There is no quote truer than this one when it comes to our relationship with our planet.
I'm committed to helping people reclaim their time & reclaim their minds. Once people remember how to care for themselves, they have room & bandwidth to care for our planet. Because it should be Earth Day each day, here are my favorite tips on how to waste less.
Something you need to know & share widely:
Every single piece of plastic that has ever been created since the 19th century is STILL SOMEWHERE ON OUR PLANET.
Many of these tips involve minimal effort & the ones that do require effort actually enrich our lives. I am giving you links to items so you can get a visual, but I hope that you can activate your own communities by shopping local as much as possible! Please share your tips with me in the comments and I will post in my next newsletter & on social.
1) Carry a reusable water bottle & while you're at it, make it alkaline. If your tap water is the reason you're drinking bottled, consider getting one of these filters ASAP.
2) Bring your own reusable totes & grocery bags wherever you go! We all know this by now, but we just have to remember them!!!! If you need a couple more, ours are super cute and really durable. If you are buying just a few things, another option is to carry your groceries out by hand. I've definitely been known to do this!
3) When buying groceries, choose the produce that is not covered in plastic. "Convenience" items are usually in single-use plastic. Most of Trader Joe's produce items are covered in plastic. Find a grocery store that does not pre-package fruits and veggies or head to your local farmers market. Spend 5 minutes 2x a week to pre-chop your veggies and fruits.
4) Bring your own canvas bags for produce instead of using plastic bags. Lot's of options. Here's a list to help you choose. Or you can just be like me and use your tote bags!
5) Eat at home more. Have friends over to make it fun. Make it a potluck to take the pressure off. Try a new recipe. You'll save $ too! Check out my recipes for some new & healthy ideas!
6) When you do go out to eat, bring your own tupperware to put your leftovers in. If you get a look, share the quote about plastic above. The people that think conservation is weird usually have not been empowered with the right information.
7) Take your own thermos to a coffee shop or mason jar to a smoothie shop. I do this constantly and have never had anyone question it. My local juice shop loves the idea.
8) Learn how to DIY something. Think of one thing you purchase a lot of (ex. household cleaner, almond milk, granola, mouthwash) & look up how to make it yourself! See these DIY cleaning recipes. There is tons of online content pertaining to DIY.
9) Ditch the daily items that require single use plastics & find sustainable upgrades : Keurig cups (go reusable), pre-packaged meals (prep that food), yogurt cups (DIY?) , plastic straws (go metal or glass), paper napkins (go cloth), plastic cutlery (go bamboo or metal) and plastic & paper plates (wash some dishes or go reusable).
10) Use bars over bottles in the shower & tub. There are unwrapped soap, shampoo, conditioner and facial bars at Whole Foods and most health food stores. These are daily use items that can contribute to a lot less waste.
Thank you for taking the time to read these tips. Please let me know your thoughts & don't forget to share yours. I know they seem like small ways, but once we master the small ways to be sustainable in our homes, we can build on that & tackle the bigger ones!