Sustainability in daily life

As a high school and soon-to-be college student, I am limited in the economic choices I can make to better the environment. Some larger options include driving an electric/hybrid car, living off of renewable energy, or even making your own household cleaning products, and although these are wonderful options for people economically capable of taking these actions, it is not always reasonable. 

In my own life, I use other practical activities that help me feel better about my contribution to the environment, that actually DO make a difference, and that definitely don’t break the bank.

1) Recycling AND Upcycling

I know recycling is stereotypical and annoying to have to manage at times, but it is 100% worth it. The used plastic milk jugs can be rinsed out and turned into planters for seedlings. Broken glass can be turned into ledges for more ornamental plant structures. Even if gardening isn’t your thing, you can upcycle old t-shirts into rags for cleaning around the house, use old toothbrushes for cleaning small crevices or tiles, turn used makeup pallets into pallets for paints or even make your own organic cosmetics! 

2) Buy sustainable clothing (made from recycled materials) or secondhand clothing

I am so glad that thrifting is popular among Gen Z nowadays. Unfortunately, the fashion industry is one of the largest producers of waste on the planet. According to the EPA, nearly 17 million tons of textile waste ended up in landfills in 2018. By buying secondhand clothes, donating your old clothes to local homeless shelters, and upcycling old materials, you contribute to cutting down the textile waste in landfills and you give back to your community. 

3) Set a timer while you shower

Letting water run for a long period of time without consistent usage is a HUGE waste. Especially if it’s a hot shower. Now, I’m a bit of a hypocrite when it comes to this as a lover of steamy showers after a long day, but I have found that allowing myself to take a hot shower for 10 minutes and a room-temperature shower for the rest. 

I recently traveled to the U.S. Virgin Islands for a vacation and learned how the locals’ lifestyles differed from my own, especially when it comes to water conservation. On the island, rainwater is collected in cisterns that provide water for entire building complexes; as a result, anything longer than a 5 minute shower was considered wasteful. Even if you are like me and have a fairly long hygienic routine, you can practice water conservation efforts right at home by turning the water off while you use shampoo and body wash, limiting the amount of hot water, and showering every other day if possible. In turn, you also save on your water bill ;)

4) Cut down on meat consumption

I have been a “vegetarian” for 6 years now, in addition to eating gluten free out of necessity for 10 years. I say that with quotation marks because while my diet has been consistently red-meat free for 6 years, I will occasionally choose a chicken entree if my gluten-free options are limited. According to openthefuture.com, roughly 2.6 kg of carbon dioxide and methane are produced from every hamburger made. Opting for plant-based proteins instead of burgers significantly reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emissions you contribute to the atmosphere and helps slow climate change as a whole. Making alterations to a vegetarian diet is completely acceptable. Small steps still lead to major change. 

5) Use a reusable water bottle (and lunchbox)

Finally, using a reusable water bottle and packing healthful foods in reusable containers prevents the need for tons of single-use plastics that often end up in landfills, or even in the ocean. Many buildings have even installed water bottle refilling stations to encourage this initiative. This is a simple way to reduce plastics and stay hydrated!