First of all, I would like to wish you a happy new year, yes I know that it’s nearly Februari already. I took a short break, but it’s time to get back into the swing of it. I want to start first post of the new year by talking about one of my favorite topics, sustainability. Sustainable living has been high on my radar in 2019. As a result I’ve been invested into making sustainable changes. We often think that living more sustainable means a drastic lifestyle change but there are many small changes you can make, which can make a big difference. Today I am sharing 3 changes that I made this past year.
Use reusable cups & straws
Probably the most well known change you can make is using reusable cups & straws. I live in one of the bigger cities in the Netherlands where grabbing a coffee to go, is a common thing to do on your daily commute. Even though you might be too much in a rush to make your coffee at home, you can bring your own cup, for your daily coffee. An added bonus is that you often end up paying less for your coffee, due to the bring your own cup discount. When it comes to straws, I notice that the awareness isn’t really there yet. I was on the lookout for a convenient way to use reusable straws when I discovered BamBaw on instagram.
Bambaw is a brand that offer various sustainable lifestyle items, ranging from straws, toothbrushes and cotton pads. All the products that Bambaw offers are zero-waste and are often made from bamboo, hence the name. I received the metal straw set* (€17,99), which comes with 4 metals straws, 2 cleaning tools, 2 bamboo cases and a pouch to keep everything together. The best part of this set is in my opinion the bamboo container. It’s sleek, so it will fit in most bags, but protects the straw from getting dirty before use or ruining your bag after use. The quality of this set is amazing and this set, as many other Bambaw products are very reasonable priced. As someone with Celiac disease it’s also very convenient to always have a clean straw or clean cup with me to decrease the chance of cross contamination. Reusable cups and straws have really become an essential for me.
Bring your own bags to the grocery store
A pretty straightforward thing to do, but it does make such a difference. I often used to buy a bag in the store out of pure convenience. The past year however I really have been forcing myself to bring my reusable bag. In the rare case that I forget to bring it, I simply force myself to carry the products in my hands. I also bought some reusable produce bags so I can buy fruit and vegetables that aren’t wrapped in plastic.
Switch up your cleaning routine
One the cleaning front there are quite a few things you can change, if you want to be more sustainable. You can choose eco-friendly cleaning products and laundry detergent, use washable cleaning wipes & wash your clothes less and colder. I personally try to implement all these changes. Although I sometimes still find myself using anti-bacterial wipes for a quick clean, they other changes have become part of my routine.
Have you made any sustainable changes in 2019?
Love, Meryl
*The straw set mentioned in the blogpost was gifted by Bambaw. All opinions are my own.