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April 22 is Earth Day. While this is a time to reflect on our planet Earth and all of the beauty she provides in nature, in 2022 these thoughts do not come without a bit of hesitation and fear. Fear for the future of our planet, fear for our ecosystems, and fear for the world as we know it. Climate change is an ever-growing threat that is plaguing our planet. While the fault is largely in the hands of bigger corporations, there are little fixes we can do daily to become more sustainable.
Here are a few sustainable swaps you can make to do your part for our planet!
BAMBOO TOOTHBRUSH
- The average person uses about 300 toothbrushes in their lifetime, that’s 300 pieces of plastic that will never fully decompose back into the earth. Swapping your plastic brush for one made of bamboo is a great sustainable swap! They are often relatively cheap and can be found on Amazon.
REUSABLE COTTON SWABS
- Similar to toothbrushes, makeup wipes make up a great percentage of waste every year — 7.6 billion pounds to be precise. Instead of continually rebuying makeup wipes switch to reusable cotton pads! They are a one-time purchase that not only will save you money, but help cut down on your waste as well.
REUSABLE WATER BOTTLES
- Plastic water bottles are a huge threat to our environment-with 60 million are thrown out every year only to end up in landfills where they will sit for around 450 years slowly breaking down into microplastics. With so many options now available, your perfect reusable water bottle is out there ready to be bought!
REUSABLE STRAWS
- I think just about everyone remembers the viral video of the turtle with a straw caught in its nose. Plastic has been affecting our ecosystems for quite a while now and the oceans are taking a beating. While many restaurants and larger businesses have made an effort by strictly using paper or biodegradable straws there are still many that do not. For situations like these a reusable straw is just the thing! Not only is it convenient if you forget a straw but great to have on the go as well.
TOTE BAGS
- Tote bags have taken the world by storm among younger generations and while they are a cute fashionable and trendy accessory they also make for great reusable shopping bags. Esty, Target, and Amazon have some amazingly adorable and affordable totes that will make your next shopping trip that much greener.
It may feel like doing these things are meaningless and will have no impact on the damage done. However, if we all thought in this mindset, nothing would ever be accomplished. So take strides in making more sustainable choices and remember to respect your mother!
Statistics were found on TheGreenTeam.org and Bustle.com.