As we are all either working from home, finishing up exams online, or staying inside, we have drafted a couple ways for everyone to reduce their impact on the environment. Most of these tips are incredibly easy to incorporate into your life, and make being eco-friendly a breeze even while social distancing! Just like we take care of our sisters, we must take care of our earth!
Ways to incorporate eco-friendly habits into your lifestyle today!
Turn off your lights - turning off your lights during the day and using the natural light when possible is a great way to minimize energy consumption and save money!
Buy local and loose produce - Buying local is a great way to support local businesses and buying your vegetables and fruit loose will reduce unnecessary plastic.
Recycle your takeout properly - Ordering take out is a great way to support local business during these times of social distancing, however, taking the time to truly recycle and dispose of the containers is such an easy way to take care of the planet. If you live in Ontario like us, check out this link on how to recycle in your region: https://stewardshipontario.ca/consumers-bluebox/what-can-i-recycle/
Pick up your garbage - Make sure you are disposing of your masks and gloves properly.
Meatless Mondays - Now is a great time to challenge yourself in the kitchen and make a vegetarian meal once a week! By the end of this isolation period, you’ll be able to cook anything! Eating vegetarian significantly decreases energy and water consumption. Furthermore, did you know the food used to feed a cow could actually feed more people than the meat from a cow would? Eating vegetarian reduces used produce and thus the energy to plant, grow, and harvest it.
Here are some easy ways to reduce your plastic footprint!
Reusable Water Bottle - Although it seems straightforward, this is a very simple way to decrease plastic consumption. This hack is very eco-friendly and budget friendly. Additionally, investing in a good Brita filter or water purifier is a great way to keep your water clean if you don’t like drinking tap water!
Reusable Mug- investing in a cute reusable mug is not only great for the environment but is also very instagrammable! If you are a Starbucks or David’s Tea lover, bring your own reusable mug for a ten cent discount!
Metal Straws - Investing in a one-time set of reusable straws has a huge impact on the environment. Get trendy, and save the environment and the turtles while doing it!
Reusable Shopping Bags - One of the biggest causes of ocean plastic is grocery store plastic bags. Using reusable shopping bags makes a huge difference even after just one trip to the store. Amazon has some really cute designs so you can go shopping in style!
Reusing Glass Containers - Reusing pasta sauce, kombucha, and other glass jars provides a neat way to store food in your pantry and store leftovers.
Reuse, Reduce, Recycle - As a student, it's common to get busy and forget about the simple ways to manage trash takeout. Try reusing things you usually throw out. If you can’t, reduce how much you buy. If you can’t do this, ensure you’re recycling everything you can, properly. This is an easy hack to help the environment and ensure all recyclables and compost are properly disposed.