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Living more sustainably can feel like an uphill battle at times. Climate change is a global problem and nothing that any one person does is going to fix it. However, the collective effort of many people does have the power to make an impact.
It’s also no secret that most of us have some areas in our lives where we could make more eco-friendly choices. Plus, spending our money on more environmentally sound options helps tell companies that these are the kind of products people want, and will hopefully also lead to their wider availability.
We’ve put together a few simple ideas for the next time you’re making a household purchase. Of course, it’s not sustainable to throw something away that you already own to replace it with an ‘eco’ version, but when you are buying something, it’s good to have these options in mind.
The kitchen is one of the main sources of household waste, and so there’s lots of places where we can make more sustainable choices.
If your favourite tea brand uses teabags that contain plastic, it’s simple to simply buy the loose variety and use an infuser, while plastic cleaning sponges wear out quickly but stick around in landfill for centuries — look for biodegradable options.
Another place where we accumulate a lot of waste, look for versions of toiletries that come in non-plastic containers, and those that offer refills.
If you’re a scented candle lover, any candle made in Ireland from natural wax rather than paraffin is a much more sustainable choice than the mass-produced ones out there, and this new scent from Natasha Rocca Devine is gorgeously light and floral.
A natural, handmade product is also a safe sustainable choice, like these gorgeous storage baskets.
If you’re buying bed sheets, linen is a much more sustainable choice than cotton as it uses less water in production and can be grown with fewer pesticides. This Irish brand also makes each piece to order, which reduces fabric waste.
Wool is a natural fibre that we have plenty of in Ireland, so it’s also great to choose products made from Irish wool, like these Irish wool-filled pillows, much better for the environment than the many synthetic fillings on offer.
If you’re in the market for some new stationery, there are some great recycled options out there.