Since moving in with Jamie almost 5 years ago, making an effort to live a greener more eco-conscious lifestyle has never been more important to us then it is now.
Without getting into politics, we’ve all seen movies such as The Day After Tomorrow that leave us feeling overwhelmed with anxiety and thoughts like, “could that really happen?” The scary truth is that global warming is a serious issue and is more prevalent now then ever before. It seems as though lately natural disasters are becoming common and as much as I love warm water temps on the east coast, it makes me feel nervous for our generations future. Today I’ve teamed up once again with Boxed Water, a brand I wholeheartedly believe in to share with you 5 ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle. These are all such simple changes so if you do anything today, please read this post.
PS: I’m giving away a Boxed Water package on Instagram that includes the tote in the last photo below, Boxed Water t-shirt, Boxed Water, a notebook and more! All you have to do is follow both myself and Boxed Water on Instagram and comment “entered” in my most recent photo with the bike. Good luck!
1. Consume More Plant Based Options and Support Local Growers: Before Christmas this year I became completely obsessed with the idea of going vegan. Not for my health but for the planet. Did you know that agriculture is responsible for 14% of the world’s greenhouse gases, and a lot of that is caused by cow farts! I am not kidding, when a cow farts/burps methane, a greenhouse gas, is emitted and the toxic gas is actually more harmful than carbon dioxide. There are over 1.5 billion cows in the world (and many other grazing animals) so imagine just how much methane Is being released into the atmosphere every day. The demand for animals and animal byproducts is absolutely ridiculous so it’s easy to see why cutting out/down on these products is so important. Admittedly my quest to become vegan did not last very long as I am a lover of cheese and dairy, but it did make me realize that cutting out animal products is very do-able. I truly commend those who can live a vegan lifestyle but for me it’s just not possible (right now anyway). However, for the last 8 months I have made a conscious decision to add more plant based options into my diet and have cut out eating meat virtually every day to only once or twice a week. As for dairy products, I’ll admit ice cream and cheese are my vices but I do try to make an effort to eat these types of food less. TRUST ME, if I can do it so can you! PS: If you are going to eat meat I highly recommend getting it from a local market or butcher, this way you can ask questions about the animals diet, how they are treated and yes, even how they are killed. The more you know!
2. Drink Boxed Water: We all know that plastic is terrible for the environment which is why it is so important to drink water from sustainable options. Boxed Water is Better has been my go-to water of choice when I don’t have a water bottle available to me. Boxed Water, available in Canada at Loblaw’s and Sobeys, is changing the way we drink water with their smart packaging and branding. Boxed Water is triple filtered for purity and each box is made of 74% paper that comes from well-managed forests. The ENTIRE carton is recyclable, BPA and phthalate free. Boxed Water’s packaging uses paper from well-managed forests and they efficiently ship their cartons flat to their plants for the water to be filled. Once filled, the rectangular shape reduces shipping waste versus round bottles.Boxed water is committed to reducing its carbon footprint and donates at least one percent of their total sales annually to reforestation and world water relief.. Last but not least, for every photo posted of Boxed Water with the hashtag #ReTree, they plant two trees! Boxed Water is a brand I can definitely get behind.
3. Use Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products: Not only are eco-friendly cleaning products better for the environment but they are better for your body. Have you ever noticed that when you use a toxic cleaning product that it becomes hard to breathe? Just imagine when you spray that cleaner how much of those toxic particles are being absorbed into the environment through the air/water. Unfortunately, the same goes for your body! Nobody wants toxic chemicals being absorbed into their lungs and skin, so do yourself a favour and switch to green cleaning products. If they work just as well then what do you have to lose?
4. Opt for Riding Your Bike: Do you ever drive down the highway and think to yourself “wow, that’s a lot of vehicles?” I know I do. Although sometimes it’s nearly impossible to take anything other than your vehicle to get where you need to go, I have found that most times (especially in Toronto) I can take my bike. In a big city like Toronto things like grocery stores and the mall are very accessible so Jamie and I make it a point to take our bikes when we can. Not only is it good for reducing CO2 emissions, but It’s great exercise and always makes for a fun, impromptu “date.” Just don’t forget your backpack and Boxed Water!
5. Purchase Clothing that Lasts and Donate Clothing You No Longer Want: As a blogger and self-proclaimed shopaholic, this last piece of advice has been tough for me. I tend to be an impulsive shopper and I receive products on a daily basis…case in point the photo above. However, making an effort to purchase clothing that I love and that has longevity has become a priority of mine because I know that over-consuming is not only bad for my closet space, but also for the planet. Although this doesn’t apply to everyone, I do receive a lot of PR samples like makeup and beauty products. It has become extremely important for me to donate those products to a local women’s shelter quarterly and my clothing to either a consignment store if they are in good condition or to places like Value Village or The Salvation Army.
Thank you to Boxed Water for partnering on this post, all opinions are my own.
