6 Sustainable Products to Start Effortlessly Living a More Eco-Friendly Lifestyle

I’ve been thinking about how I can practice being a little more kind to the planet and living a more sustainable life. ‘Living green” is popular right now, but it’s necessary. We all know that we need to take care of the planet. I’m actually appalled at the amount of trash that my family used to accumulate. I wanted to do better, but I know if there’s no plan, we will not succeed. You can start small and make an impact. I’m listing some relatively effortless ways you can reduce waste as well. Think of this as a “Going Green for Beginners Starter Pack”

re-usable K-cup Filter
I replaced the store bought K-cups with a reusable Keurig filter a couple of years ago. I use one at home and at work with my favorite ground coffee. This is such an easy way to not only reduce waste, save money, but also in my opinion make a better tasting cup of coffee. They’re available pretty much anywhere at stores like Target and on Amazon. There’s even a Dollar Tree option for yes, a buck!

2. Reusable Coffee Cups

Not brewing at home? Get a reusable cup to take to your local coffee shop and ditch the paper ones. Some are coated with chemicals and aren’t recyclable anyway. The options are endless in different designs and price ranges. This one by “Stojo” has a straw and is collapsible, which makes it easy to take around.

3. Reusable Food Storage Bags

These bags are tough, stylish and they seal very well. I carry fruit, cereal, sandwiches or snacks in them. They take up less space than containers in my tote bag and I never worry about the contents spilling. There are some pricier brands made of silicone, but these “Full Circle” brand ones are a great economic alternative to get started.

4. Reusable Shopping Tote

I know that the running joke is that the plastic grocery store bags are not single use, and that we use them for various household items. They ARE handy. But the truth is, they’re really starting to pile up in my home. I wanted to start reducing drastically the amount of plastic bags that we bring into the house. I picked up this cute camouflage tote bag from
J. Crew for $10. It’s so stylish that I’m eager to fold it up and put it in my larger bag. That way I’ll be less likely to forget it.

5. Plastic or wool Dryer Balls

These are great. They come in either a spikey plastic design, or wool ones that you can add essential oils to. You’ll save money, create less waste, and avoid the chemicals in the dryer sheets. You can find them at any TJ Max, Marshalls, Amazon, etc. This blue set here is from Target.

6. filtered water Pitcher

This is a no-brainer. You can get them under $20 from virtually anywhere. They reduce waste and visual clutter from those large packs of individual water bottles. That works for me, since I don’t have room to store cases of water in my NYC apartment. Fill up your reusable water bottles and take your water along. If you absolutely must use prepackaged water bottles, make sure you recycle them.

7. Bonus Tip: Shop at Thrift Stores and Donate Your Gently Used Items

I love shopping at thrift stores. You can find some unique things at a bargain at the really good ones. It could even turn into a hobby. Donating your gently used and loved items for someone else to cherish helps keep the landfills from filling up with clothes and housewares.