How do you embark upon your sustainable journey? Where should you even begin? It can seem like a daunting challenge at first, like simple swaps don't make a difference . However, the most important thing is to make new habits! We are constantly bombarded with eco-horror stories and that feel like whatever we do won't be enough. The reality is anything you can do is important and making a habit of these changes is key to making an impact.
Turn your good intentions into good actions! Be aware of where and how you spend your hard earned cash. Can you afford to buy a shampoo bar rather than your usual shampoo? Is your usual shampoo actually fully recyclable and you don't need to make a swap at all? It's about cutting back on consumerist habits and having a more minimalist outlook on what you buy. Simply put, if you don't need it don't buy it. Strangely, this is easier said than done! With instant accesses to Amazon Prime and flash sales with next day delivery we can easily find ourselves on an online shopping spree. Being more conscious is about becoming aware of what you are buying and who you are buying it from, as well as making other life style swaps.
Here are five lifestyle changes you can start with today:
1) Try to cut out plastics: we find plastic everywhere and it seems impossible to avoid. Why not try taking a reusable bag on your next shopping trip, buying loose veg and don't buy bottles of water. In fact why not reuse the bottle you bought on your last trip! You don't need to buy a brand new fancy 'keep your water ice cold all day' reusable bottle, just start reusing the ones you already have.
2) Choose your personal care wisely: when you're shopping for personal hygiene products it's important to look out for particular things when trying to live a eco-friendly lifestyle. Avoid products that contain micro beads made of plastic, these can be found in body wash or body scrubs as well as other skin care products. See if you are able to find cleaning products with more natural ingredients or even more recyclable packaging. Lush products are a good example of eco-friendly alternatives. However, sometimes all it takes is a quick read of the packaging in your local supermarket to help you find something that's better than your current products and isn't as pricy as Lush.
3)Don't waste food: Wasted food is huge contributor to CO2 created in landfills. It can help you save and make the most of your money whilst being friendly to the environment.
4) Compost: when you have food that needs to wasted, rather than sending it landfill send it to your compost bin! Compost is a natural fertilizer and will keep your garden green without creating the harmful methane that builds up in landfill sites.
5) Eat less meat: cutting down on the amount of meat you consume can have a huge impact on reducing your carbon foot print. In my household we have 'meat free Mondays' to remind us to keep up the habit. It can make your diet more healthy and dinners more exciting by trying new recipes.
It's not so scary after all! One day it will just be part of your routine shop to look for these things, or part of your daily routine. It's all about developing the right practices and making little changes where you can. Check out our next post to see what kind of difference you are making to the planet by doing your sustainable swaps!