5 Things I wish I knew before starting my eco-friendly journey

The lessons I’ve learned during my eco-friendly journey (so far) and that I wish I knew when I started.

It’s been over three years since I’ve embarked on my eco-friendly journey. Even though it’s been a bumpy road (and I still have a long road ahead), it definitely changed my lifestyle and consumption habits.

Shopping every other week, buying things I don’t need just because it was cheap (to whom?), discarding plastic bags as soon as I got home, or using disposable plastic bottles is part of the past. My past. A past where I did all of these things without thinking. Because I thought it was normal. Why? Because everyone around me was doing the exact same thing.

Unfortunately, sustainable living can often feel like a long and lonely road. Making you feel insecure, incapable, and anxious (yes, eco-anxiety is a real thing). But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Here are the things I wish someone told me when I started my eco-friendly journey.

You don’t need to do everything perfectly

Don’t expect to change your habits and becoming a sustainable living maverick overnight. It just won’t happen. 

Instead, start small. Pick only one swap to get started. Give yourself time to introduce this new habit into your everyday life. Make room for failure - it’s part of the process and you’ll learn more from it than from any highly-recommended book on the subject.

You’ll forget your tote bag or reusable bottle at home every now and then, especially when you’re just getting started. And it’s ok. Don’t beat yourself hard for it.

Soon these new practices will become part of your daily routine - I promise.

Invest in items that will make you save money

It’s a fact! Eco-conscious products are usually more expensive than regular ones. For many reasons: materials, creation processes, fairer-wages, packaging, etc.

But there’s a catch, most of these products are actually cheaper than any of those products that retail for a lower price. Why? Because most of these have higher quality, were built to last longer and to be used over and over again. Making you save money in the long run.

Need a few examples? Reusable coffee capsules (stainless steel), water bottle, menstrual cup, reusable cotton rounds… just to name a few.

You don’t need every single eco-friendly item there is

Ohh it’s so tempting to get rid of all your not-so-eco-conscious stuff and replace these with eco-friendly alternatives, am I right? Especially when you’re getting started.

But that’s a huge mistake. Getting rid of perfectly good stuff just because these not that eco-friendly will cause a bigger environmental impact, than keeping these. Besides spending a lot of money unnecessarily, you probably don’t need half of these things in your everyday life.

I am not saying that you won’t need to purchase anything. You probably will need one thing or two. But be realistic about what you actually need and don’t buy everything at once.

Create your own eco-friendly kit gradually. One that meets your needs (and budget), and that supports you in the creation of a (more sustainable) lifestyle that you feel proud of. 

Need help? Think about the items that you use more often. Take a look at your trash bin. What ends up in there more often? Can you prevent some of the waste by replacing those items with reusable alternatives?

Ohh just one more thing: your eco-friendly kit doesn’t have to be Instagram-perfect (yes, I really wish I knew this one when I started).

Use what you already have

You’d be surprised by the number of things you have lying around the house that can support you in your eco-friendly lifestyle. 

Tote bags, tupperware, jam jars, glass bottles, Bags for Life… just to name a few.

Instead of blowing the bank at the nearest zero waste store, give an opportunity to these items you already have. Feel free to use your creativity and give these a new purpose.

Here’s my latest: a soap bar holder made out of a jar lid and a couple of elastic bands (that came with fresh asparagus). 

Avoid sustainable groups on social media

Listening to someone else’s experience can be helpful and inspiring, but it can be toxic sometimes. As a member of several Facebook groups on sustainable living, I felt this quite often.

I am not saying that you won’t find people willing to help you, discover new things, or getting excited about certain information shared in the feed. You certainly will.

Unfortunately, every now and then, you’ll stumble across some comments that are packed with criticism and judgment. Making you feel bad about your individual journey, especially because you’re not doing this or that.

Remember that sustainable living means something different to everyone. There are no one-size-fits-all, especially because we all have different needs. Also, what works for me, might not work for you… and so on. And that’s perfectly fine.

Next time you read a comment that feels a bit extreme, don’t let it get to you.