We forget how we impact the world around us; still, being aware of how our daily habits can hurt the environment is the first step to making a positive impact.
One of the best things about choosing a vegan lifestyle is its positive impact on the environment. However, we do a lot more in the day than eat, and during the other hours in a day, there are several other daily habits that hurt the environment that we may have unknowingly picked up.
Improper Disposal
Most of us learned as children to recycle paper and aluminum cans, but that doesn’t mean that everything else should simply be thrown in the trash. For instance, there are bleak environmental impacts to throwing away tires and e-waste such as TVs and cell phones. When disposing of any of these, check if they can be sold or donated to a tire or electronic shop. If not, they should be taken directly to recycling centers for disposal. Other materials in the house such as motor oil, paint, and batteries should be taken to Household Hazardous Waste Facilities.
Rush Shipping
With online shopping’s explosive popularity, it’s become more popular to choose rush shipping options such as two-day or same-day delivery. These choices are convenient but put a greater strain on the environment because it requires shippers to send extra vehicles out or use fuel-guzzling planes instead of trucks. The easiest way to avoid this is to simply choose normal delivery at check out.
Washing Your Car Yourself
Looking at streams of water at commercial car washes, it can be easy to think that washing your car yourself at home would be a better environmental choice, but the opposite is often true. Most car washes are bound to EPA standards for water usage and tend to use less water than the average person washing their car at home. They also tend to follow guidelines for recycling water as well as not sending harmful chemicals into public water sources. If you do need to wash your car at home, consider using plant-based, biodegradable car soap and washing your car on grass or gravel instead of on your driveway.
Buying “Fast Fashion”
Fast fashion describes the phenomena in which clothing brands produce clothing items very quickly in order to meet high demand. While fast fashion does produce clothing cheaply, it takes a toll on the environment. The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of the world’s carbon emissions, and because the clothes are so cheaply made, they often end up in landfills rather quickly. Consider buying fewer clothing items of a higher quality or visiting thrift shops when clothes shopping.
In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s easy to take for granted the little ways we can harm the world around us. Fortunately, by being mindful, it’s easy to take the daily habits that hurt the environment and make them into daily habits that help. By simply being aware, we can do our part to make the world a little cleaner for years to come.
