Posts Tagged ‘ Straw Free ’

Three Easy Ways to be More Sustainable

Three Easy Ways to Be More Sustainable

We have the power to make changes to our lifestyle that can help ensure a sustainable future for the generations after us. And here’s the thing—it doesn’t have to be a crazy extreme transformation; it just requires making some small changes.

I’m not saying you have to go full-on granola, but every little bit counts. There are some totally easy ways to be more sustainable that you can incorporate into your life.

There are seemingly innocent everyday objects out there like bottle caps and straws that can disrupt entire ecosystems, so why is it so hard to believe that on the flip side, we can’t enact positive change in the tiny choices we make every day?

Adopting just ONE sustainable habit is an AMAZING thing, and chances are that once it becomes a ritual, you’ll start to think about what else you can do.

One of the worst offenders to our planet’s health is single use plastics.  These are plastics that you use once and then throw away like plastic forks, straws, bags, product packaging, etc.

The World Economic Forum predicts that by the year 2050, there will be more plastic floating around in the ocean than fish.  MORE PLASTIC THAN FISH!  That’s crazy!

Thankfully there are some great companies out there working hard to not only lessen their footprint but also help you lessen yours.

Some of these sustainable heroes can be found right here at Fashion Show. I partnered with three of them (Dick’s Sporting Goods, Cotton On and Urban Outfitters) to share with you Three Easy Ways to be More Sustainable.

WARNING- I am going to toss some statistics at you in this post, lol.

Plastic Water Bottles

What better way to beat the heat than grabbing a bottle of water and can find them everywhere.  It’s an innocent seemingly healthy thing we do everyday. In total Americans use around 50 billion plastic water bottles a year and only about 23 percent get recycled,  the majority end up in landfills and the ocean!

Solution- you alone can help keep 156 plastic water bottles out of the oceans every year with one small swap, opt for a HYDROFLASK instead of plastic bottles. HYDROFLASK’s are reusable water bottles that are BPA Free, easy to clean, made of 18/8 food grade stainless steal, and 100% recyclable plus you look pretty cool carrying one. HYDROFLASK available at Dick’s Sporting Goods Fashion Show.

Plastic Shopping Bags

Every time you make a purchase it’s put into a shopping bag right?  Most of those are plastic. Did you know that Americans throw away 100 BILLION plastic bags annually! That’s about 307 bags per person! Guess where they end up?  Yep, our oceans. The #1 man made thing that sailors see in our ocean are plastic bags. It takes 500 (or more) years for a plastic bag to degrade in a landfill. Unfortunately, the bags don’t break down completely but instead photo-degrade, becoming microplastics that absorb toxins and continue to pollute the environment.

Solution- One company that is making huge efforts to have a more positive effect on the environment is fashion retailer Cotton On. They implemented a program to remove ALL plastic shopping bags from their stores and as a result, the Group has stopped 38 million plastic shopping bags from entering the environment annually. You go Cotton On!

As part of the initiative they encourage customers to actively reduce the use of bags by bringing their own shopping bag when making a purchase. To assist in these efforts you can purchase (for just $2) chic, fun reusable totes of which 100% of the proceeds go to The Cotton On Foundation which is focused on empowering youth globally through the delivery of quality educational projects in Uganda, South Africa, Thailand and Australia. Reusable totes available at Cotton On Fashion Show.

Plastic Straws

Over the past couple years what was once a whisper by environmental activists has now become a full on nationwide war cry calling for a ban on plastic straws.

The movement to oust plastic straws has spread across the U.S., from Miami Beach, where straws are now banned, to Malibu, where the prohibition also extends to single-use plastic utensils and stirrers with restaurants moving to either paper straws, bamboo straws or “no-straw” policies.

Solution– It’s so easy!  Order your drink without a straw or bring your own straw. It’s a small sacrifice but a big step to reducing the amount of plastic we produce and waste. I am a HUGE fan of Bamboo straws. Urban Outfitters at Fashion Show carries this cute set that comes with a cleaning brush and pouch to carry them in.

*This post was created in partnership with Fashion Show.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Tips for Living More Sustainably