Ok literally no body wanted it but I made it SO thread of sustainable actions/ products that most people can realistically achieve without breaking the bank!

I just want to start it off by saying that in no way do I consider myself ‘zero waste’ but I do my best to live as intentionally and sustainably as possible.
Also remember that ‘zero waste’ is an INDUSTRY term that was meant to apply to businesses to lower waste.

The term then got shifted and changed by big businesses and put onto consumers in order to deflect blame. No one ever expected an individual to live ‘zero waste’ and personally I don’t believe it is possible. However we can take individual action to minimize our impact

Probably one of the first switches I made was to the albatross razor. It is a stainless steel safety razor that comes with individual blades that you change out when the blade gets dull. Retails for $25 and a pack of 10 blades are $2.50

I’ve been using this for almost two years and I still haven’t finished my first pack of blades. Keep it clean and sterilize from time to time and I PROMISE it’ll be the best purchase you’ve ever made. I haven’t had to buy a razor or blades in 2 YEARS

*probs not for those new to shaving cause those blades are SHARP and even tho I’ve been shaving for 11 years I still cut myself every time I use it but maybe that’s just me*

Second switch I ever made was to the Diva Cup. People with uteruses! Let me tell you: BEST THING IVE EVER BOUGHT. Tricky to get the hang of, but once you do omg. I haven’t bought pads or tampons in two years, it lasts 12 hours and when it’s in right it is completely leak proof.

Perfect for those who do a lot of physical exercise, swimming etc. Retails for about €30 but there are a tone of other types of cup (mooncup, kindcup, etc) that can be cheaper depending on where you are

A REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE AND CUP. Kind of seems obvious but I’m always shocked when I meet someone who doesn’t carry around a water bottle it is the simplest thing you can do. Get one that you think is cute and fits your aesthetic and you’re more likely to bring it around with you

every one was huge into metal straws a while ago but tbh you don’t need a straw. Unless you’ve a physical disability and actually NEED a straw. Most of the people who bought metal straws when it was cool never actually carried them around and thus they themselves were a waste

I do carry my straws around with me but unless you know yourself you’ll remember them don’t buy them. If you ARE going to buy them, but ones with a carry case that you can chuck them in your bag.

Speaking of bags, I know it’s a trendy hipster thing but fjallraven bags are amazing. I got mine second hand (which we’ll get to) and it’s in near perfect condition. Waterproof, in a variety of sizes and colors??? What more could you want.

*mine is no longer waterproof cause my sister put it through the washing machine and ruined the seal. So I would recommend a dark color cause they’re not easy to clean*

BUY SECOND HAND thrifting and buying from charity stores are one of the easiest ways to be sustainable. Fast fashion is detrimental to the environment for a whole LIST of reasons beyond the scope of this thread. So second hand is a great way to avoid it.

I’m from Ireland and tbh charity shops here can be a bit shit so shopping second hand takes a bit of patience but some of my favorite items have come from charity shops. The outfit I had PLANNED to wear to BTS came entirely from charity shops

And second hand also means raiding your siblings, mothers, fathers, friends wardrobes when they’re doing a clean out. And when you’re cleaning out, put aside pieces you think they might like and then donate the rest to your local charity shop

One of the biggest things you can do is just shop less. Often times we buy without thinking. We see something we like and just get it. And honestly coming out of that mindset is extremely hard. To live sustainably means trying our best to be intentional about the things we buy

Not everyone can/ afford to/ wants to go vegan/ vegetarian. I am not either. BUT you can reduce the amount of meat (especially red meat you eat). For the most part 2/3 of my meals are vegetarian and once a week we tend to have a vegetarian dinner at home

There are a bunch more things that I have/ do to help me live sustainably but these are the main ones that I think are pretty easy for most people to achieve. The process to becoming more sustainable is really long -

And some times a bit intimidating when you see people fitting years worth of trash into a mason jar. But remember everyone’s journey starts somewhere and no one is expecting you to be ‘zero waste’ just to do what you can with what you have