The new year is the perfect time to begin reflecting on the future.
As we progress onwards, our planet’s future hangs in the balance. It’s time for all of us to think about making the shift towards a more sustainable lifestyle - for us, our children’s futures, and the planet.
Throwaway culture permeates every aspect of our current lives. Single-use plastic like candy bar wrappers and soda bottles are made to be used immediately then thrown into the great “away.” Meaning, our oceans, landfills, or impoverished communities.
Some single-use plastic is necessary: surgeon’s gloves, for instance, or tools for people with disabilities, like pre-cut wrapped vegetables and plastic straws. However, the fact remains that necessary single-use items make up only a tiny proportion of existing plastics, and most of it is instead consumed by people who value convenience over our planet.
We all fall into the trap of using unsustainable materials without thinking. It can be so hard to avoid - but making some change is better than making no change.
Luckily, the way forward is clear. “Reducing” and “reusing” items is far more efficient than recycling, as well as more cost-efficient over time. There are a few simple places to start!
Clear out your closet and repurpose anything you don’t need anymore - then buy any new items sustainably or secondhand.
This fits into the “reduce” category and the “reuse” category. You don’t have to give up a love of fashion to make a positive impact!
Most fast fashion items are thrown away soon after they’re bought, and following quickly-cycling fashion trends leads us to want to buy, buy, buy. But classic pieces don’t go out of style, and wearing timeless clothing helps us to both feel good and protect the planet.
There are so many incredible sustainable fashion brands that make items that are meant to last - and since they’re meant to last, they’re meant to stay fashionable longer.
Also, many other people clear out their closets as their personal taste changes, too. That means that secondhand fashion is rewarding as well as sustainable.
When you clear out your closet, look at the pieces that are still stunning but no longer you - donate these items instead of throwing them away! You’ll help keep the cycle of sustainability turning.
Ditch the plastic and switch to reusable containers.
Many stores let you buy dry items like trail mix, lentils, or beans, in bulk. That means that you can bring your own containers to the supermarket and get products without adding another can, plastic bag, or bottle to the landfill. Many places even have options to buy honey or peanut butter this way. You can also check out your local farmer’s market for ethical goods, affordable prices, and less packaging!
Buying reusable grocery bags or, better yet, repurposing bags you already own, cuts down on hundreds of single-use plastic or paper grocery bags per year per person. That adds up. You can even skip the smaller plastic produce bags and just bring your own! It’s simple and effective.
We know that these single-use items are already in stores, and it can feel like you can’t make a difference alone. But when hundreds of consumers make the shift, that affects the supply chain and informs buying trends.
Suppliers don’t want to make products that people don’t want to buy - with time, effort, and thousands of people making the switch, we can influence producers to make more eco-friendly products and packaging.
Invest in quality over quantity.
Supporting well-made, ethical, sustainable brands safeguards people and planet. Their products are meant to last, and never go out of style.
Daria Day offers timeless jewelry made by talented, well-paid artisans with ethically-sourced gemstones. The women creating these pieces are able to support themselves and their families, and our production process is carefully catered to prevent environmental harm. You can read more about us here!
Keeping a few classic, well-made pieces that you can feel good about helps keep cheap jewelry from going into the landfill. Spend some time this year curating your own jewelry collections that you can feel good about both owning and wearing!
By choosing to support ethical, sustainable jewelry and clothing, you’re becoming part of a circular economy - one designed to reduce waste, change our mindsets, and protect the planet.
Your new sustainable lifestyle will support other people who are also making the change.
You can end the cycle of using single-use plastics, throwing out old items, and buying cheap clothing and jewelry that soon goes out of style. Sustainable choices begin with you, and your support helps companies that are making the shift to keep going.
Going forward into the new year, we hope to help the thousands of people who have started thinking forward, and encourage them to keep making simple sustainable lifestyle changes that make a difference.
At Daria Day, we want to be part of the change. You can find our collections of gorgeous, ethically sourced and made jewelry here.
Sources:
https://www.nrdc.org/stories/single-use-plastics-101
https://www.epa.gov/recycle/reducing-and-reusing-basics
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