10 Sustainable Spring Lifestyle Swaps

Crawling out of the depths of a stagnant winter, we always appreciate the beautiful flora and fauna that begin to grow in the spring—this year we urge you to grow likewise. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its 2023 Synthesis Report on March 20th, and the news is not good (don’t worry, there is hope ahead). The IPCC reports that we have reached a global average temperature of 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels, which is already resulting in catastrophic weather events that are affecting many lives across the world.

Whether you only give back to our planet on Earth Day or you are a lifelong zero-waste enthusiast, every little bit counts! So, here are ten simple things you can do this spring to live a bit more sustainably.

Reuse Your Starbucks Cup

If you're anything like me, you have a fleet of Starbucks tumblers lurking around your kitchen. Do you ever use them? As of June 2022, Starbucks has started reintroducing reusable personal cups at United States locations as part of its resource-positive commitment. Despite a brief hiatus due to COVID-19 safety regulations, Starbucks has formulated an even safer, minimal-contact process to refill your beloved mugs, cups, and tumblers.

To encourage more people to participate, the coffee company even offers a $0.10 discount for bringing a reusable cup. You can also check with your other local coffee shops to see if they will accept personal reusable cups.

HANG DRY Your Laundry

Getting your clothes fresh and clean does not have to be taxing on the environment. We aren’t advocating for anyone to stop washing their clothes, but hanging your clothes to dry can help to offset your laundry's carbon footprint. Hanging your clothes rather than machine drying them can also help the longevity of your favorite pieces, especially delicates. However, hang drying isn’t realistic for everyone. If you don’t have the space to hang dry your clothes, you could opt to wash your clothes in colder water, saving a lot of energy required to heat your water.

Try Reusable Menstrual Products

If you have to deal with a menstrual cycle, you might cringe at the idea of making the ordeal any more difficult. However, you may find that these swaps can decrease some of the stress that comes from dealing with your period because of their reliability and longevity—not to mention they will save you money too.

Disposable period products, although easier to use, create literal tons of waste per year. Menstrual cups and period underwear are the most common sustainable menstrual products on the market today which means there are a lot of options to choose from. They require a bit more involvement in cleaning and are somewhat of an investment upfront, but reusable period products can save you money in only a few cycles.

Participate in Clothing Swaps

Currency is out, bartering is in! Clothing swaps are a great way to care for the planet while engaging with your community. The idea is to go through your closet, collect clothes you don’t wear anymore, meet up with some friends, and swap for new pieces. This satisfies the desire to get “new” clothes while saving you money and decreasing garment waste. You can organize a casual swap with friends or find clothing swap events near you.

Consider a Capsule Wardrobe

While you are decluttering your closet, you might as well consider implementing a capsule wardrobe in your life. The goal of this is to have a limited number of clothing pieces that all go together. A capsule wardrobe is a worthwhile endeavor for people who want a streamlined style made up of high-quality pieces. Buying fewer clothes for your closet allows you to invest in pieces that you actually love and simultaneously, you'll get more use out of your clothing.

Declutter Your Inbox

Believe it or not, the environment hates spam emails just as much as you do. Your email inbox has its own carbon footprint, making the phrase “carbon copy” take on a double meaning. A single email can cost between 0.03-26g of CO2 emissions depending on the type of email. The best way to combat this is to unsubscribe from promotional emails that you don’t use, especially the ones you neglect to even look at. In addition, be more conservative about giving out your email in the future. We all think we are going to read that newsletter, but it likely goes right to the spam folder.

Swap Your Plastic Soaps For Bar Soap

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not only for your hands—there's a bar soap for every situation. Bar soaps have come a long way in the past few years and they are a very easy swap to make in your beauty routine. Bar soaps cut down on plastic waste from things like shampoo and conditioner bottles and are far more concentrated than liquid soaps. Pick up any liquid beauty product you have and without a doubt the first ingredient is water, so you are really not getting a lot of active ingredients from that bottle. Simply adding the water yourself with a bar soap can do a lot for the planet and your wallet.

Get Reusable Makeup Removers

The ease of removing your makeup with a simple swipe at the end of a long day is a great time and energy saver, but it doesn’t mean you have to use disposable wipes. A reusable cloth and some micellar water will do the same thing, but instead of throwing it in the trash, your cloth can go into the laundry to be used again and again. If you are willing to spend a bit more time removing your makeup, a cleansing balm (or bar soap) will cut out the need to launder your makeup-removing cloth. You can find plenty of cleansing balms at Sephora or better yet, make your own.

Find A Local Zero Waste Store

If you aren’t into the DIY scene but still want to shop sustainably, a zero-waste or bulk store is a great option. Sometimes called “refill stores”, these shops offer bulk products without individual packaging. You can also bring your own containers to fill and purchase based on weight.

These stores have everything from toothpaste to laundry detergent, so you can get a lot of your necessary products without disposable packaging. If you want to find a refill store near you, Litterless has a comprehensive zero-waste grocery guide organized by state.

use your voice and get involved!

Regardless of how much plastic you do or do not recycle, the biggest contributors to pollutants causing climate change is not necessarily the actions of the average person, but rather large-scale industries and corporations. By far, the best way to combat climate change is to get involved with your local governments and their sustainability initiatives. Political officials have the power to implement sustainable practices on a larger scale, and you have the power to convince them that they should. Write an email to local representatives, or volunteer with nonprofit sustainability organizations.

Remember: change starts where you are!

Not everyone is able to implement these lifestyle changes as classism in sustainability is a prevalent issue, but everyone can do something even if it is just talking to others about climate change issues.

These are just a few ideas to get you inspired, let us know what you try in the comments!