Sustainable Lifestyle Tips
Sustainable Lifestyle Tips
It can sometimes feel helpless when thinking about the trajectory of our planet. Although big corporations are at fault for the majority of the damage to our eco-system, there are tons of things we can do on an individual level to help in the fight to save our planet. And, there are tons of organizations and companies that have awesome missions and sustainable products that are awesome to support. By making some simple swaps and choices in our life, we can be part of the change.
1) Shop Second Hand
Shopping second hand and buying local is such a good sustainable choice to avoid the heavy pollution that comes with fast fashion. Although those cheap price tags can be tempting, its effect on the environment is not worth it. I went to the Melrose Trading Post this weekend and found some awesome brands that are upcycling clothes. Check out Off Top Sox that makes tops out of socks, and Soi Studio that finds unique vintage pieces and modernizes them. Our long time fave is The Real Real for buying used luxury items that are in close to perfect condition. Take a look at this blog post for some more sustainable shopping tips.
2) Refillable Household Products
There are several companies that offer refillable products for all kinds of items: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hand soaps, household cleaning products, and more. We use Public Goods for everything in our home from surface cleaner to body wash. The Grove collaboration sells refills of Mrs. Meyer’s cleaning products (one of the best companies with clean ingredients IMO) and a whole slew of other eco-friendly companies worth checking out for all kinds of specialty household cleaners, dog shampoo, bathroom cleaners, and more!
3) Make Your Own Room Spray
With a few simple ingredients, you can make a spray to freshen up any room! Mix together water, alcohol (vodka works), and essential oils of your choosing into a glass spray bottle. Read Jamie Weissman’s blog on Lonny to learn about the best essential oils to use in each different room!
5) Use Bamboo Products
Bamboo swaps are popping up for all kinds of products!. Use them to replace traditional paper. Who Gives a Crap makes bamboo toilet paper and paper towels. Eco Roots has biodegradable bamboo cotton swabs. Public Goods has bamboo tissues and maxi pads.
4) Use Pure Oils in Place of Creams and Lotions
Natural oils are soooo good for your face, body, and hair! Try adding coconut oil, almond oil, or shea butter into your daily routines instead of products with a ton of added ingredients. You can find these oils at your local grocery store!
6) Air Dry Your Clothes
Consider air drying your clothes as much as possible. Think of all that energy you’ll save!!! Plus, you’ll avoid shrinking your clothes and any other distress the dryer may cause that may give your clothing a shorter life span. Take a look at Stephanie Wong’s post on Apartment Therapy for some pro tips to air drying clothes!!
7) Go Vegan
Going vegan, even if only once a week, can make a huge impact on the environment and food insecurity. If we invested the funding, resources, and energy we put into meat and dairy into grains instead, we could start the path to solving world hunger. For taco night, my family loves picking up from Sugar Taco on Melrose or Sherman Oaks or using beyond meat when we cook at home. If you’re looking for a little night out on the town, trying Pura Vita is a must! It’s a vegan Italian restaurant in West Hollywood and Redondo Beach that meat-eaters and vegans alike love.
8) Read Used Books
Whenever I have a specific book I want to read, I check to see if Thrift Books has it first. Thrift Books is a site where you can buy used books from people who are done reading it! The prices are cheap and you can see what condition the book is in. Consider ordering the book Over-Dressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion to learn more about why shopping second hand is the way to go! I also love swapping books with friends. That way, I’m both reading used and getting recommendations from people I love!
