A resource for tips and advice on a sustainable lifestyle

The kitchen is your playground.

Sustainable living expert Jhánneu Roberts recommends leaning toward a cleaner lifestyle by experimenting with recipes from scratch for staple foods and beverages. For example, Roberts makes his own cashew milk by soaking cashews, ideally overnight, and then placing them in a blender with water, maple syrup, and salt. “It’s less waste because you’re not buying these individual cartons,” he said. “And it’s also cleaner because you really know what’s going into your milk.”

Everyone hails multi-use products.

Roberts also encourages those who want to be more sustainable to find products that are multi-use. First example: Castile soap. “You can use it to wash your hair, wash your body, wash your dog, wash your counter, the list could go on,” Roberts said. “It’s like the holy grail of soaps.” The benefit of multi-use products is that it encourages you to buy fewer products, which means disposing of less harmful packaging and living a more minimalist lifestyle.

Intentions are everything.

Having the right mindset is crucial to living a greener lifestyle. Being a disciplined and intentional consumer will set the tone for decision making. “The number one piece of advice I always give people when they’re trying to start a sustainable lifestyle is to stop buying things,” Roberts said. “Say ‘no’ to things you don’t need.” If that felt like a punch to the stomach, don’t worry, Roberts understands how difficult it can be. “I know, it’s hard,” he said. “Just try to be an intentional human being and find ways to reduce waste.”

Glass and aluminum containers for the win.

Think twice before buying beauty products that come in packaging that harms the environment. “Instead, try to find beauty products that come in aluminum containers, which are infinitely recyclable, or glass,” Roberts said.

The freezer is your friend.

It sucks when your produce goes bad before you can eat it all. To ease your heartache from spoiled food, try freezing more of your produce, like spinach and lettuce, to prolong their life. Roberts likes to cube rosemary to create a flavorful cooking oil that also preserves the tasty herb. “Just put the rosemary in an ice cube tray, add oil or melted butter, and freeze. Then you can stick the cubes in a pan later.” This trick can also be used with other herbs, such as thyme, sage, and oregano.

Pack your reusable cutlery.

Being an environmentally conscious traveler can be tricky, but start with simple steps like bringing reusable eating and drinking utensils on your travels. Roberts recommends bringing a reusable water bottle, a napkin, a fork and a spoon. “I know it may be a little more work, but it’s definitely less wasteful,” he said.

You deserve grace.

An often overlooked tip for living sustainably is to forgive yourself if you fall short of your green goals. Roberts knows this sentiment all too well and wants people to know that living a perfectly sustainable life is not easy. “At the end of the day, it’s not their fault that it’s so hard to be sustainable,” he said. “There are bigger systematic things that need to be in place to really make a big difference.” So the next time you make a lifestyle decision that doesn’t help the planet, don’t be too hard on yourself. is that you return to the straight and narrow path.

Source: www.insider.com