TINY STEPS YOU CAN TAKE NOW
Making the decision to “go green”, “live healthy”, or even “save the world” can feel incredibly inspiring at the onset; however, as we progress through the journey, we quickly discover how overwhelming and tedious it can feel to keep to path. We have busy lives - stressful work schedules, seemingly endless household chores, while simultaneously needing to possess the facility to raise our kids or take care of family members…..how can we possibly find the time to plan and cook meals, grow vegetables, and give up the instant and disposable conveniences that we rely on to make it through our increasingly fast-paced lives? The answer may be that in the optimism of the moment, we’re dreaming too big. We recommend that you start small. Very small.
Just as we’ve approached solutions shared on this site, always start with “simple / quick” and build on it - but only when you’re ready. Our goal is not to make our day to day more overwhelming, but the opposite: our goal is to make us feel that we’re making small contributions each day toward a healthier lifestyle. It’s much better to take it slow and make small progress than it is to move fast, get overwhelmed and then quit. So let’s start with some simple steps that we can take within just our daily routines that can add up to significant positive impacts:
SLOW THE FAUCET - As the quote from Ovid goes: “Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence.” How we can apply this quote here is that every drop of water that you can save can make a significant impact over time, to both the environment and to our wallets. So if you’re washing your hands, washing dishes, showering or watering plants, just turning down the water pressure (i.e. turn the faucet handle midway or less) is a simple everyday act that can go a long way. And if it’s too complicated to remember, a next step that you can take is to replace your faucets with more water-efficient versions (the showerhead would be a good first one to replace as we tend to waste the most water during showers).
BRING DOWN THE TEMP - This goes for both your faucet and thermostat. Taking cold showers does not only lower your energy cost (~$76 per year per person), but it also provides a number of health benefits, including higher metabolism, better hair/skin, and increased immunity. Unless you are one that loves jumping into icy water, ease yourself into cold showers by cooling the temperature at the end of your regular shower, and then gradually extending the cold water time across subsequent showers. As for the thermostat, turn it down in the winter and turn it up in the summer - in general for every degree that you lower or raise the temperature, respectively, you could save up to 3% on your energy bill.
SWITCH THE PAPER - According to Scientific American, 36.5 billion rolls of toilet paper are used by Americans annually, and switching to bathroom bidets could save up to 15 million trees. Although we highly recommend the use of bidets (under $45 and cleans you better vs. toilet paper!), a more immediate step that you can take without changing your habits is to switch to recycled (best!) or bamboo (second best!) toilet paper. There are many online references comparing resources needed to produce toilet paper from virgin wood vs. bamboo and recycled materials; this article from finch is a relatively quick and informative read. Some brands that we use are Seventh Generation (largely manufactured in US) and Who Gives A Crap (donates 50% of profits to help build toilets and improve sanitation in the developing world). And while you’re at it, switch your paper towel too!
DRESS YOUR TRASH GREEN - Based on general estimates, a typical American household uses 100-200 trash bags each year. This sends over 30 billion trash bags to landfills where they turn into microplastics which ultimately seeps back into our food and water systems, causing health issues. The simple switch from conventional trash bags to compostable or biodegradable trash bags can help reduce the volume of microplastics released. Although compostable/biodegradable bags may not always decompose (the process requires specific conditions), they are more eco-friendly as they are produced using plant-based materials vs. petroleum. We currently use Unni kitchen trash bags, but click here for other suggestions. Note that compostable and biodegradable trash bags are typically not as strong or robust as conventional trash bags, therefore you should avoid very wet or liquid waste, and bags must be stored in a cool, dry place. As we compost our food waste, we do not experience issues using the bags and we also use less bags as a result. However if compostable/biodegradable bags are not for you, the next best option is to switch to trash bags made from post-consumer recycled plastic (e.g. Seventh Generation, If You Care) which tend to be more sturdy.
