ZERO-WASTE, PLASTIC-FREE SHOPPING GUIDE

DID YOU KNOW ABOUT 15,000 PIECES OF PLASTIC ARE DUMPED INTO THE OCEAN EVERY DAY? The average American produces 4.5 pounds of trash each day. That’s like tossing 45 million elephants into landfills each year. Yikes. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by statistics like that and think there’s no way our daily actions could make a difference…but you forget that we are a collective consciousness of almost 7 billion. If we all decided to take small steps, it would compound. In fact, let’s focus on compiling love + compassion for the planet, instead of plastic and textiles in landfills.

There are so many resources to get educated about the plastic problem, the climate crisis, and what YOU can do to make a difference.

Here are some things I’ve written about: cruelty-free slow fashion (the second most polluting industry after gas+oil), chemical-free living (toxins are destroying both of our homes: our planet and our body, by making us dull, overweight, hormonally-imbalanced, emotionally turbulent, and disease-ridden), and eco-chic non-toxic beauty habits (how to be aware of what we are putting on and in our bodies and restoring our GLOW).

Ocean Plastic: Watch here. Read here. Support here. Donate here. Watch here. Take action here.

Veganism: Watch here. and here. and here. Donate here. Try it here.

TOP 10 REASONS TO GO VEGAN:
1. It prevents (and can reverse) chronic disease.
2. It conserves water.
3. It cuts greenhouse gas emissions.
4. It conserves land.
5. It helps prevent species extinction.
6. It reduces waste pollution.
7. It helps prevent marine life destruction.
8. It slows deforestation.
9. It helps alleviate world hunger.
10. It boosts athletic performance.
(Rich Roll, 10 Reasons to Consider a Plant-Based Diet)

With waste-free living in mind, here are some principles to consider BEFORE ordering something to be shipped to you online.

1. Minimize. Often, we just don’t need anything new. We have enough. We have the essentials. Let’s love what we already own!

2. Use what you have + re-purpose if necessary (jars as a salad container for a packed lunch, old fabrics as kitchen cloths — be creative)

3. Buy secondhand or share your excess with friends. (Clothing swaps, in particular, are super fun!)

4. Recirculate your dollar to companies that have pledged 1% of their profits back to the planet. This organization added a metric to my conscious consumerism pre-swipe check-list.