10  FREE Tips for a More Sustainable Life

Over 5 years ago, I went down a sustainability/zero waste rabbit hole!

I have always loved and respected the Earth and the well-being of our planet - nature has been central to so much of my life!

But it wasn’t until I was in my 20’s that I was really exposed to how daily actions impact our planet.

I read blogs, listened to podcasts, subscribed to zero waste-related email newsletters, and did lots and lots of research on my own! If you’re interested in some resources, I’ve compiled some of my favorite at the bottom of this blog.

However…

As with many things in society…

Sustainability on an individual level is incredibly complex as well.

For several years, I went all in - trying to weigh the options of every single item I was going to buy, searching to find the most sustainable option! I stressed myself out, spent hours making decisions, and guilt-tripped myself when I wasn’t doing the “most sustainable” thing…

Here is the truth:

Living a fully sustainable life is nearly impossible in this society in this current time… and, it is often quite expensive and not feasible for the majority of people.

I have also learned varying opinions of experts in the industry - some emphasize the daily actions we each take and the difference they make, and others have pointed out that stressing about small individual things distracts us from impacting larger policy changes that are the only things that will make a lasting difference…

Like I said, COMPLEX…

As with most things in life, after realizing how trying to live the “most sustainable life possible” was negatively impacting my stress levels, my time usage, and my emotional state of being & sense of self, I took a step back.

I breathed.

After all, I believe all of our answers always lie in our hearts, rather than our heads.

And then, after some time, I found a way to move forward that felt like it was integrity with myself, with honoring the Earth that I love, and also with what supported a healthy and realistic approach to life for me.

Now, I believe this version of a sustainable life looks a bit different person to person.

And because a lot of sustainable options nowadays are more expensive than many people can afford, I wanted to start with simple and FREE tips for a more sustainable life.

I want to start with something I heard early on in my zero waste journey: the most sustainable person you know may very well be your thrifty grandmother, who reuses & repurposes things. If you have a relative that lived through the Great Depression like I did, that thrifty mindset and approach actually embodies a lot of sustainability principles! Now, on to my:

10 FREE Tips for a More Sustainable Life

1. Watch your water use:

You’ve probably heard this one before, but simple things like turning off the water while you brush your teeth, turning off the kitchen sink when you can while washing dishes, in general trying not to waste water. In fact, I learned that opting to use the dishwasher (if you have one) rather than handwashing your dishes can actually save a lot of water.

2. Watch your energy use:

Again, you’ve probably heard of things like turning off lights you’re not using, turning off the TV or computer when you aren’t using them, and not leaving things running that you are not using. I find energy and renewable energy especially fascinating - this is a topic you can learn a lot more about if you are interested! During certain hours of the day, electricity is in highest use by the majority of people. If you are able to save certain tasks to do at different times, such as running your dishwasher or running your air conditioner, you can help ease the energy demand (and sometimes save money, too).

3. Pay attention to your waste:

This can mean a lot of things. For example, recycle items when possible, pay attention to the food in your house and use or freeze it before it goes bad to limit your food waste. Some cities now have a simple system in place to dispose of food waste separate from your trash so that it can be composted instead of going to a landfill (research your local area to see if you have a system like this!). I also like to pay attention to when I eat out - am I grabbing more condiment packets than I will use? Am I able to refuse a straw so I don’t send that into our waste system? Am I asking for more water refills that I won’t drink that will just get wasted? 

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Okay, back to it…

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4. Say no:

This is one of my favorites!!! And honestly, a HUGE game-changer for me!!! Once I started to realize all the TRINKETS and free swag and just useless THINGS I either had or used to buy, gah it was astonishing!!! And when I paid more attention to how these things made me feel, how much clutter I was annoyed by, and how pointless and/or cheaply made a lot of these things were, I quickly shifted my habits about THINGS… Some people are really into minimalism - and I am, to a degree, particularly sustainable minimalism - so if this intrigues you there are a lot of resources out there! However, either way saying NO can make a huge difference in your sustainable - and in my case, happier and lighter - lifestyle! For example: say no to free giveaways at events that you don’t actually want or need (I’ve done this many times). Say no to a bag at a clothing shop if you can easily carry the items to your home without one. And this one is my favorite: before you buy something, pause for a moment and ask yourself, do I actually need this? This will be a new item in my home, that will take up space, need cleaning and/or storage and/or maintenance, and will eventually become waste. DO I NEED THIS ITEM? This has shifted my mindset a ton - and made my future self REALLY HAPPY when I didn’t end up buying things just because I was excited or impulsive in a single moment! A huge lifestyle shift for me was rediscovering the absolute joys and blessing of my local library!!! Did you know they have free books at the library - FREE BOOKS?!?! I love reading - and instead of buying books I love now, I can usually find them at my local library, or request them, OR find them in the e-resources I get access to through my library. Tip: I have a library card in multiple counties/cities to get access to books that my local one doesn’t have. (Tangential tip: If there is a book you’d like to buy, I’ve discovered the joys of buying used books - I feel really good about it, I don’t waste resources for a new book, and it’s usually cheaper!) One more aspect to this tip - use up the things you have first before buying “zero waste” versions of them. For example, don’t throw out your plastic hairbrush to buy a bamboo “sustainable” brush - this defeats the purpose! This would be wasting more resources and adding unnecessary waste. Instead, try to use what you have til the end of it’s life before replacing or buying new.

