5 Simple Tips to Living More Eco-Friendly

This month has been so inspiring! Eco Fashion Week in Vancouver absolutely rocked my socks off (anyone else!?) and it was Earth Day (shoutout to Earth for being so awesome). I connected with London Drugs to get to know a little bit more about their “What’s The Green Deal” campaign, which I am absolutely thrilled about! At EFW (a non-profit organization dedicated to stimulating the growth and development of sustainable practices in fashion/clothing), London Drugs was there with a few facts on how they have decided to become more “green” (pictured below with a drop-dead gorgeous model).

After attending Eco Fashion week this month, I was really inspired to take a look at my daily routine and how I can reduce my waste & carbon footprint on our planet. By following a plant-based vegan diet and switching over my cleaning & beauty products to more sustainable, eco-friendly brands, I’m already feeling like I’m making a big change (not to mention all the harmful effects those nasty chemicals can have on our bodies!). You can be more eco-friendly too:

My fav eco friendly tips…

1. Have a Clothes Swap Party with Friends

Do a clothes swap with friends! The majority of my closet has been hand-me-down clothes from friends and family for years, it makes everything more interesting and affordable. We all know that thrift shopping can be amazing for your wallet, the environment and your creativity, but having a clothes swap can be even more fun. Having a clothes swap with friends helps you de-clutter and organize your own closet, and allows you to think up new outfit ideas with your “new” pieces! Reusing and recycling clothes can be extremely environmentally friendly. Not only are you reducing waste and reducing over-production, but it is a great way to save your money for more vegan ice cream (am I right?!). 

2. Reduce Your Animal Intake – Go Vegan!

By clicking on this post, you probably have some sort of interest in helping the environment and interested in becoming a little more eco friendly. Well I have great news for you! Consuming less animal animal products could be one of the most efficient and easiest ways to becoming eco-friendly. By consuming less animal products, this will reduce our risk of disease and reduce our carbon footprint. I have 100+ recipes on my Blog and Instagram which are all plant-based and free of animal products to give you some ideas and inspiration for healthy & delicious vegan meals!

A few facts which I found on the Cowspiracy website are listed below. I highly recommend watching the documentary Cowspiracy if you want to know more information about how animal agriculture is harmful to our ecosystems and planet.

• Animal agriculture is responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, more than the combined exhaust from all transportation
• Livestock and their byproducts account for at least 32,000 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year, or 51% of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions

• Cows produce 150 billion gallons of methane per day.

• 2,500 gallons of water are needed to produce 1 pound of beef. 

• Animal agriculture is the leading cause of species extinction, ocean dead zones, water pollution, and habitat destruction.

3. Choose Eco Friendly Products 

Choosing eco-friendly products is one of the easiest decisions we can make! Greener products are more accessible these days, and almost always of better quality. Personally, by living a holistic & pure lifestyle, I actively choose to purchase eco-friendly beauty products, cleaning products and other houseware products. London Drugs, for example, has recently launched “What’s the Green Deal?”, by promoting eco-friendly products and searching for greener ways to do business.

On their site, they have an entire list of all their Green Products which you can also find labelled in-store. Some of my favourite brands to purchase here are Eco Tools makeup brushes, Jäson Hair Care Products & Deoderant, Method Cleaning Products, BioBag kitchen bags for compost and Prana Organic Products (trail mix!). It makes me so happy to see Canadian companies take initiative to make our world a little better than we left it. You can help out too by purchasing eco friendly products from London Drugs!

4. Take Public Transportation 

I’m a public transporter…you will often see me walking, bussing or occasionally biking my way to get to where I need to go. Taking the bus can actually save tons of time by avoiding traffic and will help to reduce CO2 emissions. Car share programs are now active in almost every city, making this another awesome option for car-people. Walking to school or riding your bike to get groceries can also benefit you in so many ways; get to know your neighbours, your community and enjoy walking outside!

Also, get out in nature!! Enjoying our planet in it’s natural state/environment is the most healing and grounding thing for our bodies & minds…getting out into nature, whether it be lush forest or deep ocean, will get us more in touch with what’s important, what we need to protect and make us more conscious of our actions. 

5. Bring Your Own Bag/Tupperware

Living in Vancouver (a very eco-friendly city), it is almost a crime if you forget your cloth bag at the checkout of the grocery store. I like to always carry one or two with me in every backpack or purse, in case I make an unplanned trip to the grocery store. This helps reduce plastic waste and, let’s be honest, is so much cuter. Shop at your local farmers markets or attend a Zero Waste Market in your city to help reduce waste. Some foods, such as oats, are much more affordable when purchased in bulk. You can find cloth bulk bags at Whole Foods and plenty of health food stores. I also love storing bulk items in sealed mason jars and bringing my own jars and spoons to take-out restaurants when I can.

I hope this inspired you to become more eco-friendly in whatever way works for you! Leave a comment below saying how you will contribute to a healthier, happier planet.

** this is a sponsored post. All opinions are, as always, my own.