Sustainable Living

Whether you're already living a sustainable lifestyle or if you're overwhelmed with what to

do, this post should be a good guide to get you started or to learn more about being a conscious consumer. I want to emphasize that making these changes aren't going to solve everything. For too long the pressure has been put on the individual level when in reality it needs to be the system that's changing. With that being said, making a conscious effort to live a more sustainable life does make a difference especially when it's a collective effort. These are some things that I do, and also things that I can still improve on. Please know that this is just a guide and it's not possible to do all of these things overnight. Pick out some things that are attainable for you and start with that. Set some short-term and long-term goals to realistically transition to a sustainable lifestyle and make it a habit. There are plenty of things that are no-cost and then there are things that you would have to invest in. The main goals of environmentalism are to buy less, buy things that will last, and being conscious in everything you do, buy, or eat. It's all about living a lifestyle that is also compatible with sustaining nature.

I wanted to talk about carbon offsetting because traveling is something that is really important to me and I imagine it's important to a lot of people as well. I've fallen in love with the beauty of the world and I would be devastated if I didn't get to travel and explore. An eco-friendly car makes a huge difference, but it's not realistic for everyone to switch to eco-friendly cars. If you can, drive less, walk to places, or use public transportation. If you fly or go on a long road trip, do extra things to carbon offset your footprint. Animal agriculture makes up for more greenhouse gas emissions than all combined exhaust for transportation. (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Rome 2006) Because of this, the greatest carbon offset you can do is to eat plant-based or vegan. On top of doing all of these other things, contributing to organizations also make a really big difference. https://learn.eartheasy.com/articles/where-to-donate-10-high-impact-environmental-charities-with-integrity/

If you're curious what your carbon footprint is now, there are many quizzes you can take that gives you an idea of what your footprint is, but here is a good one to take: https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/carbon-footprint-calculator/

There is also a really good app that helps you track your progress, and it gives you action items that you can do to help lower your footprint. It's called Earth Hero. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earth-hero-climate-change/id1458057746

Here is a link to my resources page to get you started in finding some good brands to buy from: https://www.theinnerpeaces.com/resources

Everyday

• Use less plastic: ask for no straw at restaurants or if it's a to-go cup ask for no lid or straw, use refillable water bottles, use reusable shopping bags and produce bags, buy things with plastic-free packaging

• Use less water

• Turn off the lights and TV when you aren't using them

• Buy less

• Recycle: make sure to research guidelines in your area and what is okay and not okay to recycle https://www.epa.gov/recycle/how-do-i-recycle-common-recyclables

• Use the stairs instead of the elevator if possible

• Clean out your glass jars from food and reuse them for certain things instead of buying mason jars. https://blog.bottlestore.com/what-do-you-do-with-empty-glass-jars-25-new-ideas/

• Clean out your candle jar's and use them as a plant holder or make a DIY candle

• Zero waste chapstick https://www.sustainablejungle.com/zero-waste/zero-waste-lip-balm/

• Use Ecosia for your search engine. Help plant trees just by searching the web. You can change the settings on your device to make it to where anytime you search something it uses Ecosia instead of google. https://www.ecosia.org

EAT LESS MEAT AND DAIRY

• I'm not trying to yell, but this one deserves all caps because of how important it is. Here is a really good infographic that shows all of the negative impacts of the meat and dairy industry and how going vegan or plant-based is ESSENTIAL if we want to address climate change. https://www.cowspiracy.com/infographic We can do all of these other things to live more sustainably, but if we as a society cannot shift to eating less meat and dairy, then we will reach a tipping point for our planet. Although going vegan would make a huge difference, not everyone can do this so even just eating one meatless meal a day helps or eating vegan a few days a week. Once you learn more about the climate crisis and the agricultural industry, you should feel more and more compelled to change because of how serious it is. One of the easiest things you can do switch to dairy-free alternatives. Non-dairy milks taste really good and they don't come with the environmental cost. Try different dairy-free cheese's and see what brand and flavor you like the best! Incorporate more vegetables into your diet! If you're someone who says they don't like "healthy" food then try different ways of cooking things and experiment. Eating plant-based is also has many health benefits. By switching to a plant-based diet, you will nourish your mind and soul all while taking care of the earth and everything that lives here.

