Wednesday 12 September 2018

A SIMPLE ACT | Dans le Sac

"We firmly believe that a simple action can make the difference!" 
-Dans le Sac

 

Imagine this: you go to the grocery store, you buy a bunch of potatoes by putting them in a plastic bag provided by the store. You bring them home and put them in your fridge in the same bag. 

No where in that scenario does it seem like you have a need for anything different, right? (Spoiler: wrong!) Necessity is often the mother of invention, but what about when "necessary" is a matter of perspective? There are a lot of terribly unsustainable things in day to day life that have become socially accepted norms, that when we're not living consciously, we may not question. Historically, it has taken a small group of people, sometimes even just one, to call us all out on our irresponsible behaviour and enact change. 

In that grocery store scenario, we're sure that many of you had the thought "What about replacing the plastic bag with a reusable alternative?" (At least we hope so!) You're not alone. There is (thankfully) a movement coming more and more alive to end our dependence on plastics and replace them with sustainable materials. 

This shift is being championed by a community that isn't so much fed up with this culture of waste as they are hoping everyone else can be persuaded to join our environmentally focused lifestyle. Owners Laurie and Stéphanie of Dans le Sac live as sustainably as possible in all aspects of their lives. So in May of 2016, they set out to launch their business and inspire positive change beyond their own homes. They started Dans le Sac to make it easier for anyone to live a zero waste lifestyle. Now, everyone can take home with them a little piece of their inspiration.

Dans le Sac is a Quebec based company focused on providing natural options for every day household items. Both the company's founders share a passion for beautiful, eco-friendly items that drove them to where they are today. Their mission is pretty simple. They want to design and locally produce beautiful products that "...respect our environment and promote a sustainable lifestyle." Every decision they make considers the environment, from the cotton they choose for their multi-functional bags down to their 100% recycled and recyclable paper packaging printed with plant-based ink. 

"We are inspired by nature and we want to preserve it." 

Taking their mission a step beyond, they designed their Merci bags from which $1 of each sale is donated to the Environnement Jeuness Organization, supporting educational programs that involve youth in waste reduction projects. They chose this particular organization to stay consistent with their values, and because they "...believe that education is the key to preserving the environment."

When asked what they thought was the easiest way to start living a conscious, ecological lifestyle, their approach is so easy anyone can do it: "Start with what feels right for you. Is it switching to eco-friendly cleaning products? Starting to compost? Could you buy in bulk or cook instead of buying pre-prepared single wrap products? All these actions can make a difference. You have to take your time but you also have to really give it a chance. You will inspire other people to do the same!" They want you to create good habits, like remembering your reusable bags to take to the store, and choosing only ecologically produced options for anything you bring into your home. If you practice mindfulness in this way, it will eventually become second nature.

Both of these amazingly creative and conscious entrepreneurs take pride in having built an eco-friendly business from the ground up, giving themselves the opportunity to choose the direction and speed of growth of the business. In the coming year, both Laurie and Stephanie will be embarking on a new chapter in their lives: motherhood. They feel lucky that the jobs they have built for themselves will allow them to balance work with the demands of starting a family. When the moment arrives, they hope to take time to connect with their little ones, although they will probably never take their business owner hats off. This new step might even inspire new products to be added to their collection!

We love that Dans le Sac not only promotes a plastic-free, zero waste life, but that it is woman created and led. We didn't have plastic at the dawn of time, and we don't need it now. Let us follow these inspiring women and those like them into a sustainable future. It will be beautiful there.

Shop Dans le Sac products online and in-store. To learn how to properly use and care for their reuseable bags, check out their helpful tips here.

Photo Credits: Dans Le Sac 

 



from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/03-sept-dans-le-sac

Wednesday 5 September 2018

READY TO GO | Living Your Full Life

We know, we're not sure how the last few months slipped away so quickly either. But here we are, on the cusp of Fall, with another summer fading behind us. Looking back, hopefully we're left with memories of time well-spent connecting with friends, family, and the great outdoors.

And if not? Dig into that a little. Why didn't you get the most out of our sunniest season? Usually, the two biggest factors blocking us from getting out there are time and money. Now, it's not easy to find stockpiles of either of those commodities, but we can change our perspective around how we can make the most of them.

If you slip into a routine like get up, exercise, go to work, come home, eat dinner, relax, got to sleep, it's easy to feel like you don't have any time to spare. Yes, the dishes need to get done and the lawn needs to be cut. Shifting when those things happen by a day isn't going to cause mad chaos. Picking one day in a week that you put a little more attention to chores could be a strategy that works for you, or spreading them out so you put 15-30 minutes a day towards that weekly To Do list might be more conducive to your schedule. Whichever it is, the point is that these things should fit around the fun, not overtake it. 

Also, what counts as a fun activity varies for all of us. Not everyone likes to be in a big group, and some people need that social interaction to recharge themselves.  Be honest about what you need and what is realistic for your lifestyle. And then push yourself a little!

