running/lights on if I’m not using it, and teach my family to do the same! I’m excited!
Someone on a blog today mentioned how shopping online increases waste, because of the packaging materials and the use of oil for deliveries, which I hadn’t thought of. So going forward if I can get it at a store, I’ll get it at a store, rather than ordering online out of laziness.
I strive to be conscientious of my carbon blueprint; that why I became vegetarian 6 months ago, use reusable grocery bags, use fluorescent light bulbs, use strictly eco-friendly household cleaners and when showering I turn the water off while lathering my body and brushing teeth…
My city does provide curbside recycling so every Tuesday I have two containers full of recyclables. I sometimes take my own bags for grocery shopping but when I forget I make sure to take the plastic bags back to my local grocery store because they have a recycling container for bags. My washer died last month and it used at least 40 gallons of water per load. So I an definitely using less water. I did some research and decided not to buy another until I can afford to get one that is energy efficient. My family eats a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables and we try to stay away from packaged processed foods.
I recycle and turn off the lights during the day
I am going to eat less meat and TRY to remember to turn the water off while I’m brushing my teeth, until I actually need it.
My family recycles, re-uses, donates clothes that don’t fit to charity to be re-used, we conserve water & electricity, we use rain barrels to water plants, we plant a vegetable garden, we compost, we pick up trash at the beach and in our neighborhood and at the park. We only run the dishwasher and our front loading washing machine with full loads. We use our compost on or garden & lawn so we do not use fertilizer.
I carpool 3 times a week, and ride a bike as much as possible. I take my own cloth bag not only to the grocery store, but to all places I purchase items.
I use stainless steel water bottles, conserve water, garden, buy local & organic foods for sustainability, turn lights off when I leave a room, recycle, and I carpool during the week. Follow you as @msmorev
Great post! I make my own eco-friendly (and inexpensive!) powder laundry detergent using four ingredients: Ivory bar soap, Borax, Washing Soda (not baking soda), and my favorite essential oil (usually sage).
The recipe for a batch is 1:1:1, and I always double the recipe. I use a cheese grater to shred two bars of Ivory soap into a bowl. Ivory works better than Dove for this because it crumbles more easily. Next, I pour the shredded soap into a plastic container with a tight lid. Finally, I add two cups of A&H Washing Soda, two cups of Mule Team Borax, and a few drops of sage essential oil to the mix. I seal the lid, shake it vigorously, and voila! — enough powder detergent to last my husband and I about 2-3 months.
We are no longer buy cases of water. We’ve purchased a water filter and everyone has their own reusable water bottle.
I work as a Home Health Aid…when I get cases within 5 miles of where I live I try to walk or ride the bus as long as weather and time permit. I like the idea of the exercise, so I’m brainstorming a way to get my hands on a bike to cut walk time by 2/3
I have given up eating meat(last 5 yrs),we all have reusable aluminum water bottles to reduce our use of plastics, we also have purchased the energy saving light bulbs. We no longer leave chargers plugged-in 24/7 to save energy
No more store bought water bottles! Installed a water filter to my kitchen sink – saving money and the planet from those plastic bottles. Also, I use my leftover cooking water from veggies and potatoes and use to water my plants – they love the nutrients. This works for coffee grounds and crushed eggshells.
I have shortened my showers, turn the faucet off while brushing my teeth, and am trying to use reusable bags at the grocery store. I also use a reusable water bottle.
I help save the planet by recycling and eating Vegan!
we have been working in our garden a lot lately
I turn off the water stream from the faucet whenever I’m not actively rinsing, including when I’m showering, brushing my teeth, washing my hands and face, etc. I always carry reusable cloth bags and I always recycle.
We recycle newspapers, plastic and glass. We donate yogurt containers to the local school. Composting is great for our garden. We just got a rain barrel so we can use rainwater to water our garden. I try to purchase sustainable materials and watch what comes into our home daily. Every little bit helps, even just carrying water in a refillable container is better than supporting companies which keep making the plastic.
I know we’re a little behind but my husband and I just started recycling this week!
We recycle EVERYTHING (including batteries and all electronics), I make my own baby wipes, and I make my own laundry detergent.
demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com
I try to eat raw vegan food as much as possible.
I follow Aveda on Twitter and tweeted about the giveaway. http://twitter.com/#!/adthomas/status/61628743466237952
I have been recycling as much as possible, and I make sure all lights/electric devices are turned off when not in use.
I keep it green by cloth diapering my 8 month old!
