Earth Day 2020 - How I Do Better For the Planet (and you can too!)

Every year on Earth Day I take a few minutes to consider my personal impact toward the global environment and sustainability issues. How I am reducing my global impact? Is there anything I can do better? I recently was watching some sustainable/eco-friendly/minimalism youtubers and I have learned one thing...I need to do better!

I am on an everlasting quest to stop buying products that come in plastic bottles. I know, I have a weakness for packaged frozen veggies and strawberries/raspberries that come in plastic containers. My pantry and cleaning closet are FILLED with plastic bottles, packaging, etc. My bread comes in a plastic sleeve (WHYYYY though???). I drive and travel too much so my carbon footprint is large.

Out of curiosity I checked my carbon footprint online and I was above both the country and world averages. Yikes. Most of my carbon footprint comes from my car though and with all I travel for work I'm not sure how to reduce that!

I know there is so much I can do better and I am working on it. But here are some of the ways I "reduce, reuse, and recycle" and some ways you can too.

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

The ways that I try to reduce my consumption are:

1. I make sure to use reusable shopping bags every time I go to a store, especially when grocery shopping. I leave my large reusable totes in my trunk so I never forget them. I also do without those pesky plastic produce bags! I have a stash of reusable mesh produce bags in my reusable totes for when I'm buying vegetables, potatoes, etc. Then I have a really compact reusable tote that I keep in my purse (it compresses down to 2x4" size) for more spur of the moment shopping. 

2. I do not drink anything that comes in a plastic bottle. No bottled water for me. I drink exclusively tap or filtered water that I put in my reusable water bottles. I am never without my water bottle! If you are a big soda or seltzer water consuming, maybe consider investing in a Soda Stream. My sister has one and loves it! She uses it all the time.

3.  I try not to use products that come in plastic bottles. However, a glance around my bathroom definitely shows I can do better. I use shampoo and conditioner bars rather than bottled items. My toothpaste are bits and come in glass containers. But my face wash is still in a plastic bottle. 

4. I try to reduce the produce we buy by growing out own. However, I do not have much of a green thumb and so I only have luck with tomatoes..

5. I store all of our food in reusable and recyclable glass containers. I also keep a reusable plate, bowl, mug, and set of silverware in my desk drawer at work (not that that's been getting much use since we've been on quarantine). 

6. I try to recycle as much as I can. I never throw anything in the trash that can be recycled.

I know there are so many things I can do to reduce my impact on the environment. And I am always looking for ways to do better.

Do you have any tips to better reduce, reuse, recycle?