It’s the season for New Year’s resolutions. Whether that means you’ve already started yours or are still trying to figure it out, the beginning of a new year is always a great excuse to try something new or improve in something you’re already familiar with. Part of my resolution this year is to be more mindful of my carbon footprint.
Now, I’m not going to become a vegetarian or limit my personal hygiene, but I feel as if it’s my responsibility to make more sustainable choices in my day-to-day life.
- Reusable Bags > Plastic Bags
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While this one may seem obvious, I think it can be overlooked by the average busy college student. For example, sometimes I might go somewhere in a friend’s car, and we spontaneously end up shopping. Next thing I know, I’m the not-so-proud new owner of another cheap plastic bag.
I’m designating a few larger Aldi totes to permanently sit in my car for when I’m running errands. When I go places with friends, I’ll keep an extra folded-up tote bag or two with my wallet and other essentials in my tote bag. This is a win-win situation for me because I get to rotate my tote bag collection and reduce the amount of plastic bags in landfills as a direct result of my consumerism.
- Project Pan
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I’m not entirely sure of the true origin of this “challenge,” but I first heard of it through TikTok. Project Pan is an exercise that discourages overconsumption, and means the person participating will completely finish products before buying new ones. This primarily applies to beauty and self-care products, like lotions, perfumes, and makeup.
The goal of Project Pan is to slow an individual’s consumption, allowing for less waste. Another pro is that it forces you to save money and think about your purchases before you commit to them for the long term.
- Thrifting For My Hobbies
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Since the closure of Joann Fabrics, crafting hasn’t been the same. I’m an avid crocheter who’s reluctant to pay Michaels prices without a coupon, so where’s a girl supposed to buy her yarn? Easy. Thrift stores!
This is another sustainable hack I discovered through TikTok. Some knitters and crocheters are dismantling sweaters and cardigans from thrift stores to reuse the yarn for their projects. In an age where fast fashion and synthetic materials thrive, you can seek out natural fibers for reasonable prices.
Besides, the U.S. disposes of 34 billion pounds of used textiles annually. Instead of contributing to this number, I could repurpose an old knit cardigan to make new clothing for myself and others. I end up paying less for newer yarn and end up with an ethically made new item of clothing.
In addition to crocheting, I love scrapbooking and making collage art. Thrift stores are an excellent source of cheap books and magazines. Book pages make aesthetic backgrounds and layer well with other elements. Other times, I’ve gotten creative with my crafting and painted old VHS tapes of some of my favorite childhood movies, like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, for decoration in my room.
- Practicing Mindfulness
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I know I sound full of it. Let a girl cook.
I’m extremely guilty of retail therapy, impulse buying, and other unhealthy consumer practices; however, I wasn’t aware of their harmful consequences until somewhat recently. The factor that initiated my desire for change was the realization of the environmental and ethical impact of my purchases.
Now, as I’ve begun visiting stores this year, I’ve tried asking myself certain questions about the quality, material, price, and usefulness of the item. Obviously, I use these within reason. I’m not going to invest in patent leather sneakers to wear to a local dive bar like The Palace Saloon, yet it might make sense to bite the bullet and buy the more expensive wool coat that’ll last longer than one winter.
The ultimate goal of these challenges is to develop life-long habits that are better for my budget and, most importantly, the planet. In the future, I plan on making more drastic changes, but until then, I’m satisfied with these.
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