Written by: Gabby Vasquez
No matter what lifestyle you live, you can always try and make it a green one! Here are some suggestions for living a more eco-friendly life, whether you’re a shopper, a stay-at-home parent, or anything in between.
Shopper
Whether if it’s for clothes, appliances or beauty products, shopping can be fun! Still, it’s important to remember that the decisions we make as consumers have a direct impact on the environment. For instance, did you know that making a pair of jeans requires over 1,000 gallons of water? Instead of buying new, try borrowing or trading clothes with a friend. This saves money and reduces the waste you generate. Also, you could recycle your empty beauty product bottles through TerraCycle’s Personal Care and Beauty Brigade®. Lastly, be sure to replace your plastic bags with reusable totes while shopping.
Foodie
Make smart decisions about the food you eat and where you get it, such as checking out your local farmers market to buy fresh produce. Not only is there a variety of fresh fruits and veggies to choose from, but the produce isn’t shipped long distances and you’ll be supporting local farmers. Try composting as well; it’s great for the environment, enriches soil, and reduces the need for fertilizers in the garden.
As always, remember to properly recycle food product packaging waste by checking out some of TerraCycle’s Brigade programs!
Tech Junkie
Many people have piles of old electronics like cell phones and computers, but don’t know how to dispose of them. Fortunately TerraCycle has you covered! There are multiple Brigade programs that recycle unwanted electronics like iPods, laptops and calculators, keeping them out of landfills in the process. If you’re into music and have old CDs lying around but don’t know what to do with them, find a friend who collects CD’s, or donate them to a thrift store.
Working Person
Work can be a really busy time, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still make time for the environment. To start, remember to take public transportation or carpool to work to reduce your carbon footprint. Recycle your office printer’s ink and toner cartridges through the Inkjet and Toner Cartridge Brigade®. Using up all your pens and permanent markers in the office? Check out the Writing Instruments Brigade®. To add, print on both sides of paper, and order a Zero Waste Box for your office.
Stay-at-Home Parent
Help your kids recognize the importance of the environment. Demonstrate the benefits of recycling by doing some of TerraCycle’s fun DIY projects with them, or by recycling their favorite food pouch products through the Ella’s Kitchen Pouch Brigade®. Living with kids means having to clean up a lot of spills. Try Febreze’s Air and Homecare program. Start a garden in the backyard plant flowers and produce with your children. You can also teach your kids to use less water when showering or brushing their teeth.
Regardless of what lifestyle you live, there are an innumerable amount of different, creative ways you can live a green and eco-friendly life!
This is great, and I LOVE TerraCycle.
However, this e-mail from you promotes the Writing Instruments Brigade among others. When, oh, when will this brigade have an opening? I’ve been on a wait list for it since forever (maybe three years now? I’ve lost track of time, but it feels like three years) and saving writing instruments for it all the while.
If I don’t get into the Writing Instruments Brigade soon, these things I’ve saved will join the landfill because I could use the space in my small house for something else.
Suggestion: When you promote a brigade in a newsletter, first check to be sure it has open slots. Otherwise you frustrate interested participants.
Thanks much. Blessings to you.
Jean Aragon
Hi Jean!
Sorry for the late response. We really appreciate your effort to send us your waste through our Brigade. Unfortunately, we have had to slow down the amount of applications we take for the Writing Instruments Brigade because of the thousands of applicants we have received coming from households, schools, offices, universities, etc., and we do apologize for the frustration it caused you. Hopefully, sometime soon the brigade will reopen and we will be able to take your application, as we would love to. For now, we hope that no matter what you do with your waste, you handle it in an eco-friendly manner, as we always promote any effort to help the environment.
Apologies,
Carl, TerraCycle Social Media Intern