how to bake your eco habits into your routine
As a covid nomad, I’m constantly on the move. I’ve moved four times and counting this year and keeping track of my belongings is like finding a needle in various constantly moving haystacks. The result is I tend to forget things. And in that forgetfulness process I end up throwing my hands up in the air.
I begrudgingly use disposable products — even though I’ve gone through the effort of purchasing eco-friendly versions of said products — because it’s “more convenient” in these moments. For me, there is no worse feeling than when your actions don’t align with your values… and I know I’m not alone in this conundrum.
This is why I try to set up my life in a way that doesn’t allow me to give in to my memory lapses. It’s what I like to call baking it in. It simply requires some preparation ahead of time so that the new habit naturally and seamlessly flows into my routine. In fact, it eventually becomes difficult to forget. Here’s how I’ve baked my sustainable habits into my routine so I don’t forget (at least not all the time).
TRADE: plastic utensils
FOR: reusable cutlery or cutlery from home
BAKE IT IN: keep a set in your bag or purse
My personal set, pictured above, from Ola Bamboo (based in Québec!).
I like that Uber Eats and takeout restaurants now ask if you need cutlery or not. My answer is usually no, because if I keep my utensil bag in my purse, there should never be any need for me to use plastic cutlery. My set is from OLA Bamboo and comes in a small drawstring bag with a fork, knife, spoon, straw, and straw cleaner brush. Bamboo is a good alternative to plastic because it takes little water to grow the crop and it’s lightweight to boot. It’s as much of a staple in my purse as my sunglasses and my wallet. I simply transfer the cutlery to and from the different bags I wear on different days, and then it’s always with me. It helps to have a few sets of utensils so that when one set is dirty, you have another on hand you can switch out.
Better yet, keep a fork, knife, and spoon from home wrapped in a cloth in your bag. This works just as well, plus you already own it.
TRADE: plastic grocery bags
FOR: reusable bags
BAKE IT IN: keep them in the trunk of your car
In my home province, plastic bags are banned in grocery stores, which is an incredible initiative. But this isn’t the case elsewhere in Canada or across the world. Because Nova Scotia is so ahead of the curve (at least in this regard), it’s forced some new habits on Nova Scotians. My parents, for example, keep 90% of their reusable bags in the trunk of their car. That way they can grab and go at the store. And if they forget them before heading in for their shop? No problem: they bring out the loose, non-bagged groceries in the cart and load them into their reusable bags in the trunk after the fact. Waste not, want not!
Psst — if this still doesn’t jog your memory, when you get into your car, put your purse or wallet inside one of the bags in the trunk. Then you don’t have much of a choice.
I have an affinity for net bags because they shrink and grow without much effort. I keep a fisherman net bag in my purse that I retrieve on an ad hoc basis. It holds a surprising amount of items. When I lived in Toronto and had no car, carrying around a horde of reusable plastic or canvas bags was a headache. But net bags solved this problem, as they disappear into my small purse with a simple scrunch of the hand.
TRADE: throwaway cups
FOR: travel mugs from home
BAKE IT IN: leave one in your car cupholder
or next to your keys
Let’s not forget my personal fave: a ceramic mug with a silicone lid, handcrafted in Nova Scotia in small batches. I ADORE my tumbler mug from JAW Pottery!
Personally, my to-go mug always sits in the cupholder of my car. Or for those who walk, keeping your mug near the door beside your house keys is helpful. If you tend to not drink your whole cup of coffee at home, mugs that have a lid you can pop on are amazing for those rushed mornings. I get mine from a local Nova Scotian artist, JAW pottery. She does small-batch, limited drops so keep an eye out for her next sale date!
TRADE: styrofoam takeaway containers
FOR: your own container from home
BAKE IT IN: keep one in your glove box
When I’m heading out for a dine-in supper, I try to set a reminder in my phone for 5 minutes before I leave to grab a food container, if it’s not already in my car glove box. I hate those styrofoam ones they provide at restaurants. I suggest using whatever container you have already at home. Plastic isn’t ideal for food storage (I’m looking at you, people who microwave their food directly in plastic Tupperware), but if that’s what you have for food storage, then for the love of Pete, use it. Don’t throw it away in favour of new glass or steel containers. Throwing away what we already own defeats the purpose of sustainability. I own a mix of plastic and glass containers, but for hardier trips and for keeping my food hot/cold, I’m going to be picking up some secondhand Klean Kanteen, LunchBots, or Onyx stainless steel boxes from my local Value Village.
TRADE: throwing loose clothes in the
washing machine
FOR: using a microplastic-catching bag
BAKE IT IN: preload your laundry into the
bag as it becomes dirty
We don’t think of our clothing as plastic, but much of it is. Acrylic? Plastic. Polyester? Definitely plastic. Spandex? Soft plastic. What we don’t see when we launder our plastic-made clothing is the hundreds of thousands of microplastics from these fibres breaking off into the washing machine drum. Those microscopic fibres then enter our waterways, where filters can’t catch them. A guppy bag is designed to collect microfibres shedding off fabrics as we wash them. I haven’t bought one for myself yet but I’ve heard great reviews about GuppyFriend. I already have a few delicate clothing garments that require a special bag, so I keep my bag near my laundry hamper. As my clothing becomes dirty, I slowly fill the bag and place it in the hamper. The same can be applied to a Guppy bag. Once you’ve filled the bag ⅔ of the way — as is recommended on their website — you simply toss the whole bag into the wash. Et voilà: baked in. No need to pack the clothes from your hamper into the bag; it’s already done.
TRADE: tossing your clothes, shoes, or household items
in the garbage
FOR: asking yourself if any part of that item can be reused, fixed, or repurposed
BAKE IT IN: set aside a pile of items you don’t want to
keep and review them regularly
My family used to be notorious for throwing things away. And while I love the Condomarie method of only keeping what you find to be useful or beautiful … the immense amount of trash that notion inspires is troubling. We can break down the idea of “useful” into finding ways to upcycle or mend an item that is no longer serving its intended purpose. You might say “well, donating ensures someone else uses it”, which I wish were the case. I too love donating items to thrift stores but sadly most donated items end up in landfills, which breaks my little heart.
My personal solution moving forward is to see if you can’t watch a Youtube video and learn how to sew up that hole in your pants. If your old shoes are unwearable, upcycle the shoelaces (you can use them to replace zip ties, for example). If you don’t want to keep your stuff, organize a clothing swap party with your friends before you choose to donate! It’s such a fun way to get the girls together and to give a second life to your clothes or household items.
Some of these might have been obvious, others not so much. All you need is the foresight to prepare in advance and you’ll thank yourself later.
What are some of the ways you’ve baked new habits into your life? I’d love to hear from you!
Stay real,
— K. JO