Salute the Reuser
I am one person. Yet, I have control over every choice I make. And those choices hold power. Even the smallest decisions can have ripple effects far beyond those our tiny human brains can comprehend.
April was Earth Month, and my mind has been turning for the last 30 days or so examining all the many ways I leave footprints in my wake.
I shared on Instagram last month that I was giving up single-use use plastic straws for all of April. And I'm happy to say the transition has been easier than I expected it to be. So in that spirit, I thought I'd share a few other small changes I've made which mean a lot to me, and have reduced my single-use waste in a big way.
Perhaps my most frequently used item is my Keep Cup. I've been taking my coffee to work in a Yeti tumbler for the last 2+ years, but the lid was far from spill proof, and it was too bulky to keep in my bag for spur of the moment coffee dates. After seeing the Keep Cup pop up in my Instagram Discover feed several times, I got one in January and now I take it everywhere I go. It's already been with me to New York and back, on road trips, and has become a recognizable fixture at all of our local coffee shops in JCMO. I rinse it and stash a microfiber cloth in it after each use and back into my work bag it goes. On weekends, I make sure to pack it in whatever bag I'm carryinging so I'm not caught without it whenever the siren call of caffine comes my way. I don't know which I'm more in love with in this photo. My Keep Cup or the Coffee Soda therein?
Another item I picked up in January was a Cockcicle waterbottle. I can fill it up from my pitcher in the fridge before I go to bed, leave it on my counter, and the water is still cold when I wake up for yoga in the morning. The body shape is easy to grip, and when empty it's extremely light. I've had many glass and aluminum water bottles over the years, and this is by far my favorite. Pro tip: It also does a great job of keeping beer cold on a hot day. If you're local to Jefferson City, Carrie's Hallmark downtown has a truly stunning array of colors and sizes to choose from. #Shoplocal!
Something I've been doing for a few years now is using canvas totes as opposed to plastic shopping bags, especially when I go to the grocery store. It all started for me with grocery shopping in New York City where you can only buy as much as you can carry home. Just stop and think about that for a moment. Hands down one of my favorite things about moving back to the midwest was being able to purchase all of my groceries for the week in one go! I used to use reusable shopping bags from the Disney store featuring the likes of princesses and Avengers in turn. They were sturdy, had a nice plastic bottom, and strong handles that meant I could really pack them full! These days, I use canvas totes. I've got a few from Trader Joe's, one from a bookstore in Ireland, a few from The Strand in NYC of course, and one from Piggy Nation (shout out to my Piggy's!). They all live right next to my pantry, so as I'm making my list to go shopping I grab a few off the top and to the store I go. Being a re-user means I have less clutter in my apartment, but there's also the nostalgia factor of seeing my favorite places splashed across the bags as I bring them home from the store each week. It feels purposeful, and I like that.
I meantioned at the top that I'd given up plastic straws for Earth Month this April. Out of everything on this list, my metal straw is the thing I most frequently forget when I leave the house. It's also, arguably, the easiest to go without. The saddest thing is when I DO remember my straw but then forget it at whichever restaurant I'm at! Luckily, metal straws are extremely cheap. You can get a variety pack for under $10 on Amazon, and I just chalk it up to a pay it forward. Hopefully, someone finds my straw and starts using it themselves. A girl can dream. I'd also like to give a shout out here to Bar Vino here in Jefferson City for forgoing plastic straws and paper napkins since their opening a few months ago. They really are setting an example here in Mid MO.
Big, fundamental change happens one choice at a time. What's one small change you can make on a micro level to help our planet? I can't wait to hear what you come up with!- xo Sydney
April was Earth Month, and my mind has been turning for the last 30 days or so examining all the many ways I leave footprints in my wake.
I shared on Instagram last month that I was giving up single-use use plastic straws for all of April. And I'm happy to say the transition has been easier than I expected it to be. So in that spirit, I thought I'd share a few other small changes I've made which mean a lot to me, and have reduced my single-use waste in a big way.
Perhaps my most frequently used item is my Keep Cup. I've been taking my coffee to work in a Yeti tumbler for the last 2+ years, but the lid was far from spill proof, and it was too bulky to keep in my bag for spur of the moment coffee dates. After seeing the Keep Cup pop up in my Instagram Discover feed several times, I got one in January and now I take it everywhere I go. It's already been with me to New York and back, on road trips, and has become a recognizable fixture at all of our local coffee shops in JCMO. I rinse it and stash a microfiber cloth in it after each use and back into my work bag it goes. On weekends, I make sure to pack it in whatever bag I'm carryinging so I'm not caught without it whenever the siren call of caffine comes my way. I don't know which I'm more in love with in this photo. My Keep Cup or the Coffee Soda therein?
Another item I picked up in January was a Cockcicle waterbottle. I can fill it up from my pitcher in the fridge before I go to bed, leave it on my counter, and the water is still cold when I wake up for yoga in the morning. The body shape is easy to grip, and when empty it's extremely light. I've had many glass and aluminum water bottles over the years, and this is by far my favorite. Pro tip: It also does a great job of keeping beer cold on a hot day. If you're local to Jefferson City, Carrie's Hallmark downtown has a truly stunning array of colors and sizes to choose from. #Shoplocal!
Something I've been doing for a few years now is using canvas totes as opposed to plastic shopping bags, especially when I go to the grocery store. It all started for me with grocery shopping in New York City where you can only buy as much as you can carry home. Just stop and think about that for a moment. Hands down one of my favorite things about moving back to the midwest was being able to purchase all of my groceries for the week in one go! I used to use reusable shopping bags from the Disney store featuring the likes of princesses and Avengers in turn. They were sturdy, had a nice plastic bottom, and strong handles that meant I could really pack them full! These days, I use canvas totes. I've got a few from Trader Joe's, one from a bookstore in Ireland, a few from The Strand in NYC of course, and one from Piggy Nation (shout out to my Piggy's!). They all live right next to my pantry, so as I'm making my list to go shopping I grab a few off the top and to the store I go. Being a re-user means I have less clutter in my apartment, but there's also the nostalgia factor of seeing my favorite places splashed across the bags as I bring them home from the store each week. It feels purposeful, and I like that.
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| PS. This is the Roman Sunset from The Grand Cafe here in Jefferson City. 10/10 would reccomend. |
I meantioned at the top that I'd given up plastic straws for Earth Month this April. Out of everything on this list, my metal straw is the thing I most frequently forget when I leave the house. It's also, arguably, the easiest to go without. The saddest thing is when I DO remember my straw but then forget it at whichever restaurant I'm at! Luckily, metal straws are extremely cheap. You can get a variety pack for under $10 on Amazon, and I just chalk it up to a pay it forward. Hopefully, someone finds my straw and starts using it themselves. A girl can dream. I'd also like to give a shout out here to Bar Vino here in Jefferson City for forgoing plastic straws and paper napkins since their opening a few months ago. They really are setting an example here in Mid MO.
Big, fundamental change happens one choice at a time. What's one small change you can make on a micro level to help our planet? I can't wait to hear what you come up with!- xo Sydney
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