5 Steps to Sustainability

In a time where climate change is a persistent threat to the future, many people, including myself, have begun to transition into a more sustainable lifestyle. It isn’t uncommon to be cautious about doing so, as fear of the unknown often comes into play. However, we need to start small and start somewhere, for our beautiful planet is at stake. In many instances, living sustainably has proven to not only be better for the environment, but for your own personal health and lifestyle as well. A few switches might be slightly costly in the beginning, but many will begin to save you time and money in the long run. For those looking to begin their own transition, here is a short list of easy switches you can make to start your journey to sustainability.

1. Avoid Using Cow’s Milk

At first thought it might seem like a bit of an intense start, but the production of cow’s milk is detrimental to the environment, and the switch is much easier than you may think. Dairy cows and their manure produce greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to climate change, and the poor handling of manure and fertilizers can degrade local water resources. Unsustainable dairy farming and feed production can also lead to the loss of ecologically important areas such as prairies, wetlands, and forests. Not to mention that dairy cows are severely mistreated during the production process. The most eco-friendly alternative to cow’s milk would be oat milk, holding similar nutritional value to cow’s milk all while using significantly less resources to produce. While oat milk is a bit more expensive, standing at about $5 for a half gallon of ​Oatly​, it can very easily be homemade as well with about $2 worth of old fashioned rolled oats. If you’re using a half gallon of oat milk per week, a store bought brand would run you about $20 per month, while homemade oat milk would cost about $8 per month. You’d save about $144 a year making your own. Here is my personal favorite recipe:

1 1⁄2 cup of rolled oats
4 1⁄2 cups of cold water

And that’s it! Blend the mixture for about twenty seconds, strain thoroughly, store in a reusable bottle, and enjoy! Feel free to blend in anything that suits your taste, which could be honey, vanilla, cinnamon, or maple syrup. The slightly sweeter taste of oat milk makes it a great dairy substitute, especially when it comes to baking or even mixing into a cup of tea.

2. Swap your Hair Product Bottles for Bars

Shampoo and conditioner bars can do the job of about three 16oz liquid product bottles, minus the plastic. Although the bars tend to be a bit more expensive, standing at about $12 per bar, they will last months in comparison to liquid bottles, saving you an immense amount of money as the time adds up. After doing some research, I’ve found that about a million plastic bottles are bought around the world every minute, and that number is projected to jump another 20% by 2021. This equates to about 20,000 bottles being bought every second. Fewer than half of the bottles bought in 2016 were collected for recycling and just 7% of those collected were turned into new bottles. Thus, approximately 93% of the 480 billion plastic water bottles sold in 2016 ended up in landfills or in the ocean. These shocking statistics pertain to plastic bottles alone, not including their additional packaging. Shampoo and conditioner bars, however, surpass the need for any kind of plastic packaging. By making this transition, more and more bottles will be diverted from landfills and our waterways. In addition to their more eco-friendly nature, product bars are also much more concentrated than their bottled counterparts, allowing you to use less product and still get your desired results. Many brands provide their customers varied options concerning different hair types, including everything from dry to oily, and from straight to coily. Some inclusive, plastic free brands include ​Nova Blis​ ​and ​Ethique​.

3. Say No to Dryer Sheets

Instead of buying a $4 box of single use dryer sheets full of chemicals and perfumes, investing in a wool dryer ball will not only save you money, but time as well. Starting at about $6.50 for a plastic free package of four wool balls, each ball can last up to 1,000 loads of laundry. That’s 4,000 loads for less than seven dollars! In addition to their long lasting nature, wool dryer balls will also help to cut down your drying time, saving you not only time, but money on electricity. Unlike dryer sheets, the wool balls flick moisture away from your clothes and linens. Plus, the action of the balls dancing around in the dryer forces the laundry items apart and increases the hot air circulation around each item. All of this works together to make your drying time shorter. These wool balls will also act as a natural fabric softener instead of settling for the synthetic alternatives, which will build up in your clothes and towels and reduce their absorbency. ​These products not only save money, gas, and electricity, but reduce waste and chemicals released into the air as well. An eco-friendly and inexpensive brand to make this transition with would be Public Goods​.

4. Buy Clothes Second Hand

In an age of rapidly evolving fashion trends, clothing is being produced, bought, and discarded at a faster rate than ever. Companies including Forever 21, H&M, American Eagle, and basically any other large scale clothing retailer you can think of are considered “fast fashion” brands. Although the prices tend to be low, the damage caused to the environment can be extreme. 10.5 million tons of clothes are thrown away every year in America alone. Clothing production has dramatically increased in recent years, and as a result of their cheaply made nature, your clothes will fall apart, go out of style, or both as quickly as you bought them. In addition to the vicious cycle of buying and trashing, the majority of discarded clothes oftentimes end up in landfills. Polyester, nylon, and acrylic are very popular materials used in many clothes, and since they’re made up of plastic, they will sit in landfills for hundreds of years, contributing to our ever growing waste problem. By buying second hand and donating the clothes that you no longer wear, you’ll be keeping additional plastic out of landfills and possibly helping somebody in need. Many brands including ​MATE​, ​Beyond Retro​, and ​Two Days Off ​are beginning to step up and make a change in the fashion industry. However, companies of this nature tend to be pricey as a result of ethically sourcing all of their materials and paying their workers living wages. It is absolutely imperative for sustainable brands to gain exposure, for it is the first step in making their products affordable for all. If you’re not in the financial position to support sustainable brand names, the perfect place to start sourcing your clothes is at the local thrift shop. By buying second hand, you’re no longer contributing to the fast fashion industry. As we know, when the customers stop buying a product, the company stops making it. Plus, you can never walk out of a thrift shop without an affordable, one of a kind find in your hands.

5. Avoid Plastic Wrap

Plastic, or cling wrap, is a major consumer product in the United States. In addition to it being a household item, it is also what packages the majority of items found in a grocery store. Although cheap and convenient, plastic wrap is another considerable contributor to the world’s plastic pollution crisis. Most plastic wrap is not recycled because its flimsy nature causes it to clog any machine that it’s put through. However, when plastic wrap does get recycled, the process is incredibly difficult to do so, and as a result, releases the toxic chemical dioxin into the atmosphere, causing more harm than good. In marine environments, the PVC and PVDC that plastic wrap is made up of is especially good at attracting bacteria and metals, causing serious harm to the sea life that mistake it for food. The issues that plastic wrap cause can be eliminated by avoiding it completely, and instead, considering beeswax wraps. These reusable food wraps can be ​found on Amazon​, but are also very much attainable on your own with very few supplies. By following ​this simple DIY​, these sustainable wraps offer the opportunity to save money from not having to buy additional rolls of cellophane that poison the oceans and atmosphere more than many realize. Further steps that you can take to avoid the problems surrounding plastic wrap would include storing food in glass containers and avoiding aluminum foil as well, for it takes an immense amount of non renewable energy to process.

Although we have already hammered the basic ideas of avoiding waste into our minds, such as using a reusable water bottle and banning plastic grocery bags, it is equally as important to consider all of the small changes you can make in your life that will create a much bigger impact than anybody realizes. Change is scary, and it can be very difficult to transition out of what you already know, but upon doing so, it is more than likely that you will quickly notice a difference and reap the benefits. While not everybody has the funds to live in pricey clothes made from recycled plastic, many sustainable switches will save you a lot of money in the near future and will serve a purpose to the environment in the process. When buying sustainably, consider looking into your local small businesses at your community’s flea market. You will be paying for quality, supporting your community, and giving back to the environment all in one purchase — and I consider that money well spent.