Happy Earth Day friends! Today I’m sharing 5 ways to live more sustainable! Over the years I’ve been making it a priority to make more sustainable choices in my life and my home. I understand, it can be difficult to do everything “green” or “sustainable” but I read this quote somewhere and it really urged me to step up my game.
It doesn’t take one person to do everything. It takes a million people to do one thing.
~Unkown
I wanted to share this because often times we give up on things when they are to hard. But we live on this planet called Earth and, for now, we only have one place to call home so lets take better care of it. Here are 5 swaps and habits that you can try that will make a big impact on Earth Day and everyday!
Recycle
This is probably the most easiest thing we can do. Instead of eating the last chip and throwing that bag away, check if it’s recyclable. You will be blown away at how much packaging said “Please Recycle” on it or had a recycle symbol. Be more conscious of this because this makes a big difference even if you think you’re the only one doing it. I promise you’re not and even if only 10 people changed this, it would have an astronomical effect on our waste. Check out this video to see where the biggest garbage dump is…
Reduce Waste
I don’t know if we need this reminder but remember that Recycle Rex song? Recycle, Reduce, Reuse! Well reducing waste is a little more difficult. Unfortunately, not all things are recyclable. So we have to make a little more effort with this one.
Some ways that I like to reduce waste:
- Use reusable bags. In Oregon, we get charged $0.05 per bag which is a drop in the bucket for most people. If we would raise this to $0.25 or $0.50, I bet more people would use reusable bags. It can take up to 1000 years for a plastic bag to decompose! 1000 years you guys!!! Every time I visit a National Park or somewhere fun, I pick up a reusable back. I have quite a bit now so that I don’t have to buy any bags. Check out these affordable reusable bags.
- Other reusable items:
- Ziploc Bags
- Bee’s wrap
- Straws (I have these)
- Silverware Sets (I use this one and keep it in my purse)
Other Post you may like: Travel Guide: Painted Hills, Oregon
Shop Less/ Shop Sustainable
Most clothing is categorized as “fast fashion” and 5% of our waste is textile waste? Because we live in such a consumable time, it’s hard to getaway from fast fashion. Trust me, I’m doing my best to break away from fast fashion but it’s definitely a lot of work.
Some things I’ve been doing to limit my “fast fashion” habits and support more “slow fashion’ and sustainable living.
- Shopping sustainable clothing brands. Sustainable clothing brands are obviously a little more pricier but it’s more ethical and you know these garments are being made by people who are being paid fairly and working in fair conditions. Some sustainable brands are:
- prAna (my favorite)
- Everlane
- Able
- PeopleTree
- Outdoor Voices (for workout apparel)
- If you can’t shop sustainable brands, consider thrifting. Thrifting is by far my favorite way to shop because I’m not supporting current production of clothing. Head to your local thrift store or try upcycle sites like ThredUp or Poshmark (Use code WITHLOVE_CA when you sign up to get $10 towards your first purchase).
- Lastly just limit your shopping. We live is such a fast paced environment where society makes us think we need more more more. But we really don’t. I love style and fashion and dressing cute but I also love my home (earth). Cutting back on spending has been a priority for me and my wallet is pretty happy about it. 🙂
Reduce energy use in the evening
Cleaner energy is made during the daytime hours when the sun is out and the wind is blowing. Those times are 6am-4pm and 9pm-6am. The hours of 4pm-9pm are the times where energy is at its highest and the least clean.
Here are some ways you can reduce your energy:
- Charge your devices after 9pm. Avoid charging when you get home after work. I always charge my phone overnight, at work, and on my way home from work. All during clean energy time frames.
- Run dishwasher & washer either overnight or in the morning.
- Slowcooker meals that cook during the day use clean energy, instead of cooking after work. Plus, you’ll be less stressed with an already prepped meal. 🙂
limit water use
I myself don’t use too much water. We use a dishwasher instead of running water for dish washing, share showers, turn off water between scrubbing, have a ton of succulents and cacti, and limit our plant/grass watering to the evening when it’s less likely to evaporate.
Those are just some of the ways I reduce my water usages. Here are 20 more ways to conserve water at home.
I hope this inspires you today on Earth Day and in your everyday lifestyle. It’s all about the little changes we make as a whole. Happy Earth Day fellow Earthlings!
xx // christine
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