Hi everyone and welcome back to the blog! I’m a rookie in the world of sustainability just like you. I wanted to share with you how I started out being sustainable and how you can start out as well. Happy reading!
1. Use what you already have!
Before we get started on the actual products I wanted to tell you that the best way to be sustainable is to use what you already have! We are trying to prevent waste here and it would be wasteful to throw away or not use perfectly good products. When you run out of something check to see if there’s a more friendlier option for you and the planet!
2. Reusable Water Bottle!
This one is something that everyone should be doing. I have picked up too many plastic water bottles at the beach and in my neighborhood. Around the world, people buy 1 million plastic bottles a MINUTE. Americans throw away enough bottles each year to circle the planet 4 TIMES!! WHAT?! And every minute we throw away 2.5 million bottles. Let’s start using reusable bottles!! If you buy plastic bottles because of poor water quality or because you don’t have water out of your fridge, I have a blog post that can help navigate a more sustainable option right here! It’s 2021, let’s do better. https://sustainablymaija.wordpress.com/2021/02/19/lets-talk-about-plastic-bottles/
3. Reusable Cotton Rounds!
My mom got me reusable cotton rounds for Christmas one year and that’s when I started noticing the swaps I could be making in my life. Think about all those cotton rounds you have used in your life… wow! You can use them for removing makeup (like me) or for whenever you would usually need a cotton round! I highly recommend them!! All you have to do is plop them in the washing machine on laundry day and they are good as new. When I use up the rest of my cotton swabs that I have now, I’m going to make the switch to reusable cotton swabs! These products will save you so much money overtime. Both of those reusable products are listed on my Amazon shopping list right here! https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/MP87T6FOXCI0?ref_=wl_share
4. Bamboo Toothbrush!
This swap made me never want to go back to a plastic toothbrush! All toothbrushes are different and some people can be particular about how they like their toothbrush, but switching to a bamboo toothbrush has got to be one of the easiest things you can do for the planet. Every toothbrush you’ve ever used still exists and will exist in the next thousand years as well. Bamboo toothbrushes can sometimes take 3-4 months to degrade depending on the environment it’s in. One billion plastic toothbrushes get thrown away in the U.S. each year and we need to stop adding on to that number. Bamboo toothbrushes are the BEST!!!
5. Start Thrifting!
It was my New Year’s resolution to not buy fast fashion this year. I’ve been doing pretty well and I’ve found myself really happy with the clothes I already have. Fast fashion companies are constantly producing clothing items that will only be trendy for a few months and their workers aren’t getting paid or treated fairly despite what they may say. I haven’t gone thrifting in person that much in the past year, but I have really liked buying secondhand online! I’ve been buying a lot from this app called Depop and have been checking out platforms like ThredUP and Poshmark. Make sure that when you buy clothing items they will last you a long time. You should be buying items based on your style and not based on what Instagram or Pinterest tells you to buy. I also know that people check Facebook Marketplace for secondhand home decor. Thrift stores have some good home decor options as well! Shop secondhand!
6. Plastic-Free Toothpaste!
I’ve been using toothpaste tablets that I bite down on to a powder. I wet my toothbrush and then it’s just like normal toothpaste. I got it from a company called Bite that was actually on the show Shark Tank! You don’t have to get toothpaste bits though! You should get toothpaste that comes in aluminum packaging instead of plastic because aluminum can be recycled infinitely no matter what. If you’re from the U.S. , Target just started carrying a brand called Hey Humans and it’s a plastic-free brand that Jada Pinkett Smith created with her family! They have a super affordable toothpaste that comes in aluminum packaging for $3.99! I have toothpaste options on my Amazon Shopping List right here for you to check out as well! https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/MP87T6FOXCI0?ref_=wl_share
Alright that’s all for today! There will be a part two for this post in the next couple weeks. Check back next Friday for a new post! Thank you so much for reading today’s post. It really means a lot to me! Have a great rest of your day!
Love, Maija.
Sustainably Maija 
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