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First off, I am not perfect in my Earth friendly practices and I certainly contribute to the climate crisis daily. But, I do try my best where I can and am always looking for new ways I can reduce my effect on the world. This quote by Anne Marie Bonneau really puts it into perspective:
“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” – Anne Marie Bonneau
Below are some of the things I do daily. Please, feel free to leave some comments, questions or suggestions on this topic; they are all welcome! And I challenge you to try implementing one or more of these things into your lives.
Alex’s Daily Earth Friendly Practices:
1. Compost that Sh*t!
Seriously, everyone can do this with a minimal amount of money. And it drastically reduced the amount of garbage we have each week. It’s amazing. Before we owned our house, we had a worm composting bin that we kept in the laundry room and even the bathroom.
There are many DIY bins you can make to fit your home that you may even have the supplies for at home already (like this one). Or for a little more money, you can buy a commercially made one like this (like this one or this). Then you just need to buy a few thousand warms, and feed them. It’s fun!
If you don’t have a garden or place to put the awesome nutrient rich soil… get some house plants (or make an herb garden for your window or porch)! Or give it to a friend, local farmer or community garden. There is bound to be someone who will appreciate it! Earth friendly practices are easy!
2. Compost More of that Sh*t!
When we bought our first home one of the first things we did was build a compost bin out of scrap wood and pallets. Now we can compost even more and even take some of our friends and neighbors scraps. Since we have a garden, all the food waste is welcome at our house!
3. No produce bags or bulk baggies.
Most of you probably already bring your reusable grocery bags to the store, but what about all the plastic from produce? Well, at my local farmers market I bought some handmade produce bags made from recycled fabrics. At the local bulk store I bought some fabric baggies that are great for grains, nuts and beans. Now I get it, sometimes you forget them and you need something.
So what I do when I MUST take a bag is save it and reuse it for something else. For example, I will use it again for lunches or on the go snacks or picking up dog poop. I have a bag under the sink that I keep these other bags in to use at a later time or recycle (some grocery stores now have bag returns).
4. Buy in Bulk.
Now, not everyone has an awesome bulk store nearby like I do. I did not have one until I moved to SLC. But! Many grocery stores like Smiths, Kroger, Meijers, Harmen’s, Sprouts, Shoprite, Whole Foods, your local food coop or health food store and many more, have bulk sections now.
So take your little baggies or jars (for oils, vinegars and nut butters) and fill up with your items! Yes, it’s more annoying to drag all those items into the store, fill them up and label them, but think about all the plastic you are saving. You can also do this at many places with soaps, detergents and lotions of all kinds. I refill my deodorant! If you don’t have this option, then buy the big bottle or bag and refill your smaller containers.
Again, I’m not perfect at this, but being conscious about your choices is a great step.
5. Combining trips and Carpooling
Carpooling is not my favorite especially in our busy lives, but when possible it feels good. Try it with a friend that you regularly do something with (but only if it makes sense for reducing gas). Another thing I try to do is combine shopping/errand trips and group ones that are near each other together. This reduces the amount of gas, money and time you spend in the car. It’s a win, win, WIN!
6. Homemade Goodies!
Whenever I can I make homemade snacks to try to reduce waste (and it is usually healthier). For example I produce almost no plastic waste when I make hummus because I use bulk beans, fresh lemon, garlic and spices (Tahini comes in a jar, but you can find it in some bulk sections or make your own!). I also make a lot more this way than buying a container of it at the store.
7. #plogging
Plogging is Picking up litter while jOGGING.
I make this my own by doing it every time I go for a run or walk the dog. I now carry an extra bag on my dog leash or in my jacket just for litter (you can also leave a bag with your keys or walking shoes to help you remember). If I forget a bag and just have my hands, I challenge myself to pick-up as much (not super gross) litter as I can on my way back home (this is my way of compromising to be able to still enjoy most of my walk).
If I have a bag, I use it like I do for picking up dog poop… a glove to protect against anything gross. If you get the technique down you can pick up many things this way. If you don’t want to do this every time you go out to walk, maybe do it once a week or take an hour once a month to specifically go out and pick up litter.
Either way, you will be outside, getting steps in and bettering the earth!
8. Buying from Local businesses or Used.
This is one of my favorites! I love going to local stores or markets and buying from small businesses. I know this often can mean more expensive (but, sometimes not), but for me it means the item is made with love and is going to a family owned business which I am very happy to support.
Also, when I invest more money and time to find an item from a local source I find that I appreciate it more and buy less. I am very into being as minimalist as possible. This is a process, but I especially try to do this for household items such as furniture, dishes and plates and even soaps and other hygiene products that people make locally .
I have moved enough to know having lots of stuff is just burdensome and unnecessary. There is a freedom in having only what you need, but more importantly it’s better for the environment.
Consumerism is something I have thought a lot about and I think it’s best to just be conscious about it. Ask yourself, “Do I really NEED this?” and, “Does this REALLY bring me joy?” or “Can I buy it used or refurbished?”
Which brings me to my next point, which is buying used. Yes it can take more time to find things used, but again this makes me cherish those items more. Plus if it’s a piece of furniture, you can update it and make it your own! For me this makes the piece even more special AND my wallet and the earth are much happier!
Check out your local consignment stores, thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist/KSL or watch for garage sales or local sales. You can find some really great stuff.
There are many more Earth Friendly Practices that you can do. But, these are things that bring me joy to do and so I do them regularly and with little to no thought or extra effort. Every little thing helps, so find what fits into your lifestyle that you enjoy.
Happy Plogging!
What Earth Friendly Practices do you do regularly?
Teach me your ways! I am always trying to lessen my impact on the environment.
