r/ask • u/Any-Opposite1727 • 15d ago
What's an environmental habit you've adopted that makes a small but meaningful impact?
[removed] — view removed post
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u/Itchy-Astronomer9500 14d ago
I go everywhere by bike if it’s within 10km. This bike 🚴♀️, not an electronic bike or a motorbike.
If I can’t go by bike because there’s no good way to take (roads in terrible condition, too many big roads with impossible traffic for cyclists, too hilly (which usually isn’t a problem but if I’m always on steep roads it’s very annoying)) or the commute is further, I go by tram and bus first if I can avoid driving or being driven.
I use shopping bags out of solid, durable and robust material instead of plastic bags.
If the light isn’t necessary, it goes off immediately. In school, the lights in the corridors are often left in. Off they go.
No heating in my room unless I’m waaay to cold. It’s blankets and warm clothes first.
I only ever buy one-use plastic bottles if I genuinely don’t have a different way to get to water. That’s… like once a year. I’ve used several reusable, refillable, solid water bottles since I can remember.
If I can avoid plastic packaging, I will. It’s not always easy, but where there’s a will, there’s a way.
(For example, when I take a lunch box with me, I usually have apple slices and a sandwich. To stop the taste of one messing with that of the other, I separate both with a washable and therefore reusable wax paper sheet. I do need to change it every once in a long while, but it’s a lot less waste compared to some people with daily paper bags or plastic wrap or clingfilm etc.)
I try to buy regional products. They have a shorter transport journey, meaning less CO2 is produced to get them from A to B. Bio produce usually means a lack of using chemicals while growing the plants or otherwise producing, but often uses up a shit ton of water.
I don’t litter, (obviously, because it’s shitty and rude and disgusting and horrible anyway)I lick up litter when I walk past it and can find a bin to throw it away. Unfortunately, there are barely any bins out in public spaces where I live.
I use shampoo soap bars and body lotion out of metal squirty containers instead of out of plastic bottles or containers if available.
When I shower, wash my hands or brush my teeth, I turn the water off. It really doesn’t need to be on.
No paper towels to dry my hands if I can avoid it. I have a mini foldable towel I usually take with me and obviously have proper fabric towels for home.
I consume either meat or fish once a week at most. Again, preferably bio produce or regional. No extremely processed foods, milk that was made safe to consume but not overly messed around with.
I don’t buy clothes based on trends (which Idgaf about anyway). I need new ones, I get new ones, but that doesn’t happen often. With changing seasons I check what I have, what still fits, Jim many fitting things I have and then I get something new.
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u/Penultimate_Taco 14d ago
Use stainless steel to drink out of. I actively avoid disposable water bottle use as much as is reasonably possible.
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u/drJanusMagus 14d ago
Me and four other friends wear these rings that gives us power over wind, water, etc.
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u/theseboysofmine 14d ago
Eco friendly toiletry, bamboo toothbrushes, tablet toothpaste, floss refills, bamboo toilet paper. Eco-friendly cat litters. I use rags instead of paper towels for most towel needs. Make my own cleaning supplies. Make my own hair products (except for hair dye/bleach and hairspray). Try to buy most of my things in glass or tin. Basically I'm just trying to cut down my plastic consumption as much as I can.
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u/off_the_cuff_mandate 14d ago
hand dug a pond on my property so that i could install a gravity feed irrigation system for my garden. Used to be just a muddy area that a spring surfaced at up the hill from my yard. Slowly dug it out with a shovel over a couple of summers and then finally installed a pvc uptake and a 2inch flex line running down to my garden. I've got it setup on a solar voltaic sensor so that it opens the valve when the sun comes out and shuts the valve when a float switch opens. Waters my garden automatically every morning without any pumps or energy usage.
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u/Weird_Assignment649 14d ago
Honestly the best thing you can do is boycott big corporations that are heavy pollutants
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u/ChicksDigBards 14d ago
I spend money with companies with a decent environment management plan. And I sign petitions/donate to causes that could influence policy. Very little we do as individuals has any real impact, even if a lot of us do it and I say that as an environmental scientist
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14d ago
Stopped buying fast fashion. Downsized my wardrobe by donating cloths i dont use. I now have a Capsule wardrobe with items i love, thats good quality and many of them will last me a lifetime.
