12 Easy Steps to live sustainably
A big area of our lives that we’ve both wanted to improve in is reducing our carbon footprint and living more sustainably. And since this is extra top-of-mind with Earth Day this week, we’re sharing 12 totally doable ways that we can all be more sustainable around our homes, since, let’s be honest, we haven’t left them in over a year!
When it comes to sustainability, you don’t have to do these big major life changes to make an impact. The smallest actions can make a huge difference, and implementing these easy swaps to your daily life will go a long way in making our planet a happier, greener place. And in some cases even save you money! So it’s really a win-win.
We’re going to show you some simple things you can do around your kitchen, living room, bathroom, closet and outdoor space to live a more sustainable life.
1. Incorporate more plant based meals
So this wouldn’t be a true sustainability article without some hard hitting facts. Global meat consumption has grown by a staggering 20% over the past 10 years. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that the meat industry generates nearly ⅕ of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that are accelerating climate change world wide. Reducing the amount of meat we eat in a week (and we’re not telling you to go cold turkey here) can make a big difference. For example, according to earthday.org:
If you ate one less burger a week, it would be the equivalent of taking your car off the road for 320 miles.
Skipping meat and cheese one day a week with your family, it would be the equivalent of taking your car off the road for five weeks.
By switching from using dairy milk to an alternative milk beverage, your level of greenhouse gases emitted would be two thirds lower, or more!
So why not try doing a meatless Monday every week or substituting a few items for some plant based options like oat milk for milk, coconut yogurt for yogurt, and even just examine which types of meat you’re eating and if there’s more sustainable protein you could swap in!
2. The scoop on Recycling, Garbage and Green Bins
The EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) estimates that 75% of the American waste stream is recyclable, but we only recycle about 30% of it. We consume SO much on a daily basis, it can be hard to know what you can and can’t recycle. The best place to start is by checking with your local city government for a full list of what can and cannot go in your garbage, blue and green bins. The city of Toronto has the TOWaste app which is a total game changer for us because if we’re ever unsure we just search for the item in the app. So based on our city, here’s a solid guide to get you started:
Recycling
It’s VERY important that you actually empty, clean and dry your recyclables BEFORE you put them in the bin. We had no idea that this actually mattered, but dirty containers with contents remaining in them can spoil other materials making them unable to be recycled when it’s time for processing. So to avoid that, rinse and dry your items and make sure you’re recycling the right things. Here’s a quick list based on the City of Toronto:
Egg cartons: foam, plastic and paper
Most styrofoam products
Empty aerosol cans (keep lid on)
Cardboard boxes aka all those amazon packages
Paper
Metal tins
Cans
Glass
Shampoo bottles (emptied)
Clear food containers
Ziplock bags
(Note: you cannot recycle Nespresso pods in your blue bin. You’ll need to recycle them with Nespresso’s recycling program which includes a pre-paid postage bag to make it super easy for you!)
Garbage
Disposable face masks
Disposable gloves
Paper coffee cups with plastic lining - this one blew our minds. Unless it’s marked recyclable or compostable it has to go in the garbage. Lids and sleeves can be recycled.
Black plastics
Tin Foil
Plastic wrap
Chip bags
Wine corks
Green Bin/Compost
Your plant babies that didn’t survive (RIP to every plant Gill’s ever owned LOL)
All food waste - check with your local city guidelines as some have restrictions on animal droppings and meat products, but most will accept regular food waste
Meat
Bones
Fruit and veggies (skins, pits, etc).
Dairy (Yogurt, cheese - NOT in the containers)
Animal waste in a compostable bag
Organic Kitty Litter
Diapers
Coffee grounds
Paper Coffee filters
If you live in a condo without composting, see if you can talk to your board or property management about getting a green bin on-site, or check if your city offers composting pick-ups for those who don’t have access.
3. Food Storage
When it comes to storing your food try ditching your un-recyclable aluminium foil and saran wrap for some glass food containers. Cailyn gets all of her glass food containers at the dollar store so you don’t need to break the bank on this! You could also reuse other empty food containers or delivery food containers for future food storage.
Another easy way to do something small that makes a big impact is to get a reusable coffee mug. 500 billion disposable cups are produced every year and most of them can’t be recycled because they’re lined with plastic. You can try Keep Cup which is made of glass or Stojo which is made from LFGB Certified silicone and is collapsable so you can easily keep it with you in your bag!
And of course, let’s all ditch plastic water bottles for a reusable water bottle where we can!
4. Cut down plastic and packaging waste by shopping at zero-waste grocery stores
For city-dwellers, lots of zero-waste grocery stores are popping up where you can seriously cut your garbage by eliminating single-use plastic packaging by bringing your own refillable containers. You can do this for everything from shampoo and coffee, to olive oil and produce. Yes, this requires some planning and you won’t be able to make a spontaneous grocery run since you have to pack all of your containers and bags for each visit. But you can also borrow containers on a deposit basis and it does become a nice part of your routine once you get the hang of it. It also helps you buy only the amount of things you need, which for a gal like Gill who lives on her own is SO NICE FOR A CHANGE. Her first step was just trying to switch from mass grocery stores to local markets more regularly for more sustainable, local food purchases. But she’s ready to commit to zero-waste grocery stores for the bigger shops when she needs to stock up on allll the basics.
5. Swap paper towels for dish towels & cloth napkins
Sure paper towels might be “easier” to just grab, wipe, and toss into the green bin. BUT you can significantly reduce your waste if you use a dish towel to clean up your daily spills or cloth napkins instead of paper. Plus how chic is a cloth napkin guys?! Very fancy Gill.