First of all, to save the earth I recognize that I can’t do EVERYTHING, but that doesn’t mean give up and not do ANYTHING. I use CFL bulbs, set my clothes dryer on “low” and bring bags to the grocery store.
I recycle any and everything–this includes plastic bottles (on the rare occasion when I forget my bpa-free bottle), yogurt containers, etc. I also turn down the heat at night and unplug my internet modem during the day when I am at work. Thanks for hosting the giveaway!
I am definitely recycling more
I no longer have a car and walk or ride a bike. I recycle and reuse.
The heat coming in from the Western exposure of the house was driving up our cooling costs inside.Here in Arizona it’s over 105 degrees everyday for 3 months!! We planted shade trees and put up special screens to reduce the energy use to run the air conditioners. Next, Solar Panels!!!
Hi Afrobella,
Thanks for using your site to make a positive change in the world. I recycle and reuse. I’m also carpool when I can to class.
Followed. Tweeted.
http://twitter.com/#!/ellen6112/status/61857152796606464
Being a California native, we’ve been encouraged these past few years to be mindful of our water and electric use. As such, I always turn off the lights if I’m not in the room and unplug all my appliances (save my alarm clock & microwave). With water, I use a water filter & steel water bottle, turn off water if I’m not using it; lastly, I try to walk where I can…good exercise & carbon footprint reduction. Even though I’m not in California at the moment, I still do this. Just because it’s plentiful in my area doesn’t mean it’ll be that way forever lOl.
I try to recycle as much as possible and teach other people to do so also.
I reuse, reuse, reuse. I also take my own bags to the market. I cut down on extra driving trips. Every little bit helps the environment.
I sew reusable shopping bags and re-purpose old clothing using it as fabric.
My 13 year old and I are recyclying plastics, taking our own bags to the grocery store, my son has been riding his bicycle to the store (instead of me driving him), I plan trips to drive less, cut down on energy usage, water usage, and we are purchasing more eco-friendly products. We are also reusing items and trying to repurpose items.
I recycle, take reusable shopping bags with me to the market, turn off lights when not in a room, don’t leave water running, use a water filter so I don’t buy bottled water.
felicia.431 at gmail dot com
I turn off faucets and lights, and unplug chargers & appliances when not in use; I recycle paper, bottles and cans (when I use them); I use a water filter; for Earth Day, my students and I shared things we currently do, and one thing we all promise to start doing to conserve the resources we have on this planet. The ideas they came up with to challenge each other and me were great (one of them made me promise to ask my apartment complex to start plastics recycling so I no longer have an excuse there!)
We recycle and make sure to turn off all lights when we leave the room.
I am using my Brita Filter instead of buying bottled water. It saves me money and keeps plastic out of landfills. Win, Win.
FYI–When Aveda did your twists you looked super-cute. I love when you post about getting your hair done.
We put in large tanks to collect the water off our roof and we use this water to water our gargen.
I am recycling to improve the environment.
I tweeted
@cmh627
I use cloth diapers on my baby…and I recycle!
On Earth Day 2011, my hubby and I helped my mother plant a tree and also planted one at our home. Also I started getting our children involved in recycling, they are so involved they will constantly remind me “not to through that recycleable away Mommy”. I’m so proud of them for paying much attention to help our Earth.
I’m definitely taking recycling more serious than I used to. It feels good to contribute!
I carpool with others to go to stores or anywhere for that matter. I unplug electrical items that I am not using. I do not turn on lights unless necessary.
We do several things in my house:
1. DO NOT leave the water running when washing dishes
2. Reuse any plastic bags we may get when shopping (we prefer to bring our own bags to the grocery)
3. Opt out of plastic bags whenever possible (carry the items in our hands)
4. Make sure appliances/electronics that are not is use are plugged out.
5. Use public transportation instead of driving to work.
The list goes on, but that’s all I’ll share for now
I reuse my sandwich bags as much as possible; I make my own all purpose cleaner (using vinegar); bring my own handy dandy bags when food shopping; only use public transportation
At first I wasn’t going to enter because I didn’t think I was doing anything MAJOR, but then I remembered that it’s the small things each of us does that make the difference. I no longer purchase bottled water, and use my Brita Pitcher to utilize my tap water. I no longer purchase the keurig single serve coffee’s and instead I purchased the reusable filter, and by coffee in bulk. I no longer purchase paper plates and ucups, and instead use dishes that I wash by hand. I recycle everything and post signs in the house for the kids 2remember to turn off lights and appliances, and use energy efficient light bulbs.
Every bit helps!
Shannon