Choose Nature

Here at Astral, putting #NatureFirst is an easy choice for us in business, lifestyle and product design. Our team put together some ways in which they choose Nature in their day-to-day lives. Check it out below. We hope it inspires you!

	Philip Curry – I step out in nature everyday, gaze around and settle my brain. It just seems healthy and right to merge into nature on a daily basis.
	Christie Dobson – I run a lot of errands on my bike, or walk to reduce my driving and gas consumption. It’s not only healthy for the planet but for me too. It’s amazing when simple errands add up to a 2-3 mile walk. It also has given me the opportunity to meet folks in my neighborhood and community. There’s time to say hi and talk when you walk or bike vs zooming by in your car. Errands use to be a pain, now I look forward to them – it’s a nice break in the day, from my desk and allows me to get in a little exercise on busy days. Win win for everyone!
	Yonton Mehler – My family puts nature first by living in a walkable urban neighborhood. We can walk to daycare, the park, restaurants etc and our overall car-time is very limited. We are fortunate to have access to hiking and biking trails and a river without ever leaving city limits!
	Bryan Owen – I put Nature First by volunteering locally with two conservation organizations in the Asheville area. The Friends of Hominy Creek Greenway and the WNC Water Initiative.
	Aubrieann Dickert – I put nature first by utilizing a clothes line on a regular basis. Hanging laundry out to dry is an easy way to reduce electricity consumption, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions emitted from power companies.
	Sara Hege & Ocey Newsome-Rogers – We compost the Astral Coffee grounds, or anything that’s put in the compost bin. Oh, and recycling! We didn’t even put our trash can out this week…lol.
	James Trombley – One thing that has become “second nature” to me when I am in my favorite places is to just pick up trash when I find it.  I swear that there is a kind of instant karma associated with that, whether it is good luck in the form of finding cool lost goods or getting a lucky tree bounce while playing disc golf.  For me, paying the price of having to touch other people’s trash is worth the result of enjoying litter-free surroundings.
	Ellen Osment – One of the ways I try to put Nature First is by going back to Nature in my own home – with a garden! We have a garden at our house where we grow a variety of fruits and veggies, and have supplemented our grocery shopping by eating as much of our own homegrown produce as possible, as well as using recyclable containers for salsas and sauces also made from our garden. We’ve expanding our gardening as well with our friends and family, sharing seedlings and food with them. I especially enjoy the process of watching food grow from a seed into something we can see and eat!
	Josh Pozner – I have installed a bidet in my bathroom to reduce my paper waste and overall carbon footprint. It may not seem like a lot at first but it really is amazing how much we waste on toilet paper.
	Casey McCully – One of the ways I put nature first by supporting small, local, and organic farms in the Asheville area for as many as my grocery needs as possible. Smaller farms are more sustainable, organic practices leave less of a footprint on the land, and buying local saves thousands of miles off of your food’s travel!
	Alex Ricker – No plastic bags, carrying a reusable water bottle, recycling, supporting the companies and people who will put my money into sustainable practices. Enjoying and supporting our national parks and public lands.
	Kevin Mulligan – I get out into the outdoors as much as can, whether it’s on my feet, a bike, or a boat.  Experiencing nature on a regular basis keeps me aware that we all need to contribute to protecting our environment. Simple things like recycling, composting, and being conscious of what products you use can go a long way.
	Ollie Smithers – My friends and I have frequent clothing swaps. Textile waste is a huge issue and organizing these helps us to keep our wardrobes updated for free while recycling gently used clothing. It’s a fun easy way to clean out your closet and put nature first.
	Rob Lilley – I prioritize my time out in nature, no matter how busy I am I make sure to spend time in nature every day. Whether it’s finding the flow on a winding mountain trail, drifting a carefully crafted fly across the surface of a calm pool amidst a cascading stream, or just lying in the grass, watching the rhythmic swaying of the tall trees. Bathing in nature is a grounding exercise that helps calm my mind and provides focus that improves every aspect of my life.