Nature inspires…

As conscious consumers we put in a lot of work to preserve what matters to us and we face a lot of challenges. It’s not easy to be an environmentalist and read news about Trump’s plans to limit the EPA and increase fossil fuel extraction.

It’s good to be informed, but constantly reading negative news will take it’s toll and it’s important to remind yourself what’s worth fighting for.

So while this may be the easiest and most enjoyable habit of all, it’s also one of the most important. Because without the inspiration to make a change, all other efforts will be mute.

Habit #29: Enjoy nature regularly so you can stay inspired

More Benefits

Apart from inspiring us to stay true to our eco habits, nature can help decrease:

• stress
• anxiety
• depression

Good News: You don’t have to backpack the John Muir Trail to get these health benefits. A Stanford study showed that just taking a walk through a natural area such as a park can have considerable health benefits.

What’s your daily nature fix?

Use a habit you already have to make it easier to add a new habit you want…

When you pair a nature activity with something you already do daily it becomes an easy habit rather than another line on your to-do list. If you associate a nature walk with something else in your routine like morning coffee or your lunch break, it will seamlessly integrate into your day to day life.

• Take your dogs to the park for their morning walk
• Walk to lunch from work (and plan out a route with nature in it)
• Go for a bike ride after dinner
• Work in the garden twice a week
• (see more in the resources section)

Your Action Item

Get out! Try to enjoy nature on a daily basis, even if it’s just a lunch time walk in the park. You’ll be surprised how much of a difference it can make in your life.

<< #28 Embrace Minimalism

Resources:

Stanford researchers find mental health prescription: Nature

A simple study with clear results. Watch this two minute video to see how science is proving that our connection to nature has health implications.

The Psychological Benefits of Spending Time in Nature

Along with explaining how nature improves mental health, this article has several more tips on how you can integrate nature into your daily life.

6 Amazing Things That Happen When You Spend Time in Nature

The title says it all… this is a quick read!

Embrace minimalism…

More and more Americans are realizing the downsides of our over consumption and the upsides of returning to the basics.

Apart from improving quality of life, the minimalists featured in this documentary are drastically reducing their environmental impact. As we learned in the start of this 30 day guide, the biggest thing we can do to shrink our environmental impact is to decrease our consumption.

Your Action Item

Have a movie night! Take an evening to learn about minimalism and see if it’s right for you.

Resources:

The Minimalists Film: Minimalism

The TEDx

If you prefer you can watch the creators of the Minimalism film, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus give a TED Talk about minimalism.

Becoming Minimalist

Joshua Becker is an expert minimalist who provides personal insights, stories, and practical guides to living the minimalist lifestyle.

How much stuff do you have? And how much of it do you really need?

The average American home (I know you’re anything but average 😙) has tripled in size in the last 50 years, and yet 1 in 10 Americans still uses offsite storage for their stuff…

We’ve even got a television show dedicated to helping the extreme hoarders clean out their homes. This is real, America.

We know stuff doesn’t make us happy, but for some reason we can’t help but pile it up everywhere we can fit it. To break free from this cycle takes practice and discipline, but like anything, you really just need to take the first step.

The reason I’ve included reducing your excess stuff in 30toEco is because I believe your surroundings influence your decisions and this habit can indirectly reduce your footprint. If you are actively working to keep a simple, tidy home, it will influence your shopping behavior and encourage you to consume less which is the best thing we can do to reduce our environmental impact.

Stop it at the source

Cutting off the flow of stuff into your home is first and foremost. Just like tracking what we throw out (habit #12), tracking what we buy will also make us conscious of what we’re taking on, so instead of subconsciously filling our garages we can make a concerted effort to keep it simple.

Trim the fat

Actively eliminating clutter from your home can have a surprising impact on how you feel and can help inspire you stop junk accumulation from the source too. Many are liberated by minimalism when they get rid of all the excess that burdens them and while it isn’t for everyone, it’s worth a try.

Note: It’s important to make decluttering a routine so that you don’t just do it once and then never think about it again.

I recommend making it a weekly or monthly routine – something you can set an alarm for or write on your calendar. This way you pick up a new habit of reducing your unnecessary belongings so it becomes second nature rather than a chore you push to the back of your mind.

Your Action Item

Cultivate the mindset that less is more and get into the habit of decluttering your home.

May the force be with you:

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Resources:

How To: Stop Accumulating Worthless Stuff

In this more detailed guide, I walk you through the why and how of moving toward minimalism.

