Ah, the new year. The start of a whole new decade of possibilities! This is the time for making changes, to reset your old habits and take a fresh outlook on life. Except… how likely are you to actually keep your resolutions? How many gym memberships have you cancelled at the beginning of February? Is that pretty new leather-bound journal now a dust collector? This is the year to try something different. With Australia on fire, ice caps melting, and ocean levels rising, try these eco-friendly lifestyle changes in 2020!
1. Meatless Monday: Research has shown that the meat industry is one of the biggest contributors to carbon levels in our atmosphere. While going cold-turkey (so to speak) on eating meat is a daunting lifestyle change to make, choosing one day a week to eat entirely plant-based meals is manageable! If it goes well, you can always try to shoot for two days a week, maybe even three. The change might be small to you, but little steps add up! 2. Unplug your chargers: You know that your phone uses energy while it’s charging, but have you ever thought about the energy used by your charger itself? When your charger is plugged in, the battery is still using electricity (which, if you didn’t know, is produced by fossil fuel combustion). Take steps to make sure that when your phone is unplugged, your charger is too! 3. Go thrifting: Fast Fashion brands such as Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, and Shein use practices that are harmful to the environment, and they don’t treat their workers well. Rather than dropping $100 on two unethically made pieces of clothing, head to a thrift shop and buy recycled clothes! They’re a little bit like treasure troves- you can find some really cute, cool things with the added bonus of being super cheap! If you still want the brand name, look for a place like Plato’s Closet that sells used name-brand products (and they’ll pay you for your used items as well!).4. Revolutionize your beauty routine: This might seem like a really big step, but you can do it over time. A lot of brands still test their products on animals first and incorporate harmful chemicals. Start by researching which makeup brands follow ethical practices. These include Lush Cosmetics, Tarte, Burt’s Bees, and E.L.F. Next time you find yourself running out of blush, mascara, facewash (you get the idea), head to the drugstore and buy a product from an eco-friendly brand. And besides being better for the environment, your skin will thank you later! 5. Shorten your showers: Listen. We all understand that showers are universally a safe haven for relaxation, reflection, performance, and valuable alone time. But have you ever considered just how much water you waste during those 20 minutes of heaven? Consider trying to take as short a shower as possible, or turn off the water while you shampoo and condition your hair or wash your body.
Does this all sound overwhelming? Don’t stress. You don’t have to incorporate all of these at once, and you don’t even have to do them all the time. Would that be great for the environment? Sure! But changing your lifestyle isn’t something that happens overnight. Maybe pick one or two of these and try them out for a little while. You can build up over time. The point is that you are making a change to benefit the environment, yourself, and everyone around you. After all, we’ve only got one Earth!