Earth Day - 7 Sustainability Tips
HAPPY EARTH DAY 🌎🌍🌏
In honor of our lovely planet, I wanna share some action steps and lifestyle changes I've made in order to live a more sustainable life. I shared these tips in 7 different instagram posts, but I thought it’d be good to share all 7 tips in one big post 💚
Sand cloud mandala towel
1. Shop Consciously 💸
Serengetee Copcacabana 5 panel
If you're gonna shop, look for brands that give back!
We all want to change the world & make it a better place, right? But we've got bills to pay, groceries to buy, and before you know it, your paycheck is gone before you even received it. This doesn't leave you with a lot left over for donations. But, you could donate to causes that are important to you, while making everyday purchases like clothes, accessories, etc. You don't even have to search too wide; socially conscious brands are everywhere today 💚
Here are some brands I love and have been using for years:
(this is not sponsored - just sharing the love!)
Sand Cloud makes lightweight, durable towels with beautiful designs, and they donate 10% of their profits to non-profits that save marine life. I bought my first sand cloud towel about 3 years ago (mandala towel pictured), and I loved it to much I bought a second one (the rainbow one - my favoriteeee cuz it’s huge and fits Pabs and I comfortably).
Another brand I love is Serengetee. This clothing brand uses fabrics from around the world, supporting artisans and their families, and gives back 10% of their profits to diverse causes, like protecting endangered animals, providing micro loans to woman entrepreneurs or building schools for kids around the world. I purchased the copacabana 5 panel years ago for myself, and Pabs ended up loving it so much he never gave it back 😅After years of use he inevitably lost it, so as a pre wedding gift, I got him the exact same cap 🥰 and convinced my brothers to buy a lots of their pocket tees cuz they're cool and great quality :) .
I’ve been trying to reduce the amount of products I purchase, and instead focus on the quality of the products and find brands that align with my values. This is just one way to live a more sustainable life 💚 Please feel free to share your favorite brands that give back with me!
2. Recycle Correctly ♻️
Did you know that most of the items we send off to be recycled don't actually make it to the recycling process?
A lot of this has to do with Recycling Contamination (when incorrect items are put into the system OR when the right items are prepared the wrong way (like food residue in containers, recyclables in plastic bags, etc.). Although most people recycle now a days, there's still a lack of education about what’s recyclable and how to recycle properly. 1 in every 4 items recycled is contaminated. Well-intentioned people often mix non-recyclables in their bins, which can ultimately contaminate an entire batch of would-be recyclables. Understanding the importance of proper recycling, and being mindful of what you toss in the trash, is the first step to reducing contamination.
Some tips for proper recycling:
♻️ Sort your recyclables in different bins or bags at home and double check what you put in each bin
👀 Always look for a recycling label (don't just assume it will be recyclable).
💦 Rinse your jars, glasses and recyclable food containers. Don’t toss something with food scraps in your recycling bin!
❎ Keep plastic bags out of your recycling bins.
🔎 If you're unsure about what you can or can't recycle, use online tools like a recyclopedia. I recently learned that styrofoam is usually not recycled cuz is not economically feasible to transport styrofoam to make up for the transportation costs to the foam recycling facilities, so it’s best to avoid buying products with styrofoam. Why does no one teach us this?? 💚
Through the power of recycling, we can create more jobs aaaand protect our planet.
3. Get a Menstrual Cup 🙋🏽♀️🙋🏼♀️🙋🏻♀️
This tip is for da ladiesss!
What's a menstrual cup, you ask? It's a flexible silicone (or rubber) cup designed to be used inside the vagina during our periods to collect blood. If that previous sentence grossed you out, grow up or get outta here 🙄 The cup collects your menstrual flow instead of absorbing it, like a pad or a tampon does.
I started using one about a year ago and there’s no way i'd go back to tampons or pads.
Here are some reasons you should consider getting a menstrual cup for yourself (or for your loved ones!):
💸 Lower costs: Some cups can last you up to 10 years. ONE cup for 10 YEARS?! Think about how much money you'd be saving!!
