Who We Are In a world where we can order groceries online, google any questions we have, and where we live fairly disconnected from our natural selves; it is more important than ever that we be mindful in our daily decisions. We are here to inspire and guide our community to making more eco-conscious, healthier life decisions! The Green Living Blog is here to be your trusted source - think of us as your sidekick on your quest to sustainable living. Elay Products’ Green Living Blog is your go-to destination for all things green- from living an eco-friendly lifestyle, to discovering more about environmental science, to trying new scrumptious recipes to share with loved ones or keep all to yourself (sometimes they’re just that good)! Going green may not always be as easy as it seems. In my own eco-conscious journey I noticed how much I was looking up topics I had no prior knowledge about, scouring the web for the most reliable and wholesome information, bouncing from site to site. The team at Elay Products (myself- Christina and my partner Tan) wanted to provide a single consolidated platform for our readers to not only help educate, but to share with us your personal journeys! Whether that be sharing your favorite environmentally friendly shampoo, the way you were able to start composting in your own garden or that new vegan recipe you tried- we want to hear about it. It truly does take a village to enact change and we hope you’ll join us in our mission. Whether it is reading our articles, submitting your favorite recipes, or teaching us about your favorite local eco-conscious brands, this is a blog for the people. We are here as a community to inspire, learn, and take action! If you’re like me, you may not be able to take huge actions every day to help the environment, but you sure can make simple changes within your routine and it feels so so good to do it. Something simple like turning off your water more may seem like an easy feat with little impact, but if thousands of people are doing the same, that has a huge impact. Small acts together, create big change! So let’s spread some of that love for our planet, for our health and for our lifestyles with our neighbors, families, and friends. We believe that the more you know, the more you grow. There is a ton of jargon and fancy phrases that people get caught up in when talking about the environment. We are here to break it down for you. As my mom always says, knowledge is power and no real change starts without it. The Green Living Blog strongly believe in providing only factual and accurate information because who wants to read something and not be sure of its credibility? This means that any research cited and/or quoted in our posts have been verified for using sound and valid research methodology and have been peer-reviewed. We do not post articles based on conjecture or unverified theories. Any opinion pieces (mostly relevant to our Lifestyle and Recipe Blogs) are clearly marked and stated as such. We as a community are ever-evolving and changing- we have to keep up with the times and continue discovering more.  Blog Schedule: Lifestyle, Science and Recipes Every Tuesday, come to the Green Living Blog to read about trending news in science, interesting facts, and scientific articles. We're here to help you learn about the science behind the environment, climate change, sustainability, and to help you catch up on the latest research and trends. Whether you're looking for a quick read article or you'd like more in-depth information- we've got it all right here! With this blog's resources and information about Earth Sciences- Environmental Science, Ecology, Climate Science, Materials and Sustainability, you'll have the resources you need to make informed decisions. In the modern day and age, it is easy to make uninformed purchasing decisions with large corporations, online shopping and mass production- I’m guilty as ever of seeing a sponsored ad and wanting to buy it immediately! The Green Living Blog is here to support and inspire you to shop local, discover what is in your foods, and learn the science about the tableware and products you use. As easy as it is to order online from your favorite large company, it is far more fulfilling to support your local small business down the street! We must be the ones who protect our planet and communities.  Next, tune in on Thursdays for all the latest and greatest lifestyle hacks! Whether you are a pro at the zero-waste lifestyle or just getting started on your sustainable journey, this will be your guide to going green. Curious about what it means to go green, how to start composting, ways to improve your energy costs- look no further. We know that life can get pretty crazy and we get caught going through the motions- we are here to help make those simple decisions even easier. It can be something as simple as using less water throughout your day to learn about the benefits of solar panels. Lifestyle changes happen when small or large changes are consistently being made- I know, it’s hard holding yourself accountable. But remember how great it feels!  