4 SIMPLE CHANGES TO LIVE MORE SUSTAINABLY

Living sustainably can seem daunting but through small changes of our habits and purchases we can make a big difference. Here are four simple changes you can make to get started.

REUSEABLE WATER BOTTLE. A ridiculous number of 200 billion bottles of water are gone through each year globally and an estimated 80% end up littered or in landfills.1 Durable plastic water bottles are a great option to reduce the amount of single use bottles used everyday. Even though durable plastic can offer years of use, that is also one of the main drawbacks: it is still made of plastic and it will not break down. Metal and glass are friendlier options as they can be recycled, will not leach toxins into your beverages, and will last a lifetime. I have recently purchased a stainless steel water bottle and love it!

Reuseable Water Bottle 

REUSEABLE STRAW. The number of plastic straws is even more incredulous than water bottles coming in at 500,000,000 being used just in the United States everyday.2 There are great alternatives to plastic straws such as glass, metal and bamboo. We have a set of metal straws that we use at home and I keep one in my purse for when we are out and about.

Reuseable Metal Straw

REUSEABLE GROCERY BAGS. Grocery bags are starting to be banned in many cities, states and countries and for good reason. A plastic shopping bag will take between 500-1000 years to break down and it is only used on average for twelve minutes.3 Canvas totes, t-shirt bags, and baskets could all be used instead. And if you forget to bring your reuseable grocery container, decline the paper and plastic bag at the register and put the items back in your cart to take out to your car or just carry them.

Reuseable Grocery Bags

CLOTH NAPKINS. Invest in a set of cloth napkins. These can be purchased at many box stores as well as from local crafters or artisans. Or you can make your own. Cloth napkins look and feel so much nicer than paper napkins. Choose a fabric and pattern that will be durable and help hide any stains.

Cloth Napkins

                          Small changes in individual lives can make a big difference worldwide.

1. https://www.creditdonkey.com/bottled-water-statistics.html
2. http://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/no-straw-please/
3. https://theoutline.com/post/2998/new-york-city-plastic-bag-ban-law?zd=2&zi=2bvzovxx