Featured above: No. 1 Clare V x Every Mother Counts Tote // No. 2 Hydro Flask 32 Oz. Water Bottle // No. 3 Everlane ReNew Liner // No. 4 OXO 8-Piece Glass Container Set // No. 5 Reusable Glass Straws // No. 6 YETI Mug // No. 7 Belkin Conserve Socket // No. 8 Stasher Sandwich Bags // No. 9 Beeswax Reusable Food Wraps // No. 10 REI Travel Pack // No. 11 Puracy Natural Dish Soap // No. 11 Molly’s Suds Super Powder Laundry Detergent
Five Ways to Live More Sustainably in 2020
- Swap out some of your most common household items. It’s 2020—why are you still drinking out of plastic water bottles? We now have so many wonderful, sustainable options for all of the objects we use on a daily basis. Here are a few of my favorites:
– Reusable grocery bags and totes (this pretty tote also benefits Every Mother Counts, which helps to promote safe pregnancy for mothers around the world)
– Compostable paper towels and recycled toilet paper
– Eco-friendly dish soap and laundry detergent
– Glass straws for smoothies
– A YETI mug for coffee (bring one along to your local coffee shop!)
– A reusable water bottle to refill all day long
– Beeswax wrap for saving fruits, veggies, and cheese
– Stasher bags (I want all the colors!) and glass containers for storing leftovers -
Cut back on meat and dairy. Environmentalists estimate that livestock are responsible for over 50% of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide—that’s more than all of the cars, airplanes, and big buildings in the world combined. I’m not suggesting that everyone’s families go vegan, but reducing the amount of beef and cheese we consume on a weekly basis could have a bigger impact than we think.
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Make an effort to unplug. Scary realization: all of our devices still consume energy, even if we’re not actively using them. If it’s too much to think about going around the house and unplugging all of your electronic devices before you leave for the day, there are cool accessories like this Belkin Conserve Socket that sense when your devices have gone idle and automatically shut off power. Bonus: you’ll save on your electricity bill!
- Eat seasonally, shop locally. This strategy for grocery shopping not only means that you get fresher, better-tasting food, but it also helps lessen the environmental impact of long-distance transport. Half Baked Harvest (a Hello Adams Family favorite!) is a great resource for seasonal recipes, and a quick Google search using “[your city] farmers market” should turn up lots of opportunities to shop locally year-round. While you’re at it, try to pass over the pre-packaged options at the grocery store and buy your food in bulk. My mom recently got me these washable mesh produce bags, which are a great way to avoid using the plastic bags in the veggie aisle.
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Reconsider the way you travel. I love to travel, but I’ll be the first to admit that my airport iced coffees and multi-leg adventures aren’t exactly helping the planet. Unfortunately, the best way to travel sustainably is probably not to travel at all. If avoiding airplanes isn’t feasible, maybe we should start focusing on eco-friendly efforts we can make once we reach our destination. Definitely opt out of daily fresh towels at your hotel. Buy local souvenirs, instead of international imports. If you go for a hike, leave no trace. I also think there’s something to be said for packing a little lighter. I personally love this REI travel pack, which includes a mini pack that you can zip out for day trips around town. I don’t have any scientific backing for this point, but I sometimes feel that traveling with less helps me realize I don’t need quite so much at home. 🙂
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