Going to school in Los Angeles, I often find myself taking for granted our sunny weather and easy access to the beach. With that being said, Iâve noticed lots of waste accumulated at the beach, and it got me thinking about sustainability.Â
Remembering the VSCO girl trend from a few years back, we were obsessed with saving the sea turtles and getting rid of plastic straws. Perhaps that initiative made a difference â most coffee shops now have sippy cup lids â but was sustainability really just a trend?
In all fairness, living a sustainable lifestyle is harder than youâd expect as a student. Luckily, Iâve put together some easy swaps you can implement in your day to day routine!
- Walk as Much as You Can
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Personally, if my destination is less than two miles away, Iâm always going to walk. I love to use the time to call friends and family and listen to podcasts. Remember Covid when the gyms were closed and we would go on Hot Girl Walks just to get outside? Who says you canât make your commute to class, work or the grocery store part of your workout routine now? Not only does walking decrease your carbon footprint, but itâs overall a great way to destress, especially after exams.
Over 40% of the population is Vitamin D deficient, so we need to be maximizing our exposure to the sun. Additionally, if youâre like me and trying to cut down on doomscrolling and repair your dopamine receptors, then you should know that being outside is a great way to boost those happy chemicals in your brain!
- Mindful Grocery Shopping
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Over 194 billion pounds of food goes to waste each year in America, and the average college student contributes a surprisingly large portion of it. So, before you go grocery shopping, make it a point to see what you already have in your fridge and cupboards and think of ways that you can use the leftover food. If you need some ideas, wilted greens go great in smoothies and brown avocados make great hair masks!Â
It also may be beneficial to make a list before you go shopping and plan out your meals and snacks for the week that way no food is being wasted. Plus, if youâve been wanting to get into meal prepping, this is the perfect opportunity.
- Second-hand Shopping
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I bet a lot of us already have a good chunk of our wardrobe thatâs thrifted. There are so many gems hidden at thrift stores, plus you end up saving a lot of money compared to shopping retail. But when you go thrifting, how often do you venture beyond the clothing section? So many everyday household items can be found second hand: dinnerware, furniture, picture frames, storage baskets – the list goes on. The exciting part is you never know what youâll find.Â
One of my favorite obsessions is scrolling through my communityâs facebook marketplace listings. Youâd be surprised how much good stuff people are trying to get rid of. Plus, if youâre lucky, they may just be giving it away for free!