The 5 Easiest and Hardest Sustainable Swaps I’ve Made

…And the ones I wish I was doing my whole life

I’ve always been passionate about the environment and ecological conversations, but most of my life I felt powerless in my ability to actually make an impact. I often prioritized big changes over small ones, and shifted the blame onto corporations to make the changes for me. This stalled my journey for years. So today, I choose to share my struggle because it is an easy trap to fall into, and shame can often perpetuate the issues we now have the tools to solve. To be clear - these are the swaps that worked for me and might not be for you, but overall the importance lies in realizing that a lot of sustainable choices are much simpler than they seem and theres a lot of resources to help you along the way if you just take a look.

Let's Start with the Easy Sustainable Switches

1. Sustainable Issues with Reusable Waters Bottles

We are in the golden era of water bottle baddies. Not only is it relatively* affordable, it's now a fashion and identify statement to carry your own water bottle, decorate it with stickers and charms, while staying hydrated all day. A win is a win.

Although, this trend is simultaneously good and bad for sustainability. While we step further away from single use plastic water bottles, a new consumption habit has created greater waste in reusables water containers.

*I say relative because using a reusable water bottle requires access to clean drinking water, funds to buy a reusable container (which are subject to price hikes), and XX.

2. Shampoo and Conditioner

While it took a while to find the right bar shampoo and conditioner soap, it was the swap with the fastest positive results. My hair grew stronger, and my wallet fatter due to bar soaps having fewer ingredients, and lasting longer.

Another discovery I made during my sustainable hair care journey was realizing that I didn't have to shampoo my hair as often. In combination with hair oils, a wooden comb, and a boar bristle brush, I extended my hair wash cycle to 10 days between washes, which had the added sustainable benefit of shorter showers.

3. Dish Sponges

I have always had an aversion to sponges - a storm of sensory icks between the globs of wet food and the unavoidable mildewy smell that arrives no matter how carefully I dry them. I opted for long handled plastic brushes for a long time, but still felt that they didn't quite get the job done.

Switching to bamboo brushes was a win on many levels. Crud cleans off with ease, the plant fibers naturally resist mold and mildew, and the variety of options allows to keep hands clean with long handled designs.

4. Sustainable Pros and Cons of Thrifting Clothing

I have always been a fan of thrifting. As a plus size girlie I rarely felt comfortable in the trending styles or simply struggled to find options in my size. It was also the most economical option when there wasn't extra money to spend on fashion. So I began thrifting young, and when I learned about the environmental impacts of fast fashion and exploitive practices on workers.

Thrifting was also a huge style launch for me. Thrift stores have options from a variety of origins, styles, and countries all mixed together. I found one of a kind pieces that would've been forever outside my price range if they hadn't been second hand. But thrift shops aren't perfect. They exist inside the wasteful chain of production with most clothing still ending up in landfills.

5. Laundry Detergents

There is a large market now of bottle detergent alternatives

Hardest Sustainable Changes to Make

1. Shower Length and Temp

I love showers. Hot, lobster showers that drench my soul in warmth. Everything showers shaving unwanted hairs and soaking masks on the rest. So when presented with the

2. Groceries

There's a lot of issues that come up with shopping at a grocery store. To start, they are almost all chain brands who are some of the greatest sources of food waste, plastic dominated packaging, and wide spread resistance to zero-waste commitments.

3. AI and Technology

It is almost impossible to live in this era and society without an updated phone or computer, and it puts me in no mood to list the limitations to those unable to access these tools so

4. Coffee and Tea

I love a good fancy coffee drink. I worked at a chain fancy coffee shop for a short stint during a difficult period of unemployment and have a lot of good memories.

5. Pet Supplies

This is a huge pain point in sustainability for me personally. I am a caretaker to two cats and a dog. I have been searching and searching for answers and solutions but so far haven’t found many swaps that I can compromise with or maintain. Plastic bagged pet food or litter is a staple of the aisles

There is the option for a refillable clay litter in most stores which is a solid option if you can handle the clay litter. My allergies and cats can not however. Additionally, litter-less options like training to use the home toilet is sustainable and affordable, but not always possible depending on you cats preferences. I tried for months to simply get to the first stage of toilet training, but gave up when my cats continued to find other places to loo. My bed sheets and closest couldn't handle it anymore, and neither could I.

Tinned cat and dog food are very healthy, sustainable, and widely accessible though many vets and pet influencers talk about the benefits of raw food for pets. This is something I definitely want to explore more for the health of my cuddly critters, but it brings me right back to the grocery store buying plastic wrapped meat or