21 Statistics

Some surprising stats on America’s consumer culture.

Minimalism

If you’re interested in learning more about minimalism, I recommend starting here. These dudes cover it all and do a really good job of it.

BYOC…

Disposable cutlery is kind of a big deal.

China produces about 80 Billion pairs of disposable chopsticks every year. That’s about 20 Million 20 year old trees. And you can bet the US’s addiction to plastic silverware isn’t much better…

Some progressive restaurants are moving toward eco-friendly to-go packaging and utensils, but even so, we are putting way too much energy and resources into single use products than is necessary. Most restaurants still use styrofoam or plastic containers, plastic utensils, and plastic bags, and while eating in will solve this issue most of the time, we don’t always have that luxury.

Since I’ve started to carry my own fork, spoon, and chopsticks, (plus a handkerchief) I’ve been really surprised at how much plastic I give back to vendors and they’ve been surprised to see me reject it haha.

Upon receiving my to-go meal I take the food out of the plastic bag, place the utensils (usually individually wrapped in their own plastic covering), the napkins, and any other random accessories into the bag, then hand it back to the vendor.

I admit it was a bit weird the first three times, but after starting this habit it seems ridiculous for me not to carry my own utensils and handkerchief.

Your Action Item

BYOC – Bring your own cutlery.

Cut out the excess:

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Resources:

5 Reasons to Carry Your Own

A little more in-depth if you’re not convinced already.

The BYOC Movement

This article from the Guardian provides some interesting historical context and a little inspiration from the BYOC (chopsticks) movement gaining momentum in Japan.

Pay it forward…

While microplastics may be too small to spot, we can easily see the big pieces of refuse that are an eye sore to our shared outdoor spaces.

Nothing gets my goat like a pile of food wrappers on the beach as I’m heading in from a surf session. I used to look in disgust and ask myself “what’s wrong with people?” as I walked by, disappointed in humanity.

While it still disappoints me, I’ve changed my perspective a bit. A few years ago I started picking up the trash I saw on my way in from surfing so I wouldn’t see it the next time I went out. Over time I realized this simple action not only cleaned up the beach one small bit at a time, but it actually changed my entire outlook on the situation.

Now, instead of having a bad taste in my mouth from the people who at the beach before me, I think instead about the people who are behind me. I break the chain and try to make the beach a better experience for those who will arrive after me.

Simply: If you leave a place cleaner that when you found it, we’ll always be improving.

The new litter philosophy

When you pick up even a few pieces of trash in a public space you will accomplish two things (apart from making that space cleaner):

1. You’ll make someone else’s day better. The next person that walks the path you’re on won’t have to have that same wtf feeling you had, because the trash won’t be there for them to see. Even though they don’t know it, you’re making their day better and you should feel good about that.
2. When someone else does see you picking up trash that isn’t yours, they’ll be inspired. It’s so refreshing to see someone go out of their way to improve our shared outdoor spaces. It makes my day better just seeing that and it inspires me to pay it forward too.

Your Action Item

Change your perspective and pick up a new habit. Instead of snickering at a piece of litter on the beach or on a trail, pick it up. Try it a few times and see how this changes your perspective and how it influences others.

Pick up good habits:

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Resources:

Everyday Environmentalist

Some more inspiration for you from the NRDC blog.

10 Reasons to Pick Up 10 Pieces of Trash

The 10 pieces movement!

Microplastics, macro problems…

If you’re refilling from habit #23 then you won’t have to worry about microplastics, but if you’re not yet, you need to know about this.

Just like bottled water, microplastics are a huge environmental problem that most people either don’t know about or outright ignore.

What are microplastics?

Microplastics (aka microbeads) are tiny pieces of plastic used in personal care products. They are most often added as an abrasive to hand soaps, face cleaners, and even toothpastes to act as an exfoliant, but they can also be found in hair sprays, deodorant, eyeshadow, and more.

What’s the problem?

The main issue with microplastics is that they end up in our waterways and eventually accumulate in the food chain which we then ingest. Because microplastics are so small they are almost impossible to clean up once they are in our waterways. There are also personal health concerns with plastics being ingested directly during use, but I’m not going to be covering that here.

This graphic from beatthemircrobead.org provides a simple overview:

Products that commonly have microplastics:

• face wash
• hand soaps
• body wash
• deodorants
• hair spray
• sunscreen
• “scrubs”
• shaving cream

How to avoid microplastics:

• Check brands via the Beat The Bead list
• Scan an item with the Beat The Microbead App
• Reference this list of microplastics and check the ingredients of the product in question
• Look for the “Zero Plastic Inside Logo” – companies displaying this logo have declared all of their products are microplastic free.

