I have some new ideas for you. If you can’t give up the occasional Starbucks, (me neither), it’s ok. Caring for our environment is not about being perfect it’s about doing all you can to reduce your ecological impact. I’m always finding new ways in everyday life to reduce my footprint on the planet. Living in the United States has incredible privileges we take for granted that lead to over consumption of resources. Because of this zest for daily resources there are also more ways to reduce our impact. I’ve been getting creative on my quest to be green, but, remember I’m not perfect, and you don’t have to be either.
Here’s my new green ideas I’ve picked up in the last few months. Give them a try!
One thing eating at my sustainability focused mind and my wallet has been razors. They are incredibly expensive, dull quick, and are not recyclable. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates Americans throw out about two billion razors each year. Is our need for shaved legs worth it? I’ve gone back in time and purchased a straight safety razor. It gives the shave of a straight razor but is designed to carry over your skin similar to a current traditional razor. I’m still in the process of getting used to this new shaving style but I love that the blades last longer and are recyclable. Replace the blades when needed and rest easy, they are far cheaper than what you’re paying now. And if you decide to get rid of your full razor, the handle itself is recyclable too!
I prioritize toilet paper and always buy the 100 percent recycled content from stores. But, I’ve gone a step more sustainable. I shifted to shopping in bulk and found a toilet paper made from a sustainable raw material, bamboo. I order my bum paper from WhoGivesACrap.Org and they donate 50 percent of their profits to help build toilets for those in need. I’m a sucker for a good cause and a company that uses no trees in their products. PS: The toilet paper works just fine, thanks.
At the end of 2017, I ordered a few small glass roller bottles (perfume bottles). The bottles serve as my everyday awesome refillable face “lotion.” Fill the bottles with your favorite oil, I like fractionated coconut oil, and add in a few drops of one or two essential oils. The bottles are perfect for every day use and perfect size for traveling! The bottles can also be used to make home made perfumes great to pop in your purse on the go. Get rid of the lotions filled with 800 ingredients, and simplify your skin regiment.
A few years ago I tried removing traditional shampoo and conditioner from my life. I made it about 3 months with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and baking soda. The idea is, at some point your hair gets used to it, pH of your scalp stabilizes, and you won’t have greasy hair anymore. That did not happen for me. I gave up after 90 days and went back to traditional hair care products. This fall I revisited the hair. Instead of going complete no shampoo/conditioner, these days I wash my hair about every 3-4 days. For my thin hair that is a miracle. In between washes I use a light dry shampoo. Since making this change I’ve noticed a drastic reduction in the amount of shampoo and conditioner used, not to mention a reduction in hot water use.
The last one on my recent list is groceries. A company started by a college student delivers “ugly” fruits and vegetables to your house at a heavily discounted price. Instead of wasting food that doesn’t meet grocery and restaurant size and structure standards, farmers can still sell their perfectly edible and tasty supplies. ImperfectProduce.com hasn’t made it to Dallas yet, but, it must be on the way! In the meantime, have you shopped a grocery discount store yet? If not, you are seriously missing out on so much fresh organic produce at low prices. Twelve cartons of organic raspberries for $6 is a steal – they’re usually $4 per carton! Try your local grocery clearance center now.
Keep the creative juices flowing and come up with more ideas to reduce our daily impact on our environment. Every little bit matters.