It’s official, I’ve been blogging now for one whole year. Happy Blogiversary to me! It’s been such an exciting year experimenting with sustainable living and learning zero waste practices. I am especially thankful for being introduced to the Zero Waste Bloggers Network this year. The community has been so encouraging and a real motivation in sustainable practices. To celebrate my one year of blogging, I’ve created a list of 5 simple sustainable switches you can make if interested in leading a more eco-conscious lifestyle. Making the switch can be overwhelming in the beginning; I think it’s all about the little changes that really make a difference.
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Reusable Shopping Bags
The easiest eco switch you can make is to bring your own reusable shopping bags. I always keep a few in my car so I will never be without. It’s also important to remember to not only bring your reusable bags to the grocery store but shopping in general. For example, if you need shop at a thrift shop, bring a bag with you to use instead of having to leave the store with a disposable plastic bag.
Also, at the grocery store, I like to bring reusable produce bags. They’re lightweight, transparent and endlessly reusable. They’re perfect for bagging mushrooms, green beans, brussels, etc. For larger produce, I tend to let those go naked into the shopping cart. But for small produce, I really like to have a reusable produce or two on hand.
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Reusable Water Bottle & Coffee Mug
Please, say no to single use plastic water bottles and coffee cups! They’re unnecessary and oh so wasteful. Instead, choose a refillable stainless steel water bottle and ceramic travel mug. You can often find reusable water bottles and travel mugs at thrift shops for cheap. Check garage sales and estate sales for these reusables as well!
Compostable Toothbrush
Another ridiculously simple zero waste switch is using compostable bamboo toothbrushes instead of plastic. You can find some in our online shop here. We also have kid sized brushes now! These brushes last just as long as their plastic counterparts and all you have to do is remove the bristles and compost when they’re worn out.
Switch to Soap Bars
Going back to soap bars instead of body wash in plastic bottles is a simple eco alternative. There’s no wasteful plastic packaging for soap bars and the soap bars get used entirely. You can also switch to shampoo bars as well! Another way to rid your bathroom of nasty plastic. We have a great selection of organic, vegan, and palm oil free soaps in our online shop including: Activated Bamboo Charcoal Soap, Papaya Ginger Lemongrass Soap, Coconut Thai Lime Shampoo Bar, and Agave Nectar Aloe Shampoo Bar.
Shop the Bulk Section of your Grocery Store
There’s a lot of excessive packaging at the grocery store. You can shop packaging free in the bulk foods section. Not every city is lucky enough to have a grocery store with a bulk foods section but Go Litterless created a great list of places in the U.S. that do have bulk shopping. When you head to the bulk section be sure to bring your reusable bulk bags which you can find in our shop here.
Next week, I’ll post 5 more simple sustainable switches, but this is a good start for any beginners to eco-conscious living.
You might also enjoy these blog posts from Tiny Yellow Bungalow!
beginner’s guide to zero waste
Thank you so much for mentioning my guide, and for being an awesome zero waste resource yourself! Go team! Congrats on your blogaversary, too. Xoxo.
Thank you!!
Hi Jessie, I am new to the blog so I am unaware if you have addressed the best way to dispose of pet waste. Our garbage pickup service wants it inside two plastic bags.
Thanks , Lori
Hi Lori! Pet waste is definitely a challenge for the sustainably minded. It’s something that I still haven’t found the perfect solution for myself. I know of some people who compost their pet waste, separately from their regular compost. Others flush pet feces down the toilet and some dig a deep hole in the yard and bury the waste. There are also biodegradable poo bags which are still a bit controversial because they likely won’t biodegrade in a landfill. Unfortunately, I don’t have the perfect answer, still a work in progress myself! 🙂