If you search online for tips on living eco-friendly, you’re sure to find a lot of different lists ranging from 10 to 50 different items per list, but when you’re brand new to the movement it can be overwhelming.
Sometimes the idea of living environmentally friendly seems daunting– is it expensive, time consuming, difficult? It doesn’t have to be.
There are so many ways to do so: refusing “disposable” products, reusing things multiple times, or recycling them so new products can be made.
Here are a few easy things you can do to help keep our planet clean, while fitting into your everyday lifestyle.
1. “No straw, please”
Here in Florida, we live surrounded on three sides by water. This means that we’re especially conscious of our waste, but we sometimes overlook the little things. Did you know that plastic straws CAN’T readily be recycled? Same with many plastic cups and cutlery. But an easy solution is to get a reusable cup. They’re inexpensive and can be found just about anywhere. Kill two birds with one stone by getting a cup with a straw so you can use them separately or together. You can also replace your plastic grocery bags with reusable, also.
However, I understand that for one reason or another, some may be unable to buy new products for this purpose. Try saving your plastic straws, cups, and cutlery from restaurants and using them several times before disposing of them. Even if it’s a small step, it’s better than nothing.
2. Brush up on your local recycling guidelines
We all love the idea of recycling, but it’s harder than most think. Many municipalities have rules as to what can be recycled and how. For example: in St. Petersburg you can’t recycle flimsy plastics (read: plastic bags) in your curbside bin, but you can take it to many local grocery stores for recycling at a special facility. THIS INCLUDES WRAPPING YOUR RECYCLABLES IN PLASTIC TRASH BAGS! Additionally, you may also have to clean out your food containers and cut grease spots off your pizza boxes. You may also want to see what number of plastics are taken by your local recycling program: there are seven different types.
Not-So-Fun fact: thermal paper, like receipts and many attraction tickets, can’t be recycled either. However, you can give them a second life by using them as scratch paper!
No curbside recycling where you live? Reach out to a friend and see if you can bring your recyclables to their bin, or find a local recycling center where you can take it yourself. It may take some time out of your day of, but much less than the time it takes for plastic to biodegrade. If these options are out of reach, prevention is key– do your best to reduce packaging in the items you purchase.
3.Go plogging
Plogging, made popular in Sweden, can help you make a direct impact on your local community. Simply pick up any trash you see when going about outdoor activities. It doesn’t have to be jogging, you can pick up trash while hiking, boating, camping, even walking your dog around the block. Just make sure to throw all of it into a trash bin and recycle what you can. And if you’re picking up trash on the coastline, you can log it by using the CleanSwell app created by the Ocean Conservancy.
4. Ditch Fast Fashion
“Fast Fashion” is a term that refers to clothing and accessories that aren’t meant to last. Have you ever bought a shirt that started to pill or thin after just a few washes? Leggings that almost immediately tear at the inner thigh? Because of fast fashion, textile waste is becoming a big problem. There are also a host of other problems that ride along as well. Next time you need to shop, try hitting up your local thrift or consignment store. If you must buy new, invest a little more for clothing that will last.
5. Change the way you think about waste.
Imagine that everything you ever threw away was still sitting in your backyard. How big would that pile be? When we throw things away, they don’t disappear into nothingness– they go to a landfill. Landfills are like huge trash compactors where nothing breaks down and gets covered with dirt when it’s full, then they start another. If you think of trash this way, it can help put into perspective how much waste we produce. When you shop, try to pick items with recyclable packaging or no packaging. Stop by your local thrift store to buy secondhand if you can.
Bonus:
I wanted to add a few things that are only slightly more difficult than what’s listed above, but are still entirely do-able even with a busy lifestyle.
*Try composting
Composting can at times feel like a four letter word, but in reality is so easy. Whenever you make food waste, simply collect it in a food storage container and keep it in the fridge. Every day or so, take it out back and put it in a big bin. Over time those items will decompose and create the best fertilizer for your garden! There are only a few things that can’t be composted: bones and meat, starches, sugary foods, and poo. Find out more here.
*Take your own containers to a bulk foods store
The first challenge here is finding a store with bulk-buy bins. In Tampa Bay we have Bulk Nation, and some local grocery stores like Publix, Sprouts Market and Whole Foods with bulk options. Depending on where you go, you may be able to bring hard plastic or glass containers or cloth/canvas bags for your purchases. You buy by weight so you only buy what you need and you’re not paying for the packaging that comes with a lot of dry good items.
I hope this list helps make the idea of an eco-friendly life more approachable. Hopefully you can work a few of these into your every day life to help protect our planet!
Melissa Pegley 