Earth Day 2021: 3 Simple Changes to Live a More Sustainable Life
Kathy Vendel April 22, 2021
In celebration of Earth Day, we are sharing 3 simple changes you can implement at home that will help reduce your carbon footprint and protect our beautiful planet Earth for future generations for enjoy.
Earth Day is an annual celebration on April 22nd that spans the entire globe. It is a reminder for us all to appreciate our connection with the Earth and raise awareness of our environmental challenges.
It's a good time to think about the carbon footprint we are leaving behind on this planet and what we can do to help protect Earth for generations to come.
Our local expert on all things sustainable, Amy Golan of Plant Renu has been on a mission to find eco-friendly alternatives to plastic that are both good for you and good for the planet.
Amy understands that huge changes don't happen overnight but through educating each other and working both together and individually to make small changes, those small changes can have a BIG impact on our planet. She shares 3 simple Eco tips below.
Amy says "If everyone reading this makes a few small changes, we could truly make a difference by reducing our carbon footprint on the earth".
3 Simple Eco Tips to Live a More Sustainable Life
1. Use Reusable Bags
Using reusable bags for produce, groceries and everyday shopping might seem like a no-brainer but how often do you find yourself at the store only to find you have forgotten to take your own bags? The key is to invest in some reusable bags and return them to your car when you have unpacked your groceries. That way, they are always on hand when you need them.
There are many options of reusable bags available to you. You can reuse paper bags you might already have in your home from grocery store. For more longevity canvas totes, reusable mesh hanging bags and lightweight tote bags work well as do cotton mesh produce bags.
Amy says "Mesh produce bags are super light and easy to use. When I get home from the store, I wash the fruit and veggies in the bag (faster), and then put the mesh bags back in my car with my shopping bags afterward.
In addition to the grocery store, I use them for delicates when doing laundry and my daughter likes to organize her toys in them".
2. Use Reusable Straws and refuse the plastic ones
According to the National Parks Service, Americans use 500 million straws every single day. And since plastic isn't biodegradable or compostable it breaks down into micro plastics and seeps into our water supply, oceans and food chain. Therefore, choosing reusable and biodegradable straws over plastic ones can have a huge impact on our Earth.
Using reusable straws no longer means drinking out of soggy straws! Straws have come a long way and are now available in materials that are both environmentally friendly and keep their shape such as stainless steel, bamboo and wheat straw. So pop some in your bag or in your car and you will never need to use another plastic straw.
For the ultimate in convenience try the collapsible stainless steel straw. It comes in a handy wheat straw container (which is industrially compostable) with a straw cleaner and can fit on a keychain, your pocket, purse or backpack.
3. Start REfilling your every-day personal care and cleaning products
In the US alone, after all of our efforts to recycle, we throw away 300,000 tons of plastic from single-use cleaning and personal care plastic containers. This ends up taxing landfills and polluting our oceans.
A great way to be eco and eliminate single-use plastics from your life is to purchase your cleaning and personal care products in reusable containers instead of the usual single use containers.
Cleaners, detergents, lotions, shampoos, conditioners and baby products can all be purchased in refillable containers. See details here.
We hope this list has inspired you to make at least one small change in your home that will help you live a more sustainable life. Together we can make a difference.
Happy Earth Day friends!.
Regards
Kathy
ps. For more valuable eco tips or to source eco products, contact Amy Golan at Planet Renu.
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