Lastly come back at the end of your week (every Friday) to check out the latest and greatest recipes of 2020 - well, at least the recipes we've had the chance to try out in 2020. Here at Élay, we love our food just as much as the next person. One of the most magical parts of creating a meal is sharing it and that is why we created this particular blog. Whether you share these recipes with the people you eat with or pass this recipe onwards, we are thrilled to share our meals with all of you! One thing at The Green Living Blog we are conscious of is being customizable to our community's needs. So whether you are trying out Keto, have been Paleo for six years, are Vegan, Vegetarian or an all-foods lover; we have the recipes for you! Your experience at the table goes far beyond just the food you eat- it is where you source your food from, the journey of creating the meal, the people you share it with, and of course the plates you share it on! Brought to you by Elay Products You may be wondering at this point who and where this blog came from! For the who- that’s me, Christina Lalor. I’m one of the co-founders of Elay Products- a small sustainable company my partner Tan Madhavan and I began. I grew up in San Francisco, moved to Indiana for two years (where Tan and I met) and now live in the beautiful, rainy city of Seattle! There are few things I love more than my two German Shepherds, rock climbing, and spending time with family and friends. As for Tan, she’s more of a cat person but that hasn’t deterred our partnership yet. She and her cat, Mrs. SkittleKat, live in Bloomington, Indiana where Tan loves cooking up some spicy home cooked meals and enjoying delicious adult beverages to help combat the cold Midwest winters. Tan and I combined our passions, resources and brains to create Elay- a company in line with our values and with the opportunity to create impactful changes. You can read more about the company further into this post, but for now, let’s focus on what you came here for - The Green Living Blog! So how did The Green Living Blog come to be? As I mentioned earlier, it is brought to you by Elay Products. Tan and myself had a vision for change and an opportunity to market and distribute the best alternative disposable tableware there is. It’s not just our values that make Elay so wholesome, it is our actual product! Élay (pronounced "el- ay") means “leaf” and that’s exactly what our products are made of! From dinner plates and bowls to containers and to-go boxes, all our products are made from heat-pressed Areca Palm leaves. Not only do we want you to know about how amazing our disposable tableware is, we want you to know who we are, what we stand for and hopefully help inspire you to live a more green life which is why we created our Green Living Blog! We believe business is one’s greatest platform for change - to drive sustainability, provide safe products, and give our community responsibly sourced products and information!  Unlike bamboo, paper or plastics - our Palm Products are zero-waste, 100% compostable, biodegradable, made from a renewable resource and are even heat and cold resistant. So yes, go ahead and store that extra ice cream in your palm leaf to-go box, it’ll be just as good as new when you are ready for that midnight snack. Our personal values of being sustainable, safe and responsible convey themselves in every aspect of our business.
The most amazing part of our products is how environmentally friendly and sustainable the production process is. As long as the Areca Palm Tree lives and grows, we have a product! Unlike bamboo, we do not cut down any part of the tree. Instead, the leaf sheaths naturally shed and fall to the ground about 4 -6 times a year; depending on the age of the tree, environment, size of the leaf sheath and other factors. Our farmers, many of whom are women, then collect these beautiful, thick and durable leaf sheaths. They are so strong, local children even use them as sleds to play around with. The sheaths are then hydropower washed for sanitation purposes- ensuring there are absolutely zero added chemicals, additives or dyes. That water is then repurposed throughout the farm via irrigation canals for other uses- how cool! Our farmers then heat press the leafs into customizable molds- making a once fallen leaf that otherwise might have been burnt up as biomass, into quality-standard tableware! Don’t worry- the parts of the leaf that are not used are still put to great use. With some added water to make the leaves more pliable, they provide a perfect fodder for the farm cattle. You can learn more here about the journey of the leaf from the palm tree to the palm of your hand! With the whirlwind of a year that we have had, the safety of our products and customers is our top priority! We ensure quality-standard, safe and sanitized products. There are zero toxins, added chemicals, melamine or any other dyes or additives in our product. Unlike bamboo, plastics or paper alternatives that contain many toxins, our products are safe for you and your loved ones (yup, even your cat or dog). I caught my dog chewing on one of our plates as a toy the other day - they’re just that durable and pet friendly! As business owners and citizens of the Earth, it is our responsibility to not only provide accurate and educational information to our customers, but to ensure every choice and decision we make is made responsibly and for the benefit of our community and planet. From ensuring Fair Trade to helping employ women in southern communities in India, we are making an impact! It is our duty to be diligent in our decisions when considering who and where we source from, how we produce our products and how they get from our manufacturing estate in India to your dinner table! This Green Living Blog is not only going to be our own personal guide, but a factually informative space with fun tricks and tips to improve the state of your lifestyle. According to Co-Op America, “48% of U.S. consumers are ready to change their consumption habits to save the environment,” we hope we can inspire more! P.S. Have a topic you are specifically curious about, email us at clalor@elayproducts.com and we will answer any questions you have by directing you to a past post or writing a specific post just to answer your question!
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