INVEST IN A CUTE FALL TOTE BAG AND MUG
During the season of pumpkin spice latte trips, having a reusable tote bag and mug are essential to being a sustainable Girl-Boss. Treat yourself to a Starbucks run knowing you are reducing single use waste and take a tote bag with you for your grocery trips. If small lifestyle changes like these are adapted by many, there will simply be less waste in landfills, further reducing methane gasses from entering our ecosystems and aiding climate change! Bonus points if you support a small business or artist when you purchase your reusable tote :))
BUY LOCAL/SEASONAL PRODUCE
Not only would you be supporting local farmers, but you will feel good about the fresh produce you are eating. This time of year is perfect for visiting a farmers market and treating your body to nutritious and locally sourced treats!
DONATE UNUSED ITEMS FOR THE WINTER SEASON
THIS IS SO IMPORTANT! When you go through your winter closet that has been stuffed aside all year, I encourage you to have a clothes swap with friends to revamp your closet and to get rid of clothes that may not fit your aesthetic any longer. After this, if there are clothes that no longer fit you, do not throw these away. Pass them down to a sibling or consider donating them to a local shelter near you or any organization that accepts lightly used clothes for those in need. Having winter essentials should be given to all, and unfortunately, many still go without.
TRY A PLANT BASED THANKSGIVING!
Although this is not an option for everyone, if this is something you would like to try, I encourage you to do it! There are countless turkey replacements on the market these days, so why not try to recreate them? Although for many, going without meat is a privilege, so incorporating more plant based items for dinner is a step in a great direction. Eating plant based helps us not support agricultural practices that are one of the leading sources of methane gas emissions in the United States. This is also an opportunity to try out some vegan recipes with your besties and have some fun cooking and enjoying different foods for Friendsgiving :)
CONSUME/PURCHASE LESS FOR YOUR HALLOWEEN COSTUME
Real talk, how many of you have ever reused your halloween costume? An estimated 2,000 tonnes of plastic waste will be generated from throwaway halloween clothing waste alone just by Leading retailers in the UK. All countries worldwide that celebrate this holiday have significant contributors to this problem. Some alternatives to over-consuming would be to thrift your costume, arrange with your girlfriends and share costumes over the course of Halloweekend, DIYing your costume with pieces from you and your bffs closets! Not only will these save you money, but will decrease the amount of waste we purchase for a weekend that we will most likely never wear again.