Cleaning Set From By Matter

This is the most amazing scented carbon negative cleaning line. I have been trying to keep things extremely simple when it comes to our cleaning in the house and I cannot recommend these items enough. I have been committed to all natural and plant based cleaning so this takes it to the next level and truly smells amazing. These are great items to include in a round up for a summer clean that reflects the beauty of the garden using ingredients like lavender and eucalyptus.

Daughters Of Gaea Pillows

These pillows have been an incredible addition to brighten up our home this summer!

Feldspar Vases

In terms of flowers, I cannot get enough of them when they are fresh in the summer. These Feldspar vases have been my go tos!

Color Co Blinds

I am a big lover of natural light and these blinds have been amazing for keeping a bit of sunshine in but not total darkness. I love Color Co because their products are made of bamboo and other sustainable materials so we can get the aesthetic and cooling effect of keeping the sun out without any plastic or other unsustainable materials being used. 

For a special 10% off for our community feel free to use the code reveenvert10% and shop them HERE! 

An Armadillo Jute Rug

In terms of keeping things light yet cozy when it comes to our floors, I have been such a huge fan of Armadillo’s sustainable jute rugs. They use artisanal production and all natural materials in their handmade rugs.

Explore the whole Armadillo range HERE! 

Casa Parini Hemp Sheets

I am obsessed with these organic hemp sheets, and much as I said about mattresses I do consider the materials I am sleeping on every night. This line is amazing and perfect for keeping you cool natural on hot summer nights.

Follow along the day to day journey @corahilts on instagram! 

We started this Spring to sit back and watch the results of allowing nature to do it’s thing, and the results have been more amazing than we could have imagined. 

So why is this a good idea in terms of sustainability?

1.Food for Bees. 

Well first of all let’s start with our pollinators – bees are intrinsic to food production and life as we know it. However, bees are now facing catastrophic declines. In North America, nearly one in four native bee species is imperiled, according to the Center for Biological Diversity, partly because of habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change and urbanization. Lawns typically provide poor habitat for bees. But if allowed to flower, lawn weeds — perhaps better characterized as plants other than grass — can provide rare spring food for bees emerging from hibernation. (NY Times).

2. Supports biodiversity

We are losing biodiversity and species at an amazing rate, and whilst we often look towards more mainstream and large animals, we also need to look at smaller species and organisms as all being intrinsic to the working of nature and planetary health. “Many different groups are important for providing essential ecosystem services. In order for nature to continue ‘working’ reliably for us, we therefore need to protect biodiversity at all levels in the food chain, including in often overlooked groups such as microbes or insects,” says co-author Eric Allan, an ecologist at Germany’s University of Bern. The wonderful thing about our meadow has been seeing the amazing amount of insects, birds, butterflies, etc. come back to it. Even foxes and eagles now come to the meadow to feed. Just our small plot has become a haven for biodiversity and shown us just how powerful a difference we can make just as one couple with one home.

3. Avoids fuel for mowers and water during droughts. 

As MNN’s Starre Vartan wrote last year, about 40.5 million acres of lawns exist in the U.S. alone, which is more than double the size of the country’s largest national forest. Mowing a lawn takes time and money, both for buying a mower and then keeping it fueled. Many lawns also need to be irrigated, which can tax water supplies during droughts. Synthetic fertilizers and herbicides wash into local watersheds, potentially causing even bigger problems downstream. And on top of all that, a patch of clipped, homogenous grass does not support very much biodiversity. Leaving even a half or a quarter of your lawn to flower could make a huge dent on your environmental impact as a homeowner. 

There are so many other reasons we have loved doing this – it looks beautiful, it looks natural, and every day we seem to discover some new native flower popping up that delights us. But if you are feeling hesitant still, this is one of my favorite quotes from organic gardener Alys Fowler on how wonderful it could be:  “Your lawn is already a wildflower meadow – every inch of soil is waiting for its moment to burst forth. Those weeds are some of the best insect food, growing despite the weather, endlessly repeat blooming, rich in nectar and pollen. A seed bank is already there – it might even contain orchids. Oh, and perhaps plenty of moss, essential stuff for nests and nature of all sorts.”

Also, please remember that you do not need acres and acres of countryside to rewild or plant a bit of meadow! When we lived in London we had a tiny patch of outdoor space and I planted native flowers in planters, and did a seed bomb day around Hackney (see Lily Kwong’s Freedom Gardens account for inspiration here – https://www.instagram.com/freedom_gardens/ ).

Everyone can make a difference with just a few seeds so please remember that!

Follow along the day to day journey @corahilts on instagram! 

So first of all, the issue with conventional paints.