♻️ Less landfill waste: Since you're reusing the same cup, there's less waste to clog up our landfills and fewer trees sacrificed to make the paper-based alternatives. Think about the dozens of tampons & pads (plus the plastic and cardboard they're packaged in) you'd stop disposing of!
😷 Less odor: menstrual fluid develops an odor when exposed to air and cups eliminate this issue.
👍🏽 It's easy to use and you don't even feel it when it's in (unlike uncomfortable tampons or diapery-pads). It takes some time to get used to it, and this might just be a personal opinion but see for yourself 🙂
🧪 Menstrual cups don't contain chemicals found in tampons and pads, such as bleach and dioxin (which can cause cancer).
☠️ Menstrual cups aren't associated with toxic shock syndrome (TSS), which is a rare, life-threatening condition linked to tampon use.
😍 Last but not least, menstrual cups help you get to know your body! Since the cup clears up all mystery about your exact flow volume (no, it's not a waterfall like you might have previously thought haha), you have the chance to learn about your unique cycle. It's your body, after all, shouldn't you know these things?
I'd say sorry for the TMI but we're all grown ups here, and if we're not... then I hope i've convinced some teenagers to switch their pads for cups 🤗
4. Compost 💚
Composting is the process that turns organic matter into fertilizer (called compost or humus). The result is very beneficial for plants because it is rich in nutrients. Composting is a great way to reduce your food waste and contributions to greenhouse gas emissions. Why? Half of the things you toss in the trash could be tossed into composting. And when you toss organic matter into the trash, it ends up in a landfill producing methane gas, a greenhouse gas that significantly contributes to climate change 😥
When you compost, you complete the cycle by returning what you ate/consumed back to the soil ♻️🤗 About a year ago, I was very frustrated when I learned how much of my trash wasn't actually trash, and felt terrible knowing I was throwing food scraps away when I could be turning them into compost. But not everyone has a garden or a wide enough terrace to have a home compost, as was my case. I started doing my research and found Karübag, a Chilean home composting service. They give you a bucket in which you throw your food scraps (and other compostable items, like paper, coffee grounds, or even egg shells), and they pick it up once a week. Then after a few weeks, they give you humus so you can use it on your plants or crops. And no, this isn't chickpea hummus (with a double m) we're talking about, different humus 😝
Anyway, I was very thankful to find that service and I quickly realized how much emptier my trash was (I was emptying it out every 3 or 4 days instead of every day) because I was composting half of it! If you live in Santiago and can't have your own home composting, I highly recommend @karubag - but if you live anywhere else, do your research! You'll find there are MANY of these food waste recycling services available all over the world 🌎🌍🌏 And if there aren't.. then maybe that's a good business idea for you to develop 😱
5. Get a Reusable Cup ☕️ ♻️
Is having a cup of coffee every morning a non-negotiable for you? Do you make yours at home or do you take that coffee to go? Takeaway coffee has become a huge part of our lives. Just take a look around you on a busy street or at the library; chances are, you’ll spot a few people with cardboard cups, sipping on their warm beverage. But think about how much waste each of these disposable cups are producing: just one takeaway drink a day creates over 10kg of waste every year (per person). This is definitely hurting the environment 😥
But we shouldn't have to give up our caffeine habit! Here are some reasons you should consider investing in reusable cups instead:
🍃 It reduces waste: 16 billion disposable coffee cups are used each year (!!!!). Not only are cardboard coffee cups non-recyclable, but they can't be made from recycled materials either. And chances are you aren’t recycling the plastic lid either.
💸 It saves you money: small and major coffee shops offer discounts for bringing your own coffee cup. You just need to get into the habit of carrying it with you.
💥It keeps your coffee warm: most of the reusable cups on the market today come with an insulated interior, keeping your drinks warm and cozyyyyy 🔥
🤩 It tastes better: reusable cups eliminate the unwelcome taste of plastic in your drink. Certain lids may also contain the harmful plastic BPA. But using a ceramic, BPA-free plastic or stainless steel cup avoids any possible health risk.
💅🏽 Last but not least, it’s stylish: this may seem like a vain point, but there’s SO MANY awesome brands out there creating beautiful reusable cups! I love my pink reusable byta cup; whenever I take it anywhere, I get lots of compliments and questions. And the more people see you carrying your own cup, they’ll be motivated to buy and carry their own! Ripple effect babyyy! 🙌🏽
Throwing away one cup might not seem like much, but multiply the number of coffees you drink each year 😮 the difference one reusable cup can make is big and it starts with you!!
