5 Practical Steps Toward a Sustainable Lifestyle

     The three R’s of the sustainable lifestyle are to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, in which recycling tends to be the one to be given the most recognition, and secondary is Reduce. People all over the world have put forth so much waste that there is plastic everywhere we look and everywhere we can’t see. As people who call this planet our home, it is our responsibility to change that- no matter how small you think the impact may be. So, in light of that, how can we contribute to sustainability and the longevity of our planet?

     It can sound complicated but, in all honesty, it only takes a very minor inconvenience on our part to make a larger impact. For example, you could use a reusable straw when you go on your coffee break instead of the plastic ones that end up in our oceans and harm our wildlife. There are always simple methods to sustainability- simpler than you would’ve thought- so, here are a few!

. Avoid products that are wrapped in plastic or Styrofoam including food but instead look for items that are packaged with recycled materials.

. Look for loose leaf tea because tea bags have plastic in them or use an infuser that you can be washed and use again. Here are a couple of our favorites: 

            Hario Olivewood French Press         or         Vahdam Imperial Tea Maker

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. Shop from your local farmer’s market if possible. You can search for a farmer’s market near you through this link. The pros of shopping at a farmer’s market are that you’d find organic food items and they’ll take back the egg carton and berry baskets to reuse- Don’t forget to bring your favorite tote bag!

. Don’t forget to use a recycling bin! If you don’t have one, you can request one on your town’s local government website.

. When printing papers, be sure to print on both sides when possible and you can even look for; you can buy chlorine-free paper with a high percentage of recycled materials. For example, you can use this link for a recycled paper that we recommend!

     As you can see, some of these options are very practical and easy to input into your daily life but others may take a seemingly small amount of effort. Fortunately, no matter how you look at it, even the smallest things, like finding a cloth shopping bag for your groceries, can make a greater impact. Remember that when one small act is carried out throughout a lifetime, it can create a big change.