It’s a Sustainable Life

I recently participated in a work training that was meant to increase the value of team efforts for each employee. One of the main points of this training was that to be a team player, we sometimes have to do work that isn’t necessarily our responsibility. This got me thinking about my latest interest: reducing my own carbon footprint. Sometimes we humans have to do work that isn’t glamorous or doesn’t seem to be our job to benefit the world as a whole.

Here are some easy things that we can all do to reduce our impact on the planet:

1. Thrift shop instead of buying new clothes. Yes, I am definitely guilty of wanting new clothes. I love fashion, and think of it as an expression of your inner artist. BUT do we ever take a minute to sit down and think about where our cute clothes actually come from? Probably not. Workers that produce our clothes overseas are treated horribly. The practices in these factories are not good for the workers or the environment. On the same note, most thrift shops are overflowing with clothing. So, let’s make a deal.. If we all just donate our cute clothes that collect dust in the closet, we can still buy fashionable clothes AND live a more sustainable lifestyle.
2. There’s no excuse not to recycle. Through college, I used the excuse that I couldn’t recycle because my apartment didn’t have a recycling bin (aka it wasn’t easy enough). I then a friend told me that I could just take my recyclable items to the recycling center in my city. Collect your recyclables and make a trip to your local recycling center once a week. It’s easy, and the environment will thank you.
3. Clean up your planet. It’s time that we start treating the Earth as our home. I see way too much trash scattered on the sides of the roads, polluted bodies of water and just blatant disrespect for the environment. If we all stopped throwing things out of the window, and started picking up trash once a week, we could really make an impact. I know, it’s not glamorous, it doesn’t seem like your job, you’re too busy, but remember the idea of a team effort. Our effect on the environment is based on a team effort.
4. Reusable bags are your friend. Last but not least, reusable bags instead of plastic bags can make a huge difference. It’s actually easier and more fashionable. Just keep a few reusable bags in your car or purse and bring them with you when you go shopping. Ditch the plastic bag and the planet will thank you.

These are just the baby steps we can all take to living a more sustainable life and reducing our carbon footprint.

Namaste.