ARTICLE BY VERONIKA MAKOVEY

Wanting to make a difference to the planet and get warm-fuzzy feelings spread all over? Or obtain the ammunition to gloat amongst a group of friends, to proclaim all the good in the world that you are doing all by your teeny-tiny self? Well rest assured sister, here is the ultimate power-pack of small sustainable tasks that you can incorporate seamlessly into your day, without a hassle or fuss.

I know that being sustainable is a necessity in our current dire Earthy situation, but every time that S word is even mentioned, it’s as though people are trying to jam it down our throats. The judgy eyes and deathly stares are at times overwhelming to the point of needing to cower under a good rock. You’re a busy woman, I know, there’s no time to think about cooking dinner let alone recycling your jeans and sewing them into a cooking apron. Despite the tendency to run away and hide the facts are bleak; Fashion is one of the biggest producer of pollution in the world, trailing closely behind oil, and the only way to change the situation is to become more educated and responsible consumers. This needn’t be overwhelming, like those wise women we have in our lives say… start with one small step at a time.

So here are 30 steps that we’ve identified can all pack a punch independently of their own accord:

1. Carry net bags at the bottom of your hand bag, in case the need arises for you to zip to the shops after work or for a 3-pm chocolate hit (no judgement, you do whatever you need to do to get through the day boss lady!). I like to keep one or two ONYA bags in the mix as well, to avoid the thin plastic bags at all cost. But worst case… you can use the paper bags reserved for the mushrooms.

2. Look at what the garment is made of prior to buying it. Steer well clear of Polyester and Nylon made entirely from oil which leaves a geological impact. Not only are they horrific to the environment but also they just feel yucky on your skin…. ain’t nobody got time for that.

3. Wash your clothes no higher than 30 degrees Celsius. No jamming, just a fun fact: when washing your clothes above this temperature, synthetic fabric particles dislodge themselves from your garment and finding-nemo themselves down your waterways into the ocean. Then the baby fish eat these and then as a glorious circle of life cycle we eat the plastic fish when we detox and have plain sashimi for lunch (a la Victoria Beckham).

4. Also by washing your clothes on cold you A) don’t shrink those woolly pieces but also don’t use extra electricity to heat up the water.

5. Bring your flip-flops with you when you get a pedicure, rather than leaving with those plastic flat make-shift thongs they provide you with. Not that your chic self would ever be seen flapping along in public with those bad boys on. Even if you just have them in your car ICOPE (in-case-of-pedicure-emergency).

6. Wash your zip-lock bags rather than throwing them away. Whilst they are wet place them onto your window and they stick and dry in a matter of minutes.

7. Head to Bunnings and buy bin-liner bags made from 100% corn starch, so that when you are polluting landfill at least you can feel good about the bag bin having the ability to deteriorate naturally in the soil.

8. Have 4 bins in your kitchen, one compost, one soft plastic (for chips packets, bread bags, anything that comes in plastic that you can crumble in your hand), one hard plastic and one landfill.

9. Create a compost pile in your backyard while you’re at it. You don’t need a fancy bin where the bottom slides out or a tumbly wheel just a heap that you can cover with a tarp and turn around with a shovel from time to time.

10. Collect your soft plastics and recycle them at the soft plastic drop off collection bins outside of IGA, Coles and Woolworths.

11. Create a wish-list when shopping and sleep on your wants, rather than instantly buying into a trend. If you still want those items after a week, then purchase it but just think about the item and whether it will suit the clothing you already have in your wardrobe and if you can still envision yourself wearing it in a years time.

Did you know… that simply wearing a garment for 3 months longer than it’s usual lifespan (whether that be one wear or 20) can save 5 to 10% in water, carbon and waste.

12. While you’re sifting through your wardrobe compartmentalise what items you do or don’t wear. Most women use 20% of their wardrobes whilst the other sad 80% drape on the hanger idly. Have a look into new initiatives whereby you can hire out your own wardrobe, companies like StyleLend, Tumnus, and The Volte. The last two are Australia, whereas StyleLend is only in the US at the moment, for all you jet-setters, who don’t want to pack frocks in the bag and just wait till you get there. We’ve pretty much helped you offload your carbon emissions…you’re welcome.

13. Invest in a Menstrual cup or period underwear. We love the LoveLuna underwear, which is leak proof, the equivalent to a female safety blanket. RubyCup is made from 100% medical grade silicone which is safe, hygienic and comfortable. Better yet when you buy one, one cup will be donated to a girl in a developing country, as menstrual health is vital and challenging. Both these companies eliminate all of the waste associated with pads and tampons, as they are more sustainable, cost-effective and eco-friendly alternatives.

14. Don’t throw jeans or clothes into the rubbish, drop them of at textile recycling stations instead.

20,000L of water is needed just to make 1 pair of jeans, not to mention the amount of dye that runs off the jeans leaking into the rivers and oceans (there are actually rivers in Asia and South America that are entirely red or blue from the amount of dye leaked into them due to the clothing manufacturing occurring in that region.

