Sustainable swaps to make in 2021

Looking for some sustainable swaps to make in 2021?

January is here – and as you might have guessed from our blog name, it’s one of our favourite times of the year! There’s something so inspiring about the beginning of a new year. And, there’s no better time to wipe the slate clean and set some new goals for the year ahead.

While we have a few exciting projects in the pipeline, one of our goals is to focus living more sustainably. This is something we’ve wanted to work on for some time – but lately our good intentions have fallen by the wayside. 

I’m huge believer in that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail, and our lack of planning has definitely let us down. Realistically, I don’t see us becoming a 100% zero-waste household anytime soon. But I do believe that small changes add up and can make a big difference over time.

So, here are some simple, sustainable swaps to make to help reduce your impact on the environment.

Shop vintage and upcycle 

One of the easiest and most effective ways to help the planet is to shop second-hand. In terms or clothing, circular fashion is really having its moment, and there’s a lot to be said to for unique, vintage furniture and homewares.

Recently, I’ve had a lot of success scoring second-hand treasures on Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace. In particular, timber furniture is so easy to upcycle – and a good sanding with a fresh stain can make a world of difference.

Or, if it’s homewares you’re after, you have to try Geneva Vanderzeil’s trash to terracotta hack that continues to dominate my Instagram feed!

Try to think long-term

If you do need to buy new, try to think past the current trend. Ask yourself how long you see yourself holding on to the item in question – and what you plan to do with it after you’re done.

If you don’t plan to keep it long, will you be able to sell it? Will it hold its value? Or is it likely to end up in landfill? These are questions I’ve been asking myself a lot lately, and honestly, there are times when it can be tough!

Like fast fashion, fast furniture is a growing problem that’s something to be aware of. It’s great to see that furniture brands are taking notice of this. IKEA has even launched a new buy back program to help give old furniture a second life. So good!

Cut single use plastic from the kitchen

At this point, most of us understand that single-use anything is never ideal. But, the great thing is that there are so many brilliant alternatives to help you cut out single-use plastic in the kitchen.

Beeswax wraps are a great way to avoid cling wrap, and you can find them in so many cute, colourful patterns. Arnhem, one of my favourite sustainable fashion brands, has released their own beeswax wraps using their fabric offcuts. They also offer a DIY beeswax wrap set for those who would prefer to make their own – with offcuts included. 

Another great substitute to have on hand are reusable silicone storage bags to replace single-use plastic zip-lock bags. Like the beeswax wraps, you can find these in all sorts of bright colours, or keep it simple with these clear ones. 

While these are the obvious swaps, we’re also planning to be more conscious of things like food packaging and cleaning products, and cut back on unnecessary plastics where we can.

Don’t be fooled by greenwashing

If you aren’t familiar with the term, greenwashing is described as disinformation shared by an organisation to present an environmentally responsible public image. And honestly? It’s terrible.

Basically, it’s clever marketing designed to dupe customers into thinking they’re making environmentally conscious purchases. In reality, the product they’re buying is just as bad as any other on the market, but often costs more.

A lot of cleaning products are guilty of this, and many other products make misleading claims about their packaging. It’s something I’m still learning about myself. If you’re interested in finding out more, Going Green Solutions has put together a great comparison of compostable, degradable and biodegradable.

Take it one step at a time

There are many different ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle, and it can quickly become overwhelming. But, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Whether you’ve got your sustainability routine down pat (awesome!) or you’re just getting started (also awesome!) – we all have to start somewhere.

Speaking from experience, biting off more than your can chew can see you throwing everything in the ‘too hard basket’. For us, making small changes that we can actually maintain is a far more effective strategy. Much less overwhelming, too!

So, take it one step at a time and try to look for small changes you can make to your everyday life. Remember: it’s about progress, not perfection.