Let me be your guide to create a mindful home with less chemicals and greater personal health.
Hi! I’m Ashlee,
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I’m an educator that uses storytelling and art to engage with people who want to reduce their chemical exposures from everyday material objects to create a healthy lifestyle at the molecular level. I hold two bachelor’s degrees one in chemistry and the other in secondary education, a master’s in STEM education, and am currently pursuing my PhD studying at the intersections of advertising, toxicology and public policy.
I write and create content to equip you with the tools to make choices in your daily life about products and consumption. My goal is not to tell you what product to buy but to provide you with the knowledge so that for the thousands of materials that you encounter from clothes, cosmetics, furniture, paint, carpet, to medicines you can make the best choice every time. I hope as more of y’all have this knowledge we can also come together to support policy changes so that this burden to make the best choices no longer falls on individuals but governments, regulators, and manufacturers would be required take our HEALTH and the health of future generations into account before a chemical is permitted for use.
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As I recently embarked on my marriage journey, I'm eager to share insights on mindfully planning a wedding amidst an environmental crisis and during a time of strain for many families.
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I've been in the sustainable fashion space since 2010 when I read a CNN article on the denim industries pollution of the Pearl River. This reality drastically altered my consumption. I cold turkey stopped buying fast fashion, and put a sewing machine on the top of the want list. After many failed projects and an overflowing scrap bag, I knew that this wasn’t a good enough solution to a serious overconsumption problem. At a career flux (realizing I wasn’t made for accounting) I felt the pull to deeply study pollution at the most basic level and earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry.
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I used to believe that the products I used and the environment around me were safe. I associated meaningful moments in my life with family and religious traditions, not with manufactured traditions created by clever advertising campaigns. Sometimes, I wish I could go back to those moments and live without questioning every product and holiday. However, once I realized the immense joy that comes from breaking societal expectations, I couldn't stop. It hasn't always been easy, but I'm committed to finding radical joy by breaking barriers and redefining my life on my own terms, not because an advertiser told me to.
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When I discovered that policies and regulations often prioritize corporate interests and profits over people's safety, I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. I could no longer mindlessly browse through my favorite mass retailer's aisles and pick up products based solely on their appealing packaging or scent. I had to investigate the ingredients and assess the safety of the products, considering how their contents could impact my health.
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There are many individuals and organizations sharing facts and statistics on both the human and environmental impact of overconsumption. If this method of fear and logic worked to alter behavior the problem of overconsumption would have been solved, but instead we are seeing an all time high in fashion and beauty consumption.
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My goal is that if you embark on this journey with me you will find joy, beauty and radical self-love in your life with less. That you will make better buying choices with a clear understanding on the impact that products have on your wellbeing, and be equipped to reject advertisers attempts to lure you into an impulse buy and instead embrace your most creative self yet.