Small Changes I've Made to Lead a Sustainable Life

Happy Earth Day! I hope you had a chance to get outside and enjoy everything our planet has to offer. I wanted to share some fun and easy changes you can make to lead a sustainable lifestyle. 

1. Repurpose items. Make items go further by repurposing them and keeping them out of landfills. I have a super fun DIY coming next week!

2. Wool Dryer Balls. These replace single-use dryer sheets. Cost is $12 one-time purchase for 3 dry balls versus $40+ each year. I love Compass Moon Creations! She has so many beautiful colors to choose from. Did you know you can add essential oils to the dryer balls?

3. Switching to clean beauty products. Not only are clean products better for you, but they are also better for the planet. Many clean beauty brands also offer amazing recycling programs and some even make their packing from recycled or biodegradable materials. Looking at you, cocokind!

4. Gelo hand soap. I have been using Gelo for a few months and I love it! Once my Bath & Body Works soap was empty, I cleaned it out and used the bottle for the Gelo soap. A perfect example of repurposing items. The plant-based cleanser is gentle on my skin and does not leave my hands feeling dry, no matter how often I wash them (which has been a lot the past year).

5. Shopping at the local coop & farmers markets for groceries. Not only can you support local farmers, but you will also taste the difference! There is nothing like fresh, homegrown food. Plus buying local can help decrease emissions from trucks, boats, etc that are used to distribute foods to the grocery stores.

6. Reusable straws. An oldie, but a goodie. Metal straws reduce waste found in the oceans that can harm and even kill wildlife. This one is a no-brainer! 

7. Shop secondhand first. Last week, I wanted to buy more mason jars to use as drinking glasses. I looked on Amazon and checked Michael's, but then decided to visit my favorite thrift shop. I found 3 small and 1 medium-sized mason jar for $2.25. Not only does secondhand shopping keep things out of landfills, but you will get a great deal! Save the plant and your bank account. 

I hope these small changes offered up some ideas that you can implement. Every small action makes a big difference. Doing these things makes me feel good, but I never beat myself up if I make a mistake or want to try a new mascara that is not from a clean beauty brand. For me, this journey is about making the small changes I can, making more informed decisions, and choosing the most sustainable option when I can. I never want this new lifestyle to be stressful on me or my bank account. I just want to do what I can and over time I hope that my small changes will evolve into something much bigger.