It is a huge leap from going to Average Member of Society, wielding a paper Starbucks cup in one hand and a fistful of single-use plastics in the other to being a card-carrying, polar bear-saving, hybrid car-driving Friend of Mother Earth. It is almost impossible, actually. Yet in this day, age and climate change, more and more people are wanting to lessen their carbon footprint, but are too overwhelmed to begin. Here are a few small steps, with a big impact, that you can make to be eco-friendlier and more sustainable in your day-to-day life.

Ditch Makeup Wipes

I blog about beauty and skincare on my blog at stickingplacewriting.net. I lovelovelove skincare, and even though I don’t get much time to indulge anymore, I love makeup as well. But I am a part of the growing community that wants to expose the dark side of the beauty industry: makeup wipes.

Makeup wipes are the devil. They are irritating, ineffective and wasteful to the environment. They are nothing but products of marketing, supply and demand and consumerism. They don’t really even remove makeup well, which is their one job.

Obviously, makeup removal and cleansing are important and necessary, but can’t be attained without some kind of cleanser and water; however, do want to remove your makeup before you cleanse, there are eco-friendly alternatives. There are companies such as SolarMatrix and Face Halo that make reusable makeup wipes out of microfiber and/or bamboo fibers.
https://facehalo.com/

I still wouldn’t recommend relying on these alone to remove your makeup, but they are a hell of a start. You simply soak them in water or saturate them in micellar water, wipe gently, wash them in the washing machine with your towels and reuse them. Then, proceed to wash your face or even do a double cleanse if you would like and you are done. Believe it or not, you are supposed to wash your face after using commercial makeup wipes (Gasp!) so you aren’t adding any additional steps to your routine.

Meatless Mondays

Raising livestock uses a lot of Earth’s resources. According to an article by the Food and Agriculture Organization for the United Nations, cultivation of livestock is the world’s largest use of land and through feeding the livestock, which has affected climate change and biodiversity through land and water degradation.

Forests help with these emissions, but unfortunately are being destroyed at an alarming rate due to farming practices.

Being a vegetarian or vegan isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes planning, research and dedication. It isn’t a lifestyle that most people can sustain. You can, however, reduce the amount of meat and animal products that you consume. You could try going vegan or vegetarian for a day a week or even 2-3 meals a week and not be constricted to one day in case your schedule changes. If you really can’t resist or avoid animal proteins, eat only sustainably sourced fish.

I was a vegetarian for 6 years. Even though I couldn’t sustain it after my daughter was born due to some postpartum health issues, I am very glad that I was. Not only did I lower my carbon footprint, but I learned how much I actually enjoy vegetables. I learned new ways to cook them that made them taste better than the mushy, steamed, bacon fat or butter steeped vegetables I grew up with as a child in the American South. I developed a taste for lentil soup that continued after I re-introduced meat back into my diet. Try it, you too might be surprised!

Reduce Single Use Plastics

Reducing dependence on single-use plastics takes planning, but is doable, but you have to make it a habit. One way to start is by buying eco-friendly alternatives to some of the bigger offenders: plastic water bottles, one-time use beverage containers, plastic shopping bags and straws.

 Buy a few reusable alternative drink containers, metal straws and cloth shopping bags. I like Yeti tumblers because they keep drinks both hot or cold, and Life Factory glass water bottles, but there are plenty of options. At first, keep them where you can easily view them so that you will remember them when you leave the house. Another incentive to help you remember is that a lot of businesses such as Starbucks and various grocery stores offer discounts for customers who bring their own reusable cups, bottles, containers or bags. I don’t know about you, but I can’t resist a good deal!
https://www.yeti.com/en_US/drinkware/rambler-20-oz-tumbler/YRAM20.html
https://www.lifefactory.com/16oz-glass-water-bottle-silicone-sleeve-classic-cap

You can also look for local restaurants and stores that are committed to being eco-friendly with their packaging and patron those places when you really need a last-minute item or takeout.

Once you get into the habit of bringing your own straws and containers, it really isn’t difficult. Like any other habit, it takes approximately a month to become habitual. If you really need that emergency latte and don’t have your own cup with you, don’t beat yourself up over it. At least you have made progress!

Say No to Fast Fashion

According to an article in the New York Times titled “How Fast Fashion is Destroying the Planet,” the reporter, Tatiana Schlossberg, claims that “[m]ore than 60% of fabric fibers are now synthetics, derived from fossil fuels” and therefore the garments won’t biodegrade when they ultimately end up in a landfill at the end of their short shelf-life.

Although a lot of recent figures may have been misconstrued, the production of fast fashion wastes more than its fair share of water and livestock, which negatively affects global greenhouse gas emissions.

So, what is a fashion loving environmentalist to do? Renting fashion is becoming ever more popular for a reason. It is the most sustainable method to looking stylish while being a friend to the environment. Places like Rent the Runway offer evening wear that you can rent, wear and return. You can also commit to not buying fur or leather. If the siren song of that shiny, new fast fashion garment is more than you can resist, just make sure you wear it as much as possible and share it with friends.

https://www.renttherunway.com/

Another way is to patron sustainable clothing companies. At Piccardilla, only sustainable, organic cotton is used to manufacture clothing and the clothing is ethically and sustainably made by a company that plants a tree with every order. I am so excited about sharing their clothing with you that I am offering you my 15% off coupon code! Enter megmccaffrey at checkout and enjoy!
https://piccardilla.com/

Livestock and the environment. (2019, December 13) Retrieved from www.fao.org

Schlossberg, Tatiana (2019, October 13) How Fast Fashion is Destroying the Planet. New York Times, page 18. Retrieved from www.nytimes.com