Having a good time can actually be hard work. It's easier to just stay home, to say no, to focus on your chores that have to get done instead. Do your future self a favour and spend a little time prepping for the kinds of adventure you like to have to make it easier to make them happen. 

Have all your gear ready to go! Like an emergency preparedness kit but for your enjoyment of life. That is going to look different for everyone. It might be a backpack that always has swimsuits, towels, sunblock, and a change of clothes readily packed. It might be a really well organized collection of your favourite games. Or a well stocked supply of things like spreads, crackers, and platters that you can just add some fresh ingredients to if you want to host a group on a few moments' notice.

You have to manage your expectations too. The word "adventure" can hold the connotation that every time you set out to have one it has to be epic. Not true! Make it more about just getting the most out of life. That's really what it's all about. Shaking things up and being able to look back on a few more memories that brought you joy. And while yes, everyone experiences joy differently, we still think getting out once in awhile is good for everyone. You can’t really say you live a life of adventure if you never leave the house. It doesn’t have to be far. Take your dinner or your games to the park. Grab your back pack and head to the boat to watch the sunset from out on the water. 

It's no secret that our owner Jessica loves the ocean. She takes every chance she can get to be near it, out on it, enjoying it. Splitting her time between Salt Spring and Victoria, she makes an effort to visit the shorelines in and around the islands she inhabits. Taking trips to places like Darcy Island or Sidney Spit don't cost her a lot of coordination if the boat is ready to go. Even with her jam-packed schedule, she makes it a priority to get out and connect with the people and the environment that she loves. 

As the weather cools, carry this mentality into the Fall and Winter. Instead of sitting together on the couch and losing yourself to a mindless TV show every night, break out those games, or make hot chocolate and cozy up together to talk about your day and your dreams. You can still do things like get out on a boat or go for a hike if you bundle up a little!

What we're really saying, is don't miss out on living a FULL life! We promise the effort is worth it.



from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/ready-to-go-living-your-full-life

READY TO GO | Living Your Full Life

We know, we're not sure how the last few months slipped away so quickly either. But here we are, on the cusp of Fall, with another summer fading behind us. Looking back, hopefully we're left with memories of time well-spent connecting with friends, family, and the great outdoors.

And if not? Dig into that a little. Why didn't you get the most out of our sunniest season? Usually, the two biggest factors blocking us from getting out there are time and money. Now, it's not easy to find stockpiles of either of those commodities, but we can change our perspective around how we can make the most of them.

If you slip into a routine like get up, exercise, go to work, come home, eat dinner, relax, got to sleep, it's easy to feel like you don't have any time to spare. Yes, the dishes need to get done and the lawn needs to be cut. Shifting when those things happen by a day isn't going to cause mad chaos. Picking one day in a week that you put a little more attention to chores could be a strategy that works for you, or spreading them out so you put 15-30 minutes a day towards that weekly To Do list might be more conducive to your schedule. Whichever it is, the point is that these things should fit around the fun, not overtake it. 

Also, what counts as a fun activity varies for all of us. Not everyone likes to be in a big group, and some people need that social interaction to recharge themselves.  Be honest about what you need and what is realistic for your lifestyle. And then push yourself a little!

Having a good time can actually be hard work. It's easier to just stay home, to say no, to focus on your chores that have to get done instead. Do your future self a favour and spend a little time prepping for the kinds of adventure you like to have to make it easier to make them happen. 

Have all your gear ready to go! Like an emergency preparedness kit but for your enjoyment of life. That is going to look different for everyone. It might be a backpack that always has swimsuits, towels, sunblock, and a change of clothes readily packed. It might be a really well organized collection of your favourite games. Or a well stocked supply of things like spreads, crackers, and platters that you can just add some fresh ingredients to if you want to host a group on a few moments' notice.

You have to manage your expectations too. The word "adventure" can hold the connotation that every time you set out to have one it has to be epic. Not true! Make it more about just getting the most out of life. That's really what it's all about. Shaking things up and being able to look back on a few more memories that brought you joy. And while yes, everyone experiences joy differently, we still think getting out once in awhile is good for everyone. You can’t really say you live a life of adventure if you never leave the house. It doesn’t have to be far. Take your dinner or your games to the park. Grab your back pack and head to the boat to watch the sunset from out on the water. 

It's no secret that our owner Jessica loves the ocean. She takes every chance she can get to be near it, out on it, enjoying it. Splitting her time between Salt Spring and Victoria, she makes an effort to visit the shorelines in and around the islands she inhabits. Taking trips to places like Darcy Island or Sidney Spit don't cost her a lot of coordination if the boat is ready to go. Even with her jam-packed schedule, she makes it a priority to get out and connect with the people and the environment that she loves. 

As the weather cools, carry this mentality into the Fall and Winter. Instead of sitting together on the couch and losing yourself to a mindless TV show every night, break out those games, or make hot chocolate and cozy up together to talk about your day and your dreams. You can still do things like get out on a boat or go for a hike if you bundle up a little!

What we're really saying, is don't miss out on living a FULL life! We promise the effort is worth it.



from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/01-sept-fish-boat-adventure