In light of #plasticfreejuly, someone asked me yesterday about how I started to incorporate a more “green” way of living and it took me a while to think about. My journey started about a little over a year ago, but I can also say that my aunt and grandma were the ones who truly showed me ways to reduce and reuse products while growing up. They taught me to treat things with care so that they would last me a long time. As a kid, I used to think reusing a container was gross or using a rag to clean the counter was icky; however, my thoughts on this have obviously changed. My Peruvian family that immigrated to the US did this as a way to save money and create less waste. So, these ideas permeated with me since childhood, and I am so grateful that my great aunt showed me how to stretch a penny.
If I had to narrow down how to start in three ways, here is what I would focus on:
To-Go Items
So, the first thing I started with was my trips to the market or farmer’s market or any to-go items. I thought about what I could use at home to carry our produce home. I made it a habit and sometimes I forgot my bags. I would say that in itself was a huge leap for my family and I. I made sure to always have two utensil kits, a to-go cup, reusable straw in a bag. You can even reuse containers for your to-go bag. I use lemon oil to get rid of labels on jars and use that to store leftovers in my fridge or to-go snacks for Juniper. I also love stasher bags for snacks! I store all of my reusable bags in a large straw bag, so they are all in one place and I can just take that bag when we go grocery shopping.
Buy Less or Borrow
The second thing I thought about was clothing. I wanted to buy from companies that believed in packaging that involved less waste on the planet or to make my own version of what I needed. This is really difficult, especially when the cost of shopping small can be high at times, but I’d rather have less clothing that I wear often than a closet full of clothes that I would never wear. I am totally guilty of this in the past when I used to work in retail. Another great option would be to buy second-hand or slightly damaged products. For example, this top that I am wearing I purchased from a “seconds” sale meaning it was slightly damaged in some way from Harly Jae.
DIY
I started making my own cleaning products and I am still trying to navigate this. I’ve been making my own cleaning products with oils or other plant materials to have non-toxic products in my house. I’m slowly making myself everyday products like a face oil, toner, etc. right now too.
Also, this lifestyle is truly a journey and a slow process. I am not perfect with it. I think the most important thing throughout this entire process is to take one thing at a time and accept it is not something that happens overnight. And, that’s OK.