5 beginner friendly sustainable habits
Plastic free, sustainable, eco friendly are lifestyle concepts that have been adopted by many. But what is a plastic free life? When I decided to make the switch, I didn’t know where to begin - almost every thing that I used daily was - you guessed it- plastic!
After some research, I concluded that this was going to be a slow journey. Instead of going ‘plastic free’, I began reducing my daily plastic consumption to cut down my carbon footprint. And so, I set out to make some changes in my life that would eventually set the tone to a cleaner, greener lifestyle. If you’re planning on making the switch too, I’ve got you covered . Here’s 5 beginner friendly sustainable habits that can help reduce your plastic consumption -
Bamboo toothbrushes - Did you know that 150 million plastic toothbrushes get discarded every month in India, alone? But you can start your days (almost) plastic free. Bamboo toothbrushes have become a common practice in recent years. The bristles are nylon but you can cut them out and dispose them into your dry waste whenever you’re discarding your toothbrush. Bamboo toothbrushes are great for your teeth and they decompose quickly, too.
Bathroom products - There have been times when I’ve run out of shampoo in just a month! But what about the empty bottle? If you consider all bathroom products - shampoo, conditioner, bath gel - that’s discarding 3-4 plastic bottles monthly and then we’re onto the next one. Lucky for you and me, some brands have begun recycling their plastic bottles. That’s why, I love shopping from The Body Shop, they have a wide range of cruelty free products and encourage you to return all their product bottles. Now that sounds like a responsible brand. If you want to reduce your plastic consumption even further consider switching bath gel for a soap bar and shampoo for a shampoo bar.
Take out - Try ordering-in once a week or once in two weeks. Reuse plastic bowls to feed strays (take them back after your furry friends are done), leave water out for birds, turn take out bowls into planters. Try and physically go to places as much as possible - post COVID, of course. But if you do go, keep all health precautions in mind.
If there’s a coffee shop near your house, take a reusable coffee sipper, ask them to fill your mug instead of a take away. When you do order take away, mention that you don’t want any cutlery.
Cloth bags - Going grocery shopping? Carry a cloth bag along. It’s surely going to come in handy. I keep a cloth bag folded in my satchel and almost every time I’ve found great use for it.
Sanitary napkins - Ladies, did you know that 1 sanitary pad could take anywhere between 500 - 800 years to decompose? Think about it, every sanitary pad that we’ve ever worn is still on this planet! But we have the opportunity to do better. Today, we’re spoilt for choice with reusable cloth pads, bio degradable pads, menstrual cups - there’s something for every woman.
With every passing day, climate change has become life threatening to all earth’s inhabitants. The time to act is now, even small changes in our lives can go a long way. Take your time, do your research. Encourage and inspire the people around you to do the same. Together, we can be the change.