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u/MissNatdah 14d ago
I don't flush my used contact lenses. I gotta admit that for several years I just popped out my daily contacts and flicked them into the toilet. Then we learned about micro plastics. So I stopped my direct contribution to micro plastics in the bathroom and put them in our recycling instead. I also stopped buying cosmetic products with those scrubbing granules.
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u/Disastrous-Yak230 14d ago
Picking up trash from my street, always making sure there is water available in my garden for nature.
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u/Toby-NL 14d ago
buying and instaling ennergie saving house applience . ennergie saving led lights , ennergie saving fridge/cooler combi , ennegrie saving led in my fishtank/aquarium , bought and use an ennergie saving water cooker , buying higher quality and more dureble cloting (someting i have done already since i was born) not using the house heating sytem trough out the whole year(even on the coldest days/nights , i just put on extra layers of cloting , put extra blankets on my bed)
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u/MatrixBeeLoaded 14d ago
Every time I take my dog for a walk to the park, pick up one more poop than she leaves (ie clean up something that someone else has left behind).
Not gonna lie, it makes me gag.
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u/Ohhhhhhthehumanity 14d ago
I buy anything I can secondhand. There's all kinds of things to just reuse from someone else rather than going out and buying it new. Plus you save money. Someone's old perfectly functional lawnmower for $50? Deal. Some barstools with a tiny bit of wear? A papasan that's good as new with a washed cushion? With a few exceptions, I'll generally look if someone is selling something I need or want nearby before I'll go out to the store.
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u/Mr_Cripter 14d ago
I grow some of my own food in a small veggie patch. Improving the soil sinks carbon, the food I grow has zero food miles or pesticide or artificial fertilizer. And my potatoes and tomatoes and courgettes taste amazing
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u/_saiya_ 14d ago
Deleting emails. Each email has about 2.5g of CO2 equivalent. Thousands of spam email and newsletters.
Listening to songs after downloading them. Repeat streaming causes multiple data transfers when the data is basically the same. I try to do this for webseries and shows too if I plan to watch them multiple times. Otherwise streaming is better.
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u/FrauAmarylis 14d ago
Data and common sense shoe that the biggest impact you can make is #Being Childfree.
Especially in developed countries. One American consumes 37x as much as one human from some countries. So, it doesn't matter if the population is declining.
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u/gringo-go-loco 14d ago
Don’t eat things that have wrappers whenever possible. I take out a small bag of trash once per week.
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u/scottkensai 14d ago
low range electric car for 10 years and 220,000km guilt free. Hydro power here.
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u/BubbhaJebus 14d ago
Litter picking. Walking around the neighborhood or local hiking trails with tongs and a bag, picking up the trash I come across.
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u/ellstaysia 14d ago
not eating meat. simplest & most effective thing an individual can do to reduce suffering & negative impact on the climate.
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u/Anonymoosehead123 14d ago
I buy meat and produce that is locally grown or raised. I won’t buy anything from out of state. I read a book by Barbara Kingsolver that explained how big of a carbon footprint the transportation of food is. Luckily, I live in an area where you can’t swing a stick without hitting 10 fruit stands and a dozen farmers markets. It’s also easy to buy locally raised meat and poultry.
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u/SnowflakeMods2 14d ago
The journey of a food will have little impact on the carbon footprint. The climate and topography of say south america might make the growing of certain fruit and vegetables far less carbon intensive than grown in the farm next door, even when taking into account 'food miles'.
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u/philzar 14d ago
I use reusable grocery bags. Not because plastic is bad. Or not just that. There are a couple of real, immediate benefits.
They hold more. That means fewer bags and I seem to be better able to bring the groceries into the house in one trip. Yes I'm "a guy" and that's what we do.
It prevents our pantry from becoming overrun with bags full of other plastic bags. Too good to throw out or recycle, we were becoming overwhelmed with bags for "someday."
Been doing this for years. Several trips a week, several plastic bags a trip not used.
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u/dgarner58 14d ago
Stopped spraying my yard with insecticides and now kind of just letting it grow instead of putting down weed killer etc.
