5 sustainable swaps I’ve made for both the health of the planet and myself
If you’ve been following my journey on Instagram you would know over the past 2 years I’ve been working on making sustainable and eco-friendly swaps in all areas of my life to start living a more sustainable and low-tox lifestyle.
This isn’t something that happens overnight. It is a long, slow journey. If you try to do everything at once not only will it be super overwhelming, it will also be super wasteful. My approach was to slowly replace things as I ran out with new, more sustainable and natural products that were better for the planet and my health!
I’ve taken my time with it and I’ve actually really enjoyed the process. I’ve done my research along the way and learnt so much and gained so much passion for doing it. Which is why I wanted to share my top 5 sustainable swaps I’ve made so far. These not only benefit the health of the planet, but also my own health as they decrease my exposure to toxic chemicals and substances that reek havoc on the body. So its really a win-win!
#1: Stainless Steel Water Bottle instead of plastic bottles
This is such a simple swap but can make such a difference to the environment and your health.
Firstly, plastic bottles contain Bishphenol A (BPA), the chemical used to make the plastic hard and clear. BPA is an endocrine disruptor which has been proven to be hazardous to human health. It has been strongly linked to so many problems including cancer, infertility, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hormonal conditions like PCOS and the list goes on. Secondly, most plastic water bottles are not even recycled and either end up lying in landfills, leaching dangerous chemicals into our soil, or they infiltrate our streets as litter.
So by switching to a reusable stainless steel or glass water bottle, you are going to be doing your part of the planet and looking after your own health. There are now so many options out there to choose from too! I feel like a water bottle is almost like a fashion statement and accessory now! I personally love my stainless steel water bottle (its a Happy Way bottle), it keeps my water cold for hours and is so easy to transport around with me - and anyone who knows me, knows I take my water bottle EVERYWHERE with me!
#2: Beeswax Wraps instead of cling-wrap
For the same reason as plastic water bottles, single-use cling-wrap is not good for the environment nor our health.
I recently started using Sustomi Beeswax Wraps and I can’t believe I didn’t make this swap sooner! Beeswax wraps eliminate the need for single-use plastic cling-wrap! So you use them in basically the same way you use cling-wrap - covering plates/bowls of food, wrapping snacks like protein balls or cheeses, or wrapping sandwiches to take on the go with you. I love to use them for storing cut avocados! It keeps them fresh and green for so long!
Beeswax wraps come in so many cute designs and sizes. My favourite brand to use is Sustomi and you can check out their entire range, including the cute pokadot on below, here!
#3: Reusable Keep Cup for my coffees
Think about how many takeaway coffees you buy in a week - now times that number by 52 (weeks in a year) and that is the amount of takeaway coffee cups you are using and contributing to landfill each year! Pretty crazy right?!
By using a reusable coffee/keep cup, you are causing less disposable cups to be produced, lowering the amount of cups sent to landfill and saving the energy and resources that would otherwise be consumed.
I made the switch a few years back, and I will admit, it did take me a while to learn to always remember to bring my keep cup with me to cafes - no one is perfect, there is always going to be little slip ups along the way. But now I’m pretty good at remembering and always pack my keep cup in my handbag or car whenever I am out and about with the possibility of stopping by a cafe for coffee.
#4: Glass meal prep containers instead of plastic
If you follow me, you would know Sunday meal prep has been a ritual for me for over 5 years now! Working a full-time corporate job, this practice is a must. Each Sunday I take time to prep my breakfasts, lunches and snacks for the week ahead.
Before doing my research and learning about the dangers of plastic and BPA, I use to pack my lunches in plastic containers and reheat them each day in the microwave in said plastic containers *face palm* - little did I know that heating plastic causes BPA to leach into the food! A thought that makes me cringe looking back at it now! As soon as I discovered this, I rushed off to Kmart to purchase glass food storage containers. So not only benefiting my health, but also reducing my plastic consumption, for the benefit of the planet, in the process.
It also just feels that little bit nicer (fancier even?) eating meal prep out of a glass container as opposed to plastic.
#5: Buying organic produce
Organic farming is the production of food without the use of synthetic chemicals or genetically modified components. Types of organic produce available include fruit and vegetables, dried legumes, grains, meat and meat products, dairy, egg and honey.
Organic farming works with nature, not against it.
Organic farming practices reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy. Organic farming promotes healthier and more sustainable use of natural resources. Modern conventional farming methods include excessive use of chemicals and planting only one crop multiple times (monocropping). Organic farmers try to minimise damage to the environment by diversifying their crops, using physical weed control, and animal and green manure.
Consuming organic produce is also so beneficial for our health as it is not covered in toxic chemicals and pesticides.
I really don’t find buying organic that much more expensive than buying from the supermarket. In our household, we love to go to our local farmers markets on the weekend to buy produce directly from our local farmers. Its so lovely to meet the farmers growing the produce, chat to them and really see their passion for what they do. I also find organic produce tastes so much better and is so much fresher (probably because it isn’t sitting in a freezer for 6-12 months like the produce on the shelves in the supermarkets..).
BONUS swaps… Some of my other favourite sustainable, low-tox product swaps I use/have made include:
Bamboo Tooth Brush
Natural Deodorant
Natural makeup and perfume
Taking my own reusable bags to the grocery store
Taking my own containers when I buy takeaway from a cafe
Stainless steel straws
If you want to start living a more sustainable life for the health of the planet and yourself, just remember, it is a process that takes time! Don’t expect yourself to be able to do everything all at once or put pressure on yourself to always do things perfectly. Take your time, do your research, make swaps as you go and ENJOY the process!