10 Earth Friendly Habits
When it comes to going green, our motto is always start small. It’s really easy to get overwhelmed by all the things we should be doing. It’s much more enjoyable and sustainable to develop a few small eco-habits that fit into your current lifestyle than to wait for the day when you’re able to completely overhaul your lifestyle.
We wanted to share some ideas of some small changes you can make right now, even with a busy schedule. If you want to try them all, that’s great, but our goal here is really to help you get started.
You can save water by cutting down your shower time even by just a minute or two, by decreasing your water pressure, or by using a bucket to collect water while you wait for your shower to heat up (perfect for watering plants). Baths should be more of a treat than a regular occasion as they consume much more water than a shower (just think how long it’d take to fill your tub using just the shower spray).
Instead of storing food with plastic wrap and plastic bags, grab some reusable silicone bags or glass containers. You can even reuse glass jars or plastic takeout containers you’d otherwise recycle. Start carrying a reusable water bottle and reusable grocery bags.
3.Decrease your carbon footprint.
Getting around town by walking, biking, carpooling, or taking public transportation.
Shop for vintage or clothing and accessories made from recycled materials, like our recycled leather bags and card case that are just as eco-friendly as they are gorgeous.
Instead of a zero-waste kitchen, which is not doable for most of us, think of it as a low-waste kitchen. Get creative turning leftovers into something new or thinking of how you can use those few stray carrots before they end up in the trash. And if all else fails, there’s always…
It’s a great way to put your food scraps to good use. For us city dwellers, there are composting sites available throughout the city. It’s actually very simple, and it definitely eases the guilt when you need to toss produce that went bad.
Don’t underestimate the difference it makes! Not only are you giving new life to a material that would otherwise end up in a landfill, but you’re also decreasing the amount of new materials being produced. Recycling is one of the most simple acts we can do for our planet with the biggest impact.
Livestock farming is one of the largest sources of pollution. With so many amazing vegetarian and vegan options readily available in restaurants and supermarkets, it’s never been easier or more delicious to go meat- and dairy-free.
9.Ditch harmful chemicals.
Make switching over to non-toxic cleaning products simple by replacing them one by one as you run out. Do the same for all your beauty products. This will give you time to find eco-friendly alternatives that you really love and avoid burnout.
10.Buy local.
As much as you can, buy local. Grab your groceries at the farmer’s market. Try out restaurants that use local ingredients. Support your local artisans, like our wonderful local artisans who construct our bags right here in New York City. It’s not only great for the environment, it’s also putting dollars into the pockets of real-life families instead of large corporations.
We hope this inspires you to adopt some small habits that are good for you and the planet!