This is something I’ve been wanting to write about for a while now. Primarily as I know that if I put it out there, I’ll feel the need to be more accountable for my actions not only as an individual, but also as a household. There is no doubt that more and more people are beginning to think about their actions and their impact on the environment. It can be overwhelming to know where to start, and how to ‘make a difference’.
At the end of 2015, we were at a friend’s New Years Eve party, going around the circle discussing resolutions as you do at that time of year. My resolution was to not use plastic bags (Kyal’s was to have a baby – which also happened in 2016!) For the most part I’ve stuck to using my green bags and have tried to one by one, implement more sustainable choices within our household.
A few more small steps I’ve taken recently:
- Being very strict about not buying bottled water where I can. This mainly means I take my metal drink bottle with me everywhere I go. If I need a refill while I’m out at the shops, I’ll ask a cafe to fill up for me. We’re so lucky to be living in Australia with clean water – it’s crazy to think about how many disposable plastic bottles we go through as a society, let alone the price we pay for water when it’s readily available from the tap!
- Purchased metal straws to drink smoothies – I try and remember to keep one in my bag for when I’m out and about.
- KeepCups for all takeaway coffees.
Here are a few great ideas from your suggestions on Facebook and Instagram:
- Shop at your local farmers markets
- Use bamboo toothbrushes
- Purchase bulk pantry items, and recycle glass jars to fill
- Start a compost for food scraps
- Use cloth nappies, even if you’re replacing one nappy per day – that’s 365 nappies in a year that you’ve saved from entering landfill
- Use beeswax wraps instead of cling wrap
- Take glass containers to the butcher
- Instead of using plastic bags line your bin with newspaper
A few accounts and websites to follow:
