Being sustainable is difficult and expensive, particularly as a student, writes Jessie Goodwin. Here are some simple changes you can make to begin you sustainability journey.
Being sustainable is difficult and expensive, particularly as a student. However, its important we realise being perfect isn’t necessary, it’s the small changes that, when we work together, make a difference. Here are some simple changes you can make to begin you sustainability journey.
Avoiding fast fashion
Selling clothes online or doing a swap with your friends is always a good way to get rid of some clutter and level up your sustainability, too! Fish out all the clothes that are too small, too big, or just not your style anymore and make a diy shop with your friends. You get space in your wardrobe, new clothes and a little extra cash. Charity shops are also a great place to find some bargains, whether it’s some basics or an very out there fur jacket. We need to stop buying from large corporations that don’t have the workers’ wellbeing and ethical sources in mind – not mentioning any names! Make sure you are buying pieces that last for years, and you could be giving them to your grandchildren years from now. My nan does this now!
Eating leftovers for lunch
Something we are not great at but are getting better at is not wasting food. We all buy the apples on a healthy Sunday shop with the intentions of eating them, but when it gets to Friday you’ve eaten one of the six and the five go in the bin. We must do better. One way to make sure you avoid food waste is by eating leftover dinner (pasta, fajitas, chilli, the list goes on) for lunch the next day. Or maybe even dinner if you have been over ambitious with the portion sizes. Whilst it may get tedious to repeat meals you are seriously helping the planet.
Toiletry swaps
Use a bamboo toothbrush instead of a plastic one. It’s such a simple swap but it avoids your toothbrush living in the ocean for the remainder of your life and mine. Use a face, shampoo, conditioner and shaving bar instead of buying aerosol and plastic bottles. Whilst it may be more expensive at first, in the long run you are saving money, as well as the ocean!
Take a tote bag everywhere
M&S, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, a charity shop 0 wink wink. It’s so easy to just pick up one of the numerous uni totes you have been given for your groceries rather than the plastic bag, that then stays in your cupboard because it’s not cool to carry around, but a tote bag is! Who doesn’t want to be a tote bag girly?
We can not and will not ever be perfect, but we will never even come close if we do not try! It’s an added worry on our minds along with the thousands of essays, assignments and shopping lists floating around in there. But it’s arguably the most important. Whilst we may not be seeing consequences right now, they are yet to come, and I for one don’t want to witness them. So let’s work together to live more consciously and sustainably.