BY ARIANA HALVAEI

Look, I know what you’re thinking:

“Oh, great, another condescending and incredibly UNHELPFUL article about how to lower my carbon footprint. Super.”

A friend of mine sent me a meme recently of some famous, rich athlete posing next to his own personal Boeing 737 aircraft. The caption read: “I’m so glad I take the extra time to wash out my tomato sauce jars!”

So, before I continue, I want to stress the following:

The climate crisis is NOT YOUR FAULT.

Here at Hotel Earth 360° we have talked extensively about the biggest climate change culprits: oil giants, massive corporations, mutual funds… just check out this post from @environment for more details, or listen to Episode 39 – Men Behind the Curtain of Hotel Earth Podcast.

However, just because we as individuals aren’t the ones directly responsible for the collapsing climate, that doesn’t mean we don’t have a contribution.

Respect for the planet and sustainability is something we should all innately value.

Frankly, reader, we could all use some guidance on how to live more sustainably. The problem is: the switch to a sustainable lifestyle can be overwhelming. Where do you even start? Between fast fashion, the transportation crisis, our overflowing landfills, and our continued reliance on fossil fuels, it can be tough to make changes when it seems like no matter what you do, the problems will always be there.

That’s why my advice is to start small.

Don’t overload yourself by overthinking your every move. Start with one or two habits and see if there’s a greener alternative you can implement into your daily routine. Once you get the hang of that one habit change, try another swap. Eventually, you’ll find that you’ve made significant progress in adapting your lifestyle towards a brighter and greener future. 

Want to know what your ecological footprint is now? Complete this free, simple survey by Global Footprint Network® to learn about your earth overshoot day. 

To help you kick-start your sustainability game-plan, here’s a list of easy habit swaps you can try IMMEDIATELY that have a considerable impact on your ecological footprint.

1. Get a reusable water bottle.

Let me just say that this is more of a boycott on water bottle companies than it is about you drinking from plastic. Those jerks are responsible for some MAJOR environmental damage when it comes to fossil-fuel use, water use, contributing to plastic in our ocean gyres and landfills, labor issues… the list is LONG.

So I know it sounds obvious and annoying… but the impact is enormous. Americans alone use about 50 billion plastic bottles a year, according to earthday.org. Even if you only drink two plastic water bottles per day, that amounts to 720 plastic bottles, or about 150 lbs of plastic per year. By switching to a reusable water bottle, you’re helping eliminate single-use plastics from ending up in a landfill or our oceans. Not to mention that plastic is made from fossil fuels, you know, that non-renewable resource that just happens to be one of the primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions…

2. Look for sustainable personal care product-swaps.

We use copious amounts of plastic for our personal care and cleaning products. Think about it: nearly all products under the personal care umbrella are bottled in plastic.

My tip is to look for zero-waste refill stores in your area. In Florence, I love Sugar Blues near Santo Spirito, and in Tampa I’m a huge fan of Lüfka in Seminole Heights. They’re becoming more widespread, and it’s a great way to easily reduce your plastic waste. The basic gist is that every product you buy will be in minimal packaging and refillable, so once your product is used, rather than throw the bottle or container away, you go back with the empty container and repurchase the product sans the packaging. Pretty neat, right? Right.

These stores vary in product range, but usually have everything from face wash to kitchen cleaner, and they’re made with minimal and gentle ingredients. For perspective, swapping your toothpaste from a generic brand to a refillable option can help you cut back on one cubic foot of plastic per year. Imagine the impact you can have over multiple years by swapping your whole medicine cabinet with refillable products!

If you can’t find any refill stores in your area, check out online stores like The Package Free Shop, or try to make cleaning and personal care products yourself! You’d be surprised how simple they are to DIY. Use this handy guide to find zero-waste shops and groceries near you. 

3. Learn the art of buying in bulk.

Ah, bulk purchases. You’d be surprised how much waste we can reduce by making this swap! For instance, you can take mason jars (or any container, really) to the local Whole Foods, Sprouts, or any health food store that sells grains, nuts, beans, etc., in bulk and fill them up to avoid purchasing those same items in plastic. This is a super easy sustainable swap to try. 

4. Be mindful of your food sources. 

This one requires more research, but has quite a significant impact. Where does your food come from? Is it local? Is it organic? Is it from a factory farm? How is it packaged? All questions to consider.

Locally grown food is always preferred, as it reduces emissions associated with transportation to your local grocery store. Organic food is a greener alternative as it reduces pesticide use which pollutes the surrounding water supply from runoff. Eating less meat can reduce your emissions enormously, as meat production is one of the most significant contributing factors to greenhouse gases. If you are going to eat meat, do what you can to ensure it’s coming from a local, sustainable farm. Every little bit counts! Example: Consider going meatless just one day per week. According to University of Colorado, Boulder, by doing so, you will reduce your carbon footprint by eight pounds for each day you skip the meat. Go meatless one day per week for a year, and that is equivalent to the same amount of emissions as driving 348 miles in a car! 

5. Watch your consumer dollar.

Be weary: just because something is marketed as “green” or “sustainable” doesn’t mean it is.

Greenwashing is no joke, and your consumer dollar power is more influential than you can imagine. It’s the fundamental law of supply and demand — if more people stop buying a product, they’ll stop producing it eventually. Put your money toward products and brands that are taking initiatives to improve their impact (and yours, by extension) on the planet. Stop supporting companies and brands who are depleting our finite resources, polluting the earth, and producing extensive waste.

For example, to evaluate fashion brands, check out the website Good On You. Type in any of your favorite fashion brands and get ratings based on their sustainability practices, human rights policies, and animal testing policies. There are many resources on Google that can direct you toward sustainable alternatives for your everyday products. When in doubt, remember to thrift, buy local, and work towards reducing your impulsive buying habits. That last one may require a therapist.

Closing Thoughts

This list should help you gain some insight into your daily habits and, hopefully, inspire you to better your environmental impact.

Don’t forget to tune in to our podcast, Hotel Earth; a podcast offering cheeky chats about sustainability, climate science, culture, and all topics in-between. Warning: the content is explicit at times as we try to keep things light and funny while also being educational! But trust me, you’ll get a kick out of our conversations and you’ll learn a thing or two while you’re at it. Cheers to a greener lifestyle, friends!

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