Hello, Fellow Earthlings!
Earth Day is almost upon us, and since you are a responsible Citizen of the World, you will want to do something about it. I don't know about you, but I'm probably never going to be that Zero-Waste Girl with three years of trash in a Mason jar. Still, I am determined to make changes to minimize my contribution to the waste out there.
Some things, like recycling, I've been doing forever, but other eco-friendly practices are new to me. The ones below are easy to do. Once you start doing them, you'll be surprised at how quickly sustainable swaps become automatic. I feel weird throwing a plastic bottle or an apple core in the trash now!
I'm not suggesting you start knitting your own shoes from vegan wool. But if this lazy, impatient Indoor Girl can make these Earth-friendly swaps, you can too!
Below are 9 Simple Things You Can Do to Make a Difference:
- STOP BUYING WATER: I'm not just talking about plastic water bottles. I'm talking about heavy, water-based products that are heavy to ship. We replaced our old 32oz—[1 litre] Refill bottles with mini concentrates. By adding water at home, you’re saving money, space, and carbon footprint. Use them with our forever glass bottles and DIY labels for a complete Earth Day win.
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- CHANGE YOUR TOOTHBRUSH: Over one billion toothbrushes are tossed in the US alone. It takes more than 1000 years for a toothbrush to break down. ONE THOUSAND YEARS. That was shocking to me. Plastic toothbrushes are one of the world’s worst offenders when it comes to environmental pollution. By swapping out your current plastic toothbrush for one made of bamboo, you’re making an easy switch that makes a huge environmental impact. If that doesn’t make you think twice about that cheap pack of plastic toothbrushes at CVS, I don’t know what will. Cheap is expensive.
- RECYCLE IN THE BATHROOM. Did you know that HDPE Plastics, like shampoo bottles, are just behind water bottles in the pollution stakes? I keep a little wicker basket under the sink to stow empty plastic container until I can transfer them to the recycling bin somewhere convenient to stow them keeps me from chucking them in the trash.
- DELETE PHOTOS ON YOUR PHONE: Delete old photos and videos from your cloud storage and store them on an external hard drive or other physical storage devices.
- DRIVE SLOW, HOMIE. Are you a "Lurcher? You know that Uber Driver who likes to floor it and then comes to an abrupt stop? Don't be that guy. That kind of driving isn't just annoying; it's terrible for your car, brakes and the environment! You can conserve all three by driving more smoothly. Imagine an egg on your brake and gas pedals. Tread gingerly, and don't break it! Once you drive mindfully like this for a few weeks, you'll start to do it automatically (and save money, gas and maintenance). It's a win-win-win!
- REAL NAPKINS. We talk a lot about elevating the everyday, but there is an obvious sustainable advantage to using cloth napkins as well. When used correctly (with a personalized napkin ring), Cloth napkins are even more convenient (and a lot more elegant) than their disposable paper counterparts.
- DRYER BALLS are not just a hilariously named product category. These wool balls significantly cut down on dry time and provide a vehicle for giving your laundry a sexy scent.
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- COMPOSTABLE DISH BRUSHES. We've made these wooden, compostable dish brushes and pot scrubbers for years. That was a no-brainer, but until recently, we kept buying plastic sponges! Personally, I prefer to clean with an old Dishcloth, but if you must buy a sponge, why not buy a biodegradable, cellulose version?
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- RE-THINK WHAT’S UNDER YOUR SINK! Of course, this is a shameless plug, but it’s legit. We use too many chemicals in our homes. Buying green cleaning products is one of the most effective ways to lower your home's overall chemical count. BTW: Beware of "eco-friendly" brands that only talk about what they don't have. If they are all about "no synthetic fragrance," you're probably buying a lot of water and solubilizer (a chemical that makes oil mix with water). That's not helping get your counters clean at all. Murchison-Hume products are glucosides, a sugarcane-based soap that cleans just like the supermarket but does zero harm to the environment or marine life.
You can easily do everything above on a lazy Saturday afternoon and although small, they do add up to make a significant difference to the health of our bodies, homes, and planet.
Good for you!
Xx, mlk
