Back to school, like the New Year, is the perfect opportunity to make new resolutions to do better: exercise more, eat healthier, go out less, spend less, sleep more... But there is one point that we are only just beginning to take into consideration: respect for our environment and our resources.
According to the websiteeconomie.gouv.fr, âan eco-gesture is a simple and commonplace gesture in everyday lifeâŠthat each of us can do to reduce pollution and improve our environment!â With My Better Way, I want to show that we canminimize our consumptionof resources,without depriving ourselvesor living on the margins... because, yes, I've tried that in the past, it's too frustrating to last long. !
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So how to go about it? đ€
Simply by changing a few small habits to adopt more sustainable consumption alternatives according to the5R rule:
REFUSEwhat is not essential and in particular single-use packaging and products
REDUCEyour consumption and focus on your real needs
RE-USEwhat you have or opt for second hand
RECYCLEor upcycle as much as possible
GIVE BACK to the Earthor compost organic waste (which will be mandatory by 2024)
The little extra of this âreasonedâ lifestyle is thesavings that we can easily make at the end of the year, and given the rise in prices that is affecting us at the moment, it is even a holy argument đ
SO ? Do you want to test this concept to see what it looks like in practice? Here are several ways to get started easily.
In 2021, 83% of French people still consume water in plastic bottles!! đ§
We know that plastic, in addition to releasing microparticles, is a disaster for the environment. A simple gesture to limit our consumption:switch to glass bottles or buya water bottle.
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We can thus save more than 100 bottles per French per year (that's always that much less in nature).
We thus avoid poisoning ourselves with the microparticles that break off from the plastic.
We can achievesavings of more than âŹ300per year per household.
We can flavor our drinks with fruits or plants (like here with sprigs of mint).
Bringing your own reusable cutlery and napkins is a simple gesture, but it can significantly reduce the waste produced every day. Reusable food wraps, like beewraps, are also a great option. đœïž
Reduce the consumption of disposable products in the office
It's back to school, we're getting back to a frantic pace Metro Boulot Dodo... no time to prepare a meal for lunch the next day, we'll go get a ready-made salad in a tray wrapped in a paper bag, with a paper napkin and some disposable cutlery... and it will all end up in the trash 20 minutes later... Rinse and repeat (translation: we start again every day)... that's a lot of waste at the end of the year.
To avoid all this unnecessary waste, there are simple solutions, we do what we do when we go on camp: we take our cutleryandclothnapkin,practical, washable and reusable every day of the year... and above all much more pleasant! You can leave them in the office box or in your bag to always have them at hand đ
Opt for a coffee machine without capsules
At home, I recommend swapping the capsule coffee machine for agrinder or percolator machine.Personally, I chose a first-price Krups made in France years ago and I am delighted with it. It's muchcheaper, and we nolonger produce aluminum or plastic wasteon a daily basis, (we're not going to lie, the capsules are little or not recycled), and at âŹ0.05 per coffee for a very good coffee. good beans for 50 cents per pod... I don't know how much coffee you drink per day but, here too, the savings can be significant at the end of the year!
The little extra of this solution is that you can use coffee grounds throughout the house: in the garden, in the pipes or even to make a scrub...
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Prefer bulk for tea
If you are a tea fan, you should choose bulk in kraft bags and equip yourself with a tea ball to infuse, because yes, there is even plastic in tea bags đ.
Reduce waste in the bathroom
You just have to look at what we throw away the most on a daily basis to replace it with amore sustainable alternative:washable wipesto replace makeup remover cottons,solid cosmeticsinstead of large plastic bottles (which contain up to 70% of water), an ear cleaner instead of cotton swabs...
Use sustainable cleaning products
For housekeeping,you can replace the dishwashing liquid with a simpleMarseille soap, it works very well, it's cheaper and much prettier in the kitchen.
We equip ourselves with awashable spongerather than a synthetic one, or a wooden dishwashing brush... essential if, like me, you have sensitive skin (personally, I have eczema and the use of the brush dishwashing machine changed my life).
It is important to note that although some of these alternative products may seem more expensive to purchase, they are generally more durable and economical in the long run. In addition, they contribute to the reduction of plastic waste production, which is beneficial for the environment. đż
Congratulations on your commitment to a more eco-friendly lifestyle...I invite you to share these tips with others.
If you want to go further, I have prepared an ebook for you to help you adopt more sustainable habits on a daily basis. Download the free guide â21 Simple Zero Waste Tips â to find out more! â»ïž
