Sustainability Swaps

In honor of #PlasticFreeJuly, we rounded up our top sustainability swaps you can add to your everyday life.

The most important step in Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is actually Refuse. Don’t take the plastic straw, to-go box or wasteful grocery bag.

Think about your options:

1. Leak-Proof To-Go Box 

Instead of grabbing fast food that has a ton of packaging and wrappers or packing your own lunch in baggies, opt for a glass or durable plastic container. This will save you from daily waste as well as help with your budget.

2. Reusable Shopping/Grocery Bags 

There are so many options for reusable grocery bags. Some that can even be compacted down to the size of your credit card. These are easy to slip into your backpack or purse and always have on you when you’re out and a grocery run pops up. I would recommend storing a few at home, a few in your car, and one in every travel bag you have. That way you will never be caught off guard.

3. Mason Jars 

Glass jars are some of the most versatile sustainable products you can invest in. Store homemade cleaning products, shop bulk at the grocery store, use as a glass in your home or take it to your local coffee shop. I’ve even seen people layer salads inside.

4. Glass/Steel Straws 

Plastic straws are one of the most wasteful and frequently used products. We don’t need a straw like we need a container to drink out of. Plastic straws can be easily refused at restaurants and coffee shops. If you love your straw, opt for a glass or steel one that you can slip into your bag and pull it out whenever you need.

5. Reusable Cutlery 

Twenty minutes of use with the trade of 1,000 years in a landfill? Seems silly when you put it in perspective. There is a variety of reusable cutlery on the market, including bamboo, metal or durable plastic that can be used time and again. Most come with a sleek carrying case so you can keep your cutlery hygienic. 

6. Water Bottle and Coffee Tumbler 

Finally, which is probably one of the first swaps that conscious consumers make, is having reusable drinkware – usually one for hot and one for cold drinks. If you aren’t doing this already, hopefully this blog post gives you a friendly nudge in the right direction.

Before buying any of these products new, check your local thrift store. Fargo-Moorhead secondhand shops are overflowing with sustainable options on the cheap.

^{Published July 2018}