7 sustainable steps you can take today

Did you know that September 7 is Sustainable Tuesday? A good reason to see for yourself how you can make the world future-proof in your own way. You don't have to take drastic measures immediately: move to a hut on the heath, purchase an expensive heat pump or ban all plastic from your life. These are 7 sustainable steps with which you can easily contribute to the world of tomorrow.

7 steps to live more sustainably

1. Buy second hand more often
2. Shampoo, conditioner and deodorant? Make it sustainable
3. Swap toothpaste for tooth tabs
4. Get a library subscription
5. Immerse yourself in vegetarian food
6. Have a food-with-leftovers challenge
7. Use less plastic

Step 1 - Buy second hand more often

Not only very sustainable, but also very fun: thrift shopping and flea markets. Because why buy something new in the store when you can also pick up a great pre-loved acquisition for less money? And it is also good for the environment to give old things (which often don't look "old" at all) a second life.

So do you have a huge urge to add something new to your wardrobe? Leave H&M and Zara for what they are and instead try your luck searching for clothes on Vinted, in the thrift store or in a second-hand store like Appel & Ei. Check here to see if there is one near you. And while you're at it, you can of course also offer your items that I no longer wear for sale.

Nope, second hand is no longer boring. Source: @appelenei Instagram.

Step 2 - Shampoo, conditioner and deodorant? Make it sustainable!

You can also take sustainable steps in the bathroom. Do you still use an old-fashioned shampoo bottle and conditioner from a package? And deodorant from a can or roller? This can be done a lot more sustainably with Blokzeep products.

Exchange your bottle for a shampoo block with a delicious mango scent and instead of deodorant from a plastic bottle, opt for this solid deodorant in a can. A small change that saves a few plastic packaging per year! Makes the ocean happy. Oh yes, and you will probably also be very happy with the delicious mango scent of the shampoo & conditioner bar in one. I love it!

Step 3 - Swap toothpaste for tooth tabs

In the context of sustainable steps in the bathroom: toothpaste is so 2019. Okay, and it is especially not a big party for the environment, those plastic tubes. That's why something super clever has been devised: toothpaste in tablet form. As soon as you put the tablet in your mouth, it will foam automatically. Exactly as you are used to with toothpaste. And if you want, it also has the standard peppermint flavor (strawberry is also possible!). Buy a bamboo toothbrush to go completely sustainable.

There are now also tooth tabs for children from the super cheerful brand Fairy Tabs . Including colorful cup and nice stickers. Look, those are sustainable steps that will make your child and nature happy.

Step 4 - Sustainable steps? Get a library subscription!

Are you a real bookworm and do you have a whole cupboard full of books? But is your closet so full that you secretly hardly have room for new ones? Then that might be a good reason to go to the library. That is also a great step towards sustainability. If a book is read by dozens of people, much less paper is needed than if everyone buys that book new.

So think about it: wouldn't that be something for you, a library subscription ? This is a good reason to spend even more time with your nose in a nice book.

Speaking of books: have you heard of the book This is a good guide by Marieke Eykskoot? If you want to take sustainable steps, this book is a great guide to a green(er) lifestyle.

Step 5 - Immerse yourself in vegetarian food

You don't have to immediately eliminate all animal food from your life to take a good step for the environment. Instead of eating a completely vegetarian diet, you can also exchange your piece of meat for a meat-free meal once or a few times a week.

Make it a fun challenge to try all the meat substitutes on the shelf that you are unfamiliar with. Or purchase a delicious vegetarian cookbook (I think The Green Griddle is a great book!) and challenge yourself to put a vegetarian delight on the table every week.

Step 6 - Have a food-with-leftovers challenge

Nothing wrong with an old-fashioned leftover day! About 590 million kilos of food are wasted in the Netherlands every year. About 9% of our food ends up in the trash. And that's a shame. Make it a fun challenge to whip up a tasty meal with the leftovers. Store any leftovers from an evening meal in a food container and bake it with the rest of your food the next day. Or see if you can make something with it for lunch the next day. You can also save up all the leftovers to create a weekly leftover day. By the way, the freezer is your best friend. Everything you freeze has a much longer shelf life. And it still tastes just as good after a few days. Instantly saves you cooking time!

By the way, storage is super fun with the brightly colored pots, containers and other solutions from Madame La Poule .

Step 7 - Reduce the plastic

Shopping completely plastic-free will be quite difficult. But you can reduce your plastic consumption with small steps. You can also challenge yourself in this regard. Keep track of how much plastic you use and what kind of products you use for a week and see if you can reduce that amount. A few simple tips:

• Buy larger packaging of products, so that relatively less plastic packaging is needed for your groceries.
• Take a fabric bag with you to the supermarket, so that you no longer need plastic bags.
• Buy cotton fruit and vegetable bags . That also saves bags in the store.
• Invest in freezer containers and a good lunch box so that you no longer need sandwich bags.
• Bring your own take-away cup for your coffee or tea to go, so you don't have to ask for a plastic cup.

If you pay close attention, you will notice that you can quickly save a lot of plastic with almost no effort. One of the sustainable steps that will also make the fish in the ocean very happy! And it saves you having to take out the plastic bag with waste a few times a week. Win win!

Tell me, which sustainable steps have you already taken?

The author: Romy Veul

Copywriter, language fanatic, crazy about color and cheerful as often as possible. That's who Romy Veul is in a nutshell. On her blog More often Cheerful she takes you into her positive imaginations. Always with a modest dose of humor and nice colorful photos. Romy's blog posts >