We are living in weird times and unique times where so much of what we as humans have done to this earth is coming back to us.

Think wildfires, extreme weather, food supply disruptions, all are driven by greenhouse gases, caused by the carbon footprint we are leaving behind from how we live our lives. It is ingrained in society at this point and it’s going to take a lot of action on our part to get back on track.

We have to focus on lower our carbon footprint through everything we do. Carbon emissions trap heat in the atmosphere and lead to climate change. Killing our wildlife through fires, destroying our oceans and coral reefs, undoing so much of the beauty that this world has.

I have been trying to find ways to live more sustainably and eco-friendly. I plan to make many more changes, but it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Baby steps are still progress. This is why I wanted to share with you the ways I’ve learned to lean more eco-friendly » 

Sometimes I honestly just start by thinking things through and being more mindful and present with everything I use and toss »

Is there an alternative I can swap this with that is more eco friendly?

PRO TIP: if you ever have those thoughts, sometimes I honestly just search eco friendly + whatever it is i’m wondering about. Floss is something I found more recently as I began to think about it, I wondered if there was an eco-friendly solution – and there was!

1. Eat vegetarian or just eat LESS RED MEAT

   Did you know that red meat accounts emit one of the highest levels of carbon footprint. Animal-based foods have a much bigger carbon footprint than plant-based foods. Producing beef, for example, uses 20 times the land and emits 20 times the emissions as growing beans, per gram of protein, and requires more than 10 times more resources than producing chicken.

   Now you don’t have to go full vegetarian or vegan immediately, but over time just reducing the amount of red meat you eat even just a couple of days makes a huge difference. 

   They are even suggesting that in order to be sustainable and healthy, the proper amount of red meat per day is about a tablespoon worth = one burger per week OR one steak per month. 😱(source).

    

2. Lower your use of fossil-fuel-powered energy

   Unfortunately, fossil fuels are a nonrenewable resource so once we run out we are out. They also produce large quantities of carbon dioxide when burned. There are already companies finding solutions and ways to get away from using these.

   Drive less, unplug appliances when they are not in use, opt for things that aren’t powered by fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas).

   This doesn’t mean never drive or travel again, but if you do just be mindful. If you do fly places or have to drive a lot, or use fossil fuels day to day – there are ways you offset your carbon footprint – PLANTING TREES. There are comapnies who you can even pay to do this for you. You can also support and invest in companies that are working on certified carbon reduction projects that combat climate change (like sustainabletravel.org and terrapass).

3. Use less plastic

   Water bottles – ditch the single-use plastic, and swap for reusable

   This is the one thing that in my opinion is the easiest, but the one I see most of. AND honestly, if you purchase one reusable water bottle, it’ll save you money in the long run. This and other single-use plastics are ruining our oceans. If you don’t believe me, look up the Pacific Garbage Patch

   Invest in a reusable that you can take to everywhere with you, including the airport.

   While we’re at it, bring your own coffee cup to places where it’s allowed (since COVID hit, some places won’t refill your coffee mug).

   My recommendations:

   Keepcup Reusable Coffee Cup to replace disposable coffee cups from home or from the coffee shops!

   Reusable Bamboo Cutlery to replace any plastic forks, spoons, straws that you might be using by eating out.

   Floss – swap it out for a reusable glass jar with Bamboo Charcoal Floss 

   I found myself looking at the floss I was tossing, wondering if I should recycle it, or if I really should toss it. I found out that traditional floss is made up of Teflon & Nylon usually – NOT BIODEGRADABLE (both in our bodies and on this earth) which means it will persist in the environment indefinitely.

   My recommendation:

   Bamboo Charcoal Floss With Reusable Container – It’s minty, natural, and non-harmful to us and this earth! You can get it on amazon – here

4. Swap disposable bags at the grocery store for a reusable bag or backpack

   Or you can also buy reusable bags (they sell them in most grocery stores), most of the time I even just bring in a backpack and ask them not to bag so I can just place them in my backpack myself.

   My recommendation: Reusable Produce Bags Organic Cotton from eco-roots. They use eco-friendly packaging and products!

5. Shop Less, but Shop eco-friendly or secondhand companies when you must

Did you know that the global fashion industry “used some 21 trillion gallons of water in 2015 alone, according to a 2017 report by Global Fashion Agenda”

The apparel and footwear sectors combined accounted for 8 percent of global carbon emissions in 2016, says a report from Quantis,

The reason secondhand shopping is so great is because you aren’t contributing to that pollution. Someone else did, and you are reusing what they bought. I honestly feel as though there is more than enough clothes out there to get by. And even when a shirt rips I try to re-use the fabric for anything else (headbands, mask, pillow covers). 

My Recommendations:

If you are buying new, then aim to look for and buy from sustainable companies who use fabrics made of organic and natural fibers like linen, hemp, organic cotton or sustainable fabrics such as organic bamboo, Tencel, and Modal. Purusha People, for example, uses forest fibers that are leftover from other production initiatives so they are finding multiple purposes for these natural fibers that are being used (use code MARIA10 for 10% off).

Secondhand shopping is so easy now with all the online apps, but there’s always Goodwill, ArcThirft, or even better is any local 2nd hand shops!

If you are looking for a one-stop-shop for everything eco-friendly, to start or sustain your zero-waste journey, check out – EcoRoots! They have everything you could think of, they have blogs that show you how you can be more eco-friendly, and they send everything in sustainable packaging!

I like to think through the process of everything – how is it being made? Is it local or did it have to travel here? Was this made by a big corp? If you find yourself tossing more than reusing, then it might be good to re-evaluate what you are buying to see if you can produce less waste.

Sources:

http://css.umich.edu/factsheets/carbon-footprint-factsheet

https://phys.org/news/2019-01-sustainable-diet-year-nuts-sugar.html#:~:text=The%20authors%20say%20that%20red,not%20off%20the%20table%2C%20either.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/06/choosing-chicken-over-beef-cuts-carbon-footprint-surprising-amount/