If the past two years have taught us anything, it’s that we work better together. Synergism — the interaction between two or more that creates a greater effect than the sum of their separate activities. Nothing works better than working together. Get your friends together, your family, and your co-workers and work together this year to help make 2022 the year of sustainability, recycling, and reusing.
Avoid single-use products when you’re able to. We’re not telling you to quit cold turkey overnight. There are small things you can do such as getting a reusable cup and straw to get your morning coffee. Instead of using sandwich bags for your lunches at work and school, try using beeswax wraps or simply reusable sandwich bags. EVERY effort counts!
Buy everything second-hand when you can. Buying things second-hand gets a bad rap. Most think when you do so you’re getting someone's crummy leftovers or even a broken or dismantled thing that you’ll have to spend years renovating. Let’s set the record straight — most antique and thrift stores have become very popular in the years and in doing so, provide adequate if not very-well-kept items for sale nowadays. You can purchase furniture, clothes, old appliances, purses and accessories, books, video games, gaming consoles, pots and pans, anything your heart desires. This is a great alternative as it gives life back to old things as well as allows them to stay out of the landfill. Try donating your things as well!
If you are buying, try to purchase from sustainable and eco-friendly brands. Whether this is the small general store in your hometown, a woman three houses down that sells eggs, or through weekend farmers markets — there is always a chance to shop not only sustainably but giving local producers and like-minded people the chance to help change the world.
Search for clean energy in your area. If there is one major change you could do this year for yourself and the environment, it would be looking into a source of clean energy for the years to come. This could be as simple as a solar-powered straightener or investing in full-sized solar panels to keep your house and perhaps your neighborhood in environmental check (doing so may also help in decreasing your bills).
Encourage changes in transportation. Transporting yourself to work every day via car is enticing. For some, it is a necessity, others find it as a rather relaxing part of the day before work begins, others do it because they don’t want to put up with seeing others in the morning and after work. All of these are popular reasons why more people don’t take public transportation to work. However, if you were to switch out just one day a week taking a train or bus instead of your vehicle, it may make a sharp difference in the long run.
Buy biodegradable when you can. Biodegradable trash bags, toothbrushes, packaging (kudos to SKIMS by Kim K), and not forgetting to compost where possible. If you believe you can't compost due to where you live, research and see if there are any composting facilities close to you.
Be conscious of consumerism. Do you need more makeup? More hair care products? More socks? More plastic-based materials that will sit in your closet for God only knows how long before seeing the light of day? Here is an easy tip → when you go shopping, take everything you want and put it into a cart, when you’re ready to check out ask yourself exactly what it is that’s in your cart; if you can name everything in it, buy those things if you can’t, avoid buying it. A lot of us tend to buy things because it is a source of happiness or boost our dopamine levels. This year, try replacing retail therapy with something more sustainable such as yoga, a boxing class, or a night out with friends to avoid the toxic cycle of buying things you don’t need.
Encourage ‘reduce’, ‘reuse’, ‘recycle’. Reduce the amount of waste you consume. Reuse what you can; whether a jar, a bottle, a notebook, or broken furniture (it’s 2022, we can fix anything with Youtube). Recycle everything; lightbulbs, batteries, paper and cardboard, metal, glass, loose-plastic, and newspapers.
We’ve long taken advantage of the earth and what it can give to us: clean air, clean water, clean soil, and clean life. It is not ALL up to us, but consumerism works with supply and demand. If we can demand fewer toxic and unsustainable products, we can help in changing how the market operates. Let’s try to focus on being better this year. We all know we need it.
<3 VIRON, Environmental Services
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