The Latch has partnered with Suncorp Bank to deliver sustainability content that helps our readers drive positive action in their every day lives.
Many people shrug off sustainability because they think it’s too hard (we’re definitely guilty of this from time to time) or impossible to incorporate into their daily lives in any significant way. However, in most cases, the converse is true, and being more sustainable can actually save you money. Sustainability in practice should be about using existing materials, products and items that already exist in your household to make your life easier.
Here are some easy-to-implement sustainability habits you can do around the house that are actually more convenient to do than not.
Saving Your Food Off-Cuts
The kitchen is where a lot of the waste — both organic and inorganic — is created, which means there is plenty of opportunity for creating more sustainable habits. Instead of throwing out your vegetable tops (think carrot stalks, celery, or herb roots), reserve them and plant them in a pot of soil. The most convenient way to do this is to learn how to sow plant cuttings and apply the same logic to food off-cuts. This will result in having extra food in the future and also reduce your organic trash.
Related: From Root to Fruit, Here’s How to Grow Vegetables From Food Scraps (Yes Really)
Give Plastic Bags a Second Life
The supermarket, like many other stores, still gives out lots of plastic. Don’t throw them out or recycle them just yet. The best fix to single-use plastic is to use them again and again and again until they cannot be re-used any further. The most common way is to use these plastic bags as trash bin liners, to wrap pieces of cut fruit or vegetables, to use as a food wrap with a rubber band over bowls, and also as plant covers. Once the plastic bag is truly at the end of its life, it can usually be recycled into a soft-plastic bin at your local supermarket.
Save Water Without Even Trying
One other simple trick is to capture the water you run while waiting for the tap to heat up. Once you become aware of how much water goes down the drain, you’ll realise just how much is incidentally wasted. One easy trick that takes no work is popping a jug under the tap while waiting, then using it to wash vegetables, water your plants, or doubling up this trick with reserving food off-cuts and creating a simple vegetable stock to use in other recipes.
Leftovers Coffee Scrub
If you make your coffee at home every morning, chances are, you also create a lot of waste from used coffee grounds. Start by keeping a sealed container next to your coffee machine and pop the coffee grounds inside for a few days, until you have enough to create a homemade coffee scrub. Simply mix the coffee grounds with coconut oil and brown sugar to make a body scrub that will also make your bathroom smell lovely.
Maximise the Boot
If you’re anything like us, you’re shocking when it comes to remembering to pick up your reusable bags when heading to the supermarket. To overcome this, try popping a few empty boxes into your boot instead, so you can unpack the trolley straight into your boot after shopping. Boxes generally fit more items in them, meaning less trips to and from the car when you get home, plus, they can easily be recycled once they’re worn out.
Sustainability is really just about thinking ahead and thinking creatively with all the things you already have and can use to make your life and the planet more waste free. We hope these tips help you get started!
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