The 5 Best Environmental Influencers to Follow in Honor of Earth Day!

Today, April 22, 2020, marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Created in 1970 by environmental activist, Gaylor Nelson, recognized there was not enough attention surrounding environmental issues in politics and media. The world has come a long way since then and influencers and bloggers are choosing to use social media platforms to speak out and advocate for saving the planet.

There are over 5 million #sustainability and #zerowaste hashtags on Instagram to educate us on specific ways we can participate to help the planet. Images range from wildlife, forests, charts, graphics, and surprising statistics, such as every year, 8 million metric tons of plastic enter our oceans. Ocean Conservancy is the source of this horrifying statistic. We suggest these five sustainable and inspiring influencers to follow because they offer solutions to the problem and not just scare tactics.

These 5 influencers celebrate Earth Day every day and preach a zero-waste and plastic-free lifestyle in the hopes that we will be inspired to do so as well. We at The Beet love encouraging any reason to lean into plants or eat a more plant-based diet. We will start using the hashtag #TheBeetforThePlanet on all of our environmental coverage. Reminder: eating a plant-based diet is the best thing we can do to help reduce our carbon footprint and have a positive effect on climate change.

1. Kathryn Kellogg, founder of @going.zero.waste

Kathryn Kellogg, author of 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste and National Geographic spokesperson for plastic-free living. She started the Going Zero Wate blog after dealing with health issues and had to reconsider using chemical-laden products like cleaning supplies and beauty products. "Many of these products contain endocrine disruptors, which interfere with our hormones," she notes. "I felt very motivated to take control of my health, try to balance my hormones, and naturally ease my pain." She adopted a "holistic lifestyle" and makes her own cleaning products from scratch, reduces all contact with plastic, and cooks her own food instead of dining out—ever. After her first three years of this way of holistic living, Kathryn's pain went away without medication, and she credits these efforts for living pain-free.

Follow Kellogg's Going Zero Waste blog and  Instagram account to make better choices for yourself and the environment. The blog includes a beginner's guide to zero waste living and provides specific steps to take in order. You will also find Kathryn's top ten favorite zero-waste swaps, which include a list of eco-friendly products. Sign up here.

2. Immy Lucas, founder of @sustainably_vegan

Lucas is the founder of the blog, Low Impact Movement, and a climate activist. You can find almost everything about living a sustainable life on Lucas's Instagram. She posts healthy vegan meals, tours of her minimal closet, inspiring books to read, and other ways to help the environment. Lucas is the founder of what sheLow Impact, which strives for a "low environmental impact through a high social impact." The organization has a website and blog where you can find DIYs such as green tea facial toner, natural deodorant, shampoo, and Immy's favorite 'on-the-go' items. Sign up to take the Low Impact challenge, and to implement easy tips and tricks to be a better global citizen here.

3. Blue Ollis, founder of @blueollis

Blue Ollis is an ethical vegan, who calls herself "plant-thriving and actively sustainable." If you want to eat a sustainable and environmentally friendly diet, Ollis will teach you how to do so. She posts her recipes on Instagram and gives helpful tips on being plastic-free when it comes to grocery shopping, including tips on making your own grocery basket. Aside from food, Blue focuses on well-being practices whether it's yoga, meditation, or a holistic approach to everyday activities, like natural skincare. On her blog, you will find content such as 10 Ways to Clear Your Energy, and 30 Simple Swaps to a More Sustainable Home.

4. Heather White,  founder of @intentionalism

Heather White says she "strives to live intentionally by reducing waste and working toward minimalism. " She and her family of four, live a sustainable lifestyle at their "suburban" home in NW, Wa. White shares the everyday details of their environmental practices such as gardening and avoiding plastic and paper in favor of glass and composting. One favorite moment is her walk with her kids to pick up litter along the road. They source their food from their garden and White posts images on how you can grow your own vegetables and why fresh produce is so important. Learn how to cook with herbs like rosemary and oregano, peppermint, and thyme. If you want to get your family more involved in eco-friendly practices, White and her family will provide insight and inspiration.

5. Tara McKenna, founder of @mindfully.tara

Tara McKenna is the founder of Zero Waste Collective, a  supportive online community and blog to educate and inspire people to live more sustainably by reducing waste. She started this blog in 2017 and shares her "environmentally-conscious" experiences and travels the world to teach others how to live plastic-free and other doable steps to sustainability. Her six steps are: Refuse, Simplify, Re-Use, Recycle, Compost, and Repair. This helpful resource provides shopping guides to sustainable products, a supportive community, eco-friendly campaigns, information, and inspiration. Click here to visit the website and join Tara on her sustainable journey.

Have a favorite environmental influencer to recommend? Go to The Beet's Facebook page and add him or her there!