Your Action Item

Learn to recognize products that contain microplastics (microbeads) and avoid them at all costs.

Learn good from bad:

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Resources:

Beat The Bead

Find out if the brands / products you use have microbeads. You can also learn more about microbeads in their FAQ section.

Beat The Microbead App

Yes, of course there is an app for that! Scan a product and see if it has microbeads in it.

The forgotten r…

You’re already reducing, reusing, recycling, and even repurposing… but are you ready to refill?

Personal Care & Household Products

It’s pretty ridiculous that we buy a new plastic bottle every time we run out of shampoo, shower gel, lotion, handsoap, and countless other personal care / household products.

You can go the minimalist route and stick to the basics, like a bar of soap or Dr. Bronner’s 18-in-1, which will make your life much simpler. Or, you can find a soap refill center so you don’t have to buy new plastic bottles every time you re-up.

Refill centers were born to reduce our environmental impact so you can rest assured that you are supporting a good cause and you’ll also be choosing from options that are generally healthier and less processed.

Food

Instead of buying pre-packaged foods, consider going to a store like Whole Foods or a farmer’s market where you can buy essentials like grains, sugar, flour, and snacks in bulk. You can either reuse the bags provided, or take your own reusable container – but do note that bulk items are sold by weight so try to keep your container light.

Your Action Item

Get in the habit of refilling instead of buying new containers every time you need something.

Keep it topped up:

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Resources:

Dr. Bronner’s 

If you haven’t already, check this soap out. You can use it for just about anything and the company that makes it is exceptionally responsible.

Common Good

If you’re in the US you can locate a Common Good soap refill station near you to get refills on plant-based cleaning solutions.

A few locations

Try searching the Google for “soap dispensary” or “soap refill” to find a location near you. Here are a few examples:

BlueDot Refill – San Diego, California

Green 11 – Noe Valley and San Mateo, California

Refill Madness – Sacramento, California

The Soap Dispensary – Vancouver

Busting a few myths about recycling household items…

Why is this important?

Because you’re likely buying things thinking they are recyclable when they’re not. After learning what’s actually recyclable and what isn’t, you can be smarter about the products you choose.

It’s also important to know how to recycle certain items, because while many items are recyclable, they can’t all go in the municipal recycling bin.

Things you can recycle:

• magazines – glossy paper actually can be recycled and is accepted by most curbside services.
• ink cartridges – but you’ll need to find a business that accepts them.
• household batteries – you can usually turn them in at libraries, post offices, or some business supply stores.
• computer components and power cords – but they need to be taken to a specific e-waste receptacle.

Things you can’t recycle:

• coffee cups – any cups that have a lining to make them liquid proof are extremely difficult to recycle
• pizza boxes – the cardboard is recyclable, but the grease from the pizza makes it unrecyclable. You can recycle the parts that are not covered in grease.
• shredded paper – small pieces of paper have short fibers which makes it difficult to recycle.
• milk and juice cartons – the wax coating on these makes them difficult to recycle.
• aerosol cans – although they are made of metal, they are pressurized with chemicals that actually render classified as hazardous materials.
• plastic bags – most curbside recycling services do not accept plastic bags. Unless you’re one of the lucky few, you’ll have to take them elsewhere. This recycling locator can help you find a center near you that accepts plastic bags.
• napkins, tissue paper, paper towels – these items are usually wet or “contaminated” with bodily fluids, foods, and what not which makes it much harder to recycle.
• food packaging / wrappers – candy wrappers, chip bags, and other common food wrappers are generally not recyclable.

Your Action Item

Know which everyday items you can and can’t recycle. Stay away from items you can’t recycle and properly recycle the ones you can.

Keep doin’ it right:

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<< #21 Online vs In Store

#23 Refill >>

Resources:

Recyclng: What & Where

This tool from Earth911 will help you find out what you can recycle and where you can recycle it near you. If you have an item in question, this is a great place to start.

Where do our coffee cups end up?

This piece will give you a little more insight into why coffee cups aren’t recyclable and why it’s such a big problem.

11 Things that are not recyclable

Here is an expanded list of what I’ve provided above, along with an explanation.

E-Waste Recycling

Learn more about E-Waste, including how and where to recycle it.