It's that one time of year when we all collectively take care of the world!
With Earth Day as an annual reminder to treat the planet better, I think this is the perfect opportunity to make some greener choices. We can all benefit from a little eco-friendly lifestyle change. Changes that stick all year. Whether that's a commitment to recycle more or an attempt to buy less one-use-plastic products... even the smallest acts of kindness towards the earth starts to add up. I mean, picking up litter in a parking lot? I think you might just be Mother Earth's favorite child.
Here are a few eco-friendly lifestyles changes that I have been trying to implement more into my everyday life.
Aluminum Bottles
Aluminum is a forever recyclable material, so it's really a no-brainer to purchase products that are packaged in aluminum rather than plastic. It really makes you question why all products aren't sold in aluminum instead of plastic?????
Love, Beauty & Planet Aluminum Bottles
Love, Beauty & Planet is 100% cruelty-free and vegan (it should be noted, however, that their parent company, Unilever, is not cruelty-free)
I love the concept of reusable aluminum shampoo and conditioner containers. I also love Love, Beauty & Planet's products, so it's a win/win situation. The refills are sold in recycled plastic bottles, which doesn't seem like the most sustainable option, so I'm a bit iffy about that. I may look for a better refill option when the time comes, but I'm definitely keeping the aluminum bottles. Aside from the iffiness, I still like Love, Beauty & Planet as a brand because of how accessible and affordable their products are.
Hand in Hand is 100% cruelty-free and vegan
Hand sanitizer is a definite necessity these days, and thinking of all the plastic waste from hand sanitizer bottles, just from the past year alone, is enough to make me dizzy. So just imagine my surprise when I saw a hand sanitizer option in aluminum packaging while roaming the aisles of Target. I love Hand in Hand's products and their commitment to donating a bar of soap for every product sold. Now, like the refill dilemma with Love, Beauty & Planet, we just need to find a sustainable hand sanitizer refill and we'll be golden!
Compostable & Biodegradable Packaging
About 5 years ago, I started composting. Just knowing that the food scraps, dead flowers/plants, newspaper, and any and all other compostable materials I can get my hands on, are all still serving a purpose, and not in a landfill, is kinda sorta magical. But finding products in compostable or biodegradable packaging might be the hardest lifestyle change out of all the others on this list, mainly because most products aren't sold in compostable or biodegradable packaging. But that doesn't mean I won't try to find them!
What's the difference between compostable and biodegradable? I found the answer in THIS article.
This may seem a little silly, but when I first started composting, I found it hard to walk to the compost bin multiple times a day. To be fair, my compost bin is pretty far from my kitchen, but it's still not the best excuse as to why I was composting less. What was the solution to my laziness problem, you may be wondering? Compost Bags! I fill up a bag with food scraps throughout the day, set it in a box right outside the door, and then walk it to the compost bin once the box is full! I've been doing this for about 2 years now, and most of the compost bags have already fully composted. LOVE!
Raw Sugar is 100% cruelty-free with vegan options
Like what I said earlier, it's really hard to find products with 100% biodegradable packaging. But not impossible. I love Raw Sugar as a brand, and now I love them even more because they offer deodorant in biodegradable packaging because "the planet needs to stay fresh too". Though biodegradable products only break down in the right circumstances, it's still not plastic which feels like a win to me. We, as a society, just need to come up with a solution on how to properly dispose of biodegradable products.
Reusable Products/Containers
I think the easiest eco-friendly lifestyle change anyone can make is using reusable products, like water bottles, containers, metal straws, and anything else that may seem reusable! We didn't learn the phrase "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" in elementary school for nothing!
I love my Swell bottle. When Hydro Flasks became the c00l thing for c00l kids to use, I just couldn't part ways with my Swell bottle. It's just so pretty and big and I just love it so much. I received it as a gift from a friend 3 years ago, and I think I've used it every day since. I love it.
Though reusable sandwich bags are still plastic, it's not a single-use plastic. I love the cute selection of bags on Grove.co. I also love how they're not silicone. I would rather not have every piece of fuzz and cat hair sticking to my food storage bags, and that happens, without fail, every time I use anything silicone. These bags from grove are smoooooooooth and not sticky.
Tote Bags
I might have a slight obsession with tote bags. They're just a cute way to reduce single-use plastic bags. I have been particularly loving THIS specific tote from a small business called Eric & Christopher.
I love me a good metal straw. I like the way my drink tastes with a metal straw... I like the environmental impact of a metal straw... I just like the overall concept of a metal straw. Honestly, it wasn't until I started to use reusable straws that I took notice to just how many straws are used, and then thrown away, in just a single day. And it's a lot. A lot, a lot.
What are some eco-friendly commitments you plan on making this year?
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