I have been educating myself on the health and environmental issues around the toxicity of conventional house paints. Some of the ingredients we find in paints are just horrible. Benzene, for example, is an established carcinogen that turns up in some paints, particularly oil-based paints. As with other carcinogens, it’s likely people mostly have to worry about long-term or very high amounts of benzene exposure. But spending time in a poorly ventilated and newly painted room could expose people to elevated benzene levels, the ACS states, and this is just an example of a type of VOC that you find in paint.

VOCs can cause a number of short-term health problems, from headaches and dizziness to a runny nose and itchy eyes. Some VOCs may also cause nervous system and organ damage, according to the American Lung Association. Maternal exposure to some VOCs found in paint may raise the risk for low birth weight, which in turn is associated with an increased risk for delayed development or learning disabilities.

The Green Guard Certified Paint Companies we are using at our house.

Clare

This is a favourite for me in the States as the colours are so perfect, particularly their neutrals. Clare’s water-based interior paints and colorants are zero VOC which means they’re formulated without the toxic carbon-based solvents found in other paints. Their paints are green guard certified, which meets the world’s most stringent chemical emissions standards, ensuring fewer pollutants and healthier indoor air quality. Plus, this is an amazing black owned and female business to support!

We went for Timeless in our bedroom, with matching trim and I could not be happier with this creamy, deep white. For our guest room we chose On Point which is the most perfect not beige, beige that goes very well with our sustainable bamboo blinds from Color Co (more on that later!) and our vintage rug from my great grandmother. Shop them here! 

Backdrop

This is such a fun company to use – they make choosing paints super easy and the website is great to explore. All their paints are green wise certified, low VOC and low odor. Their innovative paint cans with a screw lid also make it very easy to stop painting and start again, ensuring very little waste or drying out.

They have been carbon neutral as a company from 2020 and have partnered with The International Rescue Committee, a non-profit responding to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helping people whose lives and livelihoods have been shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their futures. When you buy from Backdrop, you’re also supporting families who’ve been displaced from their homes involuntarily at a time when the world truly needs it the most. 

We went with Harvest Moon in our living room and dining room, which is the most beautiful warm white. We also chose Mojave Gathering for our den, which was the sage green I had been dreaming of brought to life!

If you are outside of the States, I have found that Palette is a European based company I wish I could use! They are no VOC and have the most beautiful pastels colours!

For anyone in the UK specifically, I would also recommend COAT paints which are sustainably made in the UK and are doing incredible things with sustainability. 

Follow along the day to day journey @corahilts on instagram! 

Merci To Our Sponsors For This Episode!

AIZOME crafts luxuriously soft, healthy bedding, made entirely from plants. Using the magic of sound (ultrasound, that is) AIZOME has revived the lost art of plant dye for a modern, global market. Infusing 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton with the pigment and properties of ancient medicinal herbs to create the naturally antibacterial, hypoallergenic, skin-soothing sheets that are durable, colorfast, and free from all synthetics and toxins, from seed to sheet.

Michel and his partner (and AIZOME co-founder) Misa first began to ask questions about the true nature of textile dye after Michel’s mother, bedridden with cancer, developed a painful reaction to the synthetic dyes in her bed sheets. Inspired by ancient Japanese craftsmanship and holistic wisdom, AIZOME’s patent pending technology enables them to produce uncompromisingly healthy, consciously sustainable textile. Which has been recognized by the National Eczema Association as an innovative product. Bringing benefit and improving quality of life for individuals suffering from eczema and sensitive skin. But considering we spend 1/3 of our lives in bed and the textile industry is one of the most polluting in the world, these silky soft sheets, free from petrochemicals, toxins, and allergens, offer deeply nourishing, worry free sleep for anyone looking to support their health and lessen their impact.

Read more about AIZOME’s inspirational story here.

Receive 10% off AIZOME with code – ‘AIZOMESLEEP’

About Jesse

Jesse is the Director of Land Stewardship and is guiding the development of the Jalama Canyon Ranch as well as working with local and global leaders to broaden and deepen the positive impact of regenerative agriculture on our soil, our health, and our communities. His passion and expertise in agricultural system design and community engagement are a cornerstone of our strategy to achieve a systemic shift towards a regenerative food economy and ecology.

Introducing Charles Dowding

Charles Dowding has been gardening for nearly 40 years and is a beloved expert in the field in Great Britain. His influence though now stretches across the globe, including a strong presence on social media, several books, and appearances on the BBC amongst other news outlets.

Charles grew up on a dairy farm, but during his college years, he read a book by Australian philosopher, Peter Singer, which inspired him to become a vegetarian and led him to think differently about all the food we consume. So when he began to develop his 1.5 acre landscape shortly after graduating from Cambridge University, his principles of appreciating all forms of life extended into the garden there too.

He’s now renowned for his no-dig, organic gardening methods. It’s a method he teaches and continues to put to the test season after season with incredible results. He has inspired both young and old to take up farming.

