The Earth is what we all have in common – Wendell Berry

Living a greener life: we all know we should do it, but it can be such a struggle to begin. It’s hard to feel like you’re really doing enough, and that can discourage you from even trying. Like all things we “should do” (see: working out, eating healthy, and getting enough sleep) trying to live sustainably can seem impossible and at the very least overwhelming. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Over the last few years, I have altered my day-to-day to incorporate a few small and sustainable steps toward living a greener life and surprisingly, it hasn’t been that difficult! It has not negatively affected my life, taken much extra time, or required excessive amounts of money. Once you make peace with knowing it is OK to not be 100% eco-friendly 100% of the time, you are free to make easy day to day choices that can add up quickly.

For the home:

-Put a (big) recycling bin next to your trash bin (and get educated on what can be recycled — chances are, it’s more than you think! howtorecycle.info is a great place to start).  This forces you to actually make a decision (recyclable or not) instead of automatically throwing things into the trash

-Join a glass recycling program — for my KC friends, www.glassbandit.com is what we used and it’s a  curbside pick up/“name your own price” program with a recommended donation of only $7!

-Invest in some Swedish dish towels to help reduce your paper towel consumption. I got a multi-pack on amazon that are machine washable, durable, and cute to boot.

-Have a giveaway pile going all the time and donate things you don’t want/need anymore, rather than throwing them away.

-Invest in reusable K cups if you’re a Keurig person… those pods are no good for the environment AND they’re freakin expensive.

In the community:

-Keep reusable bags in your car so they’re ready whenever you need to make a quick run to the store. (Trader Joe’s big canvas totes are my go-to. They are giant, durable, and only $1).

-Say no to plastic bags/straws/water bottles/silverware/any single use plastic whenever possible.

-Shop second hand – I have had good experiences with both posh mark and thread up as far as clothing apps go. I have also been known to garage sale with the best of them (hey mom!).

-Buy a Yeti and take it wherever you go. My Yeti is with me every damn day.

-Buy less. This is definitely difficult for me but I am *trying* to make a conscious effort to buy quality over quantity and to stop consuming out of habit.

For the body:

–Reusable cotton swabs for applying toner/removing eye make up. I got a pack with a mesh bag to throw into the washer on Etsy that I love.

-Reduce chemicals in your toiletries. Native’s deodorant is every bit as effective as any other brand I’ve ever used, and I actually prefer the scent (I use coconut vanilla) to the synthetic flower smells of store bought deodorant yuck.

-Burt’s Bees garden tomato toner / Burt’s Bees herbal complexion stick for blemishes work better for my skin than all those nasty chemicals.

–Coconut oil is the holy grail of body products. You can put it EVERYWHERE and it is cheap to get in large quantities (also helping to reduce your plastic intake, heyo!). I use it to remove eye make-up, as moisturizer, and on my lips, but I can be used as shaving cream, conditioner, on your cuticles, as lotion, etc etc etc etc.

-We use Meyers soap/cleaning products in our kitchen and bathrooms. These were actually some of the first non-toxic products I bought and (admittedly) it wasn’t at all for the toxicity, but instead for the great scent ha!

-I’ve also been using the Think Dirty app to scan beauty products when I’m at the store so I can make informed decisions on the spot.

I think the key to all of this is to start being mindful of how you consume. Challenge yourself to waste less and resist the temptation to believe your individual choices don’t matter. At the end of the day, we need the Earth more than it needs us.