Now more than ever, it is imperative that we be conscious of the daily decisions we make and how they affect the world we live in. The environment is practically begging us to stop and change. Being mindful of the waste we create, the brands we choose, and the values we uphold not only benefits the environment, but it benefits everyone as a whole. Simply put, doing good, feels good!
I’m not asking you to do a full 180 and completely change your life, but one single change out of the ten I will list can ONLY help improve the current state of the world. One person alone can’t make a difference, but if every single person pitches in (even the smallest effort), this change will have a domino affect. If you want to look at it from a selfish angle, the things that are better for our bodies, generally are better for the environment as well. Here are some of the changes I’ve implemented throughout the last year:
1) Using glass reusable containers.
I bring my lunch to work in these, and I make sure to bring whichever metal utensils I will need. The clean-up is a little inconvenient, but it takes away the need for single-use plastic. I prefer glass because you can microwave it without having to worry about chemical release.
2) Switch to reusable water bottles.
My company fortunately provides mugs/glasses for us to use throughout the day (along with dishwashers), so I don’t really worry about this one. If I’m away somewhere for the day or going to the gym, I try and bring a stainless steel bottle. Plus, it saves you a little money here and there because you’re not spending on water bottles!
3) Switching your bathroom products.
I now use bar soap, bar shampoo (which I truly love!!), a bamboo toothbrush – and I want to switch to an eco-friendly razor. I imagine loofahs are an environmental nightmare, so looking to switch that as well.
4) Cutting out fast fashion.
Forever 21, H&M, Zara, Urban Outfitters. It hurts my heart to write this, but I am no longer shopping from these brands or any other brands that do not have product quality, environmental impact, and human rights in mind. This probably sounds a bit extreme, but reading about fast fashion has made up my mind on this matter. I cannot continue to save my own money at the expense of underpaid and neglected workers. Or enable animal cruelty. Also, the cheap fibers in these clothing infiltrate into our ecosystem with every wash. The solution to this is buying from sustainable shops and thrifting! Now that I work in NYC, I have easy access to countless thrift shops.
5) RECYCLE.
This one is such a no brainer, and it truly drives me insane when I see people not recycling in 2019. It’s the easiest way you can make an impact, and I have such a hard time not writing off people as lazy and entitled when they actively choose not to recycle.
6) Switching to metal/glass straws.
This one comes with some controversy, but at the end of the day, plastic is plastic. This switch reduces that. I have a weird thing about the sound straws make going into certain plastics (McDonald’s straws going into their drink cups, for example), so I prefer the glass straws for this reason. And I feel good knowing I’m not contributing to unnecessary extra plastic.
7) Cut down on your animal consumption.
Livestock is a huge contributor to climate change, and simply decreasing the amount of animal product you eat makes a difference. Being gluten-free, I personally would have a really hard time being vegan, so I will never be one to tell people to completely cut out animal products. I try and eat meat free at home and then allow myself to eat what I want when I go out.
8) Buy in bulk!
Living in a city, I am admittedly a huge Amazon Prime shopper. However, I can’t stand the amount of packaging/plastic Amazon and other coorporations use for one! single! item! I’m trying to do my best to wait until my list gets to about 5-10 items before purchasing, so that multiple items can be shipped in one package rather than 5-10 individual shipments.
9) Switch to sustainable brands.
Do your research and look into which brands actually do the things they claim to do rather than the bare minimum. There are 3 categories to keep in mind when doing this research: 1) environment 2) people 3) animals. All of these tie together, and the less all are harmed, the greater the positive impact.
10) Use cleaner products. Everything you use washes down the drain and gets into the ecosystem at some point. Not only are cleaner products better the environment, but they are better for you and your home as well. I love Mrs. Meyers and Seventh Generation for dish and hand soaps.
If you have any other suggestions, please sent them over my way!
Truly,
Taylor