This is a really amazing conversation with someone who has years of experience and knowledge of the way things currently work, and true thoughtfulness about the way they should work differently when it comes to food systems. Charles Dowding is passionate, considered and inspiring and I hope this podcast inspires everyone who hears it to try and support their organic farmers, or even try their hands at it themselves!

I have spent many years sleeping on mattresses that I knew probably weren’t made of natural materials…not really wanting to know too much, I avoided looking too deeply into the issues around the making of conventional mattresses. But when it was time to invest in a bed for my husband and I that we would sleep in for many years, I finally did the research about why an organic or natural mattress was so important. I was shocked by some of the information I found and wanted to share with you all so hopefully we can begin to make more informed decisions about what we are sleeping on night after night!

Looking at Walter Bader’s book, Sleep Safe in a Toxic World, and the Avocado website on why an organic mattress is so important, I was literally kept up at night thinking about what we are all sleeping on. EPA research shows indoor air is 5 times more polluted than outside air. That’s because most mattresses are made with petroleum-based polyurethane foams and memory foams. 

One term that frequently pops up in discussions of mattresses and chemicals is “off-gassing.” This is the phenomenon that occurs when a mattress and its associated materials release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. These VOCs can include formaldehyde, toluene, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), benzene, trichloroethane, and perfluorocarbons, though each mattress is different and may release different chemicals. This happens when you open a mattress that has been vacuum packed and then releases a lot of the things it’s been made with as it expands. This phase can be the most toxic, but still these things can exist post expansion. There is not a huge amount of research on long term effects of sleeping on these chemicals, but some research has shown that continual exposure to VOCs could potentially lead to increased risk of cancer, nervous system damage, and liver or kidney damage.

We also need to talk about the foam that is in so many mattresses today. Propylene oxide and TDI (Toluene Diisocyanate) are chemicals used to create polyurethane foam and memory foam, which are very popular mattress materials. Unfortunately, they are also responsible for a large amount of off-gassing of the aforementioned VOCs. The CDC has announced that both propylene oxide and TDI are associated with increased tumor risk in mice and rats. And whilst not enough research again has been done for human beings, I think it’s safe to say we likely want to avoid sleeping on foam made from chemicals. 

Another issue is flame retardants, which ironically were created to prevent the extremely flammable foam fillings from easily catching on fire.Halogenated Flame Retardants (HFRs) are commonly used fire retardant chemicals found in mattresses. HFRs have been linked to a raft of health concerns, including : 

• Abnormal reproductive development and delayed puberty
• Neurobehavioral changes, damage to brain and nerve function
• Thyroid disruption
• Cancer

I think that gives a good idea of why we need to avoid toxicity in mattresses…and I haven’t even gone into the fact that creating mattresses made with all these chemicals has a huge environmental impact. And you can imagine what landfill looks like as it’s choked with 7 MILLION mattresses being thrown away EACH YEAR IN THE UK ALONE.

So now for the good news – there are amazing brands out there that are making mattresses that are incredible to sleep on and full of only good stuff. I have partnered up with Avocado Green Brands to talk about some of what they are offering as alternatives to synthetic and chemical based mattresses.

As they say, “A real non-toxic mattress will use natural materials, be certified organic by the Global Organic Textile Standard, and have third-party certifications that screen and test for the presence of known toxic chemicals and unsafe chemical emissions. A non-toxic mattress will never use polyurethane foams, memory foams, flame retardants, or fire socks, and will be needle-tufted rather than glued.”

I always feel that certification is a great tool to make sure you know that mattresses aren’t greenwashing when it comes to what they are made with. MADE SAFE® is the first comprehensive human health and ecosystem-focused certification for non-toxic products, to include mattresses and bedding. The MADE SAFE® certification is the highest bar in the industry, screening against 6,500 known and suspected harmful chemicals. Avocado is one of only three mattress brands in the world to achieve the MADE SAFE® non-toxic seal.

It’s such a pleasure to be able to go to sleep knowing I am lying on organic cotton and wool and nothing else. I can truly say I am now getting the best sleep of my life!  If you are feeling inspired to try one for yourself, you can use the code CORAHILTS125 to get $125 off any size Green or Vegan Green Mattress for yourself at Avocado!

Follow along the day to day journey @corahilts on instagram! 

An Armadillo Rug. We are in the midst of pulling up old, toxic carpeting to lay down reclaimed wood floors that are reminiscent of the same wood floors that would have been here when the farm was built in the 1850s. So we are needing a lot of beautiful and sustainable rugs to lay down! My favourite new find for this is Armadillo, who use artisanal production and all natural materials in their handmade rugs. My pick is the Agra in Artichoke.

Avocado Mattress. I am learning more and more about the hidden toxic substances in a conventional mattress, and given how many hours we spend in bed I can’t stress enough that we should all be trying to sleep on organic mattresses. Avocado Green Brands are our favorite find thus far!

