Every year we celebrate Earth Day on April 22, but there are many daily efforts we can participate in year-round to promote more sustainable, Earth-saving behaviors. It can often feel like an impossible and heavy burden to make instant changes and to save the Earth right this moment. Just as in transitioning personal habits towards using healthier, cleaner products or food takes time, so do our efforts in contributing to a healthier Earth.

Transitioning into a natural lifestyle can be overwhelming. There are so many places to begin that it can all quickly seem like to much. Throughout my life I’ve always strived to choose natural options but several years ago following the birth of my second daughter, my family and I chose to 100% commit to living natural and eco-friendly. In order to do this it was necessary to start small and focus on things we could change easily.

These days, it just makes sense to try to take some steps towards living a more organic lifestyle with natural products. My family has asthma, so we’re always looking for cleaner options, such as natural cleaning products, etc. Today I’m sharing some Tips To Get You Started on Living a More Organic Lifestyle, such as using Tom’s of Maine® products for a natural toothpaste and deodorant option. I love the convenience of picking them up at my local Whole Foods Market!

Karen Neder wants your squeezed-out toothpaste tubes, your used-up glue sticks, and your old water filters. By pick-up, drive-by or drop off, she’ll take it all. The magic in Neder’s alchemy is TerraCycle, a company that collects, reuses, upcycles and recycles hard-to-recycle waste. Founded in 2001, the company's website says it operates in more than 20 countries to recycle billions of pieces of waste through various means.

From cigarette buts to flip-flops, Tom Szaky of TerraCycle believes everything can be recyclable. In Tom Szaky’s vision of the new economy, nothing is garbage. Not cigarette butts. Not dirty diapers. Not even used tampons.

In Tom Szaky’s vision of the new economy, nothing is garbage. Not cigarette butts. Not dirty diapers. Not even used tampons.

Karen Neder wants your squeezed-out toothpaste tubes, your used-up glue sticks, and your old water filters. By pick-up, drive-by or drop off, she’ll take it all. Neder, of Rock Island, has been collecting what most would consider to be garbage from the bathroom, office and kitchen, and turning it into cash to support Blessed Beginnings Preschool at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1330 13th St., Moline. Neder says that with help from the Trinity Lutheran congregation, the collection efforts have raised more than $800 for the preschool and diverted 1,000 pounds of potential waste from landfills since 2014.

I’ve been using Tom’s of Maine products for over five years now. This was one of the first brands that I discovered when I was transitioning over to more natural products. I love that they are affordable and available everywhere! They emerged back 47 years ago to create a trusted personal care and oral care brand that is made with no artificial colors, fragrances, preservatives or flavors.

Natural toothpaste and whiter teeth don’t always go hand-in-hand. Does that mean we have to use toothpaste with chemicals or put up with a dingy smile? Not anymore. Tom’s of Maine® just introduced a new whitening toothpaste and it’s dazzling.

You know we’re a Tom’s of Maine family, right? Both kids use Tom’s of Maine® Silly Strawberry™ Toothpaste, and Cassidy and I use Tom’s of Maine® Luminous White™ Toothpaste Spearmint because I LOVE spearmint. It both calms me and energizes me, and you need both of those qualities in a toothpaste – considering that we brush our teeth at least twice a day. Why am I telling you this? It’s because it fits right into our recent theme of transitioning from summer to school modes. Feel ready?