Ideas to Live More Sustainably

Think before you shop. Do you really need it? Can you borrow or buy it used?

Here are some easy, fun things that we’re doing to reduce our waste and climate impact. You can try them or come up with your own ideas! Share what you’re doing. Send your photos to lori.olinger@northstar.sierraclub.org.

illustration of chopped vegetables. Illustration by Diane Labombarbe
Illustration by Diane Labombarbe		 Save vegetable scraps when peeling carrots, potatoes, onions, and other veggies. Keep a bag in the freezer and use it for home-made stock or soup. If you’re not vegan or vegetarian, you can keep bones for stock also. Leftover salad greens work great too and make for unique delicious soups!
photo of used clothes Shop at used stores for clothing rather than buying new. Look for natural materials like cotton, wool, and silk. Synthetics like polar tech fleece are made from fossil fuels and give off microplastic particles each time they’re washed.
photo of grocery bulk items aisle Check for bulk items when you’re at your local co-op or grocery store. Most stores have some bulk items and many have a wide variety of items such as flour, nuts, lentils, dried fruit, popcorn, coffee, tea, and spices.
photo of woman wearing glitter makeup. Getty Images Skip the glitter. Check out a recent BBC article “Glitter Litter Could Be Damaging Rivers”.
photo of beeswax wrap

Beeswax is a great replacement for plastic wrap. We use it to wrap cheese and many other things.
photo of re-sealable glass jars We snagged these great jars at Goodwill.
photo of re-usable grocery store glass jars We’re using jars from the grocery store to hold rice and lentils.
photo of cake inside cake dome Another Goodwill find. This cake plate and dome keeps baked goods fresh, and they look so good everyone says they taste better than ever.
photo of a clothes-drying rack We have 2 clothes drying racks. We got the first one for $3 at a garage sale and got the other one for $15 at the hardware store. They work great and avoid a lot of dryer loads.
photo of re-usable cloth shopping bags Before COVID-19, these bags worked great for produce and bulk purchases. We’re looking forward to being able to use them again to avoid plastic bags.
photo of reusable silicone bag This reusable Silicone bag works great for storing things in the fridge and freezer and helps us avoid using (and washing) plastic bags.

 

photo of traditional toothbrush and packaging next to one with minimal packaging  photo of toothpaste in a plastic tube next to toothpaste tablets in a glass jar  photo of plastic next to washable, reusable menstrual pads  photo of shampoo tube next to a shampoo bar

When purchasing and replacing everyday items, look for reusable or refillable products. Also reach for ones that have less packaging waste.

Swap your plastic toothbrush for one with a compostable bamboo handle packaged in a paper sleeve. Replace toothpaste in plastic tubes for toothpaste tablets in small glass jars. Try washable cloth menstrual pads or underwear or reusable cups. Buy bread from a neighborhood bakery that offers loaves without packaging. Replace milk in plastic jugs and waxed paperboard cartons for milk in returnable glass bottles. Try shampoo and conditioner bars in paperboard packaging.

Take a look for alternatives to everyday items and you’ll be surprised at the available options!