I’ve been focusing on being more environmentally conscious this year. I’ve always recycled, but I want to do so much better. I wrote about ditching plastic straws a while back, but that’s just a small part of what we can all do. I’m not an expert, so I asked Monica Richards, the Ecobabe, to share her advice. I found her on Instagram and love her stylish, easy tips for eco-friendly living.
Monica explains that even small changes can make a big difference. If each person reduces their impact and encourages others to do the same, it creates a ripple effect.
She points out that plastic is a huge environmental problem. It takes a lot of oil to make, takes centuries to decompose, and breaks down into microplastics that harm wildlife. We’re creating tons of plastic, and most of it isn’t recycled.
Monica suggests five easy ways to be greener:
1. **Reusable shopping bags:** Americans use hundreds of billions of plastic bags each year, and most aren’t recycled. Reusable bags are a simple solution. You can even repurpose old bags. Reusable food storage bags are also a great alternative to ziplock bags.
2. **Reusable cleaning cloths:** We use a massive amount of paper towels annually. Reusable cloths, like e-cloths, clean effectively with just water, saving money and trees.
3. **Reusable cups and bottles:** Billions of plastic water bottles and coffee cups are used and discarded every year. Switching to reusable options makes a significant difference. Monica recommends a large, easy-to-clean water bottle and a stylish reusable coffee cup.
4. **Recycling:** We all know recycling is important. But what about items that aren’t usually recycled? TerraCycle takes hard-to-recycle items like personal care packaging and electronics.
5. **Reusable straws:** Millions of plastic straws end up in landfills and oceans each day. Reusable straws are a simple way to reduce plastic waste. There are many stylish and practical options available, like metal, silicone, or glass straws.
These small changes add up. Once you start, they’ll become part of your routine, and you’ll be making a real difference for the environment.