I’ve found comfort in transitioning to less wasteful living. It makes every decision I make intentional and more thoughtful. This year I have switched to: using reusable bags, a 100% recycled toilet paper brand (Who Gives a Crap), a biodegradable phone case (from Pela), and a bamboo toothbrush. I want to keep making swaps for things I use daily to create less waste.
The Journey to Sustainability
Last year, when I was studying in Scotland, I was living a somewhat minimalist lifestyle because I knew I would be moving back to the US and I couldn’t fit a lot in my suitcase on the way back. But I also realized how much easier it was to recycle, make ethical buying decisions, and waste less while living there. I grew up in a rural town in Michigan. Recycling centers and bulk food shops were hard to find; and low waste living wasn’t really a focus in my community.
Now that I have moved back it is hard to live the lifestyle I did in Scotland. They had city-wide food composting that used biodegradable bags, they charged you if you had to use plastic bags at the shops, and I used public transport the entire year. I absolutely loved it. The transition to living in another country was difficult but I had no idea how hard it would be to adjust back to living in the US.
Less Waste Lifestyle
I am so grateful I was able to see and live in such an environmentally focused area while abroad. Without that experience, I don’t know that I would think twice about how much waste I create in just one day. The list I’ve compiled below includes the swaps I want to continue to make in my daily life to live a more sustainable life.
- Make produce bags for shopping
- Make reusable cotton rounds & a wash bag for them
- Mend my worn clothes or make them into new pieces of clothing
- Start using my travel coffee mug every time I get coffee or tea
- Stop using paper towels–use rags instead
- Switch to bars of soap instead of bottled shower gel
- Find a shampoo bar that works for my hair type
Thank you for reading today! If you would like to read more about my sustainable swaps visit the lifestyle section of my blog!
