The other day I was scrolling through Tik Tok and came across a girl who revolves her life around living sustainably. It was super impressive to see how she based the actions she made on how it would affect the world around us. With the username “0wastecleaning,” the woman shows different habits such as food saving tips, non-toxic cleaners, pet friendly products, and so much more! Although that lifestyle might seem extreme or unrealistic for most of us, it got me thinking that it wouldn’t be so hard to make small changes in our everyday lives for the better of the environment.
Truthfully, you don’t have to shift or change your whole life to make a difference. Adding small habits into one’s life is enough to join this movement, such as carrying a metal water bottle rather than using plastic water bottles every day. Reese Wehner (11) states, “Carrying my Stanley instead of using plastic bottles or cups is a simple habit that helps me reduce waste every day.” While these actions might seem insignificant to the blind eye, over time they are helping make an impact in the bettering of the earth.
A couple of simple actions you can partake in is picking up trash when you see it. To help clean up the earth, you don’t have to join groups or attend clean ups; simply picking up the plastic bag during your afternoon walk makes a difference. Abby Reddick (12) shares, “When I go to the beach, I like to pick up trash when I see it on the sand, and it feels super rewarding knowing that I helped the earth and wildlife.”
Even habits such as shopping make a difference. Giving into fast fashion can be easy because of its convenience and price, but at the end of the day, it is a huge contributor to pollution, so consider thrifting or re-using outfits instead of buying new clothes unnecessarily. This might be something you would’ve never thought of when thinking about being more sustainable, but there are hundreds of times in which we can choose the better, more sustainable route.
A great takeaway from the girl’s Tik Tok was that she showed how she started with small changes and gradually became more inspired to do even more over time. This shows that you can always start small, and with consistency and dedication, habits will stick over time, eventually becoming a part of one’s life. All in all, being sustainable isn’t about living in an extreme way, but about making small changes in our daily routines. It all starts with something as simple as choosing to care.
