How to Be More Eco Friendly

”Buy smart, buy slow, or don’t buy at all”. This is a phrase I often think of before making a purchase. There are many reasons why it is so important we as consumers need to make smarter decisions with purchases. In this blog post, you will read about 10 simple yet sustainable ways to purchase and use goods that will help get you started on living a more sustainable life!

We can’t just consume our way to a more sustainable world..

-Jennifer Nini

Together, We Can Make a Difference

Unfortunately, our world has transitioned into a materialistic and consumerist society. We have disconnected from Earth and a natural way of life and moved towards convenience and popularity. Shopping has basically become a hobby for many and this is a major problem. Purchasing unnecessary items is one of the most unsustainable things you can do.

By the late 20th century, the science of climate change was firmly established. The environmental movement began and continues to fight for the planet and our safety. Just in the past decade, we have seen major growth in sustainability skills and environmental awareness. Adopting methods of sustainability into our daily lives should help us live more in harmony with the natural world around us. We must think about our actions and how they affect us as well as our future generations.

10 Ways to be More Sustainable

1. BUY WHAT YOU NEED AND WILL USE OFTEN. AND WHEN YOU DO, TRY TO CHOOSE EARTH-FRIENDLY BRANDS AND MATERIALS

It has been proven that we purchase things to make us feel happier, but unfortunately going about it that way is just a temporary fix and it leads to unnecessary overconsumption. Here is where the phrase “buy smart, buy slow, or don’t buy at all” comes back into play. If you do need to purchase goods though, try to purchase from eco-friendly brands like Patagonia, Tentree, Happy Earth Apparel, and Pact. Choose materials like organic/recycled cotton, merino wool, hemp, bamboo, linen, tencel, econyl, and qmonos. Not only are these natural but they have little to no carbon footprint on the Earth. An app I use to find amazing clothing companies that put their workers, environment & animals first is Good on You. They also have more in-depth articles on sustainable clothing brands and fabrics. Another fantastic resource for eco-conscious shoppers to use is Done Good. This site provides a ton of eco-approved brands to purchase from. It also offers a browser plug-in that will help you determine if a retail website is sustainable or not. If you don’t have the time to research each company you purchase from, this resource is a lifesaver and does it for you! Another helpful resource to use is BuyMeOnce. This online store partners with companies that create long-lasting goods. They even offer items with long warranties so you can feel confident with your purchase! EWG is a perfect resource to help you choose non-toxic beauty and hygiene products- like Bite who offers plastic-free toothpaste! And DIME Beauty, they make my favorite clean facial cleanse products! Not only do both companies use safe ingredients, they only use recycled and recyclable packaging. #nowaste

2. CHOOSE USED WHEN IT’S AN OPTION

This is huge! If you can purchase a used item, you are practicing the most sustainable option there is and as a bonus, you are most likely going to save money while doing it! It isn’t hard to find gently used clothing, furniture, and other day-to-day items nowadays. Worn Wear- Patagonia and REI- good & used are reliable sources to purchase used name brand clothing in like-new condition. Or try out your local thrift stores, garage sales, consignment, or pawn shops. Another great way to find used items is online. A few phone apps include Offer Up, Nextdoor, and Facebook Marketplace. Or try a website like eBay. I also sell and purchase clothing from the apps Poshmark or Mercari. They’re like thrift shopping online- you can filter search for brands and sizes that you prefer and either purchase for the sale price or put in a bid directly to the seller. It’s also a great idea to sell and/or donate goods in nice condition that you don’t want or need anymore.

3. PURCHASE REUSABLE GOODS

Thankfully, in recent years, we’ve started seeing more companies jump on board with creating eco-friendly items that are reusable. If an item isn’t biodegradable then it can, or should, almost always be reusable. Here are just a few of my favorite reusable goods:

• Ecologie Reusable Dishcloth instead of paper towels
• Earth Junky or Eco Bags produce and grocery bags
• Bambu Home or Tru Earth utensils, straws, bowls & plates (great for camping)
• Redecker bamboo dish brush
• Stasherbag plastic baggies
• Last Object q-tips
• Bees Wrap food storage wraps *they have vegan options
• Tru Earth dryer balls
• Last Object makeup wipes & toner cloths
• Billie shaving razor

4. USE A REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE

Yes, this certainly could have been listed above, but this one is SO important and SO simple that I thought it should be highlighted as one of “the ways” on its own! 

One-time-use plastic water bottles are terrible for so many reasons!! They are unsafe for humans, are a waste of material, fill up our landfills, end up as land and ocean pollution, and are dangerous when animals accidentally eat them by mistaking them as food. Reusable water bottles are very affordable and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. When looking to purchase a reusable water bottle look for materials like stainless steel, glass, and BPA-free plastic. Consider what water you will use to fill up your bottle. If you have a water dispenser on your refrigerator be sure to change out the filter each year. Another great option is to add a filter directly to your sink faucet. A high-quality filtration system that is portable is the Berkey Filter. These options will allow you to drink clean, mineral-filled, and fresh-tasting water! Some of my favorite brands are listed below, from $-$$$:

• Reduce Stainless Steel Water Bottle 
• Naeco Stainless Steel Water Bottle
• Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottle
• BKR Glass Water Bottle
• Nalgene BPA Plastic Water Bottle
• Monostravel Stainless Steel Bacteria Elimination Water Bottle

