There are a plethora of ways in which you can live more sustainably. So many that it can seem overwhelming! This article will focus on three categories (kitchen, closet and bathroom) and give quick tips that can help you reduce your waste in these areas, and thus live more sustainably.
Kitchen:
- Buy fruit and veg loose (ie. not in plastic) if possible
- Use reusable tupperware to store leftover food
- Put a plate on top of a dish instead of using cling film
- Use a dishwasher more than handwashing dishes - it uses less water
- Put foods that need to be eaten first in a designated area or close to the front of the fridge/cupboard in which it’s stored
- Meal prep so you don’t end up buying more food than you need
- Choose locally grown food
- Visit your local farmers market -they can have good deals on and you support a local vendor
- Take your own reusable bags to the supermarket
- Visit your local bulk shop (if you have one) and see if it may be more cost effective to buy some of your food there (in your own reusable bags, of course)
- Try out composting
Closet:
- Do a purge of your clothes - you probably don’t wear them all and may well have forgotten about that t-shirt at the very back of your cupboard!
- Sell clothes you no longer wear to make some money and allow others to buy second hand
- Shop your own cupboard before buying something you may not have realised you already have
- Host a clothes swap with friends to give away clothes that you no longer wear to make room for a fun new piece
- Try shopping at charity/second-hand shops for new pieces
- Look on ebay/depop for more specific items you may want - you can find some great pieces second-hand
- Try a capsule closet for a season (google ‘project 333’ for inspiration)
- Rather than binning clothes that are stained or have holes in, see if you can recycle them at a clothes recycling point/bin or reuse them (I made some cloth bags out of an old t-shirt)
- Choose items that are versatile and go with other items of clothing so they’re more useful
Bathroom:
- Choose package free bar soap
- Try out a solid shampoo
- Switch to a bamboo toothbrush (my favourite brand is The Humble Co.)
- For ladies: try a menstrual cup or reusable pads
- Switch to reusable cotton rounds
- Try to assess which beauty products you need and which you don’t use so you don’t make the mistake of wasting money/resources by buying them again
- If you do still need packaged products, try to buy the biggest pack that you realistically think you’ll use -it reduces plastic waste
- Recycle the bits from the bathroom that can be recycled (eg. empty bottles, toilet roll tube, toothpaste tube etc.)
- Try out an alternative to conventional toothpaste eg. toothpaste tablets or baking soda (check with your dentist first about the options you’re considering)
- Swap to a bamboo/wooden comb/brush if your plastic one breaks
- Trial not having a bin in your bathroom - this forces you to take your rubbish to a bin elsewhere making you really think about whether you need the product or not
- Consider getting a stainless steel razor (if too pricey you can buy these secondhand and easily on ebay)
- Try making your own products out of ingredients you can find locally/at home eg your own exfoliator using sugar and olive oil
- Try to avoid using the small products provided in hotels - the plastic to product ratio is ridiculous
I hope these tips prove somewhat helpful and that you’re able to incorporate some or more of them into your daily routine.Remember that what works for someone else may not work for you, it’s important to make swaps that are sustainable for you, so that, in turn, they’re sustainable for the planet. If you have any questions, would like more tips, or would like to send me a photo of a swap you’ve made, feel free to email me at amy.aconscioustraveller@gmail.com or send me a message on Instagram @aconscioustraveller .