• Plant-based guide for beginners: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/plant-based-diet-guide#overview

Kitchen and Food

• Use cloths instead of paper towels https://mamaeco.com/eco-friendly-alternatives-paper-towels/

• Use refillable cleaning products https://www.grove.co/member/home/

• Use refillable hand soap or a soap bar

• Stop buying plastic: the time it takes to wash something doesn't compare the environmental impact of plastic. This includes plastic utensils, plastic plates, plastic water bottles, plastic tubberwear, etc.

• Use glass plates and cups

• Use foil instead of plastic wrap. Wash the foil and recycle it.

• Reusable ziplock bags https://nymag.com/strategist/article/best-reusable-eco-friendly-food-storage-bags.html

• Buy small amounts of food at a time to avoid food waste

• Learn about composting and what method works best for you: https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/types-composting-and-understanding-process

• Buy non-processed food and avoid palm oil (contributes to deforestation)

• Buy organic (watch Kiss the Ground to learn about regenerative farming)

• Buy produce locally and in season

• Turn off the water in between washing dishes

Bathroom

• Shampoo/conditioner bar: try different brands and see what works best for your hair. Ethique is a good brand to try first. https://ethique.com

• Refillable hand soap or soap bar

• Bamboo toothbrush: turn off the water while you're brushing https://bestreviews.com/best-bamboo-toothbrushes

• Buy toothpaste tablets to use less plastic https://bitetoothpastebits.com

• Buy products with no parabens, sulfates, dyes or synthetic fragrances

• Buy products that are not tested on animals

• Toilet paper: use less, buy bamboo or recycled, buy in plastic-free packaging if possible

• Flush less often if you can (If it's yellow let it mellow)

• Take shorter showers, use a water saver shower head

• Safety razor or compostable razor https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/g35395337/best-eco-friendly-razors/

• Reusable cotton rounds https://www.bestproducts.com/beauty/g35630436/reusable-cotton-rounds/

• Refillable floss https://byhumankind.com

• Reusable q-tips https://lastobject.com/pages/lastswab

• Reusable hair ties https://www.teleties.com

• Use a menstrual cup instead of tampons https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a22064115/best-menstrual-cups/

• Reusable period underwear https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/g26411652/period-panties/

• Reusable pads https://menstrualcupreviews.net/reusable-menstrual-cloth-pads/

Sustainable Closet

• Buy less and buy clothes that will last

• Buy second-hand

• Avoid fast fashion and impulse buying: this includes brands like Shein, Zara, H&M, Forever 21, GAP, etc. https://www.minimalismmadesimple.com/home/fast-fashion-brands/

• Guide to sustainable fabrics: https://consciousclosetblog.com/guide-to-sustainable-fabrics/

• Buy ethically sourced and environmentally friendly leather and research for sustainable brands like Veja shoes, JWPEI, The Weekend Edit, etc. https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/ethical-eco-friendly-and-fair-trade-handbags-totes-and-weekenders

• Sustainable jewelry https://www.uncommongoods.com/jewelry/by-collection/sustainable-jewelry

The system needs to change to make some of these things more realistic for everyone, but you cannot be perfect so please don't go into this lifestyle thinking that. Keep in mind that this is a guide that I created, so researching on your own is always a good idea.

Hear from people with different perspectives and tips and educate yourself as much as you can. I've been committed to my sustainability journey for about three years now and it feels good to know that I'm doing my part in taking care of the earth. There is always room for growth and I'm always learning new things. I try to do the best I can to live a conscious lifestyle and I've been eating vegan since January 2021. We are all on different journey's to sustainability and what works for one person may not work for all. Find what works best for you and try to stick with it. The earth will thank you for every little thing you can do to live a more mindful life.