Next steps
Words by Hanna Whiteside
Illustrations by Melissa Brennan
Easy ways to reduce your environmental impact
We spoke to Natasha Grogan from the Sage Garden and she gave us her best tips for making simple, effective changes. We also came up with a few of our own.
Buy a re-usable coffee cup. If I forget my cup, I don’t get a coffee. It’s a reward and punishment system and it works because the first time I forgot my cup I wanted to cry (I might have cried a little).
KeepCups are available in loads of designs and some can even keep your drink hotter (or colder if iced coffee is your thing) for longer. Now you can enjoy your morning beverage without guilt.Buy bamboo toothbrushes. If we are meant to throw out our toothbrushes every three months that is an insurmountable amount of plastic going into landfill just for our teeth.
There are many options available for those looking to make the bamboo switch, but we personally love The Environmental Toothbrush. Their product is made from bamboo, it is BPA free, fair traded, vegan friendly and even their packaging is biodegradable! They also sell bamboo travel holders for your toothbrush, so you can keep it clean and environmentally friendly when you’re on your next adventure. You can check out The Environmental Toothbrush website here.Wear ya clothes. It wasn’t until I watched War on Waste that I realised ‘fast fashion’ was a thing. I wear my clothes until I look like Oliver Twist.
And when you’re finally ready to toss an item, use a biodegradable bin liner. These are affordable and should be available at most local supermarkets.Compost or worm farm. This is a big one because 40% of what we throw away can be composted or worm farmed. There are options for every living situation – it should be council law!
Get rid of your coffee pod machines. This one took me a while, I used to take the pods back to Nespresso but the reality is they just make more machines with them. I was feeding an unsustainable system and my coffee habit isn’t worth the world.
You could also get yourself a re-usable water bottle. With so many cute and quirky designs out there, there’s really no excuse. Plus you’re saving the planet by actively participating in reducing the amount of plastic that’s going to sit in landfills for over 450 years.What goes in must come out.
Try out some eco-friendly/recycled toilet paper. You won’t be disappointed by the range from Who Gives A Crap. Their toilet rolls are double length which means you get double the value and you can choose from their 100% recycled toilet paper or their premium 100% bamboo toilet paper. Plus, they have free shipping on most orders (who can say no to free shipping?), their products are made without trees and they donate 50% of their profits to not-for-profit organisations working to improve access to hygiene, water and sanitation in developing countries. It really is ‘Good for your bum. Great for the World.’ Check out Who Gives a Crap website here.Eat what is in your fridge. People have commented that our fridge is so empty but it is just because we eat the food that goes in it. It also saves heaps of money.
Buy beeswax wraps. These are actually amazing and so easy to use.
Beeswax food wraps are the perfect alternative to using plastic wrap to package food. There are loads of beautiful fabrics used to create these amazing and versatile wraps, and now you can even make your own! Check out here! Just remember these wraps are not suitable for wrapping meat or fish because they can’t be cleaned with hot water.Don’t get sucked into buying landfill toys.
But do suck on re-usable straws. Keep your sipping sustainable. Have you heard? Plastic straws are a danger to our marine life and increasingly end up in oceans and places they really don’t belong in. There is now an eco-friendly option: re-usable metal straws. These straws often come in packs and even have a little brush included which makes them easy to clean.Grow some food. Start with lettuce and herbs. Herbs are expensive to buy but cheap and easy to grow