Tip Talk Thursday: 15 Tips To Improve Your Environmental Footprint
On Monday we covered some ways to eliminate plastic from your waste and today we are going to continue that theme of minimizing your garbage! When you sit down and really think about it, there is the waste of 7, 714,576, 923 people just existing with us. In landfills. In the Ocean. Littered in National Parks and at the bottom of river beds. The amount of garbage is insane! And honestly, it is not that hard to be aware and conscious!
Recently I was asked at work by a friend what was the easiest way to go Green and I told her all she had to do was stop and think before she tossed things in the garbage. It's that simple.
1. PAUSE
2. Garbage, Compost or Recycle
3. "Where will this end up?"
Fun Fact: Did you know every single piece of plastic ever created still exists somewhere? Yep.
It is OUR responsibility now to take care of Earth. We only have one home and long is the time where we had a choice to be ignorant. The Earth is getting warmer, more polar caps are melting, more of our oceans are being polluted, more species are dying. This isn't "Save the Planet" anymore, it's "Save the Humans" because we are toast if we don't start taking this seriously!
15 Tips To Improve Your Environmental Footprint
- Going for a walk? Bring an empty bag to pick up simple litter. I started doing this on my walks and I love how this makes me feel after. And y'all scared about germs - gloves and hand sanitizer
- Flip Thrift Shop Furniture - our TV stand cost $8.99 and a can of chalk paint. We have done this for our dresser, side tables, book shelves and night stands!
- Ditch the disposable cotton rounds for washable bamboo pads! Ordered off Amazon and used for about 4 months now, I have to say I LOVE these and I was a religious disposable cotton pad user for years - make up remover, toner, you name it! I've done several washes and they are great! check them out here : click here
- Ditch Dryer Sheets for wool dryer balls! Joana uses these: click here
- Opt to use a soap bar for your body wash since there will be no bottle to dispose of once it is done!
- Consider using a shampoo bar!! Now don't knock it before you try it, but I have used and loved the Lush solid shampoo bars for years. Introduced to them for travel (avid backpacker here!) I love them to save on liquids! Well, BONUS because they also save on waste! Lush has several shampoo bars and I have loved and tried several
- Some may not like this tip buuuut... if it's yellow let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down. If you catch my drift here... do we really need to flush EVERY time we pee?!? It is so wasteful
- Bamboo cutlery! There are so many cute options for bamboo cutlery sets you can carry with you. This minimizes the single use forks, knives and spoons you toss into the trash
- Try out Silicone Baking mats that can be used up to 3000 times and can be washed on the top rack of the dish washer!
- Drive Less! Try to bike as much as you can, even if that is only a couple times a week!
- Install energy saving lamps into your home
- Shop groceries with less packaging - bulk, reusable bags, reusable produce bags, containers where able
- Go meatless - even if it is only once a week! Sometimes I better than never and the livestock industry produces more greenhouse gas emissions globally than the transportation sector
- Recycle paper, plastic, aluminum, glass and electronics!
- Support smaller, local businesses. Many corporations who manufacture clothing, food or supplies - the majority have a huge ecological footprint! Smaller local farms and companies are often family run and transparent! Bonus: It is also great for your local economy!
When I'm talking about sustainable, green-er living I just need to say one thing:
You do NOT need to do all of this list. As long as you are being conscious, trying and continue to try to do better and teach your children/future generations better
YOU ARE DOING AMAZING.
Change is hard.
But facing the death of our planet you guys, will be even harder.
No comments: