Culture

5 Simple Changes You Can Make To Be More Eco-Friendly

As the earth’s climate continues changing, it is important for us to be more responsible and conscientious about our daily habits and ways of living. Taking little steps will form good habits that will inevitably lead to a cleaner lifestyle and a healthier planet.

By Carolynne Cantila2 min read
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Jack Frog/Shutterstock

Here are some easy tips to start living a more eco-friendly lifestyle:

Invest in a reusable water bottle and coffee cup.

Getting a reusable water bottle is an excellent way to eliminate waste. I personally use a hydro-flask. I fill it up with water every morning and hydrate throughout the day. Buying different sizes is convenient for when you’re on the go. I have a 64oz and a 32oz - just in case I forget one, I always have a backup. Another great option is buying a reusable coffee cup. You can bring it to any coffee shop and ask them to put your drink in the reusable cup. Bonus: they’ll admire your efforts in helping the planet!

Try more plant-based food options.

Switching to a couple of vegan or plant-based options helps reduce emissions, water, and energy. A vegan diet is proven to help the environment. Try going vegan for 1 or 2 meals a week. It’s also a healthy option, and gives your body a gentle detox. The Vegan Calculator is a website that tracks how many gallons of water, animals, and square miles of forest you have saved. All you need to do is put in how many months or years you have been on a vegan lifestyle, and it calculates it for you. It is super inspiring to know that your efforts and lifestyle choices are making the world a better place.

It is super inspiring to know that your efforts and lifestyle choices are making the world a better place.

Avoid plastic when you can.

We all know there is excess plastic in our environment. Opt out of buying products that are sold in plastic or disposable containers. I personally prefer glass jars and containers. Sometimes it can be tricky to find products that don’t use plastic, but cutting down on plastics is an easy way to start being more environmentally conscious.

Switch to menstrual cups.

Ladies, when it’s that time of the month, I know it can drag, but have you heard of a menstrual cup, like Diva Cup? Tampons and pads are the norm, but over time, month after month, I start to feel very wasteful with all the feminine products I use. A Diva Cup is a reusable feminine cup that is similar to a tampon. It’s cost-effective since you don’t have to buy feminine products each month, and it cuts down on the use of cotton.

Shop locally and buy Fair Trade.

Shopping locally not only supports small business, but it also reduces the mass production of goods and materials that are being made worldwide. Sweatshops around the world abuse their workers, and for the price of what? Nothing can compensate for abuse.

Try shopping at your local farmers market for produce. They even have health and beauty vendors at some of these markets. Or experiment with natural homemade health and beauty products.

Fair Trade is an excellent way to know that your products from around the world are ethically made.

Also, look for products that are labeled Fair Trade. Fair Trade is an excellent way to know that your products from around the world are ethically made. Fair Trade is a coalition where they support humane work ethic. Workers from around the world are paid good wages and work reasonable hours. Workers are also provided daycare systems, where their children can be in a safe environment during work hours. Buying and seeking more Fair Trade products makes the world more environmentally conscious, and it’ll keep your own conscience clean as well.

Conclusion

These are just a few easy ways to get started on living a more eco-friendly lifestyle. With a little bit of love and conscientiousness, we can definitely start changing the world for the better today.