When working on self-care, references to different areas, or ‘dimensions’, of wellness come into focus.  Developing our mental, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being are common pieces of a self-care practice, but social and environmental factors are equally important.  Caring about others and the world around us creates a stronger sense of connection, purpose and overall fulfillment.

Single use products like plastic, Styrofoam and batteries take a toll on the environment.  Trash has accumulated in several areas of the world’s oceans via major currents. The most well-known area is called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is estimated to be double the size of Texas. These garbage patches create microplastics and chemicals in our food supply chain while also harming and killing marine life. First world countries--especially the United States--have massive  ecological footprints which impact the rest of the world and its natural resources.

While ecological responsibility primarily falls on companies and the government, individual decisions can also make a difference.  In reference to sustainability around the practices of reduce, reuse and recycle, here are three affordable, sustainable practices you can incorporate into your everyday life:

1. Bring your own to-go containers to restaurants 

Packing leftover food into your own reusable glass, plastic or stainless-steel food containers saves on using the single use Styrofoam and plastic containers most restaurants carry.  While a few of my friends have given me funny looks over the years whenever I scrape up my leftover meal into my own food container, waitstaff often express appreciation to me for the environmentally conscious action.   Some restaurant employees have explained they get tired of handing out countless Styrofoam containers and plastic bags for customers to carry home small amounts of food.  Ideally, more restaurants in the future will switch to compostable and biodegradable food packaging. Until then, incorporating this practice into your dining out routine will significantly minimize your use of non-environmentally friendly packaging over time. Bonus: boxing up a portion of a large meal in the beginning helps with portion control (I love food and have a tendency to overeat!).

2. Keep reusable straws and bags in your car, bag, purse, etc. 

According to the IUCN, more than “800 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans every year.” Similar to plastic concerns, paper bags also create an environmental strain through air and water pollutants.  Reducing your consumption of both items is easily achieved with reusable items.  Decline plastic straws at restaurants for dine in or to-go beverages, and either decline plastic bags for purchased items you can easily carry to the car or provide your own reusable bag(s) as an alternative.  Tip: be sure to clean and sanitize reusable shopping bags on a regular basis. 

3. Become familiar with the recycling centers near you

Multiple recycling programs are often available in a community through more than one service: city curbside/residence, facilities (workplace, companies, airports, schools, etc.) and events are some examples of access to recycling. Many grocery retailers and department stores provide a plastic bag recycling station for consumers. Recycling centers throughout a community provide additional services beyond the typical residency recycling programs, which may accept items like auto batteries, motor and cooking oils, antifreeze, eyeglasses, ink cartridges, and electronic waste.  Websites like Earth911 and  Recycle Nation offer recycling directories searchable by zip codes (Earth911 provides a search across North America), and additional recycling directories exist for local areas. Research the places you frequent to determine what items can and cannot be recycled.

While city recycling programs included with trash service add a significant amount of recycling participation, there are typically limitations to what can be recycled in small towns and rural areas.  If you happen to fall in the category of about 1 in 7 Americans who state they do not have access to recycling (Corona Insights, 2020), either save recyclable items until you are able to travel to recycle them (a friend’s house, a nearby town, etc.), and/or focus on the reduce and reuse practices. Buy products from companies who use less packaging, advocate for less single-use products at your school or work, and/or ask management if they have considered providing recycling services.

While recycling is not a perfect solution, many argue it provides a better option than additional trash in the limited space of landfills, especially since so many manmade materials can take decades or centuries to completely disintegrate. Ultimately, a reduction in the amount of disposable goods, combined with efforts of reusing and recycling, are actions that create sustainable change.  

Remeber that perfection isn't realistic.  There will be plenty of times you forget to bring a resuable bag or food container, for example.  Helping the environment is simply about doing the best you can.  Trying to make an impact on a worldwide issue can feel like a daunting task to an individual. One of my favorite authors, New York Times writer Michael Pollan, addressed the same issue in 2008 when he asked, “Why Bother?” His answer:

“If you do bother, you will set an example for other people. If enough other people bother, each one influencing yet another in a chain reaction of behavioral change, markets for all manner of green products and alternative technologies will prosper and expand. (Just look at the market for hybrid cars.) Consciousness will be raised, perhaps even changed: new moral imperatives and new taboos might take root in the culture… Sometimes you have to act as if acting will make a difference, even when you can’t prove that it will.”

Breaking habits that are an intrinsic part of our daily lives is difficult because routine feels more comfortable.  Finding small and large ways to create a more sustainable lifestyle starts at the core.  It requires a sense of social responsibility and initiative to take action, thus implementing change. If you are new to developing reduce, reuse and recycle habits, start with one step, like a reusable water bottle, then work your way up. Developing new habits takes time, but awareness and intention will lead to change.

References & Recommendations

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) https://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-briefs/marine-plastics

Pollan, M.  (2008) The way we live now: why bother? The New York Times. www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/magazine/20wwln-lede-t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Public Opinion Surrounding Plastic Consumption and Waste Management of Consumer Packaging (Rep.). (2020). Denver, CO: Corona Insights https://c402277.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/publications/1457/files/original/CI_Public_Opinion_Research_to_WWF_2021_01_26.pdf?1616455951

The Environmental Protection Agency: https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials#R&Ctrends