I’m going to highlight the most important things to keep in mind on your journey to a more sustainable lifestyle. Hopefully, understanding and prioritizing these ideas will help you realize being intentional about your eco impact is achievable and impactful :)

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. I know, you’ve heard it a million times. Usually, the focus tends to be primarily on recycling, but we need to address the problem at its’ root by reducing. Don’t buy something if you don’t need it. Be conscious of your consumption. I can’t stress this enough! If there is one takeaway from this entire project, let it be this. Then, reuse. Don’t throw something away unless there is no other use for it! Think glass jars, plastic containers, bags, etc. Get creative with ways to reuse something! When it is clear that nothing else can be done, recycle/compost. Throw everything away in its proper place!

When you need to buy ANYTHING, don’t go into autopilot; figure out the most sustainable option. Let’s say you just ran out of laundry detergent (and double checked to make sure there is absolutely no more hiding in your storage closet) and are wondering what the most eco-friendly option is. That’s where I come in! You would go to the “Laundry” section of this site and take a look to see some options. Using these new resources and knowledge, hopefully you can make an even better purchase than last time. Please don’t buy something new (yes, even if it’s more sustainable) until you have finished what you already have.

Stop reading this and go search up “refillable/bulk stores near me.” There are many places online that offer sustainable products, but cutting out the shipping is the best way to go. See what is available in your area in terms of refilling food, kitchen/bathroom/cleaning products, etc. Often, grocery stores will have bulk sections where you can fill up your own containers with nuts, oats, seeds, flour, etc. Similarly, some stores offer kitchen/bathroom/cleaning supplies in either a bar form or as a refill station where you bring in your own containers. Also, this is usually the cheaper option :) The more we shop local and sustainable, the more we send a message to the powers that be that we care! Put your money where your heart is. We can incite change this way!

Shop locally! As mentioned above, most small businesses are more eco-friendly and source more local materials/goods than bigger corporations

Composting and recycling are essential! Take the time to check the labels of products to see how, what are where they can be disposed of. Get a small compost bin for your kitchen as this is where most compostable items will be accumulated.

Don’t use Amazon! Or any online store that takes profits away from small businesses and uses unethical practices. This is also true of fast fashion. Look into what companies you are supporting. And if you do use these sites, try to use them sparingly. For example, I will only order off of Amazon if I know that there is nowhere else accessible to get the item.

Make eco bricks out of your non-compostable/recyclable single use plastics. This involves cutting up clean soft plastics to fill a plastic bottle. It can be donated to places that use them for building! Even just condensing your nonbiodegradable items has a big impact. I find this to be a super easy and enjoyable craft and it has given me a real look at how much single-use plastic I am using. Here is a helpful resource to get started:

This incredible resource shows you exactly where you can shop sustainability per state, per city https://www.litterless.com/wheretoshop