4 habits for a sustainable lifestyle — Sustainability | Zero Waste

2020 has obviously been a wild ride, and there are so many things happening right now that are out of our control. Since I haven’t been able to control most things in 2020, I’ve been focusing on one aspect of my life that effects every day: my habits. And while I’ve been working on things like cutting out sodas, working out, and going outside every day, habits can also be integrated into the sustainable lifestyle many are trying to uphold.

If you’re in this place where you’re so overwhelmed by the state of the environment and you don’t even know how to help, I get it. It’s a daunting task. And while there are so many ways to be a better steward of the earth, I want to point out some simple ones that you can implement in your day to day life. I know that while trying to be more sustainable, it’s easy to get eager and try 40 things at once, and then they all end up falling through at the end. But if you’re here to try again, just implement one to two sustainable habits right now and stick to them- and I promise the results will have an impact.

1. Shop with reusable grocery bags

This may seem so simple- that’s because it is. If you shop with reusable grocery bags, you’re not only showing companies that you don’t want plastic bags from their business, you’re also saving around 1,500 grocery bags from ending up in our landfills, bodies of water, and environment.

2. Wear a reusable mask

Disposable masks are becoming a huge environmental problem as masks litter waterways and land across the globe. Disposable masks can’t always be avoided (like if you work in the medical field), but if you have the means to get a reusable mask, the environment will thank you.

In my personal experience, having around 3 reusable masks keeps me from ever needing to use a disposable one.

3. Implement a Buying Rule

This is one of the most simple ways to avoid unnecessary waste in your life, but it takes some discipline. Try implementing the 24-hour rule. If you see something you want- some decor from Target, new jeans, a cute coffee mug, etc, put that thought on hold and wait 24 hours. If you still want the item the next day, then you get to buy it.

Using this simple rule helps reduce the amount of items you let into your life that would ultimately end up being discarded or given away. Our second hand stores are overflowing with the items we thought we once ‘needed,’ and implementing a simple rule like this one can eliminate a lot of the excess ‘needs’ in our lives.

4. Recycle aluminum and glass

This sounds like a weird one, but hear me out. If you’re reading this blog post, you’re probably overwhelmed with all the different ways to be more sustainable and don’t even know where to start. I love suggesting recycling aluminum and glass for a couple of reasons.

Number one is glass and aluminum are infinitely recyclable. Meaning that this material can be recycled over and over and over again while retaining its original value. So just THINK of the immense role you would play in reducing waste if you recycled these valuable materials that could be used over and over. Number two is it gives you a plan for recycling. Recycling is overwhelming to a lot of people, so having a simple plan to recycle these two valuable materials gives you a concrete plan for how you’re going to start recycling.