It can feel overwhelming to know where to start when it comes to sustainability. More and more people are becoming aware of its importance and are looking for ways to help. This blog post introduces 7 simple changes you can implement in your life that will make a difference. Starting out with even one or two things on this list and making them a habit in your routine is a wonderful action on your part. Reading this blog and being interested in making your life more sustainable is the first step. So, congratulations for even making it this far! It is hard to think of every little detail of our routines and whether it is sustainable or not. Hopefully, this list gives you some inspiration for a few things you can easily swap or change today.

7 simple changes you can make to live a more sustainable life:

1. Wash Clothes in Cold Water Instead of Hot Water
2. Replace Disposable Cotton Rounds with Reusable Facial Rounds
3. Use A Reusable Water Bottle Instead of Plastic Water Bottles
4. Put Compostable Food Scraps in A Compost Bin Instead of The Garbage
5. Replace Disposable Razors with Safety Razors
6. Use Menstrual Cups Instead of Pads or Tampons
7. Purchase Local Produce Instead of Food from Far Away Locations

Wash Clothes in Cold Water Instead of Hot Water

When it comes to laundry, people have different standards. Some people separate their colours, whites, and darks into three different loads of laundry. Others throw everything in together and hope for the best. Regardless of what your style is, there is one simple modification you can make to your wash settings that will benefit the planet. Cold water! It’s that simple. Not only does cold water use 1/10^th of the energy needed for hot water, but it will also benefit the longevity of your clothes. The cold water helps your clothes retain their shape, size, and colour. Keep your wash setting to cold water to help the planet and your clothes.

Replace Disposable Cotton Rounds with Reusable Facial Rounds

Every night we get ready for bed. We brush our teeth, we take off our makeup and we wash our face. Makeup removal for many people consists of soaking a cotton round with makeup remover to wipe off that waterproof eyeliner and mascara we’ve been wearing all day. Every single night you throw that soaked cotton round in the trash. What if I were to tell you the days of buying disposable cotton rounds were over? There is an alternative to throwing out your money and negatively impacting the environment every day. All you need to do is swap out your disposable cotton rounds for reusable ones! Most reusable facial rounds are made from organic cotton or bamboo. They can easily be washed in the washing machine. Make sure you let them air dry to maximize their longevity.

Use A Reusable Water Bottle Instead of Plastic Water Bottles

I am proud to say that I genuinely do not remember the last time I purchased a plastic water bottle. Bringing my reusable water bottle with me everywhere is a habit that I integrated into my life that is so easy now. I don’t even have to think about it. Just like you always take your keys and wallet with you when you go out, I also grab my water bottle! Keeping hydrated is important for your mind and body and being on the go can dehydrate you. There are so many reusable water bottles to choose from these days there is one that is sure to fit your needs. Some come with handles, some are insulated to keep your water ice cold all day and some have fun designs. You can buy big ones or small ones. The options are endless. If you have trouble remembering to bring your water bottle with you, try setting a reminder on your phone or placing your water bottle by your door.

Put Compostable Food Scraps in A Compost Bin Instead of The Garbage

The systems put in place in your city may not make it easy for you to compost. Luckily, in Vancouver, we have a green bin program. You can place compostable food scraps into the green bins that then get picked up with your regular garbage. Very convenient. I am grateful I grew up in a family that was conscious about composting, so it’s become second nature at this point. Simply have one garbage can for pure garbage and another one for compost. The compost bin gets filled up with fruit and vegetable scraps and gets taken by our garbage pick-up every week. So easy! If you don’t have a system in place in your city, you can consider having your own compost bin in your backyard. You can then use your at-home compost to create nutrients for your garden!

Replace Disposable Razors with Safety Razors

Whether you’re a woman or a man, chances are you own a razor. There are many razors on the market. Some are completely disposable; some have replaceable cartridges. However, there is one choice that trumps them all when it comes to sustainability. Safety razors! Safety razors eliminate the waste that other razors create. You can have your safety razor for life and only need to replace the simple metal blades. As always, caution should be exercised when handling a razor but especially so with a safety razor. They are extremely sharp which is great for a close shave but also easy to get nasty cuts. Once you get the hang of the proper technique, they are well worth it for their benefit of sustainability.

Use Menstrual Cups Instead of Pads or Tampons

If you have female reproductive organs, you get to experience the wonderful monthly visit from Aunt Flo. The most common tools we have to combat our monthly period are tampons or pads. These were the two options I was given when I first got my period and have used them ever since. Even with choosing tampons with cardboard applicators as opposed to the plastic ones, I wanted a more sustainable alternative. I recently learned that some tampons and pads are made with unwanted ingredients. That’s when I learned about menstrual cups. They are usually made from medical-grade silicone and are used in the replacement of tampons or pads. They provide a reusable alternative to tampons and pads and avoid those undesired ingredients. Depending on your flow level, a menstrual cup can last you up to 12 hours!

Purchase Local Produce Instead of Food from Far Away Locations

The carbon footprint created by the transportation of food is massive. Focus on eating the fruits and vegetables available to you in your current season and location. When you look around you will quickly find that there are many wonderful local farmers in your area who produce top-quality produce. You can usually find these farmers at farmer’s markets or many are making the jump to the internet. Enjoying seasonal vegetables and fruit from your region helps reduce the greenhouse gas emissions contributed by food transportation! You also get to support a local small business. It’s a win-win.

These 7 simple changes that you can start implementing in your life are great ways for you to help with sustainability. Even if it’s just one thing, what is important is that you are aware and willing to make minor adjustments that add up to a big difference. If some of these changes aren’t feasible for you right now don’t worry! Whatever you can do in your situation right now is all that matters. Becoming more mindful of the processes in your everyday life that may not be the most sustainable option is the first step. Little changes become habits and those habits will decrease harmful behaviours to our environment. Thank you for reading this blog and I hope you are able to take away some easy adjustments that you can bring into your life to live more sustainably. Daydreamer Digital cares about sustainability and the planet. We offer a Sustainability Package under our Brand Impact category that can help your business to make sustainable changes to help the planet! Check out the package here.

Which one of these changes are you going to make first? Let us know in the comments!