I've been sharing how to live a low waste plant-based lifestyle on my blog and social media for the last few years, and the question I'm most often asked is: where do I start? We've all got our routines and patterns; daily life demands so much of us that changing our habits can often feel impossibly difficult, especially when it seems like there's so much to grapple with.
It took me years to get to where I am today - and I still have a lot to learn! For me, it all started with veganism. The dedication I had to making more compassionate choices quickly spread from the food I eat into other areas of my life, like the clothes I wear and household habits I adopt. My advice to you if you're just starting out, is to pick an area to focus on and make small changes here and there - they'll soon add up.
Knowing where to start and where best to invest your limited energy can be tricky so I've created this guide to sustainable living to help make it easier for you. I've broken it down into bite-sized habit shifts covering life, fashion, beauty, and diet. If you're not sure how to get started, this post will guide you through the changes you can make to live a more purposeful, sustainable, and compassionate life.
General Lifestyle
Questions to ask yourself to help redefine your life.
Strive for a considered life; a life that is respectful of humanity and the environment.
Live life with more compassion. Think about the decisions you make affect others.
Focus on the 3 major habit shifts. These shifts make a huge difference when it comes to reducing your environmental impact.
Buy less of everything. Consider whether the things you're buying are 'need-to-have' or 'nice-to-have.'
Make considered purchases. Define your decision-making process when it comes to purchasing something.
Watch documentaries. Education is key to making habit shifts stick.
Use social media mindfully. Set your own rules for how you engage online and allow others to engage with you.
Consume news intentionally. Mindful consumption of news is important to your health and wellbeing.
Be kind to yourself. To do good in the world, first you must take care of yourself.
Simple Low Waste Living
Incorporate minimalism into your life. Getting rid of the excess can help you live a more fulfilling life.
Simplify your home. Create a home you love.
Declutter mindfully. Care as much about how you get rid of things as you do buying them.
Adopt everyday habits for a tidier home.
Ask yourself these questions before buying anything new.
Switch to green household products. Purchase cruelty-free products or make your own.
Buy sustainable homewares. Look for natural, organic, cruelty-free, and vegan-friendly products.
Buy second-hand whenever you can. There are plenty of like-new pre-owned items; try to find what you need second-hand before buying new.
Get started with low waste living. Adopt manageable habit shifts to help reduce your waste.
Avoid food waste. Shop more sustainably and adopt better habits in the kitchen.
Start composting. It's one of the most efficient ways to reduce your waste.
Adopt low-waste shopping habits whether you’re buying from a bulk store, a local market, or a superstore.
Go plastic free. Avoid single-use plastics and switch to reusable products.
Look for sustainable alternatives like choosing plastic-free bathroom products and low waste options when you're on the go.
Borrow instead of buy things like books.
Offset your carbon footprint to balance out the destruction our activities unintentionally cause.
Say 'no' to unwanted things from junk mail, leaflets, and business cards, to straws, disposable cups, and plastic bags.
Be a mindful traveller. Ensure what you do when you travel is respectful and compassionate.
Simplify the holidays and discuss gifting for a more relaxed, stress-free festive period.
Sustainable Fashion
Change your shopping habits; buy less, choose well, make it last.
Stop buying clothes from fast fashion brands. This won't happen overnight; start by eliminating them one by one.
Do a wardrobe audit so you know exactly what you own.
Build a sustainable wardrobe. Wear what you already own, buy second-hand, and shop from ethical brands.
Curate an all-seasons wardrobe that suits your style and your wardrobe to suit your lifestyle.
Learn about sustainable fashion brands. This directory will help.
Create a go-to list of brands to help make shopping for ethical clothes easier.
Buy second-hand before buying new. It's the most sustainable way to shop.
Look after your clothes so they last longer.
Learn about fabrics and buy clothes made from organic materials and dyed using non-toxic dyes.
Buy ethical and sustainable jewellery. Metal mining is one of the most environmentally destructive types of mining; make sure you're buying jewellery for sustainable sources.
Care for your jewellery so it lasts for years.
Buy ethical eyewear. Have your prescription fitted into an old pair of frames or refurbished frames.
Wear your ethics. Choose clothing that reflects what you believe in.
Cruelty-Free Beauty
Use fewer products. Reduce what you need to just the essentials.
Declutter your beauty products and only keep what you need.
Switch to cruelty-free products so the products you buy aren't tested on animals.
Use products that cause less waste wherever possible.
Make your own products. A few simple products can be made at home with ingredients you probably already have.
Plant-Based Diet
Eat a sustainable diet. From how you shop to what you eat, your diet matters.
Eliminate animal products. It's the single biggest way you can reduce your impact on the planet.
Make easy switches like swapping dairy milk for plant milk and butter for margarine.
Invest in plant-based cookbooks. It makes changing your diet much easier.
Learn how to make food from scratch. It's healthier and reduces waste from pre-packaged meals and snacks.
Stock your pantry with staples so you always have tasty foods to hand.
Grow your own food. It's easy to do and rewarding.
Learn how to eat plant-based on a budget. It's the most affordable and nutritious way to eat.
Make cruelty-free choices when you can't go vegan. Not all of us can eat plant-based but we can all make more compassionate choices.
Educate yourself about veganism and the plant-based diet.
