As we recover slowly from the pandemic, it’s becoming abundantly clear that our lifestyles are not sustainable if we want to keep the environment safe and not cause further mass infections. Cards on the table, it’s not easy or even possible for most of us to go into a zero waste life because transitioning to plastic alternatives requires time and money, which most of us lack.
However, if you’re keen on doing something to reduce your impact on the environment, you can start small and adopt meaningful changes to your lifestyle that will still build towards a better environment. Tanzia Haq brings you ten ways you can dip your toes in the world of sustainable living.
First of all, reducing your carbon footprint is not just about eating organic and opting for glass and wooden utensils to replace plastic ones. This lifestyle requires you to make informed choices and know what each decision you make as a consumer impacts the sustainability. In 2017, research discovered that 91 per cent of plastic in consumer products don’t get recycled. At this rate, plastic waste will overwhelm our landfills and oceans by 2050. Here we have a few suggestions on how you can get started:
- Demand change
Opt for email notifications, refuse plastic straws by carrying your own recyclable straw, carry your own cloth bags when you go shopping. Before accepting anything plastic at these daily transactions, think about if you can make long term use out of it.
- Carry reusable utensils
Carry a reusable tote, water bottle, coffee mug and a wooden fork. Luckily, there are lots of amazing companies out there creating these items in beautiful designs. Lots of restaurants and coffee places too, are serving customers on utensils they’ve brought along. Start a dialogue with your local small businesses and encourage them to measure out portions on their own utensils and only serving those portions in your personal containers. Start a movement!
- Switch to compostable or recyclable toiletries
Use rags or reusable wipes wherever possible and make a switch to wooden toothbrushes. Again, there are lovely eco-friendly brands for these products you can check out. Many beauty brands have begun to produce reusable makeup wipes and recyclable makeup containers.
- Recycle glass bottles and jars
This should be the simplest step since we’ve probably been doing this anyway. If you buy jam, mustard, mayo, etc. in glass jars, recycle it to store sugar, salt and other spices. Wine bottles can be reused for water. You can also recycle old glass jars to store pencils and other stationery, or if you’re a painter, use them for brushes and to hold solvents when painting!
- Try out cosmetics sold without plastic packaging
In a trend popularized by beauty brand Lush, lots of brands, both old and emerging, have started introducing shampoos and soaps without packaging. What’s more, given these brands’ stance on environmental sustainability, these products are made with mostly organic products with no harmful chemicals so you know you’re using something good for you and the environment.
- Reuse your scraps
Especially now with the pandemic, lots of chefs have taken to social media to share revival recipes for leftovers. Turn fruit peels into preserves, oil infusions or food extracts, eat organic whenever you can because there’s more room to make new food out of organic leftovers.
- Switch to organic cleaning products
Again, because of the pandemic, lots of people have improvised and come up with home made cleaning products that are multi-purpose and reduce your need for chemical based cleaners in plastic containers. One popular recipe is mixing 1⁄2 cup white distilled vinegar with 1 cup water, then adding a few drops of essential oil, but you can do your own research and find alternatives.
- Eco-friendly fashion choices
Take better care of your clothes and recycle whenever you can. Buy from eco-friendly and ethical brands and support small businesses fighting the good fight. There are lots of helpful and fun accounts on Instagram and other social media platforms that teach how to take better care of clothes or make them fashionable again through DIY projects.
- Join a clean living community
Follow zero waste accounts on Instagram and join sustainable living communities! Choosing the low waste lifestyle is not easy and knowing others are out there doing it too will help you stay motivated. Also, these communities and accounts provide a lot of insight and fresh ideas you can try out.
- Finally, try out communal composting
Composting is one of the hardest and least possible things to do if you’re following a low waste lifestyle because composting requires resources and spaces most of us just don’t have. Therefore, check out if your neighborhood has communal composting spaces where you can drop off your compostable waste. Compostable waste includes fruit and vegetable rinds, coffee grounds, egg shells, etc. Do your research and join or start a community composting project.
