Sustainable swaps
October 10th is World Sustainability Day and I thought I’d talk about some of the swaps I have made already. I really think making small but regular changes is the easiest way to make change and to make sure those changes are long term. It’s a lot easier to incorporate one or two differences at a time and build from there. Focusing too much on perfection, especially if you are an anxious person, can make it harder to build long term habits.
As sustainability becomes more mainstream it also makes it easier to change your habits as there are more choices and alternatives are easier to find. I’ve been using metal straws for over a year now (and there are so many lovely options now) and have found the change really easy.
Not only can you wash and reuse them but they look sophisticated in flavoured wine spritzes! But I cannot fully back a plastic straw ban knowing there are disabled people that require them. Changes should be about what works for you and not blanket enforcing them on everyone without regards to their needs. I also have some pretty paper straws for when I don’t have enough metal ones to go around.
Obviously, one of my biggest changes has been swapping to my reusable silk ‘cotton pads’. I spent quite a long time testing my own silk face pads before launching them and I thought the hardest convert would be my mum. But the softness of silk on her face and the ease of using the mesh wash bag in her bathroom to keep them in until they need washing has been quite a revelation and changed both of our habits far quicker than I had thought!
Finally, I have just switched to using a shampoo bar. My preconceptions were not good and I’m not even sure why as I have found every switch so far to be fine. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to create enough lather to properly wash my thick hair. I’ve been using a bar from Pure Nuff Stuff and have found my hair actually feels cleaner as I am massaging my scalp more with the bar itself. I bought mine from Infinity Foods in Brighton and found so much choice for shampoo bars that I can picked the one I like the smell of most! The lather is smoother and not as bubbly as you might be used to but when rinsed out it feels squeaky clean!
My next change is going to be reusable food wraps instead of cling film. What changes have you made and which swaps are you planning on making next?