Casa Parini Sheets. I am obsessed with these organic hemp sheets, and much as I said about mattresses I do consider the materials I am sleeping on every night. This line is amazing and make sure you are signed up to our exclusive launch with them here.

Clare Paint. If you are looking for a paint company that is low VOC, green guard certified and independently female owned then look no further! This paint line has been so much fun to work with and they do the most perfect whites and creams, as well as gorgeous bold colours for those of you who aren’t the minimalists we are!

Forestry Wool Blanket. I was so pleased to get these incredibly warm and cozy ethical wool blankets ahead of a snowstorm in Maine that I can’t help but want a few more! Made with OEKO-TEX wool and designed from the founder’s artistic studio in the Netherlands, these are beautiful investment accessories for any home.

Color & Co Blinds. Blinds may not come to mind as being the sexiest Valentine’s Day purchase but when you live very close to your parents they can come in handy! We were on the search for a sustainable blind and then were so incredibly pleased to find some from Sandinavia which is home to so much of our design inspiration! Color & Co use sustainably sourced, easily renewable bamboo which is so much nicer than the plastic blinds are normally made from.

Huey Sconce. We have been looking for a sconce for our upstairs hallway and I learned about Huey Light from Bess who we had featured on REV recently as a fellow Maine resident (link to her piece). Teh designer Bret’s pieces are all hand made from natural materials and have a classic design that works so well for our old New England farmhouse.

Baina Towels. I have loved these towels since they first came into our Rêve En Vert studio in London. First and foremost they are organic, made in Europe to last (we have had a few towels that simply disintegrate after a couple of months), and independently owned by two friends from New Zealand. The Roman towels in red are a fun way to colour up any bathroom or take down to our beach!

Follow along the day to day journey @corahilts on instagram! 

So Let Me Start Off With Some Of The Benefits Of Hemp When It Comes To Textile Usage:

Hemp can be cultivated in practically every environment, from New York to California. The hardy plants are pest-resistant so there’s no need for pesticides and herbicides, mature within months, and can produce additional crops, year after year.

There’s also a long list of ways that it can help the planet — because hemp can be grown locally, there’s less of a need to import it from far distances. Hemp seeds are a nutrient-rich source of food, containing high-quality plant-based protein and essential omega-3 fatty acids. There’s also CBD oil — aka cannabidiol — the non-psychoactive component of the hemp plant that can address a growing list of health concerns, from chronic pain to anxiety and insomnia.

Hemp as a crop is more sustainable than cotton and other conventional crops used to create fabrics and other materials that can create waste. Hemp is a non-water intensive crop meaning it doesn’t need a lot of water to grow. This saves more water in the long run. It also grows very fast, growing from seed to plant in 90 – 120 days. In comparison, cotton takes around 160 days from seed to plant. Hemp also produces more per acre than cotton. Per acre hemp produces 250% more fibre than cotton.

It can also combat climate change: the hemp plant is ideal for nourishing nutrient-depleted soil and reversing the effects of erosion, making it ideal for crop rotation. Using a process called phyto-remediation, hemp was used at Chernobyl to harmlessly extract toxins and pollutants from the soil and groundwater. Hemp actually absorbs CO2 while it grows through natural photosynthesis, making it carbon-negative from the get-go.

And Now On To Our Collaboration With Casa Parini:

Casa Parini was started by a young woman named Viola Stancati who wanted to make a difference in the world of bedding. When we think about our sheets, we are spending upwards of 8 hours a night in them when we are getting good night sleep, and our skin, the largest organ in our body, is in constant contact with the fibres and dyes. When we sleep in sheets that have been produced using pesticide laden cotton, or polyester blends made from petroleum, we are putting that directly on our skin for hours and hours a week.

Casa Parini is different in that it’s natural, totally plant based bedding you can feel wonderful about sleeping in. They only use 100% organic hemp, one of the world’s most eco-friendly crops. Soft and breathable, Casa Parini’s sheets and pillowcases are cut by hand and tailored by the seamstresses of Colori Vivi, a social enterprise that employs women migrants and refugees in the city of Turin. As we are always on the lookout for brands that look at human as well as environmental impact, I was so happy to find that Viola has carefully considered who she could best support in terms of employment when it came to producing Casa Parini.

Conclusion:

I am so excited to have an exclusive launch with Casa Parini as we embark on curating more of a selection of sustainable home items. It has been a huge pleasure engaging with this beautiful line, and I have never seen a more beautiful bedspread! Also I can say with confidence that these sheets are as soft as cotton and as breathable as linen so don’t be fooled by ideas of scratchy hemp. My husband and I have never slept so well!

Follow along the day to day journey @corahilts on instagram!