There are so many fabulous bloggers out there, and we want to highlight them on Cityline.ca. We’ll be profiling different lifestyle bloggers from month to month — they might write about food, fashion, beauty, décor, parenting, entertaining, gardening, you get the idea! For August 2014, we’re putting the spotlight on eco-friendly mom Sara from Green Moms Collective. Run by Sara Vartanian, we love reading about how she creates a green lifestyle for herself and her two young boys — and she makes it seem so easy! Here’s our Q&A with Sara:
When did you start Green Moms Collective and what was your inspiration behind the blog? How did you come up with your blog’s name?
Over the past 5 years of parenthood I’ve logged hours on the internet trying to discover answers to my green parenting questions. I found there was a lack of Canadian information and that much of it was geared for the very “crunchy” DIYer. There was a community missing for myself and women like me who love a great pair of sunglasses, beautiful bags, and (non-toxic) pedicures but are also interested in organics, green baby gear, and cloth diapering.
I started Green Moms Collective in January 2013 because I wanted to help moms feel better and more confident about their parenting decisions by sharing simple, doable ways to create a healthy, green lifestyle for their children.
The name Green Moms Collective came from the fact that I have an amazing group of holistic experts and contributors dedicated to fulfilling the need for green living Canadian content for moms.
If you were giving advice to a mom who wanted to move towards being more green, how would you suggest she starts?
I’d recommend identifying priorities, taking small steps, and creating an action plan to make sustainable lifestyle changes. A great place to start is by giving the 5 personal care products you use everyday an eco-beauty audit (e.g., deodorant, toothpaste, soap, moisturizer, mascara). This is a great way to make high-impact changes!
Another option would be to try our Healthy Home Detox self-paced course which focuses on creating an action plan to green your home, cleaning products, and beauty products.
Tell us about a few posts that you’re particularly proud of and want to share with Cityline.ca readers.
It wasn’t my best written post, but I am proud of one I wrote about the impact my mom’s breast cancer has had on my outlook and life choices. She is currently battling her fourth recurrence and talking about it has always been difficult for me.
I found writing the post left me feeling raw yet lighter as I shared pieces of my memories in the year of her initial diagnosis. Her breast cancer has hugely influenced my interest in choosing better personal care products for myself and my family.
Another post I am proud of is about tips and tools to green your baby’s nursery. It is a celebration of my years of experience as a mom, a certified eco-maternity consultant, and the result of my first piece of writing published in a national parenting magazine. It is the cheat sheet I wish I had when designing my oldest son’s nursery!
What do you hope your readers get from visiting your blog?
I hope that readers visit Green Moms Collective and shift from a place of overwhelm and worry to feeling confident about how to create a greener place to raise their children. Most importantly, I hope they feel like they’ve found a community who understands their needs! Every Monday night at 9 pm ET, I host a #GreenMom chat on Twitter. There is a welcoming group of regular tweeters who come together to share stories, tips, and ask questions. Participating is a great way to connect live with other moms interested in the same issues.
What are some other blogs you love reading?
Lately, I have been enjoying the delish recipes of Cooking for Kiwi and Bean, the celebration of good green things from EcoBravo, and the way the photography from Cubit’s makes me long for life at a farm. I never miss Friday’s This Is How I Feel posts from semiproper, and Momastery makes me a braver person each time I read it. I also look forward to the honesty of Jen Pinarski’s blog for Today’s Parent, Run-at-home mom.
What’s your top advice for other bloggers?
Reach out to other bloggers and experts you’d like to work with — so many will say yes! But first, connect with them on social media and their blogs. Monetizing your blog while staying true to your core values is possible. It may take longer but it’s worth it. Play with your blog, try new things, be generous, and most importantly, be kind.
We want to hear from you! Do you know a blogger we should feature on Cityline.ca? Maybe it’s you! Email us at submissions@cityline.ca and include “Cityline Featured Blogger” in the subject line. And don’t forget to include a link to the blog! Look forward to hearing from you!
Top photo by Diana Nazareth Photography