What Are Some Easy Ways To Be Sustainable In Everyday Life? Part 2
What Are Some Easy Ways To Be Sustainable In Everyday Life? Part 2
Minimal clothes. Original public domain image from Wikimedia Commons
Boycott fast fashion
Fast fashion is the rapid production of inexpensive clothing in response to the latest & quickly changing trends. The clothing industry is extremely harmful to our planet because:
Textile production releases large amounts of GHG emissions and hazardous chemicals into the environment.
It significantly contributes to plastic entering the ocean (around half a million tons annually). That happens during the washing of plastic-based textiles.
Most inexpensive clothing is made with synthetic textile fibers such as polyester, nylon, or acrylic. They require fossil fuels and are NOT biodegradable.
The few easy ways to be more sustainable here, is to avoid impulsive shopping, support ethical & sustainable brands, and avoid buying clothing made from synthetic fibers.
Buy second-hand
Another great way to shop sustainably is to choose second-hand items. Shopping for vintage clothes or second-hand electronics can significantly reduce your impact on the environment and give the items a second life.
Second-hand doesn’t demand new items, and it is not contributing to the waste stream. While it is not always practical to buy second-hand things (because it is hard to always stumble upon something good), you can attempt to find whatever you are looking for in second-hand shops (online or local). This will always be the more sustainable option and can save you some cash.
Support local brands
Supporting local coffee roasters, food vendors, beer brewers, and other small businesses are not only good for the local economy, but it’s also good for the planet. Less transit time means less CO2 emissions. You will get bonus points if you purchase products that are fair trade certified.
“Fair Trade Certified” label on products encourages environmentally friendly production methods and ethical working conditions for workers.
Buy less
Merely buying less stuff is an excellent path to lower emissions. Let’s say you need something for a special occasion. Instead of buying something you know you won’t use a lot, try to borrow it from someone.
For example, if you go skiing once yearly, rent ski equipment and borrow ski pants from a friend. Also use a normal jacket, which isn’t a ski jacket, but it works well enough. The point is – whenever you need something, choose used or recycled items, and encourage sharing! It can be anything from clothing, electronics, books, food, etc. Reusing, repurposing, swapping, and sharing things is a great way to build community and reduce waste.
Go (almost) paperless
You can reduce deforestation by cutting back on your paper use. A few easy ways to do that include:
Ditch paper towels – Switch to reusable rags.
Buy recycled paper products – This will reduce the demand for virgin paper.
Receive letters or bills over email – Nowadays, you can get most of your bills over your email, so make the switch.
Purchase recycled or bamboo toilet paper – Many great companies offer eco-friendly toilet paper.
Eco-friendly cleaning
Many cleaning products contain chemicals that aren’t the best for the environment (or for you, for that matter). Luckily, there are plenty of sustainable options. By choosing eco-friendly cleaning products, you will reduce the amount of plastic packaging used and the number of chemicals inserted into the water system.
A couple of great eco-friendly cleaning products are:
Whenever you go out shopping, try to buy package-free products. You can purchase foods and other things in bulk in reusable containers.
Since this isn’t always an option, the next thing you can do is – look for a plastic-free option. Some ideas include:
Always bring a bag (or backpack) to the shop.
Ditch single-use thin bags for produce and switch to reusable ones.
Get a reusable water bottle and avoid getting drinks in plastic bottles.
Pick foods in glass, aluminum, or (recycled) paper. Reuse, upcycle, and recycle the containers.
Get a bamboo toothbrush and plastic-free toothpaste or tooth tablets for brushing your teeth.
Plastic-free personal essentials, like skincare, deodorant, etc.
When you order food, consider writing a note to ask for plastic-free packaging (and no utensils). Usually, it works, and they bring everything on paper, depending on the restaurant.
Go zero waste
The production of anything usually requires energy related to greenhouse gases. Moreover, some materials, such as plastic, emit greenhouse gases at every production stage.
Adopting zero waste practices can help you to reduce your impact. The best way to become (almost) zero waste is through:
Rethinking what we need and the way we buy
Refusing things we don’t need
Reducing the things we use and focusing on long-lasting products
