Honor Earth Day Every Day

On Earth Day, I wanted to share a few tips I've adopted to minimize waste in my lifestyle. One of the most impactful changes I've made is avoiding single-use plastic. It can be overwhelming to eliminate all plastic items at once, so I suggest starting with the most common ones like plastic bags, bottles, straws, cups, cutlery, and toothbrushes. Over the past year and a half, I've gradually phased out single-use plastic cups, bags, bottles, and cutlery from my routine, and it's become second nature. Here's what has worked for me:

• I use a stainless steel water bottle everywhere I go.

• I carry a reusable mug for tea and use my mug from home at work.

• I bring my glass tupperware, utensils, and plates & bowls from home for meals at work or while traveling.

• I use reusable shopping bags at the grocery store and skip plastic bags for produce.

There are still areas I need to work on, such as avoiding disposable food packaging and switching to bamboo toothbrushes.

Another way to reduce waste is by recycling and composting. To make recycling easy and convenient, I keep my recycling bin next to my trash bin and save recyclables until I find a proper bin. Composting is a bit more challenging for me, but I'm working on it. I freeze compostable materials in bags to avoid odors and pests, and I plan to find a local composting company to take my compost.

Finally, I try to shop secondhand to reduce waste from the fashion industry. The documentary "The True Cost" opened my eyes to the immense pollution caused by fast fashion, and I now opt for fewer, better-quality clothes that last longer. I shop at local consignment stores, online marketplaces like ThredUp and Poshmark, and Etsy for unique vintage pieces.

Making these small changes in my daily life has had a significant impact on reducing my waste footprint. I encourage everyone to adopt some of these tips and see how easy it is to help protect our planet. Happy Earth Day!