When we start thinking about the reality of plastic pollution and the current state of the environment, the situation can seem a bit hopeless. After all, if we’re going to see any significant change, it will need to happen on a global level, right?
While it’s true that worldwide change is needed, it’s also true that you as an individual can help foster that change. And you can do it right where you are without taking drastic actions or dramatically altering your lifestyle.
How is that possible? The answer is sustainable living.
In this blog post, we’ll explain more about what this term means and give you some easy and practical ways to incorporate sustainability into your current way of life.
Let’s start by defining sustainable living.
What is Sustainable Living?
Sustainable living begins with an awareness of the fact that your lifestyle choices impact the planet and the people who will live on it after you. In light of that fact, you then make conscious efforts to take better care of the earth and reduce the amount of waste that you produce, including plastic waste, food waste, and more.
Sounds simple enough! But how does that play out practically?
Before we offer some ideas, we want to stress that sustainability is a journey, and it will look different for every person. Some of us are able to make more lifestyle changes than others, and that’s just fine. What’s important is that you do what you can with what you have and where you are in this stage of your life. Take one step at a time and stick to what is realistic for you!
With that clarification out of the way, let’s jump into some suggestions for how to live more sustainably! We’ll start with ways to lessen your consumption of single-use plastic.
Reduce Plastic Waste
Does your town have a recycling program? If so, consider taking advantage of it! Plastic, cardboard, paper, and aluminum can all be recycled, but be sure to visit your city’s website or call the appropriate department to find out what items are accepted where you live. For those of you who are Fort Worth residents, you can find information on Fort Worth’s recycling program here.
Besides recycling, you can decrease your ecological footprint by simply using less plastic. Start by identifying the single-use plastic products that you buy on a regular basis and brainstorm alternative ways that you could reduce or reuse those products.
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For example, if you frequent Starbucks, you can choose to have your drink made in your own reusable cup instead of a single-use plastic one. Not only does this reduce waste, but when you bring your own cup, you can also get a ten cent discount off of your drink order and earn bonus stars! Score!
The next time you’re at the grocery store, skip the plastic bags and bring your own cloth ones. If you don’t have cloth bags on hand, no worries! Simply save your plastic bags and reuse them on your next grocery trip.
Another way to prolong the lifespan of plastic bags is to use them in place of garbage bags in your smaller trash cans. By doing this, you’ll eliminate the need to purchase extra trash bags, which will further decrease your plastic waste and save you money.
On the topic of plastic bags, what about zipper storage bags? They are oh so convenient! You might start by cleaning them out and reusing them. Many food items are now sold in resealable bags, so another option is to save, clean, and repurpose those in place of disposable bags. Or if both those ideas sound like too much of a hassle, you may want to invest in reusable silicone bags instead.
In place of paper towels for kitchen spills or house cleaning, consider cutting up your old t-shirts and using them as rags. Alternatively, you can purchase Swedish dishcloths (reusable, compostable cleaning cloths) or reusable bamboo paper towels.
And speaking of bamboo, there are a plethora of sustainable bamboo alternatives to plastic on the market today. For example, at Green Thistle Emporium, we sell bamboo bottle brushes, pot scrubbers, and dish brushes that can be used in place of standard kitchen sponges. We also sell eco-friendly bamboo floss and toothbrushes. And let’s not forget our reusable bamboo travel cutlery set! This can be conveniently stored in your purse or car to eliminate the need for plastic utensils.
In addition to selling sustainable goods, Green Thistle Emporium is also Fort Worth’s only brick and mortar refillery. As such, we’re proud to offer bulk household and personal care products for use with refillable containers, either brought from home or bought here at the shop. Using a refill shop is an easy way to cut down on your plastic usage, so come on by and check us out!
Reduce Food Waste
Aside from using less plastic, another great means of living sustainably is to reduce the amount of food waste that you and your household produce. The simplest way to do this is to actually use up what you buy. Before you make your next grocery trip, shop your fridge and pantry first. Plan your meals around what you already have before purchasing more food. And don’t be afraid of produce that has a few wrinkles or spots! More often than not, it’s still okay to eat and doesn’t need to be thrown out.
If you’re into gardening or aspire to be a gardener, you might consider composting. In a nutshell, this is a way to repurpose your food waste into nutrient-rich fertilizer for outdoor and indoor plants. And the best part is that you don’t need to live in a home with a yard to start composting! This article provides a succinct introduction to backyard composting, while this article tells you how to compost if you live in an apartment. Even if you have no use for compost, we bet your friends who garden would be thankful for the gift!
When you can purchase locally grown food, it’s more sustainable to do so. This practice helps conserve energy because the food doesn’t have to travel as far to reach you. It also gives you the chance to support your local economy as well as area farmers and small businesses. Plus, the food tends to be better for you as it is often fresher. Farmer’s markets are excellent venues for shopping local, and you can find a list of farmers markets in and around Fort Worth here.
Reduce Other Types of Waste
Aside from plastic and food, can you think of any other items that you might waste?
One category that may not immediately come to mind is clothing. In the Western world, many of us own way more clothes than we actually wear. What do we do with the excess?
The next time you purge your closet, think about how you might recycle your clothes instead of throwing them away. Earlier we mentioned repurposing old t-shirts into kitchen rags. How else might you repurpose your torn or stained clothing?
For the items that are still in good shape, consider donating or selling them. And when it’s time to purchase new clothes, try buying used instead of new. You can shop at thrift stores or browse websites like Poshmark or Depop.
Of course, clothes aren’t the only items that you can purchase second hand! Used bookstores and websites like Thriftbooks and AbeBooks sell previously owned books as well as other products like art, comics, and music. You can find baby items, furniture, household decor, and a myriad of other things on Facebook Marketplace and at garage and estate sales. You can even choose to purchase a used vehicle as opposed to buying a new one. An added benefit of opting for second hand is that it tends to be cheaper, so you’ll save yourself money while saving the planet! It’s truly a win-win!
If you’ve read up to this point, we hope your mind is bursting with creative ideas for how to reduce waste and live more sustainably! Feel free to stop by the shop and share them with us! Sustainability is best accomplished in community, and we’re always encouraged to hear from others who care about the world as much as we do. Here’s to living more sustainably and creating a brighter, cleaner future for us all!
