Hey earth muffins! The first step in starting to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle is to figure out how green you are to begin with. This can be challenging to assess – we often see ourselves as more sustainable than we actually are. Just like your favorite Buzzfeed quiz, the following websites allow you to evaluate yourself from another perspective. Let’s jump into the best online quizzes that will help you improve your eco journey!
This first quiz calculates what your carbon footprint is. After entering in information about your household, travel habits, shopping preferences, and even food consumption, this quiz will tell you what your carbon footprint is (as well as showing you how you compare to the “average” person). While it asks for quite specific information, you can use estimates if you need to. However, you will get the best results if you take the time to fill it out as best you can! After calculating your carbon footprint, the website provides you with a list of ways to “Take Action” and reduce your impact on the planet.
Hey earth muffins! Whether you like it or not, you are going to spend a lot of time at your workplace. This might be a home office or a large room of cubicles… But don’t think you have to limit your sustainability habits just because you are at work. In today’s post, I will share the best tips for how to have an eco-friendly office. These are easy ways to increase sustainability while at work!
1. Reuse paper! (and all other office supplies)
In today’s world, it seems like everyone knows that they should reuse paper. But here is a good reminder to do so! Set your default to print on both sides of the paper, reuse anything that has a blank side, and if your company has a stack of old invoice paper they plan on getting rid of use it as scratch paper! On top of paper, reuse things like binder and paper clips, envelopes, etc.
Hey earth muffins! A great eco swap for the kitchen is to opt out of plastic wrap and use other methods of keeping your food fresh. One way to do this is to use beeswax wraps – sheets of fabric coated in beeswax that cling to your food, bowls, and containers. I was gifted a set of wraps for Christmas a couple of years ago, so I thought it would be fun to write a review to answer the question “do they really work?”. Let’s jump right into it! 🐝
What I Love About Beeswax Wraps
Obviously it is awesome that this is a sustainable alternative to plastic wrap! Cling wrap is single-use and causes a bunch of waste that ends up in the landfill (or even the ocean). Not great for Mother Earth! Instead of using plastic wrap, I keep my set of beeswax wraps in my mason jar hutch next to all my other reusable containers. Having them accessible makes it easier to remember to use them too!
Unlike the single-use nature of Saran wrap, beeswax wraps last a long time. Once you are done using them, just wash them with soap and water and let air dry. So easy! If you take care of them in terms of cleaning, they will literally last multiple years.
Plus, beeswax wraps work! They keep containers airtight in the fridge which is great for making sure your leftovers don’t go bad. You can also use them instead of plastic Ziploc bags too, as I’ve wrapped sandwiches in them for lunch. Just like with any plastic wrap, make sure you get a full seal to ensure the best result with your food.
Lastly, I love that these are accessible to everyone because you don’t even need to buy these – they are super easy to make yourself! All you need is some fabric scraps and beeswax. There are plenty of DIY tutorials on Pinterest sharing how to melt the wax onto the fabric. Super simple and a great way to knock plastic wrap this summer. 🎉
What I Dislike About Them
When you first open the wrap, don’t be alarmed that it seems pretty inflexible. The beeswax has just hardened and needs to warm up a bit. I find that rubbing your hands over the wrap is a quick and easy way to warm up the wax. Once the wrap is more flexible, it will be easier to seal over containers. This tiny extra step may be annoying to some people, so I thought I would include it as a con.
The only other thing I dislike about beeswax wraps is that they don’t last as long as things like mason jars. Obviously metal and glass is going to outlast anything made from fabric and wax, so I often just find myself opting for containers instead of beeswax wrap. However, you can “mend” your wraps by adding extra layers of beeswax if you want… But I personally just find it easier to not even bother and just pull out a mason jar instead.
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Overall, I think beeswax wraps are awesome! While I often just use mason jars instead of wrapping up food, it is nice to have a set of these available to me whenever I need them. 😊 They work just like plastic wrap and come in so many designs and colors too. Have you tried beeswax wraps before? Comment below and let me know your thoughts on this eco swap!
Hey earth muffins! Today I’m coming at you with another post about eco-friendly products that can be purchased at not-so-eco-friendly stores! 😊 I’ve featured sustainable Target products and eco finds at Walmart, but I thought it would be fun to challenge myself to find eco-friendly Dollar Tree swaps. Yes, that’s right – the dollar store. Target has a nice selection of low waste products and even Walmart has some options… But can a store that survives off producing and selling cheaply made items have “sustainable” options? Let’s jump right in and find out!
Hey earth muffins! A few years ago, I wrote a post about how to live zero waste at college. Students are now back on campus after the pandemic (yay!); so, I thought it would be fun to share some more great ways to be eco-friendly while at school. Going off to college is arguably one of the best times of your life – you get to meet amazing people, learn a lot, and have a bit of fun before entering the real world. But, that doesn’t mean you need to compromise on your sustainability values… Whether you are living in a dorm, an apartment, or commuting from your parents’ home, here are some tips on staying eco-friendly at college!
Utilize the recycling and compost bins as much as possible!
Many schools offer both recycling and compost bins near the trash. In my dorm, we had a trash room in the basement; the recycling and compost bins were right next to the trash, which made it super easy to properly recycle/compost. If you live in an apartment, you might not have a building wide compost bin… But then maybe consider having your own apartment compost system! 😊 You could even call/email your building managers to let them know that a compost bin is something residents want; they might make this eco-friendly change!
Make sure your school supplies are eco-friendly at college.
