Looking to accelerate your journey toward sustainable living? Wondering where to get started? Here are my top 3 favorite sustainable switches that I’ve made, as well as the back story on how I made these habits stick.

#1 Reusable Shopping Bags

Those flimsy plastic grocery bags are one of the classic evils of our planet. They float around our water ways, fly up into tree branches, and somehow end up in the stomachs of our beloved creatures. At this point many people know that it’s a good idea to avoid these bags by bringing their own to the grocery store, but actually getting them into the grocery store when you need them can be tricky!

When I first began building this habit I forgot my bags all the time and it was quite frustrating. What ending up working well for me was storing the bags in my car. After unloading my groceries I pack all of the bags into the largest bag and I hang it on my front door handle. This prevents me from leaving the bags in the house – having them hanging from my door handle also forces me to get the bags out to the car ASAP. Mismatched shopping bags aren’t part of my ideal design aesthetic! The next hurdle is getting the bags into the store. For that I suggest forcing yourself to go back out to get them even if you forget them the first time; this inconvenience should help you remember next time. None of us like back tracking!

Once you’ve mastered bringing your own bags to the grocery store I recommend bringing them for any type of shopping. I must admit, I brought my own bags to grocery stores for years before it occurred to me to bring them into stores like Target, or even shopping malls. Seems obvious now, but it was definitely phase 2 for me. And phase 3 was eliminating any use of plastic produce bags – no need to put your apples in a bag within your bag. Just make sure to wash them when you get home!

#2 BYO – Bring Your Own!

It’s a rare occurrence to find me without a reusable water bottle (or mug) in hand! I’m not obsessed with hitting any sort of hydration goals, but I very much dislike getting thirsty and not having a convenient way to have a quick sip. Whether it’s taking a water bottle with me when I’m out running errands, or bringing my own travel mug to Starbucks when I’m craving a chai latte, it’s convenient, sustainable, and saves money! If you bring your own insulated mug to Starbucks your beverage will stay at the desired temperature longer and as an added bonus you’ll get a little discount. Oh, and you can smile to yourself knowing that you’re helping to keep one more cup out of a landfill. Don’t underestimate how good it feels to take these little steps toward being part of the solution!

Now how did I make this a habit? This was truly trial and error! I think that the BYO habit was naturally self-sustaining because each time I was able to avoid having to buy a water bottle or throw away a cup I felt a sense of relief. Avoiding feeling guilty was a huge motivator for me, and if you’re reading this I have a hunch it could be for you too!

Bonus BYO tip – try to bring your own water bottle when you travel. It’s easy to generate lots of trash when you’re away from home, so try to at least avoid plastic water bottles by bringing your favorite one from home.

#3 Eat Fewer Animal Products

What we choose to eat is such a personal decision. It’s usually deeply engrained in us by our families, cultures, and religions. Often we don’t think about the bigger implications our food choices have on the world. Increasing evidence, however, links our food choices to systemic issues such as climate change and global food shortages. If we eat less meat, we lessen our effect on the environment. It can be challenging to make significant changes to your diet, so I recommend taking it gradually. Perhaps adopt #MeatlessMondays, or put a limit on how many meals can include meat in a given week.

What works well for us is eating a vegetarian diet with the occasional bit of fish (maybe twice a month). I’ve been a vegetarian since I was a child (my own choice), and Mike made the switch in his 20s. Our journeys toward vegetarianism/pescetarianism were very different, but we now both happily eat a largely plant-based diet. Mike was able to painlessly make the transition to pescetarianism by making gradual changes. It took him about two years to shift his eating habits and now he finds it completely natural. He’s been going strong for nearly five years now!

What are some of your favorite quick switch tips to live a more sustainable lifestyle? We’re always looking for ways to improve and build new sustainable habits.

xo, Nicole