RAISE THE BAR - Americans wash their hands 9 times a day on average, so our choice of soap can add up to a big difference. Research has found that liquid soaps required 5x the energy to produce vs. bar soaps (also liquid soaps require more plastic packaging and are heavier to transport). Therefore, you can instantly make a difference in the amount of plastic that you use just by switching to the simple bar soap. See our Bar Soap section for considerations in making the switch - and it’s not just hand soap that comes in bars - there are bath, shampoo and dishwashing bar soaps too. The more liquid soaps that you can switch to bars, the less waste you create - instantly! And if you’re not ready to fully convert to bars, an alternative to conventional liquid soap is the use of Castile soap, which is mixed with water, thereby reducing packaging and transport resources.
CLEAN MORE GREEN - The simple act of switching your cleaning solutions to more natural and eco-friendly options instantly results in at least 3 key benefits: 1. Protects your health by reducing your exposure and risks to toxic chemicals and reduces indoor pollution; 2. Fewer toxins entering the environment and seeping back into our food and water sources; 3. Tendency to be manufactured and packaged using more sustainable methods, such as usage of biodegradable and recycled/post-consumer materials, products that are lighter to transport (tablet vs. liquid cleaning solutions), and these companies tend to continuously invest in greener methods and donate towards environmental research and causes (e.g. Seventh Generation). Click here to learn more about the benefits of switching.
LEAVE THE PRODUCE NAKED - It’s no news that bringing your own bags to the grocery store goes a long way to reducing the volume of single-use bags (although our biggest challenge was to remember to bring the bags - so now we hang the bags next to our coats or purse or immediately toss them back into our car as soon as we’re done putting away the groceries). And when to comes to shopping for produce, we often forget or don’t bring enough bags - so we just stopped using bags! Unless you’re buying a few pounds of potatoes or apples, placing the bundle of kale or parsley, garlic, eggplants or lemons directly into your basket naked (i.e. with no plastic bag) is totally fine! Remember, you’re going to wash the produce anyways, so why waste a bag?
SKIP THE MEAT (OCCASIONALLY) - If everyone in America skipped meat just one day a week, this would result in 1.4 billion animals spared annually. Eating less meat benefits both your health (lowers risk of preventable diseases) and the environment (reduces greenhouse gases) most especially if avoiding meat produced by industrial agriculture (CAFO). One approach is to shift to buying meat raised in a more natural and wholesome manner, which not only avoids antibiotics, hormones and animal cruelty, but the meat simply tastes better. If you do not have ready access to farmers markets to buy local meats (we usually stock up the freezer each time we go), most supermarkets now offer pasture-raised, organic or grass-fed meat and brands known for sustainable farming (such as Niman Ranch). Now that you have the healthier meat, the next step is to opt for recipes that uses less meat such as tacos, pasta Bolognese, stir fries, chili, and stews, which can also be made with chicken, the most sustainable meat.
BUY & MAKE LOCAL - One focus here is buying local produce and meats, which not only sustains local merchants but the food is likely to be higher in quality and nutrition, and avoids the energy needed to transport produce in from other parts of the world (which is what larger supermarkets have to do). Although many goods that we need are not made locally, items that you are increasingly able to find include vegetables & fruits, meats, honey, teas and herbs, juices/cider, vinegar, baked goods, prepared foods, craft beer and other alcoholic beverage, soaps and cleaning products, beauty creams and lotions, plants, wooden utensils, tools and furniture, pottery/dishware, jewelry, hats, gloves and sweaters. Additional options include DIY (we make our own apple cider vinegar and kombucha for example) and looking to local flee markets, second-hand stores or garage sales for some of the items that you need. Ultimately, buying local keeps investments and taxes local, benefiting our immediate communities and environment.
SWITCH THE LIGHTS - And switch off the lights! It is no longer news that LED bulbs consume up to 90% less energy and last up to 25 times longer vs. incandescent bulbs, but it is worth reiterating. Click here to access the Energy Savings Calculator to estimate the cost benefit of switching to energy efficient bulbs. In addition to switching your bulbs, make sure to switch off the lights every time you leave a room. Although with energy efficient bulbs it may not results in any savings to turn off your lights if you will be out of a room for less than 15 minutes, we do it anyways because it is good practice for kids and grown ups alike to act mindfully when using resources.