It’s no secret that the words ‘sustainable’ and ‘eco friendly’ have been thrown around more and more within the retail sphere in recent years. But what do these terms ACTUALLY mean? These sound pretty intimidating to work towards if you haven't done any research into the reasons WHY our everyday lives are so, frankly, unsustainable. I am here to tell you that being more eco friendly in your daily life is not that intimidating, and there are several small steps you can take right now in order to move towards a more sustainable way of living.

1. STOP buying plastic water bottles. Seriously...stop it. This bottle most likely isn't ending up in the recycling plant that you had hoped for. It’s better to just stop using them altogether, and opt for a nice reusable bottle. Just in that change alone - you can save an average of about 150 plastic bottles a year. If 10 people decided to make the switch, 1,500 plastic bottles would be out of our landfills and/or oceans yearly. It’s probably the easiest sustainable switch you can make, and it will actually save you money as well. It’s a win win, really.
2. Reuse food jars. Think about how many food and health/beauty products are sold in glass jars. If you really think about it, to throw these away is totally insane! Glass jars can also be Tupperware, coin jars, jewelry boxes, q-tip holders, toothbrush holders, flower vases, candle holders...the list really goes on and on. For example, at Botanic we love to re use our feel free bottles as mini flower vases and give them out as gifts. The possibilities for re use are endless...if we all shifted our thought process, and realized that most items we purchase have a much longer life cycle, the need for single use plastic would go way, way down. 
3. Switch to soap bars. This tactic is actually the most fun for me, since one of my favorite past times is walking through the natural soap bar section and sniffing each and every one until (possibly an hour later) I come to a conclusion on which is my favorite. Each time I finish off another bar of soap, I get a little twinge of excitement that I get to pick out a different scent + formula every month or so. Even more significant, is that you can swap out for a soap bar in place of most, if not all, beauty and household items. Dish soap, hand soap, body wash, laundry soap, shampoo, conditioner, face wash, etc. It will jumpstart your sustainability routine, as well as save you some money as well. Soap bars don’t have nearly as much (if any) packaging, which makes soap bars automatically cheaper. Again, another WIN, WIN for you!
4. If you’re able, take up walking or biking for your shorter commutes instead of driving. Obviously this tactic is case by case, since some people live in environments where walking and biking is not an option for many reasons. Decide what is the best and safest option for you. But if you are able to walk to your neighborhood market or coffee shop, instead of driving your (exhaust spewing) car that mere mile down the road, it really makes a difference. 

These are just a few ways you can be a more eco conscious, sustainable person each and every day. Many people never try to pursue sustainability for the simple reason that they just cannot imagine NEVER using plastic again, and it all sounds just way too complicated to tackle. Much easier to just ignore the issue...and save it for a rainy day. Well, the only way anyone will ever make a change, is to actually make a change. No matter how small. Every effort counts. If one person everyday decided to try and make a small change, being a “sustainable” person wouldn’t sound so intimidating. 

DM us on Instagram @botanictonics that you read our blog and we will send you a sample set of our Feel Free tonics so you can show us how you re use your blue glass bottles! 

Until next time Feel Free Seekers!

Jordyn