5. SELECT COMPOSTABLE ITEMS WHEN REUSABLE IS NOT AN OPTION

Inevitably, we run into using some things that just can’t be reused. When this occurs, a compostable product is the best option. Biodegradable items are great options as well, but compostable has even better qualities. A simple way to pick the more sustainable option here is to pick paper over plastic. If you can’t use your reusable grocery bag, pick paper bags- not plastic. Try not to buy plastic cups/plates/silverware. Come on ya’ll, let’s “save the turtles” and choose the paper straw (or better yet, bring your own reusable straw with you!). Here are a few more common items I ensure are biodegradable or better yet compostable when I purchase them:

• Earth Rated dog poop bags
• World Centric garbage bags
• J. R. Liggett’s shampoo bar or Bambo Earth’s shampoo and conditioner bar
• Pacha Soap’s bar hand soap or Dr. Bronner’s hand and dish liquid/bar soap 
• Eco Party Time and Susty Party compostable/biodegradable paper party supplies

6. TURN OFF OR UNPLUG ELECTRONICS NOT BEING USED

The World Resources Institute states that energy consumption is by far the biggest source of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for 73% worldwide. Be conscious of the things that use energy and do your best to turn things off or unplug electronics, not in use.

• Turn the TV and lights off when you leave a room
• Turn down the AC and heat when you’re not home
• Put a timer on your WiFi so it turns off when you are sleeping
• Decrease your tv, computer, and phone screen time and spend more quality time with family or outdoors
• Use solar panels as a renewable energy source

7. EAT FRESH WHOLE FOODS

There are many sustainable qualities to eating whole foods! Not only is it the most healthy way to eat, but you’re also supporting the environment by not choosing packaged foods. Whole foods are simply grown or farmed and ready to be served! There is little to no packaging needed nor is there a multi-step production factory involved. And because there’s no processing needed, the foods are fresh and packed full of nutrients, unlike processed foods. You can grow plants in pots or garden beds at home which saves you money and a trip to the grocery store in your car. Consider supporting local farms by shopping at your town farmer’s market and grocery stores that source from local farms. Pick whole food companies that don’t pre-package their foods. And use your reusable bags when you shop! I even use my reusable produce bags to collect nuts, beans, and other foods from the store’s bulk dispensers. As much as you can, stay away from boxed and frozen foods. And when packaged food is a must, always pick the paper cardboard package vs plastic. If there is only plastic, make sure it has a recycle symbol on it and be sure to recycle it.

8. DECREASE OR ELIMINATE YOUR MEAT AND DAIRY CONSUMPTION

According to the World Resources Institute, “A 2013 study by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated that total annual emissions from animal agriculture (production emissions plus land-use change) were about 14.5 percent of all human emissions, of which beef contributed 41 percent. That means emissions from beef production are roughly on par with those of India.”. For your health and for the environment, eating meat less than 4 days a week can make a positive impact! Worried about not getting enough protein, iron, calcium, or other nutrients? Don’t be!!! There are SO many whole foods that offer all of the beneficial nutrients and supplements that we need! Did you know that lentils alone have 17.9g of protein per cup? A cup of spinach will give you 245mg of calcium. And dried fruit like apricots can offer 8mg of iron in each cup. Trust me, there are tons of options other than meat to get all of the essentials.

If you cannot eliminate meat and dairy altogether, then try buying locally from local farmers who treat their animals ethically, do not give added hormones, and that allow their animals to roam free and graze on grass. Local Harvest is a really helpful resource to find local farmers near you.

9. RECYCLE

It’s 2021, if you aren’t recycling, (wide eyes) don’t tell me- and just please start. Place a trash can and recycle bin next to each other in your home and dispose of your items correctly. It’s that simple. Most recycling centers accept plastics 1-7, paper, cardboard, bottles, cans, and glass jars. The majority of packaging nowadays is recyclable so you should be filling your recycle bin more often than your garbage can. Contact your local waste company to find out how you can get a recycles bin and weekly pickup. They can also give you details on exactly what you can add to the bin and what you should keep out. What’s accepted varies from city to city- like sometimes including lids and caps is fine, but sometimes not. Give your jars a quick rinse and break down the cardboard boxes. Recyclables are put through some machines to be separated but then they are actually hand-picked by people. If they aren’t in a certain condition they are thrown out and put into a landfill which defeats the whole recycling process. It is best to check with your local recycling company to determine what they do and do not accept. Below is a common list of items that are typically NOT accepted as recyclable:

• styrofoam & packing peanuts
• aerosol cans (check your local recycling center)
• wet or oily cardboard- like pizza boxes
• caps on plastic bottles
• plastic straws & utensils
• plastic bags & bubble wrap
• waxed paper & cartons
• electoronics & cords
• cleaning products
• all liquids

10. BE MORE ACTIVE

Emissions from driving contribute significantly to global warming and local air pollution, also known as smog. Ride your bike or walk as much as you can instead of driving. Riding your bike or walking more per day can also help improve your mental health and energy along with helping our home, planet Earth.

The great thing is that there are so many easy lifestyle changes that you can start implementing to help make a stronger contribution to this sustainability movement! As you read through the 10 ways above, keep in mind that you don’t have to make them all on at once. Slowly make these changes- be realistic and have goals. Making mistakes is okay- grow from it and learn. Don’t compare yourself to others- do what is best for you. Don’t give up your love- like books. Connect with the things that motivated you to live this lifestyle in the first place. Get out in nature and experience it to help it motivate you to keep fighting for our earth.

“We have so much power to change the world by just being careful in what we buy”- Emma Watson