The other day I came across a visual message to applaud all people for doing what they can to be better allies to the environment. What I thought was really interesting was how it emphasized the fact that we are only humans that can only do so much on an individual level to save the planet, and that is okay. People get hung up on the fact that to be green you have to be able to afford to do things like shop locally, stop buying fast fashion, buy new reusable products that at the end of the day put a dent in your wallet. As a college student, as much as I would love to build a lifestyle off of buying groceries at the local farmer’s market and buying all my clothes reused, that is a little daunting and financially unrealistic. I think we should acknowledge that it is impossible to be 100% green on a college budget, but that doesn’t mean we should stop being sustainable all together.
Here are a few ways we can all be better allies to the world around us without draining our bank accounts:
- Buy a Reusable Straw
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This is a pretty easy solution to the hundreds of plastic straws we use every month when we grab coffee. It might seem like a lot more work to buy and rewash a straw after every use when you can just throw a plastic one away and forget about it, but it’s worth it. I got a cute one that hangs on my keychain, and it’s become my favorite thing to use on the go!
- Use a Reusable Tote Bag
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My mom was using reusable bags before they were trendy and I always thought it was so weird, but honestly, it saves a ton of waste! Every time I went to the grocery store I would decide not to buy the 99 cent bag because I thought it was “too expensive.” I wish I had someone to tell me to buy the freakin’ bag years ago because I think it’s the first step to lowering our waste in the form of plastic and paper bags. Also, they charge for bags now at most grocery stores, so why not!
- Be Mindful of What You Eat and Where It Comes From
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This one is personally hard for me because I’ve always been a meat eater. This is just a matter of being mindful where we buy what we eat. The day I can buy my groceries at a farmers market will be the best day of my life, but in the meantime, try buying local once or even just looking into where the food you eat is coming from.
- Take the Time to Sort Your Trash
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When it comes to throwing things away in your dorm or at home, take a second to check to see if it’s recyclable or even compostable! I’m definitely guilty of throwing away food containers that really just need to be rinsed and put in the recycling bin.
- Get Yourself a Reusable Water Bottle
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You don’t need to splurge on a hydro flask–they do the same thing! I bought my recent water bottle from Walgreens for $15 and it works so well. I know it’s easy to want to fit the trend with these sorts of things but at the end of the day any hard plastic water bottle will do the trick! You can check these ones out online.
- Wash Out and Save Salsa and Hummus Containers
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I have a drawer full of containers, most of which are reused from food I bought. It’s cheaper than buying new containers and much better for the environment. Consider the cost of tupperware… now think about how much you can save when you get a free container with every purchase of salsa!
- Bring Your To-Go Mug to a Coffee Shop
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I know I forget my mine often, but when I do remember it, coffee always tastes a little better and I get a discount!
All of us have a part to play in saving the planet. That doesn’t mean we all have to give up meat, stop buying coffee, and spend all our money on local foods. It means being mindful of your own consumption, doing what you can to be more sustainable and understanding that you can only do so much. It’s easy to ignore our responsibilities to the planet and choose what is convenient over what is right. It’s easy to say, “but I’m just one person,” and insist that our actions and little habits don’t matter, but they do. So next time you go to the grocery store or the local coffee shop be the person who brings their own bags and cup, because each person and each habit we change for the better of the planet, means a lot more than we may think.