Mother Nature is Our Homie: How To Become An Eco Friendly Babe Overnight

Recently, I’ve become somewhat obsessed with sustainability and eco-living. Did you know the average American throws away about 4.4 pounds of waste every day and that in one year, the amount of trash thrown away by Americans would will 63,000 garbage trucks (source: EPA)? These statistics blew my mind when I first heard them. 

That’s why I’ve decided to try and reduce my own personal waste. I’ve only just started, but I’ve already eliminated lots of single-use products from my home in exchange for reusable ones! Not only is it easy, but these little changes are going to end up saving me money in the future and help to save the planet at the same time! Here, I’ll walk you through the changes I’ve made so far, as well as some of the changes I plan on making in the future.

Take your own containers to stores like Trader Joes, or Whole Foods, and fill up on healthy goodies. This helps lessen waste, but not buying prepackaged items.

The first thing I did was actually a few years ago, when I started using tote bags at grocery stores in lieu of plastic or paper ones. I was living in California at the time and they imposed a tax on plastic bags, so I saved $0.10 per bag. Reusable shopping bags are amazing because they’re so much sturdier than plastic bags, so you don’t have to worry about your groceries falling out the bottom as you walk home! They also tend to have longer handles so you can sling them over your shoulder for easier carrying.

I also purchased some reusable produce bags so I’m not using the plastic ones for all of my fruits and vegetables. I thought the person ringing me up might be annoyed with me for the mesh bags, which are a little harder to see through, but I’ve never had an issue. I also try to purchase my food in bulk wherever I can. A packaging-free shop just opened up in my area and I’m obsessed! You bring in your own containers or purchase jars there and fill them up with everything you need, from pasta and dried fruits, to olive oil and laundry detergent. Buying in bulk is often cheaper than buying packaged goods, so it’s a win-win!

Next, I bought myself a couple metal straws and a set of metal cutlery in a cute little case so I don’t have to use single-use plastic alternatives when I’m eating out. I also have a reusable water bottle and coffee cup. Sure, it’s a little cumbersome to carry these things around with me and have to clean them rather than tossing them out, but I think it’s such a small trade-off for being able to feel like I’m making a difference, no matter how tiny!

Invest in some good quality cloth, replace your paper towel dispenser with the cloth, use it, wash it, and use again!

Most recently, I’ve swapped out paper towels and cotton face rounds. This was definitely the biggest change for me. I’ve always been a big user of paper towels and I use cotton face rounds in my beauty routine every day and night. I found reusable organic cotton replacements and after just a couple of weeks, I’m already used to the change. I just toss them in the wash after they’ve been used and then they’re good to go!

This has been a somewhat slow change, since I want to use up the things I have before I swap them out for more eco-friendly options. I just ran out of conditioner and decided to try a condition bar instead. Rather than coming in a bottle, it looks like a bar of soap! It definitely took some getting used to, but I love it now and can’t wait to run out of shampoo so I can get a shampoo bar as well. I also plan on making my own cleaning solution when I run out of what I currently have and continuing to try to buy things package free wherever possible.

Living more sustainably has been extremely rewarding and I can’t wait to continue to make changes to my lifestyle in an effort to reduce my waste and create a positive impact on the planet. I hope I can inspire others to make small changes as well! They’re so much easier than they sound and can make a huge difference in the world.

Cover image via Harbour Club