Inspired by a friend who takes small simple steps to reduce their waste, I started thinking about how much of a difference one person can make. This video made a huge impact on me and so began my journey towards Eco-Friendly living.
Now that I’m conscious of the impact I have on the environment, I realise why my parents always insisted on steps to save on waste. In my youth I thought it was to save money, but as it turns out they often go hand in hand.
After a lot of research on how to reduce waste I’ve come to realise it’s a matter of choosing quality reusable products, rather than cheap, single use items which are then thrown away. Below and future posts will be my tried and tested tips to living Eco-friendly.
Keep Cup
Get your hands on a Keep Cup! These reusable takeaway coffee cups are common enough in Sydney that some cafes even offer discounts for providing your own cup. If you’re the kind of person to buy a coffee on the way to work each day, you are probably responsible for 260 cups thrown away each year. That is hopefully enough to persuade you to spend around $35 on a Keep Cup. They are easy to clean, come in 3 different sizes, are stylish in glass, or lightweight and durable in plastic. Follow the link to get one:
KeepCup Brew Glass Reusable Coffee Cup, 12 oz/Medium, Press
Water Bottle
Find yourself to be a thirsty person? Invest in a nice water bottle. It’s free to refill and you won’t have a plastic bottle to throw away after each drink.
Donate Clothes
Why send your clothes to landfill when there’s someone (potentially worse off than you) who would love to wear it? Donating clothes and items to charity is a free, convenient and rewarding way to clear out your wardrobe and homewares without being wasteful.
Shop Second Hand
Like donating clothes, shopping at second hand stores for clothes and furniture save said items from going to landfill.
Use your bins
You are given green bins and recycling bins for a reason. Utilise the recycling! It’s so rewarding having a fuller recycling bin over rubbish bin.
Turn Off the Lights
Reduce your unnecessary power usage. Turn the TV off it’s just running in the background, along with lights, air conditioning etc. Your power bill will thank you for living efficiently.
Grow your own Herbs
While it sounds quite extreme, growing your own herbs and veggies can be extremely rewarding, and many people do it just for the satisfaction alone.
Herbs in particular are notorious for being packaged in plastic, and cost way more than what it can be grown at home for. A herb garden takes very little space, and is relatively low maintenance to keep.
Vegetables are another easy option to grow at home. If you’re feeling brave try getting some chickens for fresh eggs, and if you’re patient, plant a fruit tree or two.
