Low Waste Lifestyle
There are many reasons to live a low waste lifestyle, some of which include environmental concerns, health reasons or just simply wanting to do more with less. There’s something about living this type of lifestyle that ignites the creative within all of us. You see empty spice jars? We see potential pot plants. You see fruit peels? We see plant food. It’s all about perspective. We’re big believers in wandering a little lighter and a big part of the reason we love travelling so much is seeing the natural sights and we take it as our personal responsibility to reduce, reuse and recycle whenever and wherever possible so we can preserve the sights for future travellers. We wanted to join in the conversation about sustainability and doing more with less so we compiled a list of everyday things we all can do to wander a little lighter.
Use a biodegradable toothbrush
Not many of us really think of dental hygiene when it comes to sustainability but this is a simple step you can take to do better by Mother Nature. Biodegradable toothbrushes are easy to use, all natural and are a great solution to the ever-growing plastic piles growing in landfills all around the world. We recommend pairing your biodegradable toothbrush with solid toothpaste (little tooth tabs that come in small, albeit often plastic, containers). You can buy them from places like Lush or you can make your own - all you need is some glass jar, baking soda, coconut oil and sea salt. If you’re after the minty taste you can put a few drops of peppermint oil.
Reuse bags
This is one of the key tenants of living a low waste lifestyle. Reusing bags and everything, really, is extremely important and better writers than me have written essays about the importance of keeping reusable bags in your kitchen, your bedroom and your car just in case of an impromptu grocery store run so I won’t harp on about the subject but I will give you angels a gentle reminder.
TOP TIP: I also encourage you all to buy in bulk and to go to local markets!
Compost
Nature always keeps giving and scraps are just bits and bobs we can’t consume but our plants and gardens can.
Take shorter showers
We’re currently experiencing an awful drought in Australia and it’s really brought the topic of water usage to the forefront. It’s important to take shorter showers so water isn’t wasting away regardless of where you are. Here are a few easy DOs and DON’Ts.
- Don’t turn the water on unless you’re about to get into the shower/bath.
- Don’t stand in the shower absentmindedly. We understand that sometimes we all need a mindful moment but it’s important to remember that water comes from somewhere and there are other, less eco-unfriendly ways to have a moment to yourself.
- Do all your shaving, plucking and pruning to before you turn the water on.
- If you’re feeling a little indulgent and want to take a bath, don’t overfill your tub and use the water in other places (i.e. use it to water your garden IF you’ve used all natural products that won’t harm your garden of goods) or use it to wash your car. It might require a few buckets and a lot of effort but the water will go to good use.
Wear your clothes for longer/ give new life to old garments/ gift them!
Cut them, style them differently, use them for something else (i.e. rags, make them into bags, etc.)
Use reusable mugs/cups/straws, etc.
Go local
Support local farmers and local grocery stores by buying produce and groceries from them.
Use solids
We’re talking about bar soap, bar deodorant and other personal hygiene products that don’t come individually wrapped in a lot of plastic. These are easier to travel with and they tend to last longer because there’s a 0% chance of spillage and they’re harder to use in excess amounts.
These are handy tips but we know lifestyle changes are tough and it’s easy to lose your way so here are some Instagram accounts we’re following that are guiding us in our low waste lifestyle goals and whose beautiful images we’ve used to create this visual content.
