Welcome to your source for beautiful, eco-friendly, low-waste and plastic-free inspiration for your home and lifestyle!

I come by my passion for environmental issues honestly. My parents both have a deep love and respect for nature and they did their best to pass that along to my brother and I. Growing up, we spent a lot of time in parks and conservation areas learning about the plants and creatures that lived there. We were the weird kids who brought reusable lunch containers and cloth napkins to school.

And while some of what they taught me definitely stuck (I’ve never stopped bringing my lunch in a reusable container), I know I could be doing much more to live in a way that helps make things just a little bit better for the planet and its future inhabitants. . And so I’ve spent the past year or so trying to become a more conscious consumer and reduce the amount of waste I contribute to landfills, and by extension, our waterways. I still have a long way to go but I’ve learned a lot and developed some great new habits in just a year. I’m excited to see what other changes I can make to reduce my carbon footprint and to share what I’ve learned so far with anyone interested in creating a beautiful, low-waste home and being more mindful about the way they live and how they spend their money.

The William Morris quote: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful,” has become a bit of a mantra for me on my journey towards the ever-elusive zero-waste lifestyle. Hence, Useful/Beautiful.

I know that my commitment to creating less waste is one tiny drop in the vast ocean it would take to reverse the damage humans have done to our planet, and I know I’ll never be a paragon of the zero waste lifestyle, but I can definitely be better than I am now. And of course, you never know what ripple effect a tiny drop in the vast ocean could have.

I’d love to hear what brought you by the blog! Are you working towards a low-waste lifestyle? Are you my proud mom? Let me know in the comments!