The United States is one of the largest producers of carbon emissions yet it is in the most denial of climate change. Despite our countries division on the matter, it is paramount that each of the 300+ million people that live here take action into their own hands. Although one may think oh, there are millions of people in the United States, if I don’t recycle this bottle it’s OK because someone else will.

But what if I tell you someone won’t? It’s the classic psychological concept known as the bystander effect in full display.

Although there are people that physically could recycle this bottle, it will be too late. Its effects are already affecting the planet we live in, whether that be by filling out landfills with recyclable materials or entering our water sources. Can you imagine if every person in America right now decided to let someone else take initiative on efforts to stop pollution, or climate change, or carbon emissions, or ocean acidification, or biodiversity loss? Well, you don’t have to imagine—this is reality. The scientific consensus is already here: climate change is an issue.

Now yes this’ll be a battle we face for generations and generations, but we need to rectify the unsustainable processes of the past and change our day-to-day habits in order to radically reduce our individual waste and be more sustainable.


#1 Become a vegetarian… or better yet a vegan

Besides the health benefits of becoming a vegetarian or vegan, avoiding meat products is very sustainable. Studies done by the United Nations indicate that raising animals solely for consumption generates more greenhouse gasses than all automobile transportation globally. The amount of water and food alone it takes to raise animals far outweighs the nutritional content of the meat. Depending on whether you become a vegetarian or a full vegan, some foods that provide protein without compromising the environment are: beans, rice, quinoa, an assortment of nuts, and tofu.

#2 Shower every other day

On average, Americans use 80-100 gallons of water daily, and most of this stems from shower usage. Depending upon how old your home is, showers use around three to five gallons of water per minute! Other than saving time and lower utility and heating bills, there are health benefits to showering every other day. Natural oils produced from your skin help protect it from flakiness. As well, when you shower and remove the dead skin from your body, you are actually removing a protective layer that can help your body defend from unwanted bacteria… as gross as that picture is.

#3 Don’t Use…

Now, although a list of “don’ts” is annoying, it is very important to realize that most of the items you buy for single use end up in oceans around the world. Volunteers whom participate in the International Coastline Cleanup found that plastic bottles, cigarette buds, aluminum cans, straws, and others are some of the top ten items found along coastlines. It is important to avoid products that can’t be used again because a lot more energy goes into making these products than their actual use.

#4 Reuse!

There are so many household items that can be reused that I can’t even fathom creating a list, but some of the items that I reuse are glass bottles and reusable grocery bags. Also, I have recently tried to collect seeds from fruits or vegetables that I have eaten in order to grow them myself. When I go grocery shopping or shopping in general, I tend to look for products that I know I can reuse in different capacities. I also try to by as locally as I can afford (unfortunately local and/or organic tends to be a little pricier) because I know how much it benefits the environment.

#5 Make Homemade Products (ALL the DYI’s)

From detergent to hand soap to deodorant, so many cleaning and sanitary products can be made with simple ingredients you could find in your pantry. Cleaning products, specifically, have bleach and ammonia in them and these chemical can be harmful with direct contact. Homemade products are healthier, safer, and more affordable than store-bought cleaning chemicals and other products.


Some of these tips are a little harder than others to curb, even I am still working on a few of them, but the end goal is what keeps me going. I want to live a more sustainable life for the betterment of my health, my conscious, and our planet. Although this is just a small endeavor from one individual, if we are all mindful of what we consume--whether that be what we eat or what we purchase--the world can be a more sustainable place.