Here are some easy yet incredibly significant ways to reduce your carbon footprint with everyday choices:
DIY Organic Cleaning Products.
Household cleaning products are one of those items on our shopping list that we simply do not put much effort into understanding. All we know about the concoction of chemicals stored in yet another plastic bottle is that they work well in cleaning unnecessary dirt or stains. Although effective, most ingredients in household cleaning products contain harmful chemicals that are simply unnecessary to have on the surface of, quite literally, everything we touch. Making your own cleaning products from scratch is a fun activity that is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly! Some popular homemade products contain the following: baking soda, distilled white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil, corn starch, lemon, and even salt!
Farmers Markets.
It is no secret that shopping at your local farmers' market is the number one way to practice sustainable shopping. Don't get me wrong, there is absolutely no shame in going to the supermarket; however, there is nothing more fulfilling than supporting your local businesses, paying less for more, avoiding unnecessary packaging, and running into the friendliest people you'll ever meet! FYI: the produce also tends to taste way better without the standard side of chemical preservatives that are found in supermarket "fresh" produce.
Reusable bags.
This approach has become increasingly popular within the last year or so as companies are beginning to realize the high demand for them. There are so many different options in size, color, design, and fabric material, that reusable produce bags are becoming trendy and aesthetically pleasing. They are also incredibly convenient because shoppers no longer have to deal with the unbearable struggle of carrying 10 to 15 shopping bags from the car to the kitchen in hopes of not going back for a second trip. Instead, a good-sized reusable bag will substitute a total of, at least, four plastic bags (even more if they double-bag you). There is no going around our monthly (sometimes weekly) trip to a store, so we might as well keep a reusable bag in the car to reduce overall plastic consumption.
Reusable bottles.
If you do not own a reusable water bottle, what in the world are you waiting for?! Most public institutions across the U.S. provide free water for the public. Whether it'd be a water fountain at the town's community college or the soda machine at a gas station, water is usually cold and free to the public. If we are going to discuss sustainability, we have to address how drinking water out of a plastic bottle is incredibly counterintuitive- storing a natural resource within a container of synthetic material. If you are going to invest in something, let be a reusable, Eco-friendly bottle.
Reusable straws.
Let's be honest, we use straws merely because they're available. If possible, opt out of even using a straw if you know that you don't actually need or want it. If you simply must use a straw, invest in stainless steel alternatives that are both reusable and incredibly stylish! Whether you are doing it for the turtles or not, investing in a reusable straw goes a long way to reducing the global carbon footprint and eliminating single-use plastic consumption. As we enter the third decade of the 21st century, it is imperative that we, as a society, collectively cut-off bad habits that perpetuate the environmental crisis of our generation. Start with straws, see where it takes you.
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