We’ve all seen the photos: fish swimming amidst trash, seabirds eating plastic, and the like. There’s no denying that our impact on the environment is worsening each year, and we all have to take action.
But when we talk about eco-friendly living, we often think about how difficult it is to live without plastic or how intimidating the zero-waste movement can be.
So here’s something you should know: any step you take to lessen your impact is already noble.
If you want an easier start to an earth-friendly lifestyle, you might want to fill your apartment with tangible reminders, like sustainable household items.
In this post, we’ll share with you seven eco-friendly items you can use in your apartment.
Shopping Bag
Instead of storing groceries in single-use plastic bags, why not opt for a reusable shopping bag? You can bring it on every trip to the store and use it to carry your fruits, veggies, and all sorts of goods.
Not only is it a great alternative to plastic–but it’s also far more aesthetically pleasing. You can easily find stylish reusable bags made of bamboo, mesh, jute, and cotton.
Reusable Water Bottle
Sure, disposable plastic water bottles can be recycled. But over 80% of these bottles are sent to landfills rather than recycling facilities. And to meet the country’s annual demand for bottled water, millions of oil barrels are needed to produce plastic bottles.
The solution? Bring a sturdy water bottle wherever you go and refill it with tap water. Contrary to common misconception, bottled water is no purer than tap water.
Rechargeable Batteries
Another household item that typically ends up in landfills instead of the recycling facility? Disposable batteries.
Made of heavy metals and toxic chemicals, disposable batteries are undoubtedly hazardous to the environment. So to keep them out of landfills (and save more money), you might want to make the switch to rechargeable ones.
Glass Jars and Bottles
Ever heard of refill shops? They sell non-packaged dry goods and personal care items. You can bring glass jars and bottles to one of these shops to avoid the use of disposable plastic packaging.
Or, if you prefer to buy goods from the grocery store, consider purchasing them in bulk. Then, use your glass containers to store bulk purchases and top them up whenever you need to.
Food Containers
Do you often end up with leftovers? Or bring packed lunches to work? Skip the single-use plastic wraps–store them in reusable food containers instead.
And if you’re ordering takeouts, you can bring these containers and ask the restaurant to pack the food in there. That way, you can avoid using (and disposing of) styrofoam containers.
Compost Bin
You might think that just because you live in an apartment, you can’t compost your food scraps. But the good news is: certain compost bins that work great in small indoor spaces.
Bokashi and worm bins are some of the best composting methods for apartments. They don’t take up too much space or produce any odors. And once your kitchen scraps have fully decomposed, you can use the nutrient-rich compost for your houseplants or donate it to community gardens.
Safety Razor
Plastic razors aren’t designed to last long. Plus, they’re made of different materials that make them hard to recycle.
So the next time you purchase razors, you might want to consider getting metal safety razors with stainless steel blades.
The razors themselves are made to be long-lasting. And the only thing that you have to occasionally replace is their blades–which are cheap and easily recyclable.
Westmount at River Park in Fort Worth, TX