It’s easy to talk about going green without actually walking the walk (we’ve been guilty of it, too). But guess what? There are some very simple ways that you can start implementing change into your life today to reduce your carbon footprint. Show the world you’re not just planting daisies; you’re planting an entire forest of change—we believe in you!
Here are 9 easy ways you can start:
- Reuse your plastic egg crates. In a perfect world, there would be no plastic egg containers, but if you do buy eggs and you happen buy them in plastic (we have, and we sometimes still do), then keep the containers. Bring them to the shop or market with you along with some twine or rubber bands so that you can buy your eggs without the packaging, then reuse your old containers and tie them shut.
- Ask your laundromat to ditch the plastic wrap. Sure, it’s nice to get a tightly wrapped bundle of clean clothes back from the laundry, but it’s usually tightly wrapped in…single use plastic. If you’ve dropped your laundry off in your own cloth bag, there’s no reason why it needs to be repackaged in an extra layer of plastic post-wash. If you’re a regular at your laundry place, you’ll usually only need to ask once or twice before they remember that you don’t want plastic, like, ever. And if you do your laundry once per week, that’s 52 LESS big plastic wrappers used. Easy.
- Bring your own sealable containers when you go shopping. Bali has been awesome about ditching the plastic bags at the checkout stands which is super cool, but the plastic bags still exist at the produce stations. So, bring some boxes. You can purchase reusable containers at just about any grocery or convenience store on the island. Produce and GoFood deliveries often come in reusable containers as well, so you can save those and bring them with you when you shop. Easy does it.
- Compost. Do you have a yard? Start a compost pile. You can also compost in enclosed bins if you don’t have a yard or you don’t have sufficient ground space available. Here’s a great guide on composting that we think is super comprehensive without being overly complicated – check it out. And happy composting!
- Remember to bring your shopping totes with you! It’s easy to forget the bags, so we just thought we’d remind you to make sure you pack some extras in the boot or under your bike seat in case you make a surprise run to the shop. Sure, you can buy ’em at the checkout counter in most shops, but they add up and they’re not always available at places like the local markets.
- Reusable water bottles. Seriously, ditch the very idea of buying water in plastic bottles, like, yesterday. They’re some of the biggest landfill contributors and there’s really no reason for them. Get a bottle or, if you must, just reuse the plastic ones you already have. One of our favorite hacks is to stock up on water bottles when we travel to the U.S. or the U.K. Shops like T.J. Maxx (or T.K. Maxx in Europe) sell really nice ones for just a few bucks, while a decent jug can be surprisingly pricey in Bali. If you don’t have a trip planned any time soon and you also don’t want to drop serious coin on a fancy water bottle, Mr. DIY has decent ones for around 70k IDR.
- Reusable straws. Glass, silicone, metal, and bamboo reusable straws have been around for a while now. And while a lot of establishments have started swapping out plastic for paper straws, many of these still aren’t even compostable or recyclable. Make it a point to always carry around a reusable straw.
- Make your own food! Whether or not you consider yourself a chef, making your own food doesn’t have to be hard and it’s an awesome way to keep that waste to a minimum. Homemade food means no packaging, an opportunity to compost (hey!), and you get to choose locally sourced, seasonal ingredients meaning you’ll be supporting local farmers and reducing the footprint associated with transporting food over long hauls. Need some ideas? Check out our 3-minute Salsa and our Everyday Smoothie Bowl!
- Grow your own food! It’s actually easier than you think. You don’t have to grow all of your food and go full off-grid homesteader (although doesn’t that sound dreamy?), but you can grow the stuff you use lots of. We use tons of basil and mint when we make food, for example, so we just pluck a few leaves off the top of our herb bunches, stick the cuttings in water until they form roots, and then plant them in pots outside. This way, we never have to buy them at the shop. A quick internet search on “how to propagate [basil or mint] in water using cuttings” will point you in the direction of some super simple tutorials if you need some help. Plus, it’s super gratifying when you grow the stuff yourself!