Clean Up Your World With These Simple, Sustainable Swaps
From camping and hiking to swimming and biking, we love exploring this big ol’ world – and want to do our part to keep it happy and healthy. The good news: making sustainable choices is easier than you might think. Here are ten small swaps you can make – on the road, at home, on the trail and in camp – that will have a lasting impact on our world and your budget.
1. Green Up Your Morning Coffee
Make your morning coffee with a French press or reusable filter. Even single-pour machines have reusable cups that will save tons of plastic waste. And hey, you’ll get a better and fresher cup of coffee out of the deal. You can even get a portable French press that hits the trail with you. How cool is that?
2. Drink Smarter
Swap your one-use plastic water bottles and throwaway coffee cups for high-quality, re-useable bottles, cups and mugs that you can carry everywhere.
3. Turn Down The Heat On Your Laundry Game
Most of the time you don’t need to use hot water when washing your clothing. Save energy and money by washing all your clothes on the cold cycle. Then, purchase a drying rack for items that you can leave out of the dryer to save even more. A simple swap at the touch of a button: could it get any easier?
4. Carry a Reusable Straw
If you’ve ever picked up trash in your neighborhood then you know how pesky those plastic straws can be. By carrying your own straw, you can reduce your impact on the earth. And once you’ve made that change, it’s simple to level up your sustainable-eating game: consider creating a reusable kit you keep in your car that includes a straw, bag, utensils, and food container so you can eat on the go without throwing so much away!
5. Make Your Own Cleaners
The kitchen and bathroom are major plastic hoarding culprits. Cut down on those plastic bottles – and the chemicals that tend to go in them – by purchasing a glass cleaning bottle and making your own all-purpose spray at home. Use a 1:1 ratio of vinegar and water and add your favorite essential oils.
6. Go Paperless
Do you have a pile of paperwork in your house collecting dust? If you can, switch to paperless on all regular bills and communications. Not only are you saving paper and trees, but also saving yourself from clutter.
7. Shorten Your Shower
If you shorten your shower by two minutes you will save an average of ten gallons of water. That’s close to 300 gallons a month! This is a simple change that will conserve energy and lower that growing water bill. And since you’re in there, take a look at how many plastic bottles are lining your tub. Tip: Shampoo bars are great and travel well.
8. Stop Throwing Away Bags
From sandwich bags to shopping bags – there is a reusable replacement for that. You can even make your own food wrap using beeswax and cheese cloth. It works great, is washable, and can be reused.
9. Compost
Have food scraps or old coffee grounds left over Instead of throwing them in the trash, start a compost bucket in the backyard. Save time and money by not having to purchase dirt at the store when you make it yourself.
10. Invest in Quality Items
This is more of a mindset shift, but it will go a long way and save you money in the long run. Invest in quality items that will stand the test of time. From clothing to home-wares, cheaper is not always better, and quality does not have to mean expensive. Buying discontinued or off-season items from trusted brands is one way to invest in quality without breaking the bank. Just check out our Vault and you’ll see what we mean!
photo credit: Noah Busher on Unsplash.
