A Beginner's Guide to Becoming More Sustainable

Sustainability is about the long-term health of our planet, which in turn also directly relates to our own health. Our daily actions influence much more than we expect, so here are some handy tips to start changing your lifestyle.

Trash

What and how much do you trash?

 

A post shared by 1 Million Women (@1millionwomen) on Feb 11, 2017 at 2:36pm PST

Packaging is a huge contributor when it comes to what ends up in the landfill. Convenience items, such as ready-made foods and snacks that you pick up on your way to work, are often marketed as something healthy: they’re organic and natural, but they aren’t serving anyone other than your convenience. And, oftentimes, they aren’t even as good for you as advertised either.

What can I do?

1. Bring your own food to work

 

A post shared by christine liu (@snapshotsofsimplicity) on Nov 7, 2016 at 8:18pm PST

My favourite and super simple go tos are:

• Breakfast:Peanut Butter Overnight Oats (*instead of bananas, you can use any local fruit, like sliced or shredded apples)
• Lunch: 17 Vegetarian Pasta Dishes or Kale Sweet Potato Curry

2. Munch on real food

When you need a last-minute snack, pick up an apple or any unpackaged fruit you love. You can also buy bulk nuts and dried fruits and create your own trail mix! These options aren’t just healthier for you and the environment, they cost less, and you will definitely feel better after eating these as opposed to some processed, oily, packaged potatoes.

3. Pro tip for daredevils 😈

 

A post shared by Be Zero © (@bezerowastegirl) on Jun 8, 2017 at 3:46pm PDT

Bring your own container to the restaurant when you know you won’t be able to finish dinner.

Plastic straws

 

A post shared by Zero Waste Blogger (@_wastelandrebel_) on Jun 12, 2017 at 4:16pm PDT

#stopsucking - It’s time that we refuse straws at bars, restaurants, and cafes.

The US alone uses 500 million plastic straws every day (yikes), contributing to the pollution of our oceans. Straws are superfluous. We can all drink from a cup! If you love using straws, try one of the reusable ones: bamboo, stainless steel, or even glass ones. In Vancouver, you can purchase them at the Soap Dispensary on Main Street.

Recycling ♻️

What and how much do you recycle?

 

A post shared by Zero Waste + Plastic Free (@treadingmyownpath) on Jun 13, 2017 at 7:35am PDT

Recycling is a magic word that makes us feel good. After all, by recycling, we’ve done what we could. For example, we can recycle our Starbucks plastic cup once we finished sipping that venti summer drink! But is that really the best we can do? The plastic cup that was used only one time, at best, will be downcycled into something of lesser quality and value or, at worst, will end up in the ocean. This is a huge waste and isn’t very efficient. Recycling is a great interim solution (better than trashing things), but it’s not a long-term option. We shouldn’t support the creation of virgin plastic, which is made out of fossil fuels, especially when we all have at least one reusable mug.

What can I do?

 

A post shared by Kathryn K (@going.zero.waste) on Jun 12, 2017 at 10:20am PDT

I take my to-go cup with me whenever I can. If I don’t have it with me, I don’t get a coffee. I will sit down and have it “for here” or I will take a cup from the office and bring it to the cafe. If I know that I want juice from Whole Foods for example, I’ll take my glass jar and they always happy to fill it with fresh juice! Yumm!