A few weeks ago at work, a coworker was discussing a video she saw on Buzzfeed demonstrating a woman choosing to live without producing trash for thirty days. The woman in the video had to produce as little waste as possible throughout her day, whether it be using reusable bottles and plates or not washing her hands with paper towels. This stemmed from her wanting to be aware of her eco-footprint and a zero waste community movement that is rising.
The average American produces a ton of waste per year. Each day, I unconsciously consume products without thinking of how the product is made or where the waste will go to. Like many other people, I expect fast results and ignore the consequences for that. The biggest challenge with starting to become zero-waste is feeling overwhelmed and not thinking you can make a difference. The media constantly wraps global-warming, but never teaches us true ways to combat these issues other than recycle. I wanted to become more aware of my footprint, so did some research and found these tips.
Small steps for becoming a better sustainable you:
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Research where your everyday products, such as soap, comes from and the ingredients included in it. Try switching to natural and organic products.
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Buy reusable bottles, plates, and grocery bags to use. These are sustainable, and you will save more money than using plastic.
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Carpool, bike, and walk to locations when you can.
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Call up representatives on their stance on sustainability and alternative energies.
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Set up plants such as aloe vera or ferns around your living space to clean air.
Resources:
As environmental movements are noticed on a larger scale, people are more open to try new things. Blogs such as Trash for Tossers and Zero Waste International Alliance provide ideas to slowly change your lifestyle. Documentaries such as Cowspiracy and No Impact Man discuss an industry outlook rather than self-sustainability such as animal agriculture and carbon footprint. We all have the power to slowly become more environmentally aware and keep this Earth healthy.
HC XO,
Gloria