five ways to live sustainably

sustainability & environmentalism is something i’m very passionate about. i don’t live a completely ~zero-waste / minimalism lifestyle~, but i try to be conscious when i can. this is something that started ~5 years ago, so i’m sharing a few tips and tricks i learned along the way.

here are five easy ways to live more sustainably & protect the planet:

01. use what you have

while it may be *very* tempting to buy silicon ziplock bags, beeswax wrap, and other ~zero-waste alternatives~, it’s important to use what you have! i had this problem and made this mistake when i first got into eco living. ultimately, it just left me with more stuff. which does not help. so if you have things, use it!! and when you use it to the end of its lifespan, you can choose better alternatives in the future.

02. reuse when you can

me and my reusable utensils have been at it since 2017. no shame. (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ this is less relevant now since we’re all at home/in quarantine BUT when life finds its form of normalcy again: bring your reusables!! the easiest one would be a water bottle. if you want to level it up, bring reusable bags when grocery shopping (or shopping in general). if you want to go even further, bring your reusable utensils like cutlery and straws. the full shebang.

i remember going to australia/new zealand and finding out people being reusable containers to restaurants for their takeout. REVOLUTIONARY. (although, i know some people are hesitant now for sanitary reasons but… eco…..)

03. consume less animal products

my initial intro to caring for the environment!! veganism!!!!! for those of you who don’t know, i was vegan for ~3 years but transitioned back into “regular eating” for personal reasons. (1. i love pastries a lot and, 2. my parents were very against it) however, i still consider myself mostly plant-based (with the exception of milk bread).

animal agriculture makes up 14.5% of all greenhouse gas emissions – greater than all transportation combined. it’s one of the leading causes of deforestation, water pollution, and biodiversity loss; basically, it’s no bueno. not to mention, the meat you eat is fucking disgusting. this is due to the way the animals are raised and slaughtered and the whole,,, process.

this can come off as *preachy vegan* (even though i’m not even vegan anymore) BUT!!! please try to reduce your animal consumption if you can. i know it can be difficult for people, but choose plant based alternatives if/when you can.

further reading: eating animals, by jonathan safran foer; nyt article on the food you eat

04. notice your trash

i did a zero waste week last year and it changed my perspective of trash in a huuuuuuge way. i started to notice a lot of things and the source of where most of my waste was from. when you know what you’re throwing out, you can be more conscious of what to buy in the future. i noticed a lot of miscellaneous plastic and wrappers, so now i try to choose better alternatives.

05. be conscious of the the things you buy & brands you support

lastly!! be aware of the things you’re buying!!! and brands you’re supporting!!!! i know it can be tempting to get the cheaper/faster/more convenient things but,,, you can do better. i know this to be especially true in fast fashion (curse me finding cute clothes from unethical brands). purchasing something from an unethical brand continues to support the pain and pollution of those suffering from it. and when the environment is involved, we all suffer from it.

special shout out to brands i adore: reformation, organic basics, girlfriend collective, lush

BONUS: forgive yourself, for you are trying your best.

(or i hope you’re at least making an effort) getting into living more sustainably can be intimidating, and it can feel like you’re “not doing anything.” but ultimately, it’s the little things that add up to make big changes. so if you’re able to choose to purchase produce rather than steak, then do that; if you reuse your water bottle rather than getting another plastic bottle, then do that. together, we can (maybe) save the earth!!

disclaimer: some links are affiliated which means i earn a small commission if you purchase through them! it doesn’t cost extra on your part. :’)