Help us go green!

Switch to reusable bags to eliminate the waste caused by single-use plastic bags. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, Americans use 100 billion plastic bags a year. These billions of bags require 12 million barrels of oil to manufacture and also add to the plastic pollution in our oceans. Learn more here!

Go strawless when eating out. It’s estimated that over 500 million straws are used every day in the United States, most of which end up in the ocean, harming wildlife—and ultimately harming us! You can take your on-the-go earth-friendly moves a little further and keep a zero-waste kit with you! Pack a mason jar and handkerchief so you can eliminate the need for disposables. You’ll be prepared anytime you need to grab a quick drink, take home leftovers, or wipe up a spill. Don’t have a handkerchief handy? Cut up squares from old sheets to use as a reusable napkin—ideal for wiping your hands or packing up a pastry!

Ramp up your recycling efforts! Have you upped your recycling game since Young Living announced the 5×5 Pledge? We’re offering local solutions and helpful information to make it simple for YL teams to keep their waste from piling up in landfills!

Did you know that March 18 is Global Recycling Day? If you haven’t started recycling in your home, it’s a great time to start. If you’re already recycling like a pro, try amping your efforts by encouraging friends and neighbors to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Check out these tips on how you can lead your community in recycling:

Celebrate Earth Day with Young Living! Earth Day started on April 22, 1970, and is an annual reminder of our need to protect the environment. Caring for the planet is virtuous on its own, but we’re further inspired to protect the earth’s resources because we know that botanically derived solutions are better for our families. Through sustainable practices, we work hard to protect the soil, water, and air needed to produce pure essential oils and to ensure long-term ecological balance everywhere we do business.

Beyond our sustainable sourcing practices and commitment to reach for the highest environmental standards in our operations, we’re looking for more ways to help the planet, including our efforts toward zero waste as part of our 5×5 Pledge. This Earth Day we’re asking our members and employees to reduce the amount of plastic in daily use.

Reduce paper. With love of essential oils comes a natural love for the earth. Did you know that 30 million acres of our gorgeous forests are cut down for paper production each year? As you’re diffusing and using Mother Earth’s essential oils, aim for a paperless lifestyle! You can bloom where you’re planted, make a difference wherever you’re at, and start making changes today. We recommend keeping track of your family’s busy schedule on your phone, taking notes on your iPad or computer, and paying your bills online when possible. As you blossom, you can reach your go-green goals one step at a time!

As a bonus, we’ve created some fresh and floral screensavers for all your devices. They can even upload to your Apple TV with minimal energy to bring free flowers to your decor year-round. Download your favorites and backdrop your devices with earth’s botanicals!

Swap out single-use cleaners with reusable containers! It’s World Environment Day on June 5! The United Nations started World Environment Day back in the ‘70s to raise awareness on environmental issues. Last year the U.N. focused on beating plastic pollution, which is a nine-billion-ton problem.

How can we beat back plastic waste? One way is to create your own cleaners in reusable containers! When you buy a 64 oz. container of Thieves® Household Cleaner, for example, don’t toss it once it’s empty. Use it to store pre-mixed cleaners for quick spray bottle refills.

It’s also gardening season! Make it a goal to replace one of your single-use weed killer or pest spray containers with a reusable container and an essential oil blend!

Pack zero-waste lunches! One person alone generates an estimated 67 pounds of waste from lunches every year. Multiply that by all your coworkers, and the waste from your building alone adds up quickly! Here are some easy tips to prepare sustainable, zero-waste lunches.

1. Replace plastic sandwich bags with cloth or beeswax wraps.
2. Carry your food in a mason jar instead of disposable containers.
3. Drink from a reusable water bottle or thermos instead of plastic disposable bottles.
4. Bring real cutlery to work instead of using plastic forks or spoons.
5. Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones.

Let’s get packing! Reduce your footprint by making zero-waste lunches your #OneLess goal for August.

Switch to digital books or borrow from your local library! Reading is a great way to expand the mind—but 2 billion books, 359 million magazines, and 24 billion newspapers printed every year add up to a lot of paper!

By switching to digital reading, you can protect the environment and have all your favorite books at your fingertips. Another way to reduce the production of new physical books is to borrow books from your local library. Many libraries even offer access to e-book collections. You can also start your own local pop-up library where you and your neighbors can share physical copies of your books.

Young Living is already taking green action, using online services like Issuu to publish digital versions of our reading materials, including the 2019 Product Guide and the latest issue of The Essential Edge . Another benefit to digital copies is they’re easier to share with others. Make sure you send your friends links to these and our many other publications to let them know what’s going on at Young Living.
If you have print copies of Young Living publications, remember that magazine paper is recyclable or see if you can donate them to your local library!