There are plenty of ways to make sure you have low waste school supplies. From shopping second hand to reducing your paper usage, this school year does not need to have a damaging impact on the planet. Check out my full guide on how to zero waste your school supplies!
Be selective about the freebies on campus.
One thing I wasn’t prepared for when I went off to college were all the freebies. It seems like every event I went to there were free t-shirts, stickers, water bottles, etc. branded with whatever companies (or campus offices) were sponsoring the event. While it might be difficult to say no, do you really need all of that junk? Be selective on what you bring home with you. Not only will you need to move it out at the end of the year, but you don’t want to overconsume things you don’t actually have any use for.
Continue using your reusables to stay eco-friendly at college!
A great way to be eco-friendly at college is to (obviously) keep up the good work you have already made on your sustainability journey! Continue using all of the sustainable swaps you have made, and keep opting for reusables instead of single-use. Even though you are in a new place, it doesn’t mean you should revert back to how you were living before. Who knows, you might even meet some people who also use similar reusables! 😍
Reduce the amount of meat you eat on campus.
Plant-based diets are much better for the environment, regardless of which one you do. If you live in a dorm, try eating some of the vegetarian options a few times a week at the dining hall! You might get introduced to some delicious veggie meals that 1) you didn’t have to cook yourself and 2) you haven’t tried before. For those with their own kitchens, save yourself some money and opt for non-meat proteins once in awhile!
Resist the urge to eat out and pack your lunch eat day!
Eating out creates a lot of waste! While there are ways to reduce your fast food waste, it is much better for the environment to pack your own lunch. In grad school (when I no longer had access to a dining hall), I packed my lunch box every day. I had so many people complement me on “being prepared” and “eating healthy”! If you need some tips on what to pack, read my guide on how to pack a low waste lunch.
Find others on a sustainable journey and join them to create change on campus!
Being on a sustainable journey is all good and well, but it is important to get out there and create change too. Most colleges have plenty of green themed clubs, so join one (or a few)! Attend events, spread the message, and meet a lot of amazing friends too. While every small change makes a different, joining together helps make larger changes in your city!
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Final Thoughts on Being Eco-Friendly at College
College is a time to learn, have fun, and grow into the person you are meant to be. So keep your sustainable values even when you are off to school! There are so many easy ways to stay eco-friendly at college. Opt for meatless options in the dining hall. Reduce your paper usage. Compost and recycle. The list goes on! You will meet plenty of people will similar values on campus, so join them to create real change on your campus. How are you staying eco-friendly at college this year? Comment below what I missed on this list!
Hey earth muffins! I’ve been on my eco-journey since 2018, which means I have made a lot of swaps in my daily routine. Today, I thought it would be fun to go through the products that I stopped using… Either because they “suck” or they weren’t necessary to my life. This is not to say that all of these products don’t work or aren’t sustainable. I just had a particular reason why they weren’t essential to my daily routine. For each product, I will explain why I bought it and then why I stopped. Let’s jump right into the worst eco-friendly products I have purchased so far! 🎉
Solar Phone Charger
One of the first purchases I made when I went green was a solar phone charger off of Ebay. I wrote a whole post about it a long time ago. I thought it would be such a good idea to charge my phone using solar… And in theory it was. But, during my grad school year my apartment got absolutely no direct sunlight. Plus, I was using an iPhone 6 that was about 6 years old. The battery life was absolutely terrible, so the phone charger would never quite charge it as much as I needed. Now that I have a new phone and sunlight in my apartment, I just haven’t reached for the charger still. I feel like this would be a great product if you were a hiker and needed a quick charge… Just not too practical for me right now. Definitely a product I regret buying!
The Eco Egg
I was gifted an Eco Egg (affiliate link) awhile back to help make my laundry routine zero waste. This egg can be filled with little spheres of natural laundry detergent. Once you use the egg for about 70 washes, you can replace the spheres in the center. It is definitely a great way to minimize waste in the laundry room, as it avoids plastic bottles! When I was using this product I think it worked great, so it doesn’t fall into the “worst eco-friendly products” category. But, once I moved in with my boyfriend we switched to using Tide for sensitive skin. My boyfriend and I do our laundry together, as we only have full loads if we put our clothes in the same washer. He has very sensitive skin, so I relented and gave up the Eco Egg (for now).
When I went green, I never bought any metal or glass straws because I don’t really use straws that much. I attribute this to not drinking coffee! 😂 However, when I started my job back in September, the company I work for sent me a set of metal straws. Part of me was excited about this, but, to be honest, I barely ever use them. They sit in my utensil drawer and collect dust 99.99% of the time. I am sure eco-friendly straws are well loved by many low wasters, but they just aren’t necessary to my life!
JR Liggett Shampoo Bar
I regret buying this shampoo bar (affiliate link) because it was absolutely horrible to my hair. If you are interested in why I thought this, check out the full review of the product! Looking at the reviews on Amazon, it seems that people either love or hate this bar. I fall into the latter for sure. I have a lot of success with Lush shampoo bars, so I probably should have just stuck with those when I was looking for a new bar. 😕 You live and you learn!
Lena Menstrual Cup
Using a menstrual cup is an amazing way to zero waste your period. However, I definitely underestimated the fact that it might take you a few tries to find the menstrual cup that works best for your body. For me, the Lena cup was a bad first choice, which is why it makes it on this worst eco-friendly products list. I was not a huge fan of how firm the silicone was, as it made my cramps worse during that time of the month. Check out my full review of the Lena cup for other reasons I jumped ship to another menstrual cup!
