4 ways to start living more sustainably

One of the things that can stop us from making changes to our shopping habits and lifestyles in order to start living more sustainably is a lack of belief. A lack of belief that us making a change can have a positive impact on the world around us.

The idea of ‘Zero Waste’ can feel overwhelming. ‘I can’t possibly achieve zero waste so there’s no point in me trying.’ Right? Wrong! The more of us that try, the bigger the impact! Probably the most famous ‘zero waste’ quote is:

“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” by Anne Marie Bonneau, Zero Waste Chef.

Zero Waste is something to keep striving for, recognising that for most, we may never achieve actual zero waste. The more of us that try, the more the governments, policy makers and big corporations have to listen and take action too - strengthening our individual efforts.

Be the change, instead of waiting for change to happen.

So, that’s the theory. But what practical steps can you take to start living more sustainably? The main answer is - small ones! Trying to overhaul the way you shop and live all in one go is a mind-boggling task, so break it down into manageable chunks.Once you’ve succesfully embedded some of the changes so that they are now your regular habits, then you’re ready to make more changes!

Here are 4 ways to start living more sustainably. They are in no particular order as the priority will differ across households (I’m also trying really hard to not to come across as preachy or patronising - just helpful!).

1.Food shopping

Things to consider:

• Where you shop (big supermarket versus local independent shops);

• food miles;

• quality of food;

• the provenance of your food;

• whether you can buy your food without unnecessary packaging (refill shops like us, but also a local greengrocer, butcher, deli, fishmonger etc).

Making a meal plan every week and then shopping according to that list will also help you to start living more sustainably by reducing food waste. Remember to check your fridge before you shop, so you can add meals to your planner to use up anything that’s still in there from the last week!

Although some supermarkets are trialling refill sections, the more cynical amongst us will be wondering whether they are just emptying standard plastic bags of pasta into there, or are they buying it in bulk in paper bags for greater environmental impact...beware of greenwashing! As a refill shop, we buy in bulk because our customers don’t usually have the space to do so. Wherever possible, our wholesaler supplies our food in paper sacks.

Worried about the cost?

You don’t need to kit out your kitchen with fancy matching jars (unless you really want to!).Our cupboards at home are a mix of all manner of jars, tubs and bottles that have been repurposed. Buying food as refills is a comparable price to shopping at a supermarket - and you only buy the amount that you actually need.

Buy your food without packaging from local businesses to start living more sustainably

2. Household liquids

Another easy change to make to start living more sustainably is to reduce the amount of pre-packaged liquids that you buy.

Things to consider:

• Which liquids do you get through the most of?

• Do you want to continue buying that item as a liquid? (e.g. you could swap from hand wash to solid soap bars).

• Do you live near a refill shop/refill station/zero waste store?

Refill shops make sure that the liquids they stock are environmentally-friendly and vegan, as well as helping you to cut down on plastic waste by refilling your existing bottles. So, yes, the liquids will be more expensive than Asda’s own brand, but generally work out cheaper as a refill than the environmentally-friendly liquids you can buy in the supermarkets.

Are you currently buying Ecover or Method? Both of those companies have been taken over by SC Johnson who have a rubbish environmental record so you may want to consider a better swap, and one that you can get from your local refill shop.

Use your existing containers to refill your liquids is an easy way to start living more sustainably

3. Time to replace other products?

When you can see that you are going to need to replace something, there are a number of things to consider:

• Can it be repaired?

• Can it be repurposed?

• Can I borrow one as I don’t use it very often?

• Can I buy it second-hand.

• Do I really need this? If the answer is yes - is there an environmentally-friendly alternative I can buy?

We can be too quick to throw things away. Repairing items is a must when trying to start living more sustainably.

4. And the rest!

The above ideas are just the start. Other changes you can make to start living more sustainably include:

• switching to ethical banking and investments

• switching to a green energy supplier

• producing your own energy

• swapping from a gas boiler

• considering your transport options

• reducing the amount you fly

• home composting

• growing your own fruit and veg

There are lots of other ways you can start living more sustainably, but remember, don’t try and change everything all at once.

I’d love to hear about the ways in which you are trying to start living more sustainably - which changes you have made, which ones are on your ‘to do’ list, and which ones you are struggling to implement!