Let’s talk sustainability. Too many people avoid living a more sustainable lifestyle because it seems too complicated or too expensive. But going green doesn’t have to be difficult—and it shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. We believe living more eco-friendly should be accessible to everyone.
Why? Because if we want to protect our planet for future generations, we need to put the work into preserving what we have. That’s why we’ve put together 5 easy habits you can implement today to become more sustainable.
Check out our tips to learn how easy it could be for you to make a change today:
Buy From Local Vendors
Who doesn’t love a trip to the local farmer’s market? Well, it turns out that buying from a local small business is not only great for your community but also for the environment. When you buy something as simple as produce from a local grower at your farmer’s market, you’re being more sustainable in a couple of different ways. First, you’re reducing the amount of fuel and emissions it would’ve taken that product to get to you if you purchased it from a traditional retailer. And second, when you bring your own bag or containers you reduce the amount of single-use plastic needed to transport the product.
But don’t be fooled, your local Farmer’s Market probably has a lot more available than produce. Many markets feature other edible goods like bread, pastries, jams, honey, cheese, and meat. Depending on what your local vendors have, you can get most of your grocery shopping done at the Farmer’s Market. Plus, on top of being more sustainable, it’s usually cheaper and fresher than the food you’d find at the regular grocery store.
Skip Single-Use Utensils
You’ve probably heard of single-use plastic, like water bottles and straws. But I think most of us are already trying to utilize reusable water bottles and straw options. (If you’re not, that’s a great place to start on your road to becoming more sustainable) But this tip is for everyone who’s already made the switch to reusable water bottles. Let’s take your sustainability a step further and remove single-use plastic utensils from our lives.
No, we’re not encouraging you to start eating with your hands. Consider investing in a portable utensil set. Many are small enough to fit in your bag and take on the go. Not looking to spend any money? Simply take a fork, spoon, and knife out of your collection at home and place them in a small reusable bag. Once you start carrying utensils, you’ll never use single-use plastic ones again.
Stop Supporting Un-Sustainable Fast Fashion Brands
Fast fashion brands like Shein and many others currently contribute to a tenth of the planet’s carbon emissions. And that’s only counting the production of fast fashion products. We have no idea how much CO2 gas is being emitted from landfills with piles of discarded fast fashion merchandise. The big takeaway here, fast fashion is harming the planet, and the best way to counteract this is not to support it.
How do you avoid fast fashion? First, you need to know what brands are fast fashion. Zara, Shein, Fashion Nova, H&M, UNIQLO, GAP, Forever 21, Topshop, Nike, Urban Outfitters, Victoria’s Secret, GUESS, Hollister, American Eagle, Old Navy, Adidas, Anthropologie, and Wish are among some of the biggest. Once you know what brands to avoid, try your best not to buy from them or get pulled to impulse purchases that don’t reflect your sustainability goals. Always think to yourself, “do I see myself using this item in 5 years?” If the answer is “no” you should probably skip the item.
Donate Items You’re Not Using
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. You know that kitchen appliance that’s been sitting in your pantry unused? Or those clothes you put into the attic to make more room in your closet for other things? Yea, when was the last time you thought about those things? If the answer is over 6 months, it might be time to consider donating these items.
Here’s the deal, just because you aren’t using these items, doesn’t mean someone else won’t love and cherish having them in their home. Plus, when you donate them, you’re giving another person the opportunity to make a sustainable purchase themselves.