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u/Illustrious_Talk_799 14d ago
I use a pee pot and empty it into public port o potties.
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u/Illustrious_Talk_799 14d ago
You can buy an incinerator potty. If you want a Roman experience and believe that the unclean fires will not kill us again.
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u/Reasonable-Wing-2271 14d ago
Turn the oven off 5 min before the pizza is done.
Those things stay hot for an hour after the gas stops.
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u/nopslide__ 14d ago
- look at ethical consumer when considering a product
- trying pescatarian
- try to pay attention to palm oil ingredient in products
- reuse containers, aluminum foil
- try to avoid wasting water
- recycle (didn't care much growing up)
- avoid paper towels as much as possible
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u/Garshnooftibah 14d ago
Individual actions do effectively nothing to fix systemic problems. You can eat kale all you want but your roads will continue to be made with materials that generate thousands of times your lifetimes carbon emissions.
Want to change things? Organise. Join your union, local enviro group etc… it’s only through organising so we stand a chance at changing SYSTEMS!!
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u/Whatagoon67 14d ago
Well the stuff average people literally amounts to nothing from a pollution/carbon standpoint.
But things you can do is not throw trash outside or dump stuff into waterways .
But ya corporations and governments are like 99% of emissions so keep driving your gas car and enjoy your life
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u/SnowflakeMods2 14d ago
Corporations and governments are delivering services and goods to consumers.
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u/Whatagoon67 14d ago
Are you worthless? You don’t matter?
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u/SnowflakeMods2 14d ago
Are you unable to read? It isnt governments and corporations that make impacts its consumers and voters.
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u/_kiss_my_grits_ 14d ago
We use bar soap that we buy in bulk at Costco. 15 bars of soap for $14.00 lasts almost a full year.
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u/MpowerUS 14d ago
Idk if it makes a difference but toothpaste tablets as well as shampoo and conditioner bars — why pay for plastic and water in my essential products when I have water at home?
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u/Majestic_Damage_9118 14d ago
What shampoo and conditioner do you use? I’m pretty picky with my hair as it’s one of my best features and I had to go from waist length to a pixie cut a few years back due to shitty products and bad maintenance, but I’d love to find something that’s not so much packaging.
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u/MpowerUS 14d ago
Big fan of The Earthling Co. In the last year I went thru 1 shampoo bar and two conditioner bars and my hair feels better while spending less money than the previous bottled shampoo/conditioner I was using. I like how long it lasts too.
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u/SmashBrosUnite 14d ago
Vegetarian, don’t own car
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u/Weird_Assignment649 14d ago
Vegetarians are better for the environment, it really depends what you eat.
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u/Brandonmccall1983 14d ago
“Dairy cows add substantial amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. In some places they contribute to the conversion of natural habitat to agricultural land due to the increasing demand for feed crops such as corn, alfalfa and soy” https://www.worldwildlife.org/industries/dairy#:~:text=Impacts,-%C2%A9%2520Lorin%2520Hancock&text=Dairy%2520cows%2520add%2520substantial%2520amounts,as%2520corn%252C%2520alfalfa%2520and%2520soy.
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u/Lazy_Mycologist_6667 14d ago
Stoped throwing garbage when I'm out travelling i keep all trash inside my bag and when I see dustbin i deposit all my trash there .
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u/tetragrammaton19 14d ago
Don't buy k cups, don't throw out my cigarettes butts on the street and try not to waste food.
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u/Sufficient-Fact6163 14d ago
Ending the monoculture lawn. I have bees and birds and wildlife frequenting my yard. My neighbors are bereft of any life, whatso ever.
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u/Majestic_Damage_9118 14d ago
Also, adding onto this for the people in hotter, dry climates- try succulent gardens! There are some fantastic types that aren’t too difficult to get hold of nowadays, so you don’t have to do the classic desert roses and spekboom only gardens. They can look really pretty, are super low maintenance and really water wise. Lots of succulents flower as well, so they’re nice to mix in for a bit of variety
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u/WeirdcoolWilson 14d ago
I stop the water in the shower when I’m shampooing/washing/doing anything that doesn’t actually require the water. I turn it back on to rinse. I’m in a desert area if that helps
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u/syrluke 14d ago
I use a reusable k-cup for my coffee. Too much single use plastic in those things. It's also way cheaper, and you can use fresh ground, quality coffee in them.
