Don’t Own a Car
I don’t have a car! I haven’t owned a car for 25 years, I don’t use one, and I don’t even have a valid drivers’ license anymore. I am SO MUCH HAPPIER not having to deal with all the things (gas, insurance, inspection, oil changes, potential car accidents, parking, renewing, road rage, etc.)! But I fortunately live in a place with public transport, so I have the freedom to choose not to own one.
If you live in a place that constricts your freedom, meaning you have to have a car because they refuse to give you any other choice, try car sharing. Teaming up with neighbors to make grocery runs so you’re only using one car for multiple people’s errands. Or look for other ways to use your car less. Or bike instead (if it’s not too terrifying) or find other ways of travel.
Limit Plastic
I buy some of my food at a no-packaging store (where you bring your own containers and fill up those rather than buying food in packaging) so that I don’t add more plastic waste into the environment, especially since they’ve discovered that microplastics are getting into human brains and causing dementia a Alzheimer’s. Time to limit the plastic, people!
I mostly use stainless steel containers or glass jars instead of plastic.
Use non-toxic products
Lots falls under this category:
- cleaning products –> I use vinegar to clean dishes and surfaces. Also I pour some down the drain every night to keep the drains clean.
- shampoos –> again, I use vinegar to wash my hair.
- soaps –> I use baby soap that comes in plastic packaging for my hands and body.
- clothes –> buy clothes made of sustainable materials rather than polyesters and other things; avoid dyes (do you know dyes are not even regulated? And some are known to cause illness)
- foods –> eat organic and buy locally if you can. I don’t eat meat, but I cook it for my cat, so I buy chicken that comes only from local farms. Avoid products with palm oil.
Stop Buying Shit
Stop buying into capitalism. Stop buying new stuff if your current things work, fit, or still serve you fine. Keep your clothes if your current ones are fine. Spit on fashion, especially fast fashion. Make being eclectic and non-materialistic cool again. Show off your battered, well-read books rather than shiny new ones (I promise you do not need three different collectors’ copies of that book). Show off things on your shelves that people have painted or made rather than plastic decorations you’ve bought and will only eventually throw away. You don’t need that throw pillow. Be a goblin and use those old blankets. Trade clothes; buy used, or join a group where people give stuff away they don’t need. You can get free furniture and things this way. We need to set up a culture of sharing for mutual benefit rather than ideating “I have more and better things than you!” We outgrew that mentality when we outgrew our tolerance for bullying, right?
Limit Kids
If you don’t want kids, DON’T BE PRESSURED INTO HAVING THEM! There are already a lot of people on this planet and fewer is fine. If you want kids, have them, but please don’t go crazy lol.
Anyone have things I should add to this list, comment below and I’ll pop them on here! Thank yoooou!
Sonya Lano 