5. Unsubscribe from email lists you don't want to be on:

This may come as a surprise to some folks, but digital items have an environmental footprint too! Huge data centers fuel the digital world, and these use lots of resources! I regularly go in & unsubscribe from email lists I don’t want to receive - not only do I LOVE being in charge of what my brain consumes in my daily life via my email inbox, my emails also feel more manageable. If you want to stay on an email list but don’t want all the emails - deleting emails also helps to lessen their impact. 

6. Reuse!

I reuse a LOT of things… For example, I save a lot of boxes that I receive from online orders (most of my skincare products are only available online, for example), and I reuse them in the future. I also save the brown paper that comes in a lot of these orders as packing paper… and I use this for future things I mail, OR, believe it or not, wrapping paper! Yes - it may not be stylish, but ultimately the gift is what’s inside, not the wrapping. My friends & family all know that I opt for sustainable wrapping, and now don’t blink an eye when I present their gifts wrapped in brown paper. It also lets me decorate it myself!! However, sometimes their gifts are in nice gift bags with tissue paper because guess what? Yep! I reuse those too! I save gift bags I have received from others and when possible, reuse them. Usually they are still in super nice condition - this also saves me money on gift wrapping supplies! :) One of my favorite things to reuse is paper bags from takeout. I use them later if I need to transport something, to use as a cover while painting or other creative endeavors, or to donate my used clothes in. A lot of restaurants are now using sturdy takeout containers - many of these I’ve been able to wash & reuse. These also are ideal to use if you make food for someone else!

7. Go paperless:

A lot of things are already paperless now, but you if you want you can double check that your bank, insurance, etc. statements & correspondence are electronic. 

8. Bring your reusable water bottle with you:

I take my water bottle almost everywhere with me. There’s obvious health benefits to this approach, but I also don’t want to end up having to buy a water bottle when I have many reusable ones at home. In particular, when I’m grabbing food at a restaurant that isn’t a sit down restaurant, I bring my water bottle with me so I don’t have to waste a water cup.

9. Use reusable shopping bags:

If you don’t already, keeping reusable shopping bags in your car or by the door can help you avoid disposable bags and in some places, money as well. I now bring my own bags most places I shop, even if it isn’t a grocery store for this same reason.

10. Use a washcloth instead of a napkin:

This has become a big one for me. At one point in time, I took stock of my life and where I was using single use items and what waste I was generating. When I realized I could use a washcloth instead of wasting a napkin multiple times a day - or a towel instead of a paper towel - my waste drastically decreased!! I also feel really good about this simple choice - it’s cost effective, simple, and I wash them with the rest of my dish towels. Win win!

Ultimately, I know it will take more than my actions to help our planet be healthy and thriving… However, it is important to me to honor the Earth and be a good steward in the ways that I can. Many indigenous cultures believe that they are stewards of the Earth - and have cared for and nurtured her for countless generations.

I hope these tips help! In the future, I will share my top zero waste products that I love. For now, I hope you are able to connect with Mother Earth more regularly on a daily basis and develop your relationship with her. My sustainability daily actions feel like an act of love in my relationship with Mother Earth. 

Much love,

Jenna

P.S. For some great zero waste resources to get you started, I recommend: Zero Waste Home website (especially her 100 tips starter guide), Good Together podcast, and The Good Trade email newsletter (I have found some AMAZING sustainable companies & products this way)! There are many, many, many more resources out there! These are some of the top that got me started and helped me to educate myself, discover sustainable products, and feel a sense of community with shared values.  :)