3 Easy Ways To Be More Eco-friendly

It's true... I tend to be a bit of a tree hugger. I deeply believe we should be good stewards of the earth. It is a great gift given to us and we've been tasked with managing it well. So, in honor of Earth Day, this coming week, I am sharing my top 3 ideas for being more ecofriendly.

I want to make a short disclaimer before you read the rest of the post. This post is by no means to shame/guilt people into becoming eco-friendly. Everyone's journey and individual lives looks different. The purpose of this post is to share what I personally try to do and why it's important to me. I will say right up front, I am not perfect at this! But I hope that by sharing, you are inspired to think more about this topic.

1. Break the Cycle

I've done it a hundred times. Something breaks, I throw it out and buy a new one. I don't even question the process. Instead of following the status quo, I want to change my thought pattern by asking myself a few questions. Do I need to replace it? Is it something I use all the time? Can it be repaired? Could I live without it?

Quite honestly there are a lot of things I could do without. The difficulty for me comes from convenience. I love quick and easy. Sure, I could make my own laundry detergent, but its going to take more time. I realize that not everyone has the same amount of time to devote to these endeavors. So I encourage you to challenge the cycle but do what works for you. Remember, the endgame is to make small changes that we can sustain.

2. Eliminate Single Use Plastic

If you're anything like me, eliminating plastic can seem quite daunting. I tend to be an all or nothing type person and quite hard on myself at times. But I've decided to follow a new theory: I want to do the best I can to help reduce plastic use. But there are inevitably times when I forget my bags, or don't have time to make my own products. And you know what? THAT'S OKAY! The goal is not to achieve perfection, but to do my small part. So yes, I still use plastics but I am doing my best to be aware and eliminate them where I can.

Here are some simple ideas to help reduce single use plastic:

• Use your own cup/mug instead of drinking from a plastic water bottle or disposable coffee cup.

• Pack utensils along with your lunch instead of using disposable ones.

• Use paper bags, or better yet, take your own shopping bags.

• Dine-in vs. getting take-out to help cut down on Styrofoam and plastic containers.

• Buy in bulk when possible.

• Make your own cookies, granola bars, and other snacks.

• Pack lunches in reusable containers instead of in sandwich bags.

• Ask to skip the straw when at a restaurant.

• Choose loose-leaf tea instead of a tea-bag.

3. Shop Locally and Seasonally

Shopping locally and seasonally is good for our community, but did you know it is also eco-friendly? That's right! By supporting local businesses, you are helping to reduce the amount emissions and plastic use from the shipping and packaging processes. Not only that, but you also get to support local dairies, markets, gardeners, farmers, and entrepreneurs. That sounds pretty good to me!

So, there you have it. My top 3 easy ways to become more eco-friendly. I hope you enjoyed this post! If you have any suggestions or would like to share your thoughts on this topic, please leave me a comment!

Thanks so much for reading,

Abby