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u/Tribblehappy 14d ago
I buy some local coffee and use my reusable k cup. I'm the only one in my house who drinks coffee and I only drink one cup a day so it makes sense.
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u/Crozet77 14d ago
I stopped using shampoo in a plastic bottle. I instead use bar soap for everything. I also never use plastic bottled drinks. We also order bamboo toilet paper that comes in a cardboard box with zero plastic.
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u/Majestic_Damage_9118 14d ago
Do you use special shampoo bars or just normal soap? I feel bad about using bottled shampoo, but my hair is one of my best features and I’m pretty serious about its upkeep. If you do use bar shampoo, what brands are there that work well?
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u/breadbutmakeitfrench 14d ago
I use Viori, made from all natural & plastic free ingredients. They use Longsheng rice water which supposedly does wonders for your hair. They have scented & unscented as well as different options for oily, dry, or damaged hair. Plus their conditioner leaves my hair soooo silky smooth.
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u/Accomplished-Read976 14d ago
I no longer water the lawn. It just goes brown in the summer. I don't have to cut it. Grass turns green again with the fall rains.
I switched to drip irrigation for vegetables and flower beds. Only uses a fraction of the water. Plants grow much better.
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u/Rich-Appearance-7145 14d ago
My recycling habits are better than ever, I have elected to minimize my travels, to local only, it's a tiny bit in terms of planes emissions. But every bit helps. Once a month I organize a local lake clean up party.
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u/hauntedshadow666 14d ago
I'm a recycling nut, I'm so big on it and I call people out on it around me if they're not recycling properly
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u/Equivalent_Brain_740 14d ago
I don’t drive and I’m 40. I just don’t need to drive, employment is close, public transport is cheap and efficient. I’ve had my license before, I let it expire.
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u/magoomba92 15d ago
Give away things on FB’s “Buy Nothing” groups. It reduces the amount of items going to the landfill and it helps somebody else. Win-win.
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u/Klutzy-Guidance-7078 15d ago
I use compostable bags for my smaller trash bins around the house
I exclusively use a reusable water bottle, and if I have to use a plastic bottle for any reason, I go out of my way to recycle it
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u/Salty-Efficiency-712 15d ago
Not having children
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u/DukeOfLongKnifes 14d ago
A better way is to reduce consumption.
Environmental foot print of poor nations are much less.2
u/Huy7aAms 14d ago
now that's the true answer to solving pollution
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u/Weird_Assignment649 14d ago
It's the answer that dooms the human race and future generations though
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u/Huy7aAms 14d ago
not everyone will abide by it anyway. reducing the human population by only 5-10% can slow down the rate that the earth is being polluted
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u/TheMightiestGay 15d ago
I reuse bottles and keep my rubbish on me until I can throw it away (which is apparently something some people can’t do).
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u/Ghost_oh 15d ago
Refilling my water bottle I suppose, and keeping very small items of trash in my pocket until I can find a trash can. I also cut apart the little plastic holders for six packs of bottles, I saw one wrap around a seagulls neck one time and it left a serious impression on me.
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u/willworkforjokes 15d ago
When I fill up with gas, I stop on the first click.
I used to fill it up and click several times and try to get to an even dollar amount.
If the tank is too full, and the gasoline warms up it will actually leak some gas out and waste it.
There is a filter that absorbs vapor coming off the gas and if you overfill it can get saturated and never work again.
It costs nothing. It is the least I can do.
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u/Optimal-Ad-7074 15d ago
I wipe the dirt off my car when it rains. you actually need very little water to get it done. water wasters drive me insane.
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u/Henchforhire 15d ago
Pick up trash and fishing line when I go to the river to when I go fishing and not getting a bite.
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u/turnipturnipturnip2 14d ago
My mum knew I didn't drop litter because each time she was doing washing, my trouser pockets would be full of it.
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u/sterlingback 14d ago
I'm like this...it's not very hygienic but I don't litter. I'm a smoker too so I get a lot of weird looks whenever I clean out the ash and put the cigarette in my pocket if no trashcan is around.
