No. 48: Incorporating sustainable habits into your daily routine

Spoiler alert: if you don't have Ecosia and Libby, you're missing out!

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May 01, 2023

Hi, welcome back, and happy May! Today we’ll be exploring some small sustainable habits you can implement into your daily routine. This isn’t a new idea (there are plenty of blog posts/articles just like this), but I wanted to share a few examples that weren’t as obvious…? Please vote in the poll at the very bottom!! :)

Large scale impacts of individual collectivism (6 examples)

While small impacts by on or two individuals don’t add up, if we all adopted 2-3 of these habits and shared them with others, it would have a slightly larger impact! Although individualism and collectivism are distinctly different, they can work together for immense positive change.

When an individual’s opinion diverges from that of a larger community, they tend to avoid any conflicts that could arise from the expression of a different opinion. As a result, individuals are less likely to voice their own interests. However, in an individualistic culture, relationships between people are more tenuous and individuals are given the responsibility of looking after themselves and their own families. Employees’ value and their organisation’s perception of them can be reflected through the allocation of resources; as a result, employees will pay attention to achievement and personal gain in their work. These two cultures, collectivism and individualism, can influence people’s tendency to engage in environmental behaviour in different ways. On the one hand, the former tends to prompt people to consider the impact of individual behaviour on others. Therefore, the behaviour of collectivists tends to be driven by social norms, and these people are shown to be more willing to share scarce resources.

(Qu et al., 2023)

mountain cover with trees — Photo by Ostap Senyuk on Unsplash

When you wake up… Set your alarm tone to an earthy sound, something more tranquil and less artificial. It’s a simple way to “reconnect” with nature. (A 2021 study suggests nature sounds like bird noises, wind, and rain may decrease pain and stress, boost mood, and enhance cognitive performance)

When getting dressed… don’t be afraid to re-wear! Also, try to explore clothing items that are not in your regular rotation, and try to dress for the weather, maybe with layers, before adjusting to the thermostat (if you even can).

When eating breakfast (and all meals)… consider the food’s emission life before the packaging. For example, avocados have only ‘natural packaging’ but their environmental (and ethical) impacts are more severe. Likewise, palm oil is an even more destructive ingredient found in many pre-made American foods. I am also trying to eat plants grown in the corresponding season. Here’s a helpful guide (U.S.) to consider. These will also likely be cheaper, as well.

*Green-washing alert* While it’s true running your dishwasher uses less water than hand washing, just because Cascade tells you to “do it every night” (even when it’s not full), does not make it more sustainable. Running it once it’s full is the best option, saving energy, water, and money!

When grocery shopping… consider buying produce that’s on sale (going bad soon) if you know you’ll eat it. It’s also cheaper! Super basic, but also try to bring your own bags, and if you forget, check if your store carries paper. My local Kroger does, but it’s hidden at the self-checkout.

When dining out… try to bring reusable take-out containers (I’m still working on this!). I also try to let the server know when I’m ordering a drink (or I just bring my water bottle in) that I would not like a straw, please. But if you need a straw for any reason, that’s okay! They can be a helpful tool/aid and I think we desperately need to abandon the anti-straw gatekeep sustainability culture!

Share your journey with others! If someone asks why you avoid plastic bags, let them know why the climate crisis matters to you, and should to them, too. It can be hard when simple conversations turn into defensive arguments, so here is a helpful guide from the Nature Conservancy on how to approach such discussions.

Further reading:

23 Sustainable Habits to Adopt in 2023 (Forbes)

Why are Sustainable Products More Expensive and Are They Worth It?

By Onwubiko Okem

Here are 8 more things that you could do to help the environment:

Use renewable energy sources instead of fossil fuels.
Choose walking, cycling, or public transportation over driving whenever feasible.
Avoid being wasteful and only purchase items that you actually need.
Eliminate single-use products from your shopping list. Reuse items as much as possible and purchase compostable or recyclable products if necessary.
- If buying in packaging (my grocery store has ZERO bulk/no packaging options), seek out aluminum or glass (to be reused).
Always put your waste in the correct recycling bin to maximize its recyclability.
- Be sure to check with your community’s recycling guidelines!!
Bring reusable bags with you when you go grocery shopping to reduce the use of plastic bags.
- And try not to buy any new, you might have more than you think! (Coming from personal experience.)
Participate in tree-planting initiatives and support conservation efforts to help preserve the environment.
- Install Ecosia as your search engine, which responsibly plants trees from the ad revenue of about 45 searches. (If you are using a school/work device and the extension is blocked, you can bookmark the website and still search from there.)
  Books I read last month

Thought I’d share what I read in April! Reading is the key to being informed, and it’s fun, too. I’m almost done with Braiding Sweetgrass, I’m just taking my time reading it… P.S. these were all read digitally through my library! If you don’t have Libby, you should seriously get it.

From the top left,

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin - good, a little disappointing

Cover Story by Susan J Fowler - gave me secondhand embarrassment from the most unlikable characters

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams - yet another reminder of the hellscape of the 1940s for women and POC

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz - SO good, little spooky and explicit

Counterfeit by Kristin Chen - more secondhand embarrassment/anxiety

Fight Night by Miriam Toews - wholesome, not very much fighting, short read

These were all labelled as adult fiction (I stray from YA, too much romance, not enough plot for me), but the second and fourth books read as YA. What did you read last month? Share below! ;)