I’m only a novice in this area but have been sincerely enjoying the changes I’ve been making to simplify my life and reduce waste. It feels good to know that although I don’t know or do everything I could do to be kinder to our planet, that I’m doing SOMETHING. The world is a better place with each small choice we make. Here are 5 easy sustainable swaps. You can check out this post with more swaps if you missed it!
1. Purchase and recycle clothing responsibly.
Before throwing something away because of a hole or stain consider options to mend your clothing. When purchasing a new piece of clothing consider purchasing second hand first. If you can’t find what you’re looking for purchase good quality natural fiber clothing from an ethically and sustainably responsible brand. Do your best to purchase clothing that you will wear for years to come. Also never forget the most sustainable clothing is the clothing you own right now! If you must give up a piece of clothing, only regift or donate usable items. If you believe a charity shop won’t be able to resell your item, consider mending it first or upcycling the item to give it a newfound use!
2. Filter your water with a recycled container and Binchotan Charcoal.
Ditch Brita and other plastic based water filtration systems for a recycled container and charcoal. Just boil and dry the charcoal pieces every week and a half or so. It’s sustainable, simple, low maintenance and zero waste. When you’ve exhausted your charcoal, you can compost it.
3. Skip bottled and canned drinks.
Carrying your own water bottle is a no-brainer – simple, cheap, and ecofriendly. Use a container you already have, purchase second hand, or pick up a non-plastic reusable bottle. Instead of purchasing bottled and canned beverages opt for drinks you make at home or coffee/tea/juice from a cafe in your reusable to-go cup. If you must buy a bottled drink, opt for glass bottles over aluminum or plastic and be sure to recycle appropriately.
4. Swap bottled soaps, shampoo, and conditioners for solid.
This is a surprisingly easy swap and is cost effective too. You’re not likely to feel like you’re giving up much when swapping from shower gel to conventional soap. The shampoo did take some getting used to but I’ve used this one for a few years now and love it! It may seem a bit pricey but they last a very long time since you only require a tiny bit. Pro tip
: make sure you store on a soap dish or shower caddy that drains away any excess water and store it in an area that keeps dry in the shower or you’ll end up with unusable melted soap. Learn from my mistakes! I have not yet found a solid conditioner that’s worked for me, but I’ll keep you updated if things change. Currently I use this one which is packaged in recycled and recyclable materials. I get the largest bottle and it lasts me about 5 months despite having thick, waist length hair. A quarter size amount is all you need, and it smells like berries and cream. (No, I am not sponsored.)
5. Make your own (food, cosmetics, and cleaning products).
This requires some time and effort, but if you opt for simple food, simple skincare, and multipurpose cleaning products it’s both rewarding and easy to do. I’ll be posting a bunch of recipes soon, but in the meantime Google is your best friend. The benefits are numerous as this often reduces overall waste associated with purchasing conventional products and you have full control of the ingredients used. Make things like a nontoxic, biodegradable, multipurpose cleaner, dishwashing liquid, deodorizing powder, linen sprays, laundry detergent, or stain remover, for your household. Mix your own scrubs, salves, cleanser, shaving cream, lotions, or serums. Make your own pickles, bread, nut milks, flour, or butters. As long as you can make the time to do these things you can do it! If I can do it, so can you. It’s healthy for the planet, for your body, and for your wallet too.
Hope these ideas inspire you to make small but impactful ecofriendly changes to your day to day. I’ll be posting more painless sustainable swaps soon. Stay tuned in the Borrowed Earth section of my blog.