6. Go Vegan 🌱
You saw this coming didn't you?? 🤗 There's many reasons to adopt a plant based diet. Whether you want to save the animals, improve your health, or to do your part in protecting the environment, going vegan is a big decision with a HUGE impact. It's the one of the biggest ways to reduce our environmental impact on the planet (if not the biggest, but that’s up for discussion). I'll skip the health related reasons for now & share some facts about how it helps the environment
💨Cut your greenhouse gas emissions: Did you know that livestock & their by-products account for 51% of annual worldwide greenhouse gas emissions? Meat production requires vast amounts of energy: growing crops to feed the animals, then fossil fuels are burnt in the raising, slaughtering & transportation of the animals. Let's not forget about the methane gas produced by cows 🐄 All of this is a major contributor to Global Warming.
🐒Preserve habitats & species: the demand for animal products is a major cause of deforestation. Nearly 30% of the earth's land area is used to raise livestock (every second, an area of rainforest equivalent to a football field is cleared to graze animals). This habitat loss is causing mass extinction of wildlife.
💧Resources: animal agriculture is a very water-intensive industry, responsible for 20-30% of the globe's freshwater, annually. Growing feed for livestock consumes 56% of the water. Producing 1kg of beef requires 15,400 liters of water 😱 Producing one kg of animal protein uses 100 times more water than the same amount of protein from grains.
😧The list goes on but i'll leave you with this: your dietary choices have the power to help bring change for the planet 🌎🌍🌏 Even if you don't go vegan, choosing to reduce ur animal product consumption is a great place to start. Choosing plant based foods can contribute to water and forest conservation, curb pollution, reduce climate change, and save species from extinction.
I've shared my story on going vegan many times. It didn't happen from one day to the next; it took me 2 yrs to gradually stop eating meat, then fish, then dairy & eggs. & i'm not perfect, i've had many slip ups, but I do my best everyday. And honestly, if going vegan isn’t an option for you, at least try a #MeatlessMonday, experiment with vegan recipes or go to plant based restaurants every now and then. You might be surprised at how delicious vegan food can be!
7. Shop Used/Vintage ♻️
For the last tip, I wanted to show you my dance moves 😜 while also showing off my used clothes 🤩 most of the clothes i'm wearing in this video were previously owned by someone else 😮 Whether I bought them at a vintage store or got them as hand me downs, they're some of my favorite pieces in my closet. Anyway, enough about me, let's get to some factssss!
Fast Fashion has accelerated and become a new norm these past two decades. Not only does Fast Fashion have a huge impact on society (please watch the documentary The True Cost if you haven't), it's also had a huge impact on the environment.
Some shocking facts:
👗On average a person consumes 11.4kg of apparel each year.
👡The average person buys 60% more items of clothing and keeps them for about half as long as 15 years ago.
🧥In the past 15 years, the average number of times a garment is worn before it ceases to be used has decreased by 36%.
👖The fashion industry’s CO2 emissions are projected to increase to nearly 2.8 billion tons per year by 2030.
👕One kilogram of clothing over its entire life cycle creates 11 kilograms of greenhouse gases.
👚Nearly 60% of all clothing produced ends up in incinerators or landfills within a year of being made.
So here’s where used clothing comes into play. Not only does buying second hand clothing save you money (you usually pay at least 50% less than the original price), it’s also eco friendly! Instead of buying something new that will go out of style soon (cuz that's how fast fashion is designed these days) and inevitably end up in a landfill, you get to give clothes a longer lifespan. And since used clothes come from all decades, you can explore fashion from the past to express the unique person that YOU are 🥰
This concludes 7 sustainable tips, from ya girl, with love ♥️ It’s up to us to play our part in reducing humanity’s damaging impact on our environment 💚 If you’d like to keep getting informed on the subject, here’s a list of documentaries that changed my life. I hope you enjoyed reading these and learning with me (cuz no, i didn't have all these facts memorized in the back of my head haha).