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It’s time to demystify the word sustainable, because it’s more than simply a buzzword for fashion campaigns and business models. It’s a series of actionable tips that allow us to responsibly use earth’s resources and treat others fairly. Simply put it’s a way of life (and the smartest way to live if we can be blunt). More often than not, you’ve adapted more than one sustainable habit in your everyday life. Do you turn off the lights when you leave a room? You can save energy. Do you shop for clean beauty brands? You help to minimize pollution. Have you ever mended a loose button? You prevent landfill waste. These are simple choices, but they have a big impact on the health of our planet today and tomorrow. Here are a few ways that your other everyday habits are minimizing waste, pollution and CO2 emissions to protect our environment.
Carry a reusable water bottle
In order to meet America’s yearly demand for 22 billion plastic water bottles around 17 million barrels of oil are used. And, most of those end up in landfills after one use since less than 20% of plastic water bottles are recycled.
Use reusable utensils
Plastic cutlery waste amounts to 40 billion pieces put into landfills yearly. In fact, the Ocean Conservancy found 2 million single-use plastic forks and knives during one cleanup in 2018 alone.
*Take the pledge to quit plastic cutlery and use a reusable set instead with the Ocean Conservatory challenge.
Bring your own shopping tote
It’s estimated that we go through 5 trillion plastic bags every year. With only 1 to 3% of plastic bags being recycled, a lot of them are ending up in our oceans. In 2008, a sperm whale died from 22 kilos of plastic found in its stomach.
Plant a tree
We’ve already destroyed 46% of the world’s forests from logging, burning and deforestation. This in turn disrupts our atmosphere by causing an increase in CO2 emissions, a drier climate due to the lack of trees holding in moisture and more greenhouse gases entering our atmosphere.
Bike or walk
In the U.S cars dump 24 pounds of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere for every gallon of gas. Combined with trucks, they account for 20% of emissions in the U.S.
Choose paper-free receipts
Did you know that in the U.S we destroy 12 million tress just for paper receipts? That’s also 13.2 billion gallons of water and 4 billion pounds of CO2 emissions. Adding to that, receipts are printed with BPA, a known endocrine disrupt or.
Eat plants
For every gram of beef and lamb that lands on your plant it emits 250 times more CO2 emissions than beans.
Say ‘no’ to clothes dryers
Choosing to air dry your clothes has the potential to reduce your carbon footprint by 2,400 pounds yearly and it’s also gentler on your clothing.
Use solid beauty products
It’s estimates that 132.8 billion litres of water are used to make plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles annually. And, about 552 million of those plastic bottles are tossed into landfills yearly.
Shop clean beauty
Chemicals aren’t only bad for our health, they’re also bad for the environment. Popular cosmetic ingredients like BHA and BHT have been shown to cause mutations in amphibians. Siloxanes have been shown to accumulate in toxic levels in fish examined from several locations in Nordic countries.
Shop ‘used’ or ‘pre-loved’
In 2018 the Environmental Protection Agency estimated that we recycle less than 15% of the 17 million tons of textile waste made yearly.
Recycle
Recycling a glass bottle can reduce air and water pollution by 20% and 50% respectively. It’s also an item that can take 4,000 years to decompose.
Unplug electronics and ports overnight
Keeping electronics plugged in can account for 10% of a household’s energy use.