Hot tip: if you don’t want to throw those dirty cloths in your laundry bin, throw them directly in your washing machine when you’re done with them. That way they won’t stink up your clothes and you’ll always have fresh ones washed with every load.
6. Upcycle and buy 2nd hand
Instead of buying brand new furniture, try looking for the item on Kijiji or Facebook marketplace. Not only are you bringing less waste into the world you’ll also save some money. Gill is also the queen of upcycling old or second-hand furniture and making it look brand new. Try painting old items, frames or baskets to make them fresh again instead of throwing them out.
If you need some DIY inspo, check out our fave Canadian home decor and DIY experts, Alexandra Gater or The Sorry Girls on YouTube!
7. Switch to LED light bulbs
We’ve all heard this before but we never really understood the numbers behind why it’s important to make the switch to LED bulbs. While they may cost you more upfront, they will last you significantly longer (on average 60,000 hours vs. incandescent bulbs which only last 1,500 hours). They are also 75% more efficient than other light bulbs, and LEDs are made of non-toxic, recyclable materials!
8. DIY Cleaning Products
Creating your own cleaning products not only saves you money, but it can really make an impact on your health. In most conventional cleaning products, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are released when used, and can lead to a number of health problems. Using green cleaning products means you won’t pollute your body, waterways, air quality, or harbour any unnecessary plastic in your home.
Going Zero Waste’s Kathryn Kellogg has some awesome go-to DIY cleaning product recipes from an all natural bleach alternative, an all purpose cleaner using leftover orange peels, to a super easy tub scrub! Cailyn’s made all 3, and they really work. Give them a try here:
When Cailyn & her husband Gabe moved into a bigger place, they realized pretty quickly that using 5-6 Swiffer Wet pads to clean their house was not going to be sustainable for the planet or their wallets. So they gave theirs to a friend and bought a reusable spray mop that includes machine washable pads and a container for them to add their DIY zero waste all purpose spray solution!
9. Safety Razor
Another hot tip that we got from Kathryn Kellogg, was to invest in a safety razor. She did the math that one Venus Razor body is about $11.99 USD, and a set of four refills is $18.95 USD. So assuming you’re switch your blades out every three weeks (as recommended by Venus) you’ll be spending about $100 on shaving a year. Since most girls start shaving their legs around 12 and tend to stop shaving in their 60s, that’s about 50 years of shaving which equals $5,000! The EPA also estimates that 2 billion razors are thrown away each year because they are practically impossible to recycle. Saftey razors on the other hand are made from stainless steel so if it does ever break, it’s fully recyclable. Plus, the sharp single blade gives you a way the closer shave, reduces razor burn, costs pennies, and involves zero waste! Those multi-blade cartridges are prone to clogging and that moisture strip is a just breeding ground for bacteria. So do yourself and your walleta favour and try switching over to a saftey blade.
Cailyn bought chic rose gold one from Lisse Shave along with their shave oil and soap, and she’s been LOVING it! She now shaves significantly less and hasn’t had any itchiness or razor burn. It defs takes some getting used to and you need to go slow...especially around your pits and bits!
10. Shopping sustainably and avoiding fast fashion
It’s no surprise that fast fashion is hurting the planet, but here are some stats to back it up:
According to Business Insider, fashion production comprises 10% of total global carbon emissions, and is expected to rise by 60% by 2030.
Around 40% of these emissions are from the production of polyester, a plastic fiber found in 60% of most clothes.
The textile dyeing process is the second largest polluter of clean water globally. And to top it off, it takes about 1,800 gallons of water to grow enough cotton to produce just one pair of jeans...that’s about 50 full bath tubs of water!
So how can we make a difference? Try to invest in quality pieces that will last you a lifetime, and where possible, shop from brands that have a low environmental impact or that give back! Ten Tree, Kotn, and Everlane are some of our faves for high quality, environmentally friendly basics!
11. Giveaway, sell or donate old clothes
Plan a clothing swap party with your girlfriends where everyone brings items to trade or sell! Try selling items on Poshmark, Carousel, Facebook Market Place or Kiiji. you can also research local donation bins or other oganizations that are still accepting items during COVID.
12. Plant a garden
We all know this, but plants naturally clean the air and ground! Plus Bees also need all the support they can get, so planting flowers can help save the bees and provide a nice food source for them.
You can also regrow a lot of food scraps into brand new, fresh produce! The best ones that work (even for indoor windowsills) are lettuce, celery and green onions! First you need to start by taking the scraps and placing them in a cup of water so that the base of the plant is covered, changing the water every other day. Once roots begin to sprout, you can transfer it into a pot of soil with proper drainage and voila!
Not only are gardens great for the environment and our own air quality in our homes, they can really benefit our mental health! Research in Sweden, for example, found that the more people used their gardens, the fewer incidents of stress they suffered. A report in the Mental Health Journal cited gardening as being able to reduce stress and improve mood, with a reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety.
And if you live in a condo with no outdoor space or crappy light, Aerogarden’s are AMAZING small space solutions for growing your own herbs and produce.
So there you have it friends! We hope this episode inspires you to implement some of these small but hugely impactful changes in your home. Hit us up on IG and share your sustainability tips! Happy Earth Day!
Sources:
https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/9/19/17800654/clothes-plastic-pollution-polyester-washing-machine
https://earth.org/fast-fashions-detrimental-effect-on-the-environment/
https://www.treehugger.com/how-many-gallons-of-water-does-it-take-to-make-4858491
