By Angelina Tang
The new year has come upon us, and what better time to start trying to change your life for the better? It may seem cheesy, but conscientious habit-making has to start somewhere, and now is the time to do so. These are some little habits you can start to incorporate into your life to help you live more sustainably.
Recycling Conscientiously: Contrary to popular belief, not everything made of plastic is recyclable. In Erie County, curbside recycling is available for plastic types 1, 2, 4, and 5. You can find the plastic type somewhere on the item inside a little three-arrow-recycling-triangle. If you toss anything else in, they will likely sort it out at the recycling center anyways and send it to the landfill. Save your workers the pain (as well as some space in your blue bin) and check your plastic type. Also, in no situation are chip bags recyclable, nor those soft plastic wrappers with shiny insides for things like granola bars and candy. Also, no items with food waste are recyclable. In fact, if you put something with food waste on it into your blue bin, it is likely to contaminate the entire truckload of recycling it is placed in, as recycling facilities worry about attracting bugs or rodents to their load. Contamination results in the entire truckload being sent to the landfill. Don’t ruin it for all of your neighbors who are recycling conscientiously–either clean the food waste off, or if you cannot, just play it safe and leave it to the landfill.
Saving Energy and Water: This one is a no-brainer, but turn off appliances and lights that are not currently in use and don’t leave the water on while you brush your teeth or wash your face! It may seem like a small amount of electricity or water you’re wasting, but when you add it up between all of the people in this country wasting it over days, weeks, years, the amount adds up pretty quickly. That’s a lot of carbon emissions and natural gas contamination all for nothing. Every big change starts with the individual–do your own part in the group effort.
Shop Consciously: Consumer culture in the U.S. has led to a lot of materialism and fast fashion. Social media trend culture has not helped–companies like SHEIN and Cider produce a lot of cheap clothing, for instance, that is viable to end up in the trash within a year. Supporting this type of overproduction only leads to more emissions, more waste, more pollution, and an everlasting cycle of perpetuating climate change. While we are teenagers who do not have a lot of money to spend, it’s much more sustainable to save up and buy more expensive but durable clothing that is likely to last for years. This goes for other items as well, like kitchen gadgets or household decor or little stationary. Buy items you genuinely love, not the latest trend on the Tik Tok Shop. It will lead to making positive money habits like saving, much more guilt-free shopping, and a more sustainable lifestyle!
Shop Local: Purchasing food grown locally means promoting shorter transportation of goods and therefore less emissions in the process. At Wegmans, for instance, they will label which fruits and vegetables came from local farmers. You can also frequent the farmer’s market, or the small markets that individual farms like the Badding Bros run. While they may not be open in the winter, it’s something to keep in mind when spring and summer roll around.Bring your Own Bag: Many stores have already been promoting this by charging you for using their bags, but when you go shopping (at the mall or otherwise), bring your own reusable bag, or reuse an old paper bag you already own! This will save you a couple cents each trip–something that’ll add up if you’re a frequent shopper–and also allow you to make use of those old bags lying around. A nice, reliable tote bag is also something you can use for a variety of occasions, from outings to carrying books to shopping. There’s no downside to having your own reusables.