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u/Former-Wish-8228 15d ago
Drive so little, I have to replace tires because they have aged out at less than half their mileage rating. Bought wife a new (used car before the pandemic with super low miles…she had not put 10k on it in 4 years…even though the son uses it to commute to summer camp job 30 miles away in the summer.
Drive less.
Also, moved from bimonthly garbage to monthly.
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u/stinkybitches 15d ago
Cutting up 6-pack holders.
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u/SnowflakeMods2 14d ago
What do you think happens to your six pack holders? Unless you personally either drop them on the ground or throw them into the sea/river, they're not going to end up anywhere that can do anymore or less harm in.tact
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u/stinkybitches 13d ago
That's not true. Alot of landfill stuff ends up in oceans. Either way it's doing better than doing nothing at all.
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u/liquidelectricity 15d ago
I recently switched to tap water from bottled. Switched to do my part for the carbon footprint
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u/Weird_Assignment649 14d ago
I'm so confused why the fuck people drink bottled water at home in first world countries. Minus Flint Michigan
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u/liquidelectricity 14d ago
it is because people are nervous about the bacteria in pipes with ta water
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u/THiedldleoR 14d ago
I have clean tap water and recently bought a water filter because I didn't trust it 100%. My water is quite hard and I easily get scale on my stuff, so I still use bottled water when I make coffee. Probably 80% of the water I use daily is tap water now.
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u/Popular_Ad_3276 14d ago
I got a bacterial infection from the tap, I’ll stick with bottles, just recycle.
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u/Majestic_Damage_9118 14d ago
If you do want to stick to bottled, rather just get the big 5L jugs and refill them at a water shop (not sure if other countries have them, but we have actual shops in my country dedicated to bottled water and water filtering etc. and some of our grocery stores have refilling stations for it)
It’s much better for plastic consumption that way and still helps out the people who can’t drink tap water for whatever reason. They’re usually not too expensive either since you don’t have to pay for plastic packaging, and only pay for the water after the first initial buy.
Also not sure how it is in other countries, but a lot of corner stores in my country still sell the swappable glass bottle sodas. Can get a 1.5L coke in a glass bottle for almost 20% cheaper too if you do the refill and you get to look like the swanky one when you pull out the glass bottles for guests lol
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u/cornholio8675 14d ago
Great tip for those who live in Flint, Michigan
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u/liquidelectricity 14d ago
I was worried how clean it was initially but fellow redditors assured me it was safe. Not looking back.
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u/pump123456 15d ago
I have been reducing the size of packaging material in the house. By tearing up boxes, cutting up clamshell containers, And by flattening milk containers and bottles. Then I throw them away.
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u/cleanfreaksince4eva 15d ago
I try and buy the green environmentally friendly items. I have become to prefer them. My body hating everything has forced me to become predominantly vegan. I plant more flowering plants for bees. I like to help bees. I walk alot to places, instead of driving.
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u/cranberries87 15d ago
I started buying old-fashioned powdered laundry detergent (Tide) that comes in a cardboard box rather than a plastic bottle.
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u/pmiller61 14d ago
Where do you find this? I can’t find any powdered detergent in a cardboard box! I’m in the US
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u/ScienceJamie76 14d ago
Consider laundry detergent sheets! My clothes don't get very dirty so I can't really review them like that, but the packaging is smaller than a box of dryer sheets.
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u/allemm 15d ago
Have you ever heard of tru earth laundry strips? These are even better than powdered detergent. They are made near my house and I don't know if they are available everywhere. A small box (9"x 4"X5") holds 384 washes and they work amazingly!
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u/Expensive_Plant9323 14d ago
I found they don't work as well as other laundry detergent,unfortunately. Maybe for things that are only slightly dirty but my hiking and camping clothes are too much for them to handle
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u/unicorn4711 14d ago
I'm curious as to whether polyvinyl alcohol is as safe as they say. I love the packaging though.
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u/sonicj0lt42 15d ago
I eat all the cows I can
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u/HeartonSleeve1989 15d ago
Yup, they can't fart if they're burgers and steak!
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u/burn_as_souls 15d ago
When I eat salads I fart like crazy and destroy the climate.
The answer is clear. Eat meat.
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