You can search for your local textile recycling bin or warehouse online and they use clothes which can’t be sold and convert them into ped bedding, housing insulation, car seat stuffing etc rather than putting them into landfill. This is a much better option than throwing clothes that can’t be re-sold in the rubbish. Unfortunately, it’s not just clothes we think are ripped up, only 30% of clothes are actually sold in op-shops, they are currently being inundated with high-street brands that are of poor quality.

15. Use glass food storage containers to put leftovers in or cover bowls with beeswax wraps rather than cling wrap.

16. Save your pennies and invest in designer quality statement pieces that you will cherish and wear over and over again and pass down to your future mini generations. Just think about it… jeans costing $30 (yes, that’s wicked more money for other things… but how was it possible for those jeans to be created so cheaply? The ugly side of clothing production is rarely considered but if you have a spare hour to kill I’d recommend watching the True Cost of Fashion (available on Netflix).

17. Look at where you garment is made from and what materials it’s made of. As these will help you wash it better to help with keeping it looking fresh for longer.

18. Try your knack at op-shops, yes you might have to hold your nose and be prepared to wash the garment a few times but boy oh boy can you find some sweet finds.

19. Don’t stress if they are oversized or don’t quite fit right, find a killer tailor or clothes alteration place and have them sew and stitch your sweet finds to be moulded to your body shape. The reason why all celebrities look so damn amazing in their threads is because they’ve literally had them tailored –made to their exact measurements. Never underestimate the power of a well-fitted item.

20. Take your designer goods to your clothing alteration place if they have a hole or need to be repaired rather than throwing them away.

21. Take your keep cup EVERYWHERE and drink coffee and liquids from it. Invest in one that’s gorgeous, to excite you to use it. I have this beautiful ceramic one, which I froth over and show off proudly.

22. Have a simple personal rule that if you don’t have your keep-cup you must sit down and have a coffee at the café and have a breather while you’re at it, or simply go without. I recommend the latter option.

23. Invest in a glass drinking water bottle, and eliminate plastic bottle purchases at all costs. If you’re at the service station, and are desperate for a cold drink, opt for one made from glass. And if it’s an amber glass turn it into a vase, post your refreshment session.

24. Have a small case in your handbag with cutlery and a metal straw, so that if you do get take-away you can avoid using any plastic.

25. Make double the portions when cooking dinner and when serving up the food, have your food storage containers ready to go for the food to be stored away for lunch the next day. That way you don’t have to stress about lunch the next day and you avoid getting plastic take-away containers. You can also freeze these for a mind-week lazy dinner, in case you don’t have time to cook.

26. Take shorter showers. We are slowly heading into a water shortage crisis. Despite the lack of freshwater, Australians use the most water per capita globally, using 100,000L of freshwater per person every year. According to researchers from institutions such as the Aarhus University (Denmark), United States CNA Corporation and Vermont Law School there will not be enough water to sustain the world’s population by the year 2040 (Green Planet Plumbing, 2019). Therefore we need to be cautious of long showers (army showers turning the water on and off whilst lathering up and shaving are a major YES), running water whilst brushing our teeth, washing the dishes, watering plants (more succulents… yay) and less clothes washing/wash them on eco shorter cycles on a cold wash.

27. Walk rather than use the car, if you can. Or cycle and envision yourself as Marion Cotiliard in the movie A Good Year. Not only will you be saving the planet but your legs will look that toned from all the incidental exercise and you won’t need to drive to the gym later (triple WIN!)

28. Change your household products to environmentally friendly ones that don’t harm both you and leave your house laden with harsh chemicals. I love the Koala eco, Ecostore and resparkle range as they smell nice, work like magic and look that stylish on my minimalist/ Danish/ scandi/ Moroccan /boho /luxe /Parisian cottage inspired home. These can be purchased at NourishedLife or floraandfauna two heavenly low-tox life websites.

29. And if you’re super savvy, rather than throwing those cool spray bottles in the recycling bin after you’ve finished with it, why not try making your own DIY cleaning products. Not only will you have ultimate gloat amo BUT you will also be saving money that can be put towards your CELINE fund.

30. Use recycled paper toilet paper, never fear there are companies that are producing soft paper that won’t leave you fearful to sit down.

Hey babe, give yourself a pat on the back if you’ve done one of these things today. Two pats, if you did two. There is a real sense of power in moving these tasks to the forefront of your mind. It’s as simple as picking one thing to focus on that week, focusing on it and hopefully embedding it into your routine until it becomes habitual. The power is also shifted in that you are no longer the consumer, but an activist for creating a new planet where the bees want to keep on living, the grass and trees still produce oxygen for us to live and the Maldives’ azure blue ocean is still kicking on as clear as ever.