There are hundreds, or maybe thousands of YouTube videos, articles, movies and shows that cover sustainability. It’s a topic that seems to be forced upon us every day, but there’s a reason for it; it’s because it’s important! We only have one planet, so we have to take care of it. Earth is our home, and currently, we don’t have another option. So, let’s take some time to nourish our planet, the same way our planet nourishes us, before the damage is irreversible.
Here are five ways you can reduce your environmental impact in your everyday life.
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Sustainable fashion: There is a major amount of pollution in the production process of fast fashion. Harmful chemicals are used to grow cotton, dye clothing and create synthetic fibers. Places like Forever 21 and H&M rely on fast fashion for their constantly changing collection of clothing. But, you don’t have to rely on fast fashion. You don’t need a new wardrobe every season, and if you do, you can thrift it. When you’re done with your clothing don’t throw it away. Resell it on your own or send it to a thrift store. When you throw your clothing away it just ends up in a landfill that’s piled as high as a mountain. If your clothing rips don’t throw it away. Patch it up or change it however you need to so that it’s still wearable.
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Reduce the amount of meat you eat: The meat production industry uses a ton of food and water, as well as produces a large amount of methane and other greenhouse gases. Vegetarianism and veganism are huge life changes but start with meatless Mondays or a couple of meatless meals a week. Just this change will have a huge long-term impact on the production of waste and greenhouse gases.
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Change to bars of soap instead of bottles: Everybody talks about reducing your plastic use, which of course, is a huge part of our carbon footprint, but everyone talks about it because it’s necessary. Everybody knows that plastic bottles and bags are terrible for the environment, but a creative way to reduce your plastic use is to buy bars of soap for your hands, body and even bars of shampoo and conditioner rather than bottles. If this is too big of a change, try buying your soap in bulk. Buying bigger bottles will create less waste or a less frequent waste of plastic. You don’t have to only buy your soap in bulk, you can buy all your food products in bulk as well. Plastic takes 1000 years to decompose which means all of the plastic ever made is still sitting on our Earth, polluting our planet. It’s time that we buy bar soap instead of bottles, use canvas bags instead of plastic, stop using plastic straws and water bottles and start being more conscious of our plastic use in general.
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Take public transportation: Cars use a lot of energy and fuel and emit a ton of greenhouse gases. A public transportation bus can hold about 60 passengers. Just by riding a bus that’s full of people you are taking at least 59 cars off the road and eliminating that many emissions of greenhouse gases. If public transportation isn’t for you then carpool, ride a bike, a skateboard or walk to wherever you are traveling to.
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Dryer balls instead of dryer sheets: Dryer balls are completely reusable and will have the same de-static and fluffing effect that a dryer sheet would. But it eliminates the waste of using a new dryer sheet every time you throw a load of laundry in the dryer.
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There are so many creative and easy ways to reduce our impact on the environment. Don’t think that this doesn’t affect you, and you don’t need to do your part because that’s not true. This is our only planet and we have to take care of it the same way it takes care of us. It’s time you do your part!