Changes I\'ve Made to Live More Sustainably

Good afternoon and Happy Easter! Earth Day is just around the corner, so I thought I\’d try at least once a week to share something in regards to small ways you can change your lifestyle and other resources to help you if you also desire to transition.

Before I begin, I think it\’s important to acknowledge that there are SO many resources surrounding this topic. I\’ll provide some of my favorites at the end, but I just thought I\’d share swaps that I\’ve personally made and love. For Christmas, I asked for the three items I have pictured above because I knew I wanted to start making swaps as needed. With that said, it\’s important to make swaps as needed because you don\’t want to create more waste! Shortly after Christmas, I decided to change razors and start using the menstrual cup, as well. So I\’ve been using these products for a couple months (for reference).

– the reusable cotton pads These are so soft! When I decide to go all out with my skin care (or wear makeup), I usually end up using eye makeup remover, toner, and maybe a micellar water. This would usually result in me using maybe 4 cotton balls, a couple of q-tips, and a face wipe. That\’s kind fo a lot especially for only one night, imo. On some nights (that weren\’t makeup days), I would just use a face wipe or a cotton ball/pad with toner or micellar water. This swap, allowed me to cut cotton balls and face wipes from my typical routine (I still use q-tips), and because they\’re so big I can make them last a little while before needing to wash them. Bonus: because they recommend washing them with a particular kind of detergent, it gave me an excuse to start using detergent with less chemicals!

There are so many options out there, but I got mine here!

– reusable straws This was possibly one of the things I was most excited about because straws were kind of the first thing that caught my attention that I could try and cut out, especially after watching this Buzzfeed Ladylike video. While a lot of times, I\’ll just go without a straw, knowing that I\’m at least using less plastic when I get a milkshake or smoothie from a \”fast-food\” place. There are so many options out there for reusable straws (plastic, stainless steel, bamboo, glass). I personally have stainless steel and LOVE them. The only complaint that my mom and brother had were that they didn\’t like that the straw got cold because of the drink temperature, so that\’s something to keep in mind!

Mine are by Green Steel (and I love them!) – I got them from Amazon!

– bamboo toothbrushes This one is probably the most recent change because I had just changed toothbrushes when I got these, but so far I really like them. The bamboo kind of has a weird texture if it touches the side of your mouth that takes a little getting used to. But overall, I have high hopes for these toothbrushes!

Mine are by the brand Wowe and I got them from Amazon!

– safety razor I wish I could say that I was super excited for this swap, but honestly, I was terrified. After watching a lot of videos about using safety razors and such I decided I was ready. The most important things are making sure your razor is at the right angle and going slow. The first time I shaved my legs with this razor, I cut myself more than once. Even the other day, I was going too fast and cut myself. At the end of the day though, I love the results I get with this razor and feel so much better knowing that I\’m not adding more plastic to the landfill.

I got mine from Target and it\’s by the brand Van Der Hagen. (Also it\’s on Ibotta right now!)

– the menstrual cup If you let me, I could talk about the menstrual cup all day everyday. It is my favorite swap that I\’ve made. I know earlier in this post, I\’ve mentioned making these changes to avoid adding plastic to the landfill, but there\’s a difference between useless plastic and useful plastic. For example, I can use my menstrual cup for many years, but my menstrual cup came wrapped in plastic. That plastic was then thrown away with its only purpose to hold my cup in it\’s box. Similarly, there is so much plastic that comes with using regular pads and tampons, where as, again, I\’m using one piece of plastic for a longer time.

I personally use the Diva Cup (I got it from Target!) but there are so many options out there so just be sure to do your research! (This Buzzfeed Video is a nice starting place!)

In addition to these swaps, I also tend to use reusable bags, bring cloth napkins with me, and rarely use plastic water bottles. There are definitely some things that I hope to add to my routine such as buying in bulk, bringing reusable containers to restaurants for leftovers, and bringing reusable cups to places like Starbucks for my drinks. I would also like to be better about my meat consumption.

Here are some other resources that are useful: Switch Up the Plastic: Simple Swaps 30 Ways to Eliminate Plastic from Your Life Recycling Isn\’t the Answer (20 Ways) Tips for Being Zero Waste in College 5 Days of Living Plastic Free (Video)

I hope this was helpful to you all and maybe gave you a little inspiration!

Much Love, Jacquelyn