Sustainability has such a broad extent that it could be a lifestyle. From your home to your work there are a lot of habits you can change and make sustainably.
If you are here because you feel like having a sustainable lifestyle is very daunting and expensive. You came to the right place. We’ve been doing this for a while and we can tell you that it isn’t. You can reduce your impact on the planet and still save money.
Here are the 5 sustainable habits we recommend you start with and then incorporate more into your daily life.
Buy second-hand/used.
Upcycle or DIY.
Take your reusables everywhere. Stop wasting food.
Walk, bike, take your scooter, rideshare, or use public transportation.
Go natural!
1. Buy second-hand or used.
Every time you need to buy something, first think if you can get it second-hand, or maybe you can borrow it from someone.
It doesn’t matter if it is clothing, furniture, or anything else.
Go to a thrift shop, or a bazaar, or search from an online second-hand store like Thread Up or Facebook Marketplace, there are a lot of options now.
Second-hand items are cheaper since they are pre-loved. You can get a blouse for the smallest amount of $1.
Just be conscious about it and only buy things you need, love, or that you know you will wear/use a lot of times.
2. Upcycle or DIY.
DIYing is one of the best ways to save money. Most products you buy out, have a lot of cost margins. If you make it yourself you will save those margins. You might need to buy the materials to make your project, but it will definitely be cheaper than buying it already done and finished.
Upcycling is such a fun way to give a second life to items that are no longer used. If you have a table that you no longer like the color you can always change it, or repaint it. If you have an old pair of jeans you can cut the legs and make them shorter.
This not only saves you money but it saves the items from going to landfills and polluting the planet.
3. Reuse and consume less.
Take your Reusables everywhere. Get a zero-waste kit or use things you already have in your home and take them with you every time you get out of your home. Your tote bag, containers, cluttery, bottle, cup, cloth napkin, straws, and so many other options you can use to avoid single-use plastics and lower your waste.
Stop wasting food, consume what you know you will eat for sure.
Or if you take it to go, don’t abandon it on the fridge. Eat it later or the next day.
4. Go natural!
Use natural cleaning products. These are products that come from natural ingredients. You can find them at the store but we totally recommend making them yourself. They are really easy to prepare and with only a few ingredients that you might already have in your home.
Switch to natural products, it can be any type of cleaning product, for example for your home, bathroom, or your wardrobe.
Here are a few ideas we have shared on Instagram:
*Refreshing Spray:
-1 tsp of baking soda
-1 cup of warm water (filtered)
-2-3 drops of your favorite essential oil
Put it all together in a spray bottle and shake it up.
Spray your garment and let it sit for a few minutes.
*Natural deodorant
-Alum stone
-Essential oil
-A container
-Water
Fill your container with water. Put the alum stone inside.
Pour in a few drops of essential oil. (8 aprox.)
Mix it up. Let it rest for 1 day.
Wet a small piece of fabric with the deodorant and apply it. The other option is to fill a spray bottle with it, but the sprinkler might get clogged, after a couple of uses, because of the alum stone.
Grow your own veggies. This is one of my favorite tips since I love taking care of plants. You can start small, for example, growing herbs is relatively simple. They are beginner friendly and you don’t need a lot of space. If you have them in your home, they will save you money on buying herbs from the supermarket.
Then, if you have space, you can plant something else. Like tomatoes, zucchini, lettuce, and strawberries.
If you are in the upcycling and DIY lane you can use natural dyes to dye your garments that need it and make them look brand new again.
5. Reduce your carbon footprint.
*Walk, bike, or take your scooter, if and when possible!
*Opt for shared rides.
*Use public transportation: It will be cost-effective in the long run. You will save on gas and lower your carbon footprint. The perks of using the bus are one, that it will be a relaxing ride since you’re not the one driving, and two, that you will have extra time to do other stuff like reading or checking your emails.
All three of these options will save you time looking for parking spots.
There you have it, 5 easy sustainable habits you can start applying to your daily life and save a few bucks.
If you are just starting your sustainable journey, there are a few words we’d like to tell you. Small actions do make a big difference. If everyone made these eco-friendly swaps the world would be a better place.
Share this blog with a friend, so that they know that there are things we can do as consumers.
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