Austin
Sustainable Fireworks for 4th of July
Sunshine, barbecue, and fireworks. Every American knows that these 3 elements are fundamental for a bonafide 4th of July. For those who are keen to the hazards of fireworks, however, this perfect American formula may lose some of its wholesome charm…but be not disappointed! Safe, non-toxic alternatives can serve as worthy substitutes to help celebrate our Independence…
Read MoreCompost Pedallers: Local, Green, & On the Go!
Any resident of the greater Austin area is bound to have driven past a unique yard sign by now — an “I [heart] Compost” logo with a chewed-out apple core substituting for the heart. Who is responsible for these mysteriously clever signs, you ask? The answer is a source of pride for our environmentally inclined…
Read MoreThe Summer of Seedlings
If you’re like the majority of Austinites, you’re probably a wannabe urban gardner stuck in a tiny rental space with an even tinier (if not nonexistent) yard in which to nurture your green thumb. Luckily our urban ancestors were clever enough to invent simple and sustainable tricks to work around the plights of indoor gardening, creating…
Read More100% Natural Sugar Ant Repellent
During this awkward, semi-annual Transition of the Seasons (Spring/Summer edition), the weather in the great state of Texas oftentimes finds itself straddling crisp breezes and suffocating humidity. Along with this infamous fluctuation in temperature comes the reawakening of our infamous summertime pests: house and fruit flies, June bugs, mosquitoes, and cicadas just to name a few. But one…
Read MoreDefining the Paleo Diet
It goes by many names- Paleolithic, Caveman, Primal -and yet the Paleo Diet still remains somewhat of a mystery after several years of national popularity. Whether or not you’ve embraced, rejected, or shrugged off this trendy lifestyle choice, it certainly is a difficult phenomenon to ignore…as well as define! It’s time we finally nail down the…
Read MoreAustin Earth Day Festival 2016
With its reputation for being an eco-minded city that nurtures a passion for the environment, Austin couldn’t resist throwing our planet a party and celebrate eco-awareness with the 2016 Austin Earth Day Festival!
Read MoreYour Guide to Local Health-Based Grocers
We all get stuck in grocery ruts from time to time — driving to the same ol’ national store chain, complacently tossing questionable food products in the cart, tediously pushing past the brightly colored displays of bagged sugar and pre-processed meals. While shopping familiar may be comfortable, why not do your body a favor and zest up…
Read More6 Things That DON’T Belong in the Recycling
A vital part of our job at the Purple Fig involves bagging, carrying, and curbing pounds of our clients’ trash and recycling each and every day. Among the cornucopia of properly segregated wrappers, old food, and empty La Croix cans, however, there’s always a handful of non-recyclable items (known as “contaminants”) that are consistently tossed in the big blue…
Read MoreThe Whole Foods Labeling Debate
Sloughing through the grocery aisle is difficult enough these days, with labels like “non-GMO”, “organic”, and “USDA approved” stamped- oftentimes recklessly, as with the case of the misleading “all-natural” sticker -above rows of both produce and dry foods alike. While a superior diet inarguably consists of 100% organic food, Whole Foods Market’s recent announcement of their entirely new…
Read MoreFine Dining for You (and Your Valentine)
Be you single, newly coupled, or in a relationship, Austin’s decadent and delicious healthy dining does not discriminate! We at the Purple Fig understand how overwhelming this city’s restaurant variety can be, so we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of organic, vegan, locally sourced, gluten-free, and overall health-conscious brick and mortars guaranteed to leave an impression on you…
Read MoreThe Austin Recycle Games!
A 2015 independent study revealed that one Texas city haphazardly tosses away 46% compostable material and 44% recyclable material into its local landfill, leaving room for a meager 10% of actual landfill garbage and unwittingly throwing away an estimated $4.7 million in recyclables. That city, ladies and gentleman, is Austin, Texas.
