By Steven Warren
Wow! Was I ever surprised when I started learning some sustainable practices – I was already making some choices because I thought they were smart and didn’t even know they were eco-friendly, too!
- Reusing Plastic– Whether it is the plastic shopping bag lining my bathroom trash can or the takeout container in the cupboard, reusing these items is a habit I picked up from my family. Butter cookie tins full of sewing supplies, tubs of Country Crock butter with last night’s leftovers, and even egg cartons with seeds sprouting out of them were a regular thing to be found in my childhood.
- Buying Local– I always considered it supporting my friends and places that I enjoy going to. I have items from multiple local artists, including personalized water bottles and tumblers. Shopping with local farmers, meat or otherwise is also sustainable in ways other than just supporting your community. Buying local has been a hot topic in sustainability, and there are a few who don’t see it as a sustainable practice unless you focus on small farms growing organic food. (Cappelli et al., 2022) Even in the debate, it is hard to deny how it is associated with sustainability. I believe that keeping money in your community by shopping locally supports the community and reduces the use of fossil fuels used in transportation.
- Using Items More Than Once– I remember getting in trouble at my dad’s house for leaving a cup on the back of the sink. I would reuse the same cup for a few days because I didn’t like doing dishes. Turns out my dislike of dishes was reducing the use of water and soap. The same can be said for when I use a towel for a week or wear the same shirt or pants more than once. Don’t get me started on deciding which personalized drink vessel I will use for the day.
- Not Using Plasticware– Plastic cutlery, wooden chopsticks, and straws all have drawbacks. The main one being they
are only used once. My personal problem is I have cut my lip on the sharp plastic, gotten splinters from the chopsticks, and half the straws have holes in them. While I have used some solo cups for different party games I generally use a tumbler to drink out of. I’ve been using custom chopsticks, cups, and straws for years just because they are reliable and only I touch them. - Turning Things Off– I always thought I was being frugal when I would turn off the water when brushing my teeth or turn the air up during the day. I’m sure a few of us have been told to “Close the door, I’m not cooling down the neighborhood” or “Turn off the light when you leave the room, or you will run my light bill up!” No, just me? Cheaper bills were my focus but turns out it is sustainable because it conserves resources and reduces emissions. My nanny was thrifty and sustainable.
How many of these things are you doing? Did you know you were helping the planet? What else can you do?
Reference
Cappelli, L., D’Ascenzo, F., Ruggieri, R., & Gorelova, I. (2022). Is buying local food a sustainable practice? A scoping review of consumers’ preference for local food. Sustainability, 14(2), 772. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020772
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