When we're at home, in our own environment, we can be as green as we like!
We are in control of what comes in, what goes in each bin, what's repurposed; but being out and about can be a struggle.
The biggest thing with trying to be more ecofriendly, are the small things.
All the small steps you choose to make can result in the biggest difference.
The whole point of this "movement" (sorry, I hate that word!) is the accumulative efforts of everyone combined.
No one is asking you to change your world, let alone the world, overnight.
Below are some ideas to get you started...
Due to current media coverage and proposed bans, one of the most topical items right now is single use coffee cups.
Let me start by saying there should be no excuse, but My God there are...
A recent one I heard was that reusable cups, not naming any brands, were "so expensive"... if you have a daily takeaway coffee habit, this is completely contradictory!
Get yourself a reusable cup, whatever brand, and count the savings.
Some cafes are offering up to 50c off take away coffees, or other rewards, so no excuse.
My reusable cup is easy to clean, light enough to carry around daily and doesn't take up too much space.
This is all on top of the fact you are saving hundreds of single use cups from landfill.
The second big thing for me is water.
I love water.
I always want it with me wherever I am.
This actually comes way ahead of coffee for me personally in terms of a daily habit.
I have a reusable bottle, it can go in the dishwasher, it's not heavy and depending on what size bottle you choose, won't take up too much space.
I really am not a huge fan of the term "zero waste" anymore, as I feel it's slightly extreme and seems somewhat unachievable.
I've seen some videos of so called "zero wasters" who could go camping for a week with the amount of stuff they carry around with them every day.
You need to look at your day, your personal needs, and plan accordingly.
For example, for me personally, during the week I drink my coffee in work, on the weekends, I put my reusable cup in my bag.
If I might be somewhere where disposable cutlery is a possibility, I'll throw a fork in my bag.
You can get some beautiful and sustainable travel cutlery (and sporks!!) that are really neat and some even come with a little pouch.
Another simple act is carrying a small cloth bag with you for emergency croissants (!) and loose veg, loaves of bread etc.
You may have one at home but if not, they can easily be purchased.
Sets containing different sizes are really handy, weigh next to nothing and can save a lot of plastic bags in the long run.
I also sometimes use mine as a little bin for e.g. fruit peelings if the appropriate bin isn't available!
They can just be thrown in the washing machine if they get dirty. This is of course in addition to your choice of reusable bag for shopping in general.
It is an effort, for want of a better word, to make these changes. You need to put more thought into things that were once thought-less.
This is the whole point though, starting to really think about things, the impact of your actions and why you want to make the changes.
It will become second nature to you the more you put these small changes into practice.
After all... you must be the change you wish to see :)
If you want to learn more about Ruthie and her super eco-friendly habits, her Instagram handle is @heyahun1
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