I am known for forgetting to pick things up at the store. No big deal. But each time I return I find myself bringing another plastic bag home with just one item. How wasteful is that? I hate throwing plastic bags away, but I end up with so many that I just cannot use.
There is a simple solution for that, and many other wasteful activities that you may not even realize you're doing! With just a simple change, you can reduce your own carbon footprint and help to ease the waste building upon our planet.
Reusable Bags
Bringing reusable bags with you to the store is such an simple solution, and it is very easy to do! Plus, reusable bags are much sturdier and are usually able to carry more groceries. It's a win-win!
Metal Straws
Though the metal straws craze is slowly dying out, they are still an easy and great way to make a small change. Although the problem may not be as big as we think, plastic straws are still polluting the oceans and endangering animals like birds and turtles. This is a small step that can lead to big changes!
Switch Out Plastic for Bamboo
One of the namely bamboo products you should switch to are toothbrushes. But you can swap out most plastic products for a bamboo version! This includes utensils, q-tips, makeup brushes, and so on!
Reusable Water Bottles
This one is obvious and easy, but it is surprisingly something I have not yet made the switch to. You are supposed to drink eight glasses of water a day, so imagine how much plastic you may be wasting if you aren't drinking from a reusable water bottle. Yikes.
Buy Recycled/Ethically Produced Clothes
Avoid "fast fashion"! This isn't as obvious, but constantly buying cheap, new clothes and throwing them out is very damaging to our planet! Try thrifting or buying from ethically sources clothing companies (such as Everlane, Modcloth, PACT, etc.).
Eat Local
Shopping local is always helpful to your local economy, but it is also extremely good for the planet! Avoiding purchasing food that has to be shipped in from elsewhere helps reduce carbon emissions occurring during that shipping process. The food is also probably much fresher and less processed!
Drive Less
This one is also very obvious but takes much more commitment. If you are close enough to your destination, walking or biking is a great alternative that should be considered more than just taking that five-minute drive. You can also get your daily cardio in that way. This is a healthier option for yourself and the planet!
Eat Less Meat
Again, this option is very well-known, but not a lot of people are ready to commit to going vegetarian or vegan. I certainly am not! But, there are quite a few small steps you can take that will help reduce carbon emissions and waste caused by consuming meat.
One great option is "Meatless Mondays", which is simply going a single day out of the week without eating meat! This is just a small start, but can hopefully encourage some to be more mindful about their meat consumption.
I am starting my journey to living a more sustainable and "green" life, and I hope this article encourages others to make the small steps necessary to reduce their own carbon footprint as well! If everyone made these small changes, we might be able to make a huge difference for our planet.
Don't forget that these small steps must still be followed up with large actions! There are many resources available to utilize in your everyday life that will be very helpful as you begin switching out more and more items with sustainable versions.
The following websites are a great start to help as you begin making a difference for our planet:
Grove Collaborative - sustainable cleaning supplies and toiletries
Ecosia - a search engine that plants trees
Mighty Nest - subscription box for healthy, green, and affordable products
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