The Areas Of My Life Where I'm Trying To Be More Sustainable
There are parts my lives I feel I’m doing really well in terms of sustainability but there are others where I’m falling behind a little. I know there is a huge buzz around being eco-friendly at the moment (which is great as it's incredibly important) but it can lead to people not feeling like they’re doing enough or perfect but I’m not sure that is something that exists when it comes to being kinder to our planet. Despite what some might say small changes do make a big difference and if all make the small changes that are feasible to us then that’s when big changes will happen and these are all the areas that I’m trying to make a change with right now.
PERIOD
My periods aren’t something that I discuss a lot online as, to be honest, I feel like I have nothing to add to the conversation. I’ve been incredibly blessed with rather light and relatively pain-free periods which is not something I take for granted at all as I’ve seen my mum and my sister go through about hell with theirs. I’m currently a tampon user and whilst I have no qualms with them they obviously, aren’t eco-friendly in the slightest. Something I think I want to try for my periods as they are so light is something like Modi Bodi or Thinx. I know menstrual cups are a popular option and my best friend absolutely swears by hers but for some reason, it’s something that really scares me and not something I think will work for me so I’d like to go with the underwear option.
DOGS
Something that my weird shaped long dogs have forced me to do is shop from small businesses whether that be for their jumpers or their food and that is something that makes me so happy as supporting small businesses is a wonderful thing to do be able to do. Not too long ago I switched over to bar dog soap from The Dog And I which I cannot recommend enough as not only is it zero waste but it’s undoubtedly the best dog shampoo I’ve used. Summer is rife for every dog owners most hated smell...fox poo and it can be an absolute nightmare to get out of your dog's fur and get rid of the smell completely but this works wonders. There are a few different scent combinations but personally, I love the Lemongrass, Citronella, Peppermint & Spearmint as it leaves the girls smelling beautiful and sparkling clean. There are a couple of areas where I’m looking to make a change to be more eco-friendly and that is with their poo bags and also their treats. There is a new brand of biodegradable poo bags called Adios Plastic and what makes me want to buy these is that they are made from corn starch. Which means they’ll biodegrade faster than any of the other options out there as the current options on the market are only eco-friendly in certain environments. And treat wise I need to get back into the habit of making their treats from scratch as it’s something that I love doing and they adore anything we make which makes them great for training as they are way more intrigued by them.
BEAUTY
I’ve mentioned in a couple of blog posts that there are some eco-friendly changes I want to make in my beauty routine and I find beauty is one of the easiest areas of my life to make them. Reusable cotton rounds are something that has been on my to-buy list for what feels like forever but now I’ve had some feedback about what they’re good for and what not to use them with makes me feel more secure in my decision to make the switch. I’ve been a user of flannels for my proper cleanses for years so that’s already an area where I’ve cut down on waste and not only is it better for the planet but I always feel like my skin is so much cleaner when I use a flannel. One of the areas where I need to make a big change is in my dental hygiene routine, I won’t be switching from my electric toothbrush as that would be super wasteful but I know there are more eco friendly toothpaste options and something I’m going to be purchasing soon are these floss sticks that are made out corn starch instead of plastic as that was one area I was struggling.
CLOTHING
The concept of a capsule wardrobe is something that I’ve been following for a few years now and I’ve drastically cut back on how much I buy and try to be as considered as possible with my purchases. I used to be such an emotional shopper which was not only really damaging for me but obviously buying so many things was awful for the planet. Now when I buy something it’s super considered and I very rarely make impulse purchases which means everything I do buy typically stays in my wardrobe for a really long time. Any clothing item that I don’t find myself using as much I always try to sell on if I’m able to then anything then is a little too worn to be sold is always donated. I make sure nothing is ever thrown away unless it’s something that can’t be donated or sold like underwear or socks. Something that I’m trying to do a lot more at the moment is shop second hand and I’ve done that quite a bit over the past month and I’ve found some incredible items and there is something so satisfying about finding something you love and being able to give it a new lease of life. I’m currently favouring eBay and Depop as I find it makes it easier to narrow down your search but I know so many people love a good charity shop treasure hunt.
