How I changed the way I consume and how you can do it too
Late last year, I realized that it had been 4 years since I had been in the sustainability industry. Around that time, we were also pivoting from our old business to our new business model. It was then that I realized that while I had been talking about sustainability for a while and had been implementing things professionally, I hadn’t really taken much action on the personal front. I decided that it was time to walk the talk and start taking small steps towards a more eco conscious life.
These were some of the changes I made in my life:
- Using Bamboo toothbrushes instead of plastic ones. This is a fairly easy switch to make and these toothbrushes, while not cheap, are very easy to find and buy. This small action makes a huge impact because more often than not toothbrushes end up in a landfill.
- Stop buying things that can be made at home, such as Dahi. I would always buy a small jar of dahi once every 2 days or so for our small nuclear household. I made the change to just make dahi at home to reduce the waste we send to the landfill
- Stopped accepting straws. This is a tricky one. Most waiters still do not follow clear instructions to not bring you a straw in your drink and once its soiled, very few of them will take the effort to wash and reuse it even though it hasn’t been used. While in Mumbai, most restaurants have switched to paper or bamboo straws, avoiding the straw altogether is a better option. Consuming less or reducing what you is use is always the better option
- Stopped buying or accepting plastic water bottles. I especially hate those silly tiny bottles that they use at conferences, weddings and almost every other social event. Neither do these small bottles quench your thirst, nor are they good for the planet because of how many one has to use. People talk about convenience but honestly, if I am attending a traditional occasion like a wedding, I would rather have at least water served to me the traditional way — in a glass. You can always demand for water in a glass and more often than not, they oblige, you just have to ask.
- Newspaper dustbin liners. We buy our newspaper dustbin liners from an NGO in Bangalore that makes them to easily fit on most small bins. These work very well for Dry and hazardous waste but not so much for wet waste.
- Single paper napkin to wipe your hands when using a public restroom. We all tend to go crazy pulling out napkins after napkins in a public restroom. I realized how wasteful this was and that if used properly, one was more than enough
- Lastly, I made the swtich to eco friendly sanitary napkins that biodegrade while I still gather the courage to make the switch to a menstrual cup.
While we do slip up sometimes, the important thing is to be mindful of the things we use everyday and cut down on them. Perfection is not the aim but conscious consumption is. Slow fashion, repairing what you have, using cloth bags and steel containers to carry things are all lessons learnt from generations past, that can actually help us save the planet. Less is definitely more when it comes to consumption and if all of us do a little bit, it will make a huge change in the world.
*Our organization, Upcycler’s Lab, creates learning tools and programs for parents and schools around sustainability. Our vision is to change mindset and behaviour around waste and therefore we only work with children below the age of 9 since most behaviour is formed by that age. Our newest program for schools uses play based learning, storytelling, crafts and songs to teach waste management to children.
Know more about our story here: https://bit.ly/2HO909u
Have a look at our products here: https://bit.ly/2KdyZF7
Get in touch with us on info@upcyclerslab.com
