Top 9 ways to start your sustainable journey

Hi there,

Thanks for stopping by! If you're a bit like us, you have every intention of doing the right thing by our wonderful planet, but sometimes it's just a little hard to know where to start. For us, and maybe for you, building your own veggie patch or installing solar panels on your roof may be just a bit too daunting to start with. That's why, today we've compiled our list of nine easy tips to help you get kick off your eco-friendly lifestyle.

We hope you find these useful!

1) Opt for products in glass instead of plastic. This applies to products in your kitchen as well as your bathroom, e.g. olive oil, skin care, make up etc. 

2) Save the peels, tops and ends of vegetables when cooking. You can freeze these, and later make a simple vegetable stock to add into future recipes. You can do this with carrot skins, onions, potato peels etc.

3) Implement a 'one in, one out' rule when you buy any new products, for your kitchen, wardrobe and bathroom cabinet. 

4) Take your own produce bags to the supermarket so you're not resorting to the flimsy plastic bags still available in many stores. Reusable cloth produce bags reduce plastic usage and offer an easy way to pack your loose fruits and veggies.

5) Start your own indoor herb garden. You can pick up a couple of mini herb pots at your local Bunnings, supermarket or nursery. All you need is a potted plant, a saucer and a sunny windowsill to get started. 

6) Try out Meatless Mondays. A plant based diet is rich in nutrients, prevents animal cruelty and can be better for your wallet. Try tofu, cottage cheese or (our favourite) paneer for extra protein.

7) Skip the cling wrap. Reusable silicone lids and beeswax wraps offer far more sustainable, durable and cost-effective ways to keep your food fresh for longer.

8) Look for companies that offer warranties on their products. This shows that the company is prepared to stand by the high quality and durability of their items. Having to buy less items (e.g. TVs, hair straighteners, kitchen appliances etc) reduces landfill and the hole in your pocket.

9) Turn it off. This applies to almost every switch around the house (excluding the fridge, obviously). But TVs, chargers, toasters, microwaves, basically anywhere that can be easily and safely reached should be switched off.to reduce your electricity consumption (and your bill).

These are our top nine tips for getting started on your eco-friendly lifestyle. You may already be doing some or many of these (go you!), but we hope you've picked up a couple of new ideas along the way.

If you have any new suggestions, we'd love to hear and feature them in an updated list, coming shortly!

Team TSL