Read MoreHandmade Lotions for Happy Skin
Anyone who has lived in South Texas for more than a year knows that snow is a rare miracle during our wintertime season. Dry, cracked skin, however? A Christmas-time regular. Instead of spending oodles of money on factory-made lotions and scrubs injected with artificial ingredients, hydrate your skin the way it was meant to be pampered…
Read MoreNature’s Secret to Allergy Relief
The arrival of Fall usually results in a period of annual confusion for us in Texas: on the one hand, the summer heat flickers out to a cooler autumn breeze, a considerable amount of pumpkins go on display in neighborhood yards, and excited whispers of turkey (and football) fill the air; on the other hand,…
Read MoreThe Recycling Handbook
While banning plastic bags in grocery stores may seem like a useless and inconvenient policy in the short run, take a moment to consider how many plastic bags you’ve seen floating around street corners and tangled in tree branches. About 2 million plastic bags are used every day around the world…each of them made from a…
Read MoreGreen Supplies for the New School Year
Whether it’s rushing to eat their breakfast, hurrying to cram for that quiz, or asking for help with their math homework…it is officially that time again! With school almost in session and supply shopping in full swing, it can be tempting to turn a blind eye towards environmentally friendly and health conscious supplies in order…
Read MoreTrash, Recycling, & Waste: The Disposal Guide
We’ve all been there: standing in front of our garbage cans, holding some unusual item that may…or may not?…be disposable, recyclable, compostable, or- unbeknownst to you -classified as hazardous household waste. The world’s landfills are already overburdened with wasted food and irresponsibly discarded scrap, so in order to reduce carbon footprints around the nation, The…
Read MoreGreen Gear for the Great Outdoors
Summer is officially in full swing, beckoning us out of our homes and into the splendor of the wilderness! While many assume that they must compromise their eco-integrity in order to enjoy an outdoor hobby, activities like running, hiking, swimming, and camping can now be easily enhanced with environmentally conscious equipment and apparel. Keep your body (and the…
Read MoreA Salute to America’s Greenest Hotspots
As unique of a city as Austin is, it only takes up a tiny corner of the map when it comes to the rest of this sprawling nation. To celebrate America’s 239th birthday, we at the Purple Fig want to pay homage to the exciting eco-friendly progress this country has made over the recent years by…
Read MoreEco-Friendly Travel Tips
Planning a much-needed summer getaway this year? Whether you’ve only just begun hatching those vacation plans, or you’re already zipping up the luggage bag, don’t forget to keep your carbon footprint in mind during your travels! There are many simple and helpful ways to experience an amazing journey while still being kind to the planet.
Read MoreUrban Gardening for Beginners
As Austin continues to transform from a sleepy college town into a booming concrete jungle, there seems to be less and less room for anything– let alone plots of land to call your own. The average city-dwelling Austinite definitely doesn’t own a greenhouse, so what do you do when you want a productive garden in a teeny…
Read MoreThe Dirty Glove: Stove Edition
Cleaning thoroughly, efficiently, and greenly is the name of the game here at the Purple Fig, but we all have those areas of the house that- let’s face it -nobody likes to tackle. What better way to honor those dastardly, dirty crevices then to dedicate a post about how to scrub them until they shine?
Read MoreNatural Sunscreens to Beat the Heat
Anyone who lives in Texas knows of its infamous, scorchingly hot summer days…and most of us have been burned once or twice by its fierce heat. But while your first instinct to battle the summer sun is to reach for your trusty sunscreen, consider the chemicals and synthetics injected into the product. Many sunscreen labels that…
Read MoreMind, Body & Nature: Austin’s Unique and Earth-Friendly Summer Camps of 2015
With mere weeks separating you and your little ones from the sunny warmth of July, you may be scrambling to find engaging and educational activities to keep your kiddos occupied during those long summer days. Never fear, though–for we have compiled a list of the most enriching local summer camps that are sure to ward off any…
Read MoreHealthy Spring Feasts (And How to Shop Organic)
Pesticides and produce are unfortunately becoming a synonymous pair these days. To counter the GMO madness and encourage the happiest, healthiest you, we at the Purple Fig want to dole out some helpful grocery tips (as well as some delicious recipes!) just in time for Spring.
Read MoreHow to Plan A Kid’s Birthday Party in Austin
If you have a kiddo with a spring or summer birthday, party planning may be on your mind. There are a variety of party venues and vendors around Austin that cater to kids of all ages with different interests. We hope that our guide will help you get your party planning off to a great…
Read MoreSXSW ECO
SXSW Eco helps to connect business leaders, investors, innovators and designers that want to create economic, environmental and social change. The Purple Fig supports these goals because we hope to positively impact the environment by creating and using our own all-natural cleaners, helping to remove toxic and chemical waste and byproducts.
Read MoreThese People Make Our World Go Round!
Today is Employee Appreciation Day! Some employers may choose to treat their employees to a special lunch or give out gift cards today. However, we feel that employees should be appreciated all year long! Fair employee practices are a huge part of our mission and how we operate.
Read MoreGet Your Workout On Austin!
Good health is one of our main focuses. We believe a naturally-cleaned home, that is free of chemicals, can help keep your family healthy. Another tenet of good health is exercise. Hitting the gym may be one of your goals for 2015. Although January is almost over, that doesn’t mean it’s too late to start…
Read More