One of the things that I want to do this year is to be more earth-friendly. I have already been more conscious during the past year about lessening my trash and the use of plastics and such, but I feel that this year I need to make it not just a habit or something that I am trying but an actual lifestyle. Here are some of the things that I am currently doing and some that I aim to do this year to make this an earth-friendly 2020:
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| Image by annca from Pixabay |
BYOU (Bring Your Own Utensils) and Tumblers
This is something that I’ve been doing since last year. I used to buy food outside when I’m at work. Food that comes in plastic and/or styrofoam with a plastic spoon and fork. I now bring my own food to work, utensils and all. It can be a bit of a hassle lugging around my own tumbler, food containers, and utensils but it does make a difference. When I think about how much I put in the trash every single workday from buying food outside, it horrifies me that I have contributed that much trash that will not go away in my lifetime. By at least bringing my own food at work with utensils and tumblers, I can lessen the trash that I contribute to the planet.
This by no means is still a perfect practice. There are times when people still offer me food in plastic and I can’t turn them down, but I do my best to avoid it as much as I can.
BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag)
This is something that has a dual purpose for me. When shopping, I make it a point to bring my own bag. That way, it won’t be packed in plastic or in a paper bag that will be thrown away after one use. It also helps me to avoid unnecessary shopping, because I will not buy anything unless I have my reusable shopping bag.
Avoid Plastic as Much as Possible
I know that manufacturers haven’t made it easy for us by having almost everything in plastic containers, but I am making a conscious effort to avoid them whenever I can. I have bought (and am currently using) a plastic-free toothbrush. I am looking into the alternatives for other items that I use regularly as well.
I think these days when plastic packaging on products is hard to avoid, it’s more about being aware and being conscious about alternatives when they are available. For example, if you use shampoo in bottles, it’s time to give shampoo bars a try. If you buy coffee in sachets, try buying them in cans or bottles. Again, not the perfect solution until manufacturers provide alternate packaging but we should at least do what we can!
Composting
This is something that I am determined to try this year. It won’t be easy since we do not have much of a garden/land area to speak of, but I am trying to figure out ways to work this out. Composting would entail burying biodegradable waste in the soil so looking for a place to do that at home (possibly via a large plant box and purchased soil) is something that I am currently working on. If anyone has suggestions, I would appreciate the heads up!
Avoid Overconsumption
Today it’s so easy to just keep buying things, particularly things that we don’t really need but get interested in because of our current culture of consumption. With online shops making it easy to randomly buy things at the click of a button, there is a big tendency to impulse buy (and, as some might put it, emotional shopping). Having too much stuff will eventually lead to too much waste. Same thing with too much shopping leading to too much packaging (all that plastic and bubble wrap...just the thought of it is giving me anxiety).
We need to be smart shoppers. Buying only what we need, when we need it. One of the things that I’ve decided to cut back on is shopping for makeup. I have this tendency to impulse buy, so this year I have decided that unless I run out of what I currently have today, I am not buying more lip color, blush, or any other item that I use on my face. The same goes for other things. We need to think about whether we really need that new dress, new shoes, new gadgets, etc. We need to be conscious of this as we are with avoiding plastic!
Recycle
Another important thing to do is to recycle. Let’s not throw away things that we can still reuse or repurpose. I’m not talking about hoarding things, but more about being conscious about what we throw away. If we can’t use it but you think someone else can, why not give it away instead of throwing it out?
With all the trash that the world is currently carrying that will keep piling up until we have no space anymore, we all need to do our part to lessen the load. We might think that what we do won’t make a difference but if we all do our part; I believe we can make a difference. I just hope that the big companies, the manufacturers, the big businesses, and all will do their part to help reduce waste as well. As a lot of people have been saying, the next ten years are crucial in ensuring that we can avoid the worst of what climate change will bring.
Let’s all try to make a difference this year, the world depends on it!
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