How to Live a More Sustainable Life
“We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”
why should we become eco conscious?
We only have one Earth and we cannot deny the fact that humans are hurting it. If each and every one of us develop an eco conscious mentality, it will make a huge impact. Going zero waste is amazing but can feel impossible at times. Minimizing what you buy and being aware when shopping can go a long way. There are so many easy swaps for each disposable item that we use now so we have no excuse!
A benefit of using less plastic is that most plastics (not just BPA) are very toxic not only to the environment but also to our health. Plastics have shown to disrupt our endocrine system and cause cancer. I know, we can’t avoid it 100%, but why not change what we DO have control over, such as the products in our homes.
where to start?
Buy reusable bags that are made of organic cotton to be the MOST sustainable. However, my favorite bags the box bags you can sometimes get at grocery stores. They fold up flat, are super easy to pack, carry, and hold a lot of weight! These bags have lasted me 6 years and going strong!
Stasher silicone sandwich bags
I have 3 of these clear silicone sandwich bags and 2 stand up larger bags. I have had friends buy less expensive reusable bags and nothing holds up as well as the Stasher bags. They are 100% silicone and easy to clean, simply turn inside out. I freeze stuff in them all the time and the seal is so good I have even used them for soup!
Ditch the paper towels for Unpaper towels
The best alternative to paper towels! Even if you still want to use regular paper towels for some things, keep these hanging around and you will get such great use out of them. I love the lemon print ones because it matches my décor. Simply throw in the wash after you use them and voila!
-Also, using rags or cut up t-shirts for cleaning instead of paper towels can drastically cut down on waste.
Coffee Cup
Keep a reusable coffee cup (or my personal favorite-a mason jar) in your car if you frequently go out for coffee. Most paper coffee cups are lined with plastic (paper isn’t waterproof) and may be harmful to your health and can’t be recycled because of the plastic coating.
Straws
Do you really need to drink out of a straw? If it’s something you can’t do without: stainless steel, glass, and silicone are other readily available options.
Jars
I save most glass jars that I empty. I re-use them for everything! I keep a couple mason jars in my car (coffee cup, container for bulk bins, our local refill station for soap, etc.)
Water Bottles
This shouldn’t need to be said. We all know that plastic water bottles are terrible for the environment (and our wallets). No, bottled water isn’t safer or better quality than filtered water. I recommend getting a high quality water filter for your home anyways as it filters out more chemicals and particles. My favorite is the under the sink reverse osmosis with remineralizer from Aquasana. A whole house filter would be even more beneficial to your health if it is in the budget!
Recycle PROPERLY
Of all the waste produced in 2017, only 8.4% actually got recycled (1). This is partly due to people not recycling properly or at all. Here are some tips to recycle properly:
-Thoroughly rinse all containers before recycling
-Check the number in the triangle on the bottom of the plastic container (1, 2, 4, and 5 are recyclable in my county but check your local program)
-Recycle paper and cardboard but not the plastic puffers or bubble wrap in most shipping boxes (though most of those can be recycled at grocery stores in their plastic bag recycling bins)
-Before recycling, can you find another use for it?
-Do not throw away electronics. Most Best Buy stores have a place to recycle broken electronics and you can donate the working ones.
-Do not put non-recyclables in the recycling bin!
-Do not put (and this one is new to me but should be common sense) BROKEN GLASS in the recycling bin!
Other ways to reduce your footprint
Use cloth diapers
18 BILLION diapers are thrown into the landfill each year! Cloth diaper or at the very least buy disposable diapers from more eco-conscious brands. Esembly diapers are my favorite as they’re easy to use and clean. You just use the snap diaper with a waterproof cover, very simple!
Support local farmers, organic farming, and regenerative agriculture
Vote with your dollar. Organic farming is better for your health and the environment (and the bees!) Regenerative agriculture is beneficial to the ecosystem and produces food with more nutrients and micronutrients.
Don’t buy “fast fashion”
Fast fashion contributes to 10% of humanity’s carbon emissions and is the second largest consumer of the world’s water supply. (2)
-Shop second hand (vintage)
-Donate/recycle old clothes
Go paperless
In this digital world that we live in, this is such an easy swap. Most billing companies offer a paperless option where they will email you your bill instead of printing and mailing it.
Choose natural fabrics
Organic cotton, wool, and linen are best for the environment. Polyester is made of microplastics, some water soluble, that actually make their way into our water and the environment each time you wash it. (3) Think microbeads but invisible.
Plant an organic garden
Growing your own food without the use of pesticides reduces carbon footprints and is beneficial to your health and the ecosystem around you.
Start a compost
A compost pile is super easy and inexpensive to start. Food scraps don’t break down in landfills like they should because they are bagged and don’t have the right combination of carbon and nitrogen. Read my post on how to start a compost here.
Skip the disposable dishes and plastic utensils
Why is a metal fork washed and reused thousands of times when a plastic one is “trash”?
-There are compostable disposable dishes and utensils. Many of these are only compostable in a commercial facility though so use sparingly.
-Purchase on-the-go bamboo utensil sets in a reusable holder or keep a set of stainless steel silverware in your car to use when on the go.
Menstrual Products
Most conventional pads and tampons are not only terrible for the environment, but also for your health. Lola makes organic cotton tampons and pads and discloses all ingredients. They even make condoms that aren’t made of mystery chemicals.
Try reusable options such as:
-Cloth pads
-Menstrual cups
-Period panties