Room to Grow YouIf you’re looking to start a sustainable journey, one of the easiest and most effective places to start is by not buying more stuff.
After all, one of the biggest environmental impacts of consumerism is the production of goods, which requires a lot of energy and resources.
I started my sustainable journey more out of need than want but I found out along the way that it fits in with how I treat material items too.
The good news is that there are plenty of eco-friendly alternatives to buying new items that can help you reduce your impact on the environment.
First and foremost, the easiest and most obvious eco-friendly alternative to buying new items is to buy secondhand.
Buy Secondhand
Shopping secondhand allows you to save money, reduce waste, and lower your carbon footprint.
You can find secondhand items at thrift stores, online marketplaces, and even from friends and family.
Here’s a resource list of how to obtain second-hand items:
- Your friends or family – no need to buy just borrow or swap 🙂
- Online thrift stores:
- Local brick-and-mortar stores (just walk in, there’s always a gem or two to find)
- Facebook or Instagram clothes purchase/sale groups
From clothing to furniture, there’s a huge range of items available at a fraction of the cost of new products.
Renting equipment/items
Another great eco-friendly alternative to buying new items is to rent them instead.
From cars to bicycles to furniture, there are plenty of rental services available these days that allow you to rent items for a short period of time.
This is a great option if you only need an item for a short time and don’t want to commit to buying it outright.
In this regard, you should always weigh in the number of times you will be using the item.
Calculate how much it would cost you to rent against purchasing it over a prolonged period of time.
If you find it’s more cost-effective to buy (like skiing equipment for the holidays that will be reused multiple times) then do so.
In the end, it will be more budget-friendly.
Repair and Upcycle
You can also try to repair and upcycle items instead of buying new ones.
This can be done with clothing, furniture, electronics, and so much more.
You can use a variety of techniques to repair and upcycle items, including sewing, painting, repurposing, and more.
It’s not until you are considering not buying new socks because the old ones have holes in them that you start mending your clothes.
It doesn’t matter how many times your mother tells you to mend your socks or panties.
Until you start living by yourself and valuing your hard-earned money, you just don’t get it.
Nowadays it’s more than easy to find how to repair, upcycle or mend.
Use Pinterest as your go-to place to find, and I’m not kidding, almost every hack in the world to repair or upgrade your clothes and home.
Here are some great profiles to use:
–Easy Sewing for Beginners (sewing, mending)
–Repairing small and large appliances from Real Simple
–DIY Thrift Store Makeover Ideas from Prudent Penny Pincher
The third one is a great combination of both buying in thrift stores and then redoing them to fit in with your home.
The great thing about this option is that you can create something unique and custom that fits your style and needs.
Eco-Friendly Alternatives
Finally, if you do need to buy something new, look for items that are eco-friendly and made from sustainable materials.
I’m betting almost all of you have a couple of old shoe boxes that you can take the tops of, glue them together and create compartments for your wardrobe or kids’ smaller toys.
There’s always a glass jar from that pasta sauce or jam to reuse.
And plastic containers from that takeaway or ice cream.
Pots and pans you will eventually have to buy them again but first, make sure they can be saved or reused somehow.
Before buying those plastic compartments, lazy Suzans, or expandable shelves for under the sink, do this first.
Get rid of double items of cutlery. If you have never used them and will not in the future just get rid of them, else keep them for when the first one can no longer be used.
Throw away stale food, out-of-date chemicals under the sink, completely worn-away dishcloths, and anything else you have never used.
Only then can you see what you need all the time.
For instance, you can look for items made from recycled materials, items that are energy efficient, or items that are made from natural materials.
Once you know your habits, look for more sustainable and reusable options like:
–plant-based sponges for washing dishes
The perks are that they smell less and are biodegradable
- these amazing silicone lids that go on almost every round or square area to keep leftover salads or meals fresh
- Make silicone or metal cutlery and utensils your new best friends because they last longer, have a lower impact on the environment, and/or are heat resistant.
Research before you Buy
Doing a bit of research can help you find the most sustainable items that meet your needs.
Bear in mind that it does “cost” the environment if the items you purchased online need to travel to you, so first check out your local supermarkets and see if they have these sustainable and affordable options.
Whoever has zero waste shops that have refill stations for washing machine detergents, vegetable oil, shampoos, etc should take advantage of it because in that way you can both save and be sustainable.
Not only will this help reduce your carbon footprint, but it can also help you save money and create a more eco-friendly lifestyle.
So get out there and start making a difference today!
roomtogrow81
