Green Living for Real Life

I have a confession - I still have a plastic cutting board in my kitchen. And after doing the research for this episode, I’m replacing it this week.

It turns out your cutting board is one of the biggest sources of microplastic exposure in your kitchen. Every time a knife meets a plastic surface it shaves off tiny particles that go directly into your food. The research is still evolving but what we know is worth paying attention to.

The good news? The swap is easy, affordable, and your kitchen will actually look better for it.

In this episode, I’m walking you through every cutting board option out there - ranked from best to worst - plus exactly what to look for when you’re standing in the aisle at Home Goods or TJ Maxx.

What you’ll learn:
•Why plastic cutting boards are a microplastic source in your kitchen
•The full cutting board ranking — wood, bamboo, composite and stainless steel
•Which wood is best, walnut, maple or acacia, and why it matters
•Exactly what to look for on the label when buying a wood board
•How to care for a wood board so it lasts decades

Shop the episode — cutting boards on Amazon (aff links):
Wood Picks
Budget pick — Acacia: https://amzn.to/41UkGyX
Mid range pick — Acacia End Grain: https://amzn.to/4tEuysS
Investment pick — Walnut: https://amzn.to/42wiwFP

Bamboo pick — Keechee Carbonized Bamboo: https://amzn.to/3QvnDna

Since recording this episode: I also discovered the Epicurean paper composite board - made in the USA from recycled paper fibers, no microplastics, NSF certified and dishwasher safe with no oiling required. A really impressive low maintenance alternative to wood worth checking out. 

Epicurean Kitchen Series: https://amzn.to/4d8KwWc

Grab my free Real Life Mom’s Guide to Green Kitchen Habits:
https://greenily.co/20-sustainable-kitchen-habits-lp/

Subscribe so you never miss an episode: https://greenlivingforreallife.buzzsprout.com

Follow along on Instagram: @pam.p.mercer

If we’re meeting for the first time - hi! This episode is the perfect place to start.

This episode is a little different. Instead of tips and swaps I wanted to take a few minutes to share a little about me, why green living matters so much to me, and what actually motivates me to make choices that are safer for my family and the planet.

I spent over ten years working in conservation education at a large zoo — yes, I walked past cheetahs on my way to work every morning. When I became a stay at home mom of three I tried to overhaul everything at once. It did not go well.

What actually worked was simpler. And it’s the whole philosophy behind everything I share here.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by green living, frustrated that nothing sticks, or like you just don’t have time for a complete lifestyle overhaul — this one is for you.

Resources mentioned:

Free Real Life Mom’s Guide to Green Kitchen Habits: https://greenily.co/20-sustainable-kitchen-habits-lp/

Follow along on Instagram: @pam.p.mercer

Standing in the produce aisle holding conventional strawberries in one hand and organic in the other - not sure if the extra two dollars matters? This episode is for you.

The answer isn’t “buy everything organic” and it isn’t “don’t bother.” It’s more specific than that. And once you know it, grocery shopping gets a whole lot easier.

In this episode I’m walking you through exactly when buying organic matters — for your family AND for the planet — using the 2026 Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists that just dropped from the Environmental Working Group.

Plus there’s a brand new finding from this year’s report that every mom needs to know about.

What you’ll learn:
•Why washing your produce doesn’t fully solve the pesticide problem
•The 12 fruits and vegetables worth buying organic when you can
•The 15 where conventional is  fine -  and saves you money
•How conventional farming affects the environment beyond your plate
•How I actually use this in real life with a real family

Resources mentioned:
2026 Dirty Dozen list: ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php

2026 Clean Fifteen list: ewg.org/foodnews/clean-fifteen.php

EWG Healthy Living app: ewg.org/apps

Free Real Life Mom’s Guide to Green Kitchen Habits: https://greenily.co/20-sustainable-kitchen-habits-lp/

Follow along on Instagram: @pam.p.mercer

You've done the spring cleaning - now comes the hard part. What do you actually do with everything in the get rid of pile without sending it all to the landfill?

In this episode, I'm walking you through exactly where to sell, donate, and recycle almost everything - including specific programs for the random stuff that usually just ends up in the trash. Spoiler: your old toothbrush will sit in a landfill for 400 years. Let's keep it out of there. 😬

Resources mentioned: 

Full recycling programs list: HERE

Free Green Kitchen Habits guide: HERE

Follow along on Instagram: @pam.p.mercer

Most of us assume cleaning products on store shelves have been checked for safety. 

In this episode, I'm sharing what I learned that changed everything - and three simple steps to choosing cleaners that are safer for your family and the planet. 

No overwhelm, no complete overhaul. Just smarter swaps at your own pace.

Resources mentioned: 

EWG Healthy Cleaner Database: ewg.org 

My favorite eco-friendly cleaners: https://greenily.co/green-kitchen-cleaners/ 

Free Green Kitchen Habits guide: https://greenily.co/20-sustainable-kitchen-habits-lp/

Follow along on Instagram: @pam.p.mercer

Plastic bags in the recycling bin - we've all done it with the best intentions. 

In this episode, I'm explaining why that's actually creating a bigger problem, and sharing the simple system I use to recycle them properly instead. 

Plus, what else counts as film plastic and where to drop it all off. Simple, doable, no judgment.

Grab my free Real Life Mom's Guide to Green Kitchen Habits here: https://greenily.co/20-sustainable-kitchen-habits-lp/

Find your nearest plastic film drop off: plasticfilmrecycling.org

Follow along on Instagram: @pam.p.mercer

💚 Safe Food Storage Guide:

If you want help sorting through the plastic containers in your kitchen, grab my Safe Food Storage Guide here:

https://greenily.co/safe-food-storage-guide/

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Have you ever looked at the bottom of a plastic food container and wondered what those little numbers actually mean?

In this episode, I break down the plastic numbers (1–7) and explain which plastics are generally considered safer for food storage and which ones I personally try to limit.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What the plastic numbers (1–7) actually mean

• Which plastics are generally considered more stable for food storage

• Which plastics I personally try to limit

• Why heat matters when using plastic containers

• A realistic approach to reducing plastic in your kitchen

My goal is always real-life green living using simple changes that work for busy families that you can feel good about.

If this episode was helpful, make sure to subscribe for more practical green living tips.

Trying to get your family to care about going green - without constantly reminding, correcting, or nagging?

In this episode, I’m sharing why it can feel so hard to encourage eco-friendly habits at home - and what actually works better than pressure or perfection.

If you’re the one remembering reusable bags, rinsing recycling, and trying to reduce plastic while everyone else just goes about their day, you’re not alone.

We’ll talk about:

• Why families change habits at different speeds
• The psychology behind resistance (even when the change is good)
• Why nagging usually backfires
• Simple ways to encourage greener habits without conflict
• How to make eco-friendly choices easier for everyone

This isn’t about forcing your family to care.
It’s about creating realistic change that fits into real life.

💚 Grab my free guide here:

Real-Life Mom’s Guide to Green Kitchen Habits
20 Green Living Habits You Can Start Using in Your Kitchen Today Without Extreme Crunchy Rules or the DIY-Everything Vibe

👉 https://greenily.co/20-sustainable-kitchen-habits-lp/

If you’re trying to reduce plastic, live greener, and make eco-friendly habits stick in a busy family, you’re in the right place.

In this episode, I break down the 3 simple checks I use when shopping to reduce plastic waste in a realistic, low-overwhelm way.

If you’re trying to go greener, make eco-friendly swaps, and simplify sustainable living for your family, this episode will help you focus on what actually matters.

💚 Want simple, practical next steps?

Grab my free guide:
Real-Life Mom’s Guide to Green Kitchen Habits
20 Green Living Habits You Can Start Using in Your Kitchen Today — Without Extreme Crunchy Rules or the DIY-Everything Vibe
https://greenily.co/20-sustainable-kitchen-habits-lp/

No perfection. No panic. Just practical steps that work in real life.

Ever feel like you’re drowning in Google searches and Pinterest tips on how to live healthier and more eco-friendly? I’ve been there — stuck in information overload, not sure what’s safe, what works, or where to start.

In this episode, I’m sharing how I cut through the noise and finally started making healthy, eco-friendly changes that actually stuck. You’ll learn why info overload keeps moms stuck, and the simple shifts that can help you take action without the stress.

👉 Grab my free 3 Rules Checklist to make swaps simple:

https://greenily.co/rules/