Living off campus with three of my friends this year has been amazing so far, and I have been enjoying the independence of living at school. One thing I noticed, however, is how a lot of things I have been doing this semester are unsustainable. I feel like I have been constantly using single-use plastics and creating so much trash. I am so much more aware of this when I am the one totally responsible for cleaning all of it up.
I decided to start doing everything I could to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Although these actions may not completely change the world, I’m making an effort to make as many small changes as I can to help our planet and live more eco-consciously.
Here are some of the ways I have been trying to be more sustainable!
Eating More Plant-based
I have been a vegetarian for about a year and a half, and I absolutely love it. I have known for a while that meat consumption and manufacturing produces enormous amounts of emissions, so eating less of it can help the environment. I have been trying to take this one step further and eat fewer animal products in general. While I am far from being entirely vegan, planning out my grocery store trips with fewer animal products in mind can help the environment, even if it’s a tiny bit.
Making Less Waste
One of the main ways I try to produce less waste starts with food. I hate wasting food that I buy, so whenever I buy food, I always try and make sure that I actually will eat it. I have also made more changes, like using reusable towels and straws, so that it helps me make less trash. Every time I run to Target or any other store, I always make sure that what I’m buying is actually something I will use because in the past I’ve had a habit of buying a lot of things that I didn’t really need, and they end up in the trash or not being used at all.
Using Less Plastic
This has definitely been the biggest challenge, and I feel like it is almost impossible to not produce plastic waste in my day-to-day life. No matter how many reusable water bottles and grocery bags I use, I still throw away so much non-biodegradable trash. One goal I have before the end of this semester is to start shopping at some zero-waste grocery stores in the area. I have been using the website Litterless to find some in the UMass area!
Using Less Energy
I am fortunate enough to live in an apartment where there is a lot of natural light throughout the day. Because of this, I always make an effort to never turn on lights or appliances unless I have to. Not only is it less expensive for me, but I have gotten in the habit of only turning lights on in the room I am in when it’s dark outside. I also try to never forget to turn the lights off. In the past, leaving lights and appliances on for extended periods of time never bothered me, but after reflecting on it, doing anything I can to use less energy, including trying to walk instead of drive when it is feasible, has really made a difference in my life.
Paying Attention to Labels
This is easier said than done. Whenever I buy any product, I try my best to make sure it is ethically sourced, fair trade, or carbon-neutral, depending on what the product is. However, this can be tricky when products don’t have labels, or I need a specific product that I don’t know the origins of. Seeking out products with these labels can also be pretty expensive, but I still try my best to think about the places I shop!
There are so many more ways that I can be sustainable, and everything I have been doing is just a start. As the semester goes on, I want to continue trying to find creative ways to change my daily routine that involve less waste and more eco-conscious decisions!
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