Other Sustainable Ideas

Here is a big list of sustainable ideas for reducing plastics, reducing the amount we consume, and making good choices for the planet. Of course this list is not exhaustive and don’t try to do all this at once. Pick one or two to focus on this year.

·        Drink out of glass and stainless steel glasses

·        Replaced all food containers with glass

·        Try to buy food packaged in glass instead of plastic

·        Instead of buying cleaning Kleenex or other facial tissue, I cut up old t-shirts to use as handkerchiefs

·        Don’t buy paper towels and just use dish towels instead

·        Follow No Waste and Zero Waste influencers to get more ideas

·        Buy LED lightbulbs because they last longer

·        Don’t buy new books. Get books at the library and second-hand bookstores. Donate or sell books after reading them.

·        Compost all my kitchen scraps and leftover food that isn’t eaten

·        When making large purchases on electronics or appliances, look for refurbished instead of new

·        Buy soap and creams that are made with plant-based materials

·        Take your own stainless steel reusable coffee cup to the coffee store to save the single-use container

·        Click “no silverware” in GrubHub and DoorDash. Sometimes they still put it in though.

·        Take reusable grocery bags to the grocery store

·        Don’t use cling film. I tried the beeswax wraps, and I liked them, but eventually they lose the waxiness.

·        Use wooden cutting boards instead of plastic ones

·        Stopped lining pans with foil in the oven so I wouldn’t have to clean them

·        Return things. This sounds dumb, but for 10 years of my life, I would not return things. So if clothes didn’t fit that I ordered or I got the wrong item or I decided I wasn’t going to use it, it would just sit in my house taking up space. Lame.

·        Buy nice clothes that will last for years instead of fast fashion or cheaper alternatives that will wear out in a year.

·        Use a menstrual cup instead of tampons & pads

·        Instead of plastic bags, use silicon Stasher bags

·        Instead of bottled water, use a glass picture with stainless steel filter so you can have delicious filtered water at home. I have several stainless steel water jugs that I use to bring water with me when I am out of the house.

·        Use a loofah (made from plants) and a wooden brush to scrub dishes instead of sponges or plastic

·        Use cloth produce bags or no produce bags  at the grocery store.  

·        Use silicone ice trays so ice is made with ultra-filtered water and not made with the plastic mechanisms in the fridge. Store the ice in glass or stainless steel bowls in the freezer.

·        Sign up for paperless billing for all your credit cards and household expenses

·        Don’t use fabric softener or dryer sheets. We don’t actually need these.

·        Use cloth napkins. When I get takeout, I save all the paper napkins to use in a box.

·        Plant a garden with a rain barrel

·        Take glassware containers to restaurants for leftovers

·        Wait 24 hours before purchasing anything over $20 so you can think about if you really need this item

·        Share tools with friends & community. I just bought an expensive electric knife sharpener, and I intend to share this with as many people as possible. We don’t all need a knife sharpener since you only use it sporadically. My neighbor and I recently agreed to share a weed-eater too!

·        Clear clutter, sell things you don’t need (or donate) and move towards minimalism

·        Switch to compostable dental floss

·        Cloth makeup removers instead of cotton balls

·        Keep chickens

·        Learn to sew (or at least repair clothes)

This was my first attempt at gardening this summer. The planter boxes didn’t do well because I put too many plants in each one. Too crowded. The plants I put in the actual ground did better. Next year, I